For as long as I can remember, I’ve been eating fish. Growing up in Alaska, every summer my family would pack up the van and drive several hours to the Kenai River in Soldotna.

Boy, I have a lot of memories there! Like the time, a salmon pulled so hard that it ripped the rod right out of my brother-in-law’s hands. Of course, he dived after it. Completely soaked head-to-toe, but he got it back (I think…I was laughing too hard to actually care about the outcome.)

It makes me sick to think about all the chemicals we surround ourselves with on a daily basis. I’ve always been relatively health conscious. My mother was a nurse so making sure our home was clean was a priority! We also ate healthy meals, worked out as a family, and even had some healthy home products like an air purifier.

But the one area we fell short was in toxic free cleaning. My mom used Clorox, Bleach and Lysol like the world depended on it! And, sure, she got rid of the germs…but she left a bunch of dangerous chemicals in her wake.

Have you ever noticed some toilets get more moldy than others? Even if you clean your toilet weekly, that black mold in your toilet tank keeps coming back!

What Causes Black Mold in Toilet Bowl?

Mold spores thrive in dark, damp places so it’s only natural to find mold in your toilet. However, some toilets can become moldier than others depending on your water or if you have calcium deposits built up in your toilet.

I’ve even heard that if your body has higher glucose levels from diabetes, your excrement can cause additional toilet mold!

What’s your truth?

Has the world poked you enough for you to push back?

I think all of us at some point in our lives find ourselves in a grey zone. This is why I created my manifesto.

Debt can be crippling, especially student loans. It takes what should be a time of enlightenment and freedom, and instead shackles you. And yet most of us consider it as a necessary step to adulthood.

I hope this post inspires you to throw everything you got towards getting free from student loans.

What’s wrong with just paying the minimum repayment? YOLO

The worst part about loans is not only do you have to pay back the amount you borrowed but even a small percentage of interest can do double the damage over time.

I recently had too much pesto on my hands so I tried experimenting with a new stuffed chicken recipe. I always thought rolled or stuffed chicken was difficult to make but this one is very simple. In fact, I made this last night and to prep and cook took 35 minutes.

You can serve it over brown rice or, my favorite, farro with carrots. Farro is a barley-like, ancient Italian grain. I usually purchase it from HomeGoods (or one of their sister stores). The one in the picture below is from Pereg Natural Foods and is their mushroom and rosemary blend.

As the nation’s largest and longest-running horticultural event, the Philadelphia Flower Show is an impressive and inspiring experience for all. This year’s theme was Holland: Flower the World featuring three Dutch designers who flew to America (with their gorgeous flowers) to create displays that capture the Dutch New Wave Movement, which encourages a sustainable approach to landscape design. Here are a few photos of the various exhibits this year.