You might have heard of a watermelon radish, but do you know what it is? Read on to discover more about this delicious veggie and its variety of benefits.Though the outside is a muted beige and green, slicing open a watermelon radish reveals a vibrant pink center with green edges. This coloration resembles a watermelon, giving this radish its name. The watermelon radish is an heirloom variety of the daikon radish. They are available year-round but typically grow in cooler soil. When selecting, choose the ones that feel heavy and firm. They typically range from the size of a golf...

When it comes to salad, Americans' love affair with the greens is slowly pushing aside the traditional preferences for the mayonnaise-based picnic fare of potato and macaroni salad. Green salads are no longer just a side dish - they are big business and also have a place in American eating history and culture. A Few Facts: Prepared salads and salad-based restaurants comprise a $300 million In spite of the growing greens industry, eight in 10 Americans don't eat the recommended amount of vegetables for a healthy diet. The Cobb Salad craze began in 1937, 1939 or possibly 1929, depending on which version of the story you...

The winter months tend to be a time when we bundle up and shut ourselves in, avoid the cold and catch up on post-holiday work. While that might seem like a good idea, the opposite is true. Seasonal Affective Disorder - often passed off as the "winter blues"- is a type of depression that occurs every year during the same time period. For most people, it starts in late fall and ends when spring arrives. Containing ourselves to the indoors and holing up until spring can pile on undue stress and turn the ideal of cozy nights with family in...

Throughout history and even within the modern medical world, health practitioners have relied upon plant-based remedies to cure many common ailments. While most people tend to think of exotic greenery or special herbs as the key ingredients in these medicines, the truth is that flowers are also at the top of this list! In this manner, flowers can have many positive impacts on your health. Here are a few reasons why you should plant a flower garden now! Why Start a Flower Garden?There are many wonderful benefits associated with planting flower gardens. The act of gardening itself can help to improve...

Natural skin care is what the best of us aspire to in our daily diet and beautification rituals. Of course, certain ingredients are better than others – and today, we’re looking at those that start with the letter c. Read below to "C" your way to beautiful skin with the benefits of these ingredients.Vitamin CVitamin C, present in citrus fruits and dark leafy greens, is an antioxidant, and antioxidants protect skin against pollutants, UV rays and cigarette smoke. In addition to limiting damage by UV Rays and free radicals, doctors and researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State...

In case you didn't know, last Saturday was National Frozen Yogurt Day - and if you didn't have a chance to get some, we're here to tell you why you should consider it (or not)! Read on to see why frozen yogurt has quickly become everyone's favorite and quickest growing trend and whether it's worth all the hype.After what many called a fad, the frozen yogurt business is still successful today and is constantly going against its obvious competitor: ice cream. But why has it remained so popular? And the better question: Is frozen yogurt really healthy for you?More and...

Sunday, January 21st is National Hugging Day, which got us thinking – if we want to improve our mind & body health, what impact does human touch have? What does a hug mean to the way we approach our day…or the way we finish it? Read on to see how the human touch and a warm bear hug could be just what you need to lift your mood and ease illness this winter season.According to Psychology Today, touch is what separates humans from other animals, and the lack of it can retard social & developmental capabilities. This can include tendencies...

Stress is a factor in everybody’s life and coping can be a struggle. Some periods of stress and anxiety render you too wired to sleep, too nauseous to eat, and even too unfocused to solve your problems. As frustrating as it can feel, it’s usually manageable – but when the holidays hit, it can become overwhelming. Read on to see how you can manage your stress with scent this holiday season.Stress can begin with losing sleep, which is often indicative of being overworked and anxious. These feelings then bleed into other areas of your life, causing you to act snappish,...

Cranberries are a standby at many holiday meals, but can they be more a delicious sauce or festive scent? This nutrient-packed, shiny red fruit says yes! Whether you need them to work for your health or for the holidays, you can’t go wrong with having cranberries on hand.Because cranberries are a food rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients (naturally occurring, plant-based chemicals) they are great for your health in a lot of different ways. For example, proanthocyanidins (PACs) are one of the many phytonutrients that enable the elimination of free radicals from your cells. Their ability to bond with collagen promotes...