6485 MEN Guide to Healing Herbs

[ CONTENTS ]

Guide to Healing Herbs ON THE COVER Have your healthiest winter ever with the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Guide to Healing Herbs, from the publisher of Mother Earth Living. Investigate plant profiles and discover herbs for various maladies.

Learn which plants will boost immunity, improve heart health, relieve pain, and calm troublesome skin. Herbal remedies can begin in the kitchen; check out the recipes scattered throughout. There is a lot of crossover in herbal medicine, so don’t forget to check our Index on Page 95 for a super-speedy reference.

90 HEALTH BASICS 8 Grow a Healing Garden

Find relief in your backyard by planting medicinal herbs.

44 Herbs to Cope with Stress

Stress can increase the risk of chronic diseases. But a positive outlook, paired with herbal healers, may counter it.

50 A Healthy, Protected Liver

Take these herbs to sustain a liver that can multitask, metabolize and maintain a smooth-running body.

54 Bottled Plant Medicine

Extract health benefits from your herbs and bottle them into tinctures, an easyto-take-and-make medicine.

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56 Heal Like an Egyptian

Ease daily pains, fatigues and strains with the ancient art of aromatherapy.

61 Essential Oil Primer

Lift your spirits with our handy guide to essential oils, from energizing rosemary to calming chamomile.

96 Healing with Honey

Soothe an aching throat with this ancient remedy.

COLDS & FLU 14 Immunity-Boosting Plants

Stave off the cold by supporting your immune system with herbs, selected supplements and plant extracts.

20 Plant Profile: Echinacea

Uncover this purple coneflower, which serves as both a wellness aid and ornamental perennial.

21 Plant Profile: Eleuthero

This herb has adaptogenic properties that can boost immunity and combat stress.

22 Do-It-Yourself Cough Drops Relieve your throat with our horehound cough drops and sage syrup.

86 HEART HEALTH 24 Grow Your Heart Health

One American dies every 35 seconds from cardiovascular disease. Beat the statistics with these herbs.

28 Reduce Your Cholesterol

Stay heart smart with a diet rich in herbs.

Our tips will help you lower your blood cholesterol levels—and keep them low.

32 Plant Profile: Hibiscus

This tropical native is gaining recognition as the new go-to herb for heart health. Learn how hibiscus tea can lower blood pressure.

34 Grow Garlic Like a Pro

Liven up your dinner table with delicious, healthful, homegrown garlic.

STOMACH SOOTHERS 38 Herbs for Good Digestion Regulate your digestion with these stomach-soothing herbs.

42 Plant Profile: Chia Seed

This tiny seed is packed with nutrients our bodies crave, like fiber and omega fatty acids. Try our chia salsa.

PAIN RELIEF 62 Powerful Herbal Pain Relief

Fight aches with aids such as chamomile, peppermint and white willow bark.

68 Herbs for Arthritis

This reader Q&A explains how you can ease joint pain from arthritis.

71 Plant Profile: Turmeric

This tasty spice yields antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

72 Plant Profile: Devil’s Claw

Use this wild African plant to combat joint inflammation and pain.

74 Ease Headaches with Herbs

Treat that aching head with these triedand-true herbal remedies.

CANCER PREVENTION 76 All About Anticancer Herbs

Cut through the confusion surrounding anticancer diets and supplements with our expert advice.

80 Berries for Health

Berries are stock full of phytochemicals and dietary fiber. Pick the best for your health at the peak of their season.

SKIN SOOTHERS 84 Band-Aids and Boo-Boos

Life is filled with minor emergencies.

Find safe and effective remedies.

86 Natural Skin Solutions

Our experts answer questions about herbal solutions for two common skin ailments: eczema and varicose veins.

88 Calm Skin with Homemade Salves

This medicine cabinet essential is easy to make. Use it to treat rashes, cuts, bruises, chapped lips and much more.

90 Plant Profile: Calendula

This gold-pedaled herb has been used since ancient times to treat bruises, burns and inflammation.

91 Plant Profile: Plantain

Grow this wound-healing herb to make soaps, gels and other medicines beneficial to the skin.

92 Plant Profile: Tea Tree

For acne, dandruff, psoriasis and other troublesome skin conditions, try this herb from Down Under.

EXTRA 6 From Us, To You

Free E-Newsletters Get the newest health posts on our website delivered straight to your inbox. Each weekly e-newsletter highlights new online articles, timely articles from our archive, blog posts and much more. Sign up at motherearthliving.com/enews.

A note from Editor-in-Chief Jessica Kellner

95 Index

An alphabetical listing of the herbs that appear in this issue

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TIP

Of the many available types of echinacea, three are recognized as healers. Of those three, Echinacea purpurea is the best bet in the garden.

stop the flow of blood. The plant also contains more than 120 other components, some of which calm muscle spasms, reduce pain, ease digestion, calm anxiety and reduce inflammation. Yarrow is an easy plant for beginners, requiring no care and remaining pest-free and winter-hardy in Zones 3 through 9. It’s a pretty, ferny plant in the garden, with clusters of tiny white, ivory or pale pink flowers that bloom from early summer into early fall. For minor cuts, wash the wound thoroughly (yarrow isn’t antiseptic), then crush some leaves in the palm of your hand and apply to the cut to stop the bleeding. Note: Try yarrow on a small spot of skin first, as some people experience an intense allergic reaction to it.

Lavender (Lavandula spp.). Lavender’s needs are simple: It wants alkaline soil, several hours of hot sunlight a day and dry feet—meaning keep its soil well-drained and don’t overwater it. If you meet these criteria and work with your local nurseries or regional online sources, you’ll find plenty of lavender options that will grow in your area. You can use the fragrant essential oil of English lavender (L. angustifolia) in do-it-yourself lotions, salves, balms, soaps and vinegars.

Its uses in aromatherapy for calming and relaxation are welldocumented, as are its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, known since ancient times. It is licensed in Germany as a standard medicinal tea for sleep disorders and nervous stomach, according to the American Botanical Council (ABC). And bearing in mind the 2012 International Herb of the Year, you might find extra motivation: Lavender and roses were made for each other. Note: Spanish lavender (L. stoechas), commonly used in landscaping, is not appropriate for medicine or cooking.

Aloe (Aloe vera). If all of the plants alleged to be Cleopatra’s beauty secret were laid end to end, they would reach from here to the Nile. However, in the case of the spiky succulent aloe vera, the odds are good that the femme pharaoh actually did include this skin-nourishing herb in her regimen. The fleshy, lance-leaved plant has been cultivated for its medicinal effects since long before Cleopatra’s reign and is known to be good for sunburn, minor burns and insect bites (no word on its effectiveness against the bite of an asp).

The gooey gel found in its leaves soothes irritated skin and eases topical pain, as well as providing antibacterial protection, and its soothing juice has been shown to be effective in treating psoriasis. Though many “aloe vera” products can

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Sage has antibiotic and antiseptic properties. It calms inflammation of the mouth and throat, among other uses.

Echinacea purpurea

be found on supermarket and pharmacy shelves, many of these products have as much or more water, fruit juice and preservative as herb. Given how easy the plant is to keep on hand, it makes more sense just to pot up a few and break off a leaf as needed. (Unless you live in a warm and relatively dry climate, aloes do better in pots so you can transfer them into the house when the cold weather hits.)

Herbs for Coughs, Colds and Flu

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea, E. angustifolia, E. pallida). Many echinacea species are attractive in the garden, but E. purpurea, E. angustifolia and E. pallida are the coneflowers generally recognized as most potent for medicinal use.

A member of the aster family, echinacea grows throughout North America and, according to Foster, the Plains Indians used the common prairie species of coneflower (E. angustifolia) as medicine more than any other plant. A large body of research (sometimes contradictory) can be found relating to echinacea’s usefulness in preventing colds and flu. Less

Lavender is used in aromatherapy for calming and relaxation. The essential oil is also antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.

ambiguous is its role in helping reduce the length and severity of these common illnesses, as well as its role as supportive therapy for lower urinary tract infections, poorly healing wounds and chronic ulcerations. While most references suggest using echinacea root for medicinal use, many herbalists recommend making a tea of the fresh or dried flowers of E. purpurea, which contain chemical constituents similar to those of the root. Plants and seeds of E. purpurea are widely available from nurseries and seed houses. The seeds germinate readily, or plants can be easily propagated by dividing the roots. This species does well in any well-drained garden soil, will tolerate up to half shade and is remarkably drought-

Resources These are the references used in this article—great to have on hand for any queries about medicinal herbs or, in the case of Tammi Hartung’s book, how to grow any of them.

The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs by Mark Blumenthal (American Botanical Council, 2003) The Green Pharmacy by James A. Duke, Ph.D. (Rodale Press, 1997) Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs by Mark Blumenthal, Alicia Goldberg, Josef Brinckmann, eds.

(American Botanical Council, 2000) Homegrown Herbs by Tammi Hartung (Storey Publishing, 2011)

Fennel relieves bloating, gas and diarrhea, and has a pleasant licorice taste. It is also used as a gargle to soothe a sore throat.

resistant. On the other hand, Foster says, plants and seeds of E. angustifolia are harder to find, and the seeds germinate much less readily.

Sage (Salvia officinalis). The genus name Salvia derives from the Latin salvere (“to be saved”), which gives a good idea of the esteem in which sage has been held over the millennia as a curative herb. Versatile and easy to grow, sage is beautiful in the garden, tasty in the kitchen and a stalwart in the medicine cabinet. With antibiotic and antiseptic properties, it has been prized in treating inflammation in the mouth or throat, including gingivitis and canker sores. The Commission E approves sage as a standard medicinal tea for gastrointestinal issues and night sweats, as well as a topical rinse for inflammation. A number of herbalists use sage in their prescriptions for those hallmarks of menopause, hot flashes and night sweats. A perennial that’s best grown from starts, sage likes full sun and doesn’t like to get its feet wet, so make sure the soil is well-drained and not too heavy. For canker sores, or sore throat and tonsils, make a tea with 2 teaspoons of dried sage leaves (more if you use fresh leaves), 1 cup boiling of water and a dash of salt.

Horehound (Marrubium vulgare). This old-fashioned herb is indispensable for the modern healing garden. It tames troublesome coughs, and grows easily. Turn to Page 22 to learn more about this throat-soothing herb, and turn to Page 23 for horehound cough drop instructions.

K.C. Compton is a senior editor at Mother Earth News.

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[ BEAUTY ]

Echinacea From the plains to the garden, this ornamental coneflower also serves as a wellness aid.

BY DAWNA EDWAR D S

T

The fan-like rays of echinacea flowers (Echinacea spp.) seem to celebrate the wellness locked inside their roots. It was the wellness aspect of the plant of which I first learned; however, I’ll never forget my initial experience with the actual flowers. I had, of course, seen them in photographs, but I had no idea that the colors, texture, and apparent sense of detail with which they were created could be so much more poignant in real life.

Not only are the echinaceas capable of catching the human eye, but many a fleeting butterfly or buzzing bee can be found enjoying the coneflowers for hours. This perennial herb gets its name from the rusty-orange, prickly center that might remind you of a sea urchin or hedgehog— from the Greek echinos. But these bright summer bloomers have a history best known by North American natives of the plains.

Echinacea purpurea, or purple coneflower, is excellent as an ornamental plant. It is hardy in Zones 3 to 9. It tolerates summer heat and humidity.

History and Medicine Native Americans, including members of the Cheyenne, Commanche, Crow, Omaha, Ponca and perhaps other tribes, used the fresh root, root juice or an infusion made from the plant for toothaches and sore gums. Echinacea was widely available throughout the northern and central plains in which many of these tribes lived. It

has been suggested that echinacea was the most widely used herb by the Native Americans.

Eclectic doctors—those employing botanical medicine in their practices—brought echinacea to the forefront of botanical medicine as early as 1845. And in 1897, the first chemical makeup reports of E. angustifolia were published by John Uri Lloyd. This was just the first of many reports and studies of echinacea. Not everyone thought highly, however, of this so-called plant remedy.

Although it was included in the United States National Formulary from 1916 to 1950, many doctors considered it a “quack remedy.”

Today, you can find echinacea in several forms at your local health-food store. Various studies have shown that juice pressed from the roots of fresh, flowering E. purpurea decreases the duration of some cold or flulike symptoms. Although this herb is helpful as a preventive aid, echinacea isn’t suggested for long-term use, as the herb’s ability to prevent infections diminishes when it is taken continuously.

Caution: Avoid using echinacea if you have an autoimmune disease such as multiple sclerosis or are using immune-suppressant drugs.

Dawna Edwards is a flower lover and former editor of The Herb Companion.

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[ COLDS & FLU ]

Eleuthero Vladimir Galanov/Fotolia

This adaptogenic herb boosts immunity, combats stress and may ease lower back pain.

BY ST EVEN FOST ER

E

Eleuthero, a woodland plant native to northeastern Asia, may improve stamina, endurance, reflexes and concentration. Also known as Siberian ginseng, eleuthero isn’t really a ginseng, but is a natural for boosting athletic performance.

and appetite enhancer and to relieve lower back and kidney pain, among other purposes.

Eleuthero became known as Siberian ginseng during the late 1960s and early 1970s, when extracts of its root were first marketed in the United States.

The Root of the Matter

Eleuthero has played an important role in Traditional Chinese Medicine for at least 2,000 years: its root bark has been used to create an herbal drug used to relieve lower back pain, among other purposes.

For Chinese medicinal plant diggers, the word seng refers to any nonwoody, fleshy rootstock (picture a carrot pulled fresh from the garden) used to make a medicinal tonic.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognizes only Panax ginseng or P. quinquefolius (North American ginseng) as a true ginseng.

Both are members of the Araliaceae family.

The plant known on the American market as Siberian ginseng is also a member of the Araliaceae family, but is a different genus than Panax.

Siberian ginseng is actually Eleutherococcus senticosus, or eleuthero, a shrub that grows to about 9 feet tall in northeastern China, Korea, far eastern Russia, and the northern island of Hokkaido in Japan. Eleuthero has a woody rootstock, so it can’t be considered a seng-producing plant in the traditional Chinese sense. But it has played an important role in TCM for at least 2,000 years: its root bark has been used to create an herbal drug known as ci-wu-jia, which is used as a tonic

Modern Eleuthero Modern interest in eleuthero as an herbal medicine stems from Russian studies during the 1950s and 1960s, when researchers developed it as an inexpensive substitute for true ginseng, which they believed had the ability to enhance athletic performance. They called this ability adaptogenic; adaptogens are substances that increase resistance to adverse influences in nonspecific ways, modulating stress and improving performance under a variety of stressful conditions while causing little disruption to the body.

Today, eleuthero has been shown to help prevent viral respiratory infections, including the flu. According to clinical studies, eleuthero root improves immune function. For the best results, take eleuthero for at least three months to strengthen immune response.

Steven Foster is an author and photographer specializing in medicinal plants.

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[ COLDS & FLU ]

Do-It-Yourself Cough Drops Find relief from that wracking cough with these three herbal throat soothers.

BY K .C . COM P TO N AN D SUS AN ME LG R EN

C

Coughing spells can attack us when we least expect it. So if you don’t like the taste of store-bought cough drops, the bright color they leave your tongue and the extra additives found in most—or if you’re just looking for a way to save money—try making your own. With a few common household items and one standout herbal healer, it’s easy to get started.

Natural Throat Relievers

TIP

For easy relief, steep horehound for 15 minutes, strain and gargle frequently.

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Horehound (Marrubium vulgare), a natural cough suppressant and expectorant, is one of the major ingredients in over-the-counter herbal cough drops such as Ricola. Although it has an old-fashioned-sounding name, and indeed, is probably the cough remedy with which our great-grandparents were most familiar, horehound has up-to-date value in fighting coughs, colds and catarrh (or mucus buildup). Horehound is in the mint family, so consider growing it in a container to keep the plant from taking over. It grows from seeds or starts. Sow seeds up to three weeks before the last frost and space plants about 10 inches apart. As with other mints, go easy on the water. Harvest the flowers and leaves for medicinal use.

According to the American Botanical Council, horehound has been in use as an expectorant cough remedy since ancient Egyptian times and has been

an important herb in treating wheezing, chronic bronchitis and whooping cough.

The German Commission E, a regulatory body that governs herbal remedies in Germany, also approves horehound for loss of appetite and for intestinal concerns such as bloating and flatulence. Native people throughout North America have used it for centuries as a cold remedy, attesting to its universal effectiveness. An aromatic perennial, horehound is hardy and can be grown and harvested readily.

To make your own cough medicine, try our Do-It-Yourself Cough Drops (at right), which are made with horehound.

This recipe also uses honey, which has been used medicinally since ancient times. (Hippocrates recommended it for optimal health circa 400 ..) Honey is a demulcent that soothes irritated mucus membranes and has been shown to reduce coughs better than dextromethorphan (the common over-the-counter cough suppressant) or a placebo. Note: Do not give honey to children younger than 2.

Sage (Salvia spp.) is another herb that may help defend against aggravating coughs. Both the German Commission E and the USDA have deemed sage as antibacterial, and the USDA even mentions white sage (S. apiana) as an acceptable treatment for sore throats because of its abilities to inhibit bacteria growth. Drink one cup of sage tea (steep 1 teaspoon of dried sage leaves or 1 tablespoon of fresh sage in boiling water for three to five minutes) daily, or add 1 to 2 drops of essential oil to a glass of water. For a recipe, look to the right for Sage Honey Syrup.

K.C. Compton is a senior editor at Mother Earth News.

Susan Melgren is the web editor at Mother Earth Living.

Do-It-Yourself Cough Drops

Here is a simple recipe that will fill a sandwich bag with golden horehound drops. The honey covers the bitter taste of this aromatic herb. You can also substitute or combine with other herbs, such as mint or sage. —This recipe was written by The Herb Companion staff.

1 cup fresh horehound leaves 1 cup water 2 cups sugar 2 tablespoons honey Granulated or powdered sugar, to coat 1 Put horehound in a small nonreactive saucepan and add water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, then remove horehound and squeeze out liquid. Add sugar and honey to pan, stir with a wooden spoon while bringing to a boil, then turn heat down to a gentle simmer. If bubbles threaten to overflow the pan, reduce heat slightly and stir.

2 Boil to hard-crack stage (330 degrees), but even if you use a candy thermometer, test often toward the end of cooking to get the hardness right. Keep a shallow cup of cold water nearby. Stir the liquid occasionally, and watch how it falls from the spoon. When it forms a thread, begin testing for hardness by allowing a drop of the mixture to fall into the cup of cold water. Don’t trust your fingers to examine the now-hardened drop in the cup: bite it. If it’s at all gooey or sticks to your teeth, keep cooking. When it’s hard enough to crack when you bite it, remove pan from heat immediately.

3 If the mixture crystallizes, just add a cup of water and an extra tablespoon of honey to the pan, scrape the crystalline chunks into it and begin again.

4 Lightly butter a candy mold, cookie sheet or other heatproof baking pan, and pour in the hot mixture. If you’re using a flat-bottomed pan, score the surface of the candy after it has cooled enough to become firm. This will help in breaking it apart, which should be done as soon as the candy can be handled.

5 After individual drops are formed, sift granulated or powdered sugar over them to keep them from sticking together. Store in a moisture-proof container.

Sage Honey Syrup

This sage- and honey-infused syrup is delicious and makes a great herbal remedy for sore throats and tickly coughs. —This recipe was written by Sarah Goldschmidt. ¾ cup wildflower honey ¼ cup water 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped 1 Stir all ingredients over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, for 10 minutes.

2 Strain honey mixture and store in a sealed glass jar. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

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[ STOMACH SOOTHERS ]

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a een

30 Best Herbs

Cinnamon

for Good Digestion

A

Regulate your digestion with these stomach-soothing herbs.

By Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa

As polite topics of conversation go, constipation, gas, diarrhea and irritable bowels definitely don’t top the list. But we won’t let that stop us. After all, digestive health is important: Your elimination system carries away the wastes of all of your cells, allowing each organ to function in a proper environment. And elimination troubles can put your daily routine out of whack. It’s your good fortune that some simple and effective natural remedies can put you back in balance—and we aren’t too embarrassed to share them with you.

Start at the Stomach

Although a small amount of starch is broken down in the mouth, thanks to amylases in your saliva, the stomach is where the first real action is—where powerful chemicals of digestion are mixed with the food mass. If these digestive juices, including hydrochloric acid, pancreatic juice and bile, are in short supply, the whole process gets off to a poor start.

Traditional herbalists all over the globe agree that herbs with a bitter taste tend to promote digestive secretions and speed up digestion. Gentian (Gentiana lutea) is the most popular digestive bitter in Western herbalism. Europeans often drink a bitter aperitif (an ounce or so of a bitter herbal beverage) before the first bite of a meal, to stimulate digestive secretions and keep food passing through rapidly. Bitter

?

Although it’s about 30 feet long, the digestive tract needs smaller helpers, too: acids, enzymes and bacteria all help break down food.

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herbs reduce gas, bloating, symptoms of food allergies and indigestion. Other bitter digestants include barberry root (Berberis vulgaris), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and artichoke (Cynara scolymus).

Carminative herbs warm up the digestive tract, speed up and increase the thoroughness of digestion, and reduce gas. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), dill (Anethum graveolens), cumin (Cuminum cyminum), caraway (Carum carvi) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) are carminative.

Contractions move the digesting food slowly toward the large intestine. It normally takes about 90 to 120 minutes for the first part of a meal to reach the large intestine, although the last portion of the meal may not make it there for five hours.

St. John’s wort

Cardamom

The Ideal Bowel Movement

Yes, we’re going there. (You know you’re curious.) The ancient lifestyle science of Ayurveda says that a proper stool is like a peeled, fully ripe banana—size, shape and color.

And it floats. Ayurvedic practitioners say that “if your stool is sinking, you’re sinking!” Western medical systems, including herbalism, do not generally specify an ideal bowel movement’s morphology.

Regular, bulky, soft and comfortable bowel movements are vital to good health. Yet 4.5 million Americans say they are constipated most or all of the time. Constipation is medically defined as passing stools less than three times a week, or in low quantity.

Mint

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[ STOMACH SOOTHERS ]

Chia:

An All-Purpose Seed

Y

Chia Salvia hispanica • Lamiaceae family • S. hispanica, or Mexican chia, can easily be confused with S. columbariae, or California chia

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Ancient Uses

Chia (Salvia hispanica), an annual native to Mexico, has been around since 3500 .., when it was a staple crop among the Aztecs, second only to corn.

The Aztecs ground chia seed to form wound-healing poultices; turned chia oil into skin-protecting ointments; and drank chia infusions as respiratory boosters. The Aztecs also believed this plant to be magical for its ability to increase stamina over long periods of time.

Health Benefits

Today, chia is known as a “superfood,” or a food packed full of nutritional benefits. This seed contains about 136 calories per ounce and is loaded with protein, fiber, calcium, antioxidants and omega-3 and -6 fatty acids.

Using Chia

Sprinkle whole chia seeds over yogurt or oatmeal, toss them into a smoothie or blend them into baked goods. You can also grind chia seeds, toast them or use them to whip up our Tomatillo Chia Salsa at right.

Chia absorbs up to 12 times its own weight. When soaked in water, it forms a “gel” layer around each seed and “plumps up,” making it a great thickening agent in beverages such as smoothies.

Because it is so high in fiber, you only need to add small quantities of chia to your diet to attain its beneficial effects. Aim to consume about one ounce per day.

Julie Morris

BY G I NA D E BACKE R

Yes, you’re reading that right. Chia, the very same herb that grew in the “chacha-cha-chia” pets popular in the ’80s, is a wholesome herb touted for its medicinal benefits. This herb produces tiny, oily seeds that are similar to flax seed and packed full of healthful nutrients like fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. But unlike flax seed, chia seed doesn’t need to be ground to provide its nutritional kick.

©2012 Steven Foster

This tiny seed is packed with nutrients our bodies crave, like fiber and omega fatty acids.

One ounce of chia seed provides 4 grams of protein, 11 grams of fiber, 9 grams of fat, and high levels of calcium and phosphorous, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. Most of us could benefit from extra fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, as the typical American diet is deficient in both, says Margaret Conover, Ph.D., a botanist at Stony Brook University in New York.

Fiber adds volume to meals without additional calories and, most importantly, helps with digestion, allowing food to move more easily and quickly through the colon. If you’re looking for an easy way to increase your fiber intake, try chia—it provides 42 percent of the recommended daily value of fiber in just one serving.

One single ounce of chia also has more omega-3 fatty acids than salmon, a commonly recommended source for this essential nutrient. Omega-3 fatty acids, or polyunsaturated fatty acids, boost brain power and help fight heart disease. Studies also indicate that deficiencies in omega-3 could lead to mood swings or depression.

This seed may help people with type 2 diabetes, according to a 2007 University of Toronto study. In the study, participants with type 2 diabetes ate 3 to 4 tablespoons of Salba, a commercial chia product, every day for 12 weeks. They experienced reduced systolic blood pressure and showed improved clotting factors that resulted in a blood-thinning effect.

Tomatillo Chia Salsa

Grow It

S. hispanica is an annual native to Mexico and Central America. It typically grows up to 4 feet tall and produces blue flowers arranged in terminal spikes.

Because chia requires so much sunlight, it can not be grown for its seed in the United States. Purchase chia seed from your local health-food store. (Check out our company resource list below.)

If you grow chia, its sprouts are high in calcium but don’t contain the fiber, omega fatty acids or other nutrients found in its seed. To grow, sprinkle chia seed anywhere moist. For a fun project, soak a brick with water, sprinkle it with seeds and wait.

Gina DeBacker is assistant editor at Mother Earth Living magazine.

Buy Chia Seed Navitas Naturals navitasnaturals.com

Barleans barleans.com

Bob’s Red Mill bobsredmill.com

NOW Foods nowfoods.com

Mountain Rose Herbs mountainroseherbs.com

Nutiva nutiva.com

The longer this salsa sits, the better—it is even more flavorful the next day. Chia seeds help keep this tangy salsa light and bright. MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS —Recipe courtesy Superfood Cuisine: Cooking with Nature’s Most Amazing Foods (Navitas Naturals, 2011) by Julie Morris.

2 tablespoons chia seeds 1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced ¾ pound fresh tomatillos, husks removed and diced ½ lime, juiced 2 heaping tablespoons fresh cilantro ¼ cup white onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeño pepper, de-seeded and minced ¼ teaspoon sea salt 1 Use a food processor to pulse ingredients together into a chunky salsa, or simply chop and mix by hand. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to develop and chia seeds to absorb some of the excess liquid.

2 Serve with chips or crackers, or tuck inside a wrap or burrito as a flavorful spread.

TIP

For something different, mix in a peeled and pitted chopped avocado to the finished salsa.

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