Who hasn’t been affected by the economic decline of the past few years? Not too many of us. People 55 and over have been especially hard-hit, with historically high unemployment, collapsing pension plans, and shrinking investment portfolios dashing retirement dreams for many. Less visible in the public eye have been the growing numbers of people in their fifties and sixties starting new businesses, training for new careers, more...

Imagine not pushing a cart around one or more grocery stores every week, not puzzling over a shelf filled with 15 choices of paper towels or spaghetti sauces, not being distracted by your child’s pleas for a particular treat, not spending more than you intended because of a free sample that led to an impulse purchase, or a sudden “need” for chocolate. Imagine not waiting in checkout lines. Not shopping in a grocery more...

Just how old yoga is and the nature of its ancient ties to Hinduism are a matter a debate. Contemporary history is more clear. Americans first took to yoga in the sixties, but the boom in all things yoga—from eco-friendly mats to yoga vacations in Bali—took a few more decades to arrive. In 2001, a Time magazine cover story estimated that 15 million Americans were practicing yoga and 75 percent of all health clubs were more...

Feeling stressed by the thought of the holiday season fast approaching? Stressed about money on top of that? Maybe you’ve been laid off or you’re just getting by as a student or underpaid worker bee. If it’s crossed your mind that yoga might be just the ticket to help reduce that stress you’ve been feeling, you’re in luck because a growing number of affordable and even free yoga classes are now available more...

Unless you grow all your own food and haven’t visited a supermarket or a food co-op for quite a while, you have doubtlessly noticed two short words now appearing on the packages of both new and familiar items as you stroll the aisles: gluten free. You’ll find them on packaged products in nearly every aisle of your neighborhood grocery store. Meanwhile, Portland pizza chains post signs for their new gluten-free pies and you more...

As food gardens have been sprouting all over the country—from the White House to church lawns to backyards and condo decks, there’s been a simultaneous resurgence of interest in canning and other types of food preservation. Farmers markets, garden stores and even the City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability is offering classes. A quick Google search leads to a growing number of books and blogs about more...

Portland may or may not be the DIY capital of the U.S., but the interest in do-it-yourself food crafting is definitely on the upswing here, in a state where school kids used to pick berries and beans during summer vacation and moms put up jar after jar of pickles, jam and canned fruit. Today the ranks of local DIYers are growing—replacing lawn with veggies gardens, raising and even butchering backyard chickens, keeping backyard more...

Muffins, scones, cookies, cheesecakes and wedding cakes made without butter, cream or eggs? Huh? It just so happens that they’re all available at vegan bakeries in our fair city, thanks to a growing number of young, post-health-food-generation bakers committed to culinary creativity and the local-and-organic ethic. There’s no need to be a card-carrying vegan to enjoy their sweet and savory offerings or to expect an inferior more...

Grocery store meat recalls grab front-page headlines. A virulent strain of E. coli sickens thousands of Americans annually, with ground beef being the biggest culprit. Movies like Food, Inc. and The Real Dirt on Farmer John expose more and more Americans to the unsustainability of Big Ag, inhumane treatment of animals, and the health risks to farmworkers and consumers of chemicals used to raise our food. Meanwhile Portland more...

Farmers markets have sprouted in just about every corner of Portland in the last few years, and local CSA farms are supplying a weekly box of produce to growing numbers of families who want to know where their food is coming from and support local farmers. Since the economic downturn, more and more families are replacing patches of lawn with rows of vegetables. Churches and schools are doing it, too. A major shift is afoot in how more...