Happy New Year! 

I'll be back next week with my annual list of resolutions to inspire you, but I wanted to get your your January freebie right away this week, as I know you may be kicking off the new year with your own healthy resolutions!

CBD is all the rage right now, and while there is some controversy over it, it is getting rave reviews from many users for a number of healthy uses from reducing stress and depression, to better sleep, pain relief, and more. I encourage you to do your due diligence before using CBD oil. Make sure you are choosing a formulation suited to your needs, and use high-quality (and preferably organic) sources. 

One great way to use CBD oil is to add it to your healthy smoothies. Smoothies can be a light and delicious way to consume lots of healthy and nutritious whole foods, and they are often used as part of a detox or cleansing program. These programs are especially popular at the beginning of the year, when you may be wanting to start the year off eating clean, and "detox" from all the unhealthy excesses of the holidays.

Regardless of whether you are doing a detox, or you simply enjoy a healthy smoothie for breakfast now and then, this FREE recipe book will teach you how to add the health benefits of CBD oil to your smoothies. Grab your copy here, or learn more below.

As I have gotten older, I have begun to get very interested in the aging process.

What causes aging? Why do our bodies start to break down and wear out over time, when all of our cells are renewed on an ongoing basis?

Every cell in your body is replaced every 7-10 years, so why then don't we live forever? Why do we experience symptoms of aging like wrinkles, gray hair, memory loss, bone weakness, etc., and why are these symptoms earlier and more pronounced in some people than others?

The answer is rather complicated, but some evidence seems to suggest that while getting chronologically older is inevitable, the aging process actually is not. The fascinating video below discusses the root cause of aging, and how to prevent or even reverse these symptoms in our own bodies, so that we can feel vital and youthful no matter what age we are.

Read more and watch the video below to learn tips and strategies for aging better and living longer (and healthier) than you ever thought possible!

Diabetes is one of the most common - and most costly - modern diseases in today's world. Millions of Americans are affected by diabetes, and despite a proliferation of diabetes drugs and billions of dollars in profits to the pharmaceutical industry, there is no cure in sight. Obviously, our current approach to diabetes is NOT working.

However, there is hope.

With the right education and action, it is absolutely possible to change and save the lives of those with or on a path toward diabetes.

This is the subject of this month's Diabetes Essentials Masterclass with Dr. Brian Mowll, a well-known worldwide expert on diabetes. The Masterclass is available all this week, and you can attend for free.

However, even if you can't attend the live Masterclass, you can still download Dr. Mowll's FREE Diabetes Management Cheatsheet, which provides tested strategies to help you regain control of your blood sugar and reduce your diabetic response.

Click here to grab your copy right now, or learn more below...

Do you have gum disease?

Some estimates show that 90% of American adults over 30 years old have some degree of gum disease, and most of them don't even know it.

Common symptoms of gum disease include swollen gums, bad breath, bleeding or receding gums, and loose teeth, among others. Most of us just accept many of these symptoms as inevitable or "normal," but in fact, gum disease is actually a pretty serious condition. Research has found that bacterial issues in our mouths can lead to inflammation, which has been linked to heart disease, cancer, and more.

As with just about any type of disease, the further that gum disease progresses, the harder it is to treat. Prevention is always the best "cure," and reversing gum disease early on can help keep it from developing into a more serious problem.

There are a number of things you can do to prevent gum disease, and of course, it all starts with your diet. Eating lots of foods high in sugar or processed carbs can lead to problems in your oral health. By improving your diet and taking a few other steps to protect your oral microbiome, you can provide your gums with the opportunity to heal themselves naturally. 

Below are a few tips for healthier gums, as well as a simple all-natural tooth powder recipe that can help keep your mouth clean and healthy - without all the chemicals and other junk found in commercial toothpastes.

Up until about the beginning of the 20th century, most people cared for their own family's health at home. Sure, they may have consulted a doctor or herbal healer from time to time for more serious illnesses, but for common ailments or minor illnesses, many people relied on tried and tested home remedies passed down through families from generation to generation.

The advent of allopathic medicine and our modern medical system changed all that, and while there have certainly been some marvelous medical advances in the past century, our current medical system is generally overburdened and inefficient. Not only do we over-use our medical system for things we could easily treat at home (i.e. minor wounds, colds and flu, etc.), but we are now seeing an alarming rise in antibiotic resistance and hospital-transmitted diseases as a result - not to mention skyrocketing medical costs.

Unfortunately, with our over-reliance on modern medicine, and our abandonment of traditional medicinal preparations and techniques, much of the herbal wisdom that had been passed down for generations has now been lost. Most people don't even know how to prepare the most basic of home remedies, and would be unable to identify most medicinal herbs.

Are you ready to change that? Would you like to learn the 8 simple health preparations that everyone should know how to make at home?

If so, you won't want to miss this 30-minute training class from esteemed herbalist and self-proclaimed "Medicine Woman," Marjorie Wildcraft!  Click here to access the FREE training video now, or learn more below...

I was looking for some interesting content to post for you this week, and I stumbled across this video from one of my favorite functional medicine doctors. I thought it sounded interesting enough and thought I would watch just a few minutes of it to make sure it would be suitable to share on the blog... But when I started watching it, it was so fascinating I got totally sucked in and watched the whole thing! :-) 

We are learning so much lately about gut bacteria and how the health of your gut impacts your overall health, from physical to mental. As it turns out, gut bacteria may even be linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinsons, ALS, and more!  This is a breakthrough idea, and it will take some time before it becomes accepted in mainstream medicine, but it has the potential to revolutionize medicine and the treatment of brain disease as we know it.

Whether you suffer from one of these diseases yourself, you know someone who does, or you simply want to reduce your risk, you don't want to miss this eye-opening video - especially if you use antibiotics...

Welcome back! Sorry for the long absence - after a weekend of traveling, and then spending all day last weekend putting up siding on the house, I wasn't able to share the homestead update I meant to... However, I'm back with your September freebie this week, and hopefully this whirlwind of a summer will slow down soon so I can get back on track!

Weight loss is something that so many people struggle with in America today, and while it's not healthy to constantly berate yourself for not achieving some "ideal" of how you should look, the truth is that being overweight is linked to many different health problems that can shorten your lifespan and diminish your quality of life. Working out regularly and eating healthy is, of course, the way to achieve and maintain a healthy weight - but we all know this already, so why are so many of us still overweight?

There is quite a bit of evidence that how your view yourself and your body can contribute to weight gain (or weight loss), and there is no doubt that many of us are what we would call "emotional eaters." In fact, many doctors and psychologists now believe that the most important factor in maintaining a healthy weight is actually your mindset.

This is the reason why certain tools and habits that can help you achieve a more positive body image can actually help you lose weight without even really "trying".  This month's free gift is about just that. Not only is the book itself free, but implementing the technique described in the book won't cost you anything either - and it only takes a few minutes!

Just click here to grab yours now, OR learn more and download your copy below...

Besides air, of course, water is the most important element for human life. Water is critical for just about every single function our bodies perform. Did you know that you can live for 3 weeks without food, but only 3 days without water?

Sadly, many of us don't drink as much water as we should, which is especially dangerous during the hot days of summer. If you are already in the habit of drinking lots of water, your body will usually remind you when you need to drink more. But if you are used to ignoring your body's signals, you may become dehydrated very quickly when you are sweating more than usual. This is especially common among older people, who may lose their sense of thirst over time, which can be quite dangerous.

Personally, I am somewhat of a water fiend, and usually never go anywhere without a water bottle or tumbler. However, I know a number of people who seem to think drinking water is "boring" - an unfathomable concept for me, but it's surprisingly common. I know people who have actually passed out in hot weather due to dehydration, and it can be a scary thing. 

If you are working out or exercising hard in hot weather - or even just putzing around the the garden when it's hot out - be sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Add a few slices of fruit or vegetables if you want a bit of flavor.

But regardless of the time of year, you can also eat plenty of fresh fruits and veggies with high water content. Not only do they contain valuable vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but they will help you stay hydrated while reducing the amount of water you need to drink. (Keep in mind that even if you're eating plenty of these hydrating foods, you should still make sure to drink extra water in hot weather or whenever you are sweating a lot.)

Below are some delicious water-rich foods to eat more of in the summer and year-round to keep you healthy and hydrated (surprisingly, although you may think of fruits as being more "juicy," many veggies actually contain more water, as you will see in the graphic below):

With everything I've had going on personally over the last year, it has been a while since I've gotten really fired up about a health issue, but the recent suppression of health information on many online platforms is extremely troubling to me, and is worth taking an hour or two out of my busy schedule to share with you.

I'm sure by now you are probably aware of the uproar over the recent measles outbreaks in the U.S.. Until this topic came to the forefront of mainstream media coverage, so-called "anti-vaxers" (who have been around for decades) weren't much more than a joke occasionally mentioned on late-night TV, or pointed out as a "lesson" in medical drama shows. Now, vaccinations (or lack of them) have become a hotly debated topic seemingly overnight.

You've probably heard some of the buzz about "superfoods" over the past few years, but what actually makes a food a "superfood" anyway?

Obviously this isn't a scientific term, but "superfoods"have come to be known as foods that deliver an extra punch of nutrients. Most superfoods are fruits and vegetables, and while you might think of superfoods as something like acai berries or goji berries - something you probably can't find in your local supermarket - in fact, many superfoods are not exotic at all, and you can even grow them in your own garden!

In truth, homegrown foods are the most "super" foods of all when it comes to nutrients, as most fruits and vegetables begin to lose nutrients very quickly after harvesting. The closer you can consume your food to the time it was harvested, the more nutritious it will be. On the other hand, even the most nutrient-packed foods (like blueberries), become a lot less "super" after harvesting, shipping across the country, and sitting in the supermarket for several days.

It stands to reason that growing your own food is the best way to enjoy true superfoods in their healthiest form. And the good news is, it's actually not that hard to grow your own superfoods!