Early Spring Gardening

We’ve had a few mild sunny days here in the Mid-Atlantic, and it’s easy to get over-excited about Spring gardening. But the final frost date in our area is May 15th, so it’s not quite time yet to go full tilt into digging and planting. Still, if you’re eager to get out there and get…

Triphala Mouthwash

Recently some interesting findings were released linking gingivitis to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Pretty scary, since about a third of us have gingivitis to some degree or another. The long-term effects of inflammation of the gums is also known to stress the cardiovascular system, so those are two strong reasons to take excellent care…

5 Yoga Poses to Balance the 5 Elements

It can be a challenge to find an at-home Yoga practice that works for you. Poses that feel wonderful when your instructor is right there to support you may be too much to do on your own. In our Introduction to Ayurveda classes here at Smile, we teach a simple routine of five poses that…

Nutritive Greens

It’s Greens season! This is the time of year when the first green leafy wild foods are starting to poke their heads out of the soil to enjoy the spring sunshine! Wild foods like chickweed and lamb’s quarters, as well as domesticated greens like kale and arugula, which can “go wild” in a garden like…

Signs of Spring

The grackles have arrived. I seem to forget, each year, how early they come, well before the green herbs or tree buds come out to show their delicate spring beauty. In my neighborhood, the grackles come in a large flock along with almost as many cowbirds, and their combined calls fill up my yard with…