{Paleo-Friendly} Warming Vegan Chai

Next time you are savoring a creamy cup of Indian chai tea, here's something to ponder: The characteristic spicy flavor is also what makes chai outrageously healthy. Cinnamon, ginger, clove, anise and black tea are superfoods in their own right and should be enjoyed often. What better way than in a delicious, warming brew? The trick is to make your own -- commercial varieties are loaded with sugar, pasteurized dairy and other unsavory ingredients which negate any health enhancing features.

The spice of life

Chai is unique in its complexity of flavor and nutritional bounty. Cinnamon, ginger, clove and anise are the main spicy stars of the tea, although variations can be found it different regions throughout India. Each spice carries its own distinctive health enriching qualities.

How to grow your own superfoods this winter

No need to bypass all the health perks of fresh superfoods this winter—simply grow them inside on a sunny window ledge. As the weather turns colder, now more than ever it is important to fortify the body with nutrient dense foods. What better way than with unprocessed superfoods? An economical and fun undertaking, cultivating a micro-superfood garden is easier than you may think.

With food costs skyrocketing this season, consumers are looking for novel ways to stay nourished on a budget. Windowsill gardens combine the virtues of space saving French intensive gardening with easy to grow plants—providing a frugal solution for high food prices.

Antibiotic use on organic apples and pears proves unnecessary -- Here's how to end the madness and protect yourself

When we relish a delicious organic apple or pear, we usually don't suspect we are also ingesting a mouthful of antibiotics. As shocking as this may seem, it's yet another dirty little secret of the certified organic industry in the U.S. Used to control a tree born bacterial infection, antibiotics are sprayed on susceptible varieties of trees—leaving residues on fruit to be consumed far and wide. And inflaming concern over antibiotic overuse in the process.

An unfortunate truth

Generally, antibiotics are shunned by organic aficionados and natural health advocates alike. The dangers of antibiotic resistant superbugs and devastation of beneficial bacteria in the body are enough reason to seek alternatives. But consumers who eat organic apples or pears may be inadvertently ingesting tetracycline and streptomycin—two antibiotics used to combat common infections of the lung, middle ear and urinary tract as well as more life threatening diseases like tuberculosis, plague and cholera. Unfortunately, when antibiotics are overused they eventually become ineffective, leaving us high and dry for when the medicine is truly needed. Antibiotics also ravage the intestinal tract, destroying the good bacteria that help to keep us disease free. All in all, consuming antibiotics haphazardly in food is not ideal.

Cure eczema the natural way

A painful and often debilitating disease, eczema is a skin disorder that is suffered by millions. Frequently treated with steroids, the immune system is further compromised—inflaming the dermis and creating a vicious cycle that is difficult to break. Toxic vaccinations also aggravate this distressing malady. Mercifully, natural remedies provide an intelligent option—curing eczema gently without the side effects of conventional treatments.

Connecting the dots between eczema, immunity and the gut

The first line of attack in overcoming eczema is healing the gut. Since a majority of those suffering from eczema experience leaky gut syndrome, it is important to take care of the digestive tract. When the intestinal wall becomes overly permeable with this syndrome, toxins pass into the blood stream which triggers an inflammatory response. Allergies and food reactions follow—along with eczema. Unfortunately, this whole cycle taxes the immune system.

Avoid GMOs in gluten-free baked goods this holiday season with these tips

With the holiday baking season just around the corner, ingredients that are free of harmful substances and GMOs are an important consideration. After all, poisoning friends and family is not exactly the model of holiday cheer. For those avoiding gluten, attention is turned to an array of gluten-free flour blends and mixes. The average consumer believes they are doing a good thing for health by avoiding gluten, but a more insidious toxin is often lurking beneath the surface in the form of GMOs. Safe and nutritious alternatives are available—four exceptional flours share the spotlight for worry-free baking this holiday season and beyond.

Agreeable alternatives

For a large segment of the American population, gone are the days of comfortably consuming gluten containing foods like wheat, rye and barley. One does not have to suffer from celiac disease to adopt a gluten-free diet—even the average person can benefit from restricting this troublesome protein. When gluten is banished from the diet, often times weight normalizes, digestive issues calm and reactions like rashes, headaches and fatigue begin to lift. As an added incentive, several gluten-free flours offer unsurpassed nutritional benefit.

Want to Avoid the Flu Epidemic? Here's How to Stay Healthy With Elderberry

A versatile herb, black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) has been known throughout the ages as a potent immune booster -- tackling colds and influenza, heart disease and even cancer. Used for centuries as a folk remedy in North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa, modern science has begun to take notice of the exceptional healing properties of this berry. Jammed packed with organic pigments, flavonoids, vitamins and minerals, elderberry is an excellent addition to any herbal medicine chest.

Time-honored healing fruit

Traditionally, the incredible therapeutic benefits of elderberry have been enjoyed in preserves, wine and medicinal extracts. Only ripe, cooked berries and the flowers are used for preparations since stems, leaves and unripe berries contain poisonous levels of cyanic glucosides. Elderberries are rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, iron and vitamin B6 as well as the flavonoid quercetin.