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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been known for his sweeping and often controversial public health initiatives. From his failed attempts to ban large sodas to successfully eliminating trans fats in all NYC restaurants, Bloomberg’s ambitions are far-reaching and according to some, authoritarian.

Bloomberg’s latest cause? Requiring New Yorkers to separate their food scraps for composting. Organic matter makes up 35% of the city’s total waste and amounted to a whopping 1.2 million tons of garbage in 2012, according to Bloomberg spokesman John McCarthy. Under the system modeled after similar programs in San Francisco and Seattle, residents collect food waste like egg shells, orange peels, and coffee grounds in small containers in their homes and then deposit them in larger brown bins on the curb for pickup.

Soy is one of the most highly debated topics in the nutrition community. Strong opinions about the dangers or benefits of eating soy can make the decision to incorporate soy into your diet a tough one.

Should you have a vegetarian diet rich in soy? Eat fermented tofu, but steer clear of soy milk? Or should you avoid soy all together? Before you decide to stop or start eating more soy, it’s best to make an educated decision on whether or not soy is right for you.

The benefits of soy are vast. Many people, especially vegetarians and vegan, incorporate soy in their diet as a source of protein. Tofu and tempeh are both soy-based meat alternatives that can be prepared in many of the same ways as meat. Soy milk is also a common and lactose free alternative to cow’s milk. This makes it easy to switch to a vegan diet without giving up familiar dishes.

“Are you tired of trying to figure it out all by yourself?” For many parents of special needs children, the answer to this question is resoundingly: yes. Enter Julie and Tom Meekins, married couple and Integrative Nutrition graduates, Class of 2010 and 2011.

As parents of children with special needs, Tom and Julie know that raising a child with developmental challenges can be overwhelming and scary. Before enrolling in the Health Coach Training Program, Tom Meekins was working in a corporate job in Washington DC, and Julie Meekins was a full-time mother, homeschool teacher, and part-time child development specialist.

This inspiring duo from Arnold, Maryland now has a thriving health coaching practice called March Forth Family that provides much-needed support to parents of children with developmental challenges. What’s more, Tom and Julie inspired their eldest daughter to enroll and transform her health. Read on to learn how these parents set an inspiring example for us all this Father’s Day – and all year round.

The stuffy nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes that creep up on us this time of year can only mean one thing…it’s allergy season.

Affecting millions of people worldwide, seasonal allergies are caused by airborne plant pollen and mold spores that enter the body and trigger a reaction from the immune system, which results in inflamed sinuses and itchy and watery eyes.

While there’s no way to avoid the allergens that cause these dreaded symptoms, there are a number of holistic treatments that can help combat them.

These are some all-natural ways to help ease your allergies:

1. Neti pot: An ancient Ayurvedic remedy, the neti pot cleans out the buildup of allergens and bacteria in the nasal cavity. Simply fill the pot with saline solution, or lukewarm filtered water and 1 teaspoon of salt, tilt your head to the side, place the spout in your upper nostril, and slowly pour in the water.