10 Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Your Garden

Gardening is hardly a straightforward practice — it takes planning, dedication, and more than a little luck to grow flowers and veggies. But while certain facts about gardens are perplexing (like the delicate nature of herb garden growing), some are just plain fun, silly, or even mind-boggling. And because we love all things gardening, we couldn't help but share this random assortment:

1. A sunflower is not just one flower.Both the fuzzy brown center and the classic yellow petals are actually 1,000 – 2,000 individual flowers, held together on a single stalk.

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2. There are more microorganisms in one teaspoon of soil than there are people on earth.It's aliiiiive! OK, in all seriousness, that fact might make you itchy, but microbes are important for keeping your soil full of nutrients.

3. Plants really do respond to sound.Talking to plants to help them grow is a well-known old wives' tale, but studies have shown vibration (like music, or perhaps even the sweet sound of your voice) can affect plant growth. Plus, the Myth Busters (in an admittedly not-so-scientific study), compared a silent greenhouse to one where they piped in a voice soundtrack, and found that plants in the latter grew more.

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4. Butterflies might be more attracted to your weeds than your flowers.Colorful blooms aren't the chief reason these insects love your garden – it's more about the fragrance and nectar. According to the Smithsonian Institute, new cultivars of popular flowers have been bred for enhanced color and size, but have often lost their fragrance in the process. So everyday weeds, like dandelions and clovers, might actually be the most appealing things in your yard to butterflies (they hate pesticides, too). Taking care to choose heirloom flower seeds can get them to also fly your way.

5. A little baking soda can help you grow sweeter tomatoes.A regular sprinkling of this kitchen staple into your plant's soil can help reduce acidity, which sweetens up your crop.

6. Some of your favorite fruits are actually in the rose family.Apples, pears, peaches, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and more are rosaceae, making them cousins to the long-stemmed Valentine's Day variety.

7. The right orchid combination can smell like your favorite dessert.Did you know that the vanilla bean comes from a orchid varietal? And it's not the only sweet-smelling kind: "An oncidum hyrbrid called Sharry Baby smells like chocolate," says George Hatfield, president of the Santa Barbara Orchid Show. "It's 'baking cookie' aroma has made it a winner." And that's not all: The cymbidium Golden Elf smells lemony, and the phalaenopsis violacea has a cinnamon scent. "Just like you'd combine Jelly Belly beans to create new flavors, you can combine orchids to create a garden that smells like a dessert buffet," says Hatfield.

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8. You can change a hydrangea's color by altering the pH level of the soil.A more alkaline soil will result in pinker blooms, while more acidity will produce blue blooms. To coax your plant to the blue side, add more organic matter to your soil, like egg shells and coffee grounds (though the acidity in used coffee grounds can vary greatly, so you might try a high-acid fertilizer, too). The change won't happen overnight, but eventually you should succeed in manipulating your soil's pH level.

9. Deer can jump eight feet high.They might require a running start to reach such heights, but a tiny fence often isn't enough to keep these garden nibblers away. Try a taller one, plant thorny or pungent plants as a natural barrier, or scare them off with lights or wind chimes.

10. You don't need to be a dedicated composter to reap similar benefits.Call it cheating, but applying used coffee grounds, eggshells, chopped-up banana peels, and other organic matter directly to your soil (no composting required) can offer plants nutrients as they decompose. For already-growing beds, scatter and bury the items within the first few inches of soil.

~Thanks to Good Housekeeping

In a Cooking Rut? Freshen Up Your Shopping!

Are you on autopilot when you grocery shop, habitually filling your cart with the same foods week after week? Sure, there is a comfortable security in doing it that way, knowing you and your family will like what you bring home, and it is an efficient way to get in and out of the store. But admit it: It’s also borrrring.

For an exhilarating change, break away from the foods you have been so loyally married to and have a spring fling with something different. You don’t need to go all-out exotic or even out of your way. There are exciting options right in your grocery store that you probably are overlooking as you make a beeline for the usual bag of baby carrots or box of brown rice. They have a similar appeal to foods you already enjoy but are just different enough to liven things up without forcing you too far out of your comfort zone. It’s a low-risk proposition, so in the seasonal spirit of new beginnings, why not give one, two or a few of these swaps a whirl? Chances are you will find them deliciously inspiring. And luckily, adoring them doesn’t mean you have to abandon your old favorites. When it comes to food, you can have many loves. 

If you like baby carrots, try snap peas

They have the same sweet, 

They have the same sweet, crunchy, kid-friendly dip-ability and are equally great on the go. Served raw, they are a fine accompaniment for a sandwich, on a plate or in a lunch box, and they are lovely lightly steamed or sauteed, seasoned with salt and pepper and served as a side at dinnertime.

If you like salmon, try Arctic char

It is in the same family as salmon and, like its more popular cousin, is rich in healthful omega-3 fat, is light pink in color and is cooked the same way. But Arctic char has a somewhat more delicate texture and milder flavor, and gives a meal a certain elegance. Also, the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch gives it high marks for sustainability.

If you like spinach, try Swiss chard

Swiss chard is nutrient-packed, tender and mild tasting and sautes up just like fresh spinach, with one main difference: When using chard, remove the vibrantly colored stems first, chop and saute them for a few minutes before you add the leaves to the pan. If you can get rainbow chard — with white, yellow and red stems — you are in for a colorful as well as tasty treat.

If you like celery , try fennel

Fennel bulbs have a fresh crunch like celery so fennel is ideal for dipping and for tossing into salads. Like celery, it can also be cooked with onion and carrot as a start for a stew or soup. But fennel has a distinctive, light anise flavor that adds a refreshingly different taste twist.

If you like whole wheat sandwich bread, try whole wheat pita pockets

Instead of your usual sliced bread, pick up some pita pockets. They give an entirely new vibe to your sandwich, and are easily stuffed with lots of vegetables, so they inspire adding, say, sliced cucumber, radishes or carrot to the usual lettuce and tomato. 

If you like broccoli, try broccolini

Broccolini, often called “baby broccoli,” is a hybrid of regular broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It has long, thin, tender stalks, small florets and a delicate flavor with a gentle peppery note. It gives an air of sophistication to a meal with no more effort than it takes to cook regular broccoli.

If you like raisins, try dried cherries

For a sweet-tart fruit twist, you can’t beat dried cherries. They are mouthwatering as a snack on their own or with nuts, terrific in granola or on cereal, and add a burst of chewy flavor to salads. They are also packed with anti-inflammatory antioxidants.

If you like oatmeal , try quinoa

Most people think of quinoa as a side dish, but it also makes for a delightful breakfast cereal. Fix it just like you would your regular hot cereal, topped with some fruit, nuts and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

If you like yogurt, try kefir

Just like yogurt, kefir is a cultured milk product that has a pleasant tartness and plenty of probiotics, and is sold in plain and flavored varieties. But because kefir is more liquid-y than yogurt it is usually sold as a drink, so it doesn’t even require a spoon to enjoy this refreshing change of pace.

If you like brown rice, try black rice

Different types of rice, including black.

Black rice, also called forbidden rice, has a real allure thanks to its enticing purple-black color and nutty flavor. Its inky pigment is also an indication of its wealth of antioxidants. While it has a mysterious appeal, cooking it is as simple as cooking regular brown rice, and it can be used in the same dishes.

If you like onions , try shallots

Shallots have a gentler flavor than regular onions and they have a hint of garlic, adding a unique essence to foods. The difference is especially noticeable in dishes with more subtle flavors like salads, egg dishes and vegetable soups. For those, it is well worth the extra dollar or two you will spend for a pound of them.

~Thanks to Ellie Kreiger

10 Lifestyle Changes that Happen with Meditation

Once you begin meditating daily, life as you knew it will begin to take on some interesting twists and turns. Old habits will break down, outdated belief systems may come into question and as a bonus, you’ll likely start sleeping like a baby. 

In short, daily meditation will have positive effects on just about every aspect of your life. 

Here are 10 common lifestyle changes that meditators have reported within their first year of daily practice: 

1. You start waking up earlier.

Meditation enhances the quality of your nighttime sleep. As a result, you’ll generally require less sleep than you needed before you began meditating and yet, you'll feel just as rested the next day. 

This means that the time you spend meditating will be refunded back to you — the time you're not tossing and turning in bed, wishing sleep was working better. The only question is: what to do with all of that extra time? 

2. You’ll drink less alcohol.

Many people consume alcohol as a way of alleviating stress. If that’s you, then you may notice less of a desire to drink as much when the benefits of daily meditation start to kick in. 

Alcohol, after all, is a depressant. As meditation helps you release your stress and boost immunity, the need for excessive amounts of alcohol begins to wane. Cutting down your daily consumption to just a couple of glasses of wine in a week will start to seem like the natural thing to do. 

3. You have more patience.

The saying “Time waits for no man,” can cause a lot of anxiety if you feel that you aren’t quite living up to your true potential. Or maybe if you've felt like there are people in your life who aren’t as smart as you are, but they seem to be doing better than you. 

Meditation helps to expand the window of perception, allowing you to see value in every experience and every relationship. After meditating, you get less perturbed and more patient around canceled plans, insensitive partners, rude customer service reps, or any other situation that may have elicited a negative response in your past. 

4. You stop seeking external happiness.

Before starting to meditate, the only happiness you experienced may have come from relationships, money, or achievements. After starting meditation, happiness begins to fill you up from within. How do you know? Because as your circumstances inevitably change (i.e. your relationship ends, you lose money, you experience failure), weirdly, you'll still feel happy inside. There will be less of a need to control people, places, or situations. Why? Because you’ve tapped into the source of fulfillment, which has always resided within. 

5. You can do less, and accomplish more.  Let’s do a thought experiment: 

You wake up feeling tired, sick or headachy. How generous, compassionate, and open-minded are you going to be that day? Now, imagine the opposite. You wake up feeling rested, bright, and happy. How much will you get done that day, compared to the other day when you felt sick? 

Rest is the basis for dynamic action. Meditation supplements the rest from sleep, which enhances your ability to accomplish more during the day while expending less energy. 

6. You multiply.

Consistent meditation triggers what physiologists call the “feed and breed” response, which is the opposite of the “fight-or-flight” stress response. This literally means, you become more fertile. Many women who have had fertility challenges find it easier to get pregnant after starting a daily meditation practice. 

Likewise, meditation increases testosterone in men, which helps to correct sexual dysfunctions and increase stamina. I warn the people I teach to meditate not to have one-night-stands with people you don’t care about, because meditation makes you more fertile than the Mississippi River. 

7. Less "FOMO" (fear of missing out). 

FOMO is a result of the acquisitive approach to happiness — the mistaken idea that happiness is coming in the future, after you achieve a certain experience. But the more you meditate, the more that FOMO begins to get replaced by more present moment awareness, which means you feel less desperation around needing to be somewhere else. 

In other words, you have an inherent feeling that the party is wherever you are, and that sense of presence can be felt even while you're in dreaded places such as gridlock traffic, the DMV, or in line at the post office. 

8. More YOLO (you only live once).

YOLO is a universal call to take a risk, to have an adventure, or to seize the day. What keeps you from taking bold actions in life is usually tied to internal fears or uncertainty about the outcome. These are remnants of stress accumulated in the body. 

Stress has a paralyzing effect on your potential, and it can dim your sense of adventure. As stress gets dissolved through regular meditation, you find yourself naturally becoming more daring. This means it’ll be easier to quit that dead-end job or relationship, and take more chances. So get ready to start that new business, take up that new hobby, or travel around the world. 

9. You begin trusting yourself more.

The heart has a gained a reputation for making you gullible. But as Deepak Chopra writes, "the heart is our center of wisdom — our internal GPS." 

Mixed in with the wise guidance from the heart are the myriad fears from your head. Regular meditation activates a sort of spam filter for the negative self-talk of the mind, and allows you to detect the purest messages from your true center of wisdom. This in turn, will lead you to a greater sense of trust toward the messages emanating from your heart. 

10. You can make faster decisions.

As your daily meditation practice gives you greater perceptual acuity, it will become easier to make distinctions. Whether it’s choosing between two jobs, three apartments, two hybrid cars, or which way to swipe on your dating app, having more perceptual acuity allows you to quickly diagnose which are the best options for you in the moment, and which ones are not. 

This also turns out to be a huge time saver, as you will no longer need to bounce ideas off everybody else and can come to the right decision on your own. 

There are many more changes that occur when you start meditating, ranging from normal to bizarre.   Whatever happens will be exciting and amazing. 

~Thanks to Light Watkins

Clear Your Sinuses!

A sinus infection is the most annoying and uncomfortable feeling.  Unfortunately, sinus infections are very common, affecting 37 million Americans a year.  An inflammation of the lining in the sinus cavities, sinusitis can be caused by colds, flu, bacteria or allergies. Fortunately, you don’t have to medicate yourself with conventional drugs, as there are many natural and effective remedies for a sinus infection.

The Top 4 DIY Home Remedies for Sinus Infection

1. Apple Cider Vinegar – Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a hailed sinus infection treatment. Countless individuals attest to the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar against a multitude of health conditions, including sinus infection. One of the most powerful ways to use ACV is to mix 8oz of warm water with 2 tbsp of ACV and 1 tbsp of honey, three times daily. The sinus infection should vanish within just a few days. Another option is to simply take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar 3 times daily. Lastly, you can also try steaming with apple cider vinegar; mix ~1/2 cup of ACV with 1/2 of water, heat it on the stove, and inhale the steam with mouth and eyes closed. Be sure to use UNFILTERED UNPASTURIZED Apple Cider Vinegar (it will be cloudy, shake before using).

2. Turmeric – Thanks to a powerful compound found in turmeric known as curcumin, turmeric possesses powerful health benefits. Among these is the spice’s ability to treat sinus infection. Curcumin helps to heal the sinus cavity and clear the airways. Since sinus infections are caused by nasal inflammation, and turmeric possesses anti-inflammatory properties, the spice can be seen as an effective natural cure for sinus infection.

3. Nasal Saline Rinse – While the above remedies may suffice, a nasal saline rinse, or Neti Pot,  is also a very popular sinus infection treatment to store in your home remedies memory bank. For the mixture, try mixing ~1/4 teaspoon of sea salt or pickling salt with a pinch of baking soda and a cap-full of food-grade hydrogen peroxide in 1 cup of warm FILTERED water or simply use sea salt/pickling salt and warm water. If you have never done a nasal irrigation, or saline rinse before, ask someone who has for assistance or try following detailed directions. It may not be the most comfortable of solutions, but a nasal saline rinse has been passed down through the generations as one of the most effective home remedies for sinus infection or early onset of head cold.

4. Oregano Oil – Oregano oil is found at any health food store or in the products area of organic grocery stores. Oregano oil is an effective sinus infection treatment; by simply ingesting the oregano oil diluted in warm or cold water, the oil works promptly to break up congestion. The oil can also be steamed and 

inhaled over a stove (with eyes closed). In addition to being a treatment for sinus infection,oregano oil 

may also help to improve digestion, aid in fighting infections, and improve biological function – especially 

in the liver and colon.

In addition to the above home remedies for sinus infection treatment, you could try utilizing some of these options.

-Elevate your head while sleeping.

-Apply warm compresses to your forehead multiple times daily for 5 minutes each.

-Vitamin C is an excellent immune booster, and can help to fend off sinus infections. Try taking up to 1000 mg of vitamin C 1-3 times daily.

-Drink got liquids to help loosen mucous membranes and to help wash away mucus out of your sinuses more quickly.

-Clean your house and especially your bedroom. Using an air purifier will also be beneficial.

How to Clear Your Sinuses with Your Tongue and Your Thumb in 20 Seconds

Push your tongue against the roof of your mouth and place a finger between your eyebrows and apply pressure. Hold it for about 20 seconds and your sinuses will begin to drain.

According to Lisa DeStefano, D.O., an assistant professor at the Michigan State University college of osteopathic medicine, this causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth, says  The motion loosens congestion; after 20 seconds, you’ll feel your sinuses start to drain.

~Thanks to Samantha Hemmingway