As you may know by now, I'm a big fan of fermented foods, and I regularly experiment with interesting new fermentation methods. One fermented food that I have yet to try making myself is kombucha.

Kombucha is a fizzy, fermented tea drink that has gone mainstream in recent years, and you can now find it in the refrigerated section of not just health food stores, but even big supermarket chains. However, the kombucha you buy in stores is, of course, a far cry from what you can make at home. Some storebought kombucha contains artificial ingredients such as colorings or flavorings, and of course, most contains lots of sugar.

However, homemade kombucha can be a delicious and nutritious drink, and it's a great way to get more fermented foods into your diet for their healthy benefits.

From what I have read, kombucha is also really easy to make, so I'm looking forward to trying it! The recipe below demonstrates how easy it is to make your own homemade kombucha.

If you're busy like me (and let's face it, in today's world, who isn't?), eating healthy can seem a chore at best, and nearly impossible at worst. Who really has time to prepare a home-cooked meal from scratch every day? This can seem especially difficult if you're trying to feed a family with both parents working full time.

However, the good news is that it can be done - and it may be easier than you think...

With a little advance planning, and a bit of creativity and flexibility, you'll find yourself eating healthy, delicious homemade meals on a regular basis, which will not only have a positive impact on your long-term health, but also on your wallet!

Below are 4 tips to help you eat healthier every day, no matter how cram-packed your schedule seems, or how many kids you have to shuttle to soccer practice or dance class.

What is health anyway? Is health merely the absence of disease? Are you healthy just because you don't have symptoms? Or does real health go a little deeper than that?

According to our modern allopathic medical system, each symptom of disease exists in isolation - and each bodily system is treated as separate from the others. This is what doctors learn in medical school - to diagnose "disease" via symptoms, and prescribe medications to treat these specific symptoms.

If you have a skin rash, you are sent to a doctor (dermatologist) who deals specifically with skin rashes. If you have digestive or stomach problems, you see a gastroenterologist. If you have heart problems, you are sent to see a cardiologist.

But what if all these symptoms were actually related?

With the conventional approach, rather than finding the root problem and addressing it, you would instead think you suffered from three different maladies and would likely end up on (at least) three different drugs!

On the other hand, holistic approaches to health - such as Functional Medicine - actually address the patient as a whole. ALL of your symptoms are considered together, and treatment is tailored to each individual's unique needs - rather than standardized "treatments" being used to treat specific symptoms separately. Functional Medicine doctors are trained to "treat people, not diseases," according to author and Functional Medicine doctor, Mark Hyman.

Addressing the entire spectrum of health is understandably more involved and time-consuming than simply focusing on one particular symptom or disease, but if you want to achieve truly balanced health and wellness, there are 7 key areas that you will need to address - both on your own as an individual, and with your doctor.

It's the beginning of a new month, which means it's time for a new "freebie"! :-) Every month, we share a free resource to help you live a healthier, happier, and more holistically balanced life, and this month's resource is especially important for your family's health.

As you may know if you've explored this site, we have a whole section devoted to the health problems caused by toxins in your home and environment - and what you can do to minimize their impact on your family's health. That's why I was so excited to learn that one of my favorite health experts is running a special summit later this month on this exact topic!

Robyn Openshaw and Ryan Sternagel have both experienced the dangers of a toxic home environment and what it can do to your health, and they are bringing together a wonderful group of health experts to share numerous tips, strategies, and step-by-step guidance on how to make your home clean, healthy, and safe for your and your family.

The online event is 100% free, and you can register to attend and learn all of this valuable information from the comfort of your own home. Register here now, or read more below to learn more about what will be covered during the free summit.