By Abby Lapides
Stand By Me Clematis – Thousands of open bell flowers bloom nonstop until frost!
Stand By Me Bush Clematis paints the garden with gorgeous bell-shaped flowers for months. In late May masses of the clear blue, adorable flowers adorn its 1-2′ tall stems, looking like perfect little hats for garden fairies. This strong bloom continues […]
By Amy Davis, M.D.
The Standard American Diet is heavily laden with calorie dense nutrient-poor food and beverages, processed foods and includes few fruits and vegetables. It has been linked to the growing problem of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease to name a few. An inactive lifestyle, large portion size, and high stress worsens […]
Spring is a great time to add a tree to your home or farm. Trees add beauty, wildlife value and wind protection to our homes and farms. Trees also clean the air, reduce heating and cooling costs, and add value to your home.
Planting a tree is a significant investment in money, resources, and time. Proper selection is key to achieving […]
By Michelle “Mike” Ochonicky, Healthy Planet Arts Editor
Caption for image: Senior Solo dancers in COCA’s TRIumphant
May is packed with ARTful experiences.
Through May 18, Art Saint Louis, 1223 Pine, hosts Maturity & Its Muse: Celebrating Artistic Experience 2023. The juried exhibition showcases 63 works by 51 Missouri and Illinois artists aged 70+. www.artstlouis.org
Crossroads Arts Council, 310 […]
Grab your friends and your four-legged companion and join us in beautiful Tower Grove Park on Saturday, May 20 for the 28th annual 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 a […]
By Jasmin Acosta, Healthy Planet Staff Writer
No one could have ever expected the life trauma that they would live through, and the reality of those experiences becoming more alive when we reflect on those memories that impacted the person that we were. Not only were those traumas upsetting in their present, but we continue having […]
How Replacing Curiosity with Certainty Leads to Growth
By Christina Staff, Healthy Planet Staff Writer
When did we stop becoming curious about other people? When did we stop trying to use life’s teachings as a way to evolve ourselves? A popular podcast I listen to offered this perspective, “Certainty is the enemy of curiosity.” Everyone you encounter […]
By Porscha Hayes, Missouri Green Schools AmeriCorps VISTA
Designed for educators from all roles and environments, the Sustainability Institute for Educators challenges participants to help learners build awareness, recognize responsibility, and take action as global citizens working to build a healthier, more sustainable world. This year, Institute participants will explore the multidisciplinary nature of climate change. […]
By Christine Ilewskiwww.chrisilewski.comwww.facesnotforgotten.org
This body of work began before Covid, a loose freedom and joy of expression; flowers in my backyard against the river twinkling at a distance. I wanted an escape from the somber heaviness of the portraits in the Faces Not Forgotten project and the serious traumas of two detached retinas. Then the pandemic hit, […]
Photo Captions: Chris Shepherd and Harp WorkshopThe Soulard B3 Fest is on May 21st from 11:30AM to 7:30PM at the Soulard Market park, and features the 3 B’s – Blues, Brews and Bites – and some of the best blues acts in St. Louis, as well as an art village & art activities, a beer […]
Story & Photos by JB Lester
Photo caption #1 Litter of Feral Kittens #2 Feral Cat Release
In the summer of 2021, my wife Niki and I were sitting on our front porch in Webster Groves, enjoying a cool beverage. Suddenly we heard a faint sound. “Did you hear that?” Niki asked. “Yes, what the heck is […]
By Dan Zarlenga, Missouri Department of Conservation
Photo caption: The common buckeye butterfly perches on a blade of grass, ready to stare down a predator! Photo by Dan Zarlenga
Eyeing the Buckeye
Did you ever wish you had eyes in the back of your head? That would be nature’s ultimate backup camera! While we humans only have one […]
By Donna Linn, Healthy Planet Columnist
Just One More Question, Ma’am
I’ve always been fascinated with the process of asking questions. As a child, I was known for gathering information. When other kids were playing with toys, I was “interviewing” our neighbors. One of my favorite questions was why; simple, yet effective. That’s when I realized when […]
By Jean Ponzi
Ode to Leaves
Every morning in spring, through my waking-up eyes and east windows, I watch leaves filling the spaces I’ve been appreciating through Earth’s dormant season.
In winter I love seeing the bodies of trees, their stalwart trunks and arching, curving, angular branches. They are my strong companions through the still, deep restful season. […]
By J.B. Lester
I have learned so much from my mother. She was a nurturer and a best friend. She taught me to follow my dreams and encouraged my creativity and individualism. She loved to cook and taught me the basics of preparing comfort foods. In fact, she embodied the word comfort. Mothers give comfort like […]
By Sarah WilsonWhat if every homeowner in St Louis County (440,000+) planted one native plant? What a help that would be to our struggling Missouri wildlife! One native plant could supply food, shelter, nurseries, and needed rest stops. To further that dream, here are a few of the tough native ground covers to consider for […]
By Susan Hunt-Bradford, Healthy Planet Publisher
Betsy Reznicek is the executive director and founder of Home Sweet Home in St. Louis.
Home Sweet Home mission statement: The mission of Home Sweet Home is to give under-served families a sense of pride and to improve the quality of their lives by providing basic household furnishings.
SHB: What is your […]
By Kare of Kare Reiki a Metaphysical Center
Growing up, I had many psychic experiences. They varied in type. I dreamt, I knew things, and I saw things. There were many times it would be something that seemed insignificant to me. I knew who would win the World Series in 1984; the Detroit Tigers took the […]
By Patricia Bauer, NP-C
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves breathing pure oxygen in a monitored and pressurized environment. In a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, the air pressure is typically 1.5 to three times higher (1.5 -3 ATA or atmospheres of pressure) than normal air pressure, allowing the lungs, and thereby the blood, to absorb significantly more oxygen. […]
By Simon Yu MD
Igor, a 60-year-old, noncompliant patient returned to my clinic recently. He was having abdominal pain and rectal bleeding with bowel movement. He had been evaluated by another physician and told his CT scan was consistent with liver problems, and fatty liver. He was warned he may have other serious medical problems and […]
By Tom & Carol Braford
Say thank you and make lemonade!
It is the nature of mice and men to want and expect things to go our way and to get frightened when they do not.
Some psychologists refer to this as an ‘amygdala hijack’. The lizard part of our brain, which is designed to have us survive when […]
By Amy Williams, Licensed Massage Therapist and Esthetician at Vitality Unlimited Spa
What are the benefits of massage? Massage is increasingly being offered along with standard treatments for a wide range of medical and other conditions. A common misconception about massage is that it is only intended for pampering yourself. While this may be true for some […]
By Natalie R. Toney M.F.A., C.H.
April Showers bring mangoes, mangoes, and more mangoes! Of course, they are sublime in smoothies and fruit salads, though shine in so many other dishes. Dice small chunks, with cilantro (for those that don’t have the gene) red onion, corn, red bell pepper, jalapeño, sea salt and lime juice for […]
By Melissa Vatterott
2023 is a big year for policy work. On the federal level, it is a Farm Bill year. This means we are working to pass a new Farm Bill by September 30th that better supports farmers of color and beginning farmers, incentivizes practices that reduce our impacts on climate change and build resilience […]
By Deb Powell, Healthy Planet Columnist
Signs of spring and summer besides flower gardens, convertibles, and farmers’ markets, are yard sales, backyard BBQ’s, and vacations! These last three years were pretty stressful for many and void of our usual communal needs, so let’s get some of that community spirit back!
Make up for those lost times by […]
Rescuing St. Louis Animals
We all know people who are animal lovers, dogs, cats, ferrets, bunnies, you name it, plenty of people call their pets family. I’m one of those people. Being a proud dog mom to Kiba and Jazzy, I love those two with all my heart.
I know we have a huge problem in our […]
By Steve Davies, Healthy Planet Columnist
When I was young and back when recycling was in its infancy, I remember seeing these huge bins, one for aluminum cans and then one each for green, brown, and clear glass along with recycling bins for cardboard and newspapers. These days however, add a range of plastics along with […]
By Linda Wiggen Kraft, Healthy Planet Green & Growing Editor
This summer be sure to include sunflowers in your garden. Sunflowers (helianthus) are the flowers of sunshine and happiness. They brighten any garden, are easy to grow and are essential for the well-being of insects and birds. Their importance in our garden isn’t just for beauty, […]
By Dr. Gail Cloud
As I sit here gazing obliquely into the sunFeeling its rays illuminate my hairLightening my whole being who before just now didn’t know it needed to be It is a time I need to be led; to be taken by the handTo move to the next dimension of my beingAnd show me from […]
By Dara Ashby
Ferguson Animal Coalition, a 501c3 non-profit organization in Ferguson is trying to keep dogs safe off the streets, stay in good homes, and out of already packed shelters! One of our many goals is to help seniors/lower income dog parents in Ferguson, by repairing fences so pups don’t run the streets. We […]