Part of living an eco-friendly lifestyle is finding new uses for items you have around your household. Did you know that your spice rack could help you stay healthy this winter? Yes, everyday herbs and spices can help you live a healthy and eco-friendly lifestyle.  These tips come courtesy of Naturopath Dr. Natasha Turner author of The Super Charged Hormone Diet during an appearance on The Marilyn Dennis Show. Remember these are only suggestions and before you make any changes to your diet or add supplements you should consult your physician.

Cinnamon Image Credit: natures-health-foods.com

First up is cinnamon, which is a versatile spice that lowers insulin. Insulin is the only hormone that tells our bodies to store energy as fat. Any spice that lowers insulin is an advantage; as it helps reduce sweet and salty cravings, reduce belly fat, and can help stabilize your appetite. How can you incorporate this into your daily diet? Add 1/2 to 1 tsp to your morning coffee, oatmeal, or protein shake. Within twenty to thirty days you will experience the benefits of cinnamon.

Second is ginger, which is excellent for calming nausea and is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. An excellent way to store ginger in your home is to wrap it well in cling wrap and keep it in the freezer. Cut about an inch sized piece of a root put it in water and drink it though he day. You can enjoy this in hot or cold water; it will not change its beneficial properties. Another easy way to enjoy ginger is to add it to your stir-fry.

A third spice that is incredibly beneficial is curry. This potent spice is a super food as it helps to improve heart and brain heath. Studies have also found that is can help reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Not to mention it is an anti-inflammatory, good for cholesterol, and can help you lose weight. If you don’t enjoy curries as a main dish add a little of spice your chicken or egg salad. Basically ½-1 tsp added to your cooking or to you taste.

A fourth spice that will help you stay healthy this winter is garlic.  Garlic is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and helps boot your immune system. Try to add 1-2 cloves of raw garlic daily to a stir-fry or other entrees.  Winter is a great time to enjoy pasta sauces, and that is an easy way to add garlic to your diet. Roasted garlic is also another alterative that is sweeter and less potent without losing the health benefits.

Rosemary is a fifth herb that can aid with wellness as it is known to help lower blood pressure, it’s an anti-inflammatory, and it’s good for vision. For best results you should use fresh and not dried rosemary, which is easily available in most grocery stores. Add to omelets and pasta sauces. You can easily infuse the herb in olive oil and dip your bread in it.

Sixth on the list is oregano, much like rosemary it is best used when fresh and not dried. Oregano is an anti-fungal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. Add it to pasta sauces, and pizzas. Again as with rosemary you can infuse oil with it and enjoy it with bread. Some people like to take 3-5 drops of Wild Oil of Oregano in water if they feel a cold coming on and continue until the symptoms pass.

The seventh and final remedy on our list is Caraway. It is an amazing digestive aid, as caraway can help with bloating, gas, and indigestion. Infuse “1 ounce of caraway seeds to 1 pint of water. Then steep the seeds for twenty minutes. Usual dosage is 1 to 2 tablespoons every half hour until symptoms disappear.”

These tips illustrate that you can find new uses for things that are already in your home. Also, using these herbs and spices you can help maintain your health in an organic and eco-friendly way. This is just another example of how you can easily live a greener lifestyle starting from the inside out.
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