Just 5 Minutes of Green

Just five minutes of exercise a day in the great outdoors can improve mental health, according to a study released on Saturday.

As little as five minutes of a "green activity" such as walking, gardening, cycling or farming can boost mood and self esteem.

The largest positive effect on self-esteem came from a five-minute dose of "green exercise."

All natural environments were beneficial, including parks in towns or cities, they said, but green areas with water appeared to have a more positive effect.

Healthy Weeds

It's dandelion season!  The entire plant from root to flowers are edible and have a number of medicinal properties.  According to the Sloan-Kettering Institute, the reported benefits of dandelion consist of the following:

* Stimulates appetite
* Prevents cancer
* Treats eczema
* Eases digestive disorders
* Stimulates lactation (promotes breastmilk production)
* Promotes bile flow
* Promotes urination

Roasted dandelion root makes an excellent substitute for coffee and the blossoms can even be used in soups or as an edible garnish.

There's a new recipe for Dandelions with Onions and Garlic on our website, click here.

To your health,

Pamela

Copyright 2010 Forces of Nature

References

1. http://forcesofnature.ca/HealthyRecipes.htm#Dandelion_Greens_with_Onion_and_Garlic
2. http://www.ForcesofNature.ca/
3. http://www.NaturopathToronto.ca/
4. http://naturopathicdetox.blogspot.com/
5. http://h1n1naturopath.blogspot.com/
6. http://naturopathtoronto.blogspot.com/
7. http://twitter.com/pfranknd