Did you know that October is the official Non-GMO Month? This month, retail stores nationwide will celebrate the consumer's right to be informed of foods and products that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). What exactly are GMOs again? GMOs, or Genetically Modified Organisms, are products of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE), which creates new combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and viral genes by combining DNA from one species with DNA from another. The result: new organisms that do not occur in nature. GMOs are often not labeled as such. In many... Read More

Superfoods are one of the trendiest topics in the health and nutrition world. It's almost impossible to read any book or article about nutrition without the mention of them! But what exactly is a superfood and why are they so good for you? The term "superfood" is a classification for foods that have the highest concentration of nutrients and vitamins. While you might immediately think of things like chia seeds or maca, which are added recipes to boost their nutrients, superfoods aren't just additives! Many superfoods are actually vegetables, like kale or mushrooms, which can be eaten on... Read More

Summer's gorgeous sunshine, soft breezes, and blooming flowers can make you want to linger outside for hours, but all the time outdoors can also make summer a bummer for your skin. Remedies for bug bites, sunburn, heat rashes, and other common summertime ailments are a dime at dozen at the pharmacy, but most are laced with chemicals and preservatives. Remember, your skin is your largest organ and it absorbs whatever you put on it. Most holistic experts agree - don't rub into your skin what you wouldn't be willing to eat! The good news is there are plenty of holistic ingredients that can... Read More

When I think about where my career has taken me since I first declared my major in my sophomore year of college, I'm amazed that it's gone in such a different direction that I originally intended. I've grown and learned so much about myself since I was 18, it seems like choosing a career path in college was about as accurate as trying to magically predicting the future! The reason that my career continued to change since then is because of the amount of effort I put into finding my true self and subsequently figuring out what job would make me happiest during my twenties. Does this sound... Read More

Have a wellness question for Health Coach Maria? Ask her here. My sister is 65 now, and all along, she never took care of self but never was sick. Now she has high blood pressure and is obese! She really needs to start healthy lifestyle and soon. How would you advise she starts? -Concerned younger sister Starting a healthy lifestyle may seem overwhelming, but if you break it down into manageable steps, it's a lot easier than you'd think. So, instead of doing a complete overhaul overnight, there are three simple changes your sister can start with that will have a huge... Read More

Losing weight and trying to live a healthier lifestyle can feel like an overwhelming task. There are so many books, websites, and resources claiming to be the best way to lose weight quickly and keep it off. A Its even trickier when you see a friend thriving on one diet, like Paleo, when you seem to be gaining weight on the same eating plan. It can be very confusing! So how can you figure out which of the seemingly endless diets will work best for you? Luckily, you don't have to give all of them a try to get yourself on the right track for healthy success. Here are a few simple things you... Read More

Gossip can be tempting and entertaining. A How many of us have caught ourselves leaning in for a salacious bit of news over the juice bar, reaching for our phones to text our friends the latest office story, or whispering between yoga mats a rumor concerning a certain instructor? We've all been there. After all, everyone loves a good story! Yet the energy surrounding gossip is often negative, founded upon unhealthy comparisons, half truths, and shallow judgment. If we want to bring love and acceptance to ourselves, then we need to extend these same gifts to others and eliminate our... Read More

Ahhh, love what could be better for your health? Multiple studies show that being in love lowers your risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia, and various other diseases. But what about the times when being in a relationship hinders your healthy habits? After a long day at work, it's all too easy to fall into the rut of collapsing on the couch next to your loved one, hashing out your days, and ordering in Chinese to enjoy with a movie. While a night in is cozy from time to time, it's important to also maintain a routine of exercise and healthy eating, even when you're in love. In this... Read More

Yesterday, Walmart announced an initiative to improve the nutrition of the food they carry while lessening its environmental impact. This is just one more announcement in a series of big name brands waking up to the dual global crises of health and the environment, and responding with corporate action. Walmart's goal is to help the environment as well as the health of their consumers, and they've established four pillars to help them achieve that goal: Reducing the true cost of food, both for the environment and for consumers Increasing access to affordable, nutritious food for... Read More

This Non-GMO Month, we're thinking a lot about the genetically modified organisms that make their way into our food supply, and what they mean for our environment and our health. It's a complicated and controversial issue, as we explored last week and looks like it's about to get even thornier. A technology has just hit the market that brings new questions and concerns to the GMO debate. Synthetic biology, or synbio, doesn't just change the makeup of certain natural entities, it actually grows new organisms that make things more efficiently than nature does. Without getting too deep... Read More