Seeds are often included with nuts in nutritional analysis, and in fact, a nut is the seed of a tree. However, those foods generally accepted as seeds and called such include flax, sesame, pumpkin, hemp, and sunflower.

Each seed contains the potential life of a plant, so a lot of energy and nutrition is packed into these tiny, crunchy foods. They are full of nutrients, fiber and healthy fats in varying proportions. Here is a list of some of the commonly available seeds and their nutritional value and potential health benefits. Read the rest of this entry

Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is a bacteria that, when ingested by humans, can cause abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea and, in extreme cases, convulsions, paralysis and even death. While not all E. coli bacteria are harmful, the harmful variety is found in the intestinal tracts of even healthy beef and dairy cattle.

During the slaughtering process, the bacteria can get mixed into the meat when intestinal contents – i.e., fecal matter – come in contact with the meat. Fecal matter can also come into contact with the meat when the hides of beef cattle, often smeared with feces, are not cut away from the carcass carefully. Read the rest of this entry

There are all kinds of interesting, unusual dishes you can make with the pumpkins you used for autumn decorations. Think outside the pie! Here are some recipes. Read the rest of this entry

What is a “pick-your own” farm? How can it benefit your family, the farmer, and the community? Is there any environmental benefit?

Pick-your-own farms are a type of farm where customers harvest their own food. Rather than the farmer harvesting, transporting, and selling the food at a market (or to a grocery chain), pick-your-own farms allow people to choose and harvest their own produce. There are several reasons why this is a beneficial practice. Read the rest of this entry

You do not have to purchase a hybrid or electric car in order to reduce your automotive carbon footprint (although it’s ideal if you can!). There are ways you can reduce the carbon footprint of your existing car. Here are some tips. Read the rest of this entry

There are as many composting systems as there are gardeners out there! From small space to large farms, gardeners have all sorts of creative ways to compost their waste. Which system is right for you? Here are some questions to ask yourself before starting your compost project, and a list of some of the more common systems. This should help you determine what the best system is for your situation. Read the rest of this entry

Even those of us who recycle can improve our habits. There are easy things you can do to make your recycling efforts more efficient and effective. Here are some ideas. Read the rest of this entry

The term “attachment parenting” is credited to Dr. William Sears, a pediatrician, and his wife, Martha Sears, a nurse. Attachment parenting, or AP, is a natural form of parenting, which means it will look different in different families.

Because AP is more about a state of mind than a parenting method, it is not a “one size fits all” approach to parenting. Nonetheless, there are some trademarks and characteristic of AP that help define and clarify what it is. But even these traits will vary among families. Read the rest of this entry

One of the key components of attachment parenting is the family bed. This refers to the sharing of sleeping space among family members, and particularly denotes a mother being physically close to her baby during the night.

“Co-sleeping” refers to sleeping in close proximity to one’s baby or child, and could simply mean sleeping in the same room; “bed-sharing,” on the other hand, is literally that – family members sleep in the same bed. Therefore, the family bed does not have to be one enormous mattress; it can be whatever arrangement works for a family that fosters attachment. Read the rest of this entry

You do not have to do an expensive remodel of your home to reduce your carbon footprint. There are simple and effective ways to reduce your energy consumption, waste, and so forth. Here are some tips. Read the rest of this entry