JOURNAL

Summer is a time for outdoor activities and fun in the sun, but for some people, it can also be a season of allergies. There are several common summer time allergies that people may experience, including:

The circadian rhythm is a 24-hour internal biological clock that regulates many physiological and behavioral processes in living organisms, including humans. It is controlled by a cluster of neurons in the hypothalamus of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which responds to light signals from the eyes.

VO2 max, or maximal oxygen uptake, is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can consume and utilize during exercise. It is a widely used indicator of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic capacity, as it reflects the body's ability to transport and utilize oxygen during physical activity.

In summary, fasting may have several health benefits, including weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, reduced inflammation, improved heart health, increased longevity, improved brain function, and improved immune function. However, it's important to consider individual needs and circumstances before deciding to fast and to seek guidance from a healthcare professional.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally produced by the body when our skin is exposed to sunlight. However, many people do not get enough vitamin D through sunlight alone, and it can be difficult to get enough of it through diet alone.

Today, the average American consumes almost 60 pounds of added sugar per year, which translates to about 17 teaspoons a day. Despite this mass overconsumption of sugar by Americans, it is well understood that eating too much sugar is bad for your health. It contributes to weight gain, cavities, acne and long-term health problems like type 2 diabetes, cancer, liver disease, heart disease, dementia, mood disorders, and metabolic issues.

Countless factors affect the intricate internal network known as your body’s digestive system. The spices sprinkled on your food, the temperature of your H2O, and even the polyphenols lingering in your cup of tea all have a say in how well everything moves from your mouth to, well, you know. But there’s one digestive agent you probably haven’t even though about: sound.

Most people are accustomed to getting in their daily dose of vitamin C to keep their immune system in tip top shape and soaking up some sun (with SPF, of course) to get mood-boosting vitamin D. But once you get down the vitamin alphabet to K…well, its benefits are a bit less headline grabbing than its vitamin counterparts. 

Granted, carbs are essential for our bodies to create energy, and whole grains are often touted by health and nutrition experts for their high fiber and phytonutrient content. Yet, often in the same breath, experts also call out something called refined carbs as being highly processed, stripped of most of their nutrients, and generally not that great for health. It’s confusing.

Our diets are overly refined. Eating more whole fruits, especially apples, pears and prunes, can help our digestive health.

Intermittent Fasting is one of the latest crazes to hit the health and wellness world. The concept of Intermittent Fasting is to keep your body in a fasted state to promote fat loss, weight control, and a variety of other wellness benefits. Some studies show link to a longer life, cancer prevention, and loss of stored fat cells. Intermittent Fasting can be a great tool for dieters looking to practice calorie control but like always it’s most important to listen to your body and proceed accordingly. 

Carbohydrates are the bodies’ main and most readily available source of fuel and without them we would have little to no energy. The recommendations for carbohydrates can be a little bit misleading as to whether or not consuming them contributes towards a healthy diet. It is true that not all carbohydrates are created equal and that some are better for us than others, however the consumption of carbohydrates is necessary in order for our brains and bodies to properly function.

Fat often gets a bad reputation and people are under the impression that eating fat will make them fat. However, that is not the case – consuming fat is a necessary part of the human diet and serves several health and biological functions within the human body. While fat is one of the three macronutrients, it is important to remember that not all fats are created equal and some fats are better for us than others. Therefore, it is important that we be sure to consume healthy, high quality sources of fat.

Learning how to read a nutrition facts label and knowing what to look for in the ingredient list is a valuable and healthy skill to have. There is so much more to choosing healthy products than just simply looking at the number of calories or blindly believing health claims. Being able to read the label, understanding what the % Daily Value means and knowing what to look for in the ingredient list is one of the healthiest skills you can have.

We usually only talk about hormones when someone we know is going through puberty or menopause. Apart from that, hormones don’t usually make an appearance in our daily conversations, especially when it comes to food and eating.

Clean water is essential to our business. The good news is that our organic farmers have 100% control over water sourcing, from the sprinkler systems buried in the soil, all the way back to the streams, aquifers and reservoirs from which the water originates. When we consider forming a partnership with a new farm, they must meet this (and many other) requirements or we walk. It’s that simple.

Until recently, it seemed like everyone "knew" that saturated fat was one of the worst things you could eat - avoid the bacon, avoid the fatty beef (even if it is grass fed) and even avoid that coconut oil! "Eating that stuff will make you fat", right? But how accurate is this? And what about excess sugar consumption?

I am sure you have heard talk on social media and health blogs about making sure to get in your “micros” or to start tracking your “macros”. But, what exactly is the difference between micronutrients and macronutrients? In this piece, we explain the difference, along with breaking down the various types of micronutrients and why having them in the right amounts will make your body as happy as possible! 

Gut health is a hot topic right now in the world of health and wellness. There has recently been a lot of talk about prebiotics, probiotics, gut health and how these relate to overall health. Gut health is directly linked to the overall well-being of our digestive system and the bacteria living inside our intestines. There is both good and bad bacteria and the type of bacteria found in our gut is determined by the types of food we eat. In this article we answer some of the most common questions about gut health.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day? There are varying opinions on this and the truth is likely somewhere in the middle of all of them. However, one feature of breakfast not up for debate is that mass market cereals are bringing absolutely nothing to the table.

We strongly believe that the misrepresentation of marijuana and its effects have created a suite of truly absurd injustices in the United States. These injustices should stand out even if marijuana is not your cup of tea. The reason is that the misrepresentation of marijuana has had a host of consequences that have absolutely nothing to do with getting high.

For absolutely no good reason, the vast majority of food and beverage companies use food coloring additives in their products. Well, their “good reason” is that food coloring additives make their products unnaturally perfect-looking and more attractive to consumers.

There's been so much talk about sugar recently - should you totally cut it out of your diet? Or just avoid added sugars and processed sugar? What about the sugar from fruits...should I stop eating fruits entirely?! And most importantly - based on my body type and physique, how much sugar should I actually be having every day? We teamed up with the doctors from Evidence Based Training for a full breakdown on all the science behind sugar, and all the sweet details behind this carbohydrate. Enjoy!

California Prop 65 is a very important law that was passed 32 years ago, but a surprisingly small number of people are aware of it. "Prop 65" as it is sometimes called, is a law that requires corporations to place a small warning label on products made ...