Often marketers like to claim that their food, beverage, or supplements are “natural” to make you think that this means it is better for you. This is known as an “Appeal to Nature” logical fallacy. This plays on the mistaken belief that just because something is natural it is better for you; or if something isn’t natural, it is bad or harmful. 

There’s nothing wrong with an occasional treat, but what if you don’t want to give out candy for Halloween? Or what if you want other options for kids that may have food allergies? Here are economical and fun items that you can buy and give out to those Halloween trick-or-treaters.

Rumble Reader • Recipe Recommendation |

“This is the fall cocktail we currently have on repeat in our home. It is light, with warm autumn flavors. Enjoy!”

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | Wheel…of…Fortune!

In most cases it is better for us to get our vitamins and minerals and other nutrients from food first instead of relying on supplements.

By Sabrina Mathney • Rumble Contributor | I Am Bri Hear Me Roar! 

Unplanned weight loss any time in our lives may be a signal of illness and should be addressed with a primary care physician. For older adults, unplanned weight loss may cause a variety of problems:

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | I spy with my little eye…

Q: I have high blood pressure and my doctor has told me to get more sources of potassium in my diet – but I don’t like bananas.  What other foods are a source of potassium?

I started seeing psychics at eighteen years of age. My mother took us to a tarot card reader named Suzanne to get a better handle on our love lives because let’s face it, that was foremost on our minds at that age. I continued to book sessions with various psychics over the years, because I appreciate having another person help me to make sense of the information I pick up on, but sometimes struggle to make heads or tails of. You might be wondering where does this information come from, and is it all hooey? 

Q: What are some snack ideas for things I could eat that are low in carbohydrates and lower in sodium?

When I was a little girl my sisters and I would sometimes descend upon my mother needing her to solve all of our problems at once. She would say “hang loose” to buy her a minute to prioritize what needed her attention the most and how she would handle that particular issue. 

Many local food banks and food pantries have been struggling to meet increased needs in our communities. While requests for assistance have increased, donations of food, money, and time (volunteers) are struggling to keep up.

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | I wrote an article called Meditation: why time & place matter that you can find on my website sabrinamathenydesigns.com. In that article I suggest how to go about setting up your meditation practice. Today I want to focus on why we set up a meditation practice. 

Q: I am having a friend over for dinner who has diabetes and was planning on serving a rotisserie chicken from the Ingles Deli and some side dishes. What would you recommend? 

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | “Life shrinks or expands according to one’s courage.” - Anaïs Nin

The second annual Sylva Pride Festival will take place this weekend, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva. The Pride Parade will kick off at noon, beginning at Bridge Park before proceeding down Main Street. 

Q: When brands have “vegetarian fed” on chicken packages what does that mean?

By Sabrina Mathney • Rumble Contributor | “Astro*Carto*Graphy is a method of locational astrology by which geographic locations are associated with expected differences in personal life circumstances.” 

By Daley Hooten • Rumble Contributor | Going to a concert with my friends was the best way to end the summer. Last Saturday, the local venue Rabbit Rabbit hosted Thundercat, a musician that merges R&B with progressive funk and electronic jazz. Going into the concert, I was pretty familiar with his music but not completely immersed in his discography. After the show, I was completely blown away and impressed with the performance and character of Thundercat.

Q: Will giving up meat and becoming vegetarian protect me from getting Covid19? 

A celebration of life music festival is being held in memory of Kristian “Blaze” Keith on Aug. 28, at the Waynesville American Legion.

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | Pick a hand… any hand!

6 Books worth reading if you like to learn more about medicine, food history, and agriculture.  Let me know what books you’ve been reading lately that have made an impression on you!

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor| Up, up, and away! 

Here is a partial list of 12 of the books I’ve read over the past 12 months.  I tend to like non-fiction books about food, food history, science and medicine. What have you been reading lately? 

The Asheville Comedy Festival will take place Aug. 10-13 at Highland Brewing Company and Diana Wortham Theater.

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | A pendulum is a weight attached to a string that can be used in a spiritual practice for answering yes/no questions. I like to use gemstone pendulums because I enjoy having the property of the stone factor into my practice. 

Q: My elderly mother has lost quite a bit of weight that she couldn’t really afford to lose and her doctor is concerned, so I’m trying to think of ways to help her gain some of that weight back. My mother currently lives alone. Do you have suggestions for food or meals that may help with this? 

By Sabrina Matheny • | I remember standing outside in my yard of my dream home, a house I thought I would never sell, feeling my spirit disconnect from the property. It was such a weird feeling, and so unexpected that I dismissed the thought. I gave it one of my usual “that was weird” moments and carried on with my evening. Two years later I listed that house and sold it a year after that. 

Here are some reasons why you may need to take vitamin and mineral supplements:

See and celebrate the images from the James Webb Space Telescope projected onto the big screen. 

Wondering what to do with all those tomatoes from your garden? Participants in two upcoming classes will learn how to safely can tomatoes. 

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | We are all familiar with the expression “so and so is the black sheep of the family.” According to Merriam-webster’s definition; it is a disfavored or disreputable member of a group. We all have someone we can point to that upsets the applecart of our family. These people can’t seem to do life the way we do it, think like we do, or even relate to one another the way that we do. It’s almost as if they are from another world sent here to challenge the very core our belief systems, and honey, I got a news flash for ya…they are! 

Taking vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements sounds pretty harmless, right? We often see supplements on supermarket, superstore and pharmacy shelves that have labels implying that they can help with various medical conditions and are natural.

I carry a little anxiety. When I say a little, what I really mean is that I carry a lot of anxiety. I can truthfully say, I’ve never felt the full force of it in my body before well… now. 

Are you a person who thinks you may be allergic or sensitive to MSG? First, let’s take a closer look at MSG (Monosodium Glutamate).

Frequently I get asked what I think about diet books and fad diets. Since there are so many fad diets, here are tools and questions so you can decide for yourself whether this is a sustainable way of eating.

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | I was recently in a store to get help with a cabinet door hinge. I couldn’t remove a stripped screw.

If you’re a savvy supermarket shopper, you probably already know what the unit price is. This is the cost or price per unit of a specific item.

With kids home from school many are looking for summer snack ideas that won’t break the bank and are better choices. 

We typically acclimate to warmer temperatures and humidity by adjusting our exercise habits to cooler times of the day and drinking more fluid. 

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor| 

“Partner with adversity. The light of our highest potential is hunting us down to liberate us from our hiding spot.”-Matt Kahn

Did you know that there’s no real definition of the word “local” when it comes to food? The USDA (US Department of Agriculture) notes that, “There is no pre-determined distance to define what consumers consider “local,” but a set number of miles from a center point or state/local boundaries is often used.”

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | As human beings we exist in this third dimensional reality, running our experiences through our five senses and our perceptions. Our way of thinking is conditioned by our past experiences. When we use only the evidence of what we are currently living as our guide, we start to believe that this life that we’ve created is all that’s available for us and that life can be hard. What if I told you that more exists, and we can align with more if we are willing to be open to a new possibility? Would you want that? Ladies and gents, step into the world of co creating with the universe. Without further ado….

Q: I am working on having balanced meals and improving my health, but I have a real “sweet tooth” that I need to tame. Any suggestions?

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | 

Q: My doctor has advised me to cut down on my sodium and added salt to see if that helps my blood pressure. Do you have some suggestions for cooking and where I could find recipe ideas?

At 10:30 p.m. last night Jackson County Emergency Management issued a “Code Red Message.”

By Sabrina Matheny • Rumble Contributor | I believe that when we have an interaction with another person there is a little bit for you and a little bit for me in terms of an opportunity for growth. However, the exchange is often not equitable with regards to where we each are on our individual soul journey.