Happy Nirvana

Image from my luscious backyard
Fancy exotic bouquets are losing their bloom. Flying in flowers from around the world is expensive in terms of money and the environmental impact. Some florists this summer are starting to use local flowers for their bouquets: as in picked from neighbourhood gardens.
Now florists are turning [...]

We know that large serving sizes influence dieters to eat more… but what about server sizes?
A study published earlier this year in the Journal of Consumer Psychology reported that restaurant goers order differently, depending on the size of the waiter taking the order.
The study conducted two experiments: one measuring quantity of food eaten, and [...]

A tuberculosis test, called Xpert® MTB/RIF, can successfully identify 98% of all culture-confirmed TB cases, including more than 90% of those with smear-negative disease, a study published in NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine) reveals. The test is highly sensitive for tuberculosis as well as drug resistance to the powerful anti-TB drug rifampicin (RIF) in [...]

Photo via Brian Gratwicke
Does the intelligence of an animal factor in on your decision whether or not to eat them? Many people consider pigs to be incredibly intelligent, but they’re still mostly factory farmed in often abhorrent conditions. Scientists are pushing for dolphins and other cetaceans to have non-human person status, complete with inalienable rights. [...]

Photo via Animal Planet
Each year in early September, Japan opens season on dolphins, and today marks the start of the season in Taiji, a now notorious place for slaughtering cetaceans thanks to the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove. And of course, activist Ric O’Barry is on the move. He delivered a petition to the US Embassy [...]

You might already know that I’m not a big fan of certain non-fermented soy products. The results of a newly published study on the effects of soy formula on the reproductive systems of mice only underscores how bad they can be for the body.
source
In this particular study, newborn mice were fed soy formula mixed [...]

A couple hours' work yields food that can be frozen for the next few weeks: carrots, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, acorn squash, apple sauce, and brown rice.

My second son is coming up on his 1st birthday and he’s turning into quite the chowhound. I have had to cut plenty of corners being a working mom, [...]

Image credit: The Journey TV
From this awesome tour of a permaculture allotment, to residents battling to keep their gardens, Britain’s ‘allotment’ culture has featured regularly on TreeHugger. And not without good reason. These small plots of land, rented from local government for an affordable fee, are visible in almost every town and city across the [...]

It’s amazing how many people will share their tips with you once you tell them that you are trying to lose weight. They’ll tell you the latest article they read, what they did last month, or what their friend’s friend is currently doing.
Now although I’m sure all of that advice is well intentioned it may [...]

Mentally stimulating activities that challenge and engage the brain, such as crossword puzzles, reading, or listening to the radio may help slow down cognitive decline – the gradual deterioration of thinking skills – but may encourage the acceleration of dementia later on during old age, says a report in Neurology, the journal of the American [...]