Common Organically Grown Herbs and Their Medicinal Uses

 

“The principal advantage of herbs is their complexity. Medicinal plants contain a wide array of chemical compounds, which gives them versatile therapeutic powers.” Andrew Weil, MD, author, physician, and pioneer of the integrative medicine movement.

Here are just a few of the best herbs for medicinal purposes:

Alfalfa
Alfalfa has been a food source for centuries, primarily for livestock. However, practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine in ancient India discovered that alfalfa seeds and sprouts were a good source of protein and minerals. Arabs so revered the plant, that the word alfalfa is derived from Arabic, which means “father of all plants”.

Health Benefits:
• The ability to lower cholesterol
• Improves digestion
• It is a natural diuretic and laxative
• Helps improve heart health
• Detoxifies the body

Alfalfa sprouts are considered a superfood as they serve as an excellent source of fiber, protein, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. They have a mild flavor and are excellent when added to salads or to sandwiches.

Basil
Basil is well known as an herb used in cooking primarily Italian dishes. However, basil is more than just an ingredient in your favorite pesto sauce. It provides many health benefits due to its flavonoids and volatile oils.

Health Benefits:
• Lowers inflammation without damaging the liver
• Contains disease-fighting antioxidants which protect the body from free radicals
• Holy Basil can help regulate glucose levels and can assist in weight loss

One of the volatile oils in basil, eugenol, has been the subject of many tests and studies because of its ability to block certain enzymes which cause inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation causes damage throughout the human body and is considered one of the main causes of heart disease.

There are a number of drugs to reduce inflammation, but all produce serious side effects, such as GI bleeding, and damage to the liver and kidneys. Since basil produces no such side effects, scientists continue to study basil to determine how best to use these properties in the treatment of systemic inflammation.

Catnip
Well-known as your cat’s favorite treat, catnip is also a medicinal herb. The flowering tops of the plant are used in teas, tinctures, extracts, and compresses. In fact, long before it was relegated to cat toys, catnip was a popular tea in Europe. Its minty taste made it a favorite, and people soon realized that it was more than just a drink, the plant had healing properties.

Health Benefits:
• Used to treat insomnia and anxiety.
• Headache reducer.
• Reduces swelling when used as a compress.
• Reduces gastrointestinal upset, including colic, indigestion, and gas.
• Diuretic effects when taken as a tonic.
• Treats dandruff and scalp irritation.
• Insect repellant.

Catnip is easy to consume, as it can be made into a tea, added to salads, or used to season food. It can also be used in tincture form, or the essential oils can be extracted for topical use.

Feverfew
A flowering plant in the daisy family, feverfew is an herb used in traditional medicine. It was considered useful in reducing fevers, hence the name, however, it’s no longer used for that purpose. Its first documented use was in Greece at the beginning of the first century.

Health Benefits:
• Used for the treatment of migraine headaches.
• Aids in the control of nausea and vomiting.
• Anti-inflammatory properties.

Lady Fern
Lady fern is an ornamental plant which also serves as a medicinal plant.

Health Benefits:
• Useful for the treatment of coughs and respiratory ailments.
• Reduces fever.
• Treats the loss of appetite.
• Used externally as a wash for wounds.

Some Native American tribes ate the boiled root to treat worm infestations.

 

CONCLUSION;

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Growing Organic Herbs For Family Medicines

Why Grow Herbs for Medicine?

“There is a need for modern medicine and science to turn its attention to the plant world once again to find new medicine that might cure cancer, AIDS, diabetes, and many other diseases and conditions.” – Norman R. Farnsworth, Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

It’s really surprising that Western medicine hasn’t fully embraced the healing properties of plants.

Especially since many of our drugs are derived from plants. Morphine is produced from the poppy plant, Foxglove produces digitalis, and even the most common of medicines: aspirin, is produced from willow bark. And it’s not just these old standbys. Research continues to discover the many healing properties available in nature. Taxol is an important cancer drug which was discovered in 1971 and approved in 1993 for medical use. It is used to treat a variety of cancers and was isolated from the Pacific Yew Tree.

And these are just a few examples. It seems that Western medicine recognizes the power of medicinal plants, but only if they’ve been tweaked in a lab. While other societies, still use plants and herbs in their unadulterated forms.

Traditional healers around the world, from curanderos and shaman to so-called “witches”, have known for centuries which plant treats which condition. Their history, passed on over centuries, serve as a reminder that there is still much to discover about healing.

While you may wonder why someone would resort to plants when there are pharmaceutical alternatives, consider that a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998, estimated that 100,000 Americans die from taking prescription medication.

In 2013, a more recent analysis estimated that approximately 128,000 Americans die each year from the complications of taking prescription medicines. These are people taking properly prescribed drugs in the correct way.

This is not to say that herbal remedies don’t have side effects. They do, and it’s important to research and discuss these options with your physician. But, in most cases, the adverse outcomes are much less serious than those produced by laboratory-produced drugs.

In fact, after practicing traditional medicine for many years, physicians have started pursuing alternative therapies which focus on natural, plant-based treatment.

Dr. Andrew Weil, a Harvard-trained physician, realized that alternative medicine offered safer alternatives to mainstream prescription drugs and treatments. Other doctors have also pursued studies into integrative medicine which include extensive training in herbal medicine.

3 Ways Herbs Outperform Traditional Pharmaceuticals:

 

1. They tend to be less toxic: – 

All the drugs listed above were produced by isolating an active ingredient and developed into a potent form. This high potency increases the risks of toxicity and side effects. Consuming an herb in its natural form, whether it’s a leaf or root, offers a lower dose of the active ingredient.

2. Herbs contain multiple ingredients —

Plants contain multiple active ingredients which work in harmony to make them more efficient. The exact mechanism of this process is often a mystery to medical science, for example in the case of red yeast rice.
Red Yeast Rice is the fermented product of a fungus. It contains a substance called monacolin K, which is the ingredient in lovastatin, a commonly prescribed statin, or cholesterol-lowering drug.
Studies have shown that red yeast rice lowers LDL cholesterol by 30%, despite the fact it contains relatively low doses of monacolin K.
Scientists don’t know for sure, but they suspect that red yeast contains 8 additional types of monacolins, plus additional plant compounds such as isoflavones and sterols.

3. Fewer Side Effects —

In many cases, herbs cause fewer side effects than their pharmaceutical counterparts. One example is St. John’s Wort which is often prescribed for mild depression. It has been extensively studied and shown to be more effective than a placebo, and as effective as some prescription anti-depressants. Again, it’s important to check with your doctor as St. John’s Wort can interfere with some medications.

 

CONCLUSION;

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Raised Garden Beds For Your Organic Garden.

Raised Garden Beds – these are raised areas for planting and offers several advantages over row planting. They make excellent use of your available space, and are easy to plan and layout. They are also ideal for gardeners with mobility issues or who simply want to prevent wear and tear on their backs and joints.

Raised beds are more productive than rows because the soil remains loose. You’re also able to correct soil imperfections such as poor drainage or the lack of certain nutrients. And since the plants are closer, the soil stays shaded and cool and weeds are less likely to develop. You can see why they are a popular choice for gardeners. There’s an initial investment of time and energy, but it pays off quickly.

Benefits of raised garden beds:

* Provide better soil aeration.
* Can extend your growing season because the soil in a bed thaws faster than the soil in the ground.
* They’re attractive and can be integrated into your existing landscaping.
* They make it harder for pests to reach your plants.
* You can make them portable by adding wire mesh to the bottom. Ideal for smaller beds with plants which require sunlight in varying degrees.
* It’s easy to add a simple, drip irrigation system.

Here are just a few of the more popular types of garden beds:

Narrow Beds.

Narrow garden beds are ideal because you can reach one half from either side. Four feet is a good width and you can make them as long as you like. This type of raised bed is the most common and the best for any gardener who has difficulty bending and reaching.

Broad beds.

Broad garden beds are a bit like the traditional garden plot – a large square area which is planted with one or more types of vegetables. Don’t make them too wide or it will be difficult to reach all the plants.

Vertical beds.

Vertical garden beds have become increasingly popular because many people have limited space. They’re ideal for apartments or condominiums with patio or terrace areas. By gardening up, you’re able to maximize all your available space.  Unwanted Pallets are excellent for this as you can have rows of relatively low-rooting plants (including Strawberries) growing in these. A polythene sheet fixed to the back and some removed slats fixed underneath your rows to stop the soil escaping and voila, you got a great little garden to stand or fix ‘anywhere’.

Should You Make or Buy Your Garden Beds?

It’s very simple to make a raised garden bed. Despite the fact that most garden beds have some sort of frame surrounding them, it is possible to create beds from mounds of dirt. However, a frame will allow you to build deeper beds, and prevents the soil from washing away. Framing it also creates a neater appearance which enhances the look of your garden.

As mentioned above, there are so many free resources of wood these days of re-cycling, including pallets and scrap wood from local building projects (large and small). So if you have a basic DIY knowledge and Youtube access you can become an accomplished ‘Raised Garden Bed’ manufacturer 🙂

Maintaining Your Raised Bed Garden.

Work some organic matter, such as compost, into the beds each season. Use a shovel or fork or a rotary tiller if the bed is exceptionally large. If you’re practicing crop rotation, make sure to include your beds.

To prevent soil compaction, never walk on your beds.
Raised beds are space savers, and take less time to maintain. They also yield twice as many vegetables as traditional garden rows. Their convenience and ease of use make them the ideal choice for any back garden.

Soon you’ll be able to enjoy fresh, organic food by walking right outside your door or even in window-boxes, window-sills, hallways, balconies if you live in a flat or a house with no land, and you’ll be on your way to achieving better Physical ‘and’ Mental Health.

 

CONCLUSION;

Remember; having the right information will make your job much easier and can help ensure the lasting success of your garden.

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The Top Organic Crops to Grow for Food Storage

One of the great pleasures in life is being able to produce your own food. Especially if you’re adopting a healthier lifestyle by making conscious decisions about what you eat. When you grow your own food, you know ‘how’ it was grown and that’s its free of harmful chemicals and toxins.
Unfortunately, crops are seasonal so we can’t harvest most fruits and vegetables on a year-round basis. That’s why learning how to properly store certain foods will ensure that you have healthy, organic food available for you and your family, no matter what time of the year it is.

Here are some of the best crops to grow if you want to have enough to save for a rainy day:

Tomatoes
One of the most popular foods grown, tomatoes are a staple in Italian, and Mexican cuisines, and is an ingredient in other popular dishes such as bolognaise, chili, and soups etc, etc.

There are several ways to preserve your tomatoes so that they will last.

Canning is a popular method of preservation and tomatoes can be canned whole or turned into tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, or tomato paste. Properly canned tomatoes can keep for several years, although the flavor starts to decline after the first year. (Be sure that you research ‘how’ to can foods safely ‘first’ of course).

Another popular option is to make sun-dried tomatoes.

Simply cut your tomatoes into slices, place them on parchment paper in a tray, sprinkle salt over them, and pop the trays into an oven which as preheated at 150 degrees. Leave the oven door ajar, so the air can circulate. The tomatoes should be dry in 10-12 hours. Store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or place in a jar of olive oil and store in the refrigerator up to a month.

Green Beans.

Green beans are great addition to your garden because they can be used in a variety of ways. They are delicious in stir-fry dishes, casseroles, salads or steamed. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, A, and K.
Green beans will stay fresh for several months if you freeze them properly. Trim the green beans and drop them into already boiling water. Boil them for 2 to 4 minutes. This will ensure that they stay crispy.
Once you remove them from the boiling water, plunge them into a bowl of ice water and keep them there until fully cooled.

You then strain them and place them on a paper-towel to dry, then put them in a large re-sealable freezer bag. Label them and place them in the freezer.

Potatoes.

Potatoes will keep for about 3 to 5 weeks in your pantry as long as it’s dark. If you have a cellar or basement where the temperature is around 50 degrees or less, then your potatoes can last for at least 3 months. Just make sure to check them regularly since just one rotten potato will ruin the rest.
(Potatoes can also be frozen and canned).

Winter Squash.

Gardeners love winter squash because it keeps so well. In fact, the name “winter squash” refers to the time that the vegetable is stored. After harvesting it in the autumn, it’s simple to prepare squash so that it will last through the winter. This will ensure that you’ll have enough squash to add to your soups, side dishes, and even desserts.
All you need to do is to wash and store the squash in a warm dry place which gets plenty of air circulation for a period of 10-14 days. Once you do that, you can store them in a cool, dry place for 3 to 6 months.

Berries.

Berries are versatile and easy to store. You can freeze them, dehydrate them, can them, or turn them into jellies and jams. A great source of vitamins and antioxidants, you’ll feel special when you serve berries to your family during the middle of winter.

 

Conclusion.

Remember; having the right information will make your job much easier and can help ensure the lasting success of your garden.

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Top Three Tips For Your Perfect Organic Garden

If you’re concerned about the safety of the foods you eat, then you may have considered starting your own fruit and veg garden.  Enjoying fresh produce from your own back-garden will make an enormous difference in your health and the money you’ll be saving from growing it and not buying it will be a nice added benefit in return for your very own ‘free’ life-energy that we are all given at birth and last through until we die, so why not utilise that free energy the way Mother-Nature would wish us to?

As you can see, the rewards are great and while it is a commitment, it doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. But there ‘are’ three important tips which will ensure your success and get you on your way to having a perfect organic garden.

1.  Prepare the soil before you start planting.
Knowing the type of soil you have is key because plants grow better in garden soil which contains the right nutrients. Have your soil tested, or buy a kit at a garden-nursery or home-improvement store and test it yourself. You’ll find out if your soil is too alkaline or too acidic (for the majority of plants, it should be slightly acidic at a pH level between 6.2 and 6.8). Your local nursery should be able to advise you on how to adjust your soil’s pH balance if it’s off-kilter.

Make sure to work lots of compost and other organic material into your garden before you start planting. Without this extra step, you may end up with plants which don’t thrive or produce. Also, remember to add food/nutrients ‘as’ your plants continue to grow.

2.  Choose the plants which will thrive in your region.
Research the types of fruit and vegetables that are most likely to do well in your area. Remember to take into consideration the amount of sunlight and rainfall your garden receives. Most plants require at least 6 hours of sun, but there are a few plants, such as lettuce, which do best in a cooler location, even in partial shade. Your local agricultural extension office, garden clubs, and nurseries are an excellent source of information into which specific varieties would do best in your area. They can also offer insights on the pests and diseases which are prevalent locally. They may even be able to recommend cultivars which have been developed to be resistant to these diseases and pests.

3.  Make your own organic mulch and fertilizer.
Composting allows you to make use of your yard clippings, and food scraps to make your own organic material which can be used as mulch and fertilizer. You can purchase a composting bin or simply make your own using chicken wire. Include a mixture of material which is high in carbon (straw, shredded newspapers, and sawdust) and material which is high in nitrogen (kitchen scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, manure, and grass clippings). Just make sure not to include oil, bones, pet or human feces, or meat.

Proper preparation and planning are integral to the success of your organic gardening project. Take the extra time because the rewards of a perfect organic garden are well worth it.
Soon you’ll be able to enjoy fresh, organic food by walking right outside your door or even in window-boxes, window-sills, hallways, balconies if you live in a flat or a house with no land, and you’ll be on your way to achieving better Physical ‘and’ Mental Health.

 

CONCLUSION;

Remember; having the right information will make your job much easier and can help ensure the lasting success of your garden.

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Check Out Organic Gardening Supplies

The success of any project depends on having the right tools for the job. This fact is no less true when it comes to organic gardening. In fact, the right tools can mean the difference between success and failure. Organic gardening is made more difficult than traditional gardening because there are no quick fixes. Any remedy you use must be natural and free of chemicals and toxins, which limits your options.

So here are the most important supplies you’ll need for your organic garden. Remember that starting with the best option that you can afford is worth the time and aggravation that you’ll be saving yourself.

* Fertilizer
If you have the time and space to make your own fertilizer by composting, then this would be the preferred way to go. There’s a reason some people refer to compost as “black gold”. Compost helps plants resist disease, insects, and drought by providing important micronutrients. It’s also extremely versatile and serves multiple purposes: as a potting or planting medium, as mulch, and as fertilizer.

There are commercial products which can speed up the process by adding microorganisms to the composting material to aid in the break down.
However, some prefer the convenience of buying their fertilizer and there are several organic options on the market which will do a good job providing the nutrients your plants need. An all-purpose formula which can feed all your fruits, herbs, and vegetables can be mixed at planting time, and when your plants need supplemental feeding.

* Insecticide
While small insect infestations can be handled by removing them by hand, there may come a time when it becomes more than you can handle. That’s when you need a good, all-natural pesticide. One good option is neem oil. It’s an all-purpose insecticide, it kills mites and fungus. It kills all stages of insects: eggs, larvae and adults. But before you even think of getting rid of all the little nasties, please remember that the little goodies like bees, worms, wood-lice, wild birds and indeed wild-life in general all ‘feed’ off of the little-nasties we’re trying to get rid of because of the inconvenience they cause.

Mother Nature, the goddess we all serve, has an amazing knack of balancing itself. It seldom allows one species to overrun a given area. It may well be a good idea just to ‘manage’ the little-nasties rather than try to destroy them all.

* Garden Hoe
This is an essential garden tool because it serves so many important purposes. You can use it to dig small holes to plant seedlings, to weed, and to break down soil. One thing to remember when purchasing any garden tool is – you get what you pay for. You’ll be using your hoe a lot, and you want something which can stand up to the wear and tear. Buy the best garden tools you can afford, and they can last you decades.

* Garden Fork
You’ll need a garden fork to turn your soil, turn your compost, and to dig up potatoes. Look for a fork that has the head forged from a single piece of steel. Either square or V-shaped tines with diamond tips work best.

* Other Important Tools
Anything which makes your gardening easier will be an important addition to your tool kit. A good pair of gloves will protect your hands from callouses and abrasions. To be more comfortable while planting or weeding, you may want a garden mat or rolling bench. We also have work trousers with pouches just below the knees that we can pack with rubber or old plastic carrier bags folded up and inserted. This keeps your knees dry, and if you need to keep them warm you should fold up some unwanted bubble-wrap, or polystyrene packaging and insert that, your knees will stay dry, warm and of course comfortable.

 

CONCLUSION;

Remember; having the right information will make your job much easier and can help ensure the lasting success of your garden.

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Organic Gardening Is Great For Relieving Stress!

Stress definitely takes a toll on your mind and your body, and the longer you’re stressed, the worse it gets.

You don’t have to be a doctor to recognize the negative effects of stress on your body. It makes you feel anxious and out of control, and over time these feelings can escalate causing negative effects and even depression. Even a short period of stress can take its toll, but the longer it goes on the worse our physical health gets.

Chronic stress causes the body to be flooded with negative hormones which leads to inflammation in the body. Can stress kill? …. Absolutely!

Recently Will Young – Singer/Pop Star – has told how Organic Gardening has been his salvation. He was in therapy for a while with quite debilitating  ‘anxiety’ and discovered the calming, soothing feelings to be got via his daily gardening activities. He now has a wonderful Organic Garden down in the West-Country of England that his Mother designed for him and She and his father did the donkey-work constructing it so that Will only has to keep it all ship-shape and bristol-fashioned

Negative Effects of Stress:
* Insomnia – stress can cause sleeplessness, restlessness, poor quality sleep, and waking up multiple times during the night. And the less sleep you get, the more stressed you feel.
* Changes in eating habits. Stress can either eliminate your appetite and cause you to eat little to no food, or it can cause you to overeat or binge.
* Long-term stress can lead to anxiety. The symptoms of anxiety include stomach aches, feeling on edge, moodiness, shortness of breath, racing heart, and dizziness, and even full-blown panic attacks.
* Depression can occur after a period of long-term, unchecked stress.
* Long periods of stress can wreak havoc on our immune systems causing you to become more prone to catching colds and other illnesses.
* Stress can aggravate existing health issues such as IBS, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and lupus.

The bottom line is that stress is a serious issue in our fast-paced society and more of us are finding it hard to relax.

So, what does organic gardening have to do with stress?
Well, it may surprise you to learn that gardening is a scientifically proven stress reducer. The Journal of Health Psychology published an article which compared gardening to reading. The experiment found that the gardeners experienced a more significant decrease in stress when compared to the readers.

In addition, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has designated gardening a moderate-level intensity activity which uses most of the body. A study they conducted found that people who gardened, exercised on average, 40 to 50 minutes more than people who chose biking, walking, or other activities. Regular exercise is one of the things doctors recommend people do when they’re feeling anxious or stressed because it increases the flow of oxygen to the brain, so this is an additional benefit provided by gardening.

In addition, being outdoors is a natural “high” for many people and their bodies respond by releasing endorphins, the body’s “feel-good” hormones. This feeling of well-being helps reduce stress and leads to improved sleep and overall physical relaxation.

The effects of stress on our lives is enormous. It’s impossible to escape it with all our responsibilities at our jobs, in our family life, and with the stressors we’re exposed to on a daily basis. And it’s clear that stress takes an enormous toll on our emotional and physical health. That’s why it’s encouraging that gardening can help reduce stress while also providing us with healthy food to assist us on our journey to better health.

CONCLUSION;
Remember; having the right information will make your job much easier and can help ensure the lasting success of your garden.

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