Living Naturally
December 3, 2020
“Doctor, Doctor, gimme the news! Do I have COVID, a bad cold, or the flu?” As we head into the “indoor” months, we’re also heading into the traditional flu season. But we now also have another contagious respiratory illness, COVID-19. Let’s review the symptoms of both—where they are similar and different.
Both the flu and COVID-19 affect the lungs. Both the flu and COVID-19 spread in similar ways. However, they are caused by different viruses. Human influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal... more
November 23, 2020
Why do onions make you cry when you cut them? How do you slice onions without tears? Are leftover onions toxic? Enjoy these onion facts—and some folklore.
Why DO Onions Make You Cry?
To put it simply, fumes from onions trigger a reaction in your eyes’ glands that starts the flow of tears. When you cut the onions, you are damaging their cell walls and causing naturally occurring amino acid sulfoxides to get released, mix with other compounds in the onion, and turn into a gas that wafts into your... more
November 23, 2020
Seriously, it’s not that hard to grow salad all winter long. Enjoy fresh, tender, delicious salad greens indoors in recycled plastic containers under a couple of inexpensive fluorescent shop lights. It’s fun to grow edible plants—plus, no weeds or pests! Here’s how to use grow lights for salad in winter.
Growing Lettuce Under Lights
Last year, I purchased grow lights to start seedings in early spring. They’ve never been used in winter so growing salad in winter is a perfect match!
If you don’t... more
November 18, 2020
Every year, food poisoning is a health issue around the holidays. With new cooks in the kitchen, lots of turkey being cooked, and more people indoors, it’s prudent to take practical steps to avoid food-borne illness. Here’s what new about food safety—and also some helpful tips on freezing food.
In the past few months, at the behest of public health officials, we’ve gotten accustomed to wearing masks when we go out, washing our hands often, and decontaminating surfaces to help prevent... more
October 30, 2020
Do you have trouble sleeping at night due to restless legs? Here is a helpful overview of restless legs syndrome (RLS), including symptoms, causes, home remedies and treatments, and information to learn more.
What Is Restless Legs Syndrome?
They arrive soon after you lie down to sleep: strange sensations creeping through your legs. People variously describe the sensations as tugging, pulling, tingling, stinging, throbbing, itching, or aching; others say it feels as if something is crawling or... more
October 29, 2020
Learn how to make classic basil pesto. Even if you do not have a big bunch of basil to harvest, I’ve included a starter recipe featuring only 10 to 12 leaves. Pesto is incredibly quick and easy to make and also freezes beautifully to use later in so many different ways!
A row of basil in my little greenhouse had grown more than two feet tall and was way too bushy, extending far beyond its intended space and shading out other plants, so I cut the stems back to within a few inches of the soil. ... more
October 21, 2020
Giant pumpkins are in the news at harvesttime. Wondering how to grow a huge pumpkin? See the record-winner plus 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... more
October 20, 2020
Let’s face it: The 4-month season from mid-October through Valentine’s Day is pretty much all about food. Thinking about food. Reading about it. Buying, preparing, and eating it.
Every culture, every family, every geographic region has its winter-holiday food traditions. The magazines at the checkout counter or in our mailboxes reflect this truth. Before we’ve even put the Halloween gluttony behind us, they’re flashing us with luscious photos of the five pies of Thanksgiving, the pomegranate-... more
October 19, 2020
The ways that we eat and cook have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. There have certainly been struggles but also some surprisingly positive improvements. Let’s reflect on two questions: “How did you eat?” and “How will you eat?” I’ll share my experiences—plus valuable tips on coping with kitchen burnout.
The Early Days: Stocking Up
Many grocery stores had to adjust to different shopping patterns. I live in rural New Hampshire,* so it’s essential to prepare for a long stretch during any... more
October 19, 2020
Foraging is simply the act of gathering wild foods in nature. Think wild blackberries, nuts, and nettles. While our ancestors relied on foraging, today it’s more about a way to outdoors, get exercise and get to know the natural world.
I do most of my wild food foraging during the spring/summer growing season, in and around the vegetable gardens, fields, and forest edges surrounding them: dandelion greens, lamb’s quarters, amaranth leaves, purslane, wild mustard, blueberries, blackberries,... 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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