Lemongrass stir sticks for tea time

 Today I'm sharing how I make lemongrass stir sticks for my tea.

Lemongrass is very easy to grow in the garden and the smell is such a delight. It has a true lemon scent when you rub the grass, cut the grass or even just brush up against it when walking in the garden. It is a grass and for those that's not familiar with it... the blades of the grass has a gripping quality and it's easy to cut your fingers on it. In fact the grass is like little blades in your hand so you have to be aware of what your doing. ~wink

Better Health / Religion

There's several species of lemongrass but the one I have in my garden is the one I've always known that was used for healthy digestion and to boost immunity when added as hot tea. It also has antioxidant properties they say. Plus I cook with it. I use it in soups, beef dishes, fish dishes and seafood dishes.  And... even thought I don't make curries very often, it is popular in curries too.

There are religions and cultures that use some varieties to conjur, to protect against evil, spiritually clean a house, and to bring good luck in love as they say it. They use the fresh grass or lemongrass oil. I'm sure you've all heard of lemongrass oil. 

I loveeeee lemongrass oil used in a diffuser. 

In fact it's diffusing in my kitchen as we speak. lol!  Now if you read some essential oil bottles it will tell you it overpowers the feelings of nervousness, gives you a positive outlook, eliminates mental fatigue and heightens your awareness. Lemongrass can be applied topically, used aromatically or taken internally. That's why I love this simple herb. Yes I'm going to call it an herb. It's an herb to me an not just a grass.

Lemongrass Stir Sticks

I can actually say I've never heard of anyone else but me making lemongrass stir sticks and I can't imagine why. lol~. I've always made them and put them in my hot tea when fresh lemongrass was in season. I did a google search about it and couldn't find anyone doing it except in cooking so I wanted to spark everyone creative tea thinking and remind everyone that you can make lemongrass stir sticks for something fun and lemon tasting for your tea. 

Emotional Aspects of Lemongrass?

Now when I think about tea, I think of quiet times, comfort, my emotional mood etc. Now that I think about it, I always reach for hot tea when I'm feeling sad because I really do see it as a comfort to me. They say that Lemongrass has "Emotional Aspects" to it too. They say it releases the feeling of dread and failure and removes toxicity. I wonder? It is also said lemongrass instills joy and spiritual cleansing. I wonder about that too. What is your experience? I believe it to be true since I reach for it for comfort. Once you drink it, or use lemongrass, it creates a lighter emotion. I wonder if it helps cleanse the mind, body and soul? I think so~

I hope you enjoyed my video. 

If any of my Internet friends love lemongrass, then share it with me. I would love to know any other ways to us it to spark my own herbal creativity. ~Smileeee

Folic Acid Awareness Week January 7-13, 2018

Benefits Of Folic Acid

Vitamine B11 works together with Vitamin B12. So the symptoms often looks like a Vitamin B12 deficiency. The daily need for folate with its relative instability has helped Big Pharma push folic acid into MD's prescription pads and commercial food suppliers' "enriched" denatured grain products, especially breads and cereals. Maybe folic acid is not too bad all the time. It appears helpful in the short term for expectant mothers to prevent birth defects, but asthma seems more frequent among those children. It is certainly very risky over the long term. The liver can convert the isolate folic acid into the complete spectrum of isomers that constitute folate. But as we age, that ability declines. Then no matter how much folic acid you take, your folate blood levels decline. The result is a folate deficiency, which invites all those diseases associated with old age mentioned earlier.

• Fights Off Dementia : Patients with low levels of folic acid in their blood have a three times higher risk of experiencing Alzheimer's or dementia, according to The Daily Mail newspaper of London. If you have low levels of folic acid, increasing your consumption of dark green leafy vegetables, dried beans, orange juice and peas can help reduce your risk. The recommended intake of folic acid is 400 micrograms per day. You can take a supplement if you have trouble getting enough folic acid in your daily diet,. Do not exceed 1,000 micrograms per day, however. This is the upper limit for folic acid.
• Other Cognitive Improvements : A 2007 study from Wageningen University in the Netherlands published in The Lancet journal concluded that taking folic acid improved memory, communication and information processing. The study measured those older than age 50 over a period of three years. One group took 800 micrograms of folic acid supplements while the other group did not take any folic acid. The group taking folic acid improved in all areas of cognitive function while the group that did not, did not improve in cognitive areas
• Reduced Risk of Heart Disease : In addition to mental benefits, eating foods high in folic acid has been linked with a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke in the elderly, according to the Florida Folic Acid Coalition. Taking folic acid has been shown to reduce levels of homocysteine in the blood. Homocysteine has been linked with heart disease; reducing the risk can mean the elderly will experience better cardiovascular health.
• improves arterial elasticity to lower heart attack risk
• Reduced Cancer Risk : A lack of folic acid in the diet has been linked to increased incidence of a number of cancers, including colon, cervix, rectum, lung, brain, pancreas and esophageal cancers, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. This is because cancers like these are due to mutation and/or damage to DNA. Folic acid helps to synthesize and repair RNA and DNA; taking in more folic acid via fruits and vegetables can have protective effects against cancers.
• Has been found to attenuate the adverse epigenetic effects of bisphenol A, such as hypomethylation of DNA. wikiwel.com

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Sources:

• Collard and other leafy greens
• Lentils
• Peas
• Chickpeas
• Papaya
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Strawberries
• Oranges and orange juice

National Birth Defects Prevention Network https://www.nbdpn.org/faaw.php

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Product description

Bluebonnet's Liquid Vitamin B12 &; Folic Acid contains 1000 mcg of pure, fast-acting vitamin B12 and 400 mcg of folic acid in a delicious, natural raspberry flavored liquid. Vitamin B12 is used for treating and preventing vitamin B12 deficiencies. It can also be used for memory loss, Alzheimer's disease, boosting mood, energy, concentration, and the immune system, and also for slowing aging. Vitamin B12 is required for the proper function and development of the brain, nerves, blood cells, and many other parts of the body.

The Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolate Are

Most of us already know February is National Chocolate Lover's Month / but did you know our calendar also celebrates more than 30 other chocolate related Holidays? Yep! It is so obvious we love chocolate all over the world. Because of that... I felt the need to post the benefits of Dark Chocolate for all to see~

January 27: National Chocolate Cake Day / List of Cake Holidays /
February 1: National Dark Chocolate Day

February 5: National Chocolate Fondue Day
February 28: National Chocolate Souffle Day
May 15: National Chocolate Day
July 28: National Milk Chocolate Day
September 22: National White Chocolate Day
October 28: National Chocolate Day

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The benefits of Dark Chocolate are

• Dark chocolate contains more flavanols and polyphenols (Catechins) than fruit juice. These antioxidants could prevent heart diseases and cancer. Cacao seeds are a 'Super Fruit' providing nutritive value beyond that of their macronutrient composition.
• By acting as a deoxidizing agent, the phenols prevent clogging of arteries, thus averting heart attacks. Flavonoids are the same chemicals found in red wine, which has also been found to lower LDL cholesterol (low density lipoproteins, “bad” cholesterol) levels as well as exert a protective effect against coronary Heart Disease. In addition to this, one-third of the fat content found in chocolate is in the form of stearic acid. Although it is a saturated fat, stearic acid exerts a neutral effect on cholesterol levels; that is, while it does not appear to raise cholesterol levels in some studies, it does not appear to lower them either.
• For people with Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), eating dark chocolate can significantly reduce blood pressure.
• Researchers have discovered that a dose of dark chocolate daily could protect patients from complications associated with cirrhosis of the liver. Liver cirrhosis increases the risk of bleeding from too much pressure in the veins that supply the organ with nutrients. Dark chocolate could protect from rupture of blood vessels that occurs from portal hypertension (high blood pressure in the liver).
• Research shows that the cocoa butter in the chocolate coats the teeth and may help protect them by preventing plaque from forming. It helps thwart mouth bacteria and stop dental decay.
• Chocolate may reduce Risk of Stroke.
• Contains resveratrol.
• Cocoa flavanols boost memory and cognitive function by improving insulin sensitivity.
• Cough : Theobromine, nutrient found in chocolate helps curb coughing by relaxing the nerve that triggers coughs.
• Tooth Decay : Researchers found that teeth treated with theobromine lose about 10 percent less calcium than teeth treated with fluoride when exposed to acids.

Special Precautions of Dark Chocolate

• Acrylamide : Cocoa beans are roasted to develop the characteristic chocolate flavor. During the roasting process, however, they are prone to developing high amounts of acrylamide.
• Eating too much of chocolate may cause health problems. The cocoa butter in chocolate does contain saturated fat, which can increase blood cholesterol levels, and high cholesterol may contribute to heart disease. Chocolate is high in calories and eating too much therefore make you fat, increasing your risk of heart disease. Over eating of chocolate can also lead to obesity.
• People prone to forming calcium oxalate stones (Kidney Stones (Renal Calculi)) may be asked by their doctor to limit or avoid certain foods if their urine contains an excess of oxalate: rhubarb, spinach, beets, swiss chard, wheat germ, soybean crackers, peanuts, okra, chocolate, black Indian tea, sweet potatoes.
• Despite the benefits that chocolate may have, it shouldn’t be an excuse to consume it at every meal! Chocolate should be consumed only in moderation, preferably in accompaniment with a healthy diet. It should also not be used to replace the other healthy sources of flavonoids in your diet, such as grapes and blueberries.

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Complete List Of Chocolate Holidays
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