A couple of weeks ago on a plane flight, I had the good fortune to sit next to Jerry Deutsch, president of the National Health Association (the evolution of the American Natural Hygiene Society, founded in 1948, which espoused the virtues of real food for real health — talk about being ahead of the times!). Once we found out that we were on the same page, so to speak, our conversation was off and running. (We’ve quoted one of his colleagues, Joel Fuhrman, MD, in previous DL stories, like this one on childhood immunity.) But what I loved most was his smart idea for eating well while traveling: He makes soup at home and freezes it in plastic containers, then packs it in a cooler to take on the plane. The frozen soup makes it through security because it’s still solid … but by the time he wants to eat it, it’s defrosted and delicious! (However, he told me that they do not allow those frozen gel packs through security; go figure.) Next time I fly, I’m going to try this with Hearty Three-Mushroom Soup or Autumn Minestra Soup.

Last Thursday evening, on a warm fall evening in Northern California’s Sonoma County, I was lucky enough to sit in the audience as Traditional Medicinals’ cofounder, Drake Sadler, announced that herbal-tea company had transitioned 75 percent of its energy usage to solar. To wit, there were the panels, black and shiny, soaking up the sun and fueling the factory, which turns out hundreds of herbal teas — most of them organic. more

My kids are past the trick-or-treating age, but food allergies are still on my mind a lot, with my son continuing a gluten-free and dairy-free “experiment” to see if it will clear up his persistent nausea. With Halloween coming up, I’m wondering how difficult it must be for those kids with food allergies to enjoy the fun. (I know, I know, they should all want to get toothbrushes instead of candy … but that’s another story.) The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) just posted this helpful checklist to help your allergy-needs child enjoy the holiday without getting sick. Among the ideas:

–Before Halloween, distribute safe snacks to neighbors and request that they be handed out to your child.

–Instead of trick-or-treating, host a party that focuses on costumes, pumpkin carving, games and other Halloween-themed fun.

–Remember that small candy bars passed out to trick-or-treaters may have different ingredients than their regular-size counterparts. Even if a certain candy is safe for your child, the ‘fun size’ version might not be.

–Teach your child to politely refuse offers of home-baked goodies like cookies or cupcakes.

–Consider participating in a charity trick-or-treat event to raise money for a good cause, rather than collect candy.

What other ideas do you have for helping kids during the Halloween craze?