حنين♥

I went ziplining and rock climbing with my friend on Saturday at the DC Health Expo. It was alot of fun! They had a little bit of everything: fun activities, dance classes, food tasting, cooking classes and free health check-ups.

16 HERBAL TEAS with Health facts to put on your grocery list

1.    Nettle                                                                                               Nettle is made with the leaves of stinging nettle, named for the tiny hairs on the fresh leaves which can sting the skin. Despite it’s rough exterior, nettle is one of nature’s best remedies for an assortment of ailments including anemia, high blood pressure, rheumatism, arthritis, coughs and colds, congestion, urinary tract infections, and kidney and bladder problems.

2.    Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is a popular herb that’s used in teas worldwide. Chamomile soothes the stomach and relieves bloating and indigestion. Chamomile also calms the mind and helps people relax and deal better with their stresses. Some people are allergic to chamomile and should avoid taking the tea. People who find it hard to go to sleep should drink a cup of chamomile tea before going to bed. Chamomile is known to fight insomnia by relaxing the body and the mind, enabling the person to fall asleep naturally.

3.    Ginger Tea

Ginger is an energizer and a stimulator. Drinking ginger tea both stimulates and soothes the digestive system. Ginger has been known to aid people experiencing nausea. Arthritic people have found ginger tea helpful since it has anti-inflammatory properties.

4.    Peppermint Tea

Peppermint is a fragrant herb that makes for a soothing drink. Peppermint helps you digest foods better and also reduces flatulence and digestive issues. Peppermint is prescribed to people with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and gallstones in capsules. A cup of peppermint tea will ease nausea and vomiting, especially if you suffer motion sickness. If you have heartburn, don’t drink peppermint tea as this might aggravate your condition. Peppermint tea brings down the severity of herpes outbreaks. The natural mint flavor of the herb helps to freshen your breath. Other health benefits of this tea are control of muscle aches and chronic pain, clearing of congestion and mild coughs, mild asthma and reduction of stress.

5.    Lavender Tea

Lavender tea is made out of the dried purple, pink and white colored flowers that grow on lavender shrubs. Used as a scented herb for many centuries, lavender’s medicinal uses have been appreciated and documented for centuries. A cup of lavender tea can soothe your mind and body, inducing sleep. If you are feeling down and depressed, a cup of lavender tea can help uplift your spirit.

Lavender tea helps sooth and treat flatulence, colic, bowel infections and an upset stomach. Lavender tea can be used as a wash on the chest to help reduce cough, bronchitis, asthma, cold and other respiratory issues. For both children and adults, lavender is used to reduce body temperature during fever. Lavender also has healing properties; use a wash of lavender tea to help heal wounds, cuts, ulcers and sores.

6.    Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon balm tea is fragrant to drink and is a very effective tonic to calm nerves and anxiety. Cold lemon balm tea bags help relieve cold sores, or genital sores caused by the herpes simplex virus. Mix lemon balm leaves with valerian to treat anxiety, stress and insomnia.  Lemon Balm contains several properties, which control herpes and also regulate the thyroid.

Lemon balm when mixed with peppermint can calm an upset stomach, sooth the digestive track and reduce flatulence. Drink lemon balm tea if you suffer from nerve pain. Drinking lemon balm tea also helps strengthen memory and brain functions and also uplifts one’s mood.

7.    Rosemary Tea

Rosemary is not only good for cooking but makes a healthful and highly beneficial tea. Rosemary can help your muscles to relax. Additionally, rosemary is an effective digestive aid as well. If you have gall bladder and liver complaints, drinking rosemary tea regularly will greatly help relieve your symptoms. Rosemary tea also relieves cough and mild asthma symptoms.

8.    Hibiscus Flower Tea (Sorrel)

Dried Hibiscus flowers are made into a tea that offers very high health benefits. Hibiscus tea is known to lower blood pressure, reduce high cholesterol and strengthen the immune system (it’s rich in Vitamin C). Hibiscus flower infusions have known to reduce hypertension as well, in people prone to this condition. A recent study reveals that hibiscus tea is rich in antioxidants, which protect the body against cell-damaging free radicals. Red zinger tea and sorrel tea contain hibiscus.

9.    Green Tea

Green Tea comes with such a host of health benefits, that it’s called the ‘wonder herb’ by tea drinkers and medical practitioners alike.

Drinking green tea lowers cancer risk and also inhibits carcinogenic in cigarettes and other compounds when imbibed. Green Tea contains potent antioxidants called polyphenols, which help suppress free radicals. Green tea also stops certain tumors from forming. Green tea lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels and thereby promotes heart health.  Green tea also lowers blood pressure, prevents and fights tooth decay and dental issues, and inhibits different viruses from causing illnesses.

Read more…

(Source: jokilapsi)

imokimok x finedineonmyvegangenitalia x gardennaked:

If you’re too poor to always buy organic fruits & veggies like me I like to soak mine in 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, one or two drops of soap and let it soak for about 20 minutes.

Rinse until no trace of soap and dry.

Keep in mind that this removes only approx 80 to 90% of the pesticides off the fruits and veggies.

(Source: igardenaked)

New FOOD!

I’ve been getting outside my food box lately and trying some new foods (left to right):

1. Chipotle Cheddar Pretzel Crisps with extra garlic hommus. My new favorite snack! Gives your tastebuds a swift kick of flavor and it’s light and healthy enough to calm your cravings in between meals if you’re a snacker like me. And there are lots of other flavcrs - like Cinnamon Toast!- so you won’t get bored.

2. Tasty Bite. I really like this line of Indian and Thai food. Besides being quick and easy to prepare - and not all that expensive, either - Look at the benefits:

• All natural
• vegan
• No MSG
• No preservatives
• Kosher.

The downside is that they all taste very similar to me. However, I have yet to venture outside my comfort zone in regards to what I like. maybe if I picked up a Tasty bite totally different from what I would normally pick I’d feel differently.

3. Alive & Radiant’s Kale Krunch. I tried the Terragon Dijon Kale and it was disgusting. It was too mustardy and too expensive for the amount you get in the bag. Other flavors  included Southwest Ranch all the way up to ridiculous Orange Creamsicle (for real. orange creamsicle.) but i would just stick to making your own kale chips. Take a pan of washed kale, sprinkle on some oil and a little bit of sea salt and place it in the oven until crisp. Voila! Simple, easy and tasty. You can also spice it up with some other seasonings if you feel. Pass this product up in the grocery store.

4. Primal’s Meatless Vegan Soy Jerky. Let me preface this by saying that I am not vegan. i eat (free range) chicken and fish from time to time. So I absolutely hate the taste of fake meat, with the exception of Morningstar’s corndogs. I love those. I have tried vegan ribs, vegan chicken and vegan shrimp and i hated it all because i am used to the taste and texture of REAL meat. BUT - i really liked these! The texture is very consistant (or as close as you can possibly get soy) to jerky. I had the Texas BBQ and the sauce was delicious and rich enough to cover the overt taste soy meat can have. Besides Texas BBQ, there is also Thai Peanut, Mesquite Lime, Teriyaki, and Hot ‘N’Spicy. Plus —look at all these benefits:

• NON-GMO’s
• ALL NATURAL
• VEGAN / KOSHER
• NO CHOLESTEROL
• NO PRESERVATIVES
• NO ARTIFICIAL COLORS
• HIGH ENERGY - HIGH PROTEIN
• SOY, SEITAN & SHIITAKE MUSHROOM

District Taco was recommended to me by my boss so my co-worker and I made our way over there for lunch. It’s seriously the truth! Best Mexican food I’ve had since I moved from Texas. I highly recommend it if you live in DC. I got the fish taco (available only on Tuesdays & Fridays) and a vegetarian taco. The line is pretty long around lunchtime, but for the fresh, homemade, healthy ingredients - it will be worth the wait. ps - look how sloppy it looks - that’s when you know it’s good eatin’! mmm yes.

naturally flavored, herb-infused waters.

Summer is the best time to be vegetarian because so many fruits are in season! Mmm! Its beautiful out so I am having a late lunch out on the deck. I have watermelon, sliced sweet pepper with blue cheese dressing, organic fruit and nut mix, Chobani yogurt and an all natural cherry ginger beer. I’ll probably get frozen yogurt for dessert, I’ve been craving it.