I come from a Nordic culture that really feels seasonal depression. When the weather cools, people get gloomy – it’s a cultural fact, and one that has to do with lessened sunlight. But what if you could combat some of that depression by adjusting your dietary intake and adding a couple of supplements? Well, you can. And these natural antidepressants work even for depression of the non-seasonal variety.

There are essentially three different sides to taking the natural antidepressant road – dietary changes, added supplements, and lifestyle modifications. After the break, I will discuss each in its own category.

Dietary changes to help fight depression:

• Stop eating processed foods. A recent UK study linked a heightened social depression with increased intake of processed food – sweetened desserts, fried foods, certain refined grains and high-fat dairy products. Now, I know that eating seasonally-appropriate local produce in the winter is difficult, but you should always make sure your meal includes carbohydrates as close to unprocessed as possible: quinoa, oatmeal, or even whole wheat. And root vegetables are available throughout the year; use this as an excuse to put onions and carrots in your dishes, and learn to cook with beets and rutabagas. Also incorporate lean meats (if you eat meat) and nuts. Consistently eating whole foods contributes to an overall 26% diminished risk of depression in a lifetime.

• Eat foods that are high in omega-3s, such as fish, walnuts, and sugar beets. This also goes together with the whole foods idea outlined above; the best sources, as always, come from natural unprocessed foods.

Supplements for depression:

• Vitamin B6. This essential nutrient is vital in most of the body’s processes, and studies have found that those who are depressed also often suffer from lower levels of vitamin B6. This alone might contribute to depression. In addition, vitamin B6 is essential to the production of serotonin – a chemical nerve transmitter in the brain. Taking additional whole-food based vitamin B6 in times of depression may assist in overcoming it. In fact, it would be a good idea to take a B complex, as a deficiency of B9 (or folic acid) can also cause depression.

• St. John’s Wort. Long valued for its antidepressant activity, this herbal supplement is as close as you can get to a natural antidepressant on par with prescriptions. As such, the herb is generally found to be more effective than a placebo in the treatment of depression, and with very few side effects. When considering St. John’s Wort, it’s important to discuss any other medication you’re taking – this herb can interact with other drugs.

Lifestyle changes to counter depression:

• Cut out drinking. Alcohol adversely affects the nervous system and causes (among other things) a deficiency in vitamin B. It’s known as a depressant, and can strongly exacerbate an existing tendency to depression. If you’re feeling bummed, chances are high that eliminating alcohol altogether will assist you out of the funk.

• Meditate. Meditation is a little-used tool in western society; however, taking that few minutes to concentrate on your own mind, breathing, and letting go can have wonderful results when you’re depressed. Seek out a meditation class in your area or read a book about it.

• Exercise. Exercise, too, has a tangible effect on the brain – those who move regularly report less depression overall. Exercise releases endorphins that elevate mood – and strengthening and training contributes to positive self-image.

Making your own Natural (Vegan) Soap

I haven’t bought a bar of soap from the store since 1999. I was dissatisfied with phony laboratory concoctions and wanted pure, safe, soap. So, I decided to make my own. I’ve been hooked on soap-making since I poured my first batch. Here are some tips on how to make soap.

I’ve never taken a soap-making class. Today there are a lot of great classes taught by knowledgeable teachers, but no classes were offered in my area when I began. When asked, “How did you learn to make soap? Can you teach me?” I say that books, the Internet, and trial and error have been my teachers. Soap-making isn’t difficult, but it can be tricky. I’ll share a bit of information I wish I had known before I made my first batch.

I make soap using the cold-process method. Fats and oils (acids), sodium-hydroxide, also known as lye (base), and water (the solvent which dissolves the base) are the main ingredients. The acid and the base react with each other and neutralize into a salt. Soap is a salt. This process is called saponification. In the cold-process method, there’s no boiling in a big cauldron. This isn’t old-fashioned lye soap like our great-grandmothers made from ashes and rendered animal fats.

I don’t use animal products in my soap. This is all natural soap. So really, this is about how to make vegan soap. Instead I use olive, coconut, and palm oils. There are so many oils and ingredients to choose from when creating your own special soap. Oats, cornmeal, almond meal, and spices can also be added. The combinations are endless. Unlike commercial soap which usually has had the glycerin removed, cold-process soap contains all of the glycerin and its humectant and emollient properties.

Soap can be left unscented or pure Essential Oils, not to be confused with fragrance oils, can be added. The calming scent of Lavender essential oil makes one of the mildest soaps. My family loves the herbal scent of Rosemary essential oil. I suggest reading as much as you can about aromatherapy and playing around with the oils until you find a combination that suits you.

Before you start making soap have all of your soap making equipment and ingredients ready. You won’t have time to gather what you need after you start mixing. I suggest the following tools:

• Rubber gloves
• apron
• long sleeves
• lots of newspaper for covering and protecting work surfaces
• an accurate scale (measure ingredients by weight, not volume)
• plastic bowl for measuring lye
• sodium hydroxide
• vinegar (neutralizes lye and is good for cleaning up lye)
• sturdy plastic, glass or stainless steel pitcher for mixing lye and water (the pitcher will get very hot)
• stainless steel pot
• thermometer
• stainless steel or plastic long-handled spoons
• grapefruit seed extract
• evening primrose oil
• water
• Essential Oils
• freezer paper for lining the soap mold
• soap molds (can be made of wood or a cardboard box, after you get the hang of soap-making you can be creative and use things like pvc pipe, and round potato chip containers…)

Lye is VERY DANGEROUS. Always wear safety glasses, rubber gloves, an apron, and long sleeves. Lye can cause severe burns, blindness, even death if swallowed. Always keep lye away from children and pets. Add the lye to the water. NEVER ADD WATER TO THE LYE. This creates a lye volcano, and believe me you don’t want one of those erupting on you. Mix in a well-ventilated room and don’t breathe the fumes. I mix my lye and water outside. Be sure not to do this on a windy day. Keep your safety glasses on throughout the process. The lye solution must cool before it is mixed with the oils.

Can soap be made without sodium-hydroxide?. Unfortunately, no it can’t. No lye, no soap. Melt and Pour soap is an option for those who don’t want to handle lye. But even the Melt and Pour soaps were made with lye.

The Internet is a great source for ingredients, tools, and recipes. Search for “soap-making supplies” and “soap-making recipes” . Start with a small batch. I’m not including a recipe because the one I use makes a large, 10 pound, 40 bar batch, and I haven’t asked for permission to include it here. You can also heck your library for soap-making books. That’s where I found my favorite recipe.

You might have to melt oils like coconut and palm before they can be mixed with oils like olive oil which stay liquid at room temperature. You just want to heat them until they melt, don’t let them boil. I mix the cooled lye solution and the oils together when they are at about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir until the mixture traces. Trace is when the soap has the consistency of cooked pudding and holds a trace or stir marks. I add Essential Oils, Evening Primrose Oil, and Grapefruit Seed Extract (a natural preservative) to the soap just as soon as the soap traces. Mix well and immediately pour into the lined mold. Don’t pour raw soap down the sink drain, as it could harden.

Let the soap sit for a few days, then cut into bars. Plastic containers with a meshed bottom make a great curing rack. A cardboard box lined with brown paper works good too. Cold-process soap should cure for about 6 weeks in a cool, clean, dry area. Saponification continues during the curing time. As the soap cures, any remaining sodium hydroxide is incorporated and the soap becomes milder.

Lathering-up with a new bar of homemade soap is a pleasure. If you decide you want homemade soap, but you don’t want to do the work, or handle lye, you can always buy bath and body soap from a professional. Soap-maker guilds and organizations are great resources for finding reputable soap-makers as well as private label soaps. Enjoy!

Brewing a fine pot of tea takes practice and patience. Brewing teas is nothing short of an art. About a week ago, I pulled out my favorite oolong and brewed it for my friends in a clay pot. I was really excited about the tea and eager to hear my friends’ murmurs of delight. Instead, the tea was bitter and strong right off the bat and became weak and watery after the second seep. Dejection. Humiliation.

So what I did was brew that same tea over and over to determine what exactly had happened and why. I knew that the tea I had brewed was a fine work by a master and therefore the issue was not with the tea itself, but with me. The pot was also made by a young master and, in previous sessions with buddies, had proved to be a fine pot for all oolong tea and pu’er tea. I found, after experimenting and drinking, that this particular tea required very hot water, just under boiling and that the seep should be quick and confident. I served the same tea last night and it was magnificent. Everybody loved it and I converted a few coffee heads to tea. They had never had a tea of that stature before and that is what I strive to do every time I serve a cup. Inspire, educate, enliven. The mood of the room became congenial (more than it already was) and the conversation became relaxed, yet stimulating.

I found the same thing with a Dong Ding oolong, a raw and green Dali Pu’er and even with the “simple” greens. Brewing a good cup of tea is a complicated matter, there are a few things one has to take into account.

First and foremost, study your tea. Where did it come from? Is it a dark hard leaf or a fragrant green leaf? Is it rolled into tight balls or loose? Do you know the producer? Most likely not, so go and talk to the re-seller. How does he/she brew it? What kind of taste does it have? How long can it seep? How many times? I have noticed that there is not one tea merchant out there honest enough to say “you know, am not too sure.” And that really is the truth, because every tea has its own personality and its own perfection that it hopes to attain. Some teas want to be really flowery and attack the back of your mouth. Others want to be deep and earthy and wallow in your mouth before marching down into your belly. Some are very cerebral, others are very physical. So instead of telling you exactly which tea tastes like what and why, what I am going to do here is lay down the Scientific Method for Tasting your teas.

Its easy.

Take 5/8/10 grams of the tea and brew it in a clay/glass/porcelain/iron pot. Do each, so that in the end you are actually drinking 12 pots of tea. Space them out over time. Seep each pot for 1/2/3 or even more minutes. So for the first seep, try it quick, not so quick and slow. Same for the second seep. Suddenly, we are talking about dozens of pots of tea. With each subset of this experiment, the tea will taste, smell and feel different. Certain subsets (say 10 grams seeped for 3 minutes) will immediately prove to be too strong, whereas 5 grams for 1 minute might be too weak. Smell the leaves after each seep. Go through the temperatures, from 85-95 degrees and see what happens. Bitter? Smooth? Burnt?

Now you might just say to yourself, 8 grams of TieGuanyin in a clay pot seeped for 2.5 minutes at 88 degrees is exactly what I am about. I would probably agree. But the goal of this process is not just to find the perfect match for each of your teas, but to truly understand what happens to the tea under other conditions. You might surprise yourself. I found that an aged oolong needed super hot water (95 and higher) and very quick seeps (1 min or less) to open up, and each seep got longer (up to 2/12 minutes), but the temperature remained the same (within 94-98) — with this style of brewing, the oolong came out very, very nice and lasted a LONG time. Strange. You wouldn’t think that almost boiling water would do the trick, but after I drank it at lower temperatures, it made sense: cooler water did not release this particular tea the way it needed to be released. I used a Dehua green clay pot made by a friend of mine. Clay is porous, absorbs something from each session and contains minerals that will slip into your water like ninjas doing your bidding. The debate concerning pots … well my friends that should be a whole new post. But basically the idea is to keep your pots with one type of tea — so e.g. I brew my greens in a glass and oolongs in clay and pu’ers in a different clay or iron pot. I use porcelain Gaiwans for green fragrant oolongs and also for rose hip teas or other flowery flavored teas. That’s just what I do.

In this way, you will come to know each and every tea you own. What is the benefit of this? Well the biggest one, as far as I personally am concerned, is personality. As in, you will come to see your teas as living things (which they are, in a sense) and you will be able to choose the right tea for the right time and setting. The ability to do this is called Mastery.

And of course you will also understand your tools much better: After brewing with clay, porcelain, glass and perhaps iron, you will taste and smell the different ways these materials influence your tea. An added benefit is learning the effect water has: hard or soft water will affect the taste of your tea. In order to get a more perfect idea of what your tea is capable of, use completely filtered water as much as you can. Leave nothing to chance. Find out what type of material your pot is made out of and then research what that particular material REALLY is. Find out where your water comes from. Investigate the origins of your tea — was it imported? Most likely. If so, from where and by whom? Your supplier might not be eager to divulge too much information, but if you can convince him that you are not trying to open a teahouse next to his, then perhaps you can find out more about your tea. Or better yet, fly to China and get your own tea. 1000USD round trip and maybe a couple hundred bucks for tea. Tea is not a good enough reason to make that trip? Fine, go see the Great Wall and witness China’s economic miracle first hand.

We as consumers must educate ourselves about what we are buying and consuming and where it is coming from. We cannot hinder or halt the global economy, but we can be interactive players within this system instead of passive gobbler of whatever tea or Product X is closest at hand (and cheapest!!). I believe thoroughly investigating the tea you are drinking is a step in that direction. And if you do not share my views about our place in the world, then enjoy the process for what it is: a month long sojourn into the world of tea and teapots that will leave you healthier and maybe even smarter than before ;)

Oatmeal is one of those foods that everyone probably grew up on. I know my parents made me eat it (or some variation of it) every day throughout my entire childhood. I abandoned oatmeal for about five years when I grew up and moved out, but I went back and now it’s a regular part of my diet. Oatmeal nutrition is something that I can no longer ignore. But… is oatmeal good for you? Yes. Turns out my parents (and everyone else’s parents) were actually on to something: starting your day with oatmeal is unbelievably healthy. Here are some oatmeal health benefits and fiber nutrition information.

Reasons oatmeal is such a good choice:

• One obvious benefit of oatmeal is that it’s right there. Most people have oats in the pantry, and they cook in only a few minutes, so oatmeal is not only a healthy food but a food of convenience as well.

• Oatmeal is all-natural. You should avoid things with unpronounceable ingredients, but you won’t find any of those in oats. Most likely, unless you get a flavored variety, the only ingredient in your oats will be oats.

• Oatmeal is a great dietary fiber supplement. One serving of oatmeal contains a great deal of dietary fiber – between 7 and 8 grams, or 15% of your recommended daily intake. This means that by eating oatmeal for fiber, you’re speeding up the time that other food takes to pass through your system too. This can help in protecting against certain cancers of the colon and intestines. It’s also going to absorb a lot of water in the bowels and thus help against bloating and constipation.

• Oatmeal’s high fiber content helps to protect against heart disease. Oats contain both soluble and insoluble fiber; soluble fiber is heart-healthy because it helps to fight off LDL or “bad” cholesterol, lowering levels of triglycerides in the blood. One serving of oatmeal is a heart-healthy start to a day.

• Since oatmeal absorbs a lot of water, you’ll feel satisfied and full longer. This is great for those on a diet – there’s nothing worse than a food that leaves you feeling hungry soon after you’ve eaten.

• The carbohydrates in oatmeal are complex and take longer to digest, which means that it raises your blood sugar more slowly. This makes oatmeal a good food for type 2 diabetics.

• And yes, it’s high in carbohydrates, but oatmeal also contains protein – 5 grams a serving, to be exact, meaning oatmeal is a good carb choice for vegetarians as well.

• Slower-digesting foods like oatmeal can help protect against gall and kidney stones because they don’t require the body to release large amounts of insulin to counteract a sugar spike.

• Oatmeal is also a good source of iron (10% of your recommended daily intake), thiamin (25%), magnesium (28%), phosphorus (33%) and manganese (147%).

Don’t start off your day with empty calories like pastries, muffins, and sugary cereals, when oatmeal is delicious, healthy, and convenient. Just cook up half a cup of oats, top with some antioxidant cranberries or protein-rich nuts, or sweeten with honey, and you’ve got a breakfast that tastes great and makes you feel good.

Cherries health benefits are remarkable. Cherries are good for many things – say, for eating, then competitively spitting out the pits, while you’re walking down the boulevard on a nice summer day. At least that’s what I used to do with them as a kid. But did you know that aside from the powerful doses of vitamin C and vitamin A, cherries also contain a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory and have many other great health benefits? Read on to find out about some of the ways that cherries can help you lose weight , fight free radicals, gain control of blood sugar, lessen arthritis pain, and more. Let’s jump into the health benefits of cherries!

Cherries as Antioxidants

In terms of antioxidants, cherries (specifically tart cherries) have levels higher than most other fruits. They contain an antioxidant called anthocyanin, which gives them their characteristic deep red color. Tart cherries contain the most anthocyanins, followed by sweet cherries; they both contain more than blueberries or strawberries do. So how are these units measured, anyway? Well, antioxidant strength is measured in Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) units, which measures how many oxygen radicals a specific food can absorb and deactivate. The nutritional recommendation for people’s antioxidant consumption levels per day is 3,500 to 5,000 units, and tart cherry juice has about 3,600 units. In fact, even canned cherries have 1,700 units! You can’t go wrong with cherries when it comes to deactivating free radicals.

Cherries for Weight Loss

For weight loss, cherries are also a marvelous snack food. They are similar to watermelon, celery, and cucumber in that they’re always low in calories and high in water. This means that you can eat a quantity of them and feel satisfied with your portion size, yet the amount doesn’t contribute to your overall calorie count significantly. Since sweet cherries also satisfy a sweet tooth, there’s no need to go snacking on high-fat, high-calorie sweet foods like chocolate (although I must say that I may have a few words to say about the health benefits of chocolate soon. Look for that!).

Cherries for diabetes?

For diabetics, cherries are also good news – they help control ups and downs in blood sugar. The anthocyanins I mentioned earlier are also blood sugar regulators. Anthocyanins “show promise for both the prevention of type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes, the most common type, and for helping control glucose levels in those who already have diabetes,” says a University of Michigan doctor.

Cherries for arthritis pain management

And finally, cherries and cherry juice for arthritis are showing promise for serious relief. Studies demonstrate that sweet cherries contain an anti-inflammatory agent similar to ibuprofein, and this may help lessen the symptoms of arthritis. During certain types of arthritis such as gout, uric acid accumulates in the joints and causes pain. A study that had women eat 45 Bing cherries for breakfast showed that five hours later, uric acid levels in their blood had gone down significantly. This combined with the fact that cherries reduce nitric oxide – another sign of unwanted inflammation – makes cherries a good food for arthritis management.

I’d like to say something about that George Washington cherry tree story; I’d like to say “sir, you wouldn’t have chopped that thing down if you knew”. But that story is a myth anyway – I’m sure our founding father was smart enough to understand that cherries are valuable. And given all these wonderful ways they help you, you’re bound to find your own reason for eating cherries regularly. Why not go eat a bowl today?

One of the most important parts of a healthy lifestyle is a proper routine. A set of actions and habits that form your daily routine will enable you to manage and maintain your health and also give you the structure around which you expand and further your goals and dreams. I find that the biggest obstacle to my living a healthy life is a lack of routine. I find myself awake at 3am often, or else slouching out of bed around noon. Sometimes I spend a week getting up at 5am and going to sleep at 10pm. Then I switch it around. The freedom of being a struggling writer allows me to switch routines at will – wonderful, but very unhealthy and very unsustainable.

So for me and everyone else out there that finds life getting in the way of Life, here is a small routine that incorporates tea and can help keep your mind and body strong and agile.

In the morning, the first thing you should do is “earn your breakfast”. By that I mean sweat a little. Stretch out and do some calisthenics to get the blood moving in your body. Blood circulation (or the lack of it) is at the core of Chinese medicine. A lack of good circulation leads to weakness, fatigue, soreness and a lazy immune system and metabolism. After getting your sweat on, have breakfast. Whatever it is you eat, listen to the old Chinese proverb (which most likely has its equivalent in Western folklore): In the morning, eat good; in the afternoon eat your fill; in the evening, eat sparingly. The reasoning behind this is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should be “good” in that it stimulates, fortifies and energizes you. In the afternoon, you should be rather spent after a morning of work and this meal will give your body the bulk of its energy supply for the rest of the day and into the next day. So eat big. Then take an afternoon siesta. In the evening, you should be full and eating a big meal will only contribute to fat accumulation as you sleep. Eat a small, healthy meal that leads unto sleep.

So how does tea fit into all of this? Each tea can be specifically tailored to fit into a routine that revolves around earning your breakfast and eating well. After breakfast, have a cup of green tea. This tea will energize and stimulate you. Don’t drink ANY tea (especially green tea) on an empty stomach. The idea here is to start with exercise, eat well and then prepare for your morning’s work with a good cup of energizing green tea. Have two cups.

After lunch, just before your siesta (if you choose to take one) have a pot of oolong tea. This is the afternoon tea of choice for me. The flavor is more fragrant in general than a green tea and the ability of oolong teas to help with digestion is well-documented in Chinese as well as Western medical sources. This tea, again, leads unto the siesta or the afternoon of work that is less pressing than your morning’s work, but just as important. In the morning, you do the things you must do for that day, in the afternoon you do the things you want to do for that day and prepare for the next. A pot of good oolong will ease your mind, allow you to think abstractedly and (hopefully) out of the box and aid your stomach in dealing with the big, fat lunch you just had.

A pot of good oolong or pu’er is best for the pre-evening meal. Drink this in the hours between 3-6pm for example. It is the elixir of evening thought and action. You could just as well hold off after that first pot of oolong and wait till the very end of the night for your last infusion of tea. This last cup of tea is very important. If you drink a highly caffeinated green or black, then you will have a stimulated mind, but a tired body. Bad news for sleepers. My advice would be to refer to this essay about tea potions, and choose one (or another that I did not list) that suits your specific needs. I like to drink pu’er with milk and sugar. This is anathema to professional tea drinkers, but I find it soothing and relaxing. I drink it roughly two hours before I go to bed.

Perhaps a nice black with milk and honey? Or a delicate green with sugar or honey? Or perhaps a nice Jasmine or Chrysanthemum with sugar? These, for me, are the nighttime teas that help me out the most. Of course there are the straight sleeping teas, such as Chamomile, Anise, Catnip or Valerian Root. In this small article about a Japanese study of green tea, a form of L-Theanine (the compound known for brain stimulation) has demonstrated its ability to help young men sleep.

Just to reiterate, the Chinese believe you should never have tea on an empty stomach and you shouldn’t have tea less than one or two hours before you go to sleep at night. Routine is huge in China – at 8am, noon and 6pm EVERYONE in China is eating. Between 1-3pm, most Chinese are chilling. Some things we should refuse to learn from the Chinese (such as the need for an Emperor in the form of a Communist dictator), but other things might deserve attention. Such as a good routine.

It’s common knowledge nowadays that nuts have a high fat content. But shouldn’t you steer clear of high-fat foods? In the case of nuts like almonds, cashews, walnuts, as well as legumes like peanuts, the answer is don’t avoid them — embrace them. Nuts are nutrition bombs that offer a panoply of wonderful health benefits, and incorporating reasonable servings of them into a healthy balanced diet can help you avoid heart disease, lose weight, and more. Read on to find out about the undeniable health benefits of nuts.

A serving of nuts — about 1 ounce — contains between 150 and 200 calories, most of them from fat. However, the high caloric content and fat in nuts mostly comes from monounsaturated fats, which do not raise levels of cholesterol in the blood. Monounsaturated fats also raise levels of high-density lipoprotein, the “good” cholesterol. It is also thought that these “good” fats help guard your body against heart disease. Several recent studies seem to indicate that people who regularly (read: 5 times a week) incorporated nuts into their diets had a much lower risk of developing and dying from heart disease. The reduction in rates of heart disease can also be partially attributed to the levels of vitamin E in nuts. Nuts such as walnuts and almonds also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which lower levels of triglycerides in the blood and reduce LDL cholesterol levels – especially so with the walnut health benefits. If you’re looking to gain control of your cholesterol levels, nuts are essential to your diet — some studies suggest they lower cholesterol as well as cholesterol drugs do.

Nuts are also a great source of many other vital nutrients, including fiber, Vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, biotin, riboflavin, niacin and iron. Eating nuts in large portions is not advisable, because as I mentioned before, they do contain a lot of fat. However, nuts are a great addition to many foods like salads and cereal, and a small portion of them is great for on-the-go. Don’t overdo it, though — as I mentioned before, they are high in calories.

Nuts are considered a part of the protein section of the food pyramid. This means that they provide a good dose of protein and can be considered one serving of other protein-rich foods. Nuts are also great for vegetarians who need to seek consistent protein sources that are non-animal in origin. The best nuts for protein are peanuts (25g/serving), almonds (21g/serving), and cashews (20g/serving), but all nuts provide some amount of protein.

What about peanuts as a diet food? Peanuts are gaining popularity as a diet food lately. This, too, seems counterintuitive: peanuts for dieting? Peanuts, with their omnipresence at bar counters and cocktail parties? But peanuts are indeed a healthy food in moderation, boasting all of the health benefits of other nuts. Because they contain such a good dose of protein and fiber, peanuts are filling, so they satisfy — people who eat peanuts as a snack tend to eat less and therefore stick to their diet better. What’s more, the fact that they’re filled with antioxidants. Peanuts contain the same amount of antioxidants as strawberries do, according to a UF study.

Overall, nuts are healthy for you, and a good food for anyone. Choose raw nuts when you can, although roasted nuts will do in a pinch. Be sure to avoid honey-roasted and chocolate-covered nuts, as those add extra calories and zero nutrition. As long as you don’t suffer from a nut allergy, consider incorporating nuts into your daily diet. You’ll be glad you did.

All of us desperately want to make a good impression. It is said that the first impression is the best impression. This is especially true in a financial deal, a social call, and maybe in a marriage proposal. When asked what they first noticed about their life partners, more often than not, friends have replied “their teeth.”

A white smile is an important part of that all-important first impression, and because of that, here are some tips for getting that gorgeous, bright smile.

When it comes to whitening the teeth, many people swear by their dentist. While it’s true that many dentists nowadays perform whitening and other cosmetic procedures, and can do them in under an hour, the truth is that this can cost you hundreds of dollars for just one appointment. A much smarter option would be to go with a good at-home teeth whitening kit. Some homemade inexpensive ways of whitening your teeth:

1) Lemon Juice for Whiter Teeth.

Brushing teeth with lemon juice, or rubbing the peel across the teeth, is one of the most frequently mentioned ways to whiten teeth naturally. Unfortunately, it is also one of the worst. The way lemon juice works is by robbing your tooth enamel of calcium from the citric acid in the juice. This may lead to tooth decay without the right amount of calcium. Lemon juice can also strip away the tooth enamel until it is damaged beyond repair.

In other words: Lemon juice for teeth whitening…not a good idea.

2) Strawberries as a Tooth Whitener

Another homemade remedy involves mashing strawberries into a pasty pulp and brushing your teeth with them. This tastes nice, but may be almost as harmful as lemon juice for the same reasons. Strawberries also contain acid, and the seeds can damage your gums or even your teeth if you brush too hard. If you do chose to use strawberries for teeth whitening, be sure to brush your teeth or rinse your mouth shortly afterwards.

3) Crunchy Vegetables for Whiter Teeth

Vegetables such as celery, carrots, broccoli, and cucumbers are naturally abrasive and act like little toothbrushes that scrub away stains.

4) Wood Ash (Lye) for Teeth

The potassium hydroxide found in hardwood ash is a bleaching agent and will whiten teeth. A popular home remedy is brushing with the wood ash on a regular basis. Potassium will harm the enamel in your teeth over time and it is best to stay away from this one.

5) Baking Soda

The process of brushing teeth with a baking soda and salt mixture has been around for a long time, and for good reason. It can actually be effective in removing stains, especially with the help of peroxide. Baking soda will also help to kill bacteria, which causes plaque, and reduce acids, which can harm tooth enamel. Baking soda is safe to use and easily obtained. If you do use a baking soda mixture, brush gently around your gums so you don’t irritate them.

6) Hydrogen Peroxide

Gargling with peroxide is said to whiten teeth. The popular peroxide remedy has you brush your teeth normally, swish peroxide around your teeth, and then rinse with water. This is safe, however it may irritate the gums and cause tooth sensitivity over time.

7) Baking Soda & Peroxide Combined

This may be one of the best home remedies for teeth whitening and regular tooth maintenance.

8) Homemade toothpaste:

One of the better home recipes for whiter teeth is a paste consisting of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, table salt and a dab of toothpaste. Mix it all together and brush away stains. The secret to this inexpensive home whitening method is malic acid, which acts as an astringent to remove surface discoloration.

Ayurveda and teeth whitening — Useful Herbs for Whitening of Teeth

• Babul (Acacia arabica) – The importance of babul in whitening of teeth cannot be expressed in words. It is so much important in Ayurveda for this purpose that the ancient Indians used nothing but the twigs of the babul (the other tree used for this is neem) as disposable toothbrushes. The tannin present in babul is effective in increasing the whiteness of teeth.

• Banyan (Ficus religiosa) – The aerial roots of the banyan can also be used as disposable toothbrushes. The banyan roots have astringent properties, which not only make the teeth whiter, but also make the teeth and gums healthier.

• Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum) – The leaves of the holy basil are dried in the sun and powdered and used for brushing teeth. The leaves help in maintaining dental hygiene and make the teeth whiter. Apart from the whitening properties, holy basil is also used for protection from problems such as pyorrhea (i.e. bleeding of gums).

• Margosa (Azadirachtha indica) – The neem tree, or the margosa, is a traditional remedy for having white healthy teeth. Several Indians even today as toothbrushes use neem twigs. Neem oils contain astringent and antiseptic properties to fight bad breath, kill microorganisms accumulated on the teeth and to combat dental caries and cavities.

If you want white teeth then you must:

• In order to keep the teeth clean and white, pungent, bitter and astringent foods must be included in the daily diet. These tastes have an astringent effect on the teeth, which helps to maintain them clean.
• Sugary foods in any form are bad for the teeth.
• Chocolates are also not good.
• Avoid excess tea and coffee. These beverages contain strong alkaloids, which can stain the teeth.
• Avoid smoking. Almost every person who smokes will lose the white coloration of the teeth.
• Chewing of the paan (betel leaf), as is done in several Indian regions, is also disastrous to the whiteness of the teeth. This habit can stain the teeth cream, yellow or even a dirty shade of rust brown.

Simple Home Remedies for Whitening of Teeth

• For teeth that have lost their white color, prepare a mixture of charcoal of babul wood, roasted alum and some rock salt. Rub this on the teeth instead of using the conventional toothpaste. You will have white and long-lasting healthy teeth.

• You can try using sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) regularly each morning as a toothpowder instead of toothpaste. Sodium bicarbonate replenishes the lost mineral content of the teeth, which helps them to regain their whiteness.

• Strawberries, tomatoes and amalaki contain good vitamin C content. These can be directly applied on the teeth. Vitamin C helps in removing the plaque on the teeth and makes them whiter.

• Rub an orange peel on the teeth every night before going to sleep. The vitamin C of the orange peel will combat with the microorganisms all through the night.

• Take adequate measures of dental hygiene. Brush your teeth after every meal, or at least in the morning and before going to bed. While brushing your teeth, take care to sweep out all the embedded food particles. This is the most natural way to keep your teeth white and healthy.

There were other brave and dedicated men who spent their lives smuggling tea from China to their home markets. The Ma Bang (Horse Caravans) of Tibet traveled over mountains and across barren plateaus to reach their destinations. For the West, the most stories smugglers are the clippers of the the mid 19th century: the fastest sailing ships ever built, made to make the run from Canton to New York and London in less than 90 days.

The English addiction to tea became unbreakable in the late 17th century. So serious were the lower and upper classes about their tea that even after a 119% tariff on tea mandated by the restored King Charles II, English merchants and pirates linked hands with the Dutch merchants and pirates (their hated enemies at the time), and both made fortunes on the black market with tea. Sanity was restored in the late 18th century after the tax was reduced to double digits, ushering in an era of legitimized tea trade with an emphasis on speed, not guile.

By this time, Americans and Europeans knew their teas. It interesting to note that we knew more about China and tea 200 years ago than we do know, even with the books and websites available to us. Merchants from all western nations were operating out of Canton and later Fuzhou. There were thousands of Chinese in the American West and great friendships developed between the hustlers and officials of the East and West — so much so that one of the greatest clipper ships ever built, the Huoqua, was named after a Chinese merchant in Canton who had died. There were hundreds of shops in London and New York that sold traditional Chinese medicines and herbs, Indian spices and cures and of course many different kinds of tea. The journey of (eventually) roughly 80 days from Canton to London/New York naturally ruled out certain types of teas, such as white and green. But the dockworkers on both ends understood and respected the market demand — and the profits to be won if that demand could be met — so crews came up with many ingenious ways to store their cargo for the long trip back. Clippers were built for speed, so they lacked the cargo capacity of their Indiamen predecessors operated by the East India Company back when they had a monopoly. There are tales of Chinese and English crews devising methods together which would enable the Chinese to load the cargo as tightly as possible and the English crew to unload them as quickly as possible.

That is why the English (and most of Europe and the USA as well) drank primarily black tea. Only tea that had been cured and roasted would be able to make the trip without losing its taste or becoming bitter and unpalatable to the Western tongue. Up until very recently, green tea was basically unavailable anywhere too far from the growing areas due to logistics.

During the clipper age, basically from 1840 to about 1870, the Great China Tea Run was one of the most anticipated and talked about events of the year. Great fortunes were wagered on the winner and the quality of the tea it would deliver. Back then, just like today, there was much debate about the medicinal qualities of tea. There was a general acceptance of the idea that tea was pleasurable and prolonged ones life and gave energy, but exactly how this was done and with what side effects provided enough room for debate. Early in England, the king and his nobles worried publicly about the effect tea would have on the “working classes”. Tea was considered a possible route toward sedition, because of the communal nature of tea drinking. Certain alchemists claimed tea produced depression and lethargy in the working masses, which greatly worried their feudal masters.

As the Enlightenment tore the clothes from the king, so also did the debate about tea become a local and personal issue, as opposed to a government mandated one. Throughout history, enterprising entrepreneurs and enamored customers did everything in their power to meet over a cup of tea and haggle one out. Even when outside forces collude: such as the East India Monopoly or the King’s Tea Tax or even the Communist Revolution last century which removed tea from the tables of most Americans for 50 years, the tea trade still manages to thrive.

I really like to think of tea as responsible for sedition, as Charles II feared, because that truly is the magic of tea: it doesn’t have just medicinal qualities and unique flavors, but social ones too. Tea has the uncanny ability to bring people together around one table. And I always feel smarter when I drink tea from a tea pot.

Menopause pretty much inevitably affects half of the world’s population in some way. At the time a woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs and levels of estrogen decrease,menopause symptoms are annoying at their best and debilitating at their worst – hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, fluid retention, and about a zillion other irritating and confusing phenomena that make hormone therapy seem like a great option. But there are natural ways to help relieve these symptoms while letting the body do what it naturally would do. Read on for some tips, tricks, herbs, and lifestyle changes that can help you find the right menopause relief you’ve been seeking.

• Exercise : Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce and relieve menopause symptoms. When you get moving, it stimulates the adrenal gland to convert the male hormone andostenedione to estrogen. Exercise also helps to shorten the duration and lessen the intensity of hot flashes. Also, your blood begins to circulate and endorphins release, which gives you a sense of well being. Also, exercise prevents the unnecessary weight gain sometimes associated with menopause. Try 30-minute walks 3 times a week, combined with a weekly gentle yoga regimen like Hatha.
• Dietary changes : There are ingestibles that make hot flashes worse, and these include tea as well as coffee and alcohol. Many people have a coffee routine but find dandelion to be an acceptable substitute – more about that here. Smoking should also be limited during menopause to the bare minimum (it is of course always best to quit). Spicy foods may make hot flashes worse because they increase the body’s own heat. Trimming these foods and beverages out of your diet when symptoms occur will help to relieve symptoms.
• Soy : We’ve heard about how soy contains phytoestrogens which behave like estrogen in the body; for women undergoing menopause, this may actually be a good thing. Some studies suggest that in countries like Japan where soy consumption is high, menopause affects less women and the symptoms are less serious.
• Evening primrose oil : Evening primrose helps with moodiness, headaches, and fluid retention, and may be helpful in reducing the duration and frequency of hot flashes. However, evening primrose must be taken regularly for several weeks before it becomes effective. The recommended amount is one capsule of evening primrose oil every day for two weeks a month, and four capsules daily one week prior to scheduled monthly menstruation.
• Black Cohosh : This member of the buttercup family is one of the most widely studied. Black Cohosh menopause relief helps significantly with the occurrence of hot flashes but not necessarily with other menapause symptoms; in a study that isolated hot flashes, black cohosh did exceedingly well. Read more about black cohosh studies here.



• Dong Quai : This herb has the nickname “female ginseng” contains phytoestrogens that bind to the estrogen receptors in our body, thereby increasing our levels of estrogen. This increased estrogen then works to reduce a variety of menopausal symptoms, acting as a remedy for hot flashes, by dilating blood vessels and increasing the flow of blood.

It is important to note that the last three tips are herbal supplements, which should be discussed with your doctor if you’re already on other medication. They are powerful and can interfere with other medicines you’re taking. That said, though, these herbs are widely known to help with menopause symptoms and in general doctors are becoming knowledgeable about them. Your doctor should be able to discuss herbal solutions with you; if not, consider seeking out an alternative doctor with some herbal knowledge.

The World Health Organization estimates that about 2.5 billion to 3 billion persons are anemic worldwide. 50% of all anemia cases are caused by Iron deficiency.

In the US it is estimated that more than 3.5 million people in the United States have some type of anemia. Anemia occurs in all age groups and in all racial and ethnic groups. One specific type, sickle cell anemia, occurs in one in every 600 African-American births, and about 2 million Americans have sickle cell trait. Approximately 10 percent of children with SCD suffer fatal or debilitating strokes. Aplastic anemia occurs in about 500–1,000 people in the US.

Anemia Causes:

Older Adults & the Elderly – Fatigue, weakness and other anemia symptoms can be misconstrued as normal signs of old age, but neither anemia nor these symptoms are a natural part of aging and should receive meticulous medical attention.

• 10% of persons aged 65 and older have anemia

• 50% of nursing home residents have anemia

• Anemic elderly are twice as likely to hospitalized for falls

• Cancer Patients – 80% of chemotherapy patients have severe anemia
• Chronic Kidney Disease Patients – Anemia is a common and early complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD)

• 28% of mild CKD patients are anemic

• 87% of severe CKD patients are anemic

In Critically ill Patients – Many factors contribute to anemia in critically ill patients including trauma, surgical blood loss, inflammation and nutritional deficiencies.

• 50% of patients in the intensive care unit are anemic

• 75% of long-stay critically ill patients are anemic

Women of Childbearing Age – Heavy bleeding with normal menstruation may cause iron deficiency anemia. Anemia can also develop during pregnancy. In fact:

• 12% of women aged 12-49 are iron deficient

• 20% of pregnant women in the U.S. have anemia.

Anemia can also be caused by or related to poor nutrition. Vitamins and minerals are required to make red blood cells; in addition to iron, vitamin B12 and folate are required for the proper production of hemoglobin. Deficiency in any of these may cause anemia because of inadequate production of red blood cells. Poor dietary intake is an important cause of low folate and low vitamin B12 levels. Strict vegetarians who do not take sufficient vitamins are at risk to develop vitamin B12 deficiency.

People with Heart Disease are at a risk for anemia. Hypertension can precipitate or worsen many established cardiovascular diseases, advancing the severity of anemia and congestive heart failure.

• 17-48% of patients with heart failure have anemia

• 43% of hospitalized heart attack patients have anemia

• And in people with rheumatoid arthritis, 30-60% of rheumatoid arthritis patients have anemia

Anemia often goes undetected in people with the following chronic health conditions:

• Chronic kidney disease

• Cancer

• Diabetes

• Cardiovascular disease

• HIV/AIDS

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Inflammatory bowel disease

Pernicious Anemia: There also may be a problem in the stomach or the intestines leading to poor absorption of vitamin B12. This may lead to anemia because of vitamin B12 deficiency known as pernicious anemia.

Sickle cell anemia: In some individuals, the problem may be related to production of abnormal hemoglobin molecules. In this condition the hemoglobin problem is qualitative, or functional. Abnormal hemoglobin molecules may cause problems in the integrity of the red blood cell structure and they may become crescent-shaped (sickle cells).

Thalassemia: This is another group of hemoglobin-related causes of anemia. There are many types of thalassemia, which vary in severity. These are also hereditary.

Alcoholism: Poor nutrition and deficiencies of vitamins and minerals are associated with alcoholism. Alcohol itself may also be toxic to the bone marrow and may slow down the red blood cell production.

Aplastic anemia: Occasionally some viral infections may severely affect the bone marrow and diminish production of all blood cells. Anticancer medications and some other medications may pose the same problems.

Hemolytic anemia: Hemolytic anemia is a type of anemia in which the red blood cells rupture (known as hemolysis) and become dysfunctional. Some forms of hemolytic anemia can be hereditary with constant destruction and rapid reproduction of red blood cells. This destruction may also happen to normal red blood cells in certain conditions, for example, with abnormal heart valves damaging the blood cells.

The symptoms of anemia:

The symptoms are very imperceptible at first. The symptoms of anemia include weakness, fatigue, dizziness, headaches and heart palpitations. These symptoms result from the body not getting enough oxygen through the bloodstream. It can become a life-threatening condition if left untreated for a long time.

Some foods that raise the Hemoglobin:

• Pumpkins are rich in vitamins and folic acid and vitamin B12 and are useful in combating anemia.

• Vegetables like spinach and broccoli, sweet potatoes, beans, green peas, pulses and all green leafy vegetables are rich in iron, folic acid and B12.

• Zucchini this is another very effective food for treating anemia. Eat in salads or steam cooked.

• Tamarind leaves tea is very good for raising hemoglobin.

• Guavas are great for preventing anemia, and it is believed that they may also prevent leukemia.

Alternately, you could try some of these home remedies that are useful in anemia.

• Red wine -Believe it or not! A glass of red wine daily corrects anemia very soon.

• Vinegar and molasses – 2 spoons of apple cider vinegar and blackstrap molasses with water or tea is a very good home remedy to correct anemia.

• Bee Pollen – 1 teaspoon of bee pollen is a powerful biological stimulant and increases the red cells in the bone marrow.

• Yellow dock root – It is a common roadside weed. It has the property of raising the hemoglobin levels. Many people with anemia have surprised their doctors when they reported that their good results came from this simple plant. Some have been able to raise their hemoglobin count in a few weeks with yellow dock. It is available in tincture form as well as capsules. This herb can have the side effect of causing diarrhea if the dosage is too high.

• Nettle leaf – The stinging nettle, also called nettle leaf. This plant can be herb contains a stinging irritant to skin; it can be cooked and eaten like spinach. It grows in moist shady places. It can be obtained as the bulk dried herb, tincture, or capsule form at health food stores. Nettle is often combined with red raspberry leaf and oat straw herb, and used as a tea. The addition of anise seed seems to improve results.

• Dandelion and burdock root – These herbs are often used in combinations to treat anemia. These plants are widespread and easy to identify, and could be used in cases where medical help is not available. They may work by increasing the body’s ability to absorb iron from food.

• Alfalfa – This is a plant that is very nourishing when taken in tablet form. It is often included in combinations of herbs designed to build up the blood. Alfalfa tablet doses are usually large, like 18 per day. It is more like a food than a medicine.

• Dong quai – It is a Chinese herb, has been reported to help in the treatment of anemia, but to date, no scientific studies have been done to verify this.

Homeopathic remedies for anemia.

• Ferrum Metallicum – Iron is the great allopathic remedy for anemia from almost any cause. It is also a great homoeopathic remedy, but it will not cure every case of anemia; careful individualization is necessary. It suits patients who have an appearance of full bloodedness or plethora, which is followed by paleness or earthiness of the face and puffiness of the extremities.

• Pulsatilla – Pulsatilla is the great remedy and is indicated in the anemic conditions where the patient is relaxed and worn out; chilly and suffers from gastric and menstrual derangements. The patient requiring Pulsatilla feels better in the open air. Dizziness on rising, absence of thirst, and the peculiar disposition will lead to the remedy.

• Cinchona – It is the chief remedy for anemia resulting from loss of fluids, as in lactation or hemorrhage, or from all exhausting discharges, such as menstrual flow or long-lasting diarrhea.

• Natrum muriaticum – This is also a remedy for anemic and debilitated conditions due to loss of fluids, especially in women who suffer from menstrual disorders and in chronic cases with a dead, dirty-looking skin.

• Chininum arsenicosum – Sometimes prescribed for anemia. It has been found to be curative in certain cases of pernicious anemia.

• Calcarea carbonica – Almost any of the deeper acting constitutional remedies may be of use in anemic and debilitated conditions.

• Arsenicum album – This is a very useful remedy in cases of pernicious anemia or in anemia’s due to hemolysis in malaria. It indications are excessive prostration considerable edema, violent and irregular palpitation, marked appetite for acids and brandy, extreme anxiety and rapid emaciation. There is irritable stomach and intense thirst.

• Helonias – It is an excellent remedy in anemia. It suits especially anemia from prolonged hemorrhage in women enervated by indolence and luxury, or such as are worn out with hard work; they are too tired to sleep and the strained muscles burn and ache. This anemia is associated with disturbances in the urinary and sexual organs.

• Secale – This remedy is useful in progressing anemia, where the patient is pale, bloodless and jaundiced in color.

Ayurveda and Anemia:

1. Lauha bhasma. Historically (1500 B C) in Ayurvedic literature Charak Samhita described fatigue and pallor due to bloodlessness, which can be cured by Lauha bhasma (Calcified iron).
2. Lohasavam is a curative for anemia, jaundice, liver affections, cardiac lesions, dropsy and fever. Lohasavam mixed with Draksharishtam is effective in pregnant women. The main ingredients are Iron, Triphala, trikatu, Vidanga, Motha, Chitrak, Dhtaki and jaggery.
3. Dhatri Lauh. This is very good Ayurvedic remedy for peptic ulcer syndrome, pain in abdomen, hyper acidity, anemia and Pitta imbalances. It is also useful as a regular supplement after first trimester of pregnancy and lactating mothers. The action of these roots is balancing three doshas in body.
4. Navayas Lauh has nine (Nava) main constituents. It has Triphala and Nagarmotha, which are very well known digestive rejuvenator. Trikatu in it corrects the metabolism of the body. Pippali is an immuno modulator and digestive and respiratory rejuvenator. Vidanga kills the intestinal worms. Chitraka mool corrects all aspects of digestive system; digestion, assimilation of food and evacuation of feces.
5. Navayas Lauh Is useful in indigestion, anemia, and eye diseases, and against all skin diseases. It helps in all diseases involving the liver i.e. jaundice, hepatitis, loss of appetite etc. Is useful in management of heart diseases which are having their origin in anemia, as well as in management of hemorrhoids.

Diet in Ayurveda :

Ayurveda also recommends a good well-balanced diet rich in iron, sesame seeds, almonds, vegetables as beet, lettuce, spinach, soybean, radish, carrots, tomatoes and fresh fruits as banana, black berries, strawberries, apple, amla, and plums.

Lifestyle modifications:

To improve your hemoglobin, you should enjoy sunbathing as the sunlight stimulates the production of red blood cells. Certain yoga postures such as Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana), Posterior Stretch (Paschimotthanasana), and Corpse Pose (Shavasana) are also considered useful in combating anemia.

Much of the tea that crossed the border from China into Tibet over the centuries was destined for the cups of nobles and lords. The locals Tibetans in the highlands learned that although the tea from China was nice, the best tea was their own and the best way to brew tea was to infuse it with the butter from their herds and churn it in yak horn cylinders until a smooth, rich, loamy consistency was reached. Every Tibetan I have ever met drinks it continuously and urges onto to everyone whom he might meet.

The tea used for yak butter tea most probably comes from the mountains just west of Yunnan and Sichuan. What I have seen is a dark, formidable leaf with an intense flavor bordering on bitterness and smoke. There may be a region called Pemagul that supplies the tea for yak butter tea, but I have never been to or actually read anything to confirm the existence of Pemagul. I do know of a company based out of Sichuan that sells Tibetan medicinal teas made from plants grown in the higher altitudes west. That tea is a bitter, maroon drink with hints of scarlet. It has a dry aftertaste and seems to be a refined version of the tea used for yak butter tea. The Chinese and Tibetans believe that this bitter tea helps with indigestion, bowel troubles, lack of focus or energy and also with vision. The market is aflush with tender greens and shining whites and oolongs with great body, but no one is selling (or buying) the hardy leaf the Tibetans use for their creamy drink of choice. This type of leaf is a true medicinal, often mixed and ground down with other herbs to make elixirs and potions that traditional Chinese medicine has found to be effective in keeping man healthy.

For Tibetans on the plateaus, the drink might help them deal with a diet of tsampas (barley, salt and yak butter tea) and/or yak meat. Many Tibetans are vegetarian and nomads in Kham rely on yogurt, milk, butter and tsampas. The bitter tea helps keep energy up, metabolism working and the brain clear while the buttery thickness of the yak butter adds reserves and warmth. A perfect drink for a mountain area.

The process for making the tea involves steeping the tea leaves in hot or boiling water for hours. After the brewer has made a suitably potent stock, the brew and the leaves are placed away for use later. When it comes time to drink, the brew is placed together with a hunk of butter, a spoonful of salt and a cup or so of milk into a cylinder called a chandong. There is a pump in the chandong which the brewer uses to churn the ingredients together vigorously for as long as he sees fit. The longer the better. Yak butter tea is then served in porcelain cups, filled to the brim, often with candy or sweets of some kind, almonds and maybe tsampas. Tsampas are balls of doughy goodness made from barley flour mixed with a splash of yak butter tea.

In Tibet I have seen the tea most often poured from iron pots. A central brewing station, hissing and bubbling, is tended by the proprietor of the tea house, who keeps the pots hot and ready. A tea house in Tibet is warm and steamy and the cups are never empty. It may be an acquired taste in lowlands like Chengdu or Portland or Atlanta, but if you are in the cold, surrounded by peaks and sky, then you will want a buttery mixture like the Tibetan national drink on hand. It also keeps your lips from chapping.

It’s dreadful to suffer from bad breath – you feel like your very words are offensive to those around you, and it lowers your self-confidence when you think that people don’t want to hear you because of it. Humans are social creatures, and if something is keeping us from communicating with those around us in the most effective way, we feel like we’re at a disadvantage. Perhaps even worse is having bad breath and not realizing it. But we don’t have to spend our days agonizing whether our breath is socially appropriate – there are natural steps to take to ensure that the air around us smells fresh and reasonable. Here are some natural ways of treating halitosis.

First, you should always make sure that you brush at least twice a day. Your breath will reflect your oral hygiene, because after eating, flecks of food can remain in your mouth or between your teeth. Because of the digestive enzymes in the mouth, they will start to break down over time, and this can cause bad breath. Brushing after meals will eliminate this potential source of embarrassing bad breath.

Second, let’s discuss herbs for bad breath treatment.

• Parsley. The first and best one I can think of is parsley – a sprig of this stuff after a garlic- or onion-heavy meal will neutralize the odors in your mouth. There’s reason you always see it on your plate at restaurants! Parsley works especially well if your bad breath is caused by foods you’ve eaten lingering in the mouth area.

• Mint. Similarly to parsley, mint helps if you chew leaves. It contains oils that help cart away the bacteria. Alternately, boil some mint leaves with a cardamom pod for an infusion that can be used as a gargle. Many find, though, that chewing leaves takes the least effort.

• Fennel. I’ve long been a fan of fennel because it’s a digestive helper, but it’s also very effective against bad breath. It’s got a licoricey taste just like its relative anise. Chewing it after meals will do wonders for the breath and also help to get the food moving quicker throughout the system.

• Cinnamon. This popular gum flavor is also good for digestion and a great bad breath fighter in its natural bark state. Like mint, it can either be boiled into an infusion and gargled with, or kept in the mouth during the day. To do this, just break off a small piece of the cinnamon bark and suck on it – the spicy-sweet scent will have people wanting to talk with you all day.

But finally let me say this: your body is a system: what you put into it determines how it behaves, functions, looks, and feels. The food that you give it will therefore also determine how your breath is. Bad breath is commonly caused by indigestion, and meat and dairy products both contribute to indigestion in the body. I stopped eating meat years ago; I haven’t been suffering from acid reflux, sluggishness, or – you saw this coming, I bet – “bad breath” as a persistent condition.

Meat contributes to body odor as well as bad breath because it is very slow to decay, and eliminating meat from our diets eliminates a potential source of odors. So consider this potential solution, especially if you’re considering vegetarianism — or veganism — already and need another reason. It really contributes to how cleanly our bodies function. Vegetables give us plenty of fiber, which ensures quicker digestion; this means that the bad-smelling bacteria isn’t circulating throughout the body any longer than necessary. And after awhile you won’t even remember you had bad breath to begin with.

We read so much about healthy teeth, taking care of teeth, whitening teeth, brushing, flossing, gargling, et cetera, that it’s very easy to think that’s all there is to oral hygiene. But we should also devote equal time to our gums; after all, they’re the home base for our teeth. You could say the gums are the foundation. And if something is awry with the foundation of your house, don’t you notice it on the second floor? Here are some tips to help keep your gums in their healthiest condition and natural ways for fighting gingivitis.

First – what do healthy gums look like? Well, they look like this:

They are a pink or coral color, but don’t worry if your gums have splashes of lighter and darker patches. That’s quite normal. The gums should reach the teeth and form a kind of “Y” pattern; you shouldn’t really see recession, looseness, or separation between the gums and the teeth, nor should there be redness or soreness in the area where the gums meet the teeth. If you begin to see signs of receding gums, it’s best to bring it up to your dentist when you go for a visit – although gums recede with aging, it could still indicate an early sign of periodontitis (gingivitis periodontal), or gum disease.

On the other hand, unhealthy gums can also show signs of inflammation – the opposite of recession. In general, it’s a good idea to check your gums once in awhile and note down any changes in color, texture, and shape. Also, if your gums bleed whenever you brush (not just randomly when you brush or floss too hard, but nearly every time) you have the signs of gum disease.

If you have the signs of gum disease, many people recommend herbal gum packs to slow down the damage. These gum packs include:

• 1 tsp of tumeric powder
• 2 capsules of aloe vera(or 1/4 tsp)
• 2 capsules of vitamin E ( or 1/4 tsp,natural vitamin E is preferable)

The vitamin E liquid and aloe vera mixes with the turmeric to make a paste, then put it on gauze and fold the gauze into a size and shape comfortable for your mouth. The pack should stay next to your gums for at least a few hours, or preferably overnight. Although it’s very healthy for your gums and will help them heal, turmeric can stain the teeth, so you might want to use some natural teeth whiteners after your session. This process can be repeated until improvement is seen.

(Recipe from Amarilla Ace)

So, on to my next point – prevention. Prevention is synergistic application of all of the above techniques: regular brushing, flossing, and use of the proper dental care products (for info on natural/“alternative” dental care, read Skrewtips’s post here!)

Taking precautionary measures can also include a weekly rinse with a mouthwash made from an astringent, warming, tissue-healing herb such as cinnamon, licorice root, or turmeric. The rinse can be made by brewing a “tea” of sorts – one teaspoon of the herb to one cup of water, then cool it down to room temperature and rinse. You should swish it around in your mouth for 30 seconds, then spit. You should NOT use sweetener with this even though it seems like you’re preparing a tea; sweetening may do more harm than good. The only exception to this rule might be xylitol, a sweetening agent with powerful anti-caries properties. Still, I would recommend making the rinse plain.

Another tried-and-true method is a rinse made with peppermint or spearmint. There’s a reason we put those flavors in toothpaste – they’re effective at killing bacteria. Brew an infusion of leaves and then rinse for 30 seconds with it. You’ll not only have fresh breath, but you’ll be doing a favor for your gums as well.

For scholars, the trade routes that linked southwest China with southeast Asia and India are a matter of fact and, for some, a lifelong work. The route is probably one of the most fascinating zones of cultural, economic and political contact between Tibet, China, India and the dozens of different peoples that call these regions and nations home. As the name makes clear, tea and horses were the major commodities traded along this route from the Tang to the late Qing Dynasties, so from around 600AD to the 20th century. Trade and travel definitely took place along this route for several thousands of years before the Tang, as archaeological sites in Tibet and in the city of Chengdu demonstrate, but for us, this period is the most significant.

During the Tang Dynasty, China was perhaps the wealthiest place on earth and the route from Chengdu, Sichuan Province west to Lhasa and south to Kunming, Yunnan Province was one of the wealthiest routes in the world. The route extended farther south to Burma, then cut west to Calcutta (and Assam) and from Lhasa it cut south through Nepal into the Ganges Valley. Within China proper, the route actually passed through numerous salt towns, like Zigong in Sichuan and Shaxi in Yunnan. These salt towns became trading posts, flourishing in their time. Shaxi has an extensive temple network built during the Tang, Song and subsequent dynasties that features carvings of Indian monks doing yoga, Tibetan lamas haggling for tea and a temple dedicated to the divine feminine, built around a leaking fissure in a cliff that strongly resembles a Yoni. Zigong drilled for salt using the natural gas in the area and stumbled upon the most sought after resource of the modern era: natural gas and oil. They constructed massive pipelines, stretching for hundreds of meters, that pumped gas into the salt wells and brought the salt to the surface to harvest. Both towns grew rich.

Two other regions, more pertinent to our common subject matter of tea, also grew rich: the mountains around Ya’an in western Sichuan and the mountains around Simao in western Yunnan. These two mountain ranges are the last wave of the Himalayas lapping at the rich lowlands of China. They are low lying, for Himalayan standards, and very lush. The Hengduan Mountains in Sichuan are some of the richest tea producing mountains in the world. The growers there primarily deal with green tea and its derivatives (e.g. Yellow or Jasmine flavored). The teas from western Sichuan found their way into Tibet, where they were highly prized and bought in exchange for silver and horses, through the border towns of Kangding and Songpan.

Kangding is the gateway to Ganzi Prefecture, home to the mighty Khampa tribe of the Tibetan people. The Khampas are known for their deep spirituality and tendency to turn on a dime and become fierce warriors. They are independent nomads and out on the steppes under the bright stars with nothing to do but gaze ahead and wrap up in furs, they liked to drink yak butter teas and squeeze their women close. For yak butter tea, they needed the farmers of the lowlands and low lying hills. So tea coolies humped bricks of tea (the origin of tuocha is logistics) across rivers, over mountains and through cold blowing valleys to Kangding and beyond. Songpan is the gateway to Aba Prefecture, peopled mostly by the Jiarong tribe of the Tibetan people. They live in mountain aeries that look down upon bejeweled valleys like Jiu Zhai Gou and Danba. While sitting by the fire and watching the smoke from a pipe rise in a lonely plume to the heavens above, the Jiarong liked to sip on their yak butter tea as well.

The Tang and Song nobles on the other hand, wanted silver for their concubines and horses for their generals. It was a time of awakening in China. The great Empress Wu Zi Tian did what Elizabeth would do 1000 years later and rule her people as an untouchable Goddess, in the likeness of Guanyin, the Buddhist deity. Golden domed temples flourished across China as the beliefs that originated in India and gained momentum in Tibet, finally found fertile ground to become plump in China. Victories in the north against the Tartars, Mongols and other peoples gave the Imperial Throne immense power and confidence. Some of the greatest works of art in Chinese history came out of this period, the Tang and Song Dynasties, before the arrival of Kublai Khan and his Mongol horsemen in the 12th and 13th century.

During this period, artisans gathered together on mountains and drank white, green, scented and aged teas while composing poems, painting ageless watercolor landscapes and generally being at the peak of their civilization. The essence of tea became not only a topic of discussion, but a serious scholarly matter. Many of the techniques still used today to create certain oolong, pu’er and green teas came out of the efforts of artisans during this Golden Age of Chinese history.

It is also interesting to note that for most of this period, the Tibetan and Chinese kingdoms were at peace. In fact, many princesses crossed the same route the old tea coolies trudged on their way to seal alliances through marriage to a far off, unknown and unknowable man with strange customs and ridiculous habits.

The Tibetans often point to this period as their own Golden Age as well: when their armies threatened Chang’An, the Tang capital (present day Xi’An), and their nobles drank the best tea China had to offer. Tea, salt, silver and horses. These things and whatever else a traveling tinker may have had in his boxes helped link the Naxi, Bai, Khmer, Bolo, Tibetan, Han, Qiang, Hui, Yi, and Muslim peoples of western China. In towns like Simao, Shaxi, Deqin, Xichang, Lugu, Muli and others to numerous to count, the different peoples live together as they have for a thousand years. Most recently, with the clear domination of one group, tensions are high. But in my travels through southwest China, I find that tea is not just medicine for the body, but also a tonic for ills of the heart and mind. In every home I entered, no matter which tribe, which region, which dialect, the very first thing that is placed in front of me is a cup of tea. Its a sign that I am to be at ease and be healthy. It is a sign of respect, because good tea is not easy to come by. Its a sign that the Horse and Tea Trade Route is a living breathing thing connecting peoples since the first tea grower met the first horse tamer and a road that continues to connect people today.