By Natalie R.Toney, M.F.A., C.H., Healthy Planet Food Editor
After we wade through those drenching showers of April into a few sun-soaked days in May, it’s only natural that many of us start looking towards the balmy summer months where BBQ’s, picnics, and pool parties adorn the calendar. Hanging out with friends while sharing good conversations […]
By Michelle “Mike” Ochonicky, Healthy Planet Arts Editor
I love the arts. I dislike politics. I write today about that love, not about politics.
Photo: Frog Skin Agate Pendant by Amy Buettner/Tucker Glasgow, at Webster Arts Fair.
As I write this column, news reports tell of efforts to cut funding to cultural agencies and institutions in the United […]
May Performances, Paintings, and More in STL
By Michelle “Mike” Ochonicky, Healthy Planet Arts Editor
Photo: Hercules Fountain by Timothy Grotian, at Norton’s Fine Art.
Recently, St. Louis University announced plans to close its Museum of Contemporary Religious Art (MOCRA) at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. Founded in 1993, MOCRA is the first museum to present […]
Grab your friends and your four-legged companion and join us in beautiful Tower Grove Park on Saturday, May 17 for the 30th anniversary of Bark in the Park, presented by Purina! Known for its beautiful landscaping, popular Farmer’s Market and dozens of major St. Louis events each year, Tower Grove Park is going to be […]
By Dr. Gail Cloud
What if we were to start our days by tuning in instead of tuning outward? These days most of us wake up and go on our phones right away, or our computers. What if instead, we checked in with how we are feeling, drank some water to rehydrate, and stepped outside in […]
By Ann Lapides
Jeana Phlox, a long-lived perennial, brings months of beautiful color and excellent disease resistance. Its many sweetly fragrant flower heads are made of hundreds of petals in lovely shades of rosy pink. At a recent field trial at the world-renowned Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware, Jeana received a perfect 5-star rating, the only […]
By Deborah Rogers Curtis, Green Schools Coordinator for the Missouri Gateway Green Building Council
Show-Me Green Schools is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024-2025 Green Schools Quest, a six-month competition across Missouri and Southern Illinois for school sustainability projects. Students chose a project that would positively impact their school community and physical environment. Students […]
By Dan Zarlenga, Missouri Department of Conservation
Photo caption: The eastern prickly pear cactus is a Missouri native of glades and dry areas. Photo by Jim Rathert, Missouri Dept. of Conservation.
A surprise encounter with a cactus might be a sticky and painful situation. However, there’s a particular cactus that also holds some surprises that really are interesting. […]
By Dan Zarlenga, Missouri Department of Conservation
Photo caption: Yellow-billed cuckoos truly do have crazy-sounding calls! Photo by Jim Rathert, Missouri Dept. of Conservation.
This time of year, you might find yourself encountering a cuckoo. No, not a silly or foolish person. And not a cartoon character on a cereal box. Yellow-billed cuckoos—the real bird—can be found […]
By Steve Davies, Healthy Planet Columnist
For me, spring is officially here when Earth Day is here. It’s the time when I, like so many people, start to get outside and enjoy nature. Earth Day 1990 was part of my inspiration for taking care of nature. By 1991, I was working for the Missouri Public Interest […]
By Jean Ponzi
EarthWays Center Celebrates Milestone
25 Years of Sustainable Solutions for You
Our Missouri Botanical Garden values sustainability on a par with care for plants, thanks to the work of the EarthWays Center, where 2025 is a notable year for the Garden’s sustainability team.
Through the 1990s, public calls for environmental action accelerated energy efficiency, recycling, renewable […]
By Jean Ponzi
KEEP KDHX ALIVE and LOCAL!
Say this in your best Monty Python voice: KDHX is NOT DEAD YET!
This column is sister to the environmental interview show, Earthworms, that I produced and hosted on FM-88 KDHX St. Louis Community Radio, from April 1989 until January of this year. I learned so much from hosting the […]
In June, the stunning features in water gardens are at their peak beauty — richly-colored, teeming with life, and lush with abundance. The 25th-Annual St. Louis Water Garden Society “Pond-O-Rama” tour is your invitation to wander through the sights and sounds of the area’s most-spectacular ones.
Mark your calendar for the unforgettable experience with the healing […]
In June, the stunning features in water gardens are at their peak beauty — richly-colored, teeming with life, and lush with abundance. The 25th-Annual St. Louis Water Garden Society “Pond-O-Rama” tour is your invitation to wander through the sights and sounds of the area’s most-spectacular ones.
Mark your calendar for the unforgettable experience with the healing […]
By JB Lester
Twenty-eight years ago this May, the Healthy Planet magazine hit the streets in St. Louis. The very first edition of our magazine was handed out at the Earth Day Festival in Tower Grove Park. Earth Day back then was celebrated in May due to better weather for the festival. I set up a […]
By JB Lester
June is the month of Father’s Day, and I was thinking about my dad Charles “Chuck” Norton Lester. He passed away in 1971 from a heart attack while on a fishing trip with his buddies. At least he died doing something he loved. He was 47 years old. I was trekking around Europe […]
Father’s Day provides a special opportunity to honor the important men in our lives. Work demands, physical activity, summer weather, and daily stress can significantly impact overall health and well-being. Spa treatments offer dads a peaceful retreat to relax, rejuvenate, and recharge mentally and physically.
Relaxation at Vitality Unlimited Spa
Therapeutic MassageDeep Tissue Massage helps relieve muscle tension and enhances […]
Mother’s Day is the perfect time to show your appreciation for the women who pour so much love, care, and energy into those around them. This year, go beyond the usual flowers and brunch and give her the gift she truly deserves: peace, relaxation, and self-care.
Pamper Her with Spa Services
There’s nothing like a spa experience […]
Great Rivers Greenway is excited to announce a $2 million gift from Nestlé Purina PetCare Company towards the development of the Brickline Greenway. Purina’s investment aims to enhance the accessibility and enjoyment of Downtown St. Louis and the region for dog owners and their furry companions.
Headquartered in Downtown St. Louis for over 130 years, Purina has […]
By Diane K. Wilson
Abbreviated/Condensed Version
Consider choosing a few of these to add to your grocery list — and maybe they’ll inspire your wellness journey too!
Anti-Inflammatory Support: Turmeric, Ginger, Garlic, Extra virgin olive oil, Walnuts, Almonds, Berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), Leafy greens (kale, spinach), Broccoli, Cauliflower, Salmon, Sardines, Flaxseeds, Chia seeds, Green tea, Matcha, Avocados, Beets, Cinnamon, […]
We are excited to announce that the Internal Spirit Holistic Fair/Expo is coming back to the Machinists’ Hall, 12365 St. Charles Rock RD., Bridgeton, Mo. 63044 for another two day Metaphysical/Holistic event.
Friday, May 16 from 3 PM to 8 PM and Saturday, May 17 from 10 AM to 7 PM. Admission is $8.00 to be […]
By Tom & Carol Braford
There are two pathways to surviving and indeed socially thriving during the ongoing global temperature rise and downhill multi-polar slide as we rush past peak everything, according to world renowned writer and best selling French author, Jean-marc Jancovici. In his book, World Without End, which has just come out in a […]
By Jasmin Acosta, Healthy Planet Staff Writer
The foundation of life is rooted in our compassion, kindness, and empathy—guiding us to lead with our hearts by offering our time, energy, resources, and love. We do this simply because our hearts are moved by a desire to help others—believing that even the smallest act of kindness can […]
By Dr. Gail Cloud
It dawned on me that many people get intimidated by the idea of meditating or feel like they can’t do it as their minds are so active. So, I am sharing with you that you really can.
Meditation is not something you have to do alone in a room, on a mountain top, […]
By Dr. Amy Davis MD
Menopause – “The Change of Life” typically occurs in the late forties or early 50’s. Symptoms of menopause start gradually and can be annoying to say the least. Stopping your period is great, but the rest can be a lot to deal with. There are various approaches that can help to […]
By Maeve Elder, Communication & Outreach CoordinatorMissouri Gateway Green Building Council
For those of us building a healthy planet space, this is a frustrating time. Green building and climate work has always been an uphill battle with fluctuating progress, but a moment like this can make it feel like we’re stuck in the myth of Sisyphus […]
Article courtesy of the Clean Air Partnership and Citizens for Modern Transit
When summer hits its peak, so does poor air quality. Rising temperatures and transportation-related emissions can combine to create dangerous levels of ozone air pollution in the bi-state area. The St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership and Citizens for Modern Transit are therefore teaming […]
By Natalie R. Toney, B.F.A., C.H., Healthy Planet Food editor
The summer season is upon us, as is the season for parties poolside, on patios, by the lake, and really anywhere else we can soak in the sun (with appropriate SPF, of course!) after long stretches indoors. This season also brings an abundance of fresh fruits […]
Time for Summer Fun
By Susan Hunt-Bradford
June means summer has officially arrived in St. Louis — and with it comes a familiar debate. Is it the smooth, easygoing vibe of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s “Summertime”(1991)?“Summer, summer, summertime, time to sit back and unwind.”
Or are we bracing ourselves for something more like Bananarama’s
“Cruel Summer” (1984)?
“Hot city […]
Happy Mother’s Day to All Moms
Reflecting on love, loss, and the ever-evolving journey of motherhood
By Susan Hunt-Bradford
When Mother’s Day comes around, my first thoughts always go to my own mother, who passed away 24 years ago. In many ways, it feels like just yesterday we were laughing, traveling, and doting on my son together. The […]
By Ann Lapides
As environmental concerns grow, homeowners are increasingly turning to rain gardens as a practical and eco-friendly way to manage wet areas on their properties. Rain gardens are designed to capture and absorb rainwater runoff, reducing the risk of flooding and improving water quality. Rain gardens are shallow basins strategically placed to intercept rainwater from […]
By Steven Davies, Healthy Planet Staff Writer
As I’ve talked about before, it seems that every time I’m out running errands on trash day, I’m always looking to see what my neighbors have in their trash and recycling bins. I look to see what’s sticking out of them, thinking about how much of what they have […]
By Diane K. Wilson
Abbreviated/Condensed Version
People often ask how I stay so energized and rarely get sick. Here’s a peek into the practices I follow to maintain my vitality — and maybe they’ll inspire your wellness journey too!
Evening Prep for a Better Morning
I set myself up the night before by getting to bed on time. The […]
By Linda Wiggen Kraft, Green & Growing Editor
Now is the time to plant the most magical garden space for children and adults, a sunflower house or room. Imagine a house or room with walls made of sunflowers and a ceiling of morning glories. Each morning the easterly facing sunflowers greet the day and blue trumpets […]
By Jasmin Acosta, Healthy Planet Staff Writer
Throughout our lives, we meet people who become our friends, often impacting our lives in significant ways. Whether it is a friendship from childhood, a friend for a few months, or even years. As we grow and evolve, we often forget that our friends are evolving too—sometimes in ways […]
May is ALS Awareness Month — a critical time to highlight neurological disorders that affect millions of lives. Two often-confused conditions, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and cerebral palsy (CP), share some physical symptoms but differ significantly in cause, progression, and impact.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that typically strikes adults between the ages of 40 […]
By Linda Wiggen Kraft
Green & Growing Editor
It was ten-year-olds who turned my world upside down as a garden designer. For years I had designed gardens in a traditional way. I found out what a person wanted for their garden by the inspirations they had seen in magazines, books, at public gardens and gardens of others. […]
By Amy Davis, M.D.
Food intolerance is different from true food allergies. It is delayed in its onset and is less serious (not life threatening) but can be very annoying just the same. The symptoms are a result of a delayed immune response which occurs gradually 1-24 hours after eating.
If you have food intolerance, you may […]
By Kayla Heard
May I introduce myself? My name is Kayla Heard and I am very excited to be bringing this information to you. I help people like you, and families like yours, achieve spectacular healing and wellness through enjoyable and life-changing gatherings. My journey through trials, failures and successes, sorrow and joy, laughter and tears […]
The Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau is happy to announce that Wine Trail Wilderness, a hand built camping retreat in the heart of Southern Illinois wine country, has been named one of the Top Vineyard Camping Experiences in the United States by Hipcamp, the world’s #1 camping app.
Located directly on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, the […]