Welcome back! It's time for your monthly freebie, and this month, I've got something really special for you...

If you've ever had an interest in herbal medicine or natural remedies, you will definitely want to check out this week's special online event! I'm so excited to see the lineup of awesome natural health experts who will be sharing their knowledge and wisdom - some of whom I have been following for years. They will be discussing so many amazing topics on food, medicine, herbs, and health.

You see, there are 3 stages people go through when they wake up to the power of food to transform their lives. (Most people stop at stage 2.)

The 1st stage of the health revolution recognizes food as the most powerful way to improve your health.

Here, people start eating healthier, buying organic, and maybe even exploring farmers markets.

The 2nd stage is understanding the power of superfoods.

In this stage, people start using powerful plants like wheatgrass, maca, chia, moringa and goji berries. And that’s where most people stop… but the next stage is where things really get interesting. 

We hear a lot about metabolism these days. It has become quite the buzzword in weight loss circles, and you've likely heard about ways to "jumpstart" or "boost" your metabolism on blogs, podcasts, and even in many fitness classes.

But the truth is that the metabolism is a lot more complicated than fitness "gurus" may have you think. In fact, your metabolism isn't one specific process or system within the body - it is the sum of many different processes which perform many different roles.

And it's not just how you exercise that influences your metabolism - it's also your environment, your diet, your hormones, your microbiome, your genetics, and more.

This interesting podcast episode discusses why the old way of thinking about metabolism doesn't really make sense with what we have learned in recent decades - and how you can truly make positive changes to your metabolism at any age.

We took a little time off last month, but I'm BACK today with your August freebie! This special film is something I think you'll really enjoy - I know I did! :-)

I just had the pleasure of watching the special event edition of Fantastic Fungi, a film that has moved audiences since it came out, with 100% ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and rave reviews from film critics. And I know, I know, you may be wondering, "who wants to watch a movie about mushrooms?"  But you'll be amazed at how beautiful, inspiring, and hopeful this movie is!

You'll learn so much about how much of our world is actually made of up fungi, how they can help us lead healthier and more sustainable lives, and ways that you can use mushrooms to support your health and longevity.

Fantastic Fungi is an inspiring, heartwarming story about innovators and disruptors, chefs, and foragers. It’s about healing human health and healing the planet. As you’ll see, fungi hold answers to some of our most pressing medical, therapeutic, and environmental challenges.

Seen through the eyes of renowned scientists and mycologists, plus New York Times best-selling authors like Michael Pollan and Dr. Andrew Weil, you’ll be amazed by the beauty, intelligence, and solutions that the fungi kingdom offers!

But this special edition of the film is only playing for a short time, so go watch it here now - or click below to watch a trailer and learn more...

I'm back today with a long-overdue homestead update, and today I thought I would address some of the challenges of homesteading in a changing climate.

While it's easy to see signs of the climate becoming more unstable and unpredictable over the past few decades, these past few years it has been especially obvious. (I like to say, if you garden, you can't not believe in climate change!) From the extremes in temperatures over the past few years, to the incredible variation in precipitation and severe weather events across the country, it's clear that things are trending in a more extreme direction.

This year so far in Ohio, we have been treated to an extra warm and early spring, ridiculous amounts of rain (we're only halfway through June and have already had nearly 7" this month, on top of the 4" we got the last week of May), and now, extremely unseasonal heat for two weeks in a row, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees for multiple days in a row (yes, in the first half of June!).

Needless to say, this is all extremely confusing and challenging to both the garden and the livestock.

Cancer is one of the most feared modern diseases - and with good reason. Many of us feel that cancer is a frightening and inexplicable illness that can strike without warning - even if we think we're doing all the right things and living a healthy lifestyle. We often feel that cancer is the result of mysterious forces beyond our control. And while in some cases this may be true, it is also true that there are MANY things we can do to help reduce our risk of this dreaded disease.

Diet plays a big role in cancers - both developing and fighting them. For example, sugar is a favorite food of cancer cells, and simply reducing or eliminating this substance from your diet can go a long way towards reducing your risk. However, there are also a number of healthy and immune-supportive foods that can help to prevent cancer, or even stop it in its tracks.

This month's free guide lists 30 healthy and delicious anti-inflammatory foods that have shown promise in fighting cancer. And if you're still healthy, enjoying these foods regularly may help to prevent problems from developing in the future! Learn more and download your copy below...

In order to maintain good health as we age, it is important to implement habits and practices that support not just a long lifespan, but also a long "healthspan". This means feeling and functioning at our best throughout our life, regardless of how long it is.

Unfortunately, as this interview points out, "most of us know more about our cars or iPhones than we do about our bodies." One of the greatest downfalls of that is that many people don’t trust our bodies’ natural ability to heal. We tend to give into the misconception that we need to go to the doctor for every little thing and we often put off healing until it becomes too big to handle.

The truth is that we don’t need to go to the doctor for every little thing. In fact, many common health problems can be treated at home with simple treatments - or avoided altogether simply by making healthier choices. And, by listening to and healing our bodies, we can not only feel better, but we can also reduce our risk of developing more serious health problems in the future.

Most people don’t realize that health isn’t created by our doctors — we are the ones in control. Our bodies actually come fully equipped with some pretty amazing healing mechanisms which include the ability to repair, regenerate, renew, and fight infection! They just need us to give them the right inputs to work optimally. 

If you’re looking to learn more about how to heal your body naturally, I've got a great video for you today, featuring one of the most well-known figures in the integrative medicine space! Check it out below...

You probably already know that being in nature feels good! Spending time in a natural setting is one of the best ways to relax and de-stress.

However, did you know that science shows that just being outdoors in nature actually has measurable health benefits?

That's the topic of this month's "freebie," and it's just in time for the most beautiful time of year to be outdoors in Ohio!  :-)  (I really believe Ohio is one of the most beautiful places on earth right now - at least for the next couple of months.) 

Grab your copy here (or learn more below) - it will only take a couple of minutes - and then get outside and enjoy all the amazing things nature can do for your health!

Eating local is an admirable goal. It supports local farmers, redirects money away from the destructive industrial food system, and provides healthier, fresher food for your family. For all these reasons and more, it is worth the effort to seek out local and sustainable food sources.

However, it can sometimes seem like more work than we're willing to put in - after all, we humans are lazy creatures by nature! Shopping at your local supermarket is so simple and convenient... And you can always find the same foods there year-round, whereas in many areas, it can be difficult to find locally grown produce in the winter months. The tradeoff is that you give up any and all control over the source of your food supply.

However, the good news is that you don't have to trade health and sustainability for convenience - these days it is easier and easier to find local sources of food - especially if you live in a large metropolitan area. Farmers markets and community supported agriculture (CSA) programs can be found even in small towns today, and the internet makes it easier than ever to find and connect with local farmers year-round.

Even here in Ohio, we have been able to find sources of locally grown produce in the winter, and we buy the majority of our meat directly from local farms, which not only are able to offer a much higher quality product at a more affordable price, but also offer us the comfort of knowing how our food is grown and raised.

If you want to find a way to eat more locally-produced food, support your community farmers and producers,  and have more control over your food supply, below are 3 tips for eating local year-round - even if you don't live in California!

Millions of people suffer from depression every year, and it can be a truly debilitating condition, sapping your energy, your motivation, and even your will to live.

While there are many avenues to treating depression, not all of them need to involve expensive therapy or drugs (which can often have negative side effects). In fact, for many people with mild-to-moderate cases of depression, even simple changes in diet and physical activity levels may help significantly according to recent research.

This month's free resource is a helpful guide on natural methods for dealing with depression. Grab your free copy below, and feel free to share with those you care about as well!

* Note: Major depression is no joke. If you are feeling severely depressed or having thoughts of self-harm, please seek professional advice right away.

We all know that we need to eat healthy and get plenty of exercise in order to maintain a healthy weight, yet if everyone knows this, why are we facing a nationwide epidemic of obesity - and obesity-related diseases?

One of the main issues is that while we all "know" this in theory, there is endless confusion over what these two necessities actually mean. What exactly is a "healthy" diet, and what type of exercise are we talking about? Some studies say 30 minutes of "moderate" daily exercise is enough - but how does the average person actually translate this into actionable steps? Is that just a couple of strolls around the block? Does gardening count? What about yoga? It is especially confusing when other contradictory studies seem to show that shorter, but more intense forms of exercise may be more effective.

We've covered healthy eating at length on this blog, so please browse our archives for more on this topic. Today, we are going to take a closer look at some fun and active forms of exercise that can actually keep you healthy, without having to slog away on the treadmill for hours, or force yourself to use those boring and repetitive machines at the gym (which actually aren't really all that great for your body anyway).

The first thing to remember is that the best form of exercise is the kind you actually do! Committing to a new workout routine every few months, and never really following through on any of them, is one sure way to never make any real progress towards your fitness goals.

Instead, it is important to find forms of exercise that you actually enjoy and will do on a regular basis, and you'll find it much easier to prioritize your fitness. Exercise doesn't need to be boring or stale - it's just a matter of mixing things up, and trying things you might not have even thought of as "working out." Not to mention, by participating in a wide variety of activities, you'll actually build stronger and more resilient muscles and joints, and reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries.

Below are a few fun non-traditional workout ideas to incorporate into your regular activity lineup. Try these out, pick one, two, or several of them that you really enjoy, and sprinkle these throughout your week, along with some weight training and HIIT workouts. You'll be amazed to find how much they improve your fitness, without even feeling like you're "working out"!