Ancient Mushroom of Immortality

(article in part from medicalmedium.com)
Reishi Mushroom

Reishi mushroom is a prized medicinal food that has been called the “medicine of kings” and the ”elixir of eternal life” due to its astounding and powerful health benefits. Reishi has been shown to significantly boost immune system function and is an excellent cancer preventative food as it contains compounds such as canthaxanthin and beta-1,3-D glucan which can slow down the growth of tumors and help immune cells bind to tumor cells and remove them from the body. 

It also is well known for helping to protect the body from radiation damage and has been shown to ease symptoms of chemotherapy such as hair loss, nausea, fever, infection, and headaches. Reishi is amazing for weight loss and can help cleanse a fatty liver and reduce edema and bloating throughout the body. 

Reishi is also excellent for cardiovascular health and is able to help dilate the coronary artery, improve circulation in cardiac muscle capillaries, increase blood flow to the heart, and even help correct arrhythmia. It can also reduce blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as reduce plaque on the arterial walls which can help to prevent strokes and heart attacks. 

Reishi is a vital supplement for helping to lower cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure, and to prevent blood clots. Reishi is very good for calming the nervous system and bringing balance and stability back to the body. It can help with anxiety, panic attacks, and sleep disorders such as insomnia. It is also known to help improve cognitive abilities such as memory, concentration, and focus. 

Reishi contains anti-inflammatory properties making is essential for those who suffer with autoimmune disorders such as colitis, chron’s disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic bronchitis, arthritis, COPD, and epstein-barr virus. Reishi also contains potent anti-viral properties and is highly beneficial for herpes, cold sores, shingles, chicken pox, and colds and flu. 

It also has natural antihistamine properties which makes is valuable for those who suffer with allergies, sinus problems, and chronic muscle aches. In one study, reishi was found to be as powerful as five milligrams of hydrocortisone. Reishi contains polysaccharides called Gandoreans A, B, C that help to keep blood sugar stable and balanced which is very good for diabetes, strokes, ulcers, and hypertension. Reishi extract powder is an excellent way to include this into your diet. It can be added to water, juice, tea, smoothies, protein shakes, soups, or veggie meals.

Plant your own magical moon garden

(article in part from daily-llama.com)

Plant Your Own Magical Moon Garden With Flowers That Bloom At Night

A lot of people don’t realize you can grow plants and flowers that bloom at night. Cultivating a moon garden is a great way to get in touch with nature, and it provides a beautiful and fragrant backdrop for your moonlight rituals in the summer.

If you plant these lovelies close to your house, you can open the windows and take advantage of their aromas as you sleep.

Many night-blooming plants are white, and give a luminous appearance in the moonlight.

If you plant them in a circle or a crescent shape, when they bloom, you’ll have the moon herself right there “as above, so below.” There are a number of plants that open at night.

Night Blooming Plants

Moonflower: Yes, it should be painfully obvious, but the Moonflower really does bloom at night. It releases a slightly lemony scent when it opens up, and during the day the white flowers are tightly shut. Some species of this climbing plant, a cousin of the Morning Glory, can get up to eight feet long*. The flowers, when open, are around 5 – 6″ in diameter.

Evening Primrose: This perennial spreads rapidly, and can cover a lot of ground for you. The pale pinkish-white flowers open at dusk, and release a sweet aroma.

Night Phlox: these pretties open up at dusk, and have a fragrance reminiscent of honey or vanilla.

Angel’s Trumpet: Another vine, this annual spreads like crazy. Its trumpet-shaped, white flowers have a bell-like appearance when open.

Dutchman’s Pipe Cactus: Also called the Queen of the Night or Night Blooming Cereus. The white flowers bloom only at night and they wilt before dawn. Flowers are short-lived and last for 2 days.

Four o’ Clock: The peculiar name attributed to this charming flower is due to its opening at late afternoon and closing at morning. The trumpet-shaped flowers come in shades of pink, red, yellow, white and sometimes bi-coloured.

Night Bloom Water Lily: The crimson red or purple water lily is one of the most magnificently coloured flowers in the world. The large reddish pink flower is present with bronze coloured leaves. It blooms in early summer and opens at dusk like many other night flowers.

What to do With Your Moon Garden Plants

When you have plants that have blossomed under the powerful energy of a full moon, the possibilities are just about endless. Harvest the flowers and dry them to use in talismans or charms. Use them to dress a Moon Candle or as part of a purification bath. Include them in incense blends to help enhance your intuition and wisdom.

'Plogging' is 2018's Hottest New Fitness Trend

Healing Herbs for a Healing Garden

10 Steps to Organic Gardening

(Article in part from gardeningt.com)

Practical Steps to Organic Gardening

1. Soil. The soil is kept healthy by working with Nature rather than against it. Practices include using organic fertilizers such as manure to replenish the earth and all refuse produced by the garden should be recycled back into the garden. Organic gardening uses all of the waste produced in the garden such as grass clippings, leaves, and leftovers from the kitchen to make compost that feeds the soil and keeps it full of the nutrients necessary to grow crops.

2. Avoid the use of all synthetic chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Eliminating the use of chemicals in the garden allows gardeners to not worry about children, pets, and wildlife coming in contact with synthetic weed killers and fertilizers on the lawn and shrubs. The food grown is pesticide-free, additive-free, and nutritious food for the table.

3. Sustainability. In his book, Gardening Organically, John Fedor defines sustainability as “the ability of a society or an ecosystem to function indefinitely without squandering the resources on which it relies.” Organic gardening does this by ensuring there is no loss of nutrients or topsoil in the garden.

4. Environmental Stewardship. Gardening organically means that the environment benefits from the reduction in contamination of the water supply and air pollution. It means that we provide a habitat for wildlife including beneficial insects and animals.

5. Wildlife-friendly Habitats. Informal areas can be created to assist wildlife in their search for habitat where they can survive the destruction of many areas; destructions that have now endangered many species.

6. Intensive planting. Plants are spaced closely together to conserve water and shield the soil from sunlight thus helping to prevent weed seeds from germinating and growing.

7. Biodiversity. Biodiversity ensures that when a change in growing conditions occurs, a single crop does not lead to a crop failure. The food supply does not become jeopardized when a diversity of species are planted.

8. Rotating Crops. Crop rotation assists in the control against soil-borne pests and diseases. This rotation makes a difference in the productivity of the garden as those diseases that affect the plants are kept in check by the rotation of the crops to other areas of the garden.

9. Watering and Weeding. Rainwater can be saved to water the garden. Soaker hoses, drip irrigation, and watering by hand conserve water. Mulches are invaluable in both water conservation and slowing down weed germination.

10. Saving Seeds. Save some seeds from your best plants when harvesting crops. Many old varieties are being lost at an alarming rate and preserving this biodiversity is important. Some of these saved seeds have been used to develop new strains after disaster has affected commonly cultivated varieties.

5 Natural Home Remedies To Reduce Water Retention

5 Home Remedies To Reduce Water Retention

(article taken in part from heartysouls.com)

Water retention often causes pain due to swellings in the feet and torso, and if you have experienced this, then you know that it is highly uncomfortable and painful issue.

Water retention is known as edema in medicine and is actually the accumulation of excessive fluids in the body due to various reasons, and we will suggest ten natural remedies to resolve it and reduce the swelling it causes, usually in the torso, feet, and legs.

These swellings are painful, and edema might also lead to stiff joint, high blood pressure and pulse, and weight gain.

This condition might be a result of medications, physical inactivity, excessive intake of salt, vitamin deficiencies, contraceptives, as well as environmental conditions, like high weather temperatures and altitudes.

Water retention might occur due to internal factors, such as poor circulation, thyroid issues, vein and liver disorders, allergies, pregnancy, high blood pressure, stress, dehydration, and heart and kidney problems.

These are the most effective water retention remedies:

Remedy #1: Parsley

It is one of the most powerful water retention natural remedies. You should add a few teaspoons of dried parsley in a cup of water, and boil. Then, leave it to cool for 10 minutes and drink this tea three times daily.  You can also add some lemon juice to the tea for even better effects.

Remedy #2: Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is abundant in, which lowers the sodium levels in the body. As you already know, sodium retains water in the body, so vinegar is excellent in this case. Just add a teaspoon into a glass of water, and drink the remedy twice daily.

You can boost the effectiveness of the drink if you add an extra tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per glass. You can also soak the feet in a hot bath with vinegar for 10 minutes.

This will soothe the swellings and also treat bad foot odor.

Remedy #3: Cranberry Juice

This juice accelerates the production of urine in the organism and is high in calcium, potassium, and magnesium. You should drink a cup of unsweetened cranberry juice daily, or you can take cranberries in pill form.

Remedy #4: Dandelion

Researchers have found that dandelion supports the urine production in the body. It also lowers the sodium levels, as it is high in potassium. Dandelion is also rich in magnesium which reduces premenstrual bloating.

You should add a teaspoon of dried dandelion leaves in a cup of warm water, boil for about 10 minutes, strain, and drink the tea several times daily.

You can also use dandelion pills, but make sure you consult your doctor before you take them or start consuming the tea, as dandelion might interfere with certain drugs.

Remedy #5: Onion

Onions purify the blood and stimulate the urine production, thus preventing kidney stones. Peel a few onions, add them to 4 cups of water and boil. Add some salt, and drink this remedy three times daily for a few days.

Elderberries - Our EARTHs Goodness

(article in part from thespruce.com)

The elderberry is a very popular plant that grows well in the garden as well as the wild. It is an excellent tree to grow that will attract wildlife to your garden and the flowers and berries can be harvested for a variety of uses.

From delicious elderberry jams, wines and pies to an effective and natural way to fight the flu, the elderberry is a very beneficial plant.

Growing the Elderberry Tree

The elderberry grows as a tree and it is a wonderful addition to any edible garden. It also grows plentifully in the wild, particularly along river banks throughout the western parts of North America. This makes it a great wildcrafting plant though it's important that you correctly identify the tree prior to using any unknown berries.

The elderberry tree can grow as tall as 20 feet and it is related to the honeysuckle. It often grows in a shrub-like cluster of stems though some varieties are smaller and single-stemmed.

The serrated leaves of the elderberry grow along the twigs in groups of 3-9 leaves. They are aligned with each other in an opposite formation, meaning they do not line up from one side of the stem to the other but are staggered. 

In the spring, the fragrant flowers bloom in small clusters and are a waxy white color. These promote the coveted berries in autumn, so it's important to harvest only a portion of the flowers if you also want to enjoy the berries.

In the garden, elderberry trees enjoy moist, well-drained soil and plenty of sun. They can also produce runners, so it's important to remove any unwanted shoots or they will take over your garden. You may have to wait 2-3 years after planting before your elderberry flowers and fruits.

Propagating the elderberry is best done by seed as cuttings have a lower success rate.

Luckily, as many berry-eating birds prove, the seeds take root very well and can produce a very healthy tree.

Elderberry Precautions

The elderberry is a fantastic flowering tree that has many uses and is a delight to harvest. However, it also comes with some risks that should be pointed out before anything else.

·         The elderberry flower and berries are known to cause an allergic reaction in some people.

·         Never harvest elderberry fruits that are not completely ripened. The immature fruits are poisonous and can cause nausea.

·         For the same reason, it's advised to cook the berries rather than consuming them raw. Avoid the temptation to sample berries straight from the tree.

·         Do not confuse the elderberry with other berry-producing trees. They may look similar, but red berries of similar species are known to be very toxic - look for dark purple or blue to black berries.

Harvesting Elderberries

The flowers and berries from the elderberry can be harvested for use.

As mentioned, it's important to harvest them at the right time in order to avoid any of the health concerns associated with the plant.

·         The flowers of the elderberry tree should be harvested once the entire cluster has opened. Simply snip off the entire cluster of blooms.

·         The berries will be ready to harvest when they are a rich, dark purple/black. They should also be slightly soft.

·         Harvesting the berries is easy. They grow in large bunches called umbrells and each stem can be removed once the berries ripe. The stem acts as a convenient handle when working with the berries, so don't cut it too short. If you notice any immature berries, remove them from your harvest.

·         When wildcrafting elderberries, be sure to only pick from areas that do not receive a lot of vehicle traffic. 

How to Use Elderberries

One of the best-known uses of elderberry is for fighting the flu.

The berries contain compounds that keep the flu virus from attaching to the body's cells, so it can shorten the duration of your illness and possibly lessen the severity.

·         Elderberries make a wonderfully tasty remedy.

·         

    You can use them fresh or dried to make a sweet elderberry syrup or a semi-sweet tincture.

The berries can also be used to make a fruity jam or even a delicious pie.

Tip: To dry elderberries, place them in a dehydrator or bake them lightly in the oven. They can also be spread out on a drying screen in a thin layer until dry.

The intense fragrance of the elderberry flower is very relaxing and can be added to a calming potpourri mix. The flowers can be used to make a tea, liqueur, or wine as well.