The holidays can be an enchanting time! Decorating, spending time with friends and family, eating delicious food. But it can also be exhausting and overwhelming. Finding the time and energy to decorate, dealing with an overbooked schedule, feeling sluggish and bloated from all that delicious food. To avoid the latter, it is essential to create and maintain boundaries for your own mental and physical health and well-being. We have all heard, “You need to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.” This is obviously essential while on an airplane, but it is also crucial for surviving chaotic times like the holidays. Below are 10 tips to help you calmly and healthfully sail through this holiday season.

Ticks aren’t just a backwoods problem anymore. Their range is expanding, and the risks they carry are growing, too. Warmer winters, earlier springs, and changing ecosystems are creating ideal conditions for tick populations to spread across the United States. What used to be considered a concern mainly in the Northeast or Upper Midwest is now relevant just about everywhere in the U.S.

Whether you're hiking in the woods, walking through your backyard, or visiting a local park, being tick-aware matters more than ever.

Spring arrives, and suddenly, everyone is talking about detoxing. Juice cleanses, lemon water rituals, and expensive supplements are everywhere. But here’s the truth: your liver is already detoxing 24/7. What it needs isn’t a crash cleanse but daily support through simple, sustainable habits.

Let’s debunk some common myths about liver health and explore how to truly support your body’s natural detox system.

Ever feel like your gut is out of sync no matter what you eat? Maybe you're bloated after lunch, low-energy by mid-afternoon, or just not feeling your best even though you're “eating healthy.” Here's something you might not have considered: the quality and timing of the food you eat could be affecting your gut more than you think.

The good news? Eating with the seasons and choosing local produce can not only help rebalance your gut, but it can also support a healthier planet. Here’s how that simple shift can make a big impact for you and the Earth.

Fatty liver disease is becoming more common, yet many people don’t know much about it. Whether it’s metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) or alcohol-related fatty liver, the basics are the same: too much fat builds up in the liver, making it harder for this essential organ to do its job. The good news? Your liver has an amazing capacity to heal itself when you give it the right care. One surprising supporter in this process is citrus fruit.

When we talk about keeping your heart healthy, diet and exercise usually get all the attention. But here’s the thing: sleep often gets overlooked, and it’s just as crucial. Sleep isn’t just “rest time” for your body; it’s when a lot of behind-the-scenes magic happens to keep you healthy, especially your cardiovascular system. Let’s break down why quality sleep is a big deal for your heart and how to make sure you’re getting enough of it.

Have you seen a news headline like this one:

"Is Black Mold in the Building Where You Work Making You Sick?"

Perhaps you skimmed past that article because it didn't sound relevant to you. You may be surprised to learn that mold can make you sick.

As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, we are reminded of the powerful shift that occurs during the colder months. The winter solstice—the shortest day and longest night of the year—marks a pivotal turning point in the natural cycle. For centuries, this day has been celebrated as a time of reflection, rest, and renewal. It is also a perfect moment to embrace the concept of "wintering."

It's likely we all know someone who seems to have "superhuman" health. While we mortals battle seasonal allergies, colds, flu, stomach bugs and whatever else is making the rounds at schools and workplaces, these immunity superheroes go on working and playing or, if they do get sick, they overcome it quickly. Why is that?

Across the globe, health and environmentally-conscious individuals and groups are advocating for a sustainable food system; this includes farming practices, seed to harvest to distribution practices, and waste management. Every action we take - and every inaction - affects the food we eat; our choices impact taste, appearance, variety available, and nutrient quality and has an impact on our health and the sustainability of the planet. Each of us can make a difference, as there are many "pro-sustainability choices" and most are easier than you might think.

Candida albicans is a type of fungus living in harmony with millions of other microorganisms that are part of our body's normal gut flora. However, it can get out of control, resulting in a condition known as candidiasis, or Candida overgrowth. When that happens, it can trigger a number of seemingly unrelated health issues, from athlete's foot to vaginal yeast infections.

In our modern world, we are surrounded by chemicals that make life convenient—but some of these substances come with hidden dangers. One group of chemicals that has gained significant attention is endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). These substances can mimic, block, or interfere with the body’s natural hormone systems, which regulate critical functions like growth, metabolism, reproduction, and mood.

Anxiety often goes hand-in-hand with the stress that many adults and children experience in our modern world. Persistent worry, feeling overwhelmed, or being nervous about specific events, or even life in general, can contribute to the experience of anxiety. If this heightened emotional state escalates to where it interferes with a person's ability to participate in their normal daily routine, they may be identified as having an anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder can have causes resulting from an imbalance in brain chemistry and can even develop in the absence of chronic stressors. Holistic approaches can be effective in reducing and relieving the pressure-cooker of anxiety symptoms experienced by both adults and children.

Heart disease kills an estimated 17.9 million people globally each year, accounting for an estimated 32% of all deaths in 2019. Additionally, 38% of premature deaths, meaning deaths that occur in people under age 70, were due to heart disease in 2019. With this in mind, it’s important to protect your heart by improving your lifestyle and seeing your doctor regularly for check-ups.

On the right side of your abdomen, just under the ribcage, is the gallbladder. A small pear-shaped organ, it supports the body's detoxification process and, working with other organs, is crucial to the digestion of certain foods, particularly fatty foods.

Have you ever had the feeling that a fire is burning in your gut and the flames are spreading up your throat? That sensation is acid reflux (aka heartburn). Reflux is a painful and aggravating condition experienced by millions of people in a given year. Over the last decade, research has shown the medications most often prescribed are associated with a wide range of serious health conditions. Before you or a loved one decides to take these, you should know as much as possible about how they work, the damage they can cause, and which natural alternatives can be safely used to treat reflux.

Ah, Spring! We welcome the pleasant weather, the scent of new blossoms, and open our windows to the rush of fresh air. Along with that, we invite in pollen, grass, mold, and spores. For those who are allergic, our bodies launch a major immune response designed to flush out the offensive agents. This can result in illnesses such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever) which is common for all age groups in the United States. Each year, over 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, the sixth leading cause of chronic illness with an annual cost in excess of $18 billion. This does not include the 24 million Americans who have allergic asthma.

While there are many opinions about climate change and how best to live our lives, prosper, and care for the environment, no one can argue we have seen an increase in wildfires, hurricanes, and wacky weather. While it's hard to sift through all the information out there, here are some things we know, along with ideas for keeping our planet, and ourselves, healthy.

Adult ticks are still active right now and they can be any time temperatures are above freezing. In some states like California and Virginia, they can be active all year. These arachnids attach low and crawl up, with a goal to reach the head of their host. They do not jump, fly, or drop from trees. Ticks are typically found in leaf litter, tall grass, shrubs along forest edges, and other moist, shady environments.

An interesting question that people commonly ask about food and nutrition: Is there that much difference between foods grown 30 years ago and foods grown today? The answer is YES.