Each year the International Herb Association (IHA) selects an herb to showcase as its Herb of The Year, based on its medicinal, culinary, or decorative qualities.

This year’s selection—German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)—offers benefits in all three areas. Read on to learn more about this versatile herb.

Chamomile’s Rich History

German chamomile has been a staple of herbal medicine for thousands of years. A native of Europe, India, and China, chamomile was first brought to North America during Colonial times.

With its delicate daisy-like flowers that bloom from midsummer until the first frost, chamomile is a tried-and-true annual that is enjoyed by both humans and pollinators.

Its name, from the Greek words chemos and melos (meaning “ground apple”), references chamomile’s lovely apple-like scent.

Uses for Chamomile

In addition to important nutrients like potassium, calcium, and folate, chamomile also contains phytochemicals that act as antioxidants.

Some research suggests that chamomile may help lower heart disease risk, support a healthy immune response, and slow age-related bone loss.

• Rest and Relaxation

  Chamomile has traditionally been used to promote relaxation and ease the transition to sleep.

• Anti-Inflammatory

  Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, chamomile can help heal canker sores and treat gingivitis.

  It may also help ease a host of digestive issues, including diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, and nausea.

• Topical Soother

  When used topically, chamomile may help soothe skin infections like shingles and boils.

Tips for Trying Chamomile

• Ingested

  Typically used dried and consumed as tea, chamomile flowers can also be eaten or taken in capsule form as a supplement.

• As a Topical Oil

  Chamomile essential oil may be found as an ingredient in personal care and beauty products.

Precautions

• Daisy Allergies

  People who are allergic to plants in the daisy family (including chrysanthemums, marigolds, and ragweed) could have an allergic reaction to chamomile.

• Medication Interactions

  Because this herb can interact with certain medications, including warfarin, it’s important to consult with your healthcare practitioner before trying products containing chamomile.

The health benefits of probiotics—the beneficial bacteria found in live-culture yogurt, fermented foods, and dietary supplements—are well known.

From resolving diarrhea to bolstering immunity, probiotics contribute to health in many ways.

Not so well-known? Compounds called prebiotics.

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics, dietary fibers that humans can’t digest, serve as food for probiotics. Consuming more prebiotics will contribute to flourishing colonies of good bacteria in your system.

Most prebiotics fall into the category of carbohydrates, with the main prebiotics being inulin, fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), and galacto- oligosaccharides (GOS).

These prebiotics, when consumed in functional foods or taken in dietary supplement form, contribute to the growth of healthy bacteria in the intestines.

Benefits of Balanced Gut Flora

• Enhanced Immunity

  The common cold and similar respiratory viruses back off when faced with the power of probiotics.

  One six-month study found that overweight and older adults who took a daily probiotic supplement had a 27 percent lower incidence of upper respiratory tract symptoms compared to a group that received a placebo. The most significant effects were seen in people 45 or older, as well as those with obesity.

  Lead researcher Benjamin Mullish, MD, said the study provides "further evidence that the gut microbiome has a complex relationship with our various organ systems. It doesn't just affect how our gut works or how our liver works, it affects aspects of how our whole body works."

  Immune function tends to dwindle as people age, yet prebiotic supplements (specifically GOS) also bolster immunity in older people.

• Weight and Appetite Regulation

  Scientists are learning that dysbiosis—an imbalance of gut flora caused by too few healthy bacteria or an overgrowth of bad bacteria and yeast—may negatively affect weight. Probiotics and prebiotics both help the gut return to a more balanced state. Appetite, caloric intake, and body mass index all tend to go down when people take prebiotics.

• Improved Focus & Mood

  A typical Western diet high in saturated fats and sugars can negatively affect the mind. This diet-cognition link is thought to relate (at least in part) to out-of-balance gut bacteria.

  It may seem surprising that gut health influences mental clarity, but the connection has been well established in research. In fact, when probiotics and prebiotics get added into the diet as supplements, thinking processes can improve.

  Mood receives an uptick from prebiotics, which are associated with less anxiety, depression, and stress. When healthy volunteers supplement with prebiotics for three weeks, their anxiety—as measured by cortisol levels—goes down.

Nutrition and Supplements for Bone Health

• Vitamins

  Without certain vitamins, minerals can’t do their job of binding to the tissue that forms into bone.

  • Vitamin D

    One of the most important vitamins for healthy bones, vitamin D is needed to prevent serious risks.

    Production of this vitamin happens naturally when the cholesterol in our skin is converted into D by the sun’s rays.

    About 10 to 15 minutes of daily sun exposure yields the equivalent of 400 IU of vitamin D, but if sunlight hours are abbreviated or you’re avoiding the sun, supplemental D is a good alternative.

    Dietary sources include:

    • butter
    • liver
    • fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel)
    • cod liver oil
    • egg yolks

  • Vitamin K

    Vitamin K2 helps the body use calcium the right way. Think of it as a traffic director—it helps move calcium into the bones and keeps it out of places it doesn’t belong, like the arteries. Postmenopausal women, who are particularly at risk of osteoporosis due to hormonal shifts, may have lower levels of K. 

    K2 also works as a partner to vitamin D. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, while K2 helps guide that calcium into your bones. Together, they make a powerful combination for bone health.

    When shopping for a supplement, you may see K2 listed as MK-4 or MK-7. Both forms support bone health, but MK-7 is often used in supplements because it stays in the body longer.

• Minerals

  • Calcium

    Calcium is the foundation of good bone health. It's readily available in supplement form, and foods such as:

    • broccoli
    • carrots
    • cauliflower
    • dairy products

    The problem here is one of nutrient absorption, with some researchers suggesting that only 10 percent of the mineral being absorbed from our diet or supplements.

    When supplementing, look for “whole food” concentrates in calcium supplements, which will be easier to assimilate.

    But remember:

    • Your body can only absorb about 500 mg of calcium at a time.
    • Unless it is taken with magnesium, most calcium will either:
      • move through the body without being absorbed
      • wind up as kidney stones or gallstones

  • Magnesium

    Some sources say that the real cause of osteoporosis is insufficient magnesium. One study indicates that most women over the age of 40 have low levels of this mineral.

    About 60 percent of our body’s magnesium resides in the bones, and it is a crucial partner with calcium, taken in the right proportion.

    Finding that balance is key—with too little magnesium, calcium will be excreted rather than absorbed.

  • Phosphorus

    Another key player in the delicate calcium balance. 80 percent of our body’s phosphorus is found in bones and teeth.

    However, too much of this mineral can keep calcium from being absorbed!

    This is one of the main reasons that drinking soft drinks can affect bone health: the phosphates in soda compete with calcium.

  • Boron

    An important factor in bone metabolism, boron helps facilitate the absorption and balance of:

    • calcium
    • magnesium
    • phosphorus

    Boron is available as an individual supplement, but look for it in combination with other minerals (such as calcium and magnesium) too.

• Herbs and Extracts

  • Resveratrol

    Older, overweight men strengthened their bones by taking 1,000 milligrams of resveratrol.

    That’s a fairly high daily dose, but this group of men was at significant risk of developing osteoporosis due to low-grade inflammation caused by metabolic syndrome (a cluster of risk factors linked to diabetes and heart disease).

    The supplement stimulated bone formation and mineralization during the 16-week trial.

In the classic film The Graduate, Mr. McGuire (Walter Brooke) gives young Benjamin Braddock (a 30-year-old Dustin Hoffman) one word of advice: “Plastics.”

There’s a “great future” in the stuff, he says. McGuire was right. There was a great future in plastics—for plastics manufacturers, not for the rest of us.

Plastics now pervade our lives in countless ways, obvious and obscure. Even more murky is the havoc they wreak on our health. Some toxic effects are known, others are suspected, and still others may go undetected.

Ways to Reduce Plastic Exposure

While you may not be able to eliminate plastics from your life entirely, there are many ways to reduce contact.

• Avoid Plastic Containers

  Make purchasing decisions based on whether or not there’s plastic involved.

  • Choose produce that’s not packaged in plastic.
  • Buy products (such as laundry detergent) packaged in boxes instead of plastic bottles.
  • Use reusable bags for groceries. 

• Use Reusable Bottles

  Avoid bottled water. Use reusable water bottles, coffee cups, and travel mugs whenever possible.

  Billions of single-use plastic bottles are trashed every year.

  The EPA estimates Americans dispose of 25 billion plastic foam cups annually. That's 82 cups per person a year.

• Don't Use Plastic Straws

  Talk about toxic contact—lips to plastic straw is one of the worst.

  Straws are also among the most commonly found litter on beaches.

• Avoid Plastic Cutlery

  If you’re getting take-out, ask the restaurant to skip the plastic tableware or suggest they start using compostable cutlery because it’s important to you—their customer.

  If you’re expecting leftovers while dining out, bring your own container from home. 

• Wear Natural Fabrics

  Every time you wear and wash your clothes, tiny bits of fabric rub off, either onto you or into your washer and down the drain into the ecosystem.

  Choose clothing made from natural fibers such as cotton—not plastic-based materials such as polyester. 

• Buy Cloth Diapers

  The EPA estimates the typical child uses 8,000 diapers before being potty trained.

  Cloth diapers reduce your child’s exposure to plastics and help the environment.

• Use Reusable Razors

  Using a razor with disposable blades versus a disposable razor will reduce plastic toxicity entering your home and the environment.

What is The Vagus Nerve?

Your vagus nerve is actually a complex bundle of nerves that connect your brain to many areas of your body, allowing for two-way communication and assisting in a wide range of body processes.

Also called the 10th (or “X”) cranial nerve, it’s the longest nerve in the body.

• Why Is It Called The Vagus Nerve?

  Its name is derived from the Latin term for “wandering” (vaga, as in vagabond) because of the way it wanders around the body.

• What Connects to The Vagus Nerve?

  It connects the brain with your ear, throat, neck, heart, lungs, stomach, liver, and gallbladder.

• What Does The Vagus Nerve Do?

  The vagus nerve’s many critical functions include:

  • perceiving sensory experience from the heart, throat, lungs, and abdomen
  • assisting with swallowing, the ability to talk, the gag reflex, and some taste sensations
  • controlling the involuntary and smooth muscle actions of the digestive, detoxification, and cardiovascular systems
  • allowing the gut and microbiome to communicate with the brain
  • regulating heart rate and blood pressure

  It’s particularly associated with the parasympathetic nervous system body functions—that is, the actions the body performs when in the “rest, repair, and digest” mode versus “fight or flight.” It helps us deal with stress, fear, and anxiety.

  With all of this, the vagus nerve may play a role in the following, and so much more:

  • cognition
  • gut health
  • epilepsy
  • mood disorders
  • cardiovascular disease
  • heart rate variability
  • stress
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • long haul COVID-19
  • gastroparesis
  • inflammatory bowel disease
  • slow heart rate
  • low blood pressure
  • loss of the gag reflex
  • migraines
  • episodes of vasovagal syncope:
    • flushing
    • nausea
    • drop in blood pressure
    • heart dysrhythmia

Supporting Vagal Tone

Many of the broader concepts of the vagus nerve’s effect on overall wellbeing and our ability to support it are still relatively new and not entirely understood.

Although more serious vagus nerve damage may require medical treatments such as vagus nerve stimulation, we can support our day-to-day vagal tone via various holistic approaches.

• Voice and Throat

  Singing, humming, and chanting help to activate the surrounding muscle to stimulate the vagus nerve. Gargling may also work via similar mechanisms.

• Cold Exposure

  Short but extreme cold temperature exposure like a 30-second cold shower, splashing cold water on the face, or rolling around in the snow with very little clothing may activate the vagus nerve and reduce the fight or flight response over time.

• Breathing Exercises

  Breathing exercises, both immediately and with regular long-term practice, help support the parasympathetic and vagus nerve responses, which can be particularly helpful for stress, anxiety, and heart rate variability. There are many methods of breathwork, and they often take just a few minutes of time per day.

• Meditation

  Meditation supports vagal tone and stress response, especially when practiced regularly.

• Microbiome Support

  Probiotics, prebiotics, fermented foods, and high-fiber, prebiotic-rich foods support the microbiome.

• Foods and Supplements

  • omega-3 fatty acids
  • fatty, cold-water fish
  • bitter-tasting herbs
  • zinc
  • plant foods
  • tryptophan-rich foods
    • oats
    • nuts
    • bananas

• Herbs

  We’re still in the very early stages of understanding the role that herbs and supplements may play in vagal health. Consider nootropic, nervine, calming, and adaptogenic herbs such as:

  • ashwagandha
  • bacopa
  • holy basil
  • gotu kola
  • shankhpushpi
  • kava
  • green tea
  • hot peppers / capsaicin

• Lifestyle

  • exercise
  • massage
  • laughing
  • socializing
  • hugging
  • loving-kindness meditation
  • acupuncture
  • yoga
  • t’ai chi
  • prayer
  • time spent in nature

What You Need

• White eggs
• Cold water
• Vinegar (Roughly 2 Tbsp to every pot of eggs you boil, except for the onion skins)

Natural Dye Ideas

• Pink

  Beets - Cut 1 beet into chunks and cook with the eggs. The eggs will turn a pale Victorian pink.

• Pale Blue

  Crushed Blueberries - Put about ¹/₄ cup frozen blueberries in a tall glass of water with two cooked eggs. Stir the blueberries, squish them against the glass and the eggs. The eggs will turn a pale blue with some very interesting specks and streaks where the fruit touched the shell.

• Vivid Blue

  Purple Cabbage Leaves – Boil 2 eggs with roughly half of a head of purple cabbage. Contrary to the striking purple color of the dye, the eggs will turn a brilliant bright blue.

• Bronze-Orange

  Yellow Onion Skins – Boil 2 eggs with the skins of roughly 3 yellow onions. The eggs will turn a rich bronze-orange color. The onion skins will leave a design on the eggs.

• Red

  Lots of Red Onion Skins.

• Violet Blue

  Fewer Red Onion Skins.

Dyeing the Eggs While They Cook

1. Use a separate pan for each color.
2. Add the eggs, natural substance, roughly 2 Tbsp vinegar and cold water to a pan. You just want to cover the eggs with water. (You want the color to be as concentrated as possible so be careful not to use too much water or else the color will be diluted.)
3. Bring the eggs to a boil and let the mixture boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat, cover it with a lid, and let simmer for 10-12 minutes.
4. Transfer the eggs, liquid, and some of the natural substance to a bowl and let them cool completely. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to let the eggs dye for several hours or overnight. (Include some of the fruit/vegetable substance to add patterns and specks to the eggs. If you want a more solid color, let the eggs soak over night in only the colored liquid.)

Dyeing the Eggs After They Are Cooked

1. Place the white eggs in the bottom of a deep pan. Cover with roughly 2 Tbsp vinegar and cold water. Bring to a boil and let boil for one minute. Remove the pan from the heat, cover it with a lid, and let simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Using a separate bowl for each color, mix the natural dyes with the eggs. You want the eggs to be completely covered by the dye but you want the color to be as concentrated as possible.
3. Once the eggs are dyed, remove them from the colored liquid, rinse them with cold water and let them air dry for 5 minutes. Pat them dry with a paper towel. For a shiny finish, rub them with vegetable oil. Be careful with all of the dyes as they may stain.

Without adequate sleep, we are at risk for many diseases, and we falter in efficiency and productivity. Ayurveda, an ancient science of healthcare, offers sage advice in the slumber department.

Dosha Sleep Styles

First, it is important to understand the typical quality of sleep experienced by each dosha (energy type).

• Vata Sleep Style

  Vata individuals tend toward interrupted sleep. This is due to their nervous and anxious nature, and most insomnia tends to originate from a vata imbalance. This vata-type insomnia can stem from excessive thinking and worrying as well as hypersensitivity to people and surroundings.

• Pitta Sleep Style

  Pitta individuals may get moderate to little sleep, but it is sound. An example would be the efficient owner of a large company who functions well on four hours of sleep and a power nap. A pitta-type insomnia, though, can result from unresolved emotions like anger, resentment, and jealousy.

• Kapha Sleep Style

  Kapha individuals tend towards heavy, prolonged, and excessive sleep, which further exacerbates the sluggishness of their natural constitution. Kaphas rarely experience insomnia. They will derive health benefits from purposefully shortening their sleeping time and not napping during the day.

How Much Sleep is Enough?

Ayurvedic practitioners often recommend between six and eight hours of sleep a night. A kapha may need less, while a vata may need more. When aiming for longer sleep, it is important that it be had before sunrise to be in harmony with nature.

A vata-dominant person could also nap in the afternoon if overwhelmed or depleted. Most Ayurvedic lifestyle recommendations include instructions to be in bed by 10 pm, asleep by 11 pm, and up by 6 am. How do we make that happen?

Ayurvedic Aids to Slumber

• Daily Review

  Ayurveda recommends setting aside time in the evening to quietly review the day. This practice helps to release the tensions and concerns of the day and to empty the mind of bothersome thoughts. Yoga asanas are valued, but no stimulating or aerobic poses should be done.

• Massage

  Oil massage of the head—especially with grounding sesame oil—followed by a warm bath promotes a sound sleep. Applied to the feet of a vata-dominant person, the sesame oil anchors and calms. Follow by a warm bath for best results.

• Hearty Meal

  For some vata-dominant types, heavier food for dinner helps. In Ayurveda, that means whole grains, root vegetables, dairy, and boiled rice with milk and ghee (clarified butter). The last meal of the day should sustain you until breakfast but not cause gastric distress.

• Music

  Singing, chanting, listening to calm music, and placing oneself in joyful circumstances are good preparations for sleep. Pitta-aggravated insomniacs may benefit from using soft natural botanicals to calm their irritation before bed.

• Comfort

  The bed must be conducive to sleep and free of disturbances by animals or children. The room should be cool and dry, comfortable and uncluttered, with as few electronic lights, noises, or vibrations as possible.

  Leave the television and computers outside the bedroom. Many people get disturbed by the evening news. Avoid this influence before bed, along with stimulating music, movies, and video games. Read something calming or inspiring, or listen to music for a few minutes.

• Prayer and Meditation

  Prayer and meditation are the preamble to sleep for many. Prayer is where you do most of the talking, meditation is where you are listening!

If, with all these lifestyle recommendations, you still need help with peaceful slumber, Ayurveda recommends drinking warm milk. If dairy intolerant, use warmed rice, coconut, almond, or other nut milks. To this, you can add a pinch of nutmeg, poppy seeds, and/or gotu kola. Nutmeg and poppy seeds are both excellent sedatives, but can lead to dullness of the mind if overused on a daily or copious basis.

Herbal Ayurvedic Sleep Remedies

You may need to experiment to see what works best for you.

Sweet dreams!

• Ashwagandha

  Ashwagandha (one to four capsules) taken with warmed milk and a bit of raw sugar helps the body cope with stress and leads to deep, untroubled sleep.

• Topical Soothers

  Medicated bhringaraj oil applied to the scalp or hairline calms the mind and excessive mental activity.

• Sedative Herbs

  Jatamansi and valerian herbs can also sedate and work for some, while being too heavy for others.

• Calming Tea

  Chamomile tea is a good standby for all three doshas.

Beetroot or “beets,” the edible taproot portion of the beet plant, get a bad rap in the West.

In portions of Eastern Europe and beyond, where borscht (beet soup) is frequently on the menu from noonday on, they’ve long known of the endurance-boosting qualities of this seemingly simple red vegetable.

Now athletes, and the scientists and nutritionists who study ways to boost athletic performance on the playing field, are taking notice of beets.

Working with his colleagues in the Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences at England’s University of Exeter, Andy Jones, PhD, looked at whether, and how, beet juice could impact athletic performance.

How Does Beetroot Juice Help Athletes?

Beets are rich in inorganic nitrates, which are beneficial to vascular health and function.

Consumed a few hours in advance of your activity, those nitrates mingle with the bacteria in your saliva and convert them to nitrites. (If you use mouthwash or gum after consuming the beet product, this conversion will not occur.)

Your body takes it from there, converting the nitrite into nitric oxide.

Benefits of a Nitrate Boost

Athletes know that the average nitrite boost of 12 percent to 14 percent means improved blood flow, muscle contraction, and neurotransmission.

That can improve performance, the study showed, by as much as 2 percent.

Another plus: Blood pressure drops when those nitrites kick in.

Effects of Beetroot Juice

• For Speed

  A separate study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that the consumption of beetroot improves running performance.

  Another study published by Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that nitrate-rich beetroot juice enhanced the time trial performance that put trained cyclists in a simulated high-altitude environment. Beetroot was found to be a credible agent in improving endurance exercise at high altitude.

• For Endurance

  Athletes in Dr. Jones' study also needed an average of 3 percent less oxygen to maintain specified levels of moderate exercise if they drank beet juice two to three hours before a race or a game.

  That’s right: Drinking beet juice means you’ll use less energy to keep up the same pace as before.

  A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition reported that those drinking the juice just prior to working out could push their workouts 16% longer, suggesting that increased dietary nitrate intake has the potential to enhance exercise tolerance during long-term endurance exercise.

• For Strength

  Another study showed that even nonathletes can benefit from beet juice.

  Patients with heart failure who drank it saw a 13 percent boost in their muscle power two hours after consumption.

How Much Beetroot Juice Should You Take?

Jones and his team concluded that when it comes to beet juice and athletic performance, you should drink about 2 ¹⁄₂ cups roughly two to three hours before you need it.

Concentrates (“shots”) and powders are available over the counter. If that’s your preference, you’re looking for the equivalent of roughly 600 ml of juice to achieve peak performance.