Natural Mood Boosters-Oat Tops

The milky tops of the oat plant, which contain B vitamins and minerals, can soothe stress and boost moods.

Oat Tops makes a wonderful tea; follow instructions for lemon balm, above. Also works as a mood- and skin-soothing bath; brew a strong tea and add to water.

Natural Mood Boosters-Lemon Balm

This member of the mint family is both calming and uplifting, making it useful for easing day-to-day stress, insomnia, and the winter blues.

Lemon balm is delicious in tea form; pour boiling water over fresh or dried leaves, let steep for 20 minutes. Drink a few cups daily. Or combine lemon balm with oat tops.

Natural Mood Boosters-St. John's Wort

Shown in studies to ease depression, St. John's wort may also be helpful for seasonal affective disorder.

Try St. John's wort in tincture or capsule form; for depression, be sure you're working with a health-care professional. St. John's wort may interact with certain drugs; discuss with your doctor.

Russian Scientists Find Third Generation of Hamsters Sterilized by GM Soy

Hot off the press GMO research study shows alarming birth defects, sterility, and infant deaths in animals fed this food commonly found in human diets. Why has this food been dumped in the EU, yet not in the US?

Closely tied to the production of GM crops is the use of the herbicide Roundup, which contains glyphosate. Monsanto’s Roundup is the most widely used herbicide in the world, and contrary to the popular belief propagated by industry, pesticide use has significantly increased – DOUBLED since 2005 -- rather than decreased with the use of GM crops.

Why we should we should care about on-farm conservation and water quality.

Recently, The New York Times ran an editorial that caught my eye, called “Tiles, Farmers and the Dead Zone”. The article correctly depicts the oxygen-depleted dead zone that forms each year in the Gulf of Mexico, killing off fish, shrimp and other marine life; and cites new research in the Journal of Environmental Quality. Read more about the Dead Zone here

Neem for Skincare

Neem, an ancient herb from India, which is known just for its medicinal qualities, is now showing up in beauty-care products including oils, creams, and soaps. It's thought that the antioxidant and antibacterial properties help skin repair itself from exposure to sun and environmental toxins.