The pear is a member of the family Rosaceae, or rose family. The genus contains four species and is native to the area of the Caucasus. The Aryan tribes introduced the pear to other parts of Europe and Northern India. There are more than 1000 varieties of pears existing today and they are rich in nutrients. Cultivating and grafting of the plant was developed in Greece in approximately 300 B.C.E.
Bone is living tissue, meaning that how we treat it is how it will respond (in most cases). Osteoporosis—a condition in which bones become brittle and easily broken—and osteopenia—the thinning of bones—are life-changing conditions that can result in a number of problems, including fractures and joint pain.
Apples are a member of the family Rosaceae, the Rose family in the genus Malus Mill. or apple P. This genus contains thirty-six species. There are about 10,000 varieties of apples throughout the world, of which 7,000 can be found in the United States.
Frankly, with words like chia, flax, probiotics, goji, and more making the rounds, it’s understandable to become sick of the whole bandwagon of health food and stick to a normal diet instead.
There are many species of cranberry that grow in the temperate zones of the world, the species Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton is the cranberry native to North America. It is found in both the northeastern and northwestern areas of the continent and was used by the Native Peoples for food and medicine. They introduced the plant to the pilgrims, who used the fruit for pie and tart filling; recipes have been recorded as early as 1672.
Squash (the winter species) is native to Central America and evolved around the same time as flowering plants, approximately 350 million years ago. However, it was not until 13,000 B.C.E. that man began using squash to make cups, containers, and floats for fishing nets. It was one of the earliest cultivated plants, first farmed in 10,000 B.C.E., but because of its bitter taste was not used as a food source until several thousands of years later when squash was bred to have a sweeter taste.
What do avocado, acorn squash, and wild salmon all have in common? They are examples of foods that contain the highest amounts of potassium, an essential nutrient used to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. In this case, potassium helps to keep the body hydrated and collaborates with sodium to support cellular function.
Mushrooms have been eaten as food and used as a healing aid since pre-history starting in the Neolithic period. They were first found in in the prehistoric lake dwellings in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Truffles were found in Greece and Rome where they cultivated the small Agrocybe aegerita on pieces of poplar trunks. In China and Japan they’ve grown shitake mushrooms on rotting logs. In 1678, a French botanist demonstrated the cultivation of mushrooms by transplanting their mycelia.
There are so many vitamins and minerals required for human beings to function happily and healthily each day, and it is easy to take these things for granted. How many automatic processes are happening in our bodies every second that we are not aware of? It is an amazing thing to think about, and—it can also be a bit overwhelming. There is so much to know!
The artichoke has origins in the Mediterranean basin. It is a member of the thistle family and evolved from the cardoon plant. It is the bud part of the plant before it flowers, which is edible. It is composed of triangular scales around the central choke known as the heart and only the lower half or fleshy part of each scale can be eaten, but the heart is the most delectable part of the artichoke. The immature bud can be eaten in its entirety.