Traditional Cookery
The Power of Vitamin C & Essential Oils
Published March 14th, 2020
by Tammera J. Karr
The history of essential oils is intertwined with the history of herbal medicine; in most ancient cultures, people believed plants to be magical, and for thousands of years herbs were used as much for ritual as they were for medicine and food.
The Atlantic magazine highlighted the antimicrobial qualities of plant [...]
When the Flu Comes Knocking
Published March 4th, 2020
by Tammera J. Karr
Often we catch the flu because our immune systems have been worn down by poor eating habits, stress, long hours and overindulging. This may be one of the reasons, so many folks come down with the flu following the holiday season.
All the news is about the Coronavirus – as we [...]
Change How You Think About Resolutions
Published February 13th, 2020
by Tammera J. Karr
Every year I have clients tell me they made a New Years’ resolution to eat better, lose weight, and exercise more. And like clockwork, there’s, and my resolutions are so far down on the priority list by February that there is no motivation to drag them to the top again. Why [...]
Lets Talk Plastic and Plastic
Published January 25th, 2020
by Tammera J. Karr
The first synthetic polymer was invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt as a substitute for ivory. By treating cellulose, derived from cotton fiber, with camphor (both naturally occurring substances), Hyatt discovered a plastic that could be crafted into a variety of shapes and made to imitate natural materials like tortoiseshell, [...]
What You May Not Know~Lead and dishes
Published January 20th, 2020
While doing research over the Christmas Holiday, I came across some disconcerting information on lead. My investigation was prompted by a love of vintage kitchen stuff and a question from a client on safe dinnerware for her RV. Many folks have opinions on what are the best dishes and glassware for RVs and homes. Often [...]
Rhetoric and Food
Published January 10th, 2020
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
For those of us who have lived around agriculture, we know the problems with the modern food system is not with the farm or the volume being produced. The waste, cruelty, and denaturing of our food happens after the farm when it enters the mega-industrial machine of Big Food. Sustainability [...]
The Benefits of Time
Published December 12th, 2019
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
Every once in awhile, someone will say to me – “it must be nice having all the time in the world to do whatever you want?” Now that I am older, I reply with less sarcasm when I say, “It has its benefits.”
The old saying about “time flys,” [...]
Box of Crayons
Published December 5th, 2019
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
Nature is filled with color, and as I watch the vibrant changed to trees and plants, my thought turn to crayons, which lead to making choices. Do you remember when you got that first box of crayons? The first box of crayons came out in 1903 and contained eight [...]
Learning from History
Published November 28th, 2019
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
This past month I have added two rare books from the late 1800s to my collection. One, of course, is a cookbook; the other is an original copy of Dr. John H. Kellogg’s “Plain Facts for Old and Young: Embracing the Natural History and Hygiene of Organic Life,” circ [...]
The Great Purge of 2019
Published November 14th, 2019
by Tammera J. Karr, PhD
It all began with my normal fall clearing out, note I didn’t say cleaning, that would imply the dust and cobwebs are also gone. Every year we go through our clothes and household items and bag up what we no longer like, need or ware for a local charity. [...]