Ginger is the “ultimate medicine” according to Ayurveda. Not only does it warm the body and balance Vata-types, it’s also a healer for your digestion and immune health.

I despise socks. I know that sounds crazy, but since I was a kid I would fling them off my feet the first chance I got. That's if my mom could manage to put them on me at all. The problem with freeing your feet is it can easily lead to shoe odor. Yes, I know how gross that sounds, but it happens. At one point in your life you too will have a smelly pair of old shoes stinking up your closet. And if you have kids, then you may have several pairs. Luckily, there are a few home remedies to beat the stench of smelly feet.

1. Baking Soda

If you’re not getting sleep that is arguably the best of your life, on a nightly basis, you’re just not snoozin’ like you could, and should, be. Falling asleep, and staying asleep, can be much more difficult than it sounds. We all know that, no matter how much we want to get plenty of beauty rest, actually achieving it is often up in the air; let’s face it—sleep, like that one relative we all seem to have, is a temperamental subject. However, due to its notoriously unpredictable reputation, it’s easy to overlook the little things that may be causing us to not sleep in the first place.

My last year in college I ran to my school’s mental health clinic because I couldn’t contain the anguish. Perhaps it was the fact that there were no jobs available and I was freaking out about my loans, or the fact that I was having a tough time keeping up with my bills even though I seemed to cut every corner and flat-out refused to have any extraneous fun on most days. I did, however, have a history of depression as a child and the school’s counselor gave me some good tips.

Most people would label everything that grows from the cracks in the sidewalks as weeds, but are they? Nope: You can actually eat a lot of plants you probably never noticed before. Unfortunately, I can't include all the foragable plants in your neighborhood in this one article, but the three I chose should be easy enough to spot.

Resonant with the Goddess Ganga, the holy river in India, and Ochun in Nigeria (Oxun in Latin America), deity of the river waters both representing and revering luxury, sexuality, pleasure, fertility, love and beauty, Damiana is the herbal manifestation of these expressions. It has long been believed throughout the world that by drinking, eating or being surrounded by Damiana you would be blessed with increase in the areas of love and intimate relations.

Valentine’s Day is synonymous with fiery red cinnamon hearts and decadent truffles, not to mention sugar cookies, lava cake, and other sugar-rich treats. These sweets have their place, but if you’re looking to share the gift of health–without sacrificing taste–check the hydrogenated oils, chemical sweetener and preservatives at the door and make these goodies from scratch (and with love) instead.

Mulching is an essential but oft underrated gardening tool. Let’s discuss some mulching recipes that are born of nothing but trash that even an amateur gardener can easily get to.

What does mulching do, and why should you do it? Mulching retains moisture so it’s a great tool for the dry season. It helps to maintain a warmer soil temperature and insulates plant roots, so it’s a great growing tool for the cold season. And finally, if you use appealing enough mulch, it adds great visual appeal to your garden.

Vitis vinifera Linn, otherwise known as raisins, have been a common ingredient used in many Ayurveda dishes over the years. Many people specializing in Ayurveda practices encourage the mixing of healing foods, such as raisins, in with every day foods. Although I’ve always been aware that dried grapes were a nutritious food, it wasn’t until recently that I discovered more about their beneficial uses in Ayurveda practices. Of course, I couldn’t keep this discovery to myself.

Did you know that maple trees are not the only trees that provide us with the sap necessary to make syrup? There are several different trees that produce a sap sweet and sticky enough to make delicious syrups and sugars. The sugar maple is one of the most well known and most common trees tapped because it has the highest sugar content –  which is key to a fine syrup.