Social Issues

Despite near-miraculous advances in medicine, rates of preventable chronic diseases are skyrocketing around the world. While the mainstream healthcare system typically doesn’t get involved until people are ill, a cutting-edge discipline called lifestyle medicine focuses on empowering patients to take charge of their health to prevent and even reverse disease. The big challenge? Helping people bridge the gap between knowing and doing. Could plant-based coaching be the missing link in revolutionizing health and wellness?

What if the cost of groceries isn’t actually realistic? While retail food prices are stabilizing, the hidden costs of food production — from environmental damage to social impacts — continue to rise. Discover the concept of true cost accounting, a method that uncovers our food system's real economic, environmental, and health costs and how we can shift toward more sustainable and equitable solutions.

Discover the surprising vegetable that outranked kale, spinach, and sweet potatoes to claim the top spot as the world’s healthiest veggie. Find out the top health benefits of watercress, potential downsides, and environmental considerations. Plus, get tips on finding, storing, and using watercress in recipes.

Americans spend trillions of dollars treating the symptoms of preventable illnesses while largely ignoring the root causes. But a better world is possible! Lifestyle medicine offers a transformative approach that can save millions of lives — and maybe even our economy. It’s an empowering and evidence-based way to prevent and reverse disease and optimize health. If you’re ready to discover how simple shifts in diet, exercise, and stress management could transform our healthcare system — and our lives — then read on!

Looking for holiday gifts you’ll feel good about giving or receiving? These healthy, ethical, and sustainable gifts are functional, practical, and inspired. You’ll find causes to support, health and beauty items, kitchen enhancements, educational entertainment, and more for the people and the planet you love.

Spending time in nature can feel good. But does it really offer benefits for mental, physical, and spiritual health? And if so, what are some practical ways to incorporate more nature into your busy life? Discover the science of “vitamin N” and learn simple tips to benefit from the healing powers of the natural world.

Delve into the alarming issue of food waste generated by grocery stores, its environmental impact, and the hidden reasons behind it. Find out how innovative solutions, like dynamic pricing and AI, are being implemented to combat waste and change the future of food.

Wildfire smoke poses a severe yet often overlooked public health threat, with recent studies highlighting its deadly impact. As wildfires grow more frequent and intense, understanding and mitigating the health risks from smoke pollution becomes increasingly crucial for families and communities.

Have you ever considered combining travel with hands-on experience in sustainable living? WWOOFing lets you work on organic farms around the world in exchange for food and lodging. You can immerse yourself in local cultures, make new friends, and gain valuable skills — all while helping small farms thrive. Find out more and discover how to get started WWOOFing.

University of Washington researchers highlight how improved nutrition standards and universal free meal programs have enhanced diet quality and reduced childhood obesity. Discover why expanding universal free school meals could make a world of difference for millions of kids.

This article from nonprofit media organization Grist delves into the ongoing evasion of animal agriculture’s impact on climate change and explores the urgent need for a transformative approach to the global food system.

Corn is one of the most widely eaten foods in the world. It’s also incredibly versatile. You’ll find corn in baked goods and bread, popped as a snack, grilled on the cob, fed to cows, used to fuel cars, and as the base ingredient for a huge range of processed foods and additives. But is corn good for you? And how do you choose the healthiest corn to eat?