It’s that time of year! The weather is gorgeous, the sun is blazing and you reach for that bottle of sunscreen with the intention to protect your skin and prevent a justifiably dreadful sunburn. But what is in that sunscreen you are slathering all over your body? Many people make the mistake of assuming that because a product is allowed to be publically sold and distributed, that it is safe for both the environment and our bodies. While this would be the case in an ideal world, it simply is not the way current government regulations operate.

It’s blueberry season and the fields are bursting with juicy berries! Make the most of them with this simple muffin recipe that will melt in your mouth. The applesauce both substitutes for eggs and acts as a natural sweetener, reducing the overall amount of sugar. With the chewy exterior, slightly tart flavor and incredibly moist insides, these muffins make the perfect summer snack.

Makes 12 Muffins

Recipe:

½ cup vegan butter

½ cup sugar

The Benefits of Coffee AND Tea:

Conversations about coffee and tea are often phrased in terms of either/or: are you a coffee person OR a tea person? There are amazing benefits to both of these tasty, refreshing, and comforting beverages – and we’re going to discuss both! You can always switch back and forth, or choose what sounds the best in the moment. Coffee and tea can provide some much needed energy and nutrients.

If you have a small section of your yard, you might want to consider planting a butterfly garden with your child.  Children will watch and study insects of all types for long periods of time, and with a little wise planting, you will have an instant source of entertainment and learning.

Many common flowers attract both butterflies and hummingbirds.  Here are a few:

Due to extreme heat and pressure within the earth, incredible gems and precious stones are produced. These gems beautify our experiences and offer valuable healing tools for an evolutionary lifestyle. Much like the creation of gemstones, relationships that can withstand the fire of transformation and alchemy (inevitably occurring between two who enter such a space), have the potential to become powerful healing bodies and holders of high frequency vibrations that bless the planet.

Yoga itself is very uplifting, with its overall intention to bring the body, mind, and soul into divine union. The practice is a wonderful element for helping you achieve a healthy, balanced life. Alongside our yoga practice, we can always use a few words of encouragement. Here are twenty-one empowering yoga quotes that are sure to encourage as well as inspire your inner yogi.

It’s summer, the season for the king of fruits. No, not the durian -- the mango! It’s sweet, juicy, golden-yellow goodness. I like to think of mangoes as an app for my sugar cravings; whatever kind of sweetness you need, there is a mango for that. If you like sweet with a little bit of tang, you can find one like that. If you like a creamy sweet, there are mangoes for that. If you feel like a sugar rush, you can certainly find one for that. If it’s savory you desire, mangoes make a delicious curry dish or chutney as a side order.

Unless you’re a Disney character, being positive all of the time can prove difficult. We live in a time where we are constantly running around, on limited time, limited sleep, and limited self-care. We are bombarded with negative news, negative television, negative people and negative vibes. We are facing too many global crises to comprehend. Through all of this, however, people are remaining positive. How so?

Today, while at my local coffee house, instead of tucking my head into my iPhone to kill the time, as I usually do while I wait for my order, I decided to see what it would be like to not have that distraction and just be present in the room with everyone else.

I have to admit, I’m disheartened by the state of the world. I’m not feeling optimistic in the face of the bigotry, sexism, and xenophobia that seems to be crawling all over the place like beetles darting out from an overturned log. Right now the world seems bleak and due to become bleaker.