Natural Heart Doctor •

How Microgreens can Reduce Heart Disease Risk

If you’ve eaten at a restaurant lately, you may have noticed a few sprigs of greenery on your plate. They may have been sprinkled upon a salad, cushioned between the bread on a sandwich, or bathing atop your favorite soup. You may have even seen them resting alongside your steak or chicken entree. But you probably didn’t realize that these tiny greens could actually reduce your risk of heart disease. At first glance, you may have assumed that these small leafy greens were simply a garnish made
Backyard Vitality — •

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth With the Natural Sweetener You Can Grow

Stevia is well known today as a nonnutritive sweetener, a sugar substitute. You can buy powdered stevia products to add sweetness to foods and drinks without adding calories. These products contain rebaudioside A, an extract made from stevia leaves. A more natural way to sweeten foods without calories is to use the whole leaves of stevia. Native to South America, this plant grows well in USDA zones 10 and 11. In other regions, grow it indoors year-round or outdoors in summer. Stevia, part of th
Backyard Vitality — •

How to Create the Perfect Tea Garden

Tea is up there at the top of the list of favorite beverages, and for a good reason. It comes in so many different varieties and flavors and can be brewed light or strong to match any mood. Moreover, the presence of several antioxidant compounds in tea has now given it a super drink status. Teas may be known by different names such as green tea, oolong tea, black tea, etc., but all real teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant. It is a small, broadleaf evergreen tree, usually grown as a shrub
Backyard Vitality — •

Sunflowers, The Happy Plant, Take the Sting Out of Insect Bites

For me, a garden is not a garden without sunflowers. I love how they tower over smaller garden plants, providing just the right amount of shade on a hot summer afternoon. Their big and bright flowerheads make me smile. And, talk about easy to grow! Did you know that sunflowers are also delicious and make a fantastic natural remedy for insect bites? Sunflower (Helianthus annus) is an annual native to parts of North America. Native Americans cultivated it as a crop. Over thousands of years, they
Backyard Vitality — •

These 3 Super Herbs Can Reduce Blood Pressure and More

Nearly half of all Americans have high blood pressure (also called hypertension), a preventable condition that is the number one risk factor for heart disease. Sadly, millions of people with this condition go undiagnosed. The good news is, numerous lifestyle changes can help prevent, manage, and even eliminate high blood pressure. Additionally, nature has provided relief for this condition as well. Let’s take a closer look at some easy-to-grow herbs that can be used to regulate blood pressure.
Backyard Vitality — •

A 5 Minute Apple Cider Vinegar and Lemongrass Bug Spray That Works

Summer is fast approaching, and with warmer weather comes excellent things like a beautiful yard and garden and lots of fun times with family and friends under the sun and stars. Unfortunately, it also brings out the bugs, including flies, mosquitoes, and other nagging insect pests that wreak havoc on our warm-weather festivities. When it comes to commercial bug spray, there are lots of options to choose from. However, there are downsides to these popular products. The most concerning is that t
Backyard Vitality — •

Eat More Sweet Potatoes – and Put Them on Your Face Too

Eat More Sweet Potatoes – and Put Them on Your Face Too I love sweet potatoes; they are a highly nutritious and delicious root vegetable. Known as Ipomoea batatas, sweet potatoes are not only one of the best vitamin A sources, but they are also packed with vitamin B5 niacin, thiamin, and carotenoids. Research has also uncovered a host of therapeutic benefits in sweet potatoes. They contain anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic properties. Sweet potatoes are a delicious addition to a
Backyard Vitality — •

Rosemary Can Lift Your Down Mood and Improve Eyesight

Ah, rosemary. Almost everyone is familiar with the woodsy aroma of this native Mediterranean herb. Needlelike leaves and beautiful blue flowers adorn this evergreen plant with a rich history of culinary and medicinal use. Rosemary is a member of the Lamiaceae family of plants, including mint, oregano, lemon balm, and basil. Packed with medicinal properties, rosemary is a powerful herb and a beautiful plant all wrapped into one. Rosemary can even help lift you up when you are feeling blue and he
Backyard Vitality — •

Make FREE Apple Cider Vinegar From Scraps (it’s easy)

Do you have an apple tree in your yard? Perhaps you have access to loads of apples in the fall from your local farmers’ market or nearby orchards. Making applesauce is a great idea, but you can also take it a step further to get the most out of your apples. Making apple cider vinegar from scraps is one way to ensure that you are letting no part of the apple go to waste. Apple cider vinegar has a myriad of uses and is excellent for health and wellbeing. The best part of all is that you can make
Backyard Vitality — •

How to Grow Oyster Mushrooms at Home in a 5-Gallon Bucket

Not everyone is thrilled with the idea of eating fungus. However, mushrooms’ nutritional value is second to none, and researchers are learning more each day about their many benefits. There are over 140,000 mushroom-forming fungi species, yet scientists are only familiar with a mere ten percent of them. But what studies have shown regarding these more well-known varieties is enough to encourage everyone to fill their plate with these healthy fungi. Mushrooms are an excellent source of B vitami
Backyard Vitality •

Try This Simple Trick to Save 60% More Water in Your Garden

Spring gardens often thrive due to April showers. The same can’t always be said for later season gardens that often lack the blessing of rainfall. If you live in an area that is particularly dry during the hot summer months, you know how much time and expense is required to keep plants well-watered. Luckily, there is one thing that you can do at the beginning of the season that will save time and a great deal of money by slashing your garden’s water consumption by up to 60%. A drip irrigation s
Backyard Vitality •

Don't Make These Common 7 Indoor Seed Starting Mistakes

Depending on where you live and what plants you are growing, it is getting close to seed starting time. I love this time of year, when I can start plants indoors to transplant them lovingly into my spring garden. Seed starting time means that garden planting time is just around the corner. No matter when seed starting time is for you, the tips below will help you avoid some common mistakes so that you can give your plants the best start possible. Here are some of the most common mistakes made w
Backyard Vitality •

How to Get 4x More Tomatoes by Doing This One Simple Trick

How to Get 4x More Tomatoes by Doing This One Simple Trick Are you dreaming of bigger, tastier tomatoes? I often find myself thinking about ways to have a massive harvest of gorgeous and juicy fruit. Because of this, I have spent the better part of the last ten years studying how to have the best tomatoes ever. Much of what I have learned has come from trial and error. From this, I have a newfound understanding and appreciation of just what tomatoes need to thrive. If you ready for the best tom
Backyard Vitality •

How to Make Your Own Chemical-Free "Miracle Grow" Plant Food

When it comes to plant fertilizers, there are plenty to choose from. However, not all plant food is created equally. There is good reason to be overwhelmed with all of the options out there, especially if you are a new gardener. There are two broad categories of plant fertilizers – inorganic and organic. One type of plant food reigns far superior in my books, and that is organic. Let’s look at why and how you can make your very own miracle plant food using common household items that plants love
Backyard Vitality •

7 Ways to Use Sugar in Your Garden

It’s a new year; perhaps the year you will cut all refined sugar from your diet, which is a great thing to do. Your resolution to be healthier, however, may leave you with a few extra bags of white sugar – you know the kind that you loved (past tense) to put in your favorite cookies? No worries, that same sugar that you are trying to nix out of your diet is the very thing your garden needs. Here are seven ways to put that banished sugar to work for you in your garden. Nematodes are also known
Backyard Vitality •

New Lettuce Recall Involves Potentially Fatal Strain of E.coli

Haven’t we all had enough stress for one year? An out of control virus that just won’t go away, civil and political unrest, and now….. An increasing number of food recalls continue to threaten our health and wellbeing. Do you buy produce at Walmart? If you have shopped over the weekend at Walmart and purchased single head romaine lettuce – don’t eat it! The most recent fresh produce recall applies to Tanimura & Antle bagged single head lettuce. E.coli was found during a test in Michigan that wa
Backyard Vitality •

16 Ways to Use Lavender in the Garden, Kitchen, and Bedroom

16 Ways to Use Lavender in the Garden, Kitchen, and Bedroom What if I told you that you could grow your very own 100% natural sleep and anxiety aide in your garden? Lavender, a well respected culinary and landscaping herb, is also recognized as an insomnia remedy and a tension and stress buster. Its versatility makes it a must in any garden. Common types of lavender fall into these four main groups – English, Spanish, French, and Lavandin. English lavender is a popular garden type and grows we
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