Dear Almost Winter,

If black seed oil were a cartoon superhero, it would save the world with its signature super phytonutrient constituent, thymoquinone.

The last time I visited the dermatologist for my annual skin-cancer check, she started the checkup with a surprise recommendation: Sensible sun exposure—without sunscreen—to support vitamin D production (FYI, a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 reduces the production of vitamin D in the skin by 99%).¹ The surprise wasn’t that I should get some unprotected sun exposure to optimize vitamin D

Welcome to October! We’re glad you’re here because we’d love to chat about what’s on our minds this month—a family tradition that’s been going strong at Natural Grocers since 1989. It’s the one about turkey, and also Tofurky. 

Feel a cold coming on? Think zinc. Dealing with bouts of acne? Think zinc. Perhaps you’re struggling with male infertility. Or depression. Again, it's zinc to the rescue! But don't we get enough of this important nutrient just by eating healthy? Probably not.

The mountains, streams, valleys, oceans, deserts, and all things are related to our thoughts and actions. All things are in relationship with each other. 

–Nancy Jasmine Wallace, Cherokee Medicine Woman

The health benefits of vitamin D are well documented, but many Americans still have insufficient levels of this important nutrient. A new study published in the journal Nutrients shows that blood levels of vitamin D of at least 30 ng/mL are necessary for optimal cardiometabolic health.

Soil health, biodiversity, and a resilient economy are each vital elements for sustaining human life on this planet, and they also benefit significantly from the organic approach to farming. Let's take a trip around the world to explore recent organic research.

The health of soil, plant, animal and man is one and indivisible.

- Sir Albert Howard, English botanist, and organic farming pioneer

They're the juiciest accessory of the summer—a must-have for every lover of good health and great flavor! Peaches, plums, nectarines… oh the deliciousness you can entertain with a summer afternoon and a bowl of sweet stone fruit.

The world we live in is downright stressful. It’s stressful just thinking about how stressful things have become. While stress is a part of life, when it runs unchecked and unabated, it can wreak havoc on our lives, interfering with everyday tasks, our relationships, and our jobs. It can also damage the delicate structures of our brains and lead to anxiety and depression.