Blog

Here we go again—well nearly. We’re definitely used to hearing that we’re surrounded by and indulging in all the cancerous things that life has to offer, but the dangerously hot...

Coffee is unlike anything else, so replacement and alternative are words I won’t use here, but if you’re like me and want to switch to something different, here’s a post...

I thought I’d share this great infographic to go with this week’s special because many of the essential oils mentioned in it are used in our cleaning recipes as well...

Once again, I’ve started a knitting project for winter. There’s just something so nice about knitting in front of the fire on a cold night. Although the other day I...

It probably comes as no surprise, but palm oil is still bad. And it turns out that even the eye-roll inducing “sustainable” palm oil used by so many environmentally friendly...

If you’re like me, you probably hate using plastic bags from the supermarket. Not only do you get to feel guilty about the environmental impact of them, but you get...

There’s nothing like finding out what harmful chemicals you’re being exposed to due to either your own lack of knowledge or the sloppy regulating we have here in New Zealand....

There’s nothing quite like a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter’s night and I’m a big fan. Did you know that cocoa is very good for you? It...

I always forget how easy it is to steam veggies. Not only is it easy but it’s a far healthier alternative to many of the common winter time techniques and...

Many of you have probably read my book Supermarket Companion which is a guide to food labels, codes, and pretty much everything we need to be aware of lurking in...

It was refreshing to find this post championing walking. Not just walking, but walking without the need for special pants, or futuristic shoes, or step-counting-heart-monitoring-sweat-analysing-wristbands. It was a lovely reminder...

Apple cider vinegar is a fantastic natural product which is not only great to have in our food but also has benefits for our beauty regime. Hair rinse. Infuse some...

With winter here, colds and flu are everywhere. Pearl has been busy studying for exams and has come down with a cold. My cure-all for colds is always Vitamin C....

You’ll find a lot of the following tips in my Recipes for a Cleaner Life and Home Companion books, but I found this nicely compiled collection of single-ingredient beauty tricks...

I know I post a lot of articles about solar energy and the milestones being achieved in solar energy around the world, but I think it’s both an important and...

We all know that exercise is good for us. And with what seems like a constant barrage of news stories telling us that basically everything in our lives is giving...

We’re pretty lucky to be able to have our gall bladders removed when they’re causing problems, but our liver and kidneys are two organs that aren’t dealt with so easily...

So it turns out that NZ Fisheries have been under-reporting the amount of fish caught in New Zealand waters for about 6 decades. According to a study conducted by three...

Lavender has been one of my favourite essential oil scents ever since I became interested in them back in the 90s. I love using it in baths, on linen, in...

Here’s a less-than-uplifting story about the uprooting effects climate change is likely to have on millions of people throughout the Middle East and North Africa. I find it unbelievable that...

While browsing my favourite blogs this week, I found this great recipe for soft pretzels that I’m going to try over winter. Until a few years ago, I’d never tried...