The month of May makes me think of roses, especially with Mother’s Day this weekend.  Rose is the "Queen of Flowers" and has many benefits from physical to energetic.  It has been known for thousands of years for its beauty and fragrance.  Why Rose is the Queen of Flowers For skincare, rose has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.  Rose’s cooling and soothing nature is great for irritated, inflamed skin. The fruit of the rose plant is called “rosehip”, an

With the weather getting warmer, I naturally turn to eating lighter foods. On especially hot days, I lighten up with salads, which have come a long way from the days of iceberg lettuce with sliced tomato. Just about anything from your fridge and pantry can be tossed into a salad, so you’ll never get bored.  Lighten Up with Salads Below is a chart for creating salads; simply choose from the Greens , Veggies , Protein , and Fat categories and add to a bowl or plate. The Grains

High dietary sugar intake causes so much damage to the body.  It can suppress the immune system, disturb vitamin and mineral balance, contribute to weight gain, and cause systemic inflammation. Chronic or systemic inflammation in the body leads to, or contributes to, the development of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. But high sugar intake can also contribute to aging skin.  Sugar and Your Aging Skin Cross-linking and glycation are processes that o

Herbal salves are useful for a variety of skin issues, including cuts, scrapes, bruises, irritated skin, dry skin, acne scars, arthritis, and so much more. They’re also easy to make, so this is the perfect project for beginner herbalists. So give it a try - make these herbal salves for natural skin care. Herbal Salves for Natural Skin Care Where to Get Your Herbs If you're a gardener, then you're all set; you can grow some of these herbs. If you don't wish to start from seed,

If feeling under the weather or having digestive issues, try this recipe with basmati rice, cilantro, lime, scallions, and garlic oil.  All the ingredients aid digestion and have other benefits as well.  Basmati rice is nourishing, satisfies your stomach, and is easy-to-digest.  It also builds “ojas” - an Ayurvedic term that pertains to a person’s heartiness and vitality.  Cilantro is a strong blood cleanser, a cholagogue, and calms the immune system.  Lime is an internal det

Is your garden ready for planting? If so, consider companion planting, which is the idea that one or more plants when grown close to each other will benefit somehow. Read about the advantages of companion planting ; and use the companion planting chart below to help plan your garden. Companion Planting Chart Plant Good Companions Not So Good Companions Asparagus Basil, calendula, parsley, petunias, tomatoes   Beans Carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, potatoes

Power Bowls and Buddha Bowls are comforting one-bowl meals; and they're basically the same, except that Buddha Bowls are usually vegetarian and contain a plant-based protein such as tofu, tempeh or legumes. There are no hard and fast rules for making a Power Bowl, but the basic formula is to start with a base ingredient such as a whole grain or a starchy vegetable. You add a protein source and then sliced and diced vegetables (raw, grilled, sautéed and/or roasted).  Add herb

There’s nothing like hot soup on a cold winter day.  This Mediterranean White Bean Soup is loaded with vegetables and white beans, so it’s hearty and healthy.  Cannellini beans are fat free and a great source of fiber, iron, folate, and magnesium.  If you use vegetable broth rather than chicken broth, then you'll have a nice meatless dish. Mediterranean White Bean Soup Recipe Ingredients: 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil ½ large onion, diced 2 cloves garlic 1 cup carrots, diced 1 cup

A good night’s sleep is important to rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit.  In Ayurveda, sleep is one of the three pillars of good health.  Learn about the power of sleep - its benefits as well as what you can do. The Power of Sleep The Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep The benefits of healthy sleep include a strong immune system, maintaining a healthy weight, a lower risk for developing a serious health problem, reduced stress, an improved mood, improved cognition and decis

In November, we no longer fluctuate between warm and cold days - the cold has arrived. So we now need more warming, cooked foods that nourish the body, especially our digestion. Sweet Potatoes, pumpkin and squashes have been absorbing the sun's energy all summer long in the garden. This stored "sun" energy gives them a warm heartiness that can comfort you through cold, blustery days. These orange vegetables are high in beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, which your body con

According to Ayurveda, other than accidents or injuries, most diseases begin with gut health. Your digestive system processes the food and drink that you consume, and breaks it down into essential nutrients. The nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream, where the body will then create new tissue with these nutrients; and the waste will then be eliminated. For the digestive system to do this properly, there are some basic rules of eating that will make a huge difference

Yummy roasted butternut squash with ghee, maple syrup and cinnamon! Butternut squash is hearty, grounding and warming. Like other orange vegetables, it's high in beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for the immune system, and in Autumn our immune systems could use a little boost. Ghee is clarified butter, a process where the hard-to-digest cholesterol milk-forming solids are removed. Ghee is easy-to-digest and he

Spicy roasted chickpeas make for a healthy snack, and can also be used as a topping on salads, baked potatoes, and veggie bowels. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans as they're sometimes called, are nutritious and high in plant-based protein and fiber. Play with the spices in this recipe to get it just right for you. One of the spices I use is Sumac, which comes from the Middle East and has a tangy citrus flavor. If you can't find Sumac at your local store, you can order it onli

It’s early-Autumn and my lips are already getting dry and cracked. If yours are too, then make this lip balm with healing Calendula and soothing Coconut Oil. Calendula is an anti-inflammatory herb, ideal for chapped, brittle, or cracked lips; and Coconut Oil inhibits skin moisture loss and makes the skin smooth. The Calendula is infused in Olive Oil, which hydrates and nourishes dry, cracked, or chapped lips. Calendula Lip Balm Recipe for Dry, Cracked Lips I like making so

Do you have a lot of zucchini from your garden this year? If so, try this light Gluten Free Zucchini Bread. It's also dairy-free. Gluten Free Zucchini Bread Recipe Ingredients 1 3/4 cup of Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free 1 to 1 Baking Flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cloves 1/2 cup Walnut Oil (or a good quality vegetable oil) 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar

The heat has been brutal this summer, so to help cool off, try this tea with rose petals and hibiscus. Rose is sweet, grounding, an anti-inflammatory and strongly cools the body. Hibiscus is a tropical herb that is refreshing sour and astringent. It strongly cools the body, is a diuretic, and is rich in antioxidants. It's also high in vitamin C, so it helps boost the immune system. To brew this tea: In a pot, bring a few cups of water almost to a boil; add a heaping teasp

Start preparing for the cold and flu season now. One herb that is beneficial for respiratory health is mullein (Verbascum Thapsis). It's abundant now; so forage what you can if you see it growing while walking or hiking. However, don't pick any herb that grows along a busy highway or road (which mullein does); rather go in about a mile to gather any plants. Read more about mullein for respiratory health - it's history and benefits. Mullein for Respiratory Health The History o

With the high heat lately, I definitely don’t feel like cooking. But I’m trying quick meals with no, or very little, cooking. Also, I have an abundance of zucchini now, so I tried this easy Mediterranean-inspired zucchini & chickpea sauté dish. Zucchini & Chickpea Sauté Recipe Ingredients 2 tsps. olive oil 1 large or 2 small zucchini, sliced 1 bell pepper (any color), cut into strips ½ cup sliced red onion 2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in halves 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and dr

Poison Ivy, like other poisonous plants, are actually protectors of a disturbed environment. Wherever you see an abundance of any of these plants, it means that the area has been badly damaged. These plants are Mother Nature’s way of saying “Keep Out”. Their role is to keep us away until the area has healed. However, if you’ve ever broken out from poison ivy exposure, you know it can be downright miserable. Try some of these herbal remedies for treating poison ivy. Herbal

Learn how to make herbal candies for people, especially children, who don't like the taste of herbal teas or tinctures.