Being a fair-skinned redhead, I was taught from an early age to fear the sun. Sunburns were my nemesis (along with hives, fuzzy or prickly plants, bug bites, and anything else that could possibly irritate my skin - which was just about everything), and though I suffered many of them during my childhood, as I grew older, I learned to cover up, slather on the sunscreen, and pretty much avoid the sun whenever possible.

It wasn't until I got into my 30's and began to read and learn more about health that I started to become suspicious of the anti-sun propaganda that seemed to be cropping up everywhere.

How could the sun be so bad for us? The sun gives life and energy to just about everything on earth, so why were we all being told to avoid it at all costs? Are the sun's rays really "rays of death," as some media coverage would suggest, or is there something we are missing?

The truth, as with most truths when it comes to real health, is more complicated...

Toxins are almost literally everywhere these days. From your food, to your water, and even the air you breathe, from the sunscreen and lotions you put on your skin, to the mattress you sleep on, the toys your kids play with, and even your shower curtain.

How in the world can you keep yourself and your family safe from such an onslaught of chemicals?

While it may seem impossible, there are things you can do to reduce your exposure, and to protect your body (and your loved ones) from the ill effects of these toxins. The first step is to reduce your exposure in the first place by choosing healthier alternatives to skincare products (ones made with natural ingredients, rather than synthetic chemicals), organically grown foods, and safer alternatives to things like paint and household cleaners.

While these changes may involve a bit of  planning and thought to make the switch, it's well worth the effort. Reducing your toxic load reduces your odds of asthma, cancer, Alzheimer's and infertility. Plus, it can also help you lose weight, restore your energy levels and balance your hormones.

This free step-by-step guide can help you to remove harmful toxins from your body and restore your energy levels in just 5 days.

Summer weather has arrived, and with it, the season for outdoor activities, sunburns, and, of course bug bites! With all the rain that many parts of the country are experiencing this spring, mosquitoes are particularly pesky.

Personally, I seem to have grown more sensitive to mosquito bites as I have gotten older, although I suspect it is a particular type of mosquito that leaves the worst bites. The bad ones cause huge red welts that last for an entire week of itching and burning misery. Due to my sensitivity, I admit I have resorted to DEET products a few times over the past few years (notably on our visit to Minnesota last summer, where the mosquito is - only half-jokingly - referred to as "the state bird").

However, I am always on the lookout for natural products with safer ingredients that actually work. The recipe below is easy to make with just a few simple and natural ingredients, and you can customize it to your preferences, or experiment to find out which oils are most effective. I love the smell of citronella, but there are a number of other essential oils which have bug-repelling properties, which are listed below.

We've all either experienced or heard of someone who had the experience of going on a diet to lose weight, and promptly gaining all the weight back once the "diet" was over.

In fact, studies show that 95% of dieters gain their weight back after going off the diet. While the reason for this seems simple (if you go back to eating the same way that made you gain all the weight in the first place, it makes sense that you would gain it back again in a matter of time), in fact, there are some sneakier reasons why diets don't generally work. 

The truth is, most diets actually set you up for failure... 

During this month's special event, the Reclaim Your Body Summit, you will learn why most diets don't work, as well as what does work, and how you can achieve lasting results even if you have tried numerous diets and failed in the past. You will learn from a number of renowned health experts who will teach you how to stop yo-yo dieting, discover your answers and create healthy habits that work for your body.

Register to watch for free here, or read more below...

As we have learned in recent years, gut health is closely linked to overall health. The trillions of microbes that reside in your digestive tract make up a substantial portion of your immune system, and poor gut health has been linked to everything from depression and Alzheimer's, to inflammatory diseases and even some heart conditions.

Taking care of the health of your gut is not only extremely important, but it's also something that you can do rather easily. However, certain conditions that may be negatively impacting your gut health are not all that easy to identify in a medical setting.

One example is leaky gut syndrome, a chronic digestive disorder that can cause an imbalance in your gut, as well as a number of other health issues from allergies to auto-immune diseases. In the guest article below, written by two nutritionists, you will learn about some of the common problems that leaky gut syndrome can cause, what triggers it, and what you can do about it if you suspect you may have leaky gut syndrome.

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: