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How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants | Effective Solutions for an Everyday Pest

September 30, 2016

Whether you’re dealing with a small infestation or a massive plague, learning how to get rid of carpenter ants is much easier than you may consider. The best part? You can effectively remove these pests from your property without the use of harsh chemicals or toxic compounds. Before delving into the steps of learning how to get rid of carpenter ants, let’s take a few minutes and explore these creatures. As with anything in life, knowledge is power. Below you will find out everything you need to know about how to get rid of carpenter ants.

Carpenter Ants | An Exploration Into Their Tiny World

While you may be familiar with these insects, it’s important to hold a solid understanding of these creatures. Perhaps the most important element you need to learn is how to properly identify a carpenter ant apart from any other insect.

Carpenter Ant Identification | Looking Into the Face of These Insects

Throughout the world, especially in more industrialized nations, carpenter ants are among the largest variety of ants. Although there are several different species of carpenter ants found inside homes and other buildings, a standard worker ant measures anywhere from 3/8 to 1/2 of an inch long.

The majority of worker carpenter ants, which are the tiny creatures you see roaming about your porch or on your picnic blanket, are black in color. However, they may also feature a combination of red and black. It’s important to remember not all carpenter ants are black; however, they are never as brightly colored as the more dangerous fire ants.

When trying to identify carpenter ants, don’t solely rely on their size. There are many varieties measuring no greater than 3/16th of an inch long. While you may never see their queen, a queen carpenter ant can measure up to 1-inch, and possibly a little larger. Worker ants may be outfitted with wings, yet this isn’t always the case.

Carpenter Ant Colonies | The Dynamics of the Ant Realm

A colony of a carpenter ant is divided into different sections, which is quite similar to many other insects that live in colonies. There are three primary castes within a carpenter ant colony:

Worker Ants
Male Ants
Queen Ants

The majority of carpenter ants you’ll come in regular contact with are worker ants. These ants come in a variety of sizes based upon their jobs and roles within the actual colony.

Typically, carpenter ants establish indoor colonies. What’s interesting about these creatures is their ability to establish a main colony and multiple satellite colonies. The parent colony, which is like the “mothership” of the ant realm, is generally located outside and is much larger than the smaller satellite colonies. A single parent colony (and subsequent queen ant) can be associated with several smaller satellite colonies. Within the parent colony, there can be up to 40 queens reproducing a massive amount of worker ants. This is one of the reasons why carpenter ant infestations can swiftly bloom out of control.

The Ideal Carpenter Ant Home | Nesting Habits

Although many carpenter satellite colonies are located indoors, it’s important to remember that these hives can be found both inside and outside. These creatures are quite interesting as they tend to prefer a variety of environments.

In general, carpenter ants create nests in both moist and dry woods; however, the typical colony prefers to establish a nest in moist wood. Because of these, nests are generally found in moist wooden beams due to water leaks. For example, around bathtubs, sinks and near poorly sealed windows.

It’s not uncommon to find a carpenter ant colony within hollow spaces of your home, such as chimneys or in the empty space behind your dishwasher or even in a hollow porch column. Because carpenter ants are “sneaky” in their actions, there’s typically no outward visible damage to theses areas. However, screwing a hole into the side of a wooden beam hosting a nest can reveal thousands of ants secretly living inside or around your home. In fact, a single queen can produce over 2,000 worker ants within her reproductive lifespan.

The Damages of Hosting Carpenter Ants

Because carpenter ants enjoy wood, many people mistakenly assume they eat it. These creatures are not like termites, which consume wood. Rather, they excavate wood to make their nests, which are an elaborate network of tunnels and galleries.

Therefore, the primary danger associated with a carpenter ant infestation is the weakening of wood integrity. This is a major concern should carpenter ants delve into essential wooden pillars or beams for the safety of you home or outdoor area.

The Importance of Carpenter Ants

When dealing with a carpenter ant infestation, it’s easy to forget that these tiny creatures play a vital role in the world’s entire ecosystem. As mentioned earlier, these creatures delve into wood to create their homes. In the wild, carpenter ants excavate into living tree heartwood or into the center of dead trees and/or stumps. By creating homes within dead trees, carpenter ants play a vital role in the process of wood decomposition. Therefore, these creatures are essential to maintain the natural balance of Mother Earth.

Because of this, you shouldn’t strive to eradicate carpenter ants along your entire property. Rather, your goal should be to manage a carpenter ant infestation within specific, and isolated, areas. For example, if you have a large yard, place your primary focus on eliminating carpenter ants within your home, not within your entire property. However, if you have a small yard where ants are continuously finding their way into your home, then it may be necessary to move your management techniques out into the immediate surrounding area.

How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants | Safe and Effective Ant Management Techniques

Now that you hold a more solid understanding of carpenter ants, let’s begin the exploration into getting rid of carpenter ants.

According to the leading ant control specialists, the most effective way to control and eliminate carpenter ants from your home is to locate and eliminate their nests. While, in theory, this seems easy enough, the reality can be much different. Locating carpenter nests is a challenge within itself. These creatures are masters at hiding their nests. Because a single colony can be made out of multiple satellite nests, which are fed by a single parent nest, even if you eliminate one nest, you’ll likely still deal with a massive ant infestation.

Therefore, the most important quality to cultivate when dealing with carpenter ants is patience and persistence.

Step One | Watch Their Patterns

Carpenter ants maneuver throughout your property through a complex scent trail. These insects use scent trails to navigate their way through satellite nests to food and back. Therefore, it’s important to spend time actually following their movement. Look at where they’re going. If you’re dedicated, you can actually follow them back to their nests. This process makes locating all satellite nests (and ultimately, the parent nest) much easier than blindly seeking them out.

An effective tracking method is to place a dab of honey on the nonsticky side of a masking tape. Cut the tape into small squares and place the honey on it. Do this late at night as this is when the ants are most active. Once the ants have found the honey, they’ll take it back to their nests. This encourages the ants to gather and return to their nest, which makes locating it much easier. You’ll likely find that the ants disappear into a concealed location inside or around your home.

Once you’ve located their nest, you must then begin the extermination process. Thankfully, there are ways to do this without using toxic chemicals or commercial insecticides, which pose a serious threat to animals and humans.

Step Two | Treating Carpenter Ant Nests With Boric Acid

Instead of calling upon the exterminating power of toxic chemicals to eradicate carpenter ants, sometimes a more gentle approach is best. Once you’ve located the nests by following the carpenter ants, you should now begin to safely eliminate them by applying boric acid into the nests.

Boric acid is available at most hardware stores. When applied, this powder will disperse within the ant nests and ultimately kill them off. While its use is relatively easy and straightforward, its application must be precise for it to be effective. Let’s say, for example, the nests are located within a wall. Drill several small holes ranging from 3 to 6 feet from the area where you saw the ants disappear into your wall. Pour the powder directly into holes and allow it some time to work. After several days, you should notice the concentration of ants to dwindle. However, if you only attack one nest, don’t be surprised if these creatures aren’t completely eliminated. Getting rid of carpenter ants is a difficult task. Yet, with a little patience, you can safely and effectively eliminate these pests.

Step Three | Create a Natural Carpenter Ant-Repelling Barrier

The next step is to create a barrier along your home to prevent these pests from infiltrating it. One of the most effective ways to do this is to create a solution that eliminates their scent trails. To accomplish this goal, create a solution of water and vinegar (50% water and 50% vinegar) followed by adding 2 tablespoons of eucalyptus oil. Add 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon and pour the entire mixture into a spray bottle. Thoroughly spray anywhere you see carpenter ants congregating or moving. You’ve likely noticed specific trails. Use this solution on all trails of ants. Repeat each day for maximum effectiveness.

Step Four | Controlling Their Presence

Sometimes, the most effective way to eliminate carpenter ants is to actively organize and fix your property to make it less hospitable for these insects.

The first step is preventing moisture from accumulating in the wood inside or near your home. Regularly check your porch/deck wood for moisture erosion or areas near your home that remain moist for long periods of time. Good house maintenance is an effective way to ward off these pests.

The next step is to repair existing carpenter ant damage and then re-seal the area to cut off ant access points. Follow this by doing a thorough investigation of your home and property. With the information you now have regarding carpenter ants, and where they like to nest, search your property for these areas. Remove wood debris and dead tree stumps while sealing hollow pieces of structural wood.

Make sure that you prune branches away from your home. When a branch reaches over and touches your porch or roof, ants use this as a bridge to gain entry to your home. Be diligent with this process, as it’s one of the most common methods of ant invasions. Another effective method is to eliminate potential entries where utility lines enter your home. Use an effective sealant to block these entryways.

When storing firewood, keep the pieces of wood off the ground. Make sure the wood is not only elevated but also stored several feet away from your home or another structure. This is among the most powerful ways to avoid a massive carpenter ant invasion.

Lastly, to get rid of carpenter ants you should eliminate any and all potential food sources. Carpenter ants feed on many things we do. Therefore, never leave food unsecured within your home. Pack away food in sealed containers. Try to keep composting piles as far away from your home or any other structure as possible. If the carpenter ants have no food source, they have little reason to invade your home.

Preparing for a Disaster – No-Nonsense Tips to Protect Your Family

September 26, 2016

As our societies grow and we rely more and more on third party services to keep us safe and sound, the danger of suddenly becoming helpless and endangered increases. While there are literally thousands of ways to prepare for a disaster, you should primarily focus on the fundamental tips designed to protect you and your family. The following tips and techniques were designed by emergency professionals are recommended for all persons in the event of a disaster. Don’t wait until the dreaded winter storm forecast or unexpected natural disaster strikes. Spend time today preparing you and your family for the worst, so you may have the best odds in your favour.

Understand the Most Likely Disasters

One of the fundamental levels of preparing for a disaster is knowing what kind of events you’ll likely face. Live in the mountains? Then you probably won’t have to worry about a tsunami; however, you should concern yourself with landslides, severe weather and health pandemics. The worst mindset you can have is thinking you live in a disaster-free zone. There is no such thing in this world. Review the most likely disaster’s for your area and create disaster-specific plans based upon this information.

Establish a Connection Method

What will you do when the cell networks go down? What happens when local telecommunication systems are non-operational? These are only a sample of questions you must ask yourself. It’s imperative to consider how you’ll connect with your loved ones when a disaster strikes, and traditional forms of communication aren’t available. Disaster relief organizations suggest confirming an out-of-area emergency contact, as local communications may be down while long-distance communications may still be available. Consider investing in satellite phones and battery-operated two-way radios to communicate during the peak of a disaster.

Receive Alerts During a Disaster

While your television and Internet connection may not be available during a major disaster, officials communicate with the general public through a variety of methods. The first step is to sign up for emergency alerts on your cell phone or via an emergency radio – sold at many electronics stores. Communicate with your local officials to uncover their communications plan should a disaster occur. Upon learning this information, adjust your emergency plan to incorporate these methods so you and your family can remain in-the-loop during an emergency.

Prepare Disaster Responses from Multiple Locations

In an ideal world, when a disaster strikes you and all your loved ones are packed safely in your home. However, this may not be the case. When an unexpected disaster occurs and you or your family members are not at home, it’s imperative to have a well-developed response plan for these situations. Plan to react from a variety of locations, such as your place of employment or your car. Plan evacuation routes, communication plans, and meet-up locations throughout the region with your family. Discuss emergency plans with your children’s school or daycare facility to determine how they’ll handle communicating with you during a disaster.

The notion of dealing with a major emergency is not one that many wish to dwell on. While there’s something to be said about positive thinking, when this form of thinking leads to a lack of action, it becomes a serious problem. Even if you believe you’ll never be involved in a serious emergency situation – whether a natural disaster or something more serious – it’s essential to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.

You’ve likely scanned across articles on blogs, magazines or newspapers discussing the value of preparing your home and family. However, many of these tips are expensive and require a significant amount of time and dedication to accomplish. What would you say if the most effective tips are also the cheapest?

Continue reading to uncover the top 5 emergency preparedness tips designed to keep you and your family safe without having to spend an arm-and-a-leg on advanced supplies and costly provisions.

Plan an Escape Route Out of Your Home

Imagine there was an emergency within your home, such as a fire, and you need to escape quickly and safely. What are the best ways to evacuate your home in the fastest way possible? Take a moment to delve into possible escape routes, then write it down. Make sure all inhabitants within your home fully understands where to go and how to escape the house should it be necessary.

Create a Centralized Meeting Place

So you’ve managed to escape your home – or some other location – during an emergency, now what? In the ideal world, you and your family are together when an emergency happens; however, this isn’t always the case. Designate two different meeting areas. The first should be close to your home, such as at a neighbours house or at the neighbourhood park. The second should be a centralized place within your town or city. Write these locations down and make sure your family and friends understand where to meet should an emergency take place.

Create an Emergency Contact Card

Emergency contact cards are essential should a major disaster happen and you or your family members need to reach specific individuals or visit a specific meeting place, as described above. This card should contain the phone numbers of out-of-state relatives or emergency contacts as well as the locations of your two designated meeting areas. Copy this card and ensure each family member and friend has one for easy reference during a disaster.

Regularly Update Your SHTF Emergency Plan

One of the biggest mistakes many people make when it comes to creating an emergency plan is making it once and never returning to it. Much like life, the details in your emergency plan can, and will, need to change. Whether you move or change emergency contact information, make sure to re-visit your emergency plan every six months and make updates as necessary. What’s worse than not having an emergency plan? Having an outdated emergency plan.

Practice Your SHTF Emergency Plan

There are many times when an emergency plan is thorough and effective, but during an actual emergency you or your family members become disoriented and are unsure how to follow the established plan. To prevent confusion during these stressful and overwhelming times, it’s imperative to practice your emergency plan. Go through each step of your plan as if a real emergency was happening. Drive your planned evacuate route and spend time mapping out alternative escape routes. Practice exiting your home based upon the various escape plans and make sure to keep your emergency kits well-stocked.

DIY Emergency Candles: 6 Different SHTF Candles You Can Make

September 22, 2016

DIY Emergency 100 Hour Candles (Cost $1 Each!)

When I say these couldn’t be easier to make, I mean it! You need just three things to make these 100-hour emergency candles – a jar, a cheap table type candle and some shortening (Crisco or cheaper alternative). You simply spoon the shortening into the jar and when almost full you push the candle down into the middle, and apart from a bit of tidying you are all but done! If you like you can add some essential oils to the mix to give the candles a nice fragrance.

Now I said these 100-hour candles could be made for $1 and I believe they can. In the video BacktoBasics Gal purchased the jars, but you can clean out a reuse food jars, so then you just have to purchase the shortening and the table candles. I have seen packs of 12 of these type of candles in Dollar stores and you can pick up large containers of shortening pretty cheap too. You can pick up 48oz tub of Crisco on Amazon for $11.95.

How To Make Emergency 50 Hour Candles

Normal candles are fine for the odd short power outage, but if you are going to be days or even weeks without power/lighting, you want something bigger and more efficient like a 50 hour candle. The problem is these are expensive… The good news is you can make around 15 of your own 50 hour candles for around the price of purchasing two.

You can reuse food jars, so they are free, and you can purchase 5 LBS of soy wax here and candle wicks here from Amazon; you can then make around 15, 50 hour candles for less that $25. For a full tutorial on how to make the candles, check out the link below.

How To Make Emergency 50 Hour Candles

(Photo from: TEOTWAWKI Blog)

Altoids Tin Emergency Candle (Stove & Heater)

This Altoids tin emergency candle is a great little project that actually has several different uses in camping and emergency preparedness scenarios. This DIY Altoids tin candle has a candle with four wicks in the base and some matches and strikers glued to the underside of the lid, to make a complete emergency candle kit.

Personally, I actually think this Altoids candle is far more versatile than simply a light source – in an emergency, you could light all four wicks and it could be used to warm food and sterilize water in small quantities. Also if you were surviving outdoors or camping, I am fairly sure that with all four wicks lit, this would pump out a good amount of heat to help keep you warm, or at least warm up your hands to get some feeling and dexterity back into them. Check out the tutorial below to see how to make this simple but versatile Altoids candle.

Altoids Tin Emergency Candle (Stove & Heater)

(Photo from: EaKLondon via Instructables)

How to Make an Everlasting Candle from Crisco (it doesn’t smell!)

Ok, here’s the thing, I was always going to get around to doing a post on making a candle with Crisco, but then someone commented on our Facebook page about our make a candle with olive oil post saying olive oil is expensive and Crisco is a better option.

This got me thinking and tinkering and do you know what, it’s nice to make an olive oil candle (there is just something nice, healthy and clean about olive oil), but if you are up against it and you want the functional no-frills, but works like a charm option, then Crisco is the way to go. Also, it couldn’t really be simpler as Crisco comes in a tin, so once you have inserted a wick, you are ready to go!

And NO, No, No it doesn’t stink! So don’t ask! I admit I thought it would, but to my surprise, it doesn’t.

One thing I would do differently to the video is – I find it easier to use a straw to insert the wick. Simply cut your wick to size, insert it into the straw and then use the straw to slide the wick in the Crisco, easy! It is preferable to buy and use proper wicks as these burn better, but at a push, any similar sized cord will do if you are stuck.

So there you go folks, but a few tins of Crisco in the cupboard and keep some wicks/string handy and you have cheap everlasting candles, which you could eat if you got really desperate…

You can get your Crisco and candle wicks from Amazon (Crisco at Amazon, is there anything you can’t buy from Amazon now?)

How To Make An Emergency Candle From Butter

In the past I have posted about how to make DIY candles from things you have at home: How to Make an Everlasting Candle from Crisco (it doesn’t smell!) and Make a Candle with Olive Oil.

I had never really considered making a candle out of butter, but I guess it makes sense as butter is mostly fat the same as Crisco and olive oil…

The great thing about this candle is you only need two things to make it – some butter and some toilet paper (to make the wick!). Anyway, head over to the Instructables and check out the video and tutorial.

Make a Butter Candle – Emergency Candle McGyver Style!

(Photo from: The King of Random via: Instructables)

Make A Lip-Balm Candle (Another reason to carry lip balm)

I have previously done a post called: How To Start A Fire With A Chapstick but here is another great reason to carry some lip-balm with you… You can make a create little candle with it, whilst still having the lip-balm available to protect your lips.

So for all you tough guys out there that don’t carry lip balm, now you have two extra reasons to consider taking some with you. It can help you start fires and you can make candles from it. Oh yeah, it will also keep your lips nice and soft!

How To Get Rid Of Spiders Naturally (Guaranteed Effective!)

September 20, 2016

My wife is terrified of spiders so we needed to find a safe/natural way to reduce the number of spiders coming into our home. A while back I stumbled on a method using basic white vinegar and peppermint oil. We tried this last winter and the results were amazing. I think I only had to relocate one or two spiders the whole winter! Later I discovered the method using diatomaceous earth. When used correctly, this method is 100% effective. The downside is rather than repel the spiders unharmed, it kills the spiders.

By the way, if you are unlucky enough to get bitten by a spider, here is a great post on spider bite identification. If you are unsure of which venomous spiders live in your state, here’s a handy guide.

METHOD 1: How To Deter Spiders Naturally With Vinegar & Peppermint Oil

Here’s how we did it – get some white vinegar and some peppermint oil; mix 1/2 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of water, and then add around 20 drops of peppermint oil.

Add the mixture to a spray bottle, shake like crazy and then spray around windows, doors, air ducts and anywhere else you think spiders may be entering your home. Another thing you can do if you have lots of air vents or holes in your walls/floors is to soak some cotton balls in the mixture, and place them in the ducts and holes etc.

If you do this once a week, you’ll notice a dramatic reduction in the numbers of spiders entering your home. We tend to have a big tidy up and vacuum once a week or so, and we just sprayed when we did this, it just became part of the routine.

Amazon has a huge range of peppermint oil, some of which have free shipping.

METHOD 2: How To Kill Spiders With Diatomaceous Earth

( ***Also works for ants, cockroaches, and fleas***)

Firstly, to clarify things, bugs are great when they live outdoors, they serve an important and vital purpose in nature. This post is intended for people who have a home infestation or a phobia of spiders etc. Outside I say live and let live, but if you have bedbugs, fleas or cockroaches etc invading your home, in and around your food and kids, it’s a different matter.

What if I told you there is a natural product that will get rid of ALL of the above? In fact, it will kill any bug with an exoskeleton, so that covers most of the other bugs we don’t like too. This product is 100% natural, non-toxic to humans and mammals, and safe to use around kids and pets, it’s also inexpensive. Want to know what it is? It’s called Diatomaceous Earth. Diatomaceous Earth (sometimes called diatomite) is the fossilized remains of hard-shelled algae (known as diatoms). It is 100% natural and looks like an off-white talc powder.

How does it work and where to use it

The way it works is simple – diatomaceous earth sticks to the bugs and absorbs the lipids from their exoskeleton which causes them to quickly die through dehydration. Most, apart from beetles, will die within 24 hours.

To get rid of all these critters from your home, simply sprinkle the DE powder in the places where they are getting into your home and hiding. Some of the best places to use it are around doorways, windows, and air ducts – and sprinkle it under all of your furniture. You can also use diatomaceous earth directly on ants‘ nests if they are too close to the house. Whether you use it indoors or out, it is vital that you keep DE dry as it becomes ineffective when it gets wet.

What to buy and where to get it

When buying diatomaceous earth, you want to make sure you buy ‘food grade’ diatomaceous earth. There are other types of diatomaceous earth such as ‘pool grade’ that can contain added ingredients which may be harmful. ‘Food grade’ diatomaceous earth is totally non-toxic to humans and mammals. In fact, it is often mixed in with grain-based food to keep it safe from bugs.

***Click here to purchase recommended ‘food grade’ ‘Diatomaceous Earth****

5 Turmeric Tea Recipes – Plus The Health Benefits Of Turmeric

January 29, 2016

You can use turmeric to reduce inflammation and pain related to inflammation. Make a tea from it is one of the easiest ways to consume turmeric. In fact, turmeric tea is often known as the anti-inflammatory tea! Making turmeric tea is nice and simple, and there are all sorts of variations and adaptations of the recipe, allowing you to customize it to suit your personal tastes. Whichever recipe you use (or even if you get creative and make up your own version), it’s important that you only use good quality turmeric powder, or alternatively, you can use grated fresh turmeric root for a stronger flavour. There are numerous turmeric health benefits, and you can read more about the benefits of consuming turmeric regularly, further down the page.

Turmeric should be easy to find in your local grocery store or supermarket. Additionally, Amazon has the most extensive range of turmeric powder. We use and recommend Starwest Botanicals Organic Turmeric Root Powder from Amazon as it is organic, high quality and exceptional value.

***Please note that, despite turmeric’s benefits, you shouldn’t drink tea made from turmeric, or take turmeric supplements whilst you are pregnant or breastfeeding. If in doubt please contact your doctor first.***

Turmeric Tea Recipe Infographic

Check out the recipes below and discover how to make turmeric tea. Many people are concerned that making tea with turmeric is difficult, but that is not the case at all. Give one of these anti-inflammatory tea recipes below a try and see.

Basic Turmeric Tea Recipe

Ingredients

4 cups of water
1 teaspoon turmeric
Lemon or honey (or both!) to serve

How To Make the Tea

Heat 4 cups of water, bringing it to the boil.
Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric.
Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for around 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and strain using a fine sieve.
Pour into serving cups and add lemon or honey to taste.

Turmeric Tea With A Twist Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 inch fresh ginger root, minced
2-teaspoon ground turmeric
1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 lemongrass tea bag
6 peppercorns (you can leave these out if you prefer!)
Pinch of sea salt

How To Make the Tea

Bring the water to the boil in a small saucepan.
Add the peeled, minced ginger root, turmeric, cinnamon, peppercorns (remember, these are optional!), sliced oranges, and sea-salt.
Allow the mixture to simmer on a medium low heat for 10-15 minutes.
Add the lemongrass teabag and allow to steep for around 3 minutes.
Remove the teabag and pour the mixture into a mug.

Creamy Turmeric Tea Recipe

Why not give your tea a creamy twist with some coconut milk?

Ingredients

1 cup coconut or almond milk
½ teaspoon turmeric
A pinch cayenne pepper
½ inch finely chopped ginger root
1 ½ teaspoon of honey (or an alternative sweetener)

How To Make the Tea

In a pan, gently warm the cup of coconut or almond milk.
Mix together the turmeric, cayenne pepper, finely chopped ginger root, and the honey.
Add a small amount of the warmed milk and stir it into the mixture.
Mix well until all of the lumps have disappeared.
Add the rest of the milk and mix.
Strain and then serve.

Sweet Turmeric Black Pepper Tea Recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup honey
2 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
Lemon
Freshly ground black pepper

How To Make the Tea

Mash the turmeric and honey into a paste (you can then store this in a jar to ensure you have it on hand whenever the need arises).
For each cup of sweet turmeric black pepper tea, take a heaped teaspoon of the turmeric and honey paste.
Top with boiling water.
Add a squeeze of lemon and a few generous twists of freshly ground black pepper.
Stir and enjoy!

Turmeric Lemon Tea Recipe

Turmeric lemon tea combines the sweet, tangy flavours of lemon and ginger, with a gentle kick from the cayenne pepper.

Ingredients

1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 tablespoon ground ginger
1/8 tablespoon turmeric
Cayenne
Honey to taste

How To Make the Tea

In a mug, mix together the lemon juice, turmeric, ginger and cayenne.
Top with boiling water.
Stir well.
Add honey to sweeten to your personal taste.

Additional Serving Suggestions

There are numerous ways to serve your turmeric tea, here are a few of our favorites…

Add a slice of orange, a dash of honey, the juice of 1 lemon, and 1 teaspoon of coconut oil.
Turmeric also works perfectly with a slice of apple or cucumber.
If you want a milder taste why not add extra water.
Serve chilled in the summer for a refreshing and healthy drink.

Now that you have some turmeric tea recipes to try, let’s find out a bit more about turmeric itself and the many health benefits of turmeric.

What Is Turmeric?

For centuries, turmeric has been widely used as a spice, medicine, food, and coloring agent across large parts of Asia. In India, it has been considered holy and auspicious for hundreds of thousands of years, not only due to its eye-catching color and unique flavor, but also because of the extensive range of health benefits that are associated with it. In fact, it is often referred to as the ‘Queen of Spices’!

Recent research has seen it promoted in the eyes of western science and it has been deemed as highly effective for treating osteoarthritis and various other health issues such as Crohn’s disease, stomach ulcers, skin wounds, kidney inflammation, and many, many more. It is also full of plenty of healthy nutrients such as protein, dietary fiber, niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc.

A member of the ginger family, turmeric is a root that usually comes in a powdered form, although it is also available in capsules, tincture, fluid extracts, and tea.

Turmeric Root

Turmeric is used in many recipes, especially in curries and other Asian dishes but it’s earthy, spicy, and often bitter taste can be an acquired taste for some (although once they’ve acquired the taste, many people become addicted!). Additionally turmeric can be consumed as a super healthy, anti-inflammatory drink – turmeric tea!

Turmeric Benefits

Turmeric contains curcumin, which is a potent antioxidant with many health benefits, most notably its anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric and tea made from turmeric are renowned for the multiple health benefits it offers, particularly when it comes to inflammation and many people use turmeric for inflammation related pain relief – helping to treat health issues such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. It can also help patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and high cholesterol, to name but a few.

Turmeric can also help to prevent the blood from clotting and reduces the often-painful inflammation caused by wounds, acne, and various other skin conditions. In fact as research progresses, more and more turmeric health benefits are being discovered.

Anti-inflammatory

When it comes to pain relief, so many people across the globe call upon anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and aspirin, to relieve the symptoms of everything from headaches, backaches, and other muscular aches and pains. Whilst these medicines are really effective at relieving the pain and inflammation caused by a whole range of conditions, they can cause many adverse side effects, especially with long-term use.

In fact, the side effects of the long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs include, but are by no means limited to, nausea, diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, hypertension (high blood pressure), increased risk of heart attack, increased risk of kidney cancer, and erectile dysfunction.

But the truth is, natural home remedies such as turmeric (anti-inflammatory tea) for pain relief can often deliver the same effects as these medications, without many of the potential side effects.

Turmeric powder used for the tea

So, how does Turmeric help with inflammation?

Well, in exactly the same way as anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. These drugs work by inhibiting an enzyme, COX-2 (Cyclooxygenase 2), which causes inflamed areas of the body to become painful and more inflamed. By blocking this enzyme, the medication blocks the pain and reduces the inflammation.

Turmeric works so well because it contains high levels of a compound called curcumin, which is a COX-2 inhibitor too. Curcumin is a potent antioxidant with many health benefits, most notably its anti-inflammatory properties. However, whilst turmeric has the same positive effects as the anti-inflammatory drugs, it rarely causes side effects. After all, it has been eaten and drunk across most of Southeast Asia for thousands of years without causing any problems. These anti-inflammatory properties are also at least partly responsible for all the other turmeric health benefits listed below.

Liver cleansing

As well as being a great anti-inflammatory, another turmeric health benefit is that it is also a powerful liver cleansing spice. In today’s toxin and chemical filled world, it’s easy for your liver to become stressed and overworked. Think about it, there are toxins all around us, in our air, our food, and our water. If your liver can’t keep up with the level of toxins feeding into it, they start to accumulate in the body and can have a serious effect on your health.

As well as avoiding processed foods and using lots of natural personal care and cleaning products, you can also help your liver out by incorporating herbs and spices into your diet to support your body’s detox pathways. As well as being a great anti-inflammatory, turmeric is also a powerful liver cleansing spice. So, if you’re looking to give your liver a boost, then a daily cup of this anti-inflammatory tea could offer the perfect solution.

Prevents Cancer

It is believed that turmeric can help to prevent prostate cancer, slow or even stop the growth of existing prostate cancer, and even destroy cancer cells. Research has also shown that the active components in turmeric make it one of the best protectors against radiation-induced tumors, and it is also has preventive effect against

Relieves Arthritis

Turmeric has also been linked to arthritis, providing an effective form of pain relief to those who suffer from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as many other forms of the disease. This is because the anti-inflammatory properties that can be found in turmeric work to destroy the free radicals in the body that are renowned for damaging body cells. In fact, case studies have proven that those suffering from arthritis who consume turmeric on a daily or regular basis, experienced far more relief from symptoms such as joint pain and inflammation, compared to those who didn’t consume turmeric. Given the benefits of turmeric for those with arthritis, it is definitely worth trying turmeric tea for a week or two to see if symptoms improve.

Controls Diabetes

Turmeric is also regularly used to treat diabetes. It works by helping to moderate and control insulin levels in the body. But not only does it assist in the moderation of insulin levels, it is also renowned for improving glucose control, whilst increasing the effect of the medications that are used to treat diabetes.

Another significant benefit of turmeric in treating diabetes is that it is able to reduce insulin resistance in the body, and it’s also been suggested that it could even prevent the onset of Type-2 diabetes! It’s important to note though that, if combined with other strong medications, turmeric can cause low blood sugar, so it’s always best to check with your doctor before using it alongside any other medications.

Reduces Cholesterol Levels

It’s highly likely that, at some point in your lifetime, you will suffer from high cholesterol, especially as you grow older. However, research has proven that, by regularly using turmeric as a food seasoning, it can significantly decrease cholesterol levels. Maintaining a healthy cholesterol level is paramount, as it is a well known fact that high cholesterol notoriously leads to a whole host of serious health problems such heart disease and stroke. If you have high cholesterol, it may be time to start seasoning your food with turmeric, or drinking some turmeric tea, especially given all the other turmeric health benefits list here.

Immunity Booster

Also known as lipopolysaccharide, turmeric can help to stimulate and strengthen your body’s immune system. This is because it is full of antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents that work together to fight against colds, flu and coughs, ensuring that your immune system is healthy and strong.

If you do find yourself suffering from cold or flu like symptoms, try one of the turmeric tea recipes above, or simply mix one teaspoon of turmeric powder into a glass of warm milk, and drink daily until you feel better.

Heals Wounds

It’s inevitable that, from time to time, we all find ourselves nursing a cut or graze caused by a silly accident. However, even the smallest cuts or grazes can cause infection or take a long time to heal.

Both a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, turmeric can also be used as a highly effective disinfectant, protecting your skin or graze against infection whilst speeding up the healing process. All you need to do is sprinkle a small amount of turmeric powder onto the affected areas and you will instantly be protected. But that’s not all, turmeric can also be used to help to repair damaged skin, treat burns and even be used to effectively treat psoriasis along with a whole host of other common inflammatory skin conditions. See also: How To Stop Bleeding With Black Pepper.

(Turmeric tea image credit: Jules)

Home Remedies For Hair: For Added Strength, Shine & Body

July 22, 2015

For millions of men and women, the goal of cultivating and sustaining a beautiful head of hair is universal. Although the desire for strong, illustrious hair is widespread, there are literally hundreds of reasons why your hair is lifeless, dull or thinning. The three most common complaints regarding hair is that it’s dry, damaged and thinning. Because of this, there are many home remedies for hair designed to combat the internal and environmental causes of lackluster hair.

Continue reading to explore the top home remedies for hair:

Home Remedies for Hair Growth

For men and women alike, thinning hair is a serious cause of concern. There are many reasons why your once thick, beautiful hair begins to thin. These include hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, stress and genetics. To help stimulate new, healthy hair growth the following home remedies for hair are designed to nourish hair follicles and increase blood circulation to the scalp.

Coconut Oil Home Remedy Scalp Massage

Begin by heating virgin (unprocessed) coconut oil in a double boiler until it’s warm to the touch. Make sure the oil is not too hot as you may burn your skin. Pour the oil over your fingertips and gently massage your scalp in a circular motion. The gentle pressure helps to stimulate blood flow while the medicinal compounds in coconut oil provide nourishment to hair follicles for maximum growth potential.

Rosemary Hair Masque Home Remedy

Rosemary is one of the most effective herbs for hair growth as it strengthens roots, banishes dandruff and injects a vast array of antioxidants into your scalp. Additionally, the sulfur and silica concentrations of rosemary have been studied for its ability to reverse hair loss in both men and women.

Begin this home remedy for hair growth by combining 2 to 5 drops of rosemary essential oil into two tablespoons of unprocessed coconut oil. Stir until the oils are thoroughly mixed and massage the solution directly to your scalp and hair. Allow the serum to soak into your hair for 30 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.

Fresh lemon juice can stimulate hair growth

Lemon Juice Hair Stimulation

Lemons have long been used for a variety of internal and external uses. Filled with six different B-vitamins, vitamin C and a host of antioxidants, lemon juice not only stimulates hair growth, but banishes bacteria and free radicals which may destroy the health of individual hair follicles. To utilize this home remedy for hair growth:

Mix 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice with 4 tablespoons of unprocessed coconut oil. Once thoroughly mixed, apply it directly to your hair and scalp. Allow the solution to soak into your hair for 45 minutes before rinsing with warm water. Repeat up to two times per week.

Home Remedies for Hair Damage and Dryness

Did you know that each strand of hair features three distinct layers – the medulla (innermost portion), the cortex (second layer) and the cuticle (the outer layer). While the cuticle is designed to protect and safeguard your hair from long-lasting damage, excessive exposure to harsh hair products, environmental toxins and nutritional deficiencies all tax hair strands to the point of severe damage. The following home remedies for hair damage were chosen due to its effectiveness at correcting damage and restoring the natural luster of fresh, healthy hair.

Olive Oil Home Remedy Treatment

Filled with essential nutrients, such as fatty acids, vitamin E and several distinct antioxidants, olive oil is among the greatest home remedies for hair damage as it has the ability to correct the damaged layers of hair by encasing the hair cuticle with the nutrient-rich moisture. Not only does it correct previous damage, but it may also protect hair from future damage.

To utilize this home remedy for hair, place 1/4 cup of olive oil in a small bowl. Fill a larger bowl with hot water and rest the smaller bowl within the water for several minutes. Do not heat in the microwave as this may deteriorate its nutritional content. Once the olive oil is warm to the touch, pour directly on your scalp and massage throughout your hair. Place a shower cap over your hair and allow the oil to soak overnight. Rinse with warm water in the morning. Repeat once week for prolonged protection.

Repair damaged hair with avocado

Deep-Reaching Repair With Fresh Avocado

The goal when repairing dry and damaged hair is to inject a vast array of essential nutrients hair proteins require for genuine health and restoration. Avocados are considered a “Superfruit” due to its long list of nutrients. With every application, your hair is bathed in a myriad of vitamins, proteins, fats, essential fatty acids and natural oils. Many holistic practitioners believe these compounds soften hair to keep it flexible and hydrated by preventing cellular-level damage. Its capability of preventing free radical damage helps ensure internal and environmental toxins do not cause further damage, which can ultimately result in hair loss.

Begin by scooping the pulp out of 1 ripe avocado and placing it into a blender. Add 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil and blend until its consistency is smooth and creamy. With your fingers, massage this mixture throughout your hair. Make sure to thoroughly coat each strand of hair. Allow the solution to soak into your hair for 1 hour before rinsing with warm water. Repeat at least once a week for maximum restoration and protection.

Pure Aloe Vera Juice for Hair Repair and Restoration

Aloe vera is perhaps one of the most well-known home remedies for skin damage; however, it’s also among the greatest home remedies for hair restoration due to its unique active ingredients. Its unique humectant properties penetrate deep into the inner core of hair strands to restore its cellular integrity. With every application, a myriad of amino acids, enzymes, vitamin C, vitamin E and polysaccharides circulate throughout the hair follicles to repair damage and stimulate hair cell regeneration.

The most important element to keep in mind is to never use Aloe vera from a bottle. The most powerful compounds are derived directly from the Aloe vera plant. Simply purchase a mature Aloe plant and break open one of its leaves. Squeeze the juice from the leaf and apply throughout your hair. Make sure to massage the juice directly into your scalp. Allow the compounds to soak into your hair for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing with warm water. Repeat up to two times per week for noticeable benefits.