Anytime you skip a meal, especially breakfast, the body releases chemical messengers to stimulate the release of stored energy; this may include the breakdown of muscle mass for immediate energy. The body perceives this extended fast as starvation and essentially begins to eat itself to survive the “famine.” Non-essential body functions such as bone building and memory are impaired.

While the current trend in eggs is cage-free, we’ve been there and done that since 1955. But at Natural Grocers we are always raising standards and are proud to announce that all of the eggs we sell are at least Free Range—think cage free on steroids (well, not literal steroids as that would be bad for the hens and we would never allow hormones or growth promoters).

Shorter days, cooler nights, a new school year… a shift in seasons has begun. With seasonal changes afoot, now is also a good time to make a shift in your diet, from conventional produce to organic. According to current estimates, nearly 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the United States, and their residues inevitably end up on our food, and in our bodies.

I don’t think that it’s a coincidence that physical activity rates continue to decline year over year, and the national obesity epidemic is on the rise[1],[2],

As winter sneaks up on us, we should all be thinking about what we can do to stay optimally healthy over the holidays. One thing recommended by Natural Grocers Nutritional Health Coaches, academics, and many health conscious people alike is taking a vitamin D supplement throughout the winter months. The robust endorsement of vitamin D speaks to its multifaceted role in the body.