Sunflowers uplift good mood. Some people I know are “sunflower fanatics”, collecting sunflower stuff. I can imagine why, the loveliness of its sunny, smiley blooms will make anyone happy. But do you know that sunflowers possess properties that are also good for one’s health?

What’s hot: Sunflowers  have a wide range of uses and the entire plant can be used. One of its special property is you can extract polyunsaturated oil from a sunflower plant valuable for lowering cholesterol levels. The University of Maryland Medial Center enumerated the list from the American Heart Association (AHA) for a healthy heart diet. Sunflower oil contains Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids important to one’s health. So for those people who likes fried foods, they can use sunflower cooking oil as a substitute. But keep in mind that anything excess is not healthy. The seeds and kernels can be eaten raw or toasted. The sprouted seeds can be steamed or boiled for a quick delicious salad. The oil is also good for base aromatherapy and to treat muscular aches and pains. Sunflowers are attractive floral decoration. The list seemed endless.

What’s not-so-hot: Heavy shredding of the plant, AHA said that too much sunflower cooking oil or any cooking oil may be associated with weight gain in the abdomen.

Sunflower products:  sunflower seeds $2.99, sunflower organic cooking oil, sunflower honey toasted seeds $18.63, Klein’s Natural Sunflower Seeds, Unsalted, in Shells $16.62

Popularity: 42% [?]

Whoever  thought that you can’t have fresh coffee beans everyday straight from your kitchen window. It’s now possible with these Coffee plant in pots! I am a huge coffee fan and I find this a wonderful idea to “dwarf” a coffee plant. You can’t buy coffee beans locally unless you live in Hawaii or other tropical countries. So for those living in temperate countries, buy this coffee plant in pots and in five years, you might reap the fruits of your labor. Many swore that the coffee plant is hardy and easy to tend. You might even grow organic coffee. Adding egg shells in the pots will make any plant grow so well. I swear it’s one of the best “fertilizer” I’ve tried.

dwarf Arabica coffee beans plant $7.99, dwarf Kona coffee plant (10 seeds) $3.99, dwarf Robusta coffee plant (10 seeds) $3.99

Popularity: 5% [?]

Chopped raw Parsley is a common ingredient in salads, soups, fish, potatoes and sandwiches. But do you know that there’s more about Parsley than just an attractive garnish to dishes? The Stanford Cancer Center provided a comprehensive and complete list of nutrition to reduce cancer risk. Parsley as a dark deep green herb is included in the list as one of the Carotenoids. Preliminary evidence suggests that Carotenoids contain phytochemicals that may play a role in decreasing the risk of cancer. The dark curly leaves contain vitamins, minerals and iron. You want to know more? Read on…

What’s hot: As as plant, Parsley proved to be easy to grow. In fact you can grow Parsley in an egg shell! You can have Parsley all year round just protect it from frost. There are varieties of Parsley, the “curled” Parsley and the Italian with flatter leaves.

It is said that Parsley tea helps fight fluid retention (diuretic) and has a beneficial effect on the urinary system. Based on stories of people who tried drinking Parsley tea, it proved to be an effective treatment for kidney and bladder complains. I came across the website of Dr. James Howenstine a clinician and herbalist, who wrote about how drinking Parsley tea cured his wife’s UTI and kidney stones! It’s very informative and an interesting story. And if you like garlic, like I do (especially in fried rice) but do not like the after taste and smell of garlic in your mouth, chew on Parsley to counter the smell of garlic. You are kissable again in no time.

What’s-not-so-hot: It is advised that Parsley should not be taken as medicinal doses by pregnant women.

I am amazed of the new things I learned about Parsley. I think I will try Parsley tea next time, not that I have kidney or bladder complains, but I am curious of what the tea would taste like. I will make my own concoction and will tell you all about it!

freshly packed parsley in large jars $3.79, parsley sphagetti $14.49, parsley tea $14.82, parsley herbal supplement $5.39

Popularity: 3% [?]

I just saw the latest weather news, “Shocking cold wave drops temp to 40 below zero.” The U.S. is not alone in experiencing harsh weather for the past months. Even in Asia the weather is cold (for Asians) and dull (always cloudy)! Consequently, a lot of people are suffering from colds, cough and flu. Those who are experiencing cold wind, ice and snow might be hoping for a “global warming” soon.  If you haven’t catch colds, cough and flu and you want to prevent it from infesting your system, you may want to consider boosting your immune system the natural way by trying out drinking boiled fresh leaves of the Oregano herb or taking Oregano health supplements. The dried Oregano tea and Oregano health supplements may work but you may first want to check the sources of these because only true oregano (Origanum vulgare) or “wild marjoram” (that grows best across Europe and Central Asia) are considered effective.  Read More

Popularity: unranked [?]

How many of you experienced leaving your keys, wallets, and cell phones? Or you’re answering today’s crossword puzzle but all of a sudden you forget the answer? You know darn well the correct answer, its even “on the tip of your tongue.” But for some reason you can’t remember. Worst, you forgot the names of people whom you just met a while ago. It may sound like absent-mindedness and its OK to have memory lapse once in a while with so many things that distract us, its inevitable. But what if your forgetfulness is a regular occurrence? This may not be normal memory loss after all…worst it may be symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. In the article “Memory loss: When to Seek Help,” from Mayo Clinic, they gave a good list of questions you may want to ask your doctor to sooth your worries.

Many herbal supplements came out in to the market to help combat the problem in memory loss especially in older people.  But one herb stood out from the rest, the Ginkgo. Ginkgo is often misspelled as “gingko,” a rare herb tree species and the only member in its genus. Some say its a “living fossil tree” because it predates the evolution of mammals. The leaves and seeds are the parts principally used for medicinal purposes. Now available in powdered extracts or capsules. Bonsai ginkgo’s are also available for decorative purposes.

What’s hot: The University of Maryland Medical Center gave the following list of ginkgo’s medicinal uses:

• Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease – showing evidence that ginkgo’s may help people with these conditions is promising
• Eye problems – the flavonoids in ginkgo’s is  believed to lessen or halt retinal problem
• Intermittent Claudication (pain caused by inadequate blood flow to the legs) – ginkgo’s reported function in improving blood circulation may prevent this condition
• Memory Impairment
• Tinnitus (the perception of ringing, hissing, or other sound in the ears or head when no external sound is present) – researchers investigated that ginkgo’s moderately reduce the loudness of tinnitus
• other ailments, including altitude sickness, asthma, depression, disorientation, headaches, high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction, and vertigo

“responsible for the herb’s beneficial effects in humans — flavonoids and terpenoids. Flavonoids (such as quercetin and rutin) have potent antioxidant effects. Terpenoids (such as ginkgolides) improve blood flow by dilating blood vessels and reducing the stickiness of platelets.”

The Ginkgo tree is a good decorative tree in any garden specially in Autumn.

What’s not-so-hot: Ginkgo’s seeds are readily available but may be difficult to cultivate; the fruits are inedible; reported side effects – gastrointestinal upset, headaches, skin reactions, and dizziness.

Loosing one’s memory is one of the leading problems in old age. In fact, just watching how Alzheimer’s disease come into play in the hit novel and movie, “The Notebook,” is enough to make you teary-eyed.  But don’t despair…cheer up! You can start boosting your memory with this guide from Mayo Clinic.

Photo source: Kalyx.com, wikipedia.org

Popularity: 98% [?]