Watercress, Nasturtium officinale, is a crispy, peppery source of vitamins such as C, B1, B6, K, and E. It also has iron, manganese, zinc, and potassium, as well as the key combination of calcium and magnesium. It has other components discussed below.

Historically, watercress was used to cure and prevent scurvy. This semi-aquatic plant is a natural superfood. Here are some of the ways you can benefit from eating this plant. Read the rest of this entry

If you spill something on your counter or floor, you probably have some sort of “all-purpose cleaner” that you reach for, and it’s most likely in a spray bottle. But some of those chemical-laden cleaners are questionable at best and dangerous at worst – their labels are festooned with warnings about accidental ingestion, inhalation of fumes, eye contact, skin contact, etc.

However, you can use the empty containers of these cleaners to hold your own home-made, non-toxic cleaners. Just make sure that you dispose of the contents responsibly (contact your local EPA or solid waste authority) and wash out the bottle thoroughly if you choose to re-use. Read the rest of this entry

“Wheatgrass” is simply sprouted wheat. There are several stages of sprouting wheat kernels or berries. Very short sprouts can be dried and ground for a sugar substitute; fully-grown wheat sprouts, of course, are the high stalks of wheat harvested by farmers for more wheat berries. In between these is wheat grass, several inches of green, grass-like leaves sprouted from wheat berries. The juice from this grass is full of health benefits, some of which are discussed below. Read the rest of this entry

There is growing concern about the safety of tap water, and it is understandable when you consider the chemicals used to disinfect municipal water and the microbial organisms that can survive such sanitation measures.

Here is a partial list of some of the common chemicals and life forms that may be present in tap water and how to test for them. Bear in mind that government regulations are not designed to keep all harmful microbes or chemicals out of water, but to keep these elements at acceptable levels. For some people, any amount of certain chemicals, no matter how low, is too much. Read the rest of this entry

For much of human history, horses have played a key role in the progress of mankind. People have fought wars, escaped danger, delivered mail, plowed fields, pioneered new lands, and achieved countless other accomplishments on horseback. Horses and mankind have a special relationship, and equine-assisted therapy is a form of recovery that recognizes and makes use of this relationship. Read the rest of this entry