Category Archives: Healthy Living

#thursdaythrive Dill

#thursdaythrive What is Dill?
– Dill can be a perennial or annual herb, depending on where it is cultivated in the world. It can be used dry as a topping for a number of meals, but it is also used as an ingredient in many meals.
– The essential oils present in it are stimulating and they activate the secretion of bile and digestive juices. These oils also stimulate peristaltic motion of the intestine, easing the passage of bowel movements and relieving constipation.
– Hiccups occur for various reasons, but primarily they occur due to trapped gas and its repeated upward movement through the food pipe. The second cause is due to certain allergies, hypersensitivity, hyperactivity, and nervous malfunctioning. Dill can help in these situations. As a carminative, it helps the expulsion of gases and also reduces gas formation; while as a sedative, dill helps to calm down hiccups due to allergies, hyperactivity, or nervous disorders.
– Dill seeds and leaves are good mouth and breath fresheners.

#thursdaythrive Cucumbers

Leave a reply

#thursdaythrive All about Cucumbers!
– Cucumbers are a source of Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, & B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium, Zinc, Magnesium, Phosphorus, & Potassium – they are also 95% water.
– Cucumbers can cure bad breath. A slice pressed to the roof of your mouth for 30 seconds with your tongue allows the phytochemicals to kill the problematic bacteria.
– The waxy coating of a cucumber can actually remove ink, rubbing the skin over the writing will slowly remove it.
– Pureed or sliced cucumber gives an almost instant relief to sunburnt skin – just place some against the affected areas.
– There can be a 20 degree difference between the inside of a cucumber & the actual temperature outside – this is thought to be where the phrase “cool as a cucumber” came from.

#thursdaythrive Crookneck Squash

Leave a reply

#thursdaythrive Crookneck Squash

Yellow Crookneck squash is a summer variety of squash and botanically a member of Cucurbita pepo. The Crookneck type is a squash predominately found in North America and prior to the arrival of the zucchini was the dominant summer squash grown.
Yellow Crookneck squash is available year-round with a peak season in the summer months.
Yellow Crookneck squash contains carotenoids which are responsible not only for the vivid yellow hue of the squash but can also act as antioxidants in the human body.
Crookneck type squashes are believed to be one of the oldest varieties of summer squash and documentation of them dates back to Colonial America.

#seasonalsaturday Cherries

Leave a reply

#seasonalsaturday Cherries

Cherries belong to the Rose family.
150-200 pounds of tart cherries are produced annually in Michigan which has almost 4 million cherry trees.
Cherries are known to have a very short fruiting season – areas of North America see these cherries as the first ones to ripen amongst other fruits; therefore the term ‘the cherry condition’ has been derived which means something new.
Cherries are best paired with herbs like sage, chives, and verbena; dairy products like sweet cream and ricotta cheese; and with meats like pork and beef especially when black pepper is added.