Living Naturally
Why throw out some of the healthiest parts of vegetables (potato peels, broccoli stems, etc.)? Toss those vegetable scraps into a stockpot for a delicious, nutritious broth! Here are the best vegetable scraps to use in stock that will add a gourmet kick to soups, stews, chowders, or casseroles. A More Healthy StockDon’t throw out those scraps! Potato peelings, for…
Making charcuterie boards and platters is not only a great way to serve appetizers, but also a fun way to do something different for the holiday dinner table. Guess enjoy helping themselves to favorite foods, it’s far easier on the host than a traditional dinner, and it’s fun.Due to some recent health issues, I needed to minimize exertion but still wanted to bring some variety and…
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.…
Got knee pain? Join the crowd. Here are helpful tips on the causes of your knee pain, what to do with knee pain (and what not to do), and how to relieve knee pain—naturally!
Your knees are the largest, most complex joints in your body, providing support, stability, and balance, while allowing you to sit down, stand up, and move around on two legs.
A hinge joint that moves in only one…
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…
Do you ever experience a deafening buildup of earwax? It usually just builds up naturally. Here’s my favorite method of earwax removal: using olive oil!
Earwax Removal with Olive Oil
You should never attempt to dig out earwax buildup yourself. However, you’ll often be able to get rid of the excess earwax yourself.
Years ago my doctor recommended an olive-oil and…
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…