Ingredients of Wellness

Earlier this month I wrote about the 2016 update on Pesticides in Produce  from the Environmental Working Group (EWG).  Just a few days later the new EWG Healthy Living app was launched.  In this post I’ll introduce this and other similar apps that help you make better choices as consumers. The EWG are an excellent […]

The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) annual Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce was released earlier this month revealing yet again that some of our favorite fruits and most used vegetables are drowning in pesticides. The saddest bit of news has to be that strawberries ARE the dirtiest of the 50 fruits and vegetables tested.  Why sad? […]

There are many reasons to support a local organic vegetable co-op, or a regular local veggie box delivery.  From reducing your eco footprint by sourcing and buying locally, to playing a part in the sustainable growth of local organic farms, the benefits are abound.  Most rewarding for a passionate cook though is the supply of seasonal […]

Are we crazy for doing this? A question that crossed my mind more than once as I powered on and up through the night during the annual MoonTrekker race across Lantau Island on October 10.   A tough course is nearly an understatement for the grueling 43km or 30km options, that took the us and […]

Mindbody wellness  mindfulness apps It’s truly mindboggling the number of mindfulness or meditation apps available.  Meditation apps can be helpful for those who are not yet able to meditate in silence or even if you need some help getting into that silent space.  Sometimes a guided meditation is what you need because the mind is […]

  Organic is something we can all partake of and benefit from. When we demand organic, we are demanding poison-free food. We are demanding clean air. We are demanding pure, fresh water. We are demanding soil that is free to do its job and seeds that are free of toxins. We are demanding that our […]

I’ve long wanted to add a new monthly feature post and at last here it is.  I’m calling this ‘Favorite Ingredients of Wellness’  and it will feature some of the wonderful wellness things I’ve experienced in the past month. I hope you enjoy this offering. I hope you find the desire to try some of them. […]

Growing your own food is increasingly popular, even in an urban jungle like Hong Kong.  A balcony can be your oasis in the city, feeding your body whilst nurturing your mind and spirit.  It offers an opportunity for bees and other pollinators to find a home in the city; to have a reason to come […]

I love drinking tea, particularly herbal tea’s which I am more partial to than black tea. I also love red bush tea (rooibos) and green tea and I must admit to thoroughly enjoying a cup of Irish tea brewed by my mother-in-law Nancy on a recent visit to chilly Ireland, but I never ever add […]

Earlier in 2013 I wrote about the problems with sugar…or rather fructose, to be more specific.  Debate on this hot topic continued feverishly throughout 2013, so I  thought starting the year off with a summary of what the research says, may be helpful to those who are considering whether to, or not to, join the […]

  This humble herb was first referenced in ancient Greek mythology.  Minthe was known as the nymph lover of Hades/Pluto, the Greek ruler of the Underworld.  Upon discovering their affair, his wife, goddess Persephone transformed Minthe into a plant upon which she stamped and tread with rage.  However with each tread Minthe would release a […]

There are many things we can do to reduce waste, to consume in a sustainable way and to be conscious consumers.  In some cases the barriers are simply that we don’t know how.  The recent SCMP profile of HK Green Home eco warrior Claire Sancelot highlights that aiming for zero waste is not all that hard, if […]

No doubt you’ve heard of kombucha (fermented tea) and kefir (fermented milk). These are fermented foods and are all the rage among those seeking out healthy food options.  And rightly so!  Fermented foods have many health giving and nutritional qualities that processed foods lack. Fermenting is one of the earliest known techniques for preparing and […]

Cinnamon, one of the oldest spices known to man.  In ancient times considered more valuable than gold. A recent trip to Bali found me stocking up on many of the wonderful spices found on this island paradise.  I came away with vanilla pods, pippali (long pepper or Indian long pepper), coffee beans (not the civet […]

Human health and wellbeing, on a sustainable basis, should be the primary objective of urban policy and planning. An increasingly growing body of research from fields as diverse as psychology, ecology, urban planning and architecture, and health and wellness, are determining that a connection to nature is essential to human health (Brymer, Cuddihy & Sharma-Brymer […]