Earth's Friends

Baby-Led Weaning from Breastfeeding

I am pretty certain that other cultures (and the cave men too) probably give their babies “real” food to explore with. I suspect that, somewhere along the line, someone thought it would be faster and more efficient (and safer) to puree food for a baby and I can see why it caught on. No one really likes to see her/his baby gag on anything. And, big chunks of food in a mouth that has no teeth is intimidating and scary to many parents. Purees make sense for babies, right? A growing movement called “Baby-Led Weaning” is touting that purees are NOT the way to go and that letting your baby explore food (being smart and safe about it) is a better way to transition your baby from a liquid to a solid food diet. This may be the oldest new method of weaning from breastfeeding for your baby.

Beyond Meat: Can Fake Chicken Be As Good As the Real Thing?

When it comes to meat free “meat” options, there are few on the market that satisfies vegetarians and vegans that miss the taste of their favorite proteins. Ethan Brown, founder of Beyond Meat, claims to have been able to do just that with his newest chicken alternative…

Factory Farming Facts So You Can Make Your Own Decisions

When it comes to factory farming there is a lot of misinformation out there designed to muddy the waters. Our goal is to help you understand the factory farming facts so you can form your own opinions on where to spend your money…

8 Juicing Recipes Your Body Will Crave

Here are some of my favorite healthy juicing recipes that are not only beneficial for your body, but also delicious! You can also learn more about the benefits of juicing as well as my first-hand account of a 3-day juice cleanse…

Juicing Benefits: My Firsthand Juice Fast Account

Some may be asking why do I need to make my own juice? Why do I need a juicer? Why does it have to be so time consuming and messy?!? And isn’t it expensive? There are so many questions you and I both had when starting to think about juicing as a regular part of my life. One thing I was sure of was that it was good for me and would be beneficial to my health now and in the future. What I did not know was exactly how natural, fresh-juiced fruits and veggies could contribute so strongly to improving health and even reversing damage from poor eating and other health choices made throughout the course of life…

My Story of Becoming A Vegetarian

I have been vegetarian for about 3 and a half years but it did not happen overnight, it has been a long transitional process over the past 25 years of my life. So, if you have ever wondered about the process of becoming a vegetarian, this is one woman’s story. While mine was gradual, many people make the change to eating vegetarian overnight due to health need or desire to protect animal rights. There are so many reasons that people become vegetarian but perhaps my story can shed some light on how it can evolve over time as you become more educated on what works best for you…

My First Natural Birth Story

I really think that my successful experience with natural childbirth paved the way for many changes in my life that lead to a more natural way of living. I brought my baby into the world in the most natural way possible – both of us free from any medical interventions that would affect his start in the world. I owed it to him to keep his life as free from “interventions” as possible.

Natural Childbirth Advice From a Mom

Natural childbirth is one thing I can say should be researched to death! No two labor and deliveries are the same, so researching coping mechanisms, ways to maintain energy during labor and more are essential. I read everything I could get my hands on.

Breastfeeding Tips for the New Mom

I tend to be lighthearted, but breastfeeding is a passion that I REALLY struggled with and feel that there is very little real life, practical advice out there. I wanted to offer that to others who may be preparing to have a little one, are currently struggling with breastfeeding or have in the past and plan to have more babies in the future…

How To Be Green While You Clean Your Home

As the world becomes more aware of the impact we are having on the planet, many of us are taking steps to live greener lives. One of the biggest ways that people are contributing to the eco-friendly effort is by transitioning to green cleaners. Take a look at what makes a cleaner green and see some examples of effective green cleaners on the market today…

Why Is Recycling So Important?

There are plenty of facts out there on why recycling is important. The world population is growing, not shrinking, and currently, each human being adds significant waste to the planet over his or her lifetime. In New York alone, people produce enough trash in one day to fill the entire Empire State building.The frustrating thing is, in most developed countries, it’s not that difficult to make a difference. And what a difference we can make. Here are some details, stats and tips…

Protein Puts Plants to Sleep Instead of Waking them Up

In a study published in Molecular Systems Biology, scientists revealed that the protein known as TOC1 plays the opposite role as was formerly thought. The previous concept was that this protein was the protein that “woke” plants up. Actually, it’s the one that tells the plant when it’s time to go dormant, much like melatonin in the body of a human…