Though often lumped in to the category of plants, mushrooms actually belong to an entirely different kingdom of life – Kingdom Fungi. Mushrooms and fungi are a category all to themselves, and are sometimes considered to be more similar to an animal than they are to a plant. Their complex networks of mycelium are just … More Mycological Medicine – Medicinal Mushrooms for Whole Body Health
With fast food, processed snacks, and more packaged convenience foods than ever before, our society is being faced with a problem often referred to as being “overfed and undernourished”, the result ranging from nutrient deficiencies to diseases of affluence such as heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic inflammatory conditions. But even those who live a … More Overfed and Undernourished: Nutrient Dense Foods for the Modern Human
I spend many of my days off in the wet autumn months bushwhacking through damp, old growth forests foraging for mushrooms. Although I find more culinary mushrooms such as chanterelles, lobsters and cauliflower mushrooms, I do also come across the odd species of medicinal fungi, such as turkey tail, artist conk, or lion’s mane (which, … More Medicinal Mushrooms – Wild Winter Adaptogens
As the leaves start to fall, the evenings get cooler and the forest starts to shift. Wild mushrooms start to pop up out of the disturbed mossy soil, and apple trees become abundant with ripe fruit. With this change of seasons, our bodies quiet down from the high energy of long summer days, and we … More Seasonal Eating for Autumn Bliss
Throughout history, humans have been considered omnivores, eating from multiple kingdoms of life including plants, algae, fungi and animals. This has been true for as long as far back as we have archaeological data. It wasn’t until our Palaeolithic ancestors, homo erectus, started broadening the human diet to include more plant, algal and fungal foods. … More Ancient Nutrients and the Modern Human
Over the course of the past few decades, nutrition science has pointed fingers towards several causes for poor health related to dietary choices. Some of the identified foods have included refined sugar, refined grain products (particularly white flours), highly processed foods, and genetically modified foods, to name just a few. The issue with this focus … More Omega 3’s – Our Modern Diet’s Missing Fat
When we think of different organ systems in the body in the context of western medicine, we often isolate these systems, considering them separate from each other. For example, the immune system is one network of organs; the digestive tract another. However, as we’ve observed from traditional medicine systems such as traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) … More Gut Health for Whole Body Immunity
When I first started foraging, one of the biggest challenges for me was finding geographically relevant information. Though countless foraging and wild food identification books exist, I could find very little information on when certain foods were in season in my area, and where to find certain types of terrain locally. I hope by sharing … More Spring Foraging in the Pacific Northwest – Vancouver Island Wild Foods
Supporting the body’s structural integrity is a vital priority for maintaining health as we age. Having healthy bones doesn’t only mean staying pain-free, but it also means maintaining optimal mobility well into our ages of wisdom. It’s often assumed that reduced mobility and poor bone density is just another inevitable condition of aging, but this … More Mineral Dense Foods for Healthy Bones
The anti-aging industry is standing the tests of time as one of the longest lived healthcare trends of all time, and for good reason. New research delving into global centenarian regions called “Blue Zones”, ancestral diets, antioxidants, human psychology and beyond are showing limitless approaches for increasing our lifespan. But beyond living longer, anti-aging means … More Skin Food: Anti Aging Nutrients for Beautiful Skin
One of the most common complaints of aging populations is the decline in sexual function. This typically happens around or after menopause for women, and starting in the late 40’s or early 50’s for men, when sexual desire may be lower and other bodily functions associated with enjoyment or performance are reduced. For women, some … More Nutritional Support for Sexual Health
From a nutritional perspective, managing blood glucose levels is one of the key factors to promoting optimal health. Though often only considered a concern for diabetics, having irregular blood sugar levels can lead to development of what medical researchers often refer to as the “four killers” – the leading causes of death by chronic disease … More Blood Sugar Management Using Food as Medicine
Stress impacts every living organism on our planet, and humans are certainly no exception. There are different types of stress, including physiological (think: getting chased by a lion) and psychological (think: losing a loved one), but the impact on the body on a biochemical level is the same. Unfortunately, we live in a busy society … More Sleep and Stress Management for Optimal Energy
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