Turmeric for Health
Everyone seems to be mentioning turmeric for health, these days. And it’s not just about a spice that you put in your curry. A proud member of the ginger family, turmeric is said to be an immune system builder and powerful antioxidant. I got the scoop from Randi Ragan, holistic well-being expert, founder of GreenBliss EcoSpa and author of the brand-new book A Year of Living Mindfully: Seasonal Practices to Nourish Body, Mind and Spirit. This beautifully-illustrated book is chock full of recipes, teas, tonics, exercises and daily practices—including instructions on how to make an easy turmeric for health tonic, which I’ve included below. All are designed to reduce stress, avoid…
Beat Sugar Addiction with Herbs
Sugar is the devil. But how can you cut the cravings? I got help from Jacob Teitelbaum, a doctor and the author of The Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction. Similarly to the eight foods I wrote about last year that fight anxiety and depression, “There are a number of tried and true herbs and supplements that can keep your sweet tooth under control by supporting adrenal function and decreasing low blood sugar, two of the chief health concerns common to sugar addicts,” Dr. Teitelbaum shared. Remember: This addiction extends to high fructose corn syrup, too. Want to know more about these sugar-busting herbs? I’ve got the scoop!
How to Garden Without Pesticides
Where do kids in your neighborhood like to play? If they’re anything like mine, it’s probably on grass. But yards and gardens can be tainted by pesticides that are dangerous to children’s health—not to mention, pets! There are about 30 different pesticides commonly used in the United States; of these 19 are considered carcinogenic, 13 have been linked to birth defects, 21 are associated with reproductive problems, 15 with neurotoxicity and 11 are hormone disruptors—and that’s just a partial list. Pesticides are linked to a host of childhood illnesses—including cancer. In 1987, the National Cancer Institute found that the risk of childhood leukemia increased more than six times when garden…
Mommy Greenest Approved: Gaia Herbs PlantForce Liquid Iron
Many of my friends complain that they feel drained, especially when they are having their periods. They say that they lack energy, have trouble sleeping and difficulty concentrating—all symptoms of anemia, which can be caused by an iron deficiency. And although I’m no doctor, I make the same recommendation to everyone: Start taking iron. I’ve been supplementing with iron daily for 15 years now, ever since I was first pregnant. And although menstruation is not exactly an enjoyable experience, I no longer get that totally-drained-can’t-lift-my-head kind of feeling that I had before I started taking it. But there’s one little hitch in my prescription: Up until recently, I was getting…
