Have you tried yoga? With its increasing popularity, more and more people are trying yoga. Maybe you've tried it, but did you know that aside from the obvious benefits of increasing strength, yoga has many other health benefits? It creates awareness of your mind/body connection. It even taps into your body's ability to heal itself.

The other day my husband and I were making vegetable juice and he asked me what the health benefits of celery were. I had to admit, I knew celery was healthy, but couldn’t come up with the reasons off the top of my head. I decided to do some research. Turns out, celery is not just good for carrying peanut butter to your mouth! It has a host of health benefits!

​Zucchini is a great little vegetable that is low on calories and high on health benefits. In fact, a medium zucchini has only 33 calories, but still manages to make you feel full because of its fiber and water content! This makes zucchini an excellent choice if you are trying to lose weight or just eat healthier! Read on for more health benefits of zucchini!

For a long time, fat was considered bad in any form and supermarkets were flooded with a variety of low-fat items. The truth of the matter is that they didn’t really do anything to improve health! Our bodies need fat to function properly. It just needs to be eaten in moderation and the right kinds of fat need to be consumed. Some fats are actually really good for you, some are kind of in-between, and others are downright bad for you!

​Basil is great to detox your liver. If you overate or drank too much the previous day, give your liver a break and add some basil or pesto to your breakfast.

​A study found that Holy Basil can reduce swelling by up to 73%.

​The essential oils contained in basil lower inflammation, which is at the root of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Basil also improves digestion by supporting healthy bacteria in the gut.

​Basil oil combats the bacteria that cause acne.
Try this recipe from Health.com: Boil a handful of fresh basil leaves in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes; let the liquid cool. Dip a cotton ball into the liquid, pat it on your breakout zones, wait 10 minutes, then splash with water; repeat once or twice a day.

​Holy Basil helps with stress by reducing cortisol, your stress hormone. Basil is considered an adaptogen, which means it helps your body adapt to stress. It helps your body normalize and deal with the effects of stress. Try adding basil to your iced tea after it has steeped.

​Basil can help with arthritis by reducing the inflammation that the disease causes.

​When you are menstruating, you lose iron. Basil is an excellent source of iron, containing the same amount as spinach! Eat plenty of iron rich foods during your period.

​Basil contains powerful antioxidants that help protect the lining of the blood vessels from free radical damage. This helps prevent arterial clogging, heart attacks, and stroke. It can also help the muscles in your blood vessels relax and contract, thereby promoting healthy blood pressure. It also helps prevent blood clots.

​Basil has been found to reduce circulating blood glucose, which helps prevent diabetes. It can also lower triglycerides and cholesterol, which diabetic patients often suffer from high levels. 

​Basil has many antibacterial properties. One of the many ways you can take advantage of this is to wash your veggies in a solution with 1% basil or thyme oil. Doing this kills bacteria that can cause diarrhea. Scientists are doing studies about basil’s effects on antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Studies are showing that basil is effective in killing powerful bacteria strains. Basil essential oils may be effective in treating viruses and infections.

The antioxidants in basil help prevent cancer. They do this by keeping chromosomes from becoming altered or damaged. They can also target harmful cells, such as cancer cells. Basil can also help protect healthy tissue from the harmful effects of radiation and chemotherapy. 

​Some people consider basil to be an antidepressant. It can help stimulate the neurotransmitters that regulate the hormones that are responsible for making us feel happy.

​Basil has traditionally been used in some countries as a natural aphrodisiac. It is believed to cause arousal and to support healthy sexual function.

I wrote this post after spending the morning making pesto. I have two basil plants that have been VERY prolific! I started wondering what the health benefits were. I hope you enjoy this vegan version of pesto!

4 cups loosely packed basil
1/2 cup olive oil, more if needed
​1 tablespoon lemon juice
3-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 cup pine nuts or other kind of nuts (I have used blanched almonds or walnuts)
1 teaspoon salt

Place the basil into your food processor. Turn on processor and drizzle oil into processor as its running. Process for 15-30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue processing until smooth. If it needs more olive oil to process smoothly or reach the correct consistency, then add some.

Fall is just around the corner and with it dreams of pumpkin spice lattes. While pumpkin spice lattes may not be the healthiest item on the menu, one of its ingredients is full of health benefits! Cinnamon is full of health benefits!
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Just a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon sprinkled on your food can help prevent an insulin spike.  This spike normally occurs after a meal and signals the body to store fat instead of burning it.  It could help in your battle of the bulge! Because cinnamon helps regulate insulin, it may also be beneficial for diabetics.  

Some other great benefits of cinnamon include:

• Eating half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day may lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. 
• Cinnamon has been found in some studies to reduce the proliferation of cancer cells in both leukemia and lymphoma. 
• Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on blood.
• Arthritis patients who consumed cinnamon mixed with honey daily had significantly reduced pain after a month.
• It inhibits bacteria growth in food and drinks.
• The smell of cinnamon may boost cognitive function and memory.
• Cinnamon is a good source of fiber, manganese, iron and calcium.

White tea could help you live a longer life, a study has found.  Antioxidants contained in white tea may help reduce your risk for skin aging, cancer and arthritis.  White tea is uncured and unfermented.  One study has found that white tea has more cancer-fighting  properties than other more processed teas.  Other studies show that white tea thins the blood and improves artery function, thereby reducing the risk of stroke.  

White tea also contains a specific type of antioxidant called Catechins.  Catechins actually lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.  This helps prevent hardening of the arteries.  Researchers have also discovered that people who drink 2 or more cups of tea a day are 50% less likely to die after a heart attack. 
​White tea has been found in some studies to  increase bone density.  White tea also contains antibacterial and antiviral properties, which improves your immune system function.  This helps your body guard against the common cold and flu.  It also kills the bacteria that cause tooth decay and plaque.  A cup of tea a day could make a difference in your health and beauty!