Bees are crucial to our food supply. Approximately one-third of our food relies on bees as pollinators, a service that has been valued at $US 168 billion per year worldwide. In the US, bees contribute more than $15 billion to our crop production, according to the USDA.

Bee populations are in jeopardy

Starting in late 2006, US beekeepers began reporting alarming losses of bee populations, reporting losses of 30-90%. This emerging, and global, phenomenon became known...

Laura Klahre, founder of Blossom Meadow

A marine biologist by trade, Laura Klahre, founder of Blossom Meadow, is a beekeeper in the North Fork of Eastern Long Island. During August 2016, she was kind enough to enlighten my team and I on the lives of bees. After having a dream in 1997 that she was a beekeeper, she started beekeeping with one beehive, which eventually grew to 100 beehives. 

Listen to my podcast with Laura by clicking below. In addition,...

Black Sesame Seed Candy Recipe (Vegan)

Guess which ingredients make this delicious vegan treat rich in calcium and iron?

Black sesame seeds are a rich source of calcium and iron. Raw, local, organic honey and coconut palm sugar are some of your healthier choices for sweeteners. Mixing them with some organic ground cinnamon, ginger, flax seeds, and chia seeds yields a healthy, delicious, vegan treat!

Ingredients

• 2 cups sesame seeds (about 12 ounces)
• 1⁄2 cup raw, local, organic...

Hello, D-Tox Community!

We hope you're finding helpful remedies during this tough allergy season. As our children's school nurse emailed recently, even though each year it's often said that "this is the worst allergy season" ever, this year, is truly the worst allergy season ever. I have been struck by how much our 4-year-old daughter has been suffering: swollen, stingy eyes; and severe congestion at night.

Stinging Nettle Tea

If you're still looking for natural remedies, check out...

Even if you don't think you know what stinging nettle looks like-- chances are, you've met the plant before. It could have been when you were running around outside as a child and emerged with a painful, mysterious rash on your legs. Depending on where you live, you might even pass by a plant on your daily commute (even in NYC), where it grows "like a weed." 

I was introduced to the medicinal properties of stinging nettle through renowned herbalist Amanda David of Rootwork Herbals...

Spring is our season.

It's a time of renewal and detoxification. New beginnings, fresh starts, and healthy transformations. Wherever you are in your process, we hope you are enjoying the changing season.

There have been many exciting developments at Practical Nontoxic Living, below are nine key updates.

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1) What does it take to innovate?

On May 4th, Sophia will host her first Innovators of Wellness event in NYC. It features five trailblazers in modern...

Yoga blocks are often made of a foam that's made of petrochemicals. While there are benefits (they tend to be cheap and light), they are not great for our planet and our health.

Instead, healthier yoga blocks are made of 100% wood (like bamboo) or 100% cork, both of which can be more eco-friendly by using renewable and sustainable materials.

YOGA MATS

Yoga mats can be made of plastic, like vinyl (one of the most toxic materials for our planet and our health). A healthier material for yoga mats is 100% natural rubber.

CLEANSING YOUR YOGA MAT

To cleanse your yoga mat, you can use essential oils in the doTERRA recipe below. But please conduct a test patch first because not all yoga mats are the same and the recipe below may damage some mats.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup distilled water
1/4 cup alcohol-free witch hazel or...

Earlier today, I dropped by the office of ELLE Magazine in NYC to discuss detox tips for your gym bag and workout. The Facebook Live video is below in case you missed it. You can also read the detox tips further down.

1. Detox Cleaning of Your Gym Bag

My friend, Jen, was stopped and frisked by airport security after the swab of the inside of her gym bag appeared to be toxic! Her airport experience got her wondering how gross the inside of her gym bag must be,...

With the exponential growth in internet usage over the past few decades, our bodies have experienced unprecedented exposures to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). I think of this as EMF pollution, a term used to describe a type of toxic exposure from things like products that use wifi and bluetooth as well as items plugged into electrical outlets. While we have unique sensitivities to any type of toxicant, some commonly reported symptoms of EMF pollution include:

• ...