If you drink coffee, tea, or iced tea then you’re already familiar with the power of infusions to pack in flavors, caffeine or medicinal components. According to Wikipedia.org, an infusion is “the process of extracting chemical compounds or flavors from plant material in a solvent such as water, oil or alcohol, by allowing the material to remain suspended in the solvent over time (a process often called steeping). An infusion is also the name for the resultant liquid….

The amazing herbal adaptogen that is mucuna pruriens is well known for its wide range of tonifying, strengthening and all around beneficial properties. Perhaps it is best known as a potent herbal aphrodisiac. This Indian herb is known by many names, some of which are cowitch, cowhage, velvet beans, sea beans, buffalo beans, Kapikachu, Atmagupta and many more! From www.secrets-of-longevity-in-humans.com

As more and more of us focus on healthy lifestyles and locally sourced ingredients, the public outcry for non GMO foods gets louder. Of course, we’d all love to have a great garden planted with heirloom seeds, but that’s not always possible. Fortunately, the resources for shopping and avoiding GMO products are growing.

The idea of switching to a vegan diet is nothing new. Unfortunately, the Western diet centers virtually every meal around meat. This can have harmful long-term consequences, including an elevated risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, obesity, and more.

“It may be tiny, but it’s mighty: The flax seed carries one of the biggest nutrient payloads on the planet. And while it’s not technically a grain, it has a similar vitamin and mineral profile to grains, while the amount of fiber, antioxidants, and Omega-3 fatty acids in flax leaves grains in the dust. Additionally, flax seed is very low in carbohydrates, making it ideal for people who limit their intake of starches and sugars. And its combination of healthy fat and high fiber content make it a great food for weight loss and maintenance — many dieters have found that flax seed has been a key to keeping them feeling satisfied. Flax seed is high in most of the B vitamins, magnesium, and manganese…”

“Many public health organizations-including the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society-recommend legumes as a key food group for preventing disease and optimizing health. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends 3 cups of legumes per week…”

Old wives’ tales have credited apple cider vinegar with everything from curing warts to making your hair shiny. Now there’s increased evidence that adding some ACV to your diet does have health benefits. Note: Some studies report similar benefits from rice or wine vinegar, but not with balsamic….

There’s been a lot of news the last few years about chronic inflammation and its debilitating effects on the body, but researchers are still unclear about the causes. Under normal circumstances, the body is supposed to “inflame” a little to mount an immune response and counteract infection — it’s when the body stays in that state that problems occur. As reported at www.easyhealthoptions.com : “ Like every system in the body, the key is balance – because inflammation does have a serious downside. It’s a slippery slope: A normal healing response can progress to an ongoing inflammatory process that spreads throughout the body under the right (or rather, wrong) conditions…”

This is going to be a hard holiday season for many this year. Families have lost loved ones, people have seen their jobs reduced or eliminated, and the last round of government aid is due to expire the day after Christmas. For many, simply putting food on the table has become a struggle.