Gardening

On top of growing your own food and plants, you could be relieving stress and improving your attention span every time you get in the garden.

Garden lovers, this is the season of so much anticipation. Major gardening activity typically waits until the soil warms up enough to plant the most common crops, and for us in Michigan, this usually means mid to late May

Ready to lower your blood pressure and feel more relaxed? Indoor plants might be a worthy investment. Let’s look at how they can make you feel better – and why.

Make spring your healthiest, most sustainable season yet with these easy tips for your home and outdoor areas.

White strawberries are sweeter than red ones and can even smell tropical. Here’s what you need to know about this cream-colored fruit.

If your green thumb needs a new project, try starting an indoor winter garden.

The beautiful orange, red, and yellow leaves of fall are almost here! Find out when you should plan your color tour to make the most of the autumn splendor.

Lavender lovers know these dainty blue-purple flowers have a heady scent. Choose one of these lavender farms to add to your Michigan bucket list this summer.

The National Cherry Festival in Traverse City is a summer bucket list event to celebrate one of Michigan's largest agricultural industries.

As more people lean into meditation, here’s what to know about creating your own meditation garden.

Just because something is sold from a stall doesn’t mean it’s necessarily organic, hormone-free or even local. That’s why it’s important to ask questions.

From Detroit to Holland to Kalamazoo, there are Mother’s Day markets, outdoors events and live shows happening all over Michigan in 2023.

Accessible and Inclusive Playgrounds Around the State

Earth Day is approaching. How will you be celebrating our planet?

There may be some parts of your life that may be more cluttered than you realize – and causing you stress. Here are six things to spring clean.

Getting your kids excited about produce has a lot to do with how parents approach it, and how you add in the fun.

Teaching kids container gardening can help them create a great relationship with fresh foods and healthy eating.

From outdoor cafes to teens’ bedrooms, little strings of lights are popping up everywhere. What is it about them that makes you feel better?

Here are some of our favorite holiday activities around the state that you and your family can do this holiday season.

Meditation, mindfulness and mental clarity may be just what the doctor ordered as we head into this busy holiday season.

Contributor Mia Gallucci writes about her latest hobby — vegetable gardening — and the trials and triumphs she encountered over the summer.

Looking for some free, fun, family-friendly activities to engage in this summer? These six Detroit destinations could satisfy your itch.

Bruce-Michael Wilson rarely was sick as a child. He attributes his healthy childhood to eating what was grown on his family’s Michigan farm.

If you want to create family memories at every turn this summer without breaking the bank, here are 12 family-friendly activities you can enjoy on the cheap:

You may never want to dig in the dirt again. Hydroponic gardening has a growing number of fans. Here’s why.

If you want a big gardening payoff with minimal investment, plant an herb garden and up your kitchen’s flavor game.

Whether you’re someone helping a child prepare a gift or you’re in need of a DIY project for your own mom, we’ve got you covered with two ideas.

This April, look for gardens of blue pinwheels in communities across Michigan — reminders that we all play a role in preventing child abuse and neglect.

Spring is in the air! The winter frost has worn off and flowers are just starting to bloom all around the state.

Want to pit some juicy cherries or slice cherry tomatoes without the fuss? Check out these kitchen hack videos.

With all the fast food and junk food advertisements swirling everywhere we look, here’s how to have age-appropriate discussions with your kids about food.

Cucumbers are made of mostly water, which promotes hydration. These crunchy, in-season vegetables are also rich in antioxidants and vitamins C and K.

Pickleball is one of the fast growing sports in Michigan, especially in Grand Rapids where tennis courts are being converted to Pickleball courts.

Summer holidays are fun, but the risk of injuries rises on these days. Here are tips for giving your kids a safe, healthy July 4.

Trillions of red-eyed cicadas will emerge from the ground this summer leaving some to wonder if t will affect their homes or gardens.

New Year’s resolutions may have faded, but don’t despair. There is plenty of time for a summer reset.

Find out ways to save money by reducing the amount of wasted food.

Spring is the perfect time to dig in the dirt. In addition to enjoying home-grown herbs and vegetables, planting a garden can be emotionally satisfying.

Even if you’re good about recycling, there are still more things you can do to reduce your personal trash stream.

Ready to flex your green thumb this year? You’re not alone. Here are some tips to get you started.

Let your kids help with prepping this yummy butter chicken recipe. When they have some control over the veggies you use, they might be more willing to try them.

Does your family set goals you can work on together? Make 2021 the year you explore more, get healthier together and have new experiences!

Zucchini can make any dish healthy. Full of potassium, fiber, iron, antioxidants, vitamins and more, zucchini is a great way to add flavor and nutrients to any meal.

A guide to help identify poisonous plants around Michigan and what to do if you or a family member has been affected.

Fear, fatigue, chronic pain or just plain lack of motivation might be keeping your loved one stationary. So how do you get them off the couch and on to healthy…

Spending time in a garden is good for your physical and mental health–you just have to be careful you don’t overdo it.

Looking to grow your own garden? These recycled household items can help you get started.

Looking for a craft project to keep busy? Here's how upcycling can turn old household items into new treasures.

It’s important for older adults to seek meaningful ways to stay engaged for their mental health. These research-backed ideas can help seniors find purpose.

Struggling to keep kids engaged while at home? Here's how to turn household activities into school-approved lessons.

Some aspects of gut health are uncontrollable, but there are ways to improve the health of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Here’s how to get started.

Earth Day, which happens April 22, is the perfect time to educate your little ones about respecting nature and keeping our environment healthy.

Of course education is important and school learning should be a priority, but there are also plenty of lessons kids can learn outside of the classroom.

Lattes, cappuccinos, espresso, oh my! Here's a guide to Michigan's best coffee shops.

Heading to your local farmers market? Read these tips on how to find the freshest, most affordable food options.

Houseplants are often chosen for their decorative nature, but research has shown that houseplants offer many benefits to our health.

Easter can be a fun and indulgent holiday. Here are some healthy ideas perfect for the whole family.

With so many events commemorating Earth Day around the state, there’s no need to find a tree to hug (unless that’s your thing).

Looking to reduce your food waste and improve your garden at the same time? Composting isn’t as hard as it may seem. Here’s how to get started.

Looking to not travel too far for spring break? Here are some fun getaways in the Great Lakes State.

Metabolism decreases 1 to 2 percent every decade for women and 5 to 8 percent for men. Exercise can help bridge the gap.

The new year is a great time to renew your commitment to a healthy mind, body and spirit. Here are little tweaks to do just that.

Still looking to make time for family photos with Santa? Avoid the last minute hustle and bustle at the malls by visiting him at these Michigan destinations.

Make the most of September by enjoying MI destinations, cozying up to a campfire or getting into fall by tailgating, slowing down and cooking with the season.

National Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day is coming up! Learn about how you can celebrate this fun holiday with print-off recipe cards.

Get outside, eat fresh, and recharge your batteries with these ideas to make July a month to remember.

Urban Roots is a community farm and education center located in Grand Rapids. Learn more about their mission to empower access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

June might be the perfect month of the year in Michigan if you enjoy balmy temps and sunshine. Here are some ideas to make the most of it.

Hello, March! This month, welcome spring by greening up your home and yard, planning a close-to-home vacation, taking a hike and more.

Located just minutes from the shores of Lake Michigan in Shelby, a lavender labyrinth attracts visitors from all over the world.

The A Healthier Michigan team recently tried goat yoga. Find out why it’s a growing trend.

Fitting in a daily workout does not have to be difficult. Use these simple ways to get active as a family!

Soda and juice are filled with added sugars and calories. Adding great, natural flavor to water with fruit and herbs is a great way to stay hydrated.

Staying at the Grand Hotel this summer? You’ll notice updated and refreshed spaces that welcome guests to the storied hotel’s 130th season.

Planting trees is one of the easiest and most sustainable ways to positively affect the environment.

Get ideas for turning your yard into a sanctuary for the planet.

Cauliflower cores, meat bones, coffee grinds: Try these new ideas for cooking things typically thrown away in your kitchen.

Give your stove the night off with these 10 easy-to-make recipes. They are perfect for summer nights.

A new way of exercising is taking Michigan by storm. Learn the benefits of drumming exercise and why you should get connected with a fitness center near you.

Attracting birds to your house can be a rewarding activity for both you and your kids. Come learn how to make your own inexpensive homemade bird feeder here.

Learn how to grow year-round salad greens right on your patio! This step-by-step direction makes gardening simple for everyone.

For the first time, Artists Creating Together offers children with disabilities the opportunity to learn about where food comes from and how to cook it.

You and your kids can do your part in helping out our local bee populations with these simple ideas and fun activities.

Are you a lover of getting your hands dirty and spending time outdoors? Then WWOOFing – and no, we’re not talking about a dog barking – is perfect for you.

Instead of spreading seeds out, consider planting up if you have some vertical space that gets adequate sunlight. Here are a few tips on how to get started.

Get inspired to do all you can by seeing how these cities, organization and companies in Michigan put the environment first.

Harnessing rain water for use in your home garden is relatively easy and it can help ease downstream water pollution while saving you a little cash to boot.

Think outside of the box with fun gifts or active treats that don’t involve chocolate or candy for the Easter basket. Here are some creative ideas.

Creating a window garden with kids can be a fun project to help get them involved in healthy eating habits. Here’s a step-by-step guide to doing it.

The Healthier Michigan team shares some small business favorites in this roundup of Michigan shops and companies to consider for your holiday gift list.

The Healthier Michigan team recently spent a day in historic Ypsilanti and we were blown away by the cute, quirky town.

Fayette Historic State Park in Manistique recently got a makeover courtesy of the group Michigan Cares for Tourism.

We created a list of some fun activities to enjoy with your grandchildren around the state of Michigan. Get outside, explore and have a ball!

A free event at the MSU 4-H Children’s Garden aims to help kids get comfortable with medical professionals.

Visitors to Fort Michilimackinac can get a taste of 18th-century life thanks to 13 gardens recreated using artifacts and excavated seeds.

Summer may be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy local flavors. These techniques will show you how.

These salads are nutritional rock stars and they won’t leave you rooting around for snacks in the refrigerator after dinner.

Restaurants around Michigan are taking farm-to-table to the next level by growing food themselves. Here are a few to check out.

You already know about Beefsteak tomatoes, but there are lots of other varieties grown right in Michigan to try before summer ends.

Want a garden but convinced that your thumb isn’t very green? Follow our tips to enjoy a bountiful harvest!

Summer is the season to find fresh heirloom tomatoes and delicious basil growing all over Michigan. This is the healthiest way to use your garden produce.

This post describes the urban farming movement, specifically in Detroit, and features the Garden Resource Program of Keep Growing Detroit.

Step aside burgers and hot dogs–these vegetarian recipes are taking over your grill.

Growing your own vegetables is a great way to eat well and save money. And these four steps will help you get your garden started.

A personal trainer shares his take on the most important factor in determining workout results, and which workout is best.

The First Lady is encouraging everyone to share what they’re doing to lead a healthier life by challenging everyone to #Gimme5. We accept the challenge.

Local juice bars provide convenience and healthy beverages for Michiganders

It’s no wonder people love to garden: Growing your own fruits, vegetables and herbs can improve your health and save you a lot of money at the grocery store…

As the holidays wind down, your kids may be pretty wound up thanks to a week off of school. Plan some fun family projects that will get their minds going.

Our Kitchen Table is hosting a free five-week class in Grand Rapids that explores food politics and food justice in Michigan.

Halloween is quickly approaching and that means it's time to visit haunted houses, creepy abandoned buildings, and anywhere rumored to withhold a ghost.

Few vegetables grow as crazy in a garden as zucchini—especially this time of year. The good news is that it’s incredibly healthy (zucchini is a great source of…

Having a hard time keeping up with all the tomatoes from your garden? Check out these recipes to use them up!

If you looked at wild plants and weeds through Lisa Rose’s eyes, you might see dinner, or at least a snack. Rose, a Grand Rapids herbalist, forager, and author…

Using herbs instead of salt is a great way to reduce sodium and add flavor to your dishes. Grow your own indoor herb garden for fresh, tasty herbs!

Want a lunch that not only tastes great and is good for you, but is completely “Instagrammable”? Invest in some Mason jars. Prepping and preparing healthy and…

Hitting the town for Restaurant Week Grand Rapids? The annual celebration of creative cuisine is back with a focus on fresh, local ingredients artfully prepared.

On a recent afternoon at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market’s Simmer Camp, young foodies-in-training were learning just how delicious and easy…

Canning food offers many benefits and delicious food.

The return of summer is a time for joy, especially after a long, cold winter like the one we just had. More daylight and warmer temperatures bring back…

No matter how committed you are, those in-between-meal snack binges can take a toll on any diet. When 3 p.m. rolls around and your stomach starts to growl…

Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and…

Looking for something new to do this summer? Here are some fun activities.

Here are some tips to re-purpose your lawn for health.

Dirty fresh food can hinder your quest to eat healthier and it seems like contamination outbreaks are happening more often, but now that the weather is breaking…

No matter where you are in the city of Detroit there are lots of delicious food options. Unfortunately eating out doesn’t always provide the healthiest options…

Although there’s considerable evidence that health and wellness programs reduce costs and improve employee productivity, other research has raised questions about their effectiveness. So what makes some programs flourish while others wither? More importantly, what should your company do to get optimal value from your health and wellness efforts?

Herbs and spices often go unused because the vast uses are unknown. Read this blog to learn some ways to incorporate them into your diet.

With the recent freeze warnings we know the bulk of our growing season is coming to a close. Most of us hate to see fresh tomato season come to an end with no…

So far we've served up a flight of wines from the East, the West, and the Central regions of Michigan. In this, our final installment of A Healthier Michigan'

Here are some tips to help overcome fall allergies.

Welcome to another installment of A Healthier Michigan's A-Z Guide to Michigan Wineries. Previous installments took us east and west, but this week we'

Fermentation is a chemical reaction. It occurs naturally in some foods such as fruit. It has been used to make wine for at least 8,000 years…

In Grand Rapids, the start-up community has been consistently growing. The community support behind start-up initiatives has been increasing exponentially…

Try this refreshing salad with delicious, in-season cucumber and cantaloupe! This recipe is a crowd pleaser – the health benefits are just a plus.

Green bean season is in full swing from now until early October, and with Michigan being one of the largest producers of green beans in the U.S.

Lisa Rose Starner has been a force in the Grand Rapids community as an herbalist, forager, writer and urban farmer. Featured in publications such as The…

For the next several weeks ahealthiermichigan.org will be bringing you an all new series of posts featuring the breweries and wineries of Michigan.

The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, your delicious meals, meeting with health professionals along with a variety of health and wellness seminars and classes.

Beyond just adding flavor (sans calories we might add), herbs come with lots of natural benefits. From fighting off memory loss to settling a stomachache…

This summer, take a family vacation to a place with both beautiful scenery and must-see attractions – The Mitten State! The diverse cities of Michigan offer…

Summers can be busy, but your health shouldn't be sacrificed because of it. Here are some quick exercise ideas.

Salads are one of the best ways to eat various nutrients in a quick and easy meal. If you go light on the dressing and portion size, these four healthy salad…

More than half of all American consumers bought something online last holiday season. And retailers went all out trying to make the shopping experience simple…

Spring break is right around the corner. Between high ticket prices and stressful security lines, the idea of air travel for an entire family may be unappealing.

Throughout the United States, a movement has begun towards recognizing and honoring the women who make America, or MAKERS. The MAKERS movement is a digital…

I’m sure you will agree with me, it is wonderful to work in a healthy environment instead of an unhealthy one. I know what it’s like to work in an unhealthy…

Though the state of Michigan as a whole has begun to support the farm to table movement, Grand Rapids has wholeheartedly embraced the idea of eating and…

In Grand Rapids, we have come to expect nothing short of the overwhelming success of ArtPrize from entrepreneur, Rick DeVos. His latest venture…

Have you ever considered including microgreens in your diet? You definitely should.

Several nutrition experts agree that combining certain ingredients makes not only for more delicious recipes, but also boosts the nutritional value of certain…

I read an article in the Detroit Free Press recently about a new three-part health and fitness program launched by Gov. Rick Snyder. As many of you may recall…

This guest post is from Leah Blinstrub, a registered dietitian and health coach with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan who enjoys cooking…

The phrase "less is more" is certainly true with fruit and vegetables. The less food has to travel to get on your plate, the more nutritious it is for you.

I recently had the pleasure to interview Alycia Meriweather, Executive Director of the Office of Science at Detroit Public Schools, about the new farm to school…

Rather than a box of chocolates for a Mother's Day gift, why not try one of these healthier presents?

Food waste is a serious problem in the world today, and in developed countries, it’s practically inexcusable. Americans threw away 33 million tons of food in…

This guest post is from Leah Blinstrub, a registered dietitian and health coach with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. A believer in the importance of good…

This guest post is from Leah Blinstrub, a registered dietitian and health coach with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. A believer in the importance of good…

Gardening is America’s number one hobby and it’s no wonder why – many claim health benefits ranging from lowering cholesterol to keeping gardeners looking and…

What an amazing autumn we are having this year; the continuous sunshine and warmer-than-average temperatures have been appreciated by many of us here in…

Get the nutrients you need with a well-balanced diet with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, heart-healthy fats and lean protein food.

Editor's note: Michigan's beer economy is growing! A more up-to-date version of this post has been published: Many people who are 21 and older like to indulge…

Michigan is known for its Great Lakes, but something not many people know is that those Great Lakes produce the perfect environment for grape-growing.

During the Body and Soul Challenge Midpoint Event at Eastern Market last week, there was one question I kept getting asked. And that question was: How do you…

Summertime is finally upon us, but to some parents that can mean stressful weeks to come. Entertaining kids each day, every day can be exhausting…

Wedding season is in full force. Trust me, I know. I consider myself a professional wedding attendee. Over the past few years, my husband and I have averaged at…