Michelle Toole

This Site Was Inspired By An Interest in Protecting the Environment: We had the privilege and joy of learning from Dr. Charlie Stine who instilled a love for the natural world through incredible field trips with the Johns Hopkins Odyssey Certificate program in Environmental Studies. At the time, the program was endorsed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Sadly, after Dr. Stine retired, the program was phased out. We hope that we honor his legacy by shining a bright light on environmental issues and sharing good news about the success of various conservation programs when possible.

9 “Facts” You Learned In School That Are No Longer True

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As we grow older, we realize that even the facts we once believed to be absolute can change over time. This is because knowledge and understanding are constantly evolving. Several facts that we learned about in school may have changed in a manner that failed to capture the full truth. In this article, we will … Read more

The Bottle Trick: an Inexpensive Way to Make Toilets Sparkle

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Have you been struggling to keep your toilet clean and smelling fresh? We have a simple trick that not only ensures the hygiene of your toilet but also saves you money! Let’s dive into the details. The Bottle Method: An Easy and Effective Way to Clean the Toilet Bowl Before we get started, there’s a … Read more

This could be the biggest sea turtle swarm ever filmed

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Did you know that every month, female sea turtles visit Costa Rica’s Ostional National Wildlife Refuge to lay their eggs on the beach? It’s an amazing sight to see! Marine biologist Vanessa Bézy has been studying this phenomenon, known as a mass arrival or “arribada” in Spanish, for years. She even captured the turtles aggregating … Read more

Lolita The 57-Year-Old Orca Dies Shortly Before Her Release From Captivity

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Earlier this year, there was news that Lolita the orca, also known as Tokitae or Toki, would be released back into her Pacific Northwest home after spending over 50 years in captivity. However, these plans were shattered when the elderly orca passed away from a suspected renal condition. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Lolita’s story sheds … Read more

How Walnuts Fight Cancer

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Woman With Cancer Reading A Book

It’s a wonder that more people don’t rely on nuts for their main source of nutrition, given how many health benefits you can enjoy when you eat different types of nuts. Consider walnuts as an example. Walnuts have been used for hundreds of years to treat a huge variety of disorders and health problems, from … Read more

Stroke Prevention Tips

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Strokes are one of the most dangerous health problems you can face, and they are becoming more and more common. While strokes used to be reserved for elderly patients and those in exceptionally poor health, strokes are becoming more common in people younger than 40.  Since strokes are still less common than heart attacks, some … Read more

Homemade Detox Drink Recipes

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Breakfast Ideas for Strong Bones and Osteoporosis Prevention Osteoporosis is a major concern, the older you get. It causes your bones to become more brittle, increasing the likelihood of broken bones. You probably already know that vitamin D and calcium are the best nutrients for strengthening your bones. Getting more of these nutrients will help prevent osteoporosis and other bone related problems. While you could take a multi-vitamin, the healthier solution is to eat meals filled with nutrients. As it turns out, some of the foods containing the highest levels of calcium, vitamin D, and other vital nutrients are essential breakfast foods. Orange juice, cereal, milk, and yogurt are all great sources of healthy nutrients. If you prefer to keep your breakfast light, or already have a set morning meal, salmon and various cheese are also good options for getting vitamin D and calcium. Nutrient Rich Breakfast Ideas Take a look at each of these breakfast options and try to choose one for each day of the week. Also notice the included calcium content of each meal, when picking out your breakfast: • 1 cup of calcium-rich cereal (500 milligrams of calcium) • 8 ounces of soy milk (80 to 500 milligrams) • 1 cup of milk (300 milligrams) • 1 cup of yogurt (300 to 400 milligrams) • 8 ounces of orange juice (200 to 340 milligrams) Various cheeses, and even eggs, have vitamin D and calcium; though, in smaller amounts than the items listed above. Consider having a cheesy omelet or scrambled eggs served with a glass of milk or orange juice. That alone would likely add up to at least 500 milligrams of calcium. Searching for Your Own Calcium Rich Foods The foods listed may not include your preferred breakfast choices. When searching for your own calcium rich foods, pay attention to the food labels. Food labels often list calcium and other nutrients as a percentage of the daily recommended value. The standard recommended amount of calcium that an adult should consume each day is 1000 milligrams. So, if a food label states that the product as 25% of your daily recommended value of calcium per serving, it would have 250 mg of calcium. Add another decimal point to the end of the percentage, and you have your total per serving in milligrams. Additional Tips for Stronger Bones Along with a healthy breakfast, there are a few other tips you should follow for stronger bones. If you have already been diagnosed with osteoporosis, then you should consume 500 milligrams of calcium, three times a day. Make sure that each of your three meals is full of calcium to reverse the effects of osteoporosis. Strength training is another method that you can use for building bone strength. Regular exercise helps increase your flexibility, build muscle, and promotes stronger bone growth. The bottom line is that the key to strong bones is calcium and vitamin D. Get it any way you can, but preferably with your morning meal. Start basing your breakfasts around healthy foods that contain your essential nutrients, such as cereal, milk, and yogurt. Ward away osteoporosis and promote strong, healthy bones. References: http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/living-with-osteoporosis-7/diet-nutrition

The latest health trend these days lies in drinking homemade detox drinks to help shed the extra pounds and to detoxify the body from unnatural impurities. Because homemade detox drinks are all natural, organic and easy to use, people are flocking to them as a way to lose weight, detox the body and to get … Read more

10 Healthy Food Swaps That Actually Taste Great

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Breakfast Ideas for Strong Bones and Osteoporosis Prevention Osteoporosis is a major concern, the older you get. It causes your bones to become more brittle, increasing the likelihood of broken bones. You probably already know that vitamin D and calcium are the best nutrients for strengthening your bones. Getting more of these nutrients will help prevent osteoporosis and other bone related problems. While you could take a multi-vitamin, the healthier solution is to eat meals filled with nutrients. As it turns out, some of the foods containing the highest levels of calcium, vitamin D, and other vital nutrients are essential breakfast foods. Orange juice, cereal, milk, and yogurt are all great sources of healthy nutrients. If you prefer to keep your breakfast light, or already have a set morning meal, salmon and various cheese are also good options for getting vitamin D and calcium. Nutrient Rich Breakfast Ideas Take a look at each of these breakfast options and try to choose one for each day of the week. Also notice the included calcium content of each meal, when picking out your breakfast: • 1 cup of calcium-rich cereal (500 milligrams of calcium) • 8 ounces of soy milk (80 to 500 milligrams) • 1 cup of milk (300 milligrams) • 1 cup of yogurt (300 to 400 milligrams) • 8 ounces of orange juice (200 to 340 milligrams) Various cheeses, and even eggs, have vitamin D and calcium; though, in smaller amounts than the items listed above. Consider having a cheesy omelet or scrambled eggs served with a glass of milk or orange juice. That alone would likely add up to at least 500 milligrams of calcium. Searching for Your Own Calcium Rich Foods The foods listed may not include your preferred breakfast choices. When searching for your own calcium rich foods, pay attention to the food labels. Food labels often list calcium and other nutrients as a percentage of the daily recommended value. The standard recommended amount of calcium that an adult should consume each day is 1000 milligrams. So, if a food label states that the product as 25% of your daily recommended value of calcium per serving, it would have 250 mg of calcium. Add another decimal point to the end of the percentage, and you have your total per serving in milligrams. Additional Tips for Stronger Bones Along with a healthy breakfast, there are a few other tips you should follow for stronger bones. If you have already been diagnosed with osteoporosis, then you should consume 500 milligrams of calcium, three times a day. Make sure that each of your three meals is full of calcium to reverse the effects of osteoporosis. Strength training is another method that you can use for building bone strength. Regular exercise helps increase your flexibility, build muscle, and promotes stronger bone growth. The bottom line is that the key to strong bones is calcium and vitamin D. Get it any way you can, but preferably with your morning meal. Start basing your breakfasts around healthy foods that contain your essential nutrients, such as cereal, milk, and yogurt. Ward away osteoporosis and promote strong, healthy bones. References: http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/living-with-osteoporosis-7/diet-nutrition

Everyone knows that eating healthier foods helps you lose weight and have better overall health. So why doesn’t knowing translate into doing for two-thirds of the people in America? Eating healthy can be hard, especially with the grocery shelves of today containing such a large offering of lab-concocted, delightful-tasting treats. Science has proven that the … Read more