Yes, you can learn to improve your digestion to both look and feel better.

Pooping is generally a pretty taboo topic. It’s not that it’s inherently evil (Taco Bell poops aside). It’s just that it’s, well, there are plenty of more appealing topcis for discussion. But we all do it–even if none of us like to talk about it very much.

While we don’t have to talk about it if we don’t want to, we do have to understand it as it plays a significant role in our overall health.

The gastrointestinal system represents a whopping 70 percent of the body’s immunity. That means, many diseases – some seemingly irrelevant to digestion — can be traced back to the gut. With that said, it’s clear why optimizing elimination is perhaps the most effective and immediate ways to improve physical and emotional health. My personal health motto is when in doubt, target digestion.

So, let’s talk about pooping, because, well, it matters.

5 Ways to Improve Digestion

1. Morning Abdominal Massage

You wake up in the morning. Before you go from horizontal to vertical, take a moment to assess how you feel. Stretch in place and try to sense where there is pressure in your lower abdomen. Your brain and gut have a direct connection: they speak to each other. Use this telepathic relationship to your advantage. Take a look at your abdomen and take a deep breath. Where is there more volume? Does the right side of your abdomen rise higher than the left? This is likely where matter or gas is being stored. Breathe deeply, relaxing your organs.

Taking note of what you see and feel, activate your digestive processes by administering this massage on yourself each and every morning:

1. Lie flat on your back and take your right thumb and place it on your belly button. While the thumb is in place, take you right pinky and stretch it to the top of your hipbone, the bone that pops out as your lie flat. Find the exact point that is halfway between your thumb and your pinky – this is where you cecum is. The cecum is where the small intestines join the large intestines, and it is where your poop begins to form. Waste matter is released from the small intestines as a liquid, and as it travels clockwise, up toward your ribs, to the left along the bottom of your ribs, and then down to the left hipbone, it solidifies.
2. Put pressure on the halfway point between your thumb and pinky and massage in clockwise motion. This is meant to activate your colon muscles and help jump start elimination.
3. Once you have massaged the cecum for a minute or two, begin to massage your lower abdomen, tracing the colon in clockwise motion. Do this for another minute.

2. Morning Water

Upon waking, drink as much water as your body can comfortably take. Water should be room temperature and plain, except for the addition of fresh lemon juice if you’d like.

Generally, you should drink water sensibly – not to fast – but in the morning, it is actually helpful to chug your water quickly, allowing the aggression of the water to shock your system, activate digestion more forcibly, and help “push” matter through your body.

Addintionally, taking a probiotic in the morning may boost digestion particularly if you’v recently completed a round of antibiotics. A probiotic will flood your digestive tract with healthy bacteria, which are necessary for a properly functioning poop factory. Researchers found that the bacteria survived much better in the body when the supplement was taken a half-hour prior to a meal. But if your pooping regularly and healthily, you may not need the addition of probiotics at all. In fact, just eating naturally-fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, or kimchi may be enough.

3. Inversions

It may seem counterintuitive to turn upside down when you want to eliminate waste matter out of the other direction, but inversions actually help to improve digestion. All day, we are weighed down by gravity and this pressure can keep things stagnant in the digestive tract. By doing a head stand or lying in a position in which our legs are elevated about our heart, we relieve the tension in the gut. This yogi-approved practice is simple, but effective. Try it out and see for yourself — just make sure you do it on an empty stomach!

4. Light to Heavy Eating

Imagine following a greasy, heavy burger with a light salad. Your body wants to digest the salad quickly, since it is so light, but the dense burger is in the way. While the salad waits to digest, it ferments, creating gas. This leads to bloating and stunted digestion. If you had eaten the salad first, there would be a swift, easy digestive situation, in which the salad had a change to digestion quickly and efficiently, making way for the harder-to-digest burger afterwards.

Try to start light in your food choices and add the heavier foods after (it’s why salad usually comes first at a meal).

5. Enemas and Colonics

For many, enemas and colonics are part of a healthy lifestyle. For many others, though, they are too extreme and invasive to even try. Colonic irrigation can be a safe way to improve elimination by allowing water to enter the rectum and reconstitute and release impacted matter. Consult with your physician before trying a colonic or enema.

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Belly Image from Shutterstock

The post 5 Ways to Improve Digestion (or ‘How to Poop Like a Pro!’) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Gas and bloating can be embarrassing for you and uncomfortable for those around you. But it may also be a characteristic of good health.

The foods that often cause those gassy side effects are also nutrient dense and important for staving off disease and increasing immune system health. Roughage, or the indigestible parts of cabbage, kale, broccoli, and so many other foods, may make you fart, but they’re also good for your heart, and it turns out, your immune system as well. As good bacteria in your gut digest your food, they also create molecules that boost immunity.

“Eating foods that cause gas is the only way for the microbes in the gut to get nutrients,” says Purna Kashyap, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn on NPR’s The Salt. “If we didn’t feed them carbohydrates, it would be harder for them to live in our gut.”

These microbes, along with swallowing air when you chew, cause gas and bloating. Like fiber, they don’t digest. But at the same time, they promote the growth of good bacteria. Up to 18 farts a day is perfectly healthy. And while gas is usually odorless, it’s not such a bad thing when it smells. That means sulphur made its way in the mix, and sulphur is linked to a reduction in cancer.

“Yes, a more fiber-rich diet will produce more gas,” Kashyap adds. “But completely eliminating fiber from the diet should not be the first option. You don’t want to starve your microbes.”

But if gas is downright uncomfortable and embarrassing, take a gradual approach. If you go from 0 to 60 in a day, it’s no surprise that your system is fighting back. Increase your fiber intake about 5 grams per day until you’re at the required amount for your age group. And as you add in fiber, also make sure that you’re adding in water to push the fiber through. The combination of dehydration and roughage isn’t a pretty sight.

Related on EcoSalon

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Image: Dave Austria

The post Are Gas and Bloating Actually Good for Your Health? appeared first on EcoSalon.

Kombucha, a fermented tea drink with probiotic properties, has become very popular over the past few years. Regular kombucha only has trace amounts of alcohol, but what happens if you up the ante?

One couple is finding out. Called Unity Vibration Triple Goddess, it’s a marriage of fresh-brewed kombucha, organic hops, and a medley of seasonal flavors. This kombucha beer is 95 percent organic, gluten-free, raw, vegan, and sourced from local producers whenever possible. But at 7 percent alcohol, you’ll be flying high after enjoying just a couple.

Rachel and Tarek Kanaan have been brewing kombucha since 2008 when they started selling their home brewed bliss out of a van in Santa Barbara. Their newest venture is actually a product of the couple’s unwillingness to sacrifice their beloved recipe.

“When kombucha tea was recalled a few years ago because of its alcohol content, we didn’t want to change our recipe,” says Rachel. “Instead we decided to become a microbrewery so we could continue to make kombucha tea the way we wanted to.”

A Healthier Beer

The process of fermenting kombucha tea naturally produces alcohol but only a very slight .5 to 1 percent. As a microbrewery the natural next step was to brew beer as well and see what happened when they were combined.

According to Tarek, kombucha beer is healthier than other beers because of the ingredients. Literally everything in it is good for you, from raw ginger to organic raspberries, as well the probiotics and phytonutrients.

The Kanaans now hope to bring healthy beer to the masses and thus far their delightful kombucha beer is being sold in California, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio. They’re constantly coming up with enlightened combos like raspberry, ginger, bourbon peach, and their signature Kombucha Pale Ale.

Brewing Beer With Intention

For the Kanaans, it’s all about intention. And this isn’t just a mission statement, it’s present in everything that they do. Each tank is named and has a positive mantra posted on its side. Rachel even blesses the tanks with Tibetan bowls because the couple believes you can create whatever you want in your life through positive intention–their kombucha beer is a product of that intention.

They’ve come a long way since selling kombucha from the back of their van. The couple eventually moved to Ypsilanti, MI, where they produced home brewed kombucha tea and later kombucha beer from a commercial kitchen in their 300 square foot basement. Today, they’ve expanded to a 2,400 square foot manufacturing facility in the same Michigan town but their emphasis is still on producing carefully home brewed kombucha goodness.

Related on EcoSalon:
Kombucha Closer
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Image: Unity Vibration Kombucha Beer

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No need to reach for a pill or down a murky liquid to soothe digestive woes when there exist common natural herbs that improve digestion. In fact, some of the herbs you may already have lingering in the pantry or refrigerator happen to pack a metabolism-boosting punch.

Even better: they taste delicious! The following 5 natural herbs that improve digestion are your gateway to regularity and improved overall health.

1. Black Pepper

Almost all recipes call for a pinch of pepper, making it one of the most common natural herbs. It is available year round and it provides the body with essential nutrients, including manganese, vitamin K, iron, fiber, and copper. Black pepper stimulates the taste buds, alerting the stomach to increase hydrochloric acid, which is responsible to breaking down food in the stomach.

2. Ginger

Among its many health benefits, ginger is effective in helping to jump start digestive secretions. According to a study in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, ginger consumption helps to speed up the movement of food from the stomach, hence contributing to overall digestive efficiency and health.

3. Anise

Since Roman times, anise has been grown in Italy to be used as a digestive aid. It is used to spice up meat dishes, curries, pickles, and liqueurs in Chinese cuisine and is often chewed after meals to freshen breath and aid digestion. Because of the active compounds in its volatile oils, anise treats cramps, gas, indigestion, and intestinal parasites.

4. Fennel

In the Middle Ages, fennel was in high demand for its aromatic and appetite-suppressing capabilities. In terms of digestion, fennel helps to relieve flatulence and colic, as well as stimulates digestion.

5. Orange peel

Orange peel has a bitter, aromatic taste. It stimulates bile flow and increases digestive enzymes. Its pectin also helps to stimulate protein metabolism in the digestive tract. Orange peel can be grated and added to candies, breads, cookies, and cakes. It is also a great complement to vegetable dishes or meat marinades.

Images: Zac Greant, Gerlynn, Istockimages, Kellysblues, Nick Saltmarsh, Nickboos

Related on EcoSalon:

10 Healthy Tea Elixirs You Can Make Yourself

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The post 5 Natural Herbs That Improve Digestion appeared first on EcoSalon.

Who needs a small bag when you’ve got a pantry?

The most potent and effective remedies are often the natural ones already hanging out in the pantry. Aside from the remedy-specific nature of the following 10 homemade teas, one of the most exciting thing about them is that they don’t require a tea bag! Your spice cabinet, fresh ginger root, some green herbs, a few fruits and vegetables, and honey are all that stand between you and an elixir to treating a pesky ailment – 10 of them, to be more exact.

To put together the following recipes, make sure to mix them until evenly combined and let the teas involving herbs or fruit to steep for several minutes before drinking. Sweeten as you see fit and enjoy!

Morning Liver Tonic

When you wake up in the morning, you’re body is in a very special place. The reason we are usually instructed to take supplements in the morning is because our stomachs are empty and there is little to interfere with said supplements’ potency. This morning tea pulls you out on the right side of the bed, giving a morning cleansing body flush. The lemon juice is highly alkaline and turmeric is known for its detoxifying properties.

Turmeric dates back 2,500 years in India, where it is commonly used in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine. Turmeric packs a lot of health benefits, but for our purposes it should be regarded as a liver cleanser, antiseptic and antibacterial agent. But it doesn’t hurt that the spice lowers the risk of cancer, is anti-inflammatory and helps to lose weight. Turmeric additionally treats Alzheimer’s, depression and arthritis.

You can sweeten with honey to balance the earthiness of the tea.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Deep Sleep Tea

Wind down at the end of the day with a tea that promotes a deep, comfortable sleep. Chamomile is a great stress reliever and has a calming effect on the body. It has been used for thousands of years to help people around the world get some shut eye, and a Japanese study put some legitimacy behind this widespread observation when it noticed that rats fed chamomile fell asleep just as quickly as those given a tranquilizer. Ginger is anti-inflammatory and helps to clear mucous from your passageways, allowing for more effective breathing and hence a more pleasant sleep.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• Dried chamomile flowers to fill one sachet
• 1/2-inch nob of fresh ginger, crushed

Detox Elixir

Holding a bit more weight than you’d like? Cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and lemon join forces to rev up your metabolism and get your body back in shape. Cayenne pepper warms the body, speeding metabolism and burning more calories. Cinnamon reduces blood sugar and LDL (bad) cholesterol as well as boosts metabolism and increases insulin levels. Lemon packs some flavor and added cleansing power.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 2 dashes cayenne pepper
• 1 cinnamon stick (or 2 dashes cinnamon powder)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Immune Booster Tea

Oranges are packed with vitamin C, a known antioxidant that may help protect your body from cell damage and boost resilience from disease and illness. Cinnamon and honey both have antiseptic, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, which means they are effective in warding off infections. Mint not only brings a fresh aroma, but it’s a leafy green that carries with it antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that keep you healthy.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• Juice of 1/2 orange
• 1 cinnamon stick (or 2 dashes cinnamon powder)
• 1 teaspoon high-quality (raw) honey
• 4-5 mint leaves, muddled

Beautiful Skin Tea

This may seem like an unlikely concoction, but it’s actually quite delightful! Carrot juice is packed with beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A, an essential part of skin health. Sage inhibits the growth of bacteria and has anti-inflammatory properties. Cayenne contains vitamins A and C, which help to absorb free radicals that break down your skin’s collagen.

Warm this recipe, without bringing it to a simmer. You want to retain the carrot juice’s potency.  Let the leaves sit in the juice for a bit before drinking so that their flavors become infused into the tea.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces warmed carrot juice
• 2 sage leaves
• Dash of cayenne

Brain Power Formula

Blueberries contain anthocyanins and flavanols, which are able to cross the blood-brain barrier. These antioxidants rid the brain of free radicals, which can otherwise lead to oxidation, memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease. Ginger is commonly used to stave off migraines and basil naturally reduces tension and fatigue in the brain and mind.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 1/2-inch nob fresh ginger, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fresh blueberries, muddled
• 3-4 leaves fresh basil, muddled

Regularity Tonic

This tonic is geared towards those of you with difficulty digesting. The taste of this tea is very comforting and earthy. The pear and apple slices bring pectin to the mix, and pectin acts as soluble dietary fiber in humans. It helps promote healthy digestion, prevents diarrhea and constipation, and reduces the risk of colon and gastrointestinal tract cancers. Purple grapes contain quercetin, a plant pigment that contributes to healthy digestion, while cinnamon warms and stimulates metabolism.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 2 small slices of pear
• 2 small slices of apple
• 4-5 purple grapes, muddled
• Dash of cinnamon

Lady’s Tonic

For that time of month, this raspberry ginger tonic is just what the doctor ordered. Raspberries are a uterine tonic, relaxing and toning the uterine muscles as needed. The fruit is also beneficial during pregnancy, easing morning sickness, stabilizing digestion, and soothing the pelvic area. According to a 2009 study, women who take a dosage of ginger for three days from day one of their period witnesses the same pain relief as those who treated their menstrual cramps with ibuprofen.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 6-8 raspberries, muddled
• 1/4-inch fresh ginger

Aches and Pains Relieving Tea

Feeling sore as the Winter nears? Be ready to combat the worsening of your symptoms with a tea that cleanses your joints and puts them at ease. Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, a compound that makes cayenne spicy. It lowers the levels of a chemical that relays pain signals to your brain. Fresh ginger and cardamom have both long been used in Ayurvedic medicine to reduce joint pain and inflammation.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• Dash of cayenne
• 4-5 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1/2-inch fresh ginger, muddled

Nausea-Be-Gone Tonic

This recipe uses the soothing and potent effects of basil and honey to rid you of stomach pains, nausea, and vomiting symptoms. It is refreshing just as much as it is energizing, which will help to reverse your symptoms and keep you alert and feeling good.

The Formula:

• 8 ounces hot water
• 3-4 basil leaves, muddled
• 1 teaspoon of high-quality (raw) honey

Images: Aylin Erman, Steven Jackson, Leszet Lezsczynski, Cthoyes, Jennuine Captures, CLC Photography, Simply Bike, Clyde Robinson, Kodamakitty, Michael Newman, Cinnamon Cooper

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post 10 Healthy Tea Elixirs You Can Make Yourself appeared first on EcoSalon.

Start the day with a heart-healthy and digestion-friendly snack!

As the fig season is coming to a near end, I’m trying to get the most of my favorite fruit while it lasts. Lately, mornings have involved a makeshift Greek yogurt concoction, with figs, walnuts, and honey. It’s a light, fiber and protein-packed way to start the day.

Figs are a mainstay in the Mediterranean diet and are exceptionally beneficial. They are an excellent source of heart-healthy minerals potassium, magnesium, and calcium, effectively reduce blood pressure, and help to improve your digestive system and regularity. Dried figs concentrate more nutrition in a single serving, but fresh figs are lighter and water-rich.

Fresh Fig Greek Yogurt

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 large fig
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon honey

Directions:

Cut off the pointed top of the fig. Place it upright on a plate with the sliced tip at the top. Slice the fig in half, without cutting through the bottom. Leave a little space intact so that the fig will hold together as one piece. Slice across the fig again, perpendicular to the previous cut.

Slightly pull open the edges of the fig so that it resembles a cup-like shape.

Fill the center with yogurt.

Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

And drizzle with honey.

Serve and enjoy!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Recipe: Fresh Fig Greek Yogurt appeared first on EcoSalon.

Cinnamon steps out of its fragrant box.

Nothing reminds us of the holidays quite like cinnamon does. But why restrict the aroma to Christmas cookies and wreath decorations? Cinnamon is one of the world’s oldest-known spices and is regarded to have healing properties by many cultures. Many of its benefits derive from the spice’s anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant prowess.

Cinnamon is no joke – it’s quite potent and can take your health to the next level. Whether you smell it, ingest it, or apply it, the health benefits of cinnamon are very real and more than skin deep. Try to incorporate it into your everyday routine to reap the most benefits. Not sure where to start? Follow one of the following 20 tips to get you going.

Brain Power Booster

It was found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory. Carry a cinnamon stick around with you, and take a whiff every so often to keep you focused at work or school. Or, add a few dashes of cinnamon to your morning coffee or cereal to get your day off to a more focused and alert start.

Potpourri

Take a few drops of essential oil of cinnamon and sprinkle them atop dry potpourri. Place the potpourri in a small bowl and station it somewhere that gets good ventilation so that the aroma can spread – in the kitchen, near doorways, or atop the radiator. The room will carry with it a subtle hint of cinnamon that will offer you some year-round comfort.

Cholesterol Reducer

In a Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center study conducted over 40 days on a group of diabetic patients, each of whom were given one-quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon daily, researchers observed that their triglycerides, cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels dropped.

Pain Reliever

Cinnamon is used to treat pain because it reacts with the hormone-like substance prostaglandin, which contributes to the contraction and relaxation of muscles.

Moth Repellant

Break 3-4 cinnamon sticks and combine them with 1/2 cup of whole cloves and 1/2 cup whole black peppercorns. Fill sachets with 1 tablespoon of the mixture and toss the sachets in your underwear drawer or hang them in your closets to ward off pesky moths.

Diabetes Treatment

In the same Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center conducted a study on diabetic patients, whom were each given one-quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon over 40 days, researchers observed that patients’ blood sugar levels fell as much as 30 percent. In another study, published by Fertility and Sterility in 2007, researchers gave half of the participants cinnamon extract and the other half a placebo. Over an 8-week period, the women who took the cinnamon extract showed greatly reduced insulin resistance compared to the placebo group.

Weight Loss

Because of cinnamon’s effectiveness in reducing insulin resistance – research by the Human Nutrition Center at Tufts reports that cinnamon triples insulin’s capacity to metabolize blood sugar – the spice can thus reduce hunger and sugar cravings, which leads to weight loss. Especially for those living with diabetes and find it hard to lose weight, cinnamon is a welcome tool.

Menstrual Aid

Cinnamon has been used for centuries to help women with heavy menstrual bleeding, whether it be due to endometriosis, uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, or primary menorrhagia as well as a result of childbirth, miscarriage, or any other fertility condition.

Circulation Booster

Cinnamon is commonly used to thin blood, which in turn increases circulation throughout the body. This not only helps to reduce pain in troubled areas but promises that oxygen is being supplied to the blood cells. Cinnamon is also a great dietary complement for heart attack survivors.

Arthritis Pain Reducer

In a 2008 study published in the journal, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, researchers discovered that cinnamon slowed down the breaking down of bones and ultimately reduced bone damage.

Complexion Enhancer

Due to its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial qualities as well as its antioxidant power, cinnamon is effective in treating acne and skin blemishes. Mix 1 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon with 3 tablespoons of honey, apply to the skin, and let the mixture sit for a few hours or overnight. Wash off with warm water.

Mouth Freshener

Given its fresh and fragrant aroma, cinnamon is commonly used to fight bad breath. You can either chew on small pieces of cinnamon bark or gargle cinnamon water to prepare for a hot date or cleanse the palette.

Light Bulb Diffuser

Here’s a creative, no-fuss way to bring the cinnamon scent to a room. Simply put one drop of essential oil of cinnamon on a cool light bulb. When you turn the lights on, the heat from the bulb will emanate the aroma throughout the room.

Bladder Infection

Urinary tract infections and bladder infection can be avoided with the consumption of cinnamon, which packs an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal punch. Cinnamon is also a diuretic and contributes to urinary discharge.

Digestive Aid

Cinnamon helps to break down fats during digestion. The spice contains volatile oil, which is the main player in this process. Add a bit of cinnamon to a heavy dish and you will be doing your body a favor. If the spice doesn’t complement the dish, a half an hour prior to eating, sip on tea water spiced with a few dashes of cinnamon and a teaspoon of honey. The concoction will sooth your digestive system and get it ready for what’s to come.

Insect Bite Treatment

A mixture of cinnamon and honey applied to a skin irritation will help to alleviate the pain and itching. The duo will disinfect the infected area and moisturize and heal it. No need to layer on the dangerous chemicals when you have this natural remedy!

Cold and Flu Reliever

Cinnamon is commonly used across East Asia and Europe as a warming herb for conditions involving the body to become cold. In these cases, cinnamon is combined with ginger to treat a cold or flu.

Stomach Soother

A combination of honey and cinnamon is known to help relieve stomachache. The pair – which are packed with anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties – not only treats ulcers but also reduces gas in the stomach.

Food Preservative

If you add cinnamon to any recipe, it actually helps to prevent the spoiling of the food by delaying bacterial growth.

Yeast Infection Fighter

Cinnamon can be used to stop medication-resistant yeast infections. High blood sugar levels can lead to candida overgrowth, and cinnamon is helpful in lowering blood sugar levels. Cinnamon’s anti-fungal properties are also helpful in combating the effects of a yeast infection. So if the meds aren’t working, try adding extra cinnamon to your diet.

*Precautions: For those of you who are pregnant or lactating, refrain from using medicinal doses of cinnamon or cinnamon bark. Cinnamon tea should also be avoided by those suffering from ulcers. Essential oil of cinnamon is toxic when consumed beyond a certain amount and is best used topically or on external objects for aroma purposes. And be careful when it comes to applying cinnamon to the skin – some people are sensitive to it. Test a small section of skin prior to any treatment.

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

Images: Baking in Pearls, MadMup, ShellyS, Kastner, Ed Yourdon, Luke Roberts, Gustavo, Rachel Ford James

The post 20 Unusual Ways to Use Cinnamon appeared first on EcoSalon.

Cabbage just got more interesting.

I have a huge crush on kimchi. If I see it on the menu, chances are you can find it in my mouth several minutes later. The spicy cultured treat is a Korean staple – it is served at almost every meal and Koreans are known to pack in 40 pounds of kimchi per person, each year!

The base of kimchi is cabbage. Cabbage lowers blood cholesterol, prevents cancer, and contributes to better digestion. In many cultures, cabbage juice has been used to relieve stomach ulcers. The vegetable is a great source of B vitamins and omega-3s and contains approximately seven times more vitamin C than an orange. Like  garlic and onions, cabbage also boasts a high sulfur content, which helps to fight infection.

Aside from the benefits of cabbage itself, kimchi should be praised mostly for what it accumulates during preparation: healthy bacteria. The cabbage rests in salted and spiced water for a few days or weeks before it is served, contributing to the growth of lactobacilli, which are healthy probiotic bacteria that balance the intestinal tract and help to alleviate digestive problems. For this reason, kimchi is a great companion to every meal.

However, one of the downsides to ordering kimchi at a restaurant or purchasing it from a grocery store is the unknown factors – what kind of salt was used, how much sugar was added, and whether sneaky ingredients, like fish sauce, are in the mix. You can never really know. That’s why I decided to make my own kimchi, but in the most unintimidating and frills-free way possible. That way, I could enjoy it all the time knowing exactly what it contains and without the begrudged process to get there.

It’s a practice of patience, sure, but in the name of all the balance and restoration that kimchi provides my body, I vow to prepare it with similar gusto. Luckily enough, you can get on with your life for a few days while the kimchi does its magic. Do try this recipe out and you’ll have the most delicious and addictive digestive aid ever made.

Enjoy!

Homemade Vegan Kimchi

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:

• 1 large Napa cabbage
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons sea salt
• 6 scallions
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 two-inch nob of fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons Korean chili powder (kochukaru)
• 2 tablespoons Nama Shoyu (soy sauce)
• 2-3 slices apple

Directions:

In a glass quart, dissolve the salt in the water.

While the salt dissolves, core the cabbage and roughly chop the leaves. You can pull the leaves off so they remain full and intact, or you can do what I did and simple cut through the body of the cabbage.

Pull apart the individual pieces and place them in a large bowl. Pour the salted water over the cabbage and massage the leaves until they wilt and reduce slightly in volume.

Transfer the salted cabbage leaves into the glass quart, pushing down with your fist so that the leaves are tightly packed.

Pour the remaining salted water into the quart so that all the leaves are completely submerged. Seal the top of the glass jar and store at room temperature away from direct sunlight for 24 hours.

The next day,  drain the cabbage leaves from the water and rinse, reserving the salted water for later use. Place the leaves in a large bowl.

In a food processor, mix the garlic, chili, scallions, ginger, and soy sauce until mushy.

Massage the spicy mixture into the leaves so that each one is evenly coated. Toss in a few slices of chopped apple. The sugars from the apple will help the fermentation process.

Tightly pack the leaves in the same quart-sized jar, making sure there are no air pockets.

Pour some of the reserved salted water over the spicy cabbage leaves so that they are completely submerged. It is important that there are no air pockets.

Seal the top with a lid and store at room temperature away from sunlight for at least 3 full days. During this time, the kimchi will ferment, developing healthy bacteria. As long as the leaves are submerged, they will not mold.

Enjoy with chopsticks aside a Korean-inspired meal, or any meal!

Bon Appetit!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Recipe: Getting Probiotic with Homemade Kimchi appeared first on EcoSalon.

Cake for breakfast? Of course.

It’s a shame that so many cake recipes call for eggs, cream, and loads of sugar, when the same texture – fluffy, moist, flaky, and rich – can be matched sans the heavy ingredients and dangerous boost in blood sugar levels. Sure, there’s room for those kinds of desserts too, but if you’re anything like me and need dessert everyday – that is, require for basal human function –  then it helps to have an arsenal of silhouette-forgiving, vegan dessert recipes on hand.

This vanilla cake recipe is a simple, foundational recipe that can be altered according to your tastes. Like chocolate? Add cocoa powder. Like more texture? Add dried fruit and nuts. Like things bigger? Buy more pans for layering. But what I’ve written here is a mild, flaky cake that is a lot like a soft, light, and slightly sweet bread to be complemented with tea, coffee or almond milk.

I added a personal touch to the cake by baking it over pineapple slices, which add moisture and make for a great presentation. I chose pineapple for its taste, but the diamond-under-the-rough fruit is also packed with immune-boosting vitamin C, promotes healthy gums and teeth, sharpens vision, improves digestion, and alleviates arthritis symptoms.

Pineapple also contains the enzyme bromelain, which helps to break down protein. This knowledge comes in handy after you’ve eaten a hefty meal – chewing on a bit of pineapple can help to make room for dessert, because foregoing dessert is seldom an option. And lucky for you, this recipe cuts to the chase and adorns the top of a vanilla cake with brown-sugar glazed pineapple slices, so you make more room for dessert whilst eating dessert. Pure logic, my friends.

Note: If you want a caramelized effect, use a metal spring-form pan and the brown sugar is a must, since it helps to caramelize the pineapples. I personally like my pineapples to tenderize without becoming too sweet, since I treat this dish more as a “S’pose-I’ll –just-have-this-here-cake-for-breakfast-since-it’s-so-clean-and-healthy” item than a dessert item. For this reason, I use a glass pan and sometimes forego the brown sugar. When I do want the cake for dessert, I warm it up and drizzle with honey for that extra sweetness.

Pineapple Bread Cake

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter + 1/2 tablespoon for coating baking dish
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup almond milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the bottom and sides of baking dish with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle brown sugar on top, evenly across the area of the dish. Skin a pineapple and cut along its width as thin as possible, making 4-6 discs. Place pineapple on the bottom of the baking dish.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Using your hands, cut the vegan butter (I like to use Earth Balance) into the dry mixture, using your fingers to create a meal-like texture.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, except for the almond milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until pasty. Add the almond milk a little at a time until the mixture reaches a thick, but easily spreadable texture.

Carefully spread batter over the pineapple slices in the glass baking dish.

Bake in the oven for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

After you remove the cake from the oven, loosen the edges with a knife and let cool down. When cool enough to handle with your bare hands, use a cutting board to help flip the dish over so that the pineapples are exposed.

The result is a light but comforting bread-like cake that has just the right touch of pineapple to keep things interesting. Cut a piece and serve warm with almond milk for dipping or enjoy aside a morning coffee.

Enjoy!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Recipe: Vegan Pineapple Vanilla Bread Cake appeared first on EcoSalon.

I’ve discovered the ultimate plant for green health: lemon verbena. The leaves from this plant make some absolutely delicious tea.

Alice Waters is a big fan of lemon verbena tea, I learned upon reading her biography. I later tasted it myself for the first time from dried leaves of a plant grown at the Edible Schoolyard, Waters’ educational, middle school kitchen and gardening project. I then understood – as the name implies – lemon verbena tea has an extremely soothing citrus flavor.

I since acquired my own plant, and it’s growing like a weed in a pot on my deck garden. I lucked out because my deck gets a ton of sun and the lemon verbena plant likes a lot of direct light. Once the plant is established, remove some of the leaves, lay them out to dry and store in mason jars or an airtight container.

To make tea, steep around one teaspoon of dried herbs in one cup of hot water, or see these recipes for using fresh leaves. (Or, make your own lemon verbena ice cream!)

Lemon verbena has great health benefits. It aids with relaxation and digestion, and apparently it can also help with relieving cramps.

Now that I’ve fully embraced drinking tea from loose, dried herbs, I’ve realized how fun it is to create your own blends. Add a peppermint plant to your herb garden, and make your own mix of lemon verbena and mint. Delightful!

See a few more tips on growing your own lemon verbena plant here.

Image: Nani Kora

The post Infuse Your Life with Lemon Verbena: DIY Tea appeared first on EcoSalon.