Food - Page 4

11 Amazing Benefits of Sweet Basil

6 min read | Author - The Backyard Vitality Team

Fresh sweet basil is floral, pungent, and readily available in the U.S. You’re probably well aware of the flavor it contributes to dishes, like pasta and salads. But what you may not be aware of are the powerful healing compounds associated with the essential oil. In fact, sweet basil oil can help the digestive, immune and nervous systems. If you haven’t tried it yet, here are some natural fixes that can really boost your health.=

Sweet basil’s essentials

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), is a plant with thick foliage and small white flowers. Fresh basil projects a fresh and floral aroma, while the dried basil has a spicy and earthy scent. Like most herbs, sweet basil is loaded with health benefits. In fact, it’s a rich source of vitamin K, beta carotene, and iron. In addition, this herb has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.

But the majority of basil’s benefits are attributed to its volatile oil and flavonoids. The preferred method for obtaining the oil is through steam distilling the flowers or the whole basil plant. These powerful, plant-based antioxidants reduce inflammation and help fight aging. Whether you take it internally or use it topically, here are some basil oil benefits you may want to consider.

1. Antibacterial and antifungal

Basil oil has antimicrobial activity that fights a wide range of foodborne bacteria, yeasts, and even mold. A study published in Food Microbiology found that basil oil can stop the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Researchers looking for natural, toxin-free food preservatives, discovered that washing produce in a basil oil solution decreased shigella.

Shigella, a bacterium closely related to salmonella, produces abdominal pain, tenesmus, watery diarrhea, and dysentery. Other symptoms may include abdominal tenderness, fever, vomiting, dehydration, and convulsions. Interestingly, a solution made from one percent basil oil decreased contamination below levels at which it could be detected. Scientists suggest including basil in your salad to provide similar safeguards.

In another earlier study from Australia, researchers looked at the effects of basil oil against bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and molds. All five essential oils of basil showed antimicrobial activity against most of the organisms. That means you can use a solution of basil oil to remove bacteria and prevent contamination from kitchens and bathrooms. Simply combine basil oil with water in a spray bottle and wipe down surfaces.

2. Indigestion and cramping

Basil oil can help increase urine production, which in turn, can reduce water retention, uncomfortable bloating, and digestive issues. It’s also an effective antispasmodic and can reduce food and illness-associated cramping. Add one to two drops of sweet basil oil to warm water or tea. You can also inhale it or massage it directly into painful areas, such as the abdomen and lower back.

3. Constipation relief

Sweet basil oil can also provide natural constipation relief. Add one to two drops of sweet basil oil to warm water or tea. You’ll be feeling better in no time.

4. Flatulence and upset stomach

Basil essential oil is also useful as a digestive tonic. Since basil oil has carminative properties, it prevents or relieves flatulence. In fact, it can provide immediate relief from gas. It also has colic qualities and is therefore used to alleviate bowel pain. Alternately, sweet basil oil can expel gas from the stomach and intestine, helping calm an upset stomach, suggests the University of Michigan Health System.

5. Prevents infections

Due to basil’s antibacterial properties, it may also treat several infections, including cuts, wounds and bladder infections. It’s also great for avoiding viral infections that attack and enter the body through other wounds.

6. Pain relief

Often used for arthritic pain, wounds, sprains, and headaches, basil oil is an analgesic and provides effective relief from pain. According to a study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, basil oil was found to reduce hyperalgesia in mice. Research suggests that sweet basil oil may also be a natural alternative for treating chronic painful conditions, such as fibromyalgia.

7. Anti-inflammatory

Basil’s powerful essential oils contain eugenol, citronellol, and linalool. These enzyme-inhibiting oils help lower inflammation — the root cause of most diseases. In a 2007 study, researchers found that sweet basil oil significantly reduced an induced inflammation response in rats. Researchers found that sweet basil showed important anti-inflammatory effects.

8. Insect repellent

Similar to citronella and thyme oil, the volatile oils found in basil make a good, natural mosquito repellent to prevent bug bites. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association investigated sweet basil oil as an irritant and repellent against mosquitoes. Pure essential oil was used in combination with absolute ethanol. Researchers found that sweet basil oil is a moderate mosquito irritant and repellent. However, they found that another variety of basil, hairy basil, was a much more effective mosquito repellent.

Make your own homemade bug lotion by diluting several drops of basil essential oil in a carrier oil. Massage into the skin as needed.

9. Anxiety relief

A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology reported that basil oil relaxed mice experiencing stress. The study found that the protective properties of basil (particularly holy basil) on the brain tissue protected mice against the detrimental effect of noise stress.

10. Cold and flu Relief

If you feel a cold or flu coming on, basil oil may help diminish symptoms. This essential oil helps detoxify the body of bacteria and viruses. It also fights inflammation, pain, and fatigue. Simply add one to two drops to a steam bath. Alternately, make your own homemade vapor rub with eucalyptus oil and basil oil. Rub it into your chest to open nasal passages.

11. Air freshener

Sweet basil oil is ideal for eliminating odor-causing bacteria and mold in your home, car, and furniture. Combine basil oil with baking soda to remove stains and bacteria from pots or pans. You can even spray it inside your toilet, shower, and garbage cans.

Now that you know everything sweet basil can do, are you ready to give it a try? Here are all the ways that you can get it into your system.

Inhalation

Inhale the oil directly from the bottle or rub several drops into your palms. Hold your hands over, but not touching, your face to inhale.

Topically

Always dilute basil oil with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or almond oil. Use a 1:1 ratio before applying to the skin. Because it is potent, it’s best to start slowly. Basil oil may cause reactions in people with sensitive skin. Test before applying to the skin and avoid the face, neck, and chest prior to testing.

Internally

The FDA recognizes pure basil oil as safe for consumption, but only when using 100 percent therapeutic-grade, high-quality oil. Look for Ocimum basilicum and add a drop in water. Or, take it as a dietary supplement by mixing it with raw honey.

You won’t have any trouble finding sweet basil oil because it’s produced in the U.S. and harvested from February to September. So the next time you have a cold, or simply want to freshen your home naturally, give it a try. Your nose will thank you.

– The Backyard Vitality Team

8 Mental Health Benefits Of Community Gardening

4 min read | Author - The Backyard Vitality Team

The vacant lot that we would ultimately turn into a vibrant community garden was overgrown with grass — grass that was taller than we were. We had to use machetes to cut it down, then we let the grass fertilize the ground and we began an extensive cleanup and leveling process.

But many hands make light work, and that garden is now a key source of vegetables and herbs for people in the nearby area. The benefits it brings, however, go well beyond the vegetables themselves. Children from the local school work the garden side-by-side with retirees — fostering a sense of community.

Community gardens bring people together.

The mental and physical health benefits of community gardens are well documented. They include:

1. Developing social support and social skills

People who contribute to community gardens — be it street and urban gardens, or gardens set up for a school, prison, hospital, restaurant or other places — almost always make friends there, surveys have found. Gardens can be a great place to meet people you wouldn’t normally come across — people outside your family and workplaces — as well as a space to learn from others. In turn, people with these stronger social networks have an increased life expectancy and greater resilience to stress.

2. Sense of achievement

It’s a wonderful thing, to look after life — and plants provide an achievable way to do this. In a community garden, you’ll often find yourself taking home vegetables and herbs, or giving them to your neighbors — and being able to hold the literal fruits of your labor in your hands is rewarding and fulfilling.

Connect with others who share a passion for gardening.

3. A great use of leisure time

Sometimes work and caring duties can be so exhausting that the only leisure time we squeeze in involves a television. But, TV and Netflix aren’t great for mental health — they promote lazy thought and the consumption of unhealthy food, encourage unrealistic expectations of life, and promote a sedentary lifestyle. Urban and community gardening, on the other hand, can be really relaxing, while also getting you moving — in a chilled-out way. Respondents to a survey on community gardening said that it made them “happy…when things grow back in spring,” and, “I feel alive. I’d die if I stayed in my apartment.”

4. Decreased stress and pain

A garden is a great and convenient getaway from the stress of everyday life, and studies have found that gardens can lower pain levels and speed up the healing process, decrease stress and release tension. Community gardens can be especially beneficial to people in highly urbanized areas who don’t have a garden of their own or access to plants on a daily basis. In fact, researchers have found that gardening is more efficient at reducing stress than reading indoors or indoor exercise.

Community gardening gets you out of the house.

5. Better diet and lifestyle

People working in community gardens often feel inspired to eat better and are more motivated to exercise. Learning how vegetables grow and everything that goes into that process helps people to appreciate their food in a different way.

6. A greater sense of security

By getting to know one’s neighbors, people start to trust them and their alienation made all one’s neighbors’ strangers starts to break down. This leads to an increased feeling of safety and security.

7. Happiness

Research shows that nature evokes positive emotions, as well as facilitates cognitive functioning, and promoting recovery from mental exhaustion. People spending time in nature also have better concentration and attention levels.

8. Enhanced self-esteem

In-depth studies consistently find that gardening is great for self-esteem — and just one session can be beneficial. The main reason is that a reduction in anger, confusion, tension, and depression is conducive to improving a person’s sense of self-worth.

Community gardening tips

Not everyone has a vacant block of land waiting around to be rescued. But there are lots of alternatives; a park in disrepair, the unused but accessible roof of a block of flats, the back porch of the local pub, a corner of a local primary school and even your own small patio or window sills can be used for seedlings or a shared worm composter.

Indulge your gardening hobby where you can.

If you don’t have access to green space and have to grow food on a rooftop, paved area, or patio, the following foods do really well in pots: oregano, tomatoes, basil, potatoes, beets, turnips, radish, rosemary, cucumber, lettuce, parsley, carrots, chilis, strawberries, cantaloupe, eggplant, peppermint, peppers, peas, onions, beans, kale, chard and medicinal plants like aloe vera work well as well.

For some non-edible plants that will lift your mood — lavender smells wonderful and has been shown to lower stress on its own. Roses promote relaxation (and if they are organic, are edible as well) and the bright colors of sunflowers make most people feel happy.

Use a worm composter to reduce waste and generate fertilizer — I made mine out of two bucket-like plastic containers in about ten minutes — and throw your coffee grounds and eggshells straight into the pots.

-The Backyard Vitality Team

Drink This Plant Potion for Better Immunity and a Great Night’s Sleep

3 min read | Author - Susan Patterson

For as long as humans have been able to warm water, they have enjoyed herbal teas. Herbal teas are not really true teas like green, black, and oolong tea, which are all brewed from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal teas can be made from any part of a plant, including the roots, leaves, flowers, seeds, berries, or bark, and they can sometimes contain thousands of different compounds, each with distinctive healing capabilities.

Rough Day? Rub These Plants on Your Temple and Breathe Deeply

4 min read | Author - Susan Patterson

Are you busy at work, busy with kids, busy with school, and just plain busy all the time? If so, you are not alone. Millions of Americans suffer from over-business, which leads to…you got it. Stress. There is nothing fun about being busy and feeling stressed about being busy. Quite simply, this is a recipe for disaster. Although it is important to slow down, on those days when you just can’t seem to catch a break, two easy-to-grow plants come to the rescue.

How to Have a Better Period With These Herbs

4 min read | Author - Susan Patterson

Periods are no fun, hands down. No woman is going to argue this point. The lead-up to the period can be even worse for some. Breast tenderness, moodiness, bloating, headaches, and other symptoms can last for a week or more before your actual period begins.

Tips for Growing the Tastiest Microgreens Indoors

5 min read | Author - Susan Patterson

Microgreens are one food anyone can grow with minimum space, minimum effort, and a minimum investment of time and money. They are tasty and nutritious to boot. There really isn’t any excuse not to grow them.

5 Things To Do For A Massive Harvest of Beans

4 min read | Author - Susan Patterson

Beans are a staple crop in home gardens around the world. They are robust, easy to start, and a delicious garden vegetable that can be canned and preserved for later enjoyment. But have you ever wondered if there was anything that you could do to maximize your bean plant’s performance and increase your yield? In fact, there are some really easy, time-tested tricks that can help you have a huge harvest of your favorite beans.

This NO-DIG Garden Method Produces a Huge Harvest

4 min read | Author - Susan Patterson

When I discovered just how easy it was to grow my favorite veggies, herbs, and even flowers in straw bales, I was hooked. Straw bale gardening combines the best of composting and compact gardening in one.

7 Easy to Grow at Home Spices

4 min read | Author - Susan Patterson

Spices add flavor and zest to any meal. They are aromatic, delicious, and packed with health-promoting properties. They can also be kind of expensive if you use enough of them. The good news is, you can grow an abundance of beautiful spices right in your home garden.

3 Scary Reasons To Ditch Aluminum Foil (And What To Use Instead)

4 min read | Author - The Backyard Vitality Team

You’re probably getting a little tired of people telling you that the things you’ve been eating or using for years are bad for your health. Some you’ve accepted; you do your best to stay away from gluten and you eat organic when you can. Some you’ve strategically chosen to ignore; your favorite dairy-based ice cream, for example, or that supposedly toxic non-stick frypan that makes the best pancakes.

But here’s one you should probably avoid like the plague: aluminum foil. Believe it or not, every time you use aluminum foil in the kitchen, it’s seriously harming your health. Here are three reasons to keep aluminum foil out of your kitchen, and some healthier alternatives to use instead.

1. Aluminum foil is a neurotoxin

Aluminum has long been scrutinized by the scientific community for its potential role as a neurotoxin. Researchers maintain that, due to the fact that aluminum has no physiological role in the human body, it has the potential to cause significant detrimental effects when consumed.

This theory was unequivocally proven when a 2014 study showed that a 66-year-old man who died with Alzheimer’s disease had significantly elevated aluminum content in his brain, following eight years of occupational exposure. While the study noted that it was the respiratory system that was exposed to aluminum dust, we now know that there is a direct link between aluminum ingestion and Alzheimer’s disease, a debilitating neurological disorder.

The fact also remains that aluminum foil is not fully inert; food cooked or prepared in it has been shown to have significantly higher levels of aluminum than if they were prepared in another medium. The takeaway is simple: aluminum foil has the potential to cause neurotoxic effects, including Alzheimer’s disease.

2. Aluminum foil can contribute to bone disease

Research shows that aluminum from sources like foil can increase a person’s risk of developing bone disease. A study that examined the effect of hemodialysis, which causes a buildup of aluminum in the blood, found that 37 percent of dialysis patients had developed aluminum-associated bone disease. The study proponents concluded that “long-term oral aluminum intake in hemodialysis patients results in a high prevalence of aluminum-associated bone disease.” It was theorized that aluminum either directly or indirectly impacts osteoblast production, which in turn leads to bone wasting.

The key here is that little statement about “long-term oral aluminum intake.” Many would argue that using aluminum foil regularly for years would equate to long-term oral aluminum intake. This means that using aluminum foil in the kitchen can contribute to bone disease.

3. Aluminum foil can promote pulmonary fibrosis

Using aluminum foil to prepare, store or cook food can increase a person’s risk of developing pulmonary fibrosis, a form of lung disease. A study that performed lung tissue analysis of nine workers exposed to aluminum oxide found alarmingly high levels of aluminum in the lung tissue, suggesting that aluminum exposure contributed to their development of pulmonary fibrosis.

While aluminum foil might not contribute to lung disease at the same rate as breathing in aluminum oxides, there is still a very real risk that cooking with aluminum foil may cause pulmonary fibrosis and other diseases of the lung.

Why aluminum may be leaching into the food you eat

In a 2012 study, a faculty of engineering team from the University of Ain Shams in Cairo examined the different ways in which aluminum foil and other cookware interact with food. Leaching of harmful aluminum compounds was by far the highest when acidic foods like lemon juice or tomatoes were coming into contact with aluminum foil, and this was often further exacerbated by the use of spices.

In essence, aluminum foil is not inert. When exposed to certain foods, it has been shown to leach a portion of its metallic compounds into the food, whereupon people ingest it. From here, it can build up in the blood, muscles, and organs and contribute to all manner of health problems. Science is only just starting to understand just how negative these consequences may be.

The onus is simple: keep aluminum foil out of the kitchen, and well away from the food you eat. Here are some healthier alternatives for cooking and storing your food that won’t have any ill health effects.

Healthier alternatives to aluminum foil

Personally, I’ve never been much of a fan of aluminum foil and aluminum cookware anyway. If I want to store food in the fridge or pantry, I’ll almost always use glass storage containers. Glass is completely inert and doesn’t transfer any harmful chemicals or metals into food, no matter how acidic they are. This way, we’re also minimizing waste, as the glass can be used over and over again… unlike aluminum foil!

For cooking, where one might use foil to enclose baked potatoes or fish, I simply used a ceramic dish with a lid. The effect is exactly the same, it’s just that ceramic doesn’t leach compounds into our food! And for baking, I either use glassware or high-quality silicone bakeware that doesn’t require any sort of lining. These materials are much nicer to use, usually produce higher quality dishes, and don’t create excess waste. That’s a win-win if you ask me!

-The Backyard Vitality Team

10 Reasons You Should Try Simple Box Gardening

4 min read | Author - Susan Patterson

Traditional gardens are planted in long rows in the soil and generally require quite a bit of space and tending to be successful. You have to clear a space, amend your soil and be diligent in keeping weeds away. In short, conventional gardening can be kind of backbreaking, and this is why many people never create a home garden of their own.

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Sweet basil’s essentials

1. Antibacterial and antifungal

2. Indigestion and cramping

3. Constipation relief

4. Flatulence and upset stomach

5. Prevents infections

6. Pain relief

7. Anti-inflammatory

8. Insect repellent

9. Anxiety relief

10. Cold and flu Relief

11. Air freshener

Inhalation

Topically

Internally

1. Developing social support and social skills

2. Sense of achievement

3. A great use of leisure time

4. Decreased stress and pain

5. Better diet and lifestyle

6. A greater sense of security

7. Happiness

8. Enhanced self-esteem

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home gardening guru!