Liver

Superfood 101: Barley!

Archeologists have found that wild barley is native to what is termed the Fertile Crescent, the region that covers modern southern Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and northern Egypt. It was first gathered in 9000 B.C.E. for a food grain and was reportedly first used by the Egyptians as cereal. For millennia, people depended on barley for food for themselves and for their horses.

3 Reasons To Eat Cranberries

Cranberries are more than just the lumpy, coagulated red side dish on your Thanksgiving dinner table, and certainly more than the name of a 90s rock band. These acidic red berries do more for your health, and perhaps more for your taste buds, than you think. Read on to find out why it’s worth it to take a second look at cranberries.

Mother Earth's Medicine Cabinet: Prickly Pear Cactus

The Ancient Aztecs used the Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia spp.) as food and medicine. I know it doesn’t look like something you’d want to grab – or even eat – but it’s packed full of powerful properties.

Dandelions: Fine Wine to Sweet Tea

While others curse its arrival in spring, I applaud it. The spunky little dandelion is a first flower for nectar-hunting honeybees. It pains me to see homeowners yank it from their yards, not only because they are eradicating an important food source for pollinating insects, but because the little plants can offer so much before their fluffy seeds are scattered to the wind!

Try Juicing This: Radish

I never thought I would juice radishes…but here I am, juicing radishes.

To me, radish is like the outcast of the vegetable family. You only really use it to garnish things. It’s not like we’re making radish soup or radish slaw…We sprinkle radishes in at the end because of their super strong and bitter taste. For this reason, I knew I could only put a few radishes into my juice; I didn’t want to blow my taste buds off.

Try Juicing This: Raw Asparagus

Raw asparagus juice…is that even legal? After getting tired of my daily cucumber-apple-ginger combo, I decided to break out of my juicing shell and get a little weird…

Mother Earth’s Medicine Cabinet: 7 Reasons To Grow Sage In Your Medicinal Garden

Did you know that sage (Salvia Officinalis) is actually one of the biggest members of the mint family? There are well over 900 different species of sage worldwide. Many species of this plant are recognized for their healing properties. In fact, there are reports from various countries that state the pharmacology and therapeutic properties of the plant. This article will specifically cover the healing benefits of the Salvia Officinalis variety.

Superfood 101: Coconuts!

Coconuts are a rich source of nutrients that have a myriad of applications. There are just as many ways they can be prepared. The nomenclature coconut is confusing because it is not a nut at all, but instead a drupe or fruit that has three layers: an outer layer that is smooth and green, a fleshy middle layer that is fibrous and a hard, and a woody layer that surrounds the seed. This third layer is what we find at the market. The origin of the coconut is somewhat mysterious. One theory is that it was first found growing in India.