Almost everyone would like to eat more fruits and vegetables. A fresh and colorful diet is one of the biggest contributing factors to overall health, and fruits and vegetables deliver powerful doses of the nutrients and minerals needed for our bodies and minds to function at optimal levels.

The problem is that eating fruits and vegetables can be a pain. Produce must be washed, cut, prepared and eaten before it goes bad, which it will before anything else in the refrigerator. It often seems like our busy lives don’t have time to prepare fruits and vegetables, but there are many ways to sneak them into your diet. Here’s how.

Are you passionate about health? Do you have a strong desire to stay abreast of the latest cutting edge information on nutrition and health from leading experts? Or, have you ever thought about becoming a certified Health Coach? Well, now is your chance to personally check it out for free, and join the movement for health and happiness.

All of us appreciate wildlife, animals and sustainable practices here, right? Without a doubt! So, naturally, we want to respect and not sully animals’ land and wildlife. In our modern times, humans and wildlife tend to come into conflict more often, which causes the following: Destruction of crops, buildings and land; Death of animals.

Thankfully, there are organizations dedicated to curbing human animal conflict.

Unless you have been living on a faraway island, you have no doubt encountered healthy eating’s latest trend: Gluten-free. Many consumers are under the opinion that gluten-free food is healthier or maybe even organic. Most don’t really have a clue what gluten is or why it is the new evil on the grocery shelf, with numerous products from popcorn to pineapple claiming proudly, “GLUTEN-FREE!!!”

What is gluten, anyway? And should you avoid it?

After the CDC's announcement last week that one in six Americans "binge drink" on a regular basis, you might be reassessing your relationship with cocktails. Not a bad idea. Besides being addictive, alcohol in excess is undeniably bad for your body. Unfortunately, there's an entire industry to come up with fun alcohol-centric drinks, and "virgin" cocktails can seem a bit... dry. It's time to experiment with beverage combinations that are party-friendly and booze-free. You'll come up with plenty of fun combinations on your own -- here are a few ideas to get you started.

We have a great installment of From Our Friends this week, dear readers! Great articles with info on yoga, simple seasonal meals, what to know when ordering raw food online, BPA-free water bottles, and how to soothe that sore throat. We hope you enjoy reading these as much as we did, and have a great weekend!

Risotto, the creamy Italian rice dish, is a simple recipe that, when done right, oozes luxury. In this health-spun version, brown rice replaces the usual Arborio rice, and we’ve added grated raw beets and luscious coconut milk. This is a gorgeous dish that tastes as good as it looks. Get your protein, fiber and antioxidant boost all in one rustic meal, perfect for a chilly winter night with a tall glass of red wine.

San Franciscans, as a rule, are very happy people. With an unseasonably warm January, it seems that, these days, the city’s lifestyle allows for little complaint. It was during my most recent visit there that a taxi driver concisely summarized the widespread contentment: “It's because we get to go outside, we get to eat good food, and we know that life is good. That's why we're happy.”

I was pretty happy, as well, particularly on one night in the Dogpatch neighborhood. It‘s a quiet section of town; just south of the vibrant SOMA and Mission districts, this area seemed peacefully residential, with two exceptions: Construction of a new pediatric hospital and, recreationally, Yield Wine Bar.

Sometimes your mouth can take on an unpleasant resemblance to a trashcan. You know the feeling. Whether you ate a potent meal of onions and garlic recently, or that less-than-fresh afternoon mouth just hit, your breath is stanky.

The United States leads the world in pharmaceutical sales—an industry estimated at more than $300 billion annually. So it's no wonder we've come to rely on the convenience of over-the-counter medications much in the same way we rely on fast processed food. While some items can offer us relief from mild aches, pains, colds and heartburn, when you find out what's in those top-selling meds, you may actually feel a whole lot worse. Take a look at the toxic list of ingredients in the most common home care pharmaceuticals and check out our suggestions for natural alternatives.

Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, is a time to welcome longevity, wealth and prosperity into the upcoming year and to eliminate negativity from the past year. It welcomes spring from the winter, and is a time filled with celebration. That, of course, includes food!

"It’s the biggest scam in the gourmet food world.” This is the voice of Rosario Safina, owner of daRosario Organics, the only producer of USDA 100% organic truffle products. Safina recently spoke with us about commercial truffle products sold here in the States—and in the rest of the world, for that matter—where gourmet “truffle” products contain little more than chemical additives, flavorings, aromas and synthetic ingredients. Yet everyone in the business seems to be aware of the scam, except for us, the consumers.

Parsnips are like albino carrots, and the two are in fact related. But they take their name from the turnip of which they also resemble. Though parsnips haven't become an American favorite, they share characteristics with two of our mainstays - the carrot as we mentioned and the potato. Actually, this creamy root was much more popular before the potato was introduced, after which they seemed to fall by the wayside. But the sweet, starchy and delicate flavors and texture of the parsnip make it deserving of a spot in any cook's kitchen.

They may not be glamorous, but it's very possible that slow cookers are the greatest thing to come out of the seventies (next to me, that is). It's a bit like magic: Chop a few carrots and onions, drop in a hunk of meat or some beans, and walk away. Hours later, you've got a perfectly cooked meal on your hands. And did I mention you cooked that meal in a single pot?

In celebration of the humble crock pot, here are my favorite classic recipes for cold winter days. Bust out your slow cooker (or pick one up at your local garage sale) and get ready to eat... in 4 to 8 hours.

You're a long-lived greenie, so when you order takeout, you always tell the person on the phone that no, you don't need those pesky plastic utensils. Every so often, though, your favorite delivery person lets you down, and you get another set of that useless, plastic cutlery. Fret not! There are many ways to reuse plastic utensils, and no -- we aren't including eating.

Available in many climates and easy to find locally, potatoes are versatile and delicious and the perfect staple this time of year... but did you know that not all potatoes should be treated alike? Different varieties of potatoes are good for different preparations, and there are hundreds of varieties. Be sure to ask your farmer or vendor what the texture of the potato is, where waxy ones are best roasted, while starchy potatoes are great for baking or making homemade fries. Try some of these different varieties with your favorite potato recipes.