Throughout my life, smoothies have been a staple, a balm, a lifesaver.  The idea is simple, and the execution is simpler.  You dump a bunch of things in the blender;

4 ostensibly “bad-for-you” foods that that are much better for you than you might have heard…

Medicinal Mushroom for Energy, Vitality, Immunity, Jet Lag, and More. Trending on social media, but is it for real?

Better sleep? Better digestion? Reduced pain and inflammation? Amy says “yes,” and then some. 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is tricky. Basically, you show up at the doctor’s office with lower GI symptoms – alternating constipation and/or diarrhea, gas and bloating perhaps, maybe bowel pain and

(See part 1 here) Multivitamin technologies fall into four basic categories. I have my favorite! And I’ll tell you what it is — eventually. In the meantime, as I go

So… do we really need a multivitamin? Well, “need” is a strong word… Okay, should we take a multivitamin? Some of us definitely should! You definitely want to consider a

A subset of people have always suffered from diverse, chronic symptoms following viral infections — although they haven’t always been taken seriously. Long COVID may be worse, or more prevalent. But it’s not unprecedented.

In the fall of 2000, I wrote my first article ever for the Debra’s newsletter, an ode to and an appreciation for whey protein. Obviously, it was a favorite! 20 years later, and I still like whey. But some things have changed

We can’t cure asthma, but we can help, with obscure medicinal plants and at least common culinary spice (common in India…)

This is Part 1: What it Is, What to Do. (Find Part 2: Herbs and Supplements HERE) Asthma is a condition effecting the lungs. People who “have” asthma can go

Want to optimize health and vigor — subjective and objective wellbeing? We’ll talk about ginseng, shizandra berries, deer antler velvet, cordyceps and reishi mushrooms. How they work, and how to use them.

Most of us are just tired.  It’s the times and more. Many of us grab a cup of coffee for breakfast. A donut if willpower is weak. Many of us live on

Migraines aren’t just bad headaches. They’re “special” headaches. Sometimes, they’re not even headaches —

From Hippocrates and Sung Tse, to WWII and finally our own Debra. We sing the praises of this most humble of remedies.

Anxiety is nothing now. Neither is herbal medicine for treating it. We’ll talk about CBD, of course, but ginseng, and Chinese medicine

Heart disease? Overweight? Low energy? Cognitive dysfunction? The body’s inability to process blood sugar is central to all of them.

For decades now, we’ve questioned how much cholesterol mattered — or if it even mattered at all. Newer research helps crystallize our understanding. Plus: SCANDALOUS misrepresentation of the science!

It’s hard to turn on the television these days without seeing ads for drugs to treat “Low T.” Well, where there’s a drug, there’s usually also an herb.

Nutrition for brain development, immune health, growth, and digestion — all in a delivery system that brightly colored, delicious, and easy to make (and clean up after)!

This is a slight reworking of an article I wrote in early February and published last month. The biggest thing I’ve reworked is the title. That original title (again, written in early

Sore calves, sleep deprivation, and serious pain. Leg cramps are no joke! Debra shares some simple fixes to this common problem.

A for Acne, B for Bursitis, C for Celiac…

I love handing adults little vials of foul-tasting “herbal elixirs,” or handfuls of giant-size horse pills. I say “here – take this – it will make you feel better.”  And

Extracts of citrus and seaweed to the rescue! Alkaline water and even melatonin play roles.

Chronic cough and throat clearing? Phantom congestion? Lump in the throat? Frequent infections?

We talk about magnesium, vitamin D, and more

Part 1: The Basics, Sleep & Stretching

Let’s talk about hair, skin, and nails. This is a Part 2. Part 1 (last month) was “Eating for Beauty.”

This is an article about skin.  Not “problem skin” – we’re not going to focus on problems like acne, eczema, or psoriasis – but supple skin that glows with health, and ages gracefully.  It’s about thick, luxuriant hair, and strong nails. 

Look past the marketing to these seven superfoods with established benefits.

CBD is great! But it’s not the end-all, be-all. For pain, anxiety, and sleep, there are other herbs and nutrients that help CBD work.

CBD (mostly) lives up to the hype. We look at pain, anxiety, neurologic disorders, addiction, irritable bowel syndrome, and more.

Part 2 Next Month: CBD: What it Does & What it Doesn’t Do.

Beautiful skin comes from the inside. Debra speaks about her personal journey to bring what’s inside, out. And good news: cleansing masks don’t need to be goblin green anymore!

One of our most crippling chronic conditions. And there are simple solutions that seriously WORK!

Want to optimize health and vigor — subjective and objective wellbeing? We’ll talk about ginseng, shizandra berries, deer antler velvet, cordyceps and reishi mushrooms. How they work, and how to use them.

The strongest antioxidants are not in the berry patch, but in the kitchen garden and in the spice chest.

Heartburn Tea. Chocolate Pregnancy Milkshake. Coconut Milk Mango Omega-3 Ice Cream. Plus, we preach the gospel of eggs!

Five supplements EVERY pregnant woman should take. Plus a few more, just in case…

Three eggs a day is a start. But what about nuts and seeds? What about caffeine? We provide guidelines, if not necessary rules…

CBD is a healing compound from the hemp plant, a close relative of the marijuana plant. Contrary to popular belief (and a lot of seedy marketing), CBD does not get you high! It is, however, useful for certain kinds of pain and agitation.

Diabesity? Sounds fattening! Debra “weighs in” on the epidemic sweeping our nation, and has a few suggestions.

Eating healthy is only half the battle. You have to absorb what you eat. And before you absorb it, you need to digest it.

Let’s talk about everything that isn’t calcium — magnesium, vitamin K2, strontium, and more.

Natural medicine has a lot to offer for bone health. But calcium is not the answer. Calcium management is.

A quick tour through Maitake, Shiitake, and Lion’s Mane mushrooms: what they do, what they taste like, and how to cook them.

PMS is real. You can do something about it. We talk about Western and Chinese herbal medicine, vitamins and minerals, progesterone cream, and more.

In which we answer the eternal question: heat or ice? And then go on to talk about herbs for sprains, bruises, poison ivy, sunburn, and whatever else just whacked you on the forehead.

No food or drink is going to take the place of sunblock. Or a hat. But some foods — green tea in particular — really do protect us from damage.

Let’s address some controversy. Is coffee good for you? Bad for you? What about multivitamins, calcium, and saturated fats?

Debra broke her ankle, and healed in record time.

PART 2: Herbs and Supplements. Natural medicine does not offer a one-size-fits-all solution for focus and attention.  We don’t have a “natural Ritalin™” that works immediately, for everyone.

Distractability and lack of focus is an unavoidable part of the childhood. And adulthood. Doesn’t mean we can’t do something about it, though…

Reflux, ulcers, gas? Probiotics, enzymes, antacids? There are a few dozen kinds of indigestion — and a few hundred remedies for all of it. We help you navigate.

We all know that yogurt is fermented milk, rich in beneficial probiotic bacteria. But there’s a lot more out there than yogurt. Fermented vegetables, meats… even chocolate is a fermented food.

A breakthrough form of magnesium to improve memory and recall, especially as we age.

I just counted: we have 104 different multivitamins.  And they’re all “good.” This guide should help you make sense of them all. 

Well, it’s that time of year again, that most intimate of holidays.  After the December hustle and bustle of shopping for gifts and returning gifts, and putting up lights and