Many people think of herbs as either simply a way to add flavor to your cooking, or as a mysterious and slightly sinister type of ancient "witch doctor" medicine that should be treated with either suspicion or scorn. Even many people who embrace natural remedies are intimidated by the thought of trying to make their own herbal medicines.

However, humans have been using herbs for multiple purposes for thousands of years, and as long as you learn how to properly prepare them, you can enjoy their healing powers without fear.

In fact, you may be surprised to learn that even the basic culinary herbs you probably already have in your kitchen have some powerful health benefits.

For example, did you know that stuffing your turkey with sage helps to keep away the colds that begin circulating around Thanksgiving? Did you know that adding ginger to a fish meal kills pathogens found specifically in fish? When you sprinkle thyme into your meat marinades it helps you to more easily digest the fat in the meat.

In fact, all of the common spices such as oregano, garlic, sage, cloves and pepper contain healing attributes that inspire good food and good health!

We often talk about eating healthy, but one aspect of diet that doesn't get as much press in the modern world is fasting. In fact, if you bring up fasting in polite company, you will likely get a number of horrified stares. Those who know a bit about health may even throw out a few arguments about blood sugar or the necessity of regular meals for good health.

However, there is a fair amount of evidence that fasting is not only not detrimental to your health, but may even dramatically improve your overall health and longevity. Many animal studies have found that when animals were put on a restricted calorie diet or a forced fast at regular intervals, they lived substantially longer than those who were allowed to eat whenever they wanted. The reasons for this have been debated for some time, although recent discoveries have begun to reveal some interesting causes for this phenomenon.

Wow, it's already February! Usually January seems to go on forever, but this year it went by quickly and we are already enjoying the longer days, though winter still has a ways to go... We had our largest snowfall this winter a few days ago, but the nearly 6" of fluffy whiteness melted quickly as we were treated to a lovely and long-awaited foretaste of spring this weekend! It put me in the mood to start planning this year's garden, which I will be working on this week in preparation for ordering seeds and supplies. We plan to plant raspberries this year as well, and maybe gooseberries too, but we shall see.

Anyway, on to this month's freebie! :-)  In preparation for the upcoming Immune Defense Summit happening later this month, today we are sharing a wonderful guide that explains 21 safe, effective, and affordable ways to help prevent illness and infections naturally. Check it out below and download your free copy now!

If you have any interest in natural health, you've probably been hearing about the importance of "gut bacteria" everywhere. Healthy gut bacteria and the "microbiome" have become commonplace terms in the natural health lexicon in recent years. But supporting the good bacteria in your body goes beyond just your gut health.

In fact, your total microbiome is made up of bacteria in every area of your body - from your sinuses, to your mouth, your gut, and even your vaginal canal (if you have one of those). Supporting the healthy bacteria in these areas helps to not only prevent unhealthy pathogens from taking over, but it boosts your immune system and improves your overall health in general.

Many commonsense health practices that are good for your body in general also support your microbiome, such as eating a varied diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, and fiber, getting plenty of sleep and exercise, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco. But there are also specific things you can do to support your healthy colonies of bacteria in each area of your body.

Today, we are discussing a few things you can do to help support your oral microbiome - an important but often-overlooked area of health - as your mouth is one of the most common ways that pathogens enter your body.

Happy New Year! I'm back after our trip to Arkansas, though unfortunately I ended up with the bad cold that everyone else had once we got back... Christmas was fun and relaxing, and it was wonderful to see the nieces and nephews growing and becoming little people, which always amazes me. It's so interesting to watch their personalities develop as they become their own unique individual selves - so different from each other, even the twins!

I'm a little late with the "New Year's Resolutions" post as we got back late last weekend and I was too tired to put something together at the last minute, so your monthly "freebie" will be posted next weekend. I'm doing things a little differently this year, and instead of sharing my own resolutions, I decided to share some tips for creating your own healthy resolutions - ones you can actually stick to!  Take these 5 ideas as a good place to start in your own health and fitness journey, but feel free to put your own spin on them to make them work for you.

One of the main problems with typical New Year's Resolutions is that they are set to achieve a specific result - and one that is often overly ambitious. If your goal is to lose 30 lbs this year, this may seem like an insurmountable goal so it may be difficult even to make progress without giving up. Breaking the goal down into smaller ones (i.e. lose 5 lbs by March 1) may help. But beyond that, this goal is not necessarily a sustainable one to start with. What happens if/when you achieve the goal? Do you then go right back to your unhealthy habits and put all the weight back on?

This is why my New Year's Resolutions are rarely concrete, one-time goals. I certainly set many goals for myself, but they are on more of a short-term timeline and not in a "resolution"-type format. Instead, I look at resolutions as a way to make improvements in my life on an ongoing basis. For example, "Do yoga at least twice a week," or "Call one friend or family member every week." Not only are these very achievable, they are also measurable (did I do yoga twice this week or not?), and they lead me to form long-term healthy habits.

If you would like to improve your health, your fitness, or your relationships, making resolutions like these is a great way to create lasting change in your life.

What healthy resolutions can you make (and keep) this year? How about making a resolution to cook at least 4 meals per week at home? Or eat at least 2 different vegetables every day? To work out at least 3 days per week? To only eat natural forms of sugar? Or to stop eating factory-farmed meats?

Below are 5 more ideas for healthy resolutions that you can keep this year, which will change your life (and health) for the better:

As promised, I'm back this week with your monthly freebie! This month I've got a truly special gift for you...

As you probably know if you've been reading this blog for a while, gut health is incredibly important for your overall health, with implications for your immune system, brain function, mental health, and more. There are a number of ways that you can support your gut health, from eating healthy, whole foods with plenty of fiber, to avoiding alcohol and tobacco, to including fermented foods in your diet, and more.

However, one of the most popular means of support is taking a daily probiotic supplement. There are many of these on the market today, but not all of them are created equal. Some probiotics may be be completely useless by the time they reach your gut, while other supplements utilize various mechanisms to keep the helpful bacteria safe until they get where they need to be.

This month, I am excited to be able to give you a FREE bottle of one of the best probiotic supplements on the market today. (Yes, it's really FREE - no strings attached!)

Grab your free bottle here now, or learn more below...

November has arrived, and along with the chilly temperatures (snow is in the forecast a few times over the next week) comes our monthly special event or "freebie" giveaway!  This month, we're taking a look at brain health, and how brain function impacts our daily lives.

So many of us function from low energy, sluggish metabolism, and brain fog on a regular basis. For most of us, the cause is related to the cause of most of our other modern lifestyle-related health problems: poor nutrition and lack of sleep and exercise. So it stands to reason that addressing these factors would help to improve our memories, increase our energy, and help us attain clear minds and better focus and concentration.

However, tackling major lifestyle changes all at once is usually a recipe for failure, which is why the guide below is so helpful. It breaks down the remedy for brain fog and fatigue into 13 simple steps that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine, to help you quickly improve your mood, memory, and mindset, and get more out of life!

You can go ahead and grab your free guide here, or read more below to learn more about what's inside...

With family visiting from Minnesota this weekend, it has been particularly busy around here, and I almost didn't get a chance to do a blog for you, but I found this quick and easy immune-boosting recipe that I wanted to share with you - especially as it ties in so well with last week's post on essential oils.

While many of us think of essential oils for aromatherapy purposes, did you realize that you can actually consume some essential oils? In fact, in some countries, essential oils are often used in medicinal preparations and tinctures for maintaining good health or fighting off illnesses. However, not all essential oils are safe for consumption, so be sure to review the below information carefully, and consult with a naturopath experienced in the use of essential oils before consuming.

The delicious and simple recipe below is safe to consume once or twice per week, and may help to keep viruses and bacteria at bay - plus it is warming, relaxing, and invigorating, which makes it the perfect thing to sip on a chilly fall or winter afternoon!

Cold and flu season is here along with the cooler weather and shorter days, and it's time to make sure your immune system is in tip-top shape for the winter!

There are many things you can do to help give your immune system a boost and stay healthy during the winter months. Getting plenty of vitamins (especially C and D), sleep, and exercise, and drinking lots of healthy fluids like tea, chicken bone broth, and plain old water are your first and most important weapons against illness.

However, some studies have found that certain plant extracts such as essential oils can also be of great help in boosting your immune system and keeping you healthy. While there are hundreds of different essential oils out there, below are 7 of the best ones for immune health - plus some tips for using them.

You are probably already aware that the hottest topic in medicine these days is the gut microbiome. Seriously - it seems like there's a new article about the importance of gut health coming out every 17 seconds these days!

However, if you've somehow missed this news and aren't sure what I'm referring to, your "microbiome" refers to the collection of trillions of microbes living within your intestinal tract. Influencing the microbiome in a positive way appears to be a key factor in promoting heath - and not just physical health, but mental as well.  

A healthy microbiome is part best friend, part power converter, part engine, and part pharmacy.

If you want to optimize your health, heal chronic disease, or know which foods are right for you… understanding your microbiome is absolutely your first step!

Of course, we all know we should be eating lots of healthy foods such as spinach, beets, broccoli and other colorful vegetables, fruits, nuts, and berries. But unless you have the right microbes present that can fully metabolize these foods, you won’t get the full benefits…

And, in some cases, these foods could actually harm you!

Obviously, knowing what works for your gut is key to optimizing your gut health. Read more below to find out why your gut health is so important, and what you can do about it!