Roof Farm-Topped Whole Foods Set to Open in December

(Inhabitat) Whole Foods has announced that it will be opening its long-awaited Gowanus store on December 17th this year. In addition to putting the usual organic and artisan products on it shelves, the new location at 214 3rd Street will bring the local food trend to new heights with a 20,000 square foot rooftop farm right on top of the building. It doesn’t get more local than that!

The rooftop farm was made possible thanks to a partnership with Gotham Greens, a Greenpoint-based rooftop farm. The two organizations are calling the endeavor the first commercial-scale greenhouse farm and say that it will help reduce the carbon emissions spent on transporting food from far away sources. The elevated greenhouse will grow high-quality, pesticide-free produce all year round to be sold at the bustling supermarket below.

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Beat holiday bloat and weight gain with bitter elixirs

Don't be weighed down by heavy meals and sugary treats this holiday season. Instead, try a bitter aperitif to help reduce indigestion, nausea, extra pounds and much more. Designed to improve digestion and detoxify the body, herbal bitters ease the complaints of poor food choices. But bitters are not only for those times of overindulgence -- even when the diet is in top form, these tonics support universal vigor and health.

Time-honored recipe for health

The first record of a bitter tonic is attributed to Swiss Renaissance physician Paracelsus, but many believe bitters originated much earlier in ancient Babylon and Egypt. Jonathan Samst, an 18th century Swedish doctor, developed the classic "Swedish Bitters" we know today. Considered a panacea, bitters are said to:

Oxytocin spray may encourage a brighter outlook for troubled marriages

An unusual scientific experiment involving the hormone oxytocin sheds new light on the dynamics of relationship. Known as the 'trust hormone,' oxytocin is usually associated with childbirth, lactation and bonding. Researchers are now studying the influence oxytocin has on happiness and contentment as well as harmony in partnerships.

Created in the hypothalamus region of the brain, oxytocin is responsible for a sense of love, connectedness and kindness. Research has also found the hormone to be involved in feelings of fulfillment and well-being.

Celebrate the holiday season with a colorfully healthy twist

As we enter into winter, many cultures around the world pay tribute to the shortest day of the year and the coming of the light. The time-honored observance of the winter solstice is closely tied with nature, the life-giving properties of the sun, family and connection. Traditionally, the food used for the festivities was far from healthy. By adapting the spirit of these gatherings with a modern approach, the festival of peace and light is transformed into a colorful (and guilt-free) celebration. To symbolize darkness and the return of sun-filled days, black, purple, orange and yellow edibles share the spotlight.

The £150 hobbit hole: Farmer builds a cosy cob home using materials he recycled from skips... and the tenant pays the rent in MILK

(MailOnline) By David Wilkes

It looks like something straight out of Middle Earth – and the story behind it is almost as fantastical.

This cottage cost just £150 to build, using only natural or reclaimed materials, and is now rented out for a fee of fresh milk and cream.

And with no mains electricity, gas or water, the bills don’t come to much either.  He also made the simple wooden roof frame and thatched it himself with straw from his fields. The 300 sq ft of floor space features floorboards rescued from a skip, while an old windscreen from a lorry provided glass for the windows.

With no central heating, you might think it would be a bit chilly, but he says the cob walls and thatched roof make it incredibly well insulated – and the ceiling is stuffed with sheep’s wool from a nearby farm to help keep the heat in further. Continue »

Transform your life in 10 minutes with ancient 'youthing' practice

If you need more zest and zip in your life, the secret to these states and more can be found in a set of simple (yet profound) yogic exercises known as the "Five Tibetans." Developed by Buddhist monks and brought to the West in the 1930s, Tibetan yoga is a series of five movements that improve digestion and circulation while dispelling fatigue and depression. Advocates of the practice rave about the boundless energy, clarity and vitality the short daily sessions produce. And many also believe Tibetan yoga reverses the hands of time, promoting an ageless and disease free body.

Yoga and health

Yoga in general has long been associated with reduced tension, stress and anxiety in those who regularly practice. A study in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health found that a single 60-minute session of yoga once per week improved feelings of clarity, energy, confidence and resistance to workplace stress after six weeks of participation. Since stress strongly contributes to the development of disease, the health implications of yoga are impressive.