Burning dried wood from the “mystical” palo santo tree, and collecting its concentrated oils, have been widely used in folk medicines and by shamans (“medicine men”) for centuries. Reason being: The palo santo tree has long been thought to have special spiritual qualities. For ritual participants who observe the practice and take in palo santo’s…
Along with cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg, the clove is a spice with a distinctly pungent flavor that gives "pumpkin pie spice" and goodies like gingerbread cookies their signature taste. Beyond reminding us of autumn and winter holidays, cloves also have nutritional value. For example, cloves benefits include: fighting inflammation and infections numbing pain supporting metabolic…
More pungent in taste than closely related greens like kale, cabbage and collard greens, the bitter quality of mustard greens is a sign of their high phytonutrient content. Why are mustard greens good for you? They're are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and protective antioxidants, including glucosinolates and polyphenols, yet because of their slimming calorie count,…
Remember when the only option you had to pair your jelly sandwiches with was peanut butter? Those days are long gone. With countless varieties of nut and seed butters, like almond and cashew, on the scene, there have never been more options to slather on toast or dip apples in, but have you heard about…
From pizza crusts to pastries, many popular grain-based products start out as wheat berries. From there, these grains are often drained of their nutrients, ground into white flour, heavily processed and sold on the shelves of your local supermarket. While these ultra-processed foods may not be so stellar for your health, they start out full…
With its zesty, peppery flavor and its extensive list of health benefits, ginger root is equal parts delicious and nutritious. It’s one of the most used dietary condiments in the world today, versatile, easy to add to recipes, and ginger benefits have been associated with everything from beating motion sickness to better brain function. The…
Pink Himalayan salt is considered to be one the most beneficial as well as the cleanest salts available today. It has all kinds of nutritional and therapeutic properties, not to mention culinary uses. While it's often used as a healthier option to processed salt, you can also use it to create homemade body scrubs and…
Seeds are a versatile ingredient that can be used to add a quick pop of texture and nutrition to nearly any meal. From chia seed pudding to roasted pumpkin seeds to pine nut pesto and beyond, there are endless ways to squeeze in your daily dose of the healthiest seeds while bumping up your intake…
We know that inflammation is at the root of most diseases, and the average American adult is dealing with some sort of systemic inflammation issue. It's a common denominator that can be addressed naturally and, really, quite easily with dietary and lifestyle changes — like adding more anti-inflammatory herbs to your diet. The inflammation issue…
Have you heard about the "botox of the Far East"? There are no needles, and you can even do it yourself. It's a natural therapy called gua sha. This ancient massage technique is now mainstream, especially facial gua sha. Considering how easy it is to find the necessary tools and perform facial gua sha in…
