Funny - when I thought of how to describe this summer, that Bananarama song "Cruel Summer" suddenly started playing in my head. :-) 

Seriously, it has been the weirdest summer ever weather-wise, with buckets of rain and nearly daily flooding up through June, and then barely any rain at all for the last couple of months. Needless to say, the garden season has been quite challenging.

Several of my new raspberry plants drowned and died early on, many tomatoes rotted on the vine before they were even ripe, and we also had problems with rot with the garlic and onions. August and September have been so hot and dry that it has been a challenge just keeping the garden alive, but somehow I have managed for the most part...

Personally, it has also been a busier summer than usual, with two separate vacations plus a weekend road trip, as well as the roofing project which took up our driveway for all of June and July, delaying our yearly delivery of wood chips until nearly September. The abundance of rain coupled with the lack of mulch meant that I spent much more of my summer weeding than I would have liked, and didn't get to many of the projects that I had intended.

However, the new metal roof is done and the recent rain we got last week sounded AMAZING! I am looking forward to (hopefully) doing the barn roof in metal at some point, as I have read some negative things about watering the garden with water off of an asphalt roof.

Our new patio doors should (finally) be installed at some point in the next week or two, and we have replaced the siding on two sections of the back of the house ourselves this summer (hot and tiring work, but kind of fun and rewarding, too).

Below are pictures plus a few more updates from the homestead this summer, including a couple of new food preservation experiments that we've tried recently...

When it comes to living a holistically healthy and balanced life, you may think of balancing your work life with your personal life, fitting more exercise into your daily routine, or eating a more balanced diet. But few of us - as adults - think in terms of whether we are getting enough "play" in our lives.

There are many studies and news articles about the importance of play for children's health and development, but what about adults?  Unfortunately, the concept of play is often seen as unproductive and immature when it comes to adults. In fact, many of us don't even remember what it's like to play! As this article points out, "in our busy, modern, and technology filled world we have been focusing too much on work, family, and structured routines and we have forgotten how to play."

In fact, play can be a very beneficial and important part of adult life, and can help us to lead healthier, happier, and more balanced lives!

Below are a few ways that play can benefit us as adults, as well as some tips for putting more play, novelty, and fun into your daily life.

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...

Despite all of the evidence to the contrary, and even a few big mainstream news releases, the majority of people today still buy into the outdated low-fat propaganda that was so prevalent in the 80's and 90's, believing that all dietary fat is "bad," and so-called "low-fat" or "lite" foods are better for you. In fact, not only are these mistaken beliefs untrue, but they may even be harming your health!

The truth is that most of these "light" or "fat-free" foods actually contain added sugars and carbs to replace the fat, which actually lead to faster aging, high blood sugar, weight gain, and overall poor health. On the other hand, healthy fats can actually help to slow the aging process, keep your blood sugar stable, and maintain a healthy hormonal balance among other benefits.

I've written a number of times about the importance of healthy dietary fats, how to choose good fats vs. bad fats, and why the low-fat myth is so harmful.

This week, we turn to one of my favorite health experts to get his take on two of the healthiest fats around - but they're not what you might think...

While you hear lots of news stories these days about healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, avocados, and fish oil, these two fats are still all-too-often vilified in the media and misunderstood by most of our population even today.

You may be wondering what all the fuss is about over the Keto Diet. Ketones, ketosis, and ketogenic diet tips are all over the internet these days, with outrageous-sounding claims of weight loss, healing, and overall health improvements abounding. As I have mentioned before, I am still on the fence about keto, but based on all I have read thus far, it seems there may be some merit to this type of eating plan - at least in the short term. It does seem to show some promise in managing certain health conditions as well, such as Type 2 diabetes.

However, I encourage you to do your own research if you are interested in trying keto for yourself. You may want to check out this month's event - the Keto Edge Summit - which promises lots of interesting info on this unique dietary strategy.

If you want a little taste of what keto is all about, and some tips for getting started, we're giving away a free "Keto Quickstart" Guide this week. Click the link now for free access, or learn more below...

Late summer is a great time to enjoy fresh, crisp summer apples, and what better way then when paired with creamy avocado and anti-inflammatory turmeric root? Turmeric root offers loads of health benefits, and has an earthy, warm flavor that pairs well with the tart-sweet apple and spicy ginger in this salad. The avocado provides healthy fats as well as vitamin E, and will help your body absorb the turmeric, especially when paired with a pinch of black pepper.

It isn't always easy to find fresh turmeric, but late summer and early fall is the most likely season. You may be able to find it at your local farmer's market, or at some Asian grocery stores. If you can't find any, you can use dried, ground turmeric instead. The flavor is a little different, but you'll still get all the health benefits. (Be careful, as both fresh and ground turmeric are highly pigmented and will easily stain both clothing and countertops!)

This simple salad is both satisfying and refreshing, and it's packed with healthy ingredients! Enjoy it all throughout the summer and fall season for a healthy finish to the year.

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!