Tag Archive for: Allergy

Drying Edible Flowers and Herbs

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Edible flowers and some herbs can be delicate, but learning how to dry them properly can ensure you make the most of each harvest.

Some people swear by a commercial food dehydrator, but if you don’t want to go to the expense, there are simple ways to dry your flowers and herbs.

herbs

Know What Is Safe to Eat

Safety first. Take the time to research what is safe to eat, and what it can be used for. In some cases, you can use the flowers, in others the leaves. Sometimes with herbs, you might be able to use the entire plant. There are many websites online with free information.

If you tend to have seasonal allergies, you might wish to avoid eating flowers. Most people should avoid eating the pollen, in order to avoid allergic reactions and to improve the taste of the flowers.

Good edible options include roses, mums, nasturtium, lavender and pansy.

Know What You Like

Edible flowers and herbs are very much a personal taste and preference. Think about the kind of herbs you use in your cooking these days, and how handy it might be to grow your own. As for flowers, check the descriptions of common edible flowers in relation to taste, whether they are sweet or savory, and so on. Then you can start planning your growing, harvesting and drying.

Choose Flowers and Herbs That Dry Well

Not all edible flowers and herbs dry well, so choose ones you know will be hardy enough to survive the process, and ones you use regularly.

Hang Them Upside Down

Hanging the flowers and herbs upside down on a rack in a cool, dry place will help preserve them. They should be completely dry when you start; that is, with no dew on them. You can tie them into loose bunches with some cotton thread and hang them by the thread from hooks. They will usually take four to seven days to dry completely.

Once they are dried, you can remove flowers, leaves and so on from the stems and harvest the edible parts of the plant. For flowers, cut them in half and clean out any pollen or other inedible parts.

Store your harvest in cool, dry containers. Be sure to label each one so you don’t get any surprises when you use them in cooking.

Using Your Own Oven

Set your oven to 140 degrees F. Line some cookie sheets with paper towels. Lay the herbs in a single row on the towels. Heat for about 30 minutes, then check on them and turn them over. Heat through for another 20 to 30 minutes, but do not allow them to burn, or else all their nutrients and their taste will be gone.

Trim the edible parts and store in a cool, dry place.

Keep Things Dry

No matter which method you use, be sure the flowers and herbs are completely dry before storing them. Otherwise, they will develop mildew and become useless.

Recipes

There are many recipes that call for dried herbs, so have fun experimenting. As for edible flowers, you will need to do some research, but you should be able to find a range of soups, stews, sauces, salads and desserts. Dried herbs are three times stronger in taste than fresh, so use sparingly.

Why It Is Important to Drink Water to Assist in Healthy Eating

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Water makes up over 70% of the human body. So it is no surprise that water is one of the most important things that the body can receive, especially when you are attempting to embark upon a healthy eating journey.

Water can help you to stay on track and focus on eating healthy and nourishing foods rather than falling back on the same processed junk that got us into an unhealthy mess in the first place.

water

So what exactly is it important to drink water?

First of all, it helps to flush toxins out of the body. When we aren’t drinking enough water, it can be almost impossible for our bodies to get rid of the bad things that are accumulating inside us. It can cause infections and other complications. Fortunately, water helps to eradicate the things that contaminate our bodies so that we can begin to get healthy right away.

Another great reason to drink water is because if you want to be healthy, you have to be active as well. When you drink enough water, then you begin to realize that your body has far more energy than it used to have. Instead of being tired and fatigued all the time, you will have an abundant amount of focus and the ability to concentrate. This can be very important, especially if you are in school or you have an mentally or physically demanding job to do.

Even if you do not, walking around during your life with little energy is very dangerous and should be avoided. Make sure that you have water in your body so that it can help to nourish your brain and your body all at the same time.

Water also helps to support the immune system.

If you are prone to illness, then making sure that you drink enough water is one of the most surefire ways to guarantee that you are doing everything you can to support your immune system. Water is something that helps to boost this important aspect of our bodies so that we can help to brace ourselves against colds and flu’s, and heart disease. Water can even help you to eliminate the free radicals and toxins that can contribute to cancer. Getting rid of carcinogenic waste in our stomach is very important, and water helps us do just that.

If you are interested in the physical effects of drinking water, there are several benefits there as well. It can help to clear your skin, as your body is eliminating waste and other ways rather than through your pores. It can provide your body with a healthy glow and a soft texture.

Water is one of the most antiaging properties there is.

Not only that, but it is highly beneficial for your health and well-being. If you want to embark upon a journey of healthy eating, make sure you take water with your meals so that you can fully reap the benefits for yourself!

Healthy Eating – Your Future is Now

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Sometimes, it seems impossible to make plans for the future, especially if you are insecure and find that when you do make plans, they never turn out quite how you expect them to. This can create a sense of insecurity and anxiety in a person that can be difficult to overcome. Whether you want to succeed or not, these seeds of doubt can plant themselves in your mind and prevent you from doing what it is that you want to do the most.

When it comes to your future, healthy eating is the most basic building block that will help you to build yourself up into something you voice dreamed of being. If you are not nourishing your body now, in the future, you are likely to suffer for it. You want to suffer emotionally or mentally. You will suffer very physically. Without the proper vitamins and minerals in the body, you will ultimately find yourself suffering from debilitating diseases that could easily have been avoided if you were only more conscientious about the foods that you put into your body.

healthy eating

It can be surprisingly easy to live with malnutrition. You don’t always realize that you are lacking in essential vitamins and minerals until you are suffering the consequences for it. Sometimes, you can go to a doctor and they can administer you the vitamins that you are deficient in so that you can begin to heal properly from it, but sometimes, that stops being an option.

Prevention is the most important thing that you can do when it comes to diseases. Sometimes, you will never be able to cure what it is that your neglect has introduced into your life. And when the day comes that you are suffering for your mistakes, you will feel them extremely acutely. Everybody needs to pay close attention to what they’re putting in their bodies right now, because your future is now.

Something that can help you is looking into ways that your body needs to be nourished. Look into your body mass index and see what it is that you should be receiving every day nutritionally. Start taking multivitamins daily just to make sure that you are never lacking in the most essential nutrients and minerals. This is especially important if you are attempting to survive on a diet of processed foods and highly sugary beverages that make it almost impossible to lose weight.

If obesity is difficult enough for you to deal with, imagine finding yourself being diagnosed with cancer in the future because of processed food choices that you have made over healthier alternatives. These are issues that can sometimes be avoided, and food can also act as medicine as much is prevention. If you want to be healthy and happy, and you see yourself having a bright future, consider your eating habits. Makes good choices in the present because your future is being built on every choice you make today.