Living Naturally
April 16, 2021
Giant pumpkins are in the news at harvesttime. Wondering how to grow a huge pumpkin? Start early! See our tips and tricks on how to grow a big(ger) pumpkin at home.
The Mythical Giant Pumpkin
New England state fairs are famous for their pumpkin competitions. Year after year, we see champion pumpkin records smashed. In 2018, a New Hampshire man named Steve Geddes grew a pumpkin that weighed 2,528 pounds and won the top prize at the Deerfield, NH, fair. It still holds the title as the largest... more
April 12, 2021
I’ll admit to a lifelong coffee addiction. Fortunately, coffee grounds and leftover coffee have so many household uses—plus, why waste daily grounds? From the garden to house to health, discover the great uses around the house and garden. Here are 15 uses for coffee to get you started.
I love my coffee strong and black. The beans come from our local food co-op—fair-trade, organic French Roast—and we grind it fresh for every pot. That leaves a lot of coffee ground.
Sometimes I feel coffee... more
March 31, 2021
Let’s talk about eggs—why they’re incredible, the misperceptions, the safety issues, and those amazing eggshells. That’s right. Don’t throw out the shells! Here are a half-dozen “egg-cellent” uses in the home and garden.
But before we talk about eggshells, let’s talk about eggs. For many years, there were various warnings about eggs and their high cholesterol content. Worry no longer. Today, we know this is an urban myth from 20th-century medical care. According to the Mayo Clinic and... more
March 30, 2021
You probably have a box of cornstarch sitting on a pantry shelf, waiting to thicken your next cream sauce or gravy. But did you know it can also serve as a cheap, nontoxic staple product that cuts grease, removes stains, scrubs, deodorizes, untangles, transforms into non-toxic finger paint, and more? Here’s a list of some practical ways to use cornstarch to save money and time!
In the kitchen, cornstarch is used as a thickener for sauces, soups and gravies. See more about different cooking... more
March 25, 2021
In most regions, spring brings on a pollen assault! For days—sometimes weeks—pollen fills the air and our stuffed-up sinuses deliver the message. Here are some home remedies for allergies and stuffed-up sinuses.
From Pollen Allergies to Post-Nasal Drip
Those affected by allergies sneeze, cough, snort, and blow their noses all day and can’t breathe all night. Their eyes may itch and swell shut, their faces get puffy, and their jaws and teeth ache. They get hit around and just behind the eyes... more
March 15, 2021
Napping gets a bad rap, but it’s not a mark of the lazy! According to science, napping is good for you. So grab a blanket, a hot cup of tea, and get comfortable!
No Napping?
I’d always considered daytime napping a slothful time-waster. I also remember reading popular articles that pronounced that daytime napping would reduce the quality of nighttime sleep.
But then, a friend gave me a ratty recliner for recuperation after my knee-replacement surgery. It doesn’t match the decor, takes up way too... more
March 2, 2021
If you haven’t eaten cabbage in a while, we urge you to look again at this healthy, unsung hero of the vegetable world. Want beautiful skin, to lose weight, a great immune system? See five great reasons to eat (and grow) cabbage!
Before we had the little greenhouse that enables us to grow salad and cooking greens all winter, we grew between 50 and 100 green and red cabbages each year—and ate them all. I loved looking at them as they grew like giant flowers in the garden, then as they rested... more
February 11, 2021
How can we avoid colds and flu? Both—along with pneumonia, strep, chicken pox, and norovirus infections (“stomach flu”)—rise during winter months. Why are they more prevalent in winter? And how can we prevent a cold or flu naturally—before it starts? See our quick tips.
Why Do People Get Sick in Winter?
The answers are complex, elusive, and still evolving.
For a long time, experts told us that we catch more colds and flu in winter because we huddle together indoors in poorly ventilated... more
February 9, 2021
How is your dreamworld? Many folks have had trouble sleeping during this stressful time, reporting “quarantine dreams” and nightmares. Let’s check in with our “night life” and 10 tips for a restful night’s sleep.
I’ve had nightmares occasionally wake me at night—usually just before awakening for the day. They rarely feature any narrative content, such as an event or sequence of events with real people in real landscapes. They would just come on as a frenetic jumble of dynamic phantasmagorical,... more
January 21, 2021
If winter means snow where you live, here’s some good news: Just as autumn leaves have their purpose, winter snow has many uses in our daily lives! From watering houseplants to reducing inflammation to making better pancakes (!), see the many uses for snow in the home and garden.
Whatever you think of snow, it adds a whole other dimension to our lives! I’ll get a lot of exercise today shoveling pathways and de-icing the driveway. Then comes snowshoeing in the adjacent woods—more exercising and ... more
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"Living Naturally" is all about living a naturally healthy lifestyle. Margaret Boyles covers health tips, ways to avoid illness, natural remedies, food that's good for body and soul, recipes for homemade beauty products, ideas to make your home a healthy and safe haven, and the latest news on health. Our goal is also to encourage self-sufficiency, whether it's relearning some age-old skills or getting informed on modern improvements that help us live better, healthier lives.
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