The science and data that originally supported public water fluoridation, which is defined as the adding of mineral fluoride to the municipal water supply to prevent dental tooth decay, have evolved over the last 50 years. Data now suggests fluoride is more beneficial and less risky when used as a...

It is often said that history can benefit the future when it comes to problem solving and this could not be truer when comparing the indoor air quality in modern homes to that of homes in the past.  Ancient civilizations constructed their homes and dwellings not only as shelter but as spaces that...

For over 200,000 years, our species has evolved to dynamically use our bodies in all its functional capacity throughout the day—walking, running, squatting, sitting, lying down, etc. Unfortunately, modern life has forced most of us to sit for long extended periods of time. Even more troubling,...

Renowned biologist Edward O. Wilson best explained our innate human attraction to Nature with his “biophilia” hypothesis, which is the belief that humans are genetically predisposed to want and need Nature. It’s in our DNA to connect with the elements of Nature, and when we do so, we are happier...

Dental amalgam is a durable metal alloy that fills and supports a dental cavity. It is often referred to as “amalgam,” “metal fillings,” or as a “silver filling” because of its silver color; however, it’s not entirely accurate to call it “silver,” as dental amalgam is comprised of liquid mercury...

There are numerous ways to pursue healthy living: exercise, consistent daily activity, drinking purified water, eating a whole-food diet, reducing sugar, getting the right amount of sun exposure, and proper sleep, to name a few. Though we may incorporate many of these preventive strategies into...

For the majority of our evolutionary history, we lived in a “feast or famine” state, meaning there were times when food was plentiful and times when it was scarce. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors had to actively search for available food sources and, at times, experienced periods with little to no...

The Sugar Dilemma: Natural and Added Sugars Our bodies use food as fuel by converting carbohydrates, fats, and protein into glucose. Glucose, a simple monosaccharide sugar, is the main source of energy for our bodies. While our bodies are very adept at metabolizing glucose, it is important to...

The awareness of real food continues to gain momentum for food producers and consumers alike. For producers of pastured pork, also known as pasture-raised pork, the end goal is to produce a real food that provides the best nutritional benefits from animals that are raised in the most ethical and...

Pregnancy and childbirth is a transformative journey filled with much planning and preparation. While most women choose to have their pregnancy and delivery managed solely by an obstetrician, or OB/GYN, in a hospital setting, others choose the care of a licensed midwife for a more holistic and...

On average, our lungs breathe in and out around 20,000 times a day, something we do without putting much thought into it. As simple as this may seem, breathing is a process that requires our nose, mouth, throat, trachea, lungs, diaphragm, and other surrounding muscles to work together in tandem to...

Drinking water in its purest form is the cornerstone of good health, so understanding what is in our tap water is of the utmost importance. Cities and towns create complex water infrastructures to provide clean water. Their job is to remove all acute toxins and keep chronic toxins below a certain...

Minimalist Living. It’s a concept and phrase that receives a lot of attention but also brings about a fair amount of confusion. Does it mean giving away most of your worldly possessions or creating empty spaces in your home with clean lines and soft, muted colors? It might be to some, and that’s...

People are motivated to buy clean, whole foods for many reasons, and the “certified organic” label aims to reassure consumers that they are indeed buying healthy foods, free of toxic ingredients and sourced in an ethical manner. However, in the egg industry, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all...

There are two types of cow’s milk that humans consume: raw milk and pasteurized (commercial) milk. Raw milk comes straight from the cow. It is untreated milk, free of any pasteurization or homogenization methods. When raw milk is pasteurized, it is typically heated to 161 degrees Fahrenheit for at...

Not long ago, our digital world consisted of multiple devices: a cell phone, a camera, an iPod for music, a desktop or laptop for email, organizing calendars, and searching the web. Then the smartphone arrived. It combined all of these tech elements into one small device, thus providing an ultra...

Without a doubt, most of us lead very busy lives. Often, we depend on our electronic devices to keep tabs on our schedules and to stay current on the ever-changing daily news. This cycle of distractions, hectic daily routines, and continual stress and worry has a domino effect on our health,...

There are essentially two kinds of sugars in the foods we eat: naturally occurring sugar (for example, fructose in fruit and lactose in milk) and added sugars. The American Heart Association defines added sugar as “any sugars or caloric sweeteners that are added to foods or beverages during...

For many of us, we avoid sweating. When we do sweat, we usually make a great effort to conceal it. Yet sweating is vital to our health, just as it was for our ancestral humans. The ability to perspire while hunting in a hot environment enabled humans to adapt, survive, and become proficient...

Sleep is essential to our health, and yet so many of us miss out on a full night’s rest. Most adults need 7–9 hours of quality sleep a night. Getting six hours or less, on a regular basis, is not ideal and puts you at risk for serious health conditions. A few nights with too little sleep impacts...

Below are some natural strategies that you can implement today to strengthen your immune system: Vitamin D3: Vitamin D deficiency weakens your immune system, so have your medical provider monitor your vitamin D levels and vitamin D supplementation. Ideal levels are between 50 and 90 ng/ml....

Yogurt often tops the list as a natural food that packs a lot of nutritional value. When produced in its simplest form, which is fermenting good bacteria with milk, yogurt is a great source of protein, B vitamins, calcium, and probiotics (mostly Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus...

In the United States alone, there are millions of yoga devotees, and for good reason. However, there is another relaxation practice that provides as many mind-and-body health benefits as yoga and is also low-impact. To better understand this practice called Tai Chi Chuan (also commonly called Tai...

For decades, we were advised to keep away from butter and other foods containing saturated fat because of the misguided belief that saturated fat raised the bad LDL cholesterol, thus causing heart disease. Foods like red meat, eggs, and butter were unfortunately avoided and often under-consumed....

The process of gently running a soft-bristle brush over dry, bare skin is known as dry brushing. When performed daily, dry brushing exfoliates dead skin cells on the body and also delivers some major benefits to your overall health: The skin is the body’s largest organ. It serves us well as a...

Today’s soda drink has evolved since its introduction in the late 1700s. Early on, soda water was marketed as a medicinal drink. Chemists, medical professionals, and pharmacists dabbled with carbonation and medical botany, such as coca leaves (cocaine) and sarsaparilla, to create flavorful mineral...

Oil pulling has long been considered a practice for natural oral healthcare and is a very simple technique that involves swishing a tablespoon of oil in your mouth for approximately 10–20 minutes, on an empty stomach, and then spitting it out. This ancient Indian medicine remedy dates back over a...