Tea

It grows in meadows and fields, and you might find one or two popping up in your yard. It’s a soldier-straight plant with heart-shaped leaves and delicate pink or yellow flowers. But don’t try to pick it, or even brush up against it. The tiny hairs on the stinging nettle release chemicals that will make you wish you hadn’t.

But this obnoxious perennial plant is actually a very useful medicinal plant – and ironically, can take away the itch and sting of insect bites or eczema.

Before there was ever the white gelatin, sugary puffs, there was the marshmallow, which unlike the sweet is actually quite an amazing plant. Marshmallow, otherwise known as Althaea officinalis, is a perennial species plant which is native to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. The root of the Marshmallow plant has often been used for many different purposes involving both health and medicine. Among many, here are 5 marvelous uses of marshmallow root.

Tea is, and has always been, far more than just something to quench the thirst and please the palate. For thousands of years, tea has been one of the go-to medicines for many ancient healers. Not only can different teas provide healing properties, they also provide preventative means for the body. For instance, green tea is packed full of antioxidants, which oxidize and help repair any damaged cells that could cause potential health issues.

When cold and flu season strikes Chicken Noodle Soup is usually on the menu. If you look at some of the good old-fashioned, and even more modern versions, you will see these 4 herbs. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme are all very well-known herbs used for holistic and ancient healing. Each of the herbs contains healing benefits on top of great taste. If you don’t already have these 4 herbs in your arsenal – whether it is the kitchen cabinet or the medicine cabinet – I suggest you add them! These aromatic herbs are wonderful for aromatherapy too.

Tea is a standby in many of our lives, especially during the cold winter months. But some types can be particularly useful depending on your Ayurvedic dosha. Find out your dosha here if you don’t know it yet, then make your tea selections according to the list below!

If you don’t know what herbal tonics are, winter is a really great time to learn about them. They are easy to make and simple to store, but the benefits are incredible.

What Are Tonics?

Herbal tonics consist of an infusion of herbs mixed with water, consumable alcohol, vinegar, or oil. Tonics are used to restore and refresh our bodies, as well aspromote our general health and well-being. There are various ‘tonic herbs’ that will increase your overall vitality, improve longevity, invigorate the internal systems, and even strengthen the spirit.

Lately, I’ve been really good about going to the gym four times a week. However, when my mom and dad came down with a cold, I couldn’t help but think of the bright side of things—if I caught what was going around, I’d get a few days of rest from the gym. If I could manage to eat anything right now, I’d be eating my words because this sickness is terrible. I’d take the gym over this sore throat that refuses to go away a million times over. Since I always seem to become ill pretty early in the cold and flu season, I decided to look into foods I could eat to help my body fight back.

I was sitting under a handmade woven thatched roof in Northern Thailand, ordering fresh vegetarian dinner, when I first received a pot of lemongrass tea. To say that it was epic would be an understatement. True, the scenery was unparalleled, with the mountains surrounding Sipsongpanna (the thousand rice paddies) and the Pai river spanning my vision, the delicious smell of curries and other spices wafting. It was my first introduction to the detoxifying and nourishing magic of lemongrass, something I have never forgotten.

Roses may bloom in summer, but their rosehips will serve you well past the warm months. These little red gems contain 50% more vitamin C than an orange! Unfortunately, many people don’t seem to know their benefits (or even what a rosehip looks like). While I was out collecting rosehips from local rosebushes (they grow in a park in my neighborhood), people were looking at me like I had five heads. That didn’t stop me though, and it shouldn’t stop you! If you have your own rosebush, or know of local rose bushes, here are 3 ways to use their versatile fruit.

American beautyberry is also known as French mulberry, sour-bush, bunch-berry, and purple beautyberry. The berries grow all throughout the Southeastern USA. Funny enough, it’s actually the leaves and stems that have the most power in warding of bugs in this DIY spray.