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Berberine is a darling of the gut health world!

It's found in plants like Barberry and this Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium) - but not in the "grapes" you see in the fall - it's in the bright yellow bark of the plant's roots!

...berberine significantly affects blood glucose levels, insulin resistance, blood lipids, body parameters and composition, inflammatory markers, colorectal adenomas, and Helicobacter p…

Humans need strong stomach acid to:

Digest Food - undigested food in the gut feeds dysbiosis, constipation, leaky gut, small intestine bacterial & fungal overgrowths (SIBO, SIFO) and other problems.

Release Nutrients - the building blocks your body needs.

Kill Infectious Microbes - including germs (like food-poisoning Salmonella), fungal infections (Candida) & many types of parasites.

But it gets weak with stress - whether you're a baby, child …

We're off to a special huckleberry patchbetween high mountain lakes in the northern Cascade Range.

It'll be a quick trip between school, sports, and outdoor movie night.

It's essential for us.

It's how my son & I take root & stabilize for the changes of fall.

Just as things begin to get hectic with school & fall busy-ness & the coming holidays...

We step away from it all.

It's a great way to get restorative sleep and synch our c…

We are back to school, and germs are flying!

In addition to hand-washing & cough-covering, here are 3 awesome health helpers!

1  Hugs!

From plenty of studies, we know that affectionate touch is calming, boosts immunity, heals inflammation and can even prevent transmission of the common cold.

A 2023 study shows college students who exchanged more hugs during the day awoke with a lower Cortisol Awakening Response. (1)

The researchers explained …

My garden exploded with volunteer broccoli, cherry tomatoes (we ate the red ones!), arugula & kale!

I let my greens & veggies self-seed.

Flowers feed pollinators like bees, moths & butterflies - who support many other plants, trees, veggies & fruits!

We eat the flowers too!

Seeds feed the birds and mostly fall into the soil below.

Then they germinate and grow... without much effort from me :)

At our previous hou…

Before school starts, my son & I are enjoying our last summer days together and a neighborhood dripping with fruit.

I have a kitchen full of apples, grapes, plums, blackberries, and even persimmons! 

The dehydrator's humming.

My saucepans are cooking.

I've been doing some research on pectin for constipation relief, and WOW!

Pectin is plentiful in skins of apple, pear, persimmon and especially citrus.

Natura…

We went backpacking along the coastal wilderness for a few days with friends.

Did you know that kids who eat more protein (proportional to sugar & carbs) have a higher body mass index?  (1)

Enjoy 25% off my favorite protein shakes and all supplements today! 

For backpacking, I always bring a tasty vanilla protein shake mix.

It's a super swap for powdered milk!

It's a protein boost for our homemade nutty-seedy granola, for…

Have you heard of the super-healthy Bacillus species of bacteria?

Humans have been using them - and eating them - for thousands of years!

Many delicious, traditional soybean foods are fermented & preserved by the activity of Bacillus, including:

Tempeh

Natto

Soy sauce

In nature, Bacillus are called "endophytes" - which means they live in a plant for part of its life cycle without hurting the plant.

Bacillus are a …

I love helping parents & kids see how behaviors they've been criticized for are actually great, intelligent adaptations.

For example: 

Do you know any procrastinators?

I tend to do a lot of extra tasks in the few minutes just before I walk out the door.

The pressure of having a deadline can trigger dopamine release...

...providing a burst of productivity.

This may be a key connection between ADHD …