The U.S. and other failing economies take note: Iceland may hold the solution to financial woes

When the world first learned of the economic collapse in Iceland during 2008, many felt it would be yet another exercise in corruption, bailouts and crippling debt. News reports were prolific in those early days when it looked as though this small country would be thrown into a never-ending downward spiral. But something unprecedented occurred: The people rose up in a bloodless revolution and ousted those responsible for the crash -- namely, the corrupt banking cartel. And now, the Icelandic economy is stronger than ever. Since Iceland's recovery is an exceptional model for other struggling nations, the question begs to be asked: Why is the mainstream media eerily silent about Iceland's victory?

Can guerrilla gardening save the world? One green renegade is on a mission to do just that - a single edible plot at a time

"If kids grow kale, they eat kale," Ron Finley, a famed guerrilla gardener, asserts during his 2013 TED talk. He also believes that food gardening is a revolutionary move with the ability to change the world. In an act of rebellion against the food desert of South Central Los Angeles, he began converting a small strip of city land into a free organic vegetable patch. To most, this may seem like the simplest of feats, yet the outcome brought a community together, roused children to make positive choices and launched a new movement of renegade gardening that transforms neighborhoods and lives.

Speaking out

Persimmon Tart with Spiced Pecan Crust {Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free}

We are at the midnight hour for a post about Thanksgiving - almost too late, but not quite. Even though time has slipped away from me, I could not pass up an opportunity to slowdown and really contemplate the true meaning of the day.

Gratitude for all aspects of life helps to cultivate health of the body, mind, and spirit. Living from the grateful space of the heart promotes true abundance and positive outlook. Research has proven time and time again that a positive orientation to life is one of the most effective and important keys to robust health. A very inspiring website on the grace of gratefulness is found here.

Vibrant babies and children - Embrace a balanced live food diet for growing bodies

Concerned parents are questioning the dangers of a standard American diet (SAD) and exploring more nutritious options for their children. As serious childhood disease and disfunction escalate to alarming levels, researchers and parents alike begin to make the connection with poor food choices. Many have found a carefully selected raw and live food diet fosters exuberant mental, physical, and spiritual health in children.

The standard American diet relies heavily on meat, dairy, sugar, hydrogenated fats, and processed foods. This unbalanced approach creates many nutritional deficiencies and encourages serious illness such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Schizophrenia, autism, and attention deficit disorder are also linked to the consumption of low quality food. And yet, this is the very diet many children are given from a very young age, thus negatively effecting intense periods of growth and development.

An inconvenient truth about climate change - Grazing livestock may hold the secret to preventing environmental annihilation

Allan Savory is a controversial figure with a shocking message: Global warming and desertification can be radically reversed by grazing large herds of animals. The antithesis of accepted thought on climate change, Savory's solution has rubbed many in the scientific community the wrong way. But the question remains -- can his method save us from imminent environmental doom?

Standing ovation for a radical message

After Allan Savory's presentation, "How to Green the Desert and Reverse Climate Change," at the 2013 TED global conference, The Young. The Wise. The Undiscovered., he received an enthusiastic standing ovation from the audience. This was not the typical parched scientific lecture on global warming. The TED talk explored the disturbing trend of desertification, described by Savory as "a fancy word for land that is turning into desert," and the implications this holds. The devastation of habitat, usable land and waterways are the stark realities of spreading deserts. Climate change is also accelerated. Due in part to the widespread practice of burning dry grasslands in an attempt to revitalize the soil, global warming is also aggravated by the carbon and moisture loss from exposed soil. Considering the burning of a single hectare of land "gives off more and more damaging pollutants than 6,000 cars," said Savory, better solutions are urgently needed. Keep in mind that Africa alone burns over one billion hectares a year.

Discover the abundant health benefits of a traditional Native American diet

Containing many superfoods, the traditional diet of Native Americans offers great health. A diet rich in berries, roots, and nuts traditionally kept tribal members powerful and robust. As the modern diet displaced these nutrient dense foods, the health of Native Americans began to decline.

An article by the Organic Consumers Association reports on the need to combat the epidemic of diabetes and childhood obesity among modern Native Americans with a return to the traditional diet enjoyed by their ancestors.

Bea Medicine, a Native American Anthropologist, describes the change in diet:

"Traditional food staples of Indian tribes--wild game, berries, roots, teas, and indigenous vegetables--were high in protein and low in fat. That's a switch from the modern Native American diet, which is high in fat and refined starches and sugars."