Staying healthy and keeping your immune system in tip-top shape is top of mind for many of us, especially during cold and flu season. Here are the top ways to naturally support your immune system.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), AKA Indian Ginseng, is a member of the Solanaceae family. Ashwagandha, known as the ginseng of Ayurvedic medicine, is an ancient medicinal herb with multiple health benefits. Ayurveda is a traditional alternative medicine based on Indian principles of natural healing. People have used ashwagandha for thousands of years, and it has over 4,000 years of traditional use in its native India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. A short shrub, growing from 15-30 inches tall, has yellow flowers and bears fruit found in husks, similar to a Chinese lantern, a ground cherry. Ashwagandha is native to hot and arid climates but does well in North American gardens if started early indoors. Germination usually takes a few weeks. Ashwagandha leaves can be used in teas. Ashwagandha Roots can be harvested in the fall of the first or second year and used fresh or dried for tinctures or teas. Ashwagandha berries provide an alternative source for rennet, which is essential to home cheese making. Pkt Size/Approx. Seeds 0.1 mg ~30+ Seeds • "Indian ginseng" or "winter cherry." •Perennial zones 8-11, Grown as an annual in zones 4-7 •GMO-Free •Open-Pollinated •USA-grown Seeds •Square Foot Garden Spacing 2 •USDA Zones: 4-11 We are excited to offer you carefully selected heirloom garden seeds in airtight bags to keep them fresh for longer. Our bags are more effective than paper packets, and we label each bag with information on the current season, growing tips, and germination tests. We are committed to providing you with only the best quality seeds, so we don't stock any GMO seeds and follow the "Safe Seed Pledge." We understand you can't wait to start your garden, so we try to ship all orders within 24-48 hours. It may take a bit longer during peak growing seasons, but we promise to get your order to you as soon as possible. • ALWAYS FREE SHIPPING on all orders of $35.00 or more. • Flat Rate shipping no matter how many seed packets you order. • Discover more amazing selections on https://bgseedsllc.com. Check it out now!
Echinacea is excellent for supporting the immune system during a cold. As a teenager I was involved in dancing, acting and singing and went to auditions every now and again. The day before a very
Today, I'd like to continue our conversation about mullein, aka Verbascum thapsus.By now, you know how to iden
What is Ayurveda? The word Ayurveda is Sanskrit and may be translated as knowledge of life or knowledge of longevity. It’s an ancient health system that originated in India, and it views the body holistically, inseparable from the mind, the body, and the soul and the organs within the body holistically. Based on the reference, Ayurveda arose between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago and the ancient texts. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda share many commonalities. Ayurvedic Texts The knowledge of Ayurveda was revealed to ancient seers, called rishi, in India, and was passed down orally for centuries until being written down in a number of sacred texts known as the Vedas, of which there are four: Rig Veda (3000-2500 BC) Yajur Veda (1200-1000 BC) Sam Veda (1200-1000 BC) Atharva Veda (1200-1000 BC) The Vedas cover all aspects of health including health, healthcare techniques, spirituality, human behavior, government, politics, and astrology. From them, the Ayurvedic medicine texts were written and four major texts are still used today: Charaka Samhita: a major compendium of Ayurvedic medical theory compiled in Sanskrit ~800 BC and still used for training Ayurvedic physicians today Ashtanga Hridaya and Ashtanga Sangraha emphasize the material value of life and define the workings of the water and earth elements in life. These texts were written by an Ayurvedic physician Vagbhata circa 400 BC. Sushruta Samhita is a surgical text dating to ~700 BC with information on the Ayurvedic definition of health and on blood with details about marma points and also about the fire and water elements of the body. This book, written by Sushruta, even describes skin grafting and reconstructive surgery. And, three minor texts: Sarangadhar Samhita Bhav Prakash Madhava Nidan Before 2000 BC, Ayurveda was categorized into two schools, one focused on internal medicine and a second focused on surgery. How does Ayurveda differ from Western medicine? Rather than focus on a disease or pathology, Ayurveda assumes that for true health, a being must be in balance energetically and Ayurveda seeks the root cause of the disease in order to remove the imbalance from a person’s life so that health (aka balance) can be restored. In Ayurveda, there are three causes of disease. Hang with me here because at face value, you might dismiss them: Disrespecting your senses Making choices from a place of ego Living in disharmony with the rhythms of nature Let’s break these down. Disrespecting your senses At its core, this particular pathway to disease causes numbing of your mind to what's going on within your body. Or, allowing external factors to consume your awareness so that you aren't sufficiently paying attention to what's going on within your body. Let's break this one down more. When smell, sight, taste, touch, and sound are overstimulated, this harms your body and your mind, both of which require moderation and balance for healthy function. Ayurveda being a holistic wellness system attunes you to the subtler aspects of the world, and we’ll talk about that in more detail here in a sec. When you allow your senses to be overstimulated, the body and the mind become confused. Imagine, eating something very spicy. How well are you able to taste for the next 8 to 12 hours? Your taste buds become damaged by the overstimulation. Imagine how your sense of hearing is impaired by ringing in your ears after attending a concert. Your sense of smell after smelling scents that are too strong. Your sense of touch… when you receive stimulation that is too strong, this is perceived as pain. Touching a hot stove, stubbing your toe. Our five senses originally provided keen awareness of our surroundings, and in today’s world of overstimulation, it’s easy to overstimulate any one of your senses. Going deeper, each of your senses is associated with a different element: Space/ether is the element associated with hearing Air/wind is the element associated with touch Fire is the element associated with sight Water is the element associated with taste Earth is the element associated with smell According to Ayurveda, these five elements compose all things in nature, from the seasons to your body. And, keeping these five elements in proper balance within your body is the key to wellness. Revisiting this idea of disrespecting your senses once more, you might think of it as a way to allow too much of some elements into your body, and in Ayurveda, everything that enters your body, whether through your mouth, through your eyes, or through any of your other sense organs has to be processed and digested. We’ll circle back around to digestion after covering the other two causes of disease. Making choices from a place of ego When’s the last time you ate something you knew would likely cause you pain in the future? For me, as one example, I don’t tolerate wine well anymore. Even 2 ounces, a third of a glass, is sometimes enough to trigger a hangover the next day. I’ve also noticed certain foods that trigger symptoms within my body, some very common foods, like tomatoes, which I love. Gluten is another major issue and is one of the foods that almost assuredly will trigger Hashimoto's symptoms for me. And, these decisions don't stop at food choices. Anytime you choose to do something that past experience has taught you not to do, whether this is choosing: work over quality time with loved ones making poor food choices for your body choosing to maintain relationships that are detrimental to your mental and emotional wellness hitting snooze for the third time rather than getting out of bed and meditating or exercising staying up until 2 am binge watching Netflix overextending yourself in your work life or personal life so you have no time to care for your basic needs, like sleeping, eating, and taking bio breaks whatever all the things are that we all know better and somehow cannot consistently do better, that’s where we put our egos ahead of our health. And, the same thing is true in the opposite direction. For instance, exercising too much or too vigorously is contraindicated in Ayurveda. The science focuses heavily on moderation in all things, especially physical things, so as to create an environment where you are better able to connect with the spiritual aspect of your being. Because Ayurveda seeks health and harmony for both mind and body, it helps dramatically improve your connection to the subtle energies within and around you. Living in disharmony with nature Daily rhythm and how this aligns with your circadian rhythm Shift work and working the night shift is associated with higher risk for heart attacks, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, GI conditions like ulcers and IBS, increased problems with fertility and pregnancy, and even cancer. In 2007, a subcommittee of the WHO actually stated that shift work is “probably carcinogenic”. Data shows a correlation between night shift work and a 50% increase in the risk of breast cancer. And, data suggests that there may be a correlation between night shift work and increased risk of colorectal and prostate cancer. In Ayurveda, day and night are divided into three times: From 6 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 10 pm is the heavy time of day. You can think of this as a rooted or grounded times as you’re just waking up in the morning and also preparing for bed in the evening. It’s encouraged to use these times to build habits as you may be more successful in making those habits stick by performing the activity during this time because the elements of 6 to 10 are earth and water, stable and strengthening. One challenge for you: try exercising during the 6 to 10 window either in the morning or evening and see whether you have more strength and stamina than at your normal time of day if it’s outside this window. One caution here, if you opt for evening exercise, wrap it up before 8 pm so that you allow time for sleep to enter before bedtime. From 10 am to 2 pm and 10 pm to 2 am is the efficient, transformative time of day. This is likely when you’re most productive at work during the day time, and the day time part of this, that 10 am to 2 pm is intended for your mind to use for getting stuff done. Likewise, from 10 pm to 2 am is the time the body uses for repairing itself. Ayurveda strongly encourages being in bed with your eyes closed (and more preferably asleep) by 10 pm. From 2 pm to 6 pm and 2 am to 6 am is the light time of day, the time of day when we’re most creative. In the morning time, it’s considered the best time for meditation and prayer especially immediately upon rising, before breaking your night time fast as this is a time for your body to be most connected with its highest self. So, in modern Western terms, what’s your circadian rhythm look like? Cortisol peaks in the morning. Some sources say about 30 minutes after you wake up. Some sources say about 6 to 7 am. Your basal body temperature takes a nose dive sometime around 10 pm and starts to climb again in the morning peaking in the mid afternoon. The tendency to fall asleep and stay asleep occurs during the decreasing phase of your body temperature’s circadian rhythm (about 10 pm to around 4 am). Lastly, melatonin levels drop precipitously by about 7 am and begin picking up around 8 pm peaking sometime between about midnight and 3 am. So, these ancient seers were definitely onto something. And, Ayurveda recommends living in flow with the daily rhythm. Expanding beyond the rhythm of the day, let’s explore seasonal living. References https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/where-ayurveda-come-from (major and minor texts) https://www.sandhillsneurologists.com/melatonin-and-sleep/ https://fanaticcook.com/2019/02/02/humans-body-temperature-changes-throughout-the-day-but-not-by-much/ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/shiftwork#your-metabolism-at-night https://www.integrativepro.com/articles/the-role-of-cortisol https://louis.oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/115/student/?task=2 https://ayurvedicoils.com/ also https://www.easyayurveda.com/2014/12/11/sandalwood-benefits-how-to-use-side-effects-research/#use_in_celibacy https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/where-ayurveda-come-from https://www.ayurveda.com/2021/08/25/the-ancient-ayurvedic-writings/ https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/shift-work https://www.webmd.com/lung/what-is-a-fever#1 and https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/time-to-redefine-normal-body-temperature-2020031319173 body temps today about a degree lower than in 1860
Mother Nature provides us with a bounty of beneficial ingredients that promote healing, without the side effects associated with pharmaceutical alternatives. And today, I'm going to show you how to make an all natural - yet potent - topical antibacterial solution for cuts, scrapes and other minor injuries. By Guest Writer Alex ‘Earthie Mama’ Du Toit
What a great way to get that saggy stomach back again! I know it can be really depressing to look at those stretch marks on your stomach and believe me when I tell you it can be a really hard thing to...
What is Ayurveda? The word Ayurveda is Sanskrit and may be translated as knowledge of life or knowledge of longevity. It’s an ancient health system that originated in India, and it views the body holistically, inseparable from the mind, the body, and the soul and the organs within the body holistically. Based on the reference, Ayurveda arose between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago and the ancient texts. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda share many commonalities. Ayurvedic Texts The knowledge of Ayurveda was revealed to ancient seers, called rishi, in India, and was passed down orally for centuries until being written down in a number of sacred texts known as the Vedas, of which there are four: Rig Veda (3000-2500 BC) Yajur Veda (1200-1000 BC) Sam Veda (1200-1000 BC) Atharva Veda (1200-1000 BC) The Vedas cover all aspects of health including health, healthcare techniques, spirituality, human behavior, government, politics, and astrology. From them, the Ayurvedic medicine texts were written and four major texts are still used today: Charaka Samhita: a major compendium of Ayurvedic medical theory compiled in Sanskrit ~800 BC and still used for training Ayurvedic physicians today Ashtanga Hridaya and Ashtanga Sangraha emphasize the material value of life and define the workings of the water and earth elements in life. These texts were written by an Ayurvedic physician Vagbhata circa 400 BC. Sushruta Samhita is a surgical text dating to ~700 BC with information on the Ayurvedic definition of health and on blood with details about marma points and also about the fire and water elements of the body. This book, written by Sushruta, even describes skin grafting and reconstructive surgery. And, three minor texts: Sarangadhar Samhita Bhav Prakash Madhava Nidan Before 2000 BC, Ayurveda was categorized into two schools, one focused on internal medicine and a second focused on surgery. How does Ayurveda differ from Western medicine? Rather than focus on a disease or pathology, Ayurveda assumes that for true health, a being must be in balance energetically and Ayurveda seeks the root cause of the disease in order to remove the imbalance from a person’s life so that health (aka balance) can be restored. In Ayurveda, there are three causes of disease. Hang with me here because at face value, you might dismiss them: Disrespecting your senses Making choices from a place of ego Living in disharmony with the rhythms of nature Let’s break these down. Disrespecting your senses At its core, this particular pathway to disease causes numbing of your mind to what's going on within your body. Or, allowing external factors to consume your awareness so that you aren't sufficiently paying attention to what's going on within your body. Let's break this one down more. When smell, sight, taste, touch, and sound are overstimulated, this harms your body and your mind, both of which require moderation and balance for healthy function. Ayurveda being a holistic wellness system attunes you to the subtler aspects of the world, and we’ll talk about that in more detail here in a sec. When you allow your senses to be overstimulated, the body and the mind become confused. Imagine, eating something very spicy. How well are you able to taste for the next 8 to 12 hours? Your taste buds become damaged by the overstimulation. Imagine how your sense of hearing is impaired by ringing in your ears after attending a concert. Your sense of smell after smelling scents that are too strong. Your sense of touch… when you receive stimulation that is too strong, this is perceived as pain. Touching a hot stove, stubbing your toe. Our five senses originally provided keen awareness of our surroundings, and in today’s world of overstimulation, it’s easy to overstimulate any one of your senses. Going deeper, each of your senses is associated with a different element: Space/ether is the element associated with hearing Air/wind is the element associated with touch Fire is the element associated with sight Water is the element associated with taste Earth is the element associated with smell According to Ayurveda, these five elements compose all things in nature, from the seasons to your body. And, keeping these five elements in proper balance within your body is the key to wellness. Revisiting this idea of disrespecting your senses once more, you might think of it as a way to allow too much of some elements into your body, and in Ayurveda, everything that enters your body, whether through your mouth, through your eyes, or through any of your other sense organs has to be processed and digested. We’ll circle back around to digestion after covering the other two causes of disease. Making choices from a place of ego When’s the last time you ate something you knew would likely cause you pain in the future? For me, as one example, I don’t tolerate wine well anymore. Even 2 ounces, a third of a glass, is sometimes enough to trigger a hangover the next day. I’ve also noticed certain foods that trigger symptoms within my body, some very common foods, like tomatoes, which I love. Gluten is another major issue and is one of the foods that almost assuredly will trigger Hashimoto's symptoms for me. And, these decisions don't stop at food choices. Anytime you choose to do something that past experience has taught you not to do, whether this is choosing: work over quality time with loved ones making poor food choices for your body choosing to maintain relationships that are detrimental to your mental and emotional wellness hitting snooze for the third time rather than getting out of bed and meditating or exercising staying up until 2 am binge watching Netflix overextending yourself in your work life or personal life so you have no time to care for your basic needs, like sleeping, eating, and taking bio breaks whatever all the things are that we all know better and somehow cannot consistently do better, that’s where we put our egos ahead of our health. And, the same thing is true in the opposite direction. For instance, exercising too much or too vigorously is contraindicated in Ayurveda. The science focuses heavily on moderation in all things, especially physical things, so as to create an environment where you are better able to connect with the spiritual aspect of your being. Because Ayurveda seeks health and harmony for both mind and body, it helps dramatically improve your connection to the subtle energies within and around you. Living in disharmony with nature Daily rhythm and how this aligns with your circadian rhythm Shift work and working the night shift is associated with higher risk for heart attacks, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, GI conditions like ulcers and IBS, increased problems with fertility and pregnancy, and even cancer. In 2007, a subcommittee of the WHO actually stated that shift work is “probably carcinogenic”. Data shows a correlation between night shift work and a 50% increase in the risk of breast cancer. And, data suggests that there may be a correlation between night shift work and increased risk of colorectal and prostate cancer. In Ayurveda, day and night are divided into three times: From 6 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 10 pm is the heavy time of day. You can think of this as a rooted or grounded times as you’re just waking up in the morning and also preparing for bed in the evening. It’s encouraged to use these times to build habits as you may be more successful in making those habits stick by performing the activity during this time because the elements of 6 to 10 are earth and water, stable and strengthening. One challenge for you: try exercising during the 6 to 10 window either in the morning or evening and see whether you have more strength and stamina than at your normal time of day if it’s outside this window. One caution here, if you opt for evening exercise, wrap it up before 8 pm so that you allow time for sleep to enter before bedtime. From 10 am to 2 pm and 10 pm to 2 am is the efficient, transformative time of day. This is likely when you’re most productive at work during the day time, and the day time part of this, that 10 am to 2 pm is intended for your mind to use for getting stuff done. Likewise, from 10 pm to 2 am is the time the body uses for repairing itself. Ayurveda strongly encourages being in bed with your eyes closed (and more preferably asleep) by 10 pm. From 2 pm to 6 pm and 2 am to 6 am is the light time of day, the time of day when we’re most creative. In the morning time, it’s considered the best time for meditation and prayer especially immediately upon rising, before breaking your night time fast as this is a time for your body to be most connected with its highest self. So, in modern Western terms, what’s your circadian rhythm look like? Cortisol peaks in the morning. Some sources say about 30 minutes after you wake up. Some sources say about 6 to 7 am. Your basal body temperature takes a nose dive sometime around 10 pm and starts to climb again in the morning peaking in the mid afternoon. The tendency to fall asleep and stay asleep occurs during the decreasing phase of your body temperature’s circadian rhythm (about 10 pm to around 4 am). Lastly, melatonin levels drop precipitously by about 7 am and begin picking up around 8 pm peaking sometime between about midnight and 3 am. So, these ancient seers were definitely onto something. And, Ayurveda recommends living in flow with the daily rhythm. Expanding beyond the rhythm of the day, let’s explore seasonal living. References https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/where-ayurveda-come-from (major and minor texts) https://www.sandhillsneurologists.com/melatonin-and-sleep/ https://fanaticcook.com/2019/02/02/humans-body-temperature-changes-throughout-the-day-but-not-by-much/ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/shiftwork#your-metabolism-at-night https://www.integrativepro.com/articles/the-role-of-cortisol https://louis.oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/115/student/?task=2 https://ayurvedicoils.com/ also https://www.easyayurveda.com/2014/12/11/sandalwood-benefits-how-to-use-side-effects-research/#use_in_celibacy https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/where-ayurveda-come-from https://www.ayurveda.com/2021/08/25/the-ancient-ayurvedic-writings/ https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/shift-work https://www.webmd.com/lung/what-is-a-fever#1 and https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/time-to-redefine-normal-body-temperature-2020031319173 body temps today about a degree lower than in 1860
I had about a dozen cupping treatments with her and then I didn’t get cupped anymore for a while—that is, until
Holy Basil is an herbaceous plant in the mint family that is native to South Asia. It grows throughout lowland regions of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, southern China, Thailand, and Malaysia. The species name, sanctum, reflects the sacred nature of the plant in Indian culture. Holy basil includes a few species and varieties.
Learn how to grow your own antibacterial bandages at home by cultivating this one simple inexpensive common herb, whooly lamb's ear.
Herbal antibiotics help fight infections, such as UTIs, and speed wound healing. Many also fight viruses, like colds and flu. They are gaining interest as treatments for antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Simple cuts and simple burns don't stand a chance against this healing salve. Made with antibacterial and antiviral ingredients, it's perfect for any home.
Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? Did you know that 1 in 10 Americans have medically unexplained conditions? 1 Are you one of them? 10% of us feel less than our healthy best despite Americans spending upwards of 4.6 trillion dollars on health care. 2 Many of us suffer from brain […]
When it comes to functional medicine versus integrative medicine, the two terms are often used interchangeably because there are some commonalities between them.
Turmeric paste, also known as 'golden paste', medicinal benefits for both you and your pet are now mainstream. And for good reason.
You know turmeric is good for you, but here's even more reasons why it should be a part of your daily diet.
from the kitchen at Gartur Stitch Farm
Disposable pads and tampons cause environmental waste and contain chemicals and pesticides. Try natural alternatives like a menstrual cup or reusable pads!
Herbal extracts are arguably the most potent way to deliver the healing and balancing benefits of herbs to our bodies. And, compared with alcohol-based tinctures, herbal glycerites are faster to make, alcohol-free, and taste better. A plus for kids! Keeps 3 to 5 years.
If someone you know has cancer, learn how Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Reflexology can support the body’s natural healing process to restore health and vitality.
It’s that time of year again! It seemed like one day there was hardly anything green and the next the lane was covered in fresh young nettles, assuring me that, despite some cold evenings thi…
Aviva Romm, MD-midwife-herbalist, bridges the best of traditional wisdom and modern medicine for women's and children's health.
If someone you know has cancer, learn how Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Reflexology can support the body’s natural healing process to restore health and vitality.
This 200+ year old Haymaker's Punch recipe (also known as Switchel) is high in potassium, vitamin C, and is a great source of electrolytes.
Do you love essential oils? Check out these top uses for Tea Tree Essential Oil. AKA Melaleuca. They are all amazing and super helpful!
Plantain weed has been called "life medicine". We'll show you how to use the fresh leaves and dried leaves for natural remedies such as salve and tea.
Find out why traditionally fermented grains prepared via sprouting, soaking and fermenting may have problems, especially for some people.
Find out how propolis, also known as "bee glue," can work to help boost your immune system, heal your skin, protect your gut, and more.
Having problems in the bedrooms, loss of libido or decreased intensity of orgasms? Well my friend, you have low testerosterone, also known as Andropause.
Commonly mistaken for a weed, purslane is one of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet. Find out how to identify it and use it in 20 delicious recipes! #purslane #verdolagas #foraging
If you suffer from Social Anxiety Constipation, here’s what can help you poo if you’re feeling constipated because the pooing conditions are less than ideal.
