Living Naturally
Eeow! Startled from a deep sleep, you suddenly come to with a shriek, as your calf, thigh, or maybe the arch of your foot contracts in violent pain. Commonly called a “Charley horse,” this is a common and painful occurrence. Discover what causes leg cramps at night, as well as how you can prevent and relieve them.
Usually, a leg cramp strikes during the night or when you’re resting.…
I have one word for your fall enjoyment: Roast! If you live frugally and aspire to a (so-called) simpler, healthier way of living that includes eating seasonally, roast vegetables!That’s right. When you have the oven on, turn it up a few notches, cut and lightly oil your best vegetables, and roast ‘em until they’re lightly browned.Why Roast?Price: The cheap, always-available…
With the holidays and “indoor” season starting, now’s a good time to talk about cleaning. What the difference between sanitizing and disinfecting? How much do we really need to disinfect and how? Is vinegar a disinfectant? Here are some facts to dispel the confusion—plus helpful tips on cleaning.
Sanitizing Versus Disinfecting
Did you know? There are actually different…
Ever had a canker sore? A type of mouth ulcer, these shallow white lesions are small and can appear anywhere inside the mouth, including the gums, tongue, and inside of the lips. They can make eating and drinking mighty uncomfortable for a week or more. Here’s how to relieve canker sores.What are Canker Sores?Canker sores are whitish, red-bordered, slightly…
Trillions of “good” bacteria live inside our bodies. Gut health matters; it’s intertwined with the immune system, which is linked with diabetes, weight loss, and allergies. Learn more about gut health and how to take steps to restore yours!What is Gut Health?While we often think of bacteria as “bad,” but most of the bacteria in our gut is “good” and needs to be fed to stay healthy…
From freezing green beans to pickling cucumbers to drying herbs to making “quick jam,” here are 4 easy ways to preserve the produce that you can’t use right away! Many gardeners, especially new ones, often grow more fruit and vegetables than they can eat! To waste food we grew goes against our very nature! Or, if you are shopping at the farmers’ market, you may end up with extra…
Try these preventive health measures using salt, a historically important food that can act as a great natural remedy. Salt is inexpensive and it has many uses in a frugal household.
Salt of the earth, not worth its salt, take it with a grain of salt, salted away, salty language.
Salt’s frequent appearance in figures of speech only hints at the importance of salt in human history.…
Learn how to make classic basil pesto. It’s so rewarding—easy to make and freezes beautifully to use later! Even if you don’t grow many plants, we have a starter recipe featuring only 10 to 12 leaves!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…
The trick with cucumbers is to eat the skin, which contains most of a cucumber’s fiber and the lion’s share of its nutrients and phytocompounds. In just a single cup of cucumber slices, you’ll get 14 to 19 percent of the vitamin K you need for the day. Plus, cucumbers contain vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folic acid, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.…
I’ve been making bread all my life. Imagine my shock when I learned not long ago that I shouldn’t store fresh bread in the refrigerator, even if it contains eggs. Learn more about storing fresh bread—plus, a recipe for “bread bombs.”
I’ve never bought a loaf of bread. It’s in my DNA; I grew up in a household where the aroma of home-baked bread woke me a couple of times a week, and I…
Not fond of veggies? Or just looking for creative ideas to add more vegetables to your menu to get to that five-times-a-day recommendation? We have 10 creative, fresh ideas for eating more vegetables!I’m always on the lookout for ways to add veggies to our meals. This works out well with my growing passion for vegetable gardening (despite being in a two–person household). A…
Ever heard of “eating the rainbow” of vegetables and fruit? Nature’s pigments are amazing at protecting plants—and us! Each plant color offers a different health benefit, so you need variety. If you are a gardener, consider growing plants from each color category, as each one offers unique benefits for your health.Mom knows best: eating your veggies improves your health! She…