Showing posts with label Plant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Plant. Show all posts

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Healing Herbs!

I grow my own herbs -- rosemary, basil, chives, mint, marjoram, sage and thyme. Herbs are very essential to adding flavor to food and drinks and also are critical in cutting back on food items that one has to use in moderation. In addition, herbs have beneficial healing properties. There is nothing more refreshing than a sprig of mint in your green tea or fruit drink! Rosemary and mint go well with lemonade and cucumber!

No matter where you live, you can create a herb garden in a box, small patch in your garden, or in containers. This year I intend to add lemon verbena, one of my favorite herbs, to my herb garden.

Here is an article about healing herbs that includes an herb that I have never used -- 'Ashwagandha' which apparently has a lot of beneficial healing properties including the reduction of inflammation! I will ask about this herb when I am next in my favorite Indian food store. I would like to try it so that I can le you know more about it. If you already know about Ashwagandha, please feel free to share what you know. 

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Healing Herb News You Can Use


Healing Herb News You Can Use
Ashwagandha has amazing immunity-boosting benefits: According to The Herb Companion, taking one to two teaspoons twice or three times daily of Ashwagandha, a shrub extract used widely in Ayurvedic healing– or one 500 mg capsule of ashwagandha three times daily — is plenty to obtain its energy-boosting power.  This time-tested herb boosts immunity; improves memory and learning capacity; reduces stress; balances blood sugar; lowers bad cholesterol levels and reduces inflammation.
Basil works against acne: recent research has shown that sweet basil oil and holy basil oil can help combat acne. This is thanks to the antibacterial properties of basil.
Rosemary increases brain power: Researchers from Northumbria University in the United Kingdom found that the amount of 1,8-cineole, a main chemical in rosemary oil, in the blood is linked with improved brain performance.
Parsely is effective against cancer: Studies show that myristicin, an organic compound found in the essential oil of parsley, not only inhibits tumor formation (especially in the lungs), but also activates the enzyme glutathione-S-transferase, which helps the molecule glutathione attach to, and fight against, oxidized molecules.
Cilantro can crush salmonella: In a recent study led by Isao Kubo, Ph.D at the University of Berkeley, laboratory tests have shown that this component of cilantro is two times as potent as the commonly-used allopathic antibiotic medicine gentamycin. This makes it a potent weapon against the dangerous salmonella bacteria.
Mint is a stomach soother: repeated trials on the benefits of mint have established it to be very effective against stomach disorders ranging from irritable bowel to dyspepsia and cramps.
Source - read morehttp://www.care2.com/greenliving/healing-herb-news-you-can-use.html#ixzz1xR2OfQdI




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Sunday, May 13, 2012

How to pick, cut, use, and eat Aloe Vera!


How to pick, cut, use, and eat Aloe Vera!

Deutsch: Echte Aloe (Aloe vera)
Deutsch: Echte Aloe (Aloe vera)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I purchased an Aloe Vera plant from Home Depot's indoor plant section. I nurtured the plant indoors until I got some really good growth!


Unfortunately when I tried to remove one leaf I ended up cutting off most of the leaves in the middle leaving only two leaves on the base! No problem -- I thought -- "I will just fillet and eat them"! Wrong numberThe inner fillet was so bitter -- I almost gagged! 


I decided to just fillet all the leaves and use them topically. Only problem was that I started to itch a bit when I rubbed the inner side of the leaf on my skin. I knew I had to be doing something wrong so I decided to search for a good video on how best to pick, cut, use, and eat Aloe Vera.


Next time I will pick the leaves for my smoothie when they are nice and round! By the way -- my Aloe Vera plant just sprouted new leaves in the middle so the plant is quite hardy and will rejuvenate without much effort! Also, I  used a potato masher to mash up some of the raw fillet for topical use, and froze the rest for use later. You can also use a blender  but it is too much effort to clean up later! I just go with the easiest approach as long as it works! I hope that it will work for you too.


Here is a video from YouTube that describes how to pick an Aloe Vera leaf and what part is edible. Please click to view the video!





Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not  been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.





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