In spite of the often breath-scorching results of eating of garlic, it has been prized for over 7,000 years for its intense flavor and aroma. Possibly even because of the stink, this member of the onion family –a close relative of the leek and shallot, can be found in products ranging from ice cream to dry rubs. The versatility of this plant is deliciously endless.

But did you know that garlic is also one of the oldest known medicinal plants, credited with fighting heart disease, lowering blood pressure and helping to fight off colds? If garlic had been created in a laboratory instead of by nature, it would probably be a very high-priced prescription drug, indeed.

Until relatively recently, the benefits of garlic were considered little more than folklore. But according to a recently published report in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) the therapeutic properties of garlic have been described in more than 1,000 scientific studies.

Most of the research on garlic has concentrated on its ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as offering protection against strokes and heart disease.

But garlic has many wonderful medicinal properties. Read on to find out a few.

Garlic protects the liver from toxic substances. Garlic activates the cells of the liver protecting it  from toxic substances; it also rejuvenates a tired liver and promotes its normal functioning.

Garlic improves blood circulation. When allicin, the major biologically active component of garlic, is heated during the cooking process, a substance called Ajoene is formed. This substance has a suppressive effect on thrombi and blood cholesterol, so it is effective for the treatment of atherosclerosis and thrombosis.

Garlic is good for your digestion. Garlic regulates stomach function. Allicin promotes the secretion of gastric juices by stimulating the mucous membranes of the stomach. Furthermore, it combines with proteins which can reduce excessive activity of the stomach. Allicin also regulates the functioning of the stomach by activating the large intestine, and giving relief from both constipation and diarrhea.

Garlic promotes insulin secretion. Allicin combines with vitamin B1 (thiamine) to activate the function of the pancreas, promoting insulin secretion. As a result, garlic is effective in both the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

Garlic can help normalize blood circulation. Because it stimulates the nervous system, which controls the heart rate, garlic can help stabilize blood pressure. It may also be capable of dissolving cholesterol and fatty substances inside blood vessels.

Scientific evidence supports a daily dose of garlic and the many health benefits that can accompany this marvelous bulb.

A daily dose of garlic can:

1. Lower total cholesterol while raising good HDL cholesterol
2. Help naturally fight colds and flu
3. Lower blood pressure
4. Reduce the risk of blood clots that are responsible for most heart attacks and strokes

So eat a bit of garlic each day, it’s worth the stink. And it will absolutely improve your health.

If you have been out of town for the past few years – like say on Jupiter, you may have missed some of the excitement about the Mediterranean diet. Along with its cousin Paleo, the Mediterranean way has attracted a league of followers whose lives are reportedly changed for the better. Fruits and veggies, legumes, fish and whole grains with moderate amounts of wine, and meat are the staples of this classic fare. For Paleo practitioners, the order of the day is similar, – with grass-produced meats, fish/seafood, fresh fruits and veggies, eggs, nuts, seeds, and heart friendly oils being the preferred pyramid. Its a healthy lot to contemplate.

Its no surprise then, that a little thing like capers should be overlooked in the feverish pursuit of eating thin and living long, but its an oversight worth correcting, since capers, (which are native to the Mediterranean) with their many antioxidant properties vitamins and minerals – are known to prevent the formation of byproducts of digested meat linked to cancer and the risk of heart disease. This should be of particular interest to the Paleo crowd since meat features prominently in this newly rediscovered way of eating.

But that is just the beginning. In addition reducing the risk of heart disease and tasting like a Greek romance, capers – also known as Flinders rose, contain niacin and riboflavin and are rich in flavonoid compounds including rutin and quercetin, providing great antioxidant protection. Quercetin in particular is known for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-carcinogenic properties. Even if capers did not contain copper, and calcium, I would still love them for the salty exotic twist they add to foods such as chicken nicoise and mainstays like this salmon.

In fact, just thinking about these small green buds makes me giddy with longing. Carefully handpicked in the early hours of the day, washed and allowed to wilt for a few hours in the sun before being put into jars and covered with salt, vinegar, brine or olive oil, one little tablespoon can transform “pasta” into “campanelle” or veggies, into veggies extraordinaire. That same tablespoon of flower buds contains around 31 percent of your daily-recommended intake of vitamin K (promotes healthy bones and reduces risk of osteoporosis.)

So while you are dreaming up your next meal, consider capers and the sundrenched land that inspired some of the best and healthiest food in the world. Add a few of the “Flinders Rose buds” – for the flavor and the romance. The healthy part will follow.

For lots of mouthwatering recipes see:

Huffington Post – capers recipes

Food Republic – cooking with capers

For more nutritional info:

Nutrition and you – Capers nutrition facts

Science Daily -Tiny Capers Pack Big Disease-fighting Punch

Natural Health 365. – Capers are a powerful anti-inflammatory

Capers for skin hair and health

If you’re like me, even though winter is coming to a close, you can feel spring getting ready to, well, spring. So you might like this Baked Chicken With Fresh Caprese Sauce Recipe. It’s light enough to remind you that spring is on the way, but hearty enough to keep what’s left of the winter chill at bay.

And since it’s sauce month, it’s a great time to try an easy and wonderfully delicious sauce for boring, bland, stand-by baked chicken. This recipe is a snap to make, and can double as a topper for pasta as well.

Baked Chicken With Fresh Caprese Sauce Recipe

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

24. oz fresh grape tomatoes, washed and halved

10 fresh basil leaves, shredded

3 tablespoons Wild Oats Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 cups Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

1 8 oz container Wild Oats Marketplace Fresh Traditional Mozzarella Cheese.

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Add chicken and Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing to a glass bowl (or zip-top plastic bag). Turn chicken several times to coat. Refrigerate for up to 4 hours to allow chicken to marinate, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from dressing and bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until cooked. Discard marinade.

While chicken is cooking, make the sauce. Add olive oil to a skillet and heat gently over medium heat. When oil is warm, add garlic and saute until garlic is fragrant. Add grape tomato halves and continue to cook, gently stirring tomatoes, until they begin to blister, about 3-4 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in basil leaves and salt and pepper to taste.

When chicken is cooked, remove from oven and turn the oven off. Place one piece of the mozzarella cheese on top of each chicken breast and season lightly with salt and pepper. Return chicken to oven for a minute or two, to allow cheese to heat slightly and begin to melt. Remove chicken from oven and top with sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Who knew this pantry staple was so versatile?  Here are some surprisingly strange and wonderful everyday uses for vinegar.

Did you know vinegar can: 

1. Help You Lose Weight by drinking a mixture of one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water.  It will effectively control your appetite for several hours.

2. Prevent Static Cling Without Dryer Sheets by adding one cup vinegar to each wash load.  Now you can give up costly dryer sheets forever.

3. Remove Chewing Gum That’s Stuck In Your Hair by putting an ice cube on the gum to freeze it.  Then saturate the area that has the gum on it with vinegar. The rest of the gum will actually dissolve, and you can slide it off your hair. If the vinegar is heated first the process will work faster.  This same process will work on furniture or clothes, too.

4. Grow Beautiful Azaleas.  Azaleas love acidic soil, so periodically water plants with a mixture of two tablespoons vinegar to one quart water. The vinegar increases the soil acidity, so voila! beautiful azaleas!

5. Freshen A Room with an open dish of white distilled vinegar. It will help remove unpleasant smells like paint or fish odors from a room.

6. Soothe A Sore Throat with a mixture of apple cider vinegar, water and honey.

7. Stop Athlete’s Foot by soaking your feet in white distilled vinegar.

8. Stop The Hiccups by drinking a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar.

9. Extend The Life Of Your Pantyhose if you rinse your hose with water containing 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar.

10. Clean The Dishwasher by adding a cup of vinegar to the bottom of your dishwasher and letting it run through the whole cycle once a month.  Vinegar will reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.

11. Clean And Restore Leather Goods by rubbing a cotton ball or cloth soaked in vinegar over them.  The vinegar will remove salt, dirt and stains while bringing back shine.  And don’t worry about the smell.  Once dry, vinegar has no odor.

12. Prolong And Brighten Propane Lanterns by soaking new wicks for several hours in white vinegar and letting them dry before inserting. Propane lanterns will burn longer and brighter on the same amount of fuel.

13. Remove Decals, Bumper Stickers And Price Tags by soaking a cloth in vinegar and covering the decal or bumper sticker for several minutes until the vinegar soaks in. The decals and bumper stickers should peel off easily.

14. Clear Mineral Deposits From Your Steam Iron by filling the water tank with white vinegar. Turn the iron to the steam setting and steam-iron a soft cloth to clean the steam ports. Repeat the process with water, then thoroughly rinse out the inside of your iron.

15. Make A Rubber Chicken Bone,  This is possibly my favorite way to use vinegar, mostly because it freaks people out.  Soak a chicken bone in vinegar for several days and it will become rubbery and pliable. Ewwwwww!

These are just a few of the everyday uses for vinegar–a product that you probably already have in your pantry. Now that you know about all the uses for vinegar, how will you use it today?

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could just breathe the weight off? Well, there is research to suggest that is exactly what we are doing when we lose weight.

Wait, what about calories and counting steps and all of that? According to researchers at The University of New South Wales in Australia, the model of burning fat, “violates the law of conservation of mass.” (Back to chemistry for me!) Ditto the notion that we excrete fat or convert it into muscle. So what’s the deal, and why is breathing critical for weight loss?

Well, in tracking the atoms that leave the body it was found that “In order for 10 kg (about 22 lbs) of fat to be oxidized, or burned up, 29 kg of oxygen have to be inhaled.” That’s a lot of air to suck up. Hey… wait a minute, isn’t this heavy breathing what happens when you exercise?

Precisely! When we exercise we are breathing in more air, which helps us shed the pounds. However, don’t think that just sitting still and breathing harder will do the trick.

“If you sit still in a chair and you start breathing more than required, that’s hyperventilation and you’ll get tingly fingers and palpitations and if you keep going too long you’ll faint,” lead author Ruben Meerman says.

“The breathing faster is definitely what you need to do, but you have to do it because your body needs to get rid of more carbon dioxide because you’re exercising.”

Learn more about the interesting study here.