By all accounts, Cindy Smith’s 92-year-old father was a man of humor and dignity. A World War II veteran and retired county planner, he...

In Massachusetts, the legislative process moves in two-year cycles, requiring advocates to repeatedly resubmit bills and rally support amidst thousands of proposals. This cycle is underway again, and at its heart are two critical bills—S.261 and H422—that threaten to drastically limit access to holistic health practitioners across the state. If these bills pass, the consequences will be profound: fewer practitioners, fewer healing options, and higher costs for both healers and those who seek their care. What’s at Stake? These bills aim to regulate alternative healing therapies and establish licensure for traditional Asian bodywork therapies. On the surface, licensing might seem reasonable—a way to ensure quality and safety. But these proposals would impose heavy burdens on a wide...

Seed oils have found themselves at the center of a nutritional storm. From political figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to countless wellness influencers, there’s a rising tide of criticism against common cooking oils such as canola, soybean, and sunflower oil. Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” campaign even hawks merchandise stamped with slogans like “Make Frying Oil Tallow Again”, echoing the nostalgic days of beef fat sizzling in cast-iron pans. But is this backlash backed by science—or are we oversimplifying a complex dietary issue? What Are Seed Oils, Really? Often grouped under the misleading label of “vegetable oils,” seed oils are extracted from the seeds of various plants. These include what some call the “hateful eight”:Canola, corn, soybean, cottonseed,...

I’ve always loved animals — every kind of creature, big or small. As a child, nature documentaries like Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom captivated me, fueling dreams of someday seeing Africa’s majestic wildlife up close. I longed to live among these creatures, study their behaviors, and dedicate myself to protecting them. Yet, as many journeys do, my trip to Africa in 2004 unfolded into something far more complex and transformative than I had imagined. Setting Out to Live a Dream For my 40th birthday, my boyfriend and I planned a trip to Uganda, aiming to explore the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest near the volatile Democratic Republic of Congo. We were aware of the risks but felt it was...