Nanci

Growing a mini-Ayurvedic pharmacy at home isn’t as hard as you might think—and the benefits are huge. Imagine being able to reach into your own garden, where you know exactly how plants have been grown, and picking medicine for you and your family’s well-being. There is nothing more natural; and it can be a fulfilling way to add to your household’s health.

Ayurvedic medicine uses a variety of herbs and spices to create balance and nourishment for your mind and body. There are some commonly used herbs that can be grown easily in the United States. Some of the more tropical herbs such as cardamom and turmeric may present problems for those who live outside of warm climates. But even in cold climates, these herbs can be grown indoors or in a greenhouse.

These five easy-to-grow herbs and plants can make a positive difference in your life. You can always expand your garden once you’ve mastered the basics. Through the practice of creating your own herb garden, you will open your life up to the true understanding that food is medicine.

Photo by balanceandbliss.com

Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum)

Holy basil or Tulsi is highly revered among practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine and is considered to live up to its name holy within Hinduism. It has a long association with Lord Vishnu, the preserving/sustaining personality of the Hindu godhead, and it’s easy to understand why.

This herb has many antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s prized for both its culinary and medicinal qualities. It can be used in your recipes just like its close relative, the familiar sweet basil. Holy basil leaves can also be steeped to make a great tea, which can be used to treat digestive disorders and help recover from chemotherapy.

Tulsi is generally safe for use; it can be mildly Pitta aggravating in high doses for those with a high fire content and temperature. Its main effect is on Kapha, which is why it’s so effective against colds, flus, and respiratory tract issues. Use a little in your food on a regular basis to give a boost to your general health and well-being.

How to grow holy basil: You can plant these as seeds or as a starter. The seeds need to be planted just beneath the soil at about a half-inch deep. Water as you would any other seed until you have sprouts, which should appear in about 10 days.

Once sprouted, give these plants no less than six hours of direct sunlight daily. Water the plant as needed. Although it’s resilient, you don’t want to overwater or dry it out. Pay attention to the soil and water it when it shows dryness, but before it’s bone dry. If you don’t wish to cultivate seeds for new sprouts, you can pinch back flowers. Otherwise, allow it to bud for a continual supply of this wonderful medicine. Some recommend chanting to this plant, as it seems to be curiously receptive to this practice.

Ginger (Zingiber Officinale)

You might have already experienced the benefits of ginger. It’s phenomenal at easing digestive issues, including nausea and heartburn. Ginger is a heating food, so its main effects are on Vata and Kapha imbalances.

This root is versatile and can be used to fit whatever digestive issue you may have. If you need to work on a Vata problem, use fresh, moist ginger. Choose a dried form of ginger when dealing with Kapha, as it will balance the wetness of this dosha. It positively influences every stage of the digestive process.

One of the best ways to get ginger into your diet is by making tea out of the root. It also can be chewed before meals to boost Agni and ease digestion. Ginger is an anti-inflammatory. Even if digestion is not a problem for you, regularly eating or drinking some ginger is beneficial.

How to grow ginger: Since you’ll be cultivating the root of this plant, don’t start this from seed. Ginger can be grown from the same fresh specimens you find at your local grocery. This root will tolerate most soils, but you generally want to go for nutrient-rich, loose soil. When starting your own ginger plant, take your fresh store-bought ginger and soak it overnight. Take it outside and bury it about 4 inches deep.

Water it regularly, but don’t oversaturate the root. If your ginger has knobs on it, face them upward when you place it in the ground. You want to plant ginger in a well-drained area with low sunlight. Ginger does best in shady areas, as long as it’s not a soggy spot.

You can grow ginger indoors. However, it does best as an indoor-to-outdoor transplant at the start of the season. The root stays close to the surface; be mindful of this as you’re growing it.

Critters love this stuff; take precautions specifically against caterpillars and cutworms. Harvest your ginger in about 8 to 10 months—once its growth slows down. Store by drying or freezing your root for long-lasting results.

Feverfew (Tanacetum Parthenium)

This herb has been especially useful to my family. It was one of the first plants to show me the effectiveness of Ayurvedic medicine. It has made my life easier by calming the symptoms of my beloved Pitta. For years, my wife suffered from migraines until I found this herbal treasure.

Feverfew is not a traditional Ayurvedic herb. However, it can be used in this way and is easy to grow. From an Ayurvedic perspective, feverfew or “bachelor’s buttons” carries a bitter taste and is cooling on the system. This herb is effective in balancing Pitta and Kapha. As the name implies, it’s well known for its effectiveness against fevers and other body issues that stem from overheating.

The best way to take feverfew is as a daily supplement. You can take 2 to 3 leaves of this plant daily to receive the benefits. I just throw it into meals I prepare. The taste isn’t especially strong or distracting from recipes. You might want to test your own sensitivity to this herb. Some may choose to chew the leaf directly, which is more potent.

How to grow feverfew: These plants are easy to maintain, making it a suitable herb for the beginning gardener. Feverfew is a perennial and reseeds itself. Plant your seeds close to the surface, just barely in the dirt. Make sure you pick a place where the seeds will receive plenty of sun. Don’t overwater. In my experience, Feverfew is pretty tolerant and forgiving of newbie gardeners so this a pretty low-maintenance addition to your herbal arsenal.

Aloe Vera

While this plant is technically a succulent, it’s included on this list because of its overall medicinal awesomeness. This plant, which is native to Africa, has been used as an herbal medicine since the first century A.D. and today is used in a wide array of cosmetics.

Aloe’s main effect on our bodies is cooling. It can be used on sores, cuts, and all kinds of skin conditions. It also can be used as a laxative and is effective in treating ulcers. Despite its cooling effect, aloe is actually balancing to all three doshas and is a very good detoxifier when taken as a juice. The gushy insides of the aloe leaf can be used to treat facial skin as well.

How to grow aloe vera: This is another plant that is easy to cultivate. The best method is to transplant it from a mature aloe plant. However, you also can grow it from seed. Since aloe vera plants are mostly water, they’re sensitive to cold temperatures.

Water aloe only as needed. The plants store a lot of water within their leaves and have a shallow rooting system. Slightly water the plant and then let the soil go dry before watering it again. You may feel like you’re going too long between watering.

This is another very forgiving plant; don’t be afraid to jump right in and plant one of these in your home garden. Aloe vera is drought-tolerant and requires sunlight with some shade to be happy outdoors. We keep ours indoors near a window and it has turned into an aloe “tree” on us. If you have kids, you’ll find its use for cuts and “boo boos” especially helpful.

Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia)

This herb is one of nature’s greatest gifts. Like several other previously mentioned plants, humans have a long history of cultivating and using the gifts of lavender. Its use is widely known even in mainstream society today, where it is often touted for its effectiveness as a sleep aid and its pleasant smell.

Lavender has also been known to be an effective pain reliever, anti-anxiety medicine, and a digestive aid. Oil made from this plant can be used in your bath, in massage, or a diffuser in your home. Lavender can be made into a scented oil for aromatherapy, tea, and pain-relieving oil.

How to grow lavender: Don’t overwater lavender and allow plenty of space for breeze in between new starts. I purchased this plant already sprouted and would recommend that you do the same. Depending on the region of the country you live in, it may be hard to establish a plant from seed.

Once these plants are rooted, they’re very strong. Give them full sun and allow them to dry before re-watering them. Lavender is sensitive to dampness, so watering 2-3 times a week during the summer is a good idea. They’re resistant to drought; don’t be afraid to let them dry out, once they’re established. I watered ours quite a bit at first and almost lost several plants.

Humidity can be a problem for these plants. These plants thrive with full sun and less water. There are several kinds of lavender available; do a little research and see what does best in your area.

These are just some tips I have picked up in my own journey as a gardener. I recommend doing further research—there’s a lot of herbs to choose from. Remember, growing your own medicine is not only cost-effective; it’s also healthy and sustainable.

References:

Dollemore, D. Gottlieb, B. New Choices in Natural Healing. Emmaus, Pennsylvania. Rodale Press, Inc., 1995.

Weil, A. Natural Health, Natural Medicine. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Co., 1995.

Simon, D. Chopra, D. The Chopra Center Herbal Handbook: Forty Natural Prescriptions for Perfect Health. New York. Three Rivers Press. 2000.

– See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/gardening-rx-how-to-grow-5-ayurvedic-herbs#sthash.UZiBMCtx.dpuf

Written by Leo Carver

Dietary habits are shown to affect brain structure, influencing the body both chemically and physiologically. It is becoming clear that what you consume can lead to altered behavior: You are what you eat, so to speak. Look at the foods you and those around you eat and the corresponding behavioral patterns… what do you see?

Gary Johnston, a psychotherapist specializing in anxiety disorders for over 30 years, demonstrates the important role that nutrients play in mental and nervous system disorders.

Sight, vision, muscles, heart, lungs… our entire existence depends on the nervous system. With our current dietary habits, devoid of nutrients and extensive use of pharmaceutical and recreational drugs and things like antibiotics, which are known to deplete the intestinal tract of beneficial bacteria, its no wonder gastrointestinal problems, and gut mal-absorption are leading our bodies starving for nutrients. Prepackaged foods, loaded with neurotoxins and consisting primarily of flours, sugar, and dairy are devoid of many of the required nutrients our nervous system needs to function properly.

Alcohol and sugar especially interfere with the neurotransmitters in the brain, changing our perceptions, moods, emotions and thoughts, which then can lead to mood swings, nervous system disorders, anger, anxiety, depression, and aggressive behavior. Once the body is out of balance it reaches an acidic state, which also creates an addictive state craving more of these self-defeating substances.

The solution? Nourish your nervous system! Omega 3 Fatty acids, B Vitamins, Vitamin D, and amino acids, such as tryptophan which helps synthesize serotonin in the brain are all required to nourish your cells and help improve mood and mental stability. Avoiding substances like alcohol, sugar and processed foods is key to emotional wellbeing.

Dr. Tamlin Conner, a researcher for the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand did a study showing the “causal relationship between dietary intake of fruits and vegetables and mood”

“On days when people ate more fruits and vegetables, they reported feeling calmer, happier and more energetic than they normally did,” says Dr Conner.

Further study found that a 16oz glass of fresh vegetable/fruit juice met the researchers recommendations to help improve mood.

The benefits of drinking more alkaline, chlorophyll rich juiced vegetables, such as cucumber, celery and kale is they help offset the acidic effects of the sugars and alcohol and any processed foods. Dr. Gabriel Cousens, of the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center states that the more one dislikes the taste of greens, the more one needs to detoxify. Your body will adjust to the taste. Give yourself 7 days to adjust.

This “Green juice” is being found to help alter the addictive cravings for such processed foods, alcohol and sugars. Cucumbers alone are considered natures best hangover cure with a high dose of electrolytes and replenishing minerals for the nervous system, including the vital B vitamins which help hydrate and nourish the nervous system as a low glycemic antidote.

A favorite brain power whole food supplement is a blue-green algae, found at your local health food store. Rich in chlorophyll, phytonutrients and omega 3 fatty acids, you can take 1-2 Tbsp daily in a glass of juice to help lower inflammation in the body and nourish your nervous system, which may just lead to a healthier, happier, you.

Written by Kristin Fraser from Inner Glow Nutrition. Join her in Nicaragua in March of 2016!

Report warns of catastrophic consequences and blames manufacturers for ‘systematic denial of harms’ and ‘unethical marketing tactics’

The global pesticides market is worth $50bn and companies lobby heavily to resist reforms and regulations. Photograph: Philippe Huguen/AFP/Getty Images

The idea that pesticides are essential to feed a fast-growing global population is a myth, according to UN food and pollution experts.

A new report, being presented to the UN human rights council on Wednesday, is severely critical of the global corporations that manufacture pesticides, accusing them of the “systematic denial of harms”, “aggressive, unethical marketing tactics” and heavy lobbying of governments which has “obstructed reforms and paralysed global pesticide restrictions”.

The report says pesticides have “catastrophic impacts on the environment, human health and society as a whole”, including an estimated 200,000 deaths a year from acute poisoning. Its authors said: “It is time to create a global process to transition toward safer and healthier food and agricultural production.”

The world’s population is set to grow from 7 billion today to 9 billion in 2050. The pesticide industry argues that its products – a market worth about $50bn (£41bn) a year and growing – are vital in protecting crops and ensuring sufficient food supplies.

“It is a myth,” said Hilal Elver, the UN’s special rapporteur on the right to food. “Using more pesticides is nothing to do with getting rid of hunger. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), we are able to feed 9 billion people today. Production is definitely increasing, but the problem is poverty, inequality and distribution.”

Elver said many of the pesticides are used on commodity crops, such as palm oil and soy, not the food needed by the world’s hungry people: “The corporations are not dealing with world hunger, they are dealing with more agricultural activity on large scales.”

The new report, which is co-authored by Baskut Tuncak, the UN’s special rapporteur on toxics, said: “While scientific research confirms the adverse effects of pesticides, proving a definitive link between exposure and human diseases or conditions or harm to the ecosystem presents a considerable challenge. This challenge has been exacerbated by a systematic denial, fuelled by the pesticide and agro-industry, of the magnitude of the damage inflicted by these chemicals, and aggressive, unethical marketing tactics.”

Elver, who visited the Philippines, Paraguay, Morocco and Poland as part of producing the report, said: “The power of the corporations over governments and over the scientific community is extremely important. If you want to deal with pesticides, you have to deal with the companies – that is why [we use] these harsh words. They will say, of course, it is not true, but also out there is the testimony of the people.”

She said some developed countries did have “very strong” regulations for pesticides, such as the EU, which she said based their rules on the “precautionary principle”. The EU banned the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, which harm bees, on flowering crops in 2013, a move strongly opposed by the industry. But she noted that others, such as the US, did not use the precautionary principle.

Elver also said that while consumers in developed countries are usually better protected from pesticides, farms workers often are not. In the US, she, said, 90% of farm workers were undocumented and their consequent lack of legal protections and health insurance put them at risk from pesticide use.

“The claim that it is a myth that farmers need pesticides to meet the challenge of feeding 7 billion people simply doesn’t stand up to scrutiny,” said a spokesman for the Crop Protection Association, which represents pesticide manufacturers in the UK. “The UN FAO is clear on this – without crop protection tools, farmers could lose as much as 80% of their harvests to damaging insects, weeds and plant disease.”

“The plant science industry strongly agrees with the UN special rapporteurs that the right to food must extend to every global citizen, and that all citizens have a right to food that has been produced in a way that is safe for human health and for the environment,” said the spokesman. “Pesticides play a key role in ensuring we have access to a healthy, safe, affordable and reliable food supply.”

The report found that just 35% of developing countries had a regulatory regime for pesticides and even then enforcement was problematic. It also found examples of pesticides banned from use in one country still being produced there for export.

It recommended a move towards a global treaty to govern the use of pesticides and a move to sustainable practices including natural methods of suppressing pests and crop rotation, as well as incentivising organically produced food.

The report said: “Chronic exposure to pesticides has been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, hormone disruption, developmental disorders and sterility.” It also highlighted the risk to children from pesticide contamination of food, citing 23 deaths in India in 2013 and 39 in China in 2014. Furthermore, the report said, recent Chinese government studies indicated that pesticide contamination meant farming could not continue on about 20% of arable land.

“The industry frequently uses the term ‘intentional misuse’ to shift the blame on to the user for the avoidable impacts of hazardous pesticides,” the report said. “Yet clearly, the responsibility for protecting users and others throughout the pesticide life cycle and throughout the retail chain lies with the pesticide manufacturer.”

Article by Damian Carrington from The Guardian

Photo by Megan Kathleen

Habits can be cool. Flossing, getting regular pedicures, making your bed: These are all totally cool. But every now and then it’s a good time to reevaluate how you’re doing things. There just may be some behaviors—some habits—that you have habituated into your yoga practice and, well, my friend, it may be time to take a serious look at them. September is Yoga Month, so it’s a perfect opportunity to see if you are guilty of any of these yoga no-nos.

1. Freestyling in a non-freestyle class. Freestyling has its place, like on a dance floor in the club. But doing your own thing in the 6pm flow class can be a bit obnoxious. On the real, showing up to a class requires a bit of surrender—to the process and to the expertise of the instructor. One of the beauties of a led class is the group momentum. That sweet synergy has the potential to create a dynamic shared experience for everyone in the room. Every good yoga instructor is taking you on a journey. Perhaps she’s guiding you to observe something differently, encouraging you to refine your approach to the mundane, maybe simply helping you to grow. Often in a led class there are opportunities for variations along the way. But know the difference. Also, many teachers expertly develop sequences and read the room to ready your body for what’s to come. If the teacher is instructing Warrior 2, it’s probably not the best time to work on your deep back bends. Dive into group class opportunities with an inquiring mind. Trust the process. Just let it flow.

2. Sacrificing your breath. After practicing yoga for just a short time you quickly learn the poses have a life of their own. Breathing into these shapes and exploring the sensations of those experiences can be humbling. To move further and deeper in the practice—to a place of exploration—embodiment of the breath is essential. Typically, nothing else in our lives requires us to bring the breadth of the breath front and center like a yoga practice. When you breathe consciously in the yoga postures you give them dimension beyond form and structure and awaken your being beyond the physical body. Give the breath opportunity to shine.

3. Not bringing a towel. You know those vinyasa classes can be a hot sweaty mess. Bring a fresh towel and sop up the drench, why dontcha? If you’re dripping sweat onto your neighbor’s mat in Warrior 3, something’s got to change. Personal space can be tight. Do your part to keep things within reasonable boundaries.

4. Wearing fragrance. Thinking that the fragrance oil you dabbed on right before class will only be noticed by you, or that it has some healing benefits to all who get a whiff, isn’t cute. Mix that fragrance oil with a little body odor and you get pure unadulterated eau de funk. Sweating, body odor, and detoxing happen in a yoga class. Those processes have a smell that isn’t always the most pleasant. It’s yoga, so of course folks expect a bit of that—within reason. Be careful not to turn up the volume on odor by adding extra fragrances that do more to spoil the experience than enhance it.

5. Not respecting your body. This is huge and comes in many forms. Jumping up to a handstand, for example, when your shoulders are rehabbing just isn’t smart practice. Before you step into your practice, check your ego at the door. Ego is illusion anyway, and will only trip you up. Make your practice relevant by loving your beautiful self enough to be present in your body, moving mindfully with curiosity, joy, and even humor. When you work within the limitations of your body you actually free yourself to explore the practice at a depth that overshadows a fancy pose.

6. Comparing yourself to the dude or dudette across the room. Ok, all together now: “Yoga is not a competition.” Yes, we’ve all heard this… But isn’t it easy to slide into the distraction of comparison, self-doubt, and competition? At the end of the day, however, the practice of yoga postures can be a potent healing practice. Your yoga mat can be your magic carpet to worlds near and far, a prayer rug to connect you to a deeper spiritual experience, a confidante holding a ready space to help you work your stuff out, a safe place of refuge for a restless soul. Substitute the tendency to compete with an appetite to soften your gaze from the external world and expand your attention towards an inner horizon of awareness.

7. Clinging to the “It’s mine, mine, mine!” attitude. We see you over there hoarding space and props. It’s not cool… Ever. People may be late. It happens, but stop it with the bad vibes towards folks. That energetic or verbal scolding just makes you look like the entitled enlightened mean girl/guy. As folks trickle into class, slide your mat over if need be. Got an extra block for the person next to you? Offer it up. Hear footsteps at the back of the room as you’re settling into a juicy passive heart opener before class begins? Welcome folks in with a welcoming heart or a friendly a gaze. Just a mental shift makes a world of difference. Bow down to the community of the tribe and let a fellow yogi have some space. Always remember: Sharing is caring.

8. Skipping the happy ending. Every yoga practice deserves a sweet and happy savasna ending. But isn’t savasana sometimes the hardest part of the practice? There’s nothing actively physical to do. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika informs us that savasana, “removes fatigue caused by the other asanas and induces calmness.” It’s the sweet spot in the asana practice where the physical effort you put forth integrates into the vital layers of your being. It’s the true happy ending. Make your savasana something to look forward to and consider practicing letting go by giving yourself mental cues to unravel and surrender. Besides, sliding out of class during savasana can be downright rude and disruptive to the other folks in the room. Drink up your savasana reward and hang around for a few. Get grounded in your body and mind after the incredible work you’ve dedicated to your yoga practice. Keep calm and savasana on.

Now hit the mat and keep on shining!

Written by Kali Alexander of yoganonymous.com

Photo by Steph Davies

APOYO LODGE – A HIDDEN OASIS

This is a crater lake which means that a volcano sunk down into the ground and is now filled with water which is warmed up thermally from the earth’s core. Sounds intense doesn’t it? Well it isn’t! Laguna De Apoyo might be the most chill place on earth. It was made into a nature reserve in 1991. That means that there is very little development on this pristinely beautiful body of water. The water of the lagoon has a high mineral content because of the volcano that imploded over 20,000 yrs ago and is believed to have special healing properties.We’ll be staying right at the crater’s edge so your day here can be spent lounging in the water, kayaking/hiking around or taking a day trip to a volcano or a local town for shopping. Some guests describe the lodge as the perfect place to unplug from the outside world and liberate themselves from the daily distractions of city life so they may connect to their highest selves in the natural world.

INNOVATIVE PLANT-BASED VEGAN & RAW MEALS

At Apoyo Lodge they strive to source seasonal, organic, plant-based whole foods found in Nicaragua and to promote mindful plant-based eating. Meals at the lodge are a mix of raw and cooked plant-based whole foods; meat and dairy free as well as free of all refined sugars, oils and gluten with strong emphasis on incorporating whole foods such as dark leafy greens, herbs, veggies, tropical fruits, fermented foods, sprouts, nuts and seeds into thier dishes. All sauces, dips and salad dressings are always homemade and made daily with only the freshest ingredients. Processed, packaged and canned food stuffs are avoided at all costs.

Dishes are seasonal, local and organic when available. All dark leafy greens, herbs, most citrus and some fruits and vegetables are sourced from a local small family run farm 45 minutes from the lodge. All nuts, seeds and most fruits and vegetables are sourced from a farm on Ometepe and purchased in Granada.  

THE GROUNDS

Outside the lodge the lake is only a stone’s throw away and there are many hammocks scattered all around the property.

THE LAGOON

For those looking to ‘catch some rays’ or simply laze there is a floating dock as well as inner-tubes. If you’d like to go a little further there is a paddle-boat and a small sailboat.

THE RANCHO

There is a large spacious outdoor bar complete with hammocks, ping-pong table, refrigerator, charcoal BBQ and pizza oven. This rancho is ideal for group dinners and great conversation!

HIKING TRAILS

Hiking trails are located in all directions of the property.

WELLNESS / YOGA / REIKI / MASSAGE

The yoga studio is among the most beautiful Breathe in Life staff have ever experienced. On top of yoga, there is also reiki and massages available.

OWNERS – SHAMUS & SASHA

The owners are a young Canadian couple who live in their own home on the property. They are kind, knowledgeable, helpful, and very good at running a serene and peaceful resort.

 **Learn more in this video review of Apoyo or visit apoyolodge.com: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=174&v=xBbCP8T9GaY

**Check out our Nicaragua Yoga Retreats at BREATHEINLIFE.COM!

photo credit: FOODGARDENINGNATURE

Stop throwing away your vegetable scraps! Did you know there are 16 different types of produce items that you can re-grow at home?Regrowing produce from scraps saves money and gives you the chance to control what goes in your food. Also, by following these steps, you may end up with an endless supply of produce just by reusing the scraps.Before we get started, here is a little tip. Organically bought “parent” vegetable scraps re-grow better than store bought. Plus, organic food just tastes better and is better for you.

Take a look at all the produce you can re-grow below.

Leeks, Scallions, Spring Onions, and Fennel

Photo Credit: Eating the Week

Leeks, scallions, spring onions, and fennel can all be re-grown from their white root base. Just stick the root base in a glass jar or bowl, add water, and put it where it will get plenty of light. Freshen up the water every other day and soon you will have new veggies to enjoy all over again.

Lemongrass

You start off by placing the root end of the lemongrass in a glass jar with a little water. Place it in a sunny place and refresh the water every other day. In about a week, you should see new growth start to appear. This is when you transplant your lemongrass into a pot with soil. Leave it outside where it can get a lot of sun.

Harvest your lemongrass when the stalks are about a foot tall. Cut off what you need, but leave the roots in place because it will keep on growing.

Celery, Bok Choy, Romaine Lettuce, and Cabbage

Celery, bok choy, romaine lettuce, and cabbage will also re-grow from the white root end. Just cut off what you normally eat and place the root end in a shallow bowl of water. Cover the roots but not the top of the cutting. Place it in the sun, but spray the cutting with water to keep the top moist.

In about a week, it is time to transplant the plant into soil. Plant so that just the leaves are showing. Within a few weeks, it will sprout a new head.

Celery, Bok Choy, Romaine Lettuce, and Cabbage can also be directly planted into the ground, but the soil needs to be kept very moist until new shoots appear.

Ginger

Ginger is super easy to re-grow. All you have to do is plant a piece of ginger rhizome in potting soil with the smallest bugs facing upwards. Rhizome is the bit of ginger you cook with. Place the ginger in non-direct sunlight and in a warm, moist environment.

You can harvest ginger once the plant is established. Pull up the whole plant, remove a piece of rhizome, replant it, and repeat.

Potatoes

If you have potatoes that sprouted eyes suddenly and got all wrinkly, don’t throw them away. These are perfect for growing new potatoes. Cut them into sections with at least two eyes on each piece. Then plant them in high-nutrient soil at about 8 inches deep. You can get high-nutrient soil by adding compost.

Potato plants will spread out as they grow, so it is important to cover any new roots with soil.

Garlic

Planting and harvesting garlic is similar to ginger. Just place the garlic root down into soil. Garlic likes warmth with plenty of direct sunlight and will easily root itself and produce new shoots. Once the plant is established, cut back the shoots. This will help the plant focus on building a big, tasty garlic bulb.

Just like with ginger, pull up the plant, take what you need, replant it, and repeat.

Onions

Onions are one of the easiest vegetables to re-grow. Cut off the root end of the onion ½ inch above the root line. Plant the root portion of the onion in a sunny spot in your garden with only a little soil on top. If you live in a colder climate, plant it in a pot and keep it indoors. The onion roots will grow you a new onion. You can cut off the roots and replant for as long as you want.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes produce eye-shoots like a potato. Bury the sweet potato under a thin layer of soil in a moist, sunny location. Shoots will appear in about a week. Once the shoots reach about four inches in height, remove them and replant them with about a foot separating each plant. Sweet potatoes take about four months to be ready.

Warning: Slugs love sweet potatoes, so watch out for them.

Many commercial sweet potatoes are sprayed so they do not produce eyes. It is best to use organic.

Mushroom

Mushrooms are probably the most difficult veggies to re-grow. This is because they enjoy warm humidity and nutrient-rich soil just like all the other fungus they have to compete with. For this reason, re-growing mushrooms works best in cooler environments.

To make nutrient-rich soil, mix it with compost. Remove the head of the mushroom and plant the stalk. Leave just the very top exposed. If all the conditions are correct, your mushroom will start growing in a couple of days. If not, it will be very clear that the mushroom is beginning to rot.

Pineapple

Finally a fruit! Re-growing pineapples will take some time (2-3 years), but it is worth it.

You re-grow pineapple from the leafy top of the fruit. It is important to make sure no fruit remains on the pineapple top as it will rot after planted. Slice small horizontal sections until you see the root buds.

Pineapple plants like a warm and well drained environment and you should start to see growth within a few months.

To learn more about growing vegetables from produce, take a look at this video from Growing Your Greens.

Blog via DavidWolfe.com

Photo by crosswalk.com

Let’s spend as many moments as we can every day this month being grateful for all the good that is in our lives. If you have little in your life now, it will increase. If you have an abundant life now, it will increase. This is a win-win situation. You are happy, and the Universe is happy. Gratitude increases your abundance.

Start a gratitude journal. Write something to be grateful about each day. On a daily basis, tell someone how grateful you are for something. Tell sales clerks, waiters, postal workers, employers and employees, friends, family, and perfect strangers. Share the gratitude secret. Let’s help make this a world of grateful, thankful, giving and receiving…for everyone!

Let’s affirm: I look forward to each day. I am grateful for each moment.

Can you imagine how wonderful it would be if you could live your life without ever being criticized by anyone? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to feel totally at ease, totally comfortable? You would get up in the morning, and you would know you were going to have a wonderful day, because everybody would love you and nobody would criticize you or put you down. You would just feel great.

You know what? You can give this to yourself. You can make the experience of living with you the most wonderful experience imaginable. You can wake up in the morning so thrilled to find yourself and feel the joy of spending another day with you.

Remember, every time you make a judgment or a criticism, you are sending something out that is going to come back to you.

Let’s affirm:

I notice all the good experiences coming my way today.

I express infinite love and gratitude.

I lovingly speak up for myself. I attract respect.

I am constantly creating more good in my life.

Everything falls into place today.

All is well!

By Louise Hay of hayhouse.com

As a boy, whenever Stephen Post got a bad grade, or felt left out of his older brother and sister’s games, or was otherwise having a rough day, his mother always said, “Why don’t you go out and do something for someone else?” At which point he’d head next door to rake Mr. Mueller’s leaves or go across the street to help Mr. Lawrence with his boat. “I always came home feeling better,” says Post, now a professor of preventive medicine at Stony Brook University School of Medicine and author of The Hidden Gifts of Helping. Turns out, there was science behind his mom’s kitchen-table wisdom: Practicing philanthropy is one of the surest steps you can take toward a happy, healthy life. Here’s why.

1. Longer Lifespan

A 2013 review of 40 international studies suggests that volunteering can add years to your life — with some evidence pointing to a 22 percent reduction in mortality. How much time must you spare? A separate study found that seniors who gave 100 hours or more annually were 28 percent less likely to die from any cause than their less-philanthropic counterparts. “But that’s not a magic number — it could be 75 hours or 125,” says study coauthor Elizabeth Lightfoot, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work. “The important thing is that you’re doing it regularly.” And you needn’t be older to benefit. A new study in JAMA Pediatrics found that high school students saw a drop in their cholesterol levels after volunteering with younger kids once a week for two months.

2. Greater Happiness

When you read to the elderly, walk a 5K for cancer, or even plunk a quarter in the Salvation Army kettle, the reward center of your brain pumps out the mood-elevating neurotransmitter dopamine, creating what researchers call a helper’s high. In fact, one study found that people who completed five small acts of kindness (like helping a friend, visiting a relative, or writing a thank-you note) one day a week for six weeks experienced a significant boost in overall feelings of well-being. Interestingly, those who spread their goodwill over the course of a week showed no such boost. “Our research suggests there’s a threshold of giving that you need to reach before it has an impact,” says study coauthor Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of California, Riverside. “Each action has a cumulative effect. The more nice things you do, the more people will respond positively toward you, and the better you’ll feel.”

3. Better Pain Management

When chronic-pain sufferers helped others with the same ailment, they reported feeling less discomfort, according to a study in Pain Management Nursing. On a scale of 0 to 10, people’s average pain ratings dropped from nearly a 6 to below 4 after volunteer training and six months of leading discussion groups for pain sufferers or making weekly calls to check in on patients. “People living with chronic pain can often feel helpless about their condition, but recognizing the positive effect they had on others in the same situation gave them a sense of purpose,” says study coauthor Paul Arnstein, PhD, a clinical nurse specialist for pain relief at Massachusetts General Hospital. “In turn, that gave them more confidence to find ways of managing their own discomfort.” This kind of volunteering can work with other conditions, too: A study in the journal Social Science & Medicine found that after individuals living with multiple sclerosis offered emotional support to other MS sufferers via monthly phone calls, the helpers were less prone to depression and anxiety.

4. Lower Blood Pressure

A 2013 study in the journal Psychology and Aging revealed that adults over the age of 50 who reported volunteering at least 200 hours in the past year (roughly four hours per week) were 40 percent less likely than nonvolunteers to have developed hypertension four years later. Though researchers don’t fully understand why giving back can have such a marked impact on blood pressure, they believe it may be linked to the stress-reducing effects of being both active and altruistic. “As we get older, our social networks shrink,” says study coauthor Rodlescia Sneed. “Volunteering may offer an opportunity to establish more social connections and form new bonds with people who care about you and motivate you to take care of yourself.”

Article via Leslie Goldman of The Huffington Post

Photo by heartfeltworkforce.com

We hear often in the self-help world how important self-care is. However, we don’t do it enough, and it’s because we don’t know how. I think we have a perception that there’s a right way to do self-care.

I laughed inside when my client thanked me for not telling her to do yoga and pilates. That’s the funny thing about self-care; you don’t have to do anything. I notice a lot of people putting self-care into their routine as a forced thing. Then they feel tired out from it, and forget the fun stuff.

The interesting thing is that self-care is the fun stuff. My definition of self-care is letting yourself do whatever you want to do. If yoga, meditating, or writing endlessly in your journal about your woes isn’t your thing, don’t do it. It won’t work.

Self-care only works when you listen to your body, and do what you want without resistance. For me, I’ve learned to do what I want to do in the moment. So if I randomly feel like reading a few pages of a fictional novel or walking my dog, I do it. I don’t push it aside or promise myself I’ll do it later, I do it right then.

Why? Because in that moment my body is telling me it needs a break. My mind is probably overwhelmed with thoughts, and trying to do work at that moment would be highly unproductive. And when I do what I want in the moment, when I sit down to work, everything gets done in a much easier way. Because now I’m relaxed, I’m not resisting anything. My mind is free to produce what it really wants, and my body feels good.

To me, that is self-care. If you’re looking for more self-care tips, you can find them in my e-book Listen to Your Gut: Connect with Your Body and Get IBS Relief.

I’m pretty certain you’re thinking: oh, well she works for herself, so she can do that. Well, you can do it too. It doesn’t matter where you are, and it takes a small amount of time.

When I was working in a 9 to 5 situation, I would take several moments in the day just to step away and feel good. I didn’t even have to leave the office. I would look at pictures I enjoyed for a moment (literally sixty seconds). At lunch, I would read the blog or books of people I admired and resonated with. Occasionally, I would even take a short walk during lunch.

I attribute those small moments as keeping my energy and inspiration up so I could explore new things outside of work later in the day.

I have many clients who have high stress, can’t stop for a minute jobs. I tell them they need that 60 second break here and there. First they resist, but when they try it, they are wowed by it.

They’re wowed by it because not only do they feel less stress, but also their body feels better. When you don’t take the time to check into your body, you don’t notice that your body may be starting to flare up with pain or stress. Taking a moment to check in, and 60 seconds to do something that feels good to your body is a great way to keep your body in a natural flow. Allowing yourself these moments also gives you a sense of freedom, which produces a better emotional and mental state.

Start by giving yourself a 60 second break three times a day. I know you’ll see a difference.

Written by Laura Tirello of yourtango.com