It may seem obvious that sleep is beneficial. Even without fully grasping what sleep does for us, we know that going without sleep for too long makes us feel terrible, and that getting a good night's sleep can make us feel ready to take on the world.

There are many things you can do to boost your immune system and bypass the yearly colds that usually seem to begin this time of year. From delicious warming and naturally immune-boosting soups, to taking time to rest when you feel run down, there a number of natural strategies that will have you up and running again in no time.

As fall harvest season begins, many gardeners find themselves with bushels of tomatoes, baskets of cucumbers and armfuls of lettuce. So when your garden is overflowing with produce, how do you make the most of your harvest?

Cauliflower, a cruciferous vegetable, is in the same plant family as broccoli, kale, cabbage and collards. It has a compact head (called a "curd"), with an average size of six inches in diameter, composed of undeveloped flower buds.

What do diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, IBS, ulcerative colitis, food and environmental allergies all have in common? Besides being chronic conditions that can be life threatening, or at least greatly reduce your quality of life, researchers are now learning that chronic inflammation plays a large part in both the on-set, and continuation, of these and many other conditions and diseases.

Over many years I have found that preventing or reversing inflammation is all about listening to your body. From that listening you can begin to learn first-hand what increases or reduces your body’s inflammatory response. You can cool your body’s inflammatory response and keep it healthier over time by taking one step at a time, at a pace that feels right for you.

When it comes to weight loss, there’s no lack of fad diets promising fast results! But such diets limit your nutritional intake, are usually unhealthy, and tend to fail in the long run. The key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight isn’t about short-term dietary changes.

The idea of making fresh vegetable juices came from Norman Wardhaugh Walker (January 4, 1886 – June 6, 1985). He was a British businessman and pioneer in the field of vegetable juicing and nutritional health. He advocated the drinking of fresh raw vegetable and fruit juices, both to regain and to maintain one's health.

There is nothing better than coming home after a long day to dinner already prepared and all you have to do is heat it up! You know what I am talking about…You had a long day at work, followed by several activities for the kids, which means you don't get home till 7:30pm, or later! It can be hard to find the motivation or desire to get into that kitchen and cook on days like this.

In our quest to eat healthier and include more fresh fruits and vegetables in our diets, one of the first dilemmas we face in the grocery store is whether or not to buy "organic". While we know organically grown means less (or no) pesticides and chemicals in our foods, there have been numerous articles written about what "organic" really means, asking us if it is really worth paying more for organic.

We have all heard for years that “diets don’t work”, yet millions of us every year are willing to try yet another diet. Many seem desperate to believe the claims that “you can lose 30 pounds in 10 days”, that “you can lose inches while you sleep”, or that “you can reverse the clock without having to move a muscle.”

Strawberries have grown wild for millennia in temperate regions throughout the world. While cultivation of strawberries doesn't date back this far, it still dates back hundreds and hundreds of years. It was not until the 18th century, however, when cultivation of strawberries began to be pursued in earnest.

Gluten, a protein found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and spelt, wreaks havoc in people with celiac disease, triggering an immune reaction that damages the small intestine and prevents absorption of nutrients.

As a Holistic Health Coach, I constantly meet people who want to lose weight, have more energy, and overcome a variety of health challenges. These are highly intelligent, motivated people, many of whom are successful in their respective careers. Over the years, they have invested an enormous amount of time and money in their education, their careers, their homes, and their automobiles, and are rightly proud of what they’ve achieved. They knew that those achievements would not come free, cheap, or easy, and they CHOSE to INVEST both the time and money that those achievements required.

Despite what most people think, quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is actually not a grain; it is the seed of a plant that is related to the spinach family. When cooked, quinoa is light, fluffy, slightly crunchy and subtly flavored.

As the weather turns colder and we head into fall, we hear more and more about the “cold and flu season”, and signs for flu shots pop up all over town, suggesting that you won’t make it through the winter without a shot. Many now believe that if you SUPPORT your body’s natural defense system, instead of overriding its ability to keep you healthy with vaccines and drugs, you will make it through not just this winter, but many, many more to come.

Well , its not just our opinion that waterless cookware is the best! Read what another health coach has written:

Although many of us find it challenging to stay healthy during the year, the Holiday season brings with it its own set of special circumstances. Holiday parties, baking traditional Christmas goodies, traveling to see friends and family, and hosting guests in our homes all result in a higher consumption of sugary and high carb treats, and much less time to exercise.

Once a year, on New Year’s Eve, we, as a society, look back at our successes and failures of the previous year. It is the only time of year that we publicly give ourselves permission to assess our shortcomings, and “resolve” to do things differently in the coming year.

Good news for all of you that love chocolate, and those of you that are chocoholics (myself included!). Chocolate is a healthy super-food that is bursting with antioxidants.