Resiliency Through The Flu (and a cough syrup recipe)

Make Your Own Medicine Making your own herbal medicines is easy, relatively inexpensive, and requires minimal equipment. The key ingredient in both recipes below is Elderberry. Elderberries are known for their remarkable antiviral activity. During H1N1 2009 they were studied and found to be effective against the virus; to-date  they are shown to be effective…

Read More

Culturing Vegetables

While it seems cultured foods such as designer kombucha and fermented vegetables are a health food trend, cultured foods have been around as long as people have.  Naturally fermented foods were borne out of necessity: to preserve food in the absence of refrigeration.  Naturally fermented foods, also called cultured foods, result from harnessing naturally occurring…

Read More

The Amazon Jungle of Ecuador

The first steps I took in the Andes of Ecuador were like walking through thick molasses. Immediately I had no choice but to slow down.  Literally.  Adjusting to altitude pressure is a peculiar experience.  Though I wanted to move fast, I had no choice but to move in slow motion.  The altitude in Quito is…

Read More