Chronicles

“I don’t know if I can do this, cous. I’m so out of shape.” “Sure you can, what are you talking about? The hike is only an hour long!” A natural quip from my cousin, who goes running every day at 5am and participates in hardcore marathons every weekend Cut to 3 hours later wandering around the mountain aimlessly, only to realize that the hiking trails were actually closed. We were lost in the forest with no trail markers in sight, climbing through 10 inches of leftover summer snow in our runners and leaping over rushing rivers to find our...

As a greater emphasis is being placed on healthy diets and natural beauty regimes, more honey is being used in food and beauty products. The rising demand means increased strain being put on bees to produce honey, and more of this honey being taken from hives. This leaves less honey for bees to feed on in the winter. The first phenomenon of honey bee colonies disappearing began in 2006. Named Colony Collapse Disorder, farmers would find hives completely empty, with approximately 10-30% of colonies dying globally every year. Wild bee diversity is also at risk, with numbers dropping approximately 25%. Most concerning is the bumblebee...

A sprinkle of lion's mane harvested from the forests of the East. The exotic snozberry found in the tundra of the North. Oil hand-pressed from the flesh of a young pumpkin chosen carefully under a full moon. If this isn't Potions class at Hogwarts, I don't know what is. With the upwards shift towards all-natural, vegan, clean haircare and skincare, the marketing hype also deepens. There's always the one or two 'magical' natural ingredients that are hailed to cure aging, bring upon eternal youth, suck out 'toxins', and take you out on a romantic candlelit date. Alternative remedies are indeed a hot topic - many hail its...

You've thrown on It’s a Wonderful Life on TV, you're downing that mulled wine, and a crackling fire is keeping you warm while you artfully wrap presents. A blissful scenario right? Christmas can be magical. But, it can also be stressful. Malls packed with frantic, anxiety-ridden shoppers, the pressure to buy gifts for everyone, decorating the tree, cooking the perfect dinner–stress -- levels are bound to skyrocket. While the holidays are meant for rest and relaxation, they can often leave you feeling frazzled and grumpy. We want you to enjoy all that's good about the season, so we put together a...