Grow A Health Garden PART 2

In the previous article we discussed the benefits of certain herbs that are easy to grow in your own kitchen garden. In part two of this section let’s explore some more herbs that can add an interesting twist to your everyday meals.

Rosemary
A herb with a name as beautiful as its aroma.

How to grow
Rosemary can be easily grown from its cuttings. The herb grows well in dry soil with occasional watering and plenty of sun. It can also be grown with help of seeds and this process takes about 20 days and consistent watering. One thing to remember while growing rosemary is that it should not be grown in the same plant as basil. However it can be grown with thyme, cabbage and carrots.

Benefits of Rosemary:
Hair loss (when infused in oil)
Reduces pain caused due to arthiritis
Relives indigestion
Helps to control high blood pressure

Use in pasta sauce, grilled fish, chicken and potatoes. Goes well with olive oil, canola oil and safflower oil. Can be used along with garlic and thyme.

Thyme
Pronounced same as ‘time’. Thyme is an aromatic herb belonging to the mint family.

How to grow
Just like mint it grows easily from cuttings or seeds. The best time to grow thyme is spring and can be harvested in summer just before it begins flowering. The seeds take anywhere between 8 to 20 days to germinate. Grow thyme outdoors in full sun and water it occasionally (the soil needs to go almost dry before you water the plant again).

Benefits of thyme:
Helps in reducing acne.
Reduces high blood pressure and cholesterol
Relieves cough
Thyme oil can elevate your mood

Use along with rosemary, oregano, cilantro (coriander) in grilled fish, lamb, turkey and most vegetarian dishes.

Chives

Chives resemble spring onions in their mild onion flavour and are fairly easy to grow.

How to grow
These can be grown indoors from seeds which take about 15 to 21 days to germinate. Post germination the seeds can be planted in a outdoor planter (after about six weeks). Chives grow best in fertile soil and in full sun with occasional watering. Just like thyme the soil needs to go almost dry before you water again.

Benefits of Chives:
High in anti oxidants and vitamin A
Rich source of folic acid (iron)
Good source of fiber

Use in making eggs (fried or omelet), soups, pasta, spreads and dips, baked potatoes and chicken. 

http://herbalacademyofne.com/2014/07/using-flavorful-culinary-herbs/ 

content source:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14394/a-guide-to-using-herbs-when-you-cook-infographic.html
https://www.etsy.com/listing/151433666/herbs-herbal-medicines-herb-garden-cd-29?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share
http://herbgardening.com/index.htm
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/chives.html
http://www.healthline.com/health/health-benefits-of-thyme
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-154-rosemary.aspx?activeingredientid=154&activeingredientname=rosemary

Get Through Your Day With Yoga

Whether it is done in the morning or after a stressful day at work, yoga always makes you feel better. It instantly lifts your mood and relaxes your body. So why not start and end your day with a quick yoga workout? 

As you may already know yoga is best done in the morning when you can breath in fresh cold air and soak in some warm and comforting sunshine. Now there are a couple of different poses that you can do depending on your preference. If you want to jumpstart your day and release the tension in your muscles and joints, follow the poses in the picture below:

www.theberry.com 

Calling all runners! Follow these yoga moves to stretch your sore muscles and kickstart your joints . Give yourself a great launchpad for a morning run. Warm up before a run is very essential and what better way to include some variety in your workout than do yoga?

www.movenourishbelieve.com 

Cool down with these relaxing poses and calm your body after a strenuous run.

www.apaperproposal.com 

You have just returned from a hard day’s work and when someone asks you how your day was, you respond with a death stare. Let’s get real - we have all been there and done that (and more). It’s alright! Before you work yourself up to actually answer that question, consider doing yoga to feel better by stimulating some endorphin.

www.dailyburn.com 

Nothing beats stress like a good night’s sleep. Help your body get to dreamland with some easy yoga moves which will also help to release tension in your body. The best part is that you can do this in your own comfortable bed - it’s like being a child all over again. So come on, go ahead and try. You know you want to!

www.fitnessmagazine.com

Grow a Health Garden

It’s that time of the year again when all you gardening and health enthusiasts grow herbs while the sun shine. Add a fresh zing to your food everyday, all through summer simply by growing your own fresh herbs.

Don’t whine - it is not rocket science. Growing herbs is quite easy with the rise in gardening tricks, tools and techniques. We will also tell you why a certain herb is nutritious and how you can use it. 

1. https://www.flickr.com/photos/sweetlocalfarm/3669459919/ 

Mint / Pudina:
A common herb used in the kitchen - mint adds freshness to a dish like no other herb.

How to grow:
Besides being the freshest, mint is by far the easiest herb to grow. Simply wet the fertile soil in your planter and push the mint stems (even if they are leafless) slightly into the soil. You can also use stems that are almost dried. The mint plant loves moist soil so keep watering the pot a little everyday until the leaves sprout. This might take two or three weeks. Once the plant blooms, be sure to harvest it every few days for new leaves to grow.

Benefits of Mint:

• Helps in digestion
• Good for pains and aches
• Helps to ease morning sickness during pregnancy 
• Helps to fight cancer in the long run
• Rejuvenates the mind and reduces stress

Use mint in fruit salad, yoghurt dip, cocktails, rolls and non-alcoholic drinks like ice tea. An ideal way to start your day is by brewing mint leaves in your tea.

Basil /Tulsi:
A native plant of Indian culture as well as a sacred one.


How to grow:
Basil can be grown by directly planting seeds in the soil or by germinating them first. Basil loves to grow in a warm environment and moderate amount of water. Basil can also grow from cuttings (of stems) and rejuvenates itself with a little water and some sunshine if it is almost dried out. Like mint, you need to harvest basil so new leaves can grow. This plant also produces seeds at the top of the stem which can be used to grow more basil if the plant dies.

Benefits of basil:

• Reduces swelling in the body
• Rich in antioxidants 
• Used in ayurvedic medicine
• Used in treatment of arthritis and IBS (inflammatory bowel syndrome)

Use basil in pasta sauce, olive oil dressing, salad seasoning, stir fry and pesto.

1. www.etsy.com 

Coriander (cilantro) / Dhania:
Another staple in the kitchen, in almost all cuisines, coriander or cilantro matches mint in its freshness quotient. Although cilantro is quite similar to parsley, the former is more citrus-y.

How to grow:
Lightly beat the seeds and directly sow in the planter. The seeds will take anywhere between a week to ten days to germinate. The plant requires fertile soil, just enough water to keep the soil moist and enough sun.

Benefits of Coriander:

• A natural antiseptic and disinfectant. Has antioxidant and anti fungal properties that help to clear fungal skin infections
• Lowers the level of bad cholesterol (LDL)
• High in iron content so prevents anemia
• Stimulates digestion
• Reduces Blood pressure

Use coriander in almost anything - tacos, curries, salads, dips, chutneys, grilled and baked meat and seafood.

content source:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266425.php
http://herbgardening.com/index.htm
http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/10-health-benefits-of-pudina-that-can-keep-you-in-mint-condition/
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-coriander.html
www.care2.com

Lazy Person’s Guide to Workout at Home

There are days when you feel like skipping on your gym routine and just staying in. Then there are other days when you promise to go to the gym in the morning and then a meeting gets advanced.

Whatever the reason may be, on a day when you don’t feel like making it to your gym, just set it up in the comfort of your own house. You do not need any fancy or expensive equipment to do a gym-like workout at home (or office). 

Exercises to do with a chair:

http://pumpsandiron.com/2012/08/27/chair-workout/ 

Exercises to do with help of a couch/sofa:

http://www.girlscene.nl/lifestyle/food/2012/maart/de_ultieme_thuis_work-out 

Exercises to with help of a stability ball:

http://www.girlscene.nl/lifestyle/food/2012/maart/de_ultieme_thuis_work-out 

Exercises to do with two short ladders/bar stools:

http://bloodsweatminivans.blogspot.in/2012/07/its-summer-i-kinda-have-to-workout-at.html 

Incline push ups with help of a bed:

www.sportsmedicine.about.com

Incline barbell push up alternative:

www.2.bp.blogspot.com 

The incline barbell push up can be done with a help of a low (curtain) railing or using the railing in your balcony. (Be careful not to tip yourself over!)


A workout using a staircase:

http://news.health.com/2014/05/13/get-fit-quick-with-this-10-minute-step-workout/

For more exercises click HERE

Exercising at the gym is still vital, given the guidance of the trainers, weights and cardio equipment but now you don’t have an excuse to miss your workout. If you have a spare room or a corner at home, turn it into a mini gym for days when it seems impossible to fit in your gym routine.

And if you still feel a lack of motivation to exercise, pick one of these reasons and just make a move:

• Muscles are built by effort not excuses.
• If you skip a workout, you skip an opportunity to improve yourself.
• Think of your workouts as important meetings you’ve scheduled with yourself. Bosses don’t cancel. 
• It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it!
• How do I want to feel this summer - fit or jealous?

So what are you going to do? Workout anyway or go back to bed?


Content Source:
www.indulgy.com
www.buzzfeed.com
www.skinnyms.com
www.beachreadynow.com

Eat the trend - zoodles, soodles, coodles and more…

In today’s day and age, there is a mobile app and a kitchen tool for almost everything. So in our journey to staying healthy and as fit as a fiddle, why not capitalize on this one kitchen tool that can amplify the health quotient in your life?

Now we all love pasta in any form - noodles, spaghetti, lasagna etc and we are very careful about picking the whole wheat kind when we go grocery shopping. But did you know you could make noodles and lasagne out of vegetables? Transform your peeler into a pasta maker and see what a world of difference it makes to your calorie intake. Plus it is a great way to consume more vegetables and stay gluten-free!

www.crookedbrains.net 

So you need one of these tools in your kitchen - julienne peeler, spiral vegetable cutter, mandolin, regular vegetable peeler. These tools are quite easily available in supermarkets as well as online. The most convenient and easily available is the regular or the julienne peeler. So here are a few recipes that can be easily prepared - it’s healthy , carb-free and delicious.

www.cookinglikeanewlywed.com  

Zucchini and garlic noodles:
Simply toss the zucchini noodles and cherry tomatoes in a hot pan with olive oil and cook for three to four minutes. Add chopped garlic and basil leaves and cook until basil has just wilted. Grate your favourite cheese and serve immediately.

You can do this with sweet potato, carrots, butternut squash and other vegetables. Make this for supper or as a side for grilled chicken or fish.

www.lookchef.com

Zucchini and Squash Lasagna:
If you love lasagna but always have trouble finding or making (from scratch) lasagna pasta, just grab your vegetable and a regular peeler or a mandolin and have a go!

Arrange your zucchini and squash slices one on top of another layering with pesto or pasta sauce and your favourite kind of melted cheese. Be generous with olive oil and bake this lasagna to perfection. Click HERE for recipe.

www.tasteofhome.com 

Zucchini Crust Pizza:
Although this recipe does not require a fancy peeler, it still deserves a mention. Replace your flour dough pizza with this vegetable crust for an extra crunch. It’s quick, easy and a great alternative to the regular pizza dough. Simply grate some zucchini (even cauliflower will work just as well) and mix it with an egg and mozzarella cheese. Spread it on your pizza pan and bake until just done. Spread your favourite pizza toppings and bake until the cheese melts and the toppings are cooked. This is called guilt-free indulgence.

So whether you are eating noodles made of sweet potatoes, carrots or squash or just giving a whole new spin on pizza crust, be rest assured that you are on your way to good health for a very small price. Guaranteed that the kids will never say no to vegetables again.

content source:
www.tasteofhome.com
www.lookchef.com
www.cookinglikeanewlywed.com