Everyday we create food waste in one form or another. Tossing out food that has spoiled, failing to utilize food scraps to their full capacity, and even gluttony are all culprits of food waste. It's hard to imagine, but our ability to overindulge as a first world country isn't only bad for health, it's also not doing our food supply any favors.
Growing up, there were a few different honeysuckle bushes around the neighborhood. They were like a kid magnet – we would all gather around them and wonder how a flower tasted so sweet, picking the little blossoms and sipping their sweetness. I had no idea at that age that these nectar-filled blossoms were actually good for me or that they held any sort of medicinal properties. Mother Nature's Medicine Cabinet is full of surprises and they are all really amazing.
Want to reduce your carbon footprint? How about saving some of that gas, meaning fuel!
As the redbud trees begin to blossom and the chickweed pops up a brighter green, I know spring is near and it’s just about time to start foraging the early spring edibles. Some of these wild plants can only be harvested while they’re young and tender, while others will continue to provide throughout the whole season and into the summer.
Gotu Kola: a small plant with big healing potential.
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) has been considered a cure-all for thousands of years. It is considered to be an herb of longevity in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic medicine with good reason. This slender, tiny herb is packed full of some truly amazing health and healing benefits.
Wood Betony (Stachys betonica or Botanica officinalis) is an edible herb that’s packed full of alkaloids, tannins, saponins and several medicinal healing benefits. Wood Betony has been a part of traditional medicine for centuries. In fact, during the Middle Ages it was considered to be one of the cure-all herbs. It was once one of the most used medicinal herbs by the Anglo-Saxons.
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is actually a really versatile healing plant, and it looks really interesting, too - often times one bunch of this herb can contain different types of leaves! This tree smells so amazing -- every part of it has a strong, sweet aroma that’s almost relaxing.
“Terroir” is a French term that stems from the word “terre,” meaning “land” or “earth.” It is a concept commonly used when discussing wine and vineyard-growing regions. The “terroir” of a given wine – the complexities of its flavor – essentially depends on four unique factors: climate, soil, terrain, and tradition. Combined, these four aspects offer a unique and non-replicable terroir associated with the wine that is produced under those specific circumstances.
Chapped, dry lips? I get it. Winter has a knack for drying skin out, especially lips. Lips are ultra sensitive to everything, so it makes sense that they get hit the hardest by cold, dry weather. That said, your lips can still get dry or chapped in the warmer months too! To keep them in the best condition, I recommend making a lip scrub and lip balm for them. Making your own won’t only be rewarding and fun, but cheaper, too. (Not to mention you’ll know what’s in them.) Most of the things you’ll need to make each one can be bought in any grocery or health food store.
There is a little bit of everything inside of Mother Earth’s Medicine Cabinet. Anemia is a condition that occurs when your blood doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells, also known as hemoglobin. The hemoglobin in our red blood cells is extremely important for maintaining good health. If you have abnormal blood cells or not enough of them your body will not get enough oxygen.
What Is Anemia?