Herbs: Elderberry, Echinacea, Acai, Dandelion, Honeysuckle
Foods: Astragalus, Honey, Yogurt, Miso, Kale, Collard Greens, Mustard Green, Arugala, Watercress, Garlic, Ginger
Vitamins and Supplements: Vitamin A
Actions:
Aromatherapy:
Folk Remedies:
Things to Avoid:
Useful For:
Herbal Sources: Alfalfa, Borage Leaves, Burdock Root, Cayenne, Chickweed, Eyebright, Fennel Seeds, Hops, Horsetail, Kelp, Lemongrass, Mullein, Nettle, Oatsraw, Paprika, Parsley, Peppermint, Plantain, Raspberry Leaves, Red Clover, Rose Hips, Sage, Uva Ursi, Violet Leaves, Watercress, Yellow Dock
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Name: Amaranth
Latin:
Other Common Names:
Family:
Parts Used:
Vitamins/Minerals: Lysine, Calcium, Iron
Used for: This plant is one of the top herbs for use in treating depression. It also contains lysine, an amino acid the body uses to make protein. Amaranth is actually considered a complete protein.
Use in tandem with:
Directions & Warnings: Try substituting amaranth for 1/4 the flour in your bread and pasta recipes.
Other Uses for:
Growing:
Garden Compost: MEdium fertility. Dig in or mulch.
Green waste compost: Low fertility. Dig in or mulch. Available from large-scale municipal recycling centers, likely low in nitrogen but high in potassium.
Commercial bagged compost: Variable fertility. Dig in or mulch.
Worm compost: High fertility.
Strawy animal manures: Medium to high fertility. Must be well rotted before being dug into the soil. Unfortunately, getting organic animal manure is difficult.
Spent mushroom compost: Medium fertility. Tends to be alkaline, so choose which plants to use it on with care. Can be sourced from organic mushroom growers.
Leaf mold: Low fertility. Mulch or dig in, depending on age.
Straw: Low fertility. Source from an organic farm if possible. Best as a mulch.
Bark chips and shredded prunings: Lower fertility. Best used as a mulch only, and on ornamentals, rather than food plants. If dug in, they can rob nitrogen from the soil. This caution also applies to horse manure with wood chips.
Along with being a lovely source of Vitamin C, tomatos have a number of other health benefits. Recent research indicates that they help protect against a number of cancers, and may reduce your risk of a number of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
The secret behind the extended health benefits is a nutrient called lycopene, a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants help prevent cancers by slowing down certain kinds of cellular damage caused by free radicals.
The heart protection is caused by lowering cholesterol. There are studies that have shown that drinking a couple of glasses of tomato juice a day lowers the LDL “bad” cholesterol by a sizable percentage. There is an additional nutrient in tomatos called 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid. This frightening sounding nutrient has also been linked to lowered cholesterol and fat in the bloodstream
Lycopene has also been linked to a potential increase in bone mass, although this effect is still under study.
Useful For: Metabolism and hemoglobin
Herbal Sources: Alfalfa, Burdock root, Catnip, Cayenne, Chickweed, Chicory, Dandelion, Dong Quai, Eyebright, Fennel, Fenugreek, Horsetail, Kelp, Lemongrass, Licorice, Milk Thistle, Mullein, Nettle, Oatstraw, Paprika, Parsley, Peppermint, Platain, Raspberry Leaf, Rose Hips, Sarsaparilla, Shepherd’s Purse, Uva Ursi, Yellow Dock
Food Sources: Molasses, Chocolate, Seaweeds
Use a pot 18 inches wide, 10 inches deep
Spring: Direct sow spinach beet, Misato Rose Asian Radish. Around mid-spring, add nasturtium around the edges.
Summer: Plant 2-3 seeds or one transplant of summer squash.
Fall: Trim back squash in early August, sow mesclun at edges. Fill in with more mesclun as the squash goes.
Herbs: Nettle, Oatstraw
Foods: Pumpkin Seeds, Brazil Nuts, Walnuts, leafy greens, beans, salmon, milk
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Aromatherapy:
Folk Remedies:
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Herbs:
Foods: Honey
Vitamins and Supplements: Lutein, Vitamin A
Actions:
Aromatherapy:
Folk Remedies:
Things to Avoid:
Useful For: Teeth, bones, nerves, heart, kidneys
Herbal Sources: Burdock, Turkey Rhubarb, Slippery Elm
Food Sources: