In an effort to raise awareness about the plight of the humble honey bee, New York-based artist Matt Willey founded the Good of the Hive Initiative, an ambitious project to personally paint 50,000 bees in murals around the world. The number itself isn’t arbitrary, it takes about that many bees to sustain a healthy beehive. So far Willey has completed 7 murals including a large piece at the Burt’s Bees headquarters, and he keeps meticulous notes about the number of bees in each piece which he shares on his website.
For more info you can read an interview with the artist at the Center for Humans and Nature website, and follow his progress on Instagram. And for more bee-centric murals, also check out London-based artist Louis Masai Michel’s similar Save the Bees project. (thnx, Laura!)
Reposted from: thisiscollosal.com
Ever wonder what the secret is behind Bugs Bunny’s sharp mind and active body? Yes of course, it is carrot!
The juicy carrot is one of the most liked vegetable by millions of people all over the world. It serves as a crunchy addition to salads and is also a healthy choice for snacking. Besides its natural sweetness, delicious taste and revitalizing ability, the vegetable contains very important nutrients that are important for various organs such as eyes, skin, teeth and digestive system.
The vegetable derived its name from Greek word, “karoton”, where kar means horn shaped. The substance called beta-carotene found in carrot has actually been derived from the word karoton. Carrots are being cultivated since thousands of years in central Asia and the Middle East and also in some parts of Europe. It was brought to North America in the 16th Century for the first time. Currently China is the largest producer of carrots in the world.
You will find ample amount of vitamin A, beta-carotenes, anti-oxidants and minerals stored in it. The juice of the carrot is equally good and used in Juice Therapy Remedies for curing several diseases. It is recommended by many doctors to take at least one glass of carrot juice, especially children; it will help you and your child combat many diseases. The benefits that carrot juice will provide you will compel you to call it a Miracle juice.
Now let’s take a review of what carrot has to offer for your health.
The magic of Beta-carotene
There is 8285µg of beta-carotene found in 100g of fresh carrots. It is known to be one of the most powerful anti-oxidant that helps your body to combat against oxygen-free harmful radicals. These carotenes are converted by the liver into Vitamin A, which helps in improving vision, sperm production, maintains epithelial integrity and also helps in growth and development of the body.
Improves vision
If you want sharp eye sight, increase the intake of carrot. The vitamin A obtained by carrot also helps to improve night vision. Carrot is known to cure vision related problems such as senile cataracts and macular degeneration. Researches prove that 40% of people who take a lot of beta-carotene found in carrots, have a lower risk of developing macular degeneration.
Cure for Cancer
It has been discovered that carrots reduce the risk of developing several types of Cancers such as breast cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer. Two of the components found in it called falcarinol and falcarindiol are known to have anticancer properties. A research conducted on mice proved that carrots lower the risk of developing cancer by 1/3.
Falcarinol is beneficial as a natural pesticide and this compound is only known to be found in carrots. It also protects from fungal diseases.
Beneficial for younger looking and glowing skin
Forget about the beauty treatments to enhance your skin health, use natural remedy such as carrot. Again with the help of high levels of beta-carotene acting as antioxidants, carrots halt the damages done to the cells of the body during the ongoing process of metabolism. This stops the aging of the cells.
Also if you want to protect your skin from the harmful damages of the sun, increase the intake of carrots. The vitamin A and antioxidants present in it, provides your skin with a shield that protects you from harmful sunrays. The lack of vitamin A can cause skin and hair dryness, premature wrinkling, acne, blemishes and pigmentation, to combat these problems make carrot a part of your daily diet.
If you want glowing skin apply a mask of carrot juice and honey on the face. So carrot acts as a complete skin treatment, from both inside and outside.
Improves Heart health
Three of the components found in carrots i.e. alpha carotene, beta carotene and lutein are known to lower the risk of developing heart diseases. The soluble fibers present in carrots when bind with bile acids, help to reduce the cholesterol levels.
It also saves us from strokes and researches have proven that. A study conducted by Harvard University proved that people who eat at least 6 carrots in a week are not at a risk of getting a stroke as compared to the people who take it once a week.
Carrot as a natural Cleanser
The Vitamin A present in carrot helps the liver to flush out all the harmful toxins away from the body. It is also helpful in the reduction of bile and fat production in the liver. There are some important fibers present in the carrot that regulates the bowel movements and clean out colon.
Carrot as a Powerful Antiseptic
Many herbalists use carrots to prevent several infections. You can treat cuts and wounds by placing raw grated carrots on them.
Effective for teeth and gum health
When you take a bite of a juicy carrot it not only provides you with its sweet taste but it also helps in maintaining your oral health. The food particles and plaque is scraped off with the help of these crunchy carrots. When we chew a raw carrot, it stimulates our gums and triggers the production of saliva that is alkaline in nature, this balance out the acid formation and also reduces the growth of bacteria causing cavity. There are some important minerals found in carrot that helps to protect against tooth decay.
How carrots should be used?
There are over 100 species of carrots available in a variety of colors such as orange, red, purple, white, yellow and green. But when you choose to eat carrots, try to select the ones that are deep orange in color because they are known to contain more beta-carotene.
The nutrients contained in carrots are tightly enclosed in protein sacs present inside them, these nutrients can easily be obtained by either heating or juicing the carrots. The carotenoids availability is increased by 600% when carrots are cooked in fats or by juicing them.
Two glasses of carrot juice a day can boost our immunity up to 70% so try to incorporate more of this vegetable to your diet on daily basis.
Published by MyHealthList.net
If life gives you lemons…add them to some warm water. The following article is by wellness educator, Ashley Pitman.
The way you start each day is incredibly important. Whether you’re a mom, a coach, a writer, a small business owner or a yoga teacher, what you do first thing in the morning matters.
Ayurveda invites us to get a jump-start on the day by focusing on morning rituals that work to align the body with nature’s rhythms, balance the doshas and foster self-esteem alongside self-discipline.
Your mind may say you have to check emails, take the dog out, get the kids out the door, that you can’t be late for work or that you just don’t have enough time to cultivate your own morning rituals.
But, if you can only make time for one ritual that will improve your health, let it be this…..
Start the day out with a mug of warm water and the juice of half a lemon.
It’s so simple and the benefits are just too good to ignore. Warm water with lemon:
1. Boosts your immune system
Lemons are high in Vitamin C and potassium. Vitamin C is great for fighting colds and potassium stimulates brain and nerve function and helps control blood pressure.
2. Balances pH
Lemons are an incredibly alkaline food, believe it or not. Yes, they are acidic on their own, but inside our bodies they’re alkaline (the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized). As you wellness warriors know, an alkaline body is really the key to good health.
3. Helps with weight loss
Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. It also has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet lose weight faster. And, my experience is that when I start the day off right, it’s easier to make the best choices for myself the rest of the day.
4. Aids digestion
The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving. Lemons and limes are also high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen ama, or toxins, in the digestive tract.
5. Acts as a gentle, natural diuretic
Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials because lemons increase the rate of urination in the body. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.
6. Clears skin
The vitamin C helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well.
7. Hydrates the lymph system
This cup of goodness helps start the day on a hydrated note, which helps prevent dehydration (obviously) and adrenal fatigue. When your body is dehydrated, or deeply dehydrated (adrenal fatigue) it can’t perform all of it’s proper functions, which leads to toxic buildup, stress, constipation, and the list goes on. Your adrenals happen to be two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and along with your thyroid, create energy. They also secrete important hormones, including aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by your adrenals that regulates water levels and the concentration of minerals, like sodium, in your body, helping you stay hydrated. Your adrenals are also responsible for regulating your stress response. So, the bottom line is that you really don’t want to mess with a deep state of dehydration!
Interesting article by Mike Barrett from NaturalSociety.com…
While there are numerous possibilities for health problems to arise, the issue of poor digestion is often overlooked. If your digestive system is not functioning properly, and there is a great chance that this is the case, then your body will have a tough time absorbing vitamins and nutrients. Along with these nutrient deficiencies may also come health issues like fatigue, skin disorders, emotional instability, and a whole host of other problems. In order to avoid these health issues, you need to know how to help improve the functions of the digestive system.
Helping Functions of the Digestive System
There are entire texts which focus on the topic of digestion and how your body breaks down and utilizes nutrients. Considered by some experts to be the ’2nd brain’, the human digestive system goes through extremely complex processes and even has the ability to produce neurotransmitters. In addition, this system possesses an advanced communication network similar to that of a human brain. While the research concerning digestion is still in the early stages, we know that keeping functions of the digestive system strong is crucial for optimal health. So how do we help the digestive system to be strong?
is largely beneficial on its own, but when matched with a few slices of nutrient-packed lemon, warm lemon water can empower your health through boosting your energy, helping to improve functions of the digestive system, and even be a powerful ally in your quest for natural fat loss. It’s atomic composition is similar to that of saliva’s and the hydrochloric acid of digestive juices.
many roles, it also releases a growth hormone that repairs the body. Ghelin levels increase in response to digestive distress. With the increase in ghelin levels comes the increase in appetite, causing you to eat more food. Splenda’s link to a digestive imbalance means that this process will occur, ending in weight gain. Elevated ghelin levels increase your cravings for sugar and carbohydrates, causing you to eat an excess amount of food that goes through an already-distressed digestive system. If you have these cravings, then it’s time to fix your digestive system.
From Mark Stibich, Ph.D
Life expectancy can be increased by just hanging out with your friends and family. The more connected someone is, the better their overall health. Having positive relationships with a spouse, friends and family is the best way to be connected.
We are not sure why relationships play a role in health and life expectancy. It could be that people in positive relationships are less likely to take on risky behaviors and are more likely to take care of themselves. It could be that having people around you reduces the impact of stress on your health. We can make up lots of theories about why relationships have a positive impact, but the bottom line is that people who are engaged in “meaningful” relationships have better health (and therefore better life expectancies).
One way of improving your relationships with people is to get in the habit of 
telling good stories. Stories are how we communicate with one another, and telling a good story strengthens communications. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been on the phone with someone and was just talking about the weather or giving a dry update on my family. Instead, I should be telling a story about a funny thing my kids did or something crazy that happened at work. Stories keep relationships alive.
So make more time for friends and family. Go do things together (create stories together), and make a real effort to improve your communication with them (whether by e-mail, phone or in person) by having a good story always ready for the telling.
Spring cleaning time is here! I say this with joy and excitement, ready to clean 
under the beds, organize the garage, dust the ceiling fans, move the refrigerator, and sweep. Most people aren’t as eager. Spring cleaning can feel overwhelming, daunting—and knowing where to start can be half the battle.
With these three simple spring cleaning tips, the job is far less intimidating:
1. Make a plan. List what tasks you want to accomplish in each room, the estimated number of hours or minutes you’ll need, and who in the family will help you. Organized Home provides free printable spring cleaning checklists that could be helpful if you’re uncertain where to begin.
2. Make a date. Yes, a date—but most likely not a very romantic one! Which weekend or weekday will you work on these spring cleaning tasks? Enlist the entire family so that everyone can mark their calendar and show up for spring cleaning duty! To ensure that nobody forgets, try using Cozi, an online family calendar with phone applications that make family planning and communication seamless. Nobody will have an excuse for not helping clean the garage this year!
3. Baskets and supplies in order. With the plan of action set, the date squared away, and the troops rallied, having your supplies organized is essential! I reccomend the Get Clean® Starter Kit, you’ll have everything you need to clean the house from top to bottom this year and next! Plus you’ll keep 108 pounds of packaging waste from landfills. Arrange your laundry baskets to collect items you’ll donate, recycle, or sell. As you go from room to room, fill the baskets with items that you’re not using anymore (e.g. clothing, toys, tools, kitchen supplies, pet items, etc.). One of the goals of spring cleaning is getting rid of all the clutter!
Spring cleaning doesn’t have to feel like a black cloud each season. Look at it as a way to spend time as a family or donate items you don’t use anymore. And with some good tunes and fresh air, you’ll feel rejuvenated—and the house, yard, attic, and garage will look spiffy clean!
Thought this was a good article by Dr. Jamie McManus
Next year will mark the 40th year since the first National Nutrition Week campaign was launched. And I know I am showing my age, but I remember 1973! I was an intense pre-med college student working in a research lab and studying to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Richard Nixon was the president, and one of the top news stories was Billie Jean King defeating Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes—go, girl power! The theme was Invest in Yourself—Buy Nutrition. National Nutrition Week was enthusiastically embraced by the American Dietetic Association (now called the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) and officially became National Nutrition Month in 1980—now celebrated every March.
And since this year’s theme is Get Your Plate in Shape, I thought I would share how I get MY plate into the best nutritional shape!
Make a list. Take time to think ahead as to what you are planning to put on your plate tonight and every night this week. Get to the grocery store—with your list—and stock up on fruits, vegetables, lean-protein choices such as chicken breast, low-fat (or better, nonfat) milk and yogurt, soy milk, etc. This will help ensure you have healthy choices at home as you prepare your meals
Load up at least half of your plate with veggies at lunch and dinner. I try to have at least THREE colors on my plate—red bell peppers, dark green broccoli and spinach, and orange carrots. These colors tell us these veggies are brimming with health-promoting phytonutrients as well as vitamins and minerals!
Fill the rest of the plate with small portions of a protein food and a starch. And since you will be following my lead and filling up on veggies, it will be easier to avoid overeating or oversized portions. You might even try using smaller plates and bowls if you tend to overeat.
Spice up your life as I have—who knew there were so many choices of amazing spices?! You need only a pinch of salt, especially when you have garlic, basil, rosemary, and thyme. Did you know these spices provide additional phytonutrients to support your health, as well as make your food taste fabulous and yummy? Pull out those dusty cookbooks and try a new recipe that uses spices you’ve never tried—this has become one of our favorite activities at our house!
Last but not least, be sure you have nutrition insurance. Even though I am knowledgeable about nutrition and committed to healthy eating, I know my food cannot provide all that I need every day, so I always take a daily comprehensive multivitamin/multimineral supplement and urge you to do the same! It is simply good nutritional sense.
Be well!
Healthy Wealthy and Wise 