Company Can Make Drinking Water From Nothing But Air & Sunlight

And it doesn't even need an energy grid.

Deena Theresa

Created: Apr 20, 2022

Updated: Apr 26, 2022 11:17:29

Imagine this. Potable water as an unlimited resource, a sustainable development goal that keeps the benefits flowing. 

But, with increased water scarcity exacerbated by catastrophic climate change, the promise of easy access to clean, drinking water sounds like a dream that isn't rooted in reality.

To illustrate, constant changes in water cycle patterns and drastic increases in extraction for human use are making it more difficult to access safe drinking water. According to a report by UNICEF and WHO, one in three people in the world does not have access to safe drinking water. Natural disasters can also destroy or contaminate water supplies, making communities more susceptible to diseases like cholera and typhoid. UNICEF has found that, every day, more than 700 children under five die from diarrhea linked to inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene.

It gets worse.

Increased water stress also leads to higher competition for water. This, in turn, can lead to conflict. Syria's civil war, to a large extent, has been linked to a severe drought.

While techniques for condensing water out of the air have been in use since ancient times, most modern condensers designed to produce large amounts of water need to be connected to the electricity grid, substituting one problem for another one. But, what if there were a solution? 

What if you can pull water out of thin air without using additional carbon or being connected to an energy grid?

SOURCE Global's hydropanels can do just that, and the technology is more science than fiction. The hydropanels utilize solar energy to condense clean, pollutant-free drinking water from the air. The onboard water reservoir can also be plumbed into a household, directly to the drinking tap. The system then takes it a step further by mineralizing the water for ideal hardness and taste, making high-quality water readily available.

Source's hydropanels have already found homes in 52 countries

"Girls and women spend an average of 200 million hours daily collecting water. That was the main motivation for our company — women shouldn't have to haul water anymore. It inspired Cody Friesen [the founder] to look into finding a way to tap this unlimited resource, which is water vapor in the air, and put it in the hands of people who need it," Thomas Borns, the U.S. Direct Sales Manager at SOURCE Global, tells IE in a video interview. 

The Hydropanel is a boon for people with poor access to clean drinking water, who have to trudge for hours to fetch it and don't have access to a reliable energy source.

Around the world, the onus of this responsibility — fetching water —primarily falls on women. This can hold them back from pursuing education, indulging in recreational and sport activities, and getting out of poverty. 

Of course, this global issue doesn't solely affect developing nations or people living in remote areas. Poor infrastructure, a lack of transparency around where water comes from, safety, and cost are also persistent problems in developed nations. 

"The most important impact of the hydropanels can be seen just a few hours from our company. And that's at Navajo Nation in northern Arizona. Navajo Nation has groundwater but it has been contaminated largely by depleted Uranium mines in the area. We had installed our hydropanels and a tap at an 83-year-old woman's house. And at 83, that was the first time here in the United States and her entire life that she'd ever had running water of any kind inside her home," says Borns. 

That kind of impact appears to be something that can be achieved right here in the United States. "And I think it's important for people to understand that water as an issue is not specific to the developing world. It's a problem here in the United States today," Borns continues.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

IE: What's the science behind the Hydropanel?

Thomas Borns: What we're doing inside our machine is causing passive condensation and using efficient means to collect that water. The Hydropanel comprises a traditional solar panel that powers the whole system. Flanking that on either side are these two black or dark rectangles we call solar thermal panels that take in as much thermal energy as possible.

Essentially what we're trying to do is get the inside of the panel to be hotter than the air that's around it. So that no matter where we are, like here in this desert environment that we designed the panels in, we can make water.

We can have these panels installed in a polluted environment and still get just pure water from the point of condensation.

This cooler ambient air is laden with water vapor which condenses into liquid water. And this liquid water is collected on a hygroscopic proprietary material inside the machine. The material allows for water molecules to pass through the membrane. 

We can have these panels installed in a polluted environment and still get just pure water from the point of condensation. Water that's condensed is super pure. It's essentially double distilled to the point where you wouldn't necessarily want to drink it. So we mineralize the water inside of the panel or in an adjacent tank with calcium and magnesium. Bringing the water up to a pH of about eight makes it taste good.

How many liters per month does one panel produce? Is there a certain percentage of a city or community's water supply that the arrays can produce?

It depends on the weather. Because we're a solar product, we need to have the sun to be able to power the system. But relative humidity will fluctuate dramatically anywhere on any given day, which means we can have days where we're making a lot more and have days we're making a lot less.

A single one of our newest panels, which we're calling Roxy, has been designed for a residential sort of use case. That panel will make about 15 cases of water per month, which is about 360 of those standard 6.9-ounce bottles of drinking water.

These numbers will be pretty different in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and here in Scottsdale. It varies from place to place.

As you mentioned earlier, people in some rural communities can spend a major part of their day traveling to water sources. How can the Hydropanels be a respite to such communities? Could you illustrate a few examples of how it has managed to include and involve local communities, whilst improving their lives?

This goes back to women in particular, for me. One of the very special projects that we did was at the Samburu girls' school in Kenya. Our initial installation was 40 panels. It's amazing to see the impact of these panels at that school, because even though it was a school in many ways—and they were able to provide care and education for these women—the students still had to fetch water from far. And when we installed these panels, we were able to diminish that tremendously. Instead of going out and filling up buckets of water and bringing it back to the school, these girls can now go fill up their bottles at these stations where there's a little dispenser.

Another example is an indigenous community on the northern coast of Colombia. Most of their water was brackish, and they had to do different sorts of boiling to make it drinkable. One of our installers was out there for almost a month living in tents, alongside the members of this community. It's just amazing to see how much this community came together to help with the installation and embrace this technology. 

You mentioned that water scarcity was something that isn't normally associated with developed countries. What are the biggest challenges when it comes to working on a global issue like water scarcity? How do you 'solve' water?

I think it comes with education. It has to do with people becoming aware of the importance of water. It can be tough depending on the community that you're in. I grew up in the desert, in Arizona. My mother's side was a ranching family and my dad's side had a lot of farmers, so I grew up with this understanding of water being precious as drought has always been an issue here in Arizona.

Water is a precious resource, and depending on where you are, it takes a lot of infrastructure to get clean water to you.

But then I go to other communities where the idea of drought and water scarcity hasn't been pounded into somebody's psyche from an early time. People turn on the tap, water comes out, and they're not that worried about it. So I think the first step is educating people on the understanding that this is a finite resource. 

Water is a precious resource, and depending on where you are, it takes a lot of infrastructure to get clean water to you. The first step in solving this is getting people educated to have a full understanding of this as a limited resource. The world is changing and we need to have solutions to counteract that.

We have a few startups that employ a similar technology - collecting water from the air. How different are the SOURCE hydropanels?

Most [startups] of what I'm aware of go by the term atmospheric water generator. These technologies use a form of active condensation which requires a lot of energy. Typically, atmospheric water generators require an ambient humidity of 30 to 40 percent. Often they will have a hard time keeping that water clean. What we use is passive condensation. 

And while that does mean we might produce water at a lower actual volume than some of those atmospheric water generators, we can also produce water quite literally anywhere. I've seen our panels make water in an environment with ambient humidity as low as seven percent, which is about as dry as it can get. 

Also, none of the other products that I've encountered are stand-alone. Our system is completely self-contained and self-powered. All we have to do is deploy them and orient them toward the sun. And then we can start making water. There's no other infrastructure required.

Those two key things, the fact that we use passive condensation instead of active condensation, and that we have no outside need for power, or any other infrastructure, are really what set us apart from anything else.

What are the current limitations of these hydro panels? Do we have solutions at hand?

Yeah, so the one major limitation is cold weather. 

There are 250 plus nodes and sensors inside each unit. So it's essentially its own weather station. It's smart enough to know when it should put itself into hibernation mode, and it does this for two reasons. 

One, if the system were to try to process ice, it can be very detrimental to the components inside the machine pumping ice. Additionally, because we're taking this water vapor out of the air, a lot of that water vapor that you're looking to harvest is now crystallized [below freezing]. So if you could get it to work below freezing temperatures, there's a whole other sort of heating element that is needed. And we have found that it probably requires another energy source. 

But we're working on finding a way to make that work. Because the reality is water issues don't stop when the weather gets cold. It does limit us a little bit, but we're working on finding ways to cross that chasm as well. 

Tell us about your future plans.

This new unit that I discussed earlier is going to be able to make water at night as well. I'm also really excited about the progress we're making with our station installations.

I think the truest and coolest application of these panels is when we can install just a handful for different homes and be surgical with where we're putting them. But having a big field and an array of these panels is a great way of providing water for a whole community at once.

I've had the pleasure and opportunity to work closely with some of our engineers as they develop and make that process more efficient - maximizing what we can get out of one acre covered in panels where that water is getting sent to one holding tank where it gets mineralized and processed. That's usually designed for a community.

This Earth Day's theme is 'Invest In your Planet'. Would you say that Source has/is doing its bit?

Well, I certainly would say we haven't done our bit because that sounds like we're done. We have a long way to go. Our mission statement is truly perfecting water for every person and making drinking water an unlimited resource. We won't be done until we've done that. 

Editor’s Note: This is a part of our series PLANET SOLVERS, where IE explores climate challenges, solutions, and those who will lead the way.

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/drinking-water-from-air-and-sunlight

How the Brain Responds to Beauty

Scientists search for the neural basis of an enigmatic experience

By Jason Castro on February 2, 2021

Pursued by poets and artists alike, beauty is ever elusive. We seek it in nature, art and philosophy but also in our phones and furniture. We value it beyond reason, look to surround ourselves with it and will even lose ourselves in pursuit of it. Our world is defined by it, and yet we struggle to ever define it. As philosopher George Santayana observed in his 1896 book The Sense of Beauty, there is within us “a very radical and wide-spread tendency to observe beauty, and to value it.”

Philosophers such as Santayana have tried for centuries to understand beauty, but perhaps scientists are now ready to try their hand as well. And while science cannot yet tell us what beauty is, perhaps it can tell us where it is—or where it isn’t. In a recent study, a team of researchers from Tsinghua University in Beijing and their colleagues examined the origin of beauty and argued that it is as enigmatic in our brain as it is in the real world.

There is no shortage of theories about what makes an object aesthetically pleasing. Ideas about proportion, harmony, symmetry, order, complexity and balance have all been studied by psychologists in great depth. The theories go as far back as 1876—in the early days of experimental psychology—when German psychologist Gustav Fechner provided evidence that people prefer rectangles with sides in proportion to the golden ratio (if you’re curious, that ratio is about 1.6:1).

At the time, Fechner was immersed in the project of “outer psychophysics”—the search for mathematical relationships between stimuli and their resultant percepts. What both fascinated and eluded him, however, was the much more difficult pursuit of “inner psychophysics”—relating the states of the nervous system to the subjective experiences that accompany them. Despite his experiments with the golden ratio, Fechner continued to believe that beauty was, to a large degree, in the brain of the beholder.

So what part of our brain responds to beauty? The answer depends on whether we see beauty as a single category at all. Brain scientists who favor the idea of such a “beauty center” have hypothesized that it may live in the orbitofrontal cortex, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex or the insula. If this theory prevails, then beauty really could be traced back to a single region of the brain. We would experience beauty in the same way whether we were listening to Franz Schubert song, staring at a Diego Velázquez painting or seeing a doe denning under the starlight.

If the idea of a beauty center is correct, then this would be a considerable victory for theory of functional localization. Under this view—which is both widely held and widely contested—much of what the brain does is the result of highly specialized modules. To simplify the idea a bit, we could imagine assigning Post-it notes to areas of the brain with job descriptions underneath: “pleasure center,” “memory center,” “visual center,” “beauty center.” While some version of this theory is likely true, it’s certainly not the case that any kind of mental state you can describe or intuit is cleanly localized somewhere in the brain. Still, there is excellent evidence, for example, that specific parts of the visual cortex have an exquisite selectivity for motion. Other, nonoverlapping parts are quite clearly activated only by faces. But for every careful study that finds compellingly localized brain function, there are many more that have failed to match a region with a concrete job description.

Rather than potentially add to the mix of inconclusive, underpowered studies about whether the perception of beauty is localized to some specific brain area in their recent investigation, the Tsinghua University researchers opted to do a meta-analysis. They pooled data from many already published studies to see if a consistent result emerged. The team first combed the literature for all brain-imaging studies that investigated people’s neural responses to visual art and faces and that also asked them to report on whether what they saw was beautiful or not. After reviewing the different studies, the researchers were left with data from 49 studies in total, representing experiments from 982 participants. The faces and visual art were taken to be different kinds of beautiful things, and this allowed for a conceptually straightforward test of the beauty center hypothesis. If transcendent, capital-B beauty was really something common to faces and visual art and was processed in the capital-B-beauty region of the brain, then this area should show up across studies, regardless of the specific thing being seen as beautiful. If no such region was found, then faces and visual art would more likely be, as parents say of their children, each beautiful in its own way.

The technique used to analyze the pooled data is known as activation likelihood estimation (ALE). Underneath a bit of statistical formality, it is an intuitive idea: we have more trust in things that have more votes. ALE takes each of the 49 studies to be a fuzzy, error-prone report of a specific location in the brain—roughly speaking, the particular spot that “lit up” when the experiment was conducted, together with a surrounding cloud of uncertainty. The size of this cloud of uncertainty was large if the study had few participants and small if there were many of them, thus modeling the confidence that comes from collecting more data. These 49 points and their clouds were then all merged into a composite statistical map, giving an integrated picture of brain activation across many studies and a means for saying how confident we are in the consensus across experiments. If a single small region was glowing red-hot after the merge (all clouds were small and close together), that would mean it was reliably activated across all the different studies.

Performing this analysis, the research team found that beautiful visual art and beautiful faces each reliably elicited activity in well-defined brain regions. No surprises here: it is hoped that the brain is doing something when you’re looking at a visual stimulus. The regions were almost completely nonoverlapping, however, which challenged the idea that a common beauty center was activated. If we take this at face value, then the beauty of a face is not the same as the beauty of a painting. Beauty is plural, diverse, embedded in the particulars of its medium.

It’s possible the hypothesized beauty center actually does exist and just failed to show up for a variety of methodological reasons. And to be sure, this one analysis hardly settles a question as profound and difficult as this one. Yet that raises an important point: What are we trying to accomplish here? Why do we care if beauty is one thing in the brain or 10? Would the latter make beauty 10 times more marvelous or diminish it 10-fold? More pertinent: How do we understand beauty differently if we know where to point to it in the brain? It will probably be many years, perhaps even generations, before we have something like a neuroscience of aesthetics that both physiologists and humanists will find truly compelling. But we can be sure that beauty’s seductions will keep calling us back to this messy, intriguing and unmapped place in the interim.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-brain-responds-to-beauty/

3 Ingredient Homemade Natural Toothpaste

by Jessica

If you've been wondering how to make your own natural toothpaste, then you've come to the right place! This homemade natural toothpaste is made with 3 ingredients and will help whiten your teeth and make your breath fresh without all of the toxic chemicals in most store bought toothpastes.

With all of the toxic chemicals that can be found in some store bought toothpastes, I've been trying to find a good alternative that I can make myself. I love knowing what's in the products that I put in my body, and this DIY toothpaste only has 3 ingredients! I've been using it for about 3 months now, and have noticed that my teeth feel cleaner and are more white than they were before I started using it. It's so easy to make and leaves a nice minty, clean taste behind as well!

If you are interested in making your own natural products for your body and cleaning your home, be sure to check out my Home Tips Page HERE! There are hundreds of easy home tips, non-toxic cleaning recipes and DIY bath and body recipes too!

WHAT'S IN HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE?

• ½ cup of coconut oil
• 4 tablespoons of baking soda
• 15 drops of peppermint essential oil

HOW DO YOU MAKE HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE?

1. Start by adding ½ cup of room temperature coconut oil to a bowl.
2. Next, add 4 tablespoons of baking soda.
3. Pour in 15 drops of peppermint essential oil.
4. Mix together until it forms a nice, soft paste.
5. Transfer the toothpaste to an airtight jar. I love THESE glass jars for storing my homemade toothpaste.

HOW DO YOU USE HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE?

To use the homemade toothpaste, simply add ½ teaspoon to your toothbrush and brush your teeth for 2 minutes, twice each day!

This homemade toothpaste is a great natural whitener and will also leave your breath smelling minty fresh!

RECIPE

This homemade natural toothpaste is made with 3 ingredients and will help whiten your teeth and make your breath fresh without all of the toxic chemicals in most store bought toothpastes.

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and transfer to an airtight container or glass jar. To use, place ½ teaspoon of the paste on a toothbrush and brush for 2 minutes, twice daily.

https://www.mom4real.com/3-ingredient-homemade-natural-toothpaste/

Natural Remedies for Everyday Illnesses

Learning to Live without Doctors

Learning to Live without Doctors – How to Use the Top 10 Medicinal Plants and Herbs

Tuesday, August 23, 2022 3:27

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Before the advent of drugs, plant remedies were the go-to medicines, and they can serve you just as well today as in the past; I review the use and benefits of 10 important herbs and medicinal plants, many of which you can grow yourself
• Aloe vera can soothe skin conditions such as burns, rashes, cuts and scrapes, and more serious skin conditions such as psoriasis; lemongrass has been used traditionally to treat stomach aches, high blood pressure, common cold, convulsions, pain and vomiting
• Dandelion leaf tea has diuretic, mild laxative and digestive aid properties, while tea made from dandelion roots has detoxifying properties, and can help relieve liver, gallbladder and prostate problems
• Chamomile tea offers valuable support for DNA repair, and is known to promote relaxation, relieve stress, ease inflammation and more; sage also has calming effects and can ease digestive problems, strengthen immunity and fight inflammation
• Echinacea has a long history of use for various infections, and has immune boosting effects; ashwagandha is a powerful adaptogen that helps your body manage and adapt to stress by balancing your immune system, metabolism and hormonal systems

This article was previously published June 17, 2019, and has been updated with new information.

Before the advent of drugs, plant remedies were the go-to medicines, and they can serve you just as well today as in the past. While there are many thousands of plants, any one of which can serve a medicinal purpose, some are better known than others, and can provide relief from common ailments.

Here, I’ll review the use and benefits of 10 important herbs and medicinal plants, many of which you can grow yourself to ensure you always have some on hand.

No. 1 — Aloe Vera

Aloe vera¹ is a succulent plant well-known for its soothing qualities, especially for skin conditions such as burns, rashes, cuts and scrapes, but also for more serious skin conditions such as psoriasis. I have hundreds of aloe plants at my home and harvest them every day for topical use on my skin and also for eating. It is one of my medicinal plants.

In one animal study,² an ethanolic extract of aloe vera gel had an overall antipsoriatic activity of 81.9%. Its wound healing abilities stem from the gel’s disinfectant, antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, antibiotic and antibacterial properties.

Properties related to a compound called glucomannan also help accelerate wound healing and skin cell growth. As an adaptogen,³ aloe vera gel may also be used internally to help your body adapt to stress.

Aloe vera contains about 75 potentially active compounds, including lignin, saponins, salicylic acids and 12 anthraquinones (phenolic compounds traditionally known as laxatives). It also provides campesterol, β-sisosterol and lupeol, and the hormones auxins and gibberellins that help in wound healing and have anti-inflammatory action.⁴

The pulp contains most of the healing compounds, including^5,6 polysaccharides⁷ such as mannose (which is great for gut health and has immune-boosting benefits), essential amino acids your body needs but cannot manufacture, polyphenol antioxidants, sterols (valuable fatty acids), vitamins and minerals.

While you can purchase aloe vera gel at most health food stores and pharmacies, if you grow your own, you’ll always have fresh aloe on hand when cuts, scrapes or even psoriasis flare-ups occur. For medicinal use, be sure to select an aloe species with thick, “meaty” leaves. A good choice, and one of the most popular, is Aloe Barbadensis Miller.⁸

To harvest, select an outer, mature leaf, and using a sharp knife, cut the leaf as close to the base as possible. Remove the spines by cutting along each side.

• For topical use — Simply cut a 1- to 2-inch piece off, then slice it down the middle, revealing the gel, and apply it directly to your skin. Aside from soothing burns, including sunburn, or cuts and scrapes, it also works great as an aftershave for men. For sunburn, fresh aloe gel is the most effective remedy I know of, besides prevention.
• For internal use — If you’re going to eat it, you can use a potato peeler to peel off the outer rind, then scrape off the gel and place it in a small glass container. I like mixing mine with some lime juice. Simply blend together with a handheld blender for a delicious immune-boosting aloe shot.

While fresh aloe vera is very safe, you should not use it internally or externally if you’re allergic. If you’re unsure, perform a patch test on a small area and wait to make sure no signs of allergic reactions occur.^9,10,11

No. 2 — Lemongrass

Lemongrass, an herb noted for its distinctive lemon flavor and citrus aroma, has been used traditionally to treat stomach aches, high blood pressure, common cold, convulsions, pain and vomiting.¹² Lemongrass benefits listed by Organic Facts include:¹³

“[R]elief from insomnia, stomach disorders, respiratory disorders, fever, pain, swelling, and infections. The antioxidant activity of the lemongrass herb maintains the immune system and protects against antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

It even helps in maintaining optimum cholesterol levels, managing type 2 diabetes, and promoting healthy skin. It is extensively used in aromatherapy and helps combat fatigue, anxiety, and body odor.”

The leaves and extracted essential oil are the parts most commonly used, and depending on the form can be taken orally, applied topically or inhaled (as aromatherapy) for the following conditions:

Relieve stress, anxiety, irritability and insomnia by diffusing a few drops of lemongrass essential oil.14

Relax and tone your muscles; relieve muscle pain, period cramps and headaches by rubbing a few drops of the essential oil mixed with carrier oil onto the area, or diffuse as an aromatherapy treatment.

Energize tired feet by mixing essential oil and 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts in a bowl of warm water — You can also create your own foot massage oil by mixing diluted lemongrass oil with a carrier oil such as coconut oil, and adding other essential oils as desired, such as sweet almond, geranium and sandalwood.15

Treat cuts and scrapes by rubbing a small amount of diluted essential oil over the area — Lemongrass essential oil has antibiofilm properties against staphylococcus aureus16 and interrupts the growth of bacteria in the body.17

Treat gastrointestinal problems by consuming lemongrass tea or lemongrass-infused water — Lemongrass oil has anti-ulcer effects,18,19 stimulates digestion and helps regulate bowel function.20

Improve sleep by drinking a cup of lemongrass tea or lemongrass-infused water before bed.21

Relieve pain associated with headaches, muscle and joint pain, muscle spasms and sprains, either by applying diluted essential oil topically, inhaling the scent by diffusing the essential oil, or by drinking lemongrass tea or infused water.

Improve insulin sensitivity by drinking lemongrass tea or infused water — The citral present in lemongrass has demonstrated ability to regulate blood glucose and improve insulin sensitivity,22and testing shows the citral content of decoctions and infusions are the same as that of fresh lemongrass.23 Tea is basically a weak infusion. You could also make your own lemongrass decoction. For basic instructions, see The Herbal Academy.24 Keep in mind, however, that since lemongrass essential oil can lead to lowered blood glucose,25it may be contraindicated for people taking oral diabetes or antihypertensive medications, as well as those who are diabetic and hypoglycemic. Take special precautions if you have been diagnosed with diabetes or hypoglycemia or if anyone in your family suffers these conditions.

Treat oily hair by massaging a few drops of diluted essential oil to your scalp and let sit for 15 minutes before washing as usual.26

Fight body odor naturally — With its antifungal and antibacterial properties, diluted lemongrass essential oil can be used as a natural deodorant.

No. 3 — Dandelion

Dandelions contain vitamins A, B, C and D, and can be used as a remedy for fever, boils, diarrhea and diabetes.²⁷ Dandelion leaf tea has diuretic, mild laxative and digestive aid properties, while tea made from dandelion roots has detoxifying properties, and can help relieve liver, gallbladder and prostate problems.²⁸

Dandelion root is also antirheumatic, and may help dissolve urinary stones.²⁹ Dandelion leaves are usually picked during the spring,³⁰ while the roots are often harvested in autumn or winter, since they’re believed to be sweeter during these seasons.³¹

Since dandelions are widely available and are extremely simple to grow, you can easily harvest them to make a tea of your own from fresh ingredients. You may also opt to buy tea bags made from dried organic dandelion roots or leaves.

While dandelion tea is considered generally safe to consume, it may cause allergic reactions like itching, rashes and runny nose in people who are allergic to ragweed and other related plants, including chamomile, chrysanthemums and marigold.

No. 4 — Sage

Sage has been used as a medicine for thousands of years and boasts a long list of potential health benefits, including the following:³²

Aids digestion — The rosmarinic acid found in sage acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, soothing your stomach and preventing gastric spasms. Sage can help reduce the incidence of diarrhea and gastritis.

Boosts cognitive function — Research has shown even small amounts of sage, taken as food or inhaled as an essential oil, can be an effective brain booster, increasing concentration, memory recall and retention. In vitro and animal studies have confirmed several sage species contain active compounds shown to enhance cognitive activity and protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.33

Improves bone health — Sage contains a superior level of vitamin K, which along with its high calcium content supports strong bones and teeth.

Aids diabetes management — Sage possesses compounds known to mimic the drugs typically prescribed for managing diabetes. As such, it appears to regulate and inhibit the release of stored glucose in your liver, which balances your blood sugar, helping to prevent Type 2 diabetes or assist in managing the condition if already present. Authors of a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition34 said, “[I]ts effects on fasting glucose levels … and its metformin-like effects … suggest sage may be useful as a food supplement in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes mellitus by lowering the plasma glucose of individuals at risk.”

Promotes healthy skin — Given its many antioxidant properties, sage is useful to counteract the signs of aging such as age spots, fine lines and wrinkles. These antioxidants protect against free radicals known to damage your skin cells and cause premature aging. Some have had success using sage in the form of a tincture or topical salve to treat skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis.

Strengthens immunity — Sage contains antimicrobial properties researchers suggest, when applied in the form of an essential oil, is effective in inhibiting the growth of bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus.35 In addition, sage is a natural expectorant and useful to clear mucus and reduce coughs.36Consider adding a drop of sage essential oil to a cup of tea or hot water the next time you have a cold.

Treats inflammation — Antioxidant compounds in sage can help neutralize free radicals and prevent them from creating oxidative stress in your body.37 Sage is effective with respect to inflammation that affects your brain, heart, joints, muscles, organ systems and skin. To reduce inflammation, chew fresh sage leaves, drink sage tea or apply a sage tincture.

Eases pains — Sage essential oil can be used in a bath or incorporated into a massage oil to help relax muscles. When combined with a carrier oil and applied to your lower abdomen, sage essential oil can also help soothe menstrual cramps and pain.

No. 5 — Chamomile

Chamomile is one of the highest sources of the polyphenol apigenin, a powerful inhibitor of an enzyme on the surface of your cells called CD38. While CD38 is useful for your immune function it also is a major consumer of NAD+ which is the most important coenzyme in your body.

You need NAD+ to fuel another enzyme called PARP, an enzyme instrumental in the repair of damaged DNA. When you are regularly exposed to electromagnetic fields, PARP is regularly activated and consumes NAD+, which is one of the reasons it is so low in most of us, aside from the fact that simply aging tends to lower it.

When NAD+ is lowered, then PARP doesn’t function, and you don’t repair your DNA damage. This is one of the reasons why I pay attention to keeping my NAD+ levels high and why I use chamomile every night.

Additionally, the volatile oils found in chamomile flowers are said to be responsible for most of its beneficial properties,³⁸ which include an ability to:

• Calm nerves, promoting general relaxation, relieving stress³⁹ and controlling insomnia
• Ease allergies, inflammation⁴⁰ and infections
• Alleviate muscle spasms
• Relieve nausea and flatulence
• Ease stomach ailments, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, diverticular,⁴¹ Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome

Chamomile must not be taken by people who are allergic to daisies, asters, chrysanthemums or ragweed. Chamomile is also known to interact with some drugs and substances, so exercise caution if you’re taking anticoagulants, antiplatelet medication, blood pressure medicines, diabetes drugs, sedatives, drugs broken down by your liver such as statins and antifungals.

No. 6 — Echinacea

Before antibiotics, echinacea was used as a general cure for various infections and wounds, including malaria, scarlet fever and syphilis.⁴² Centuries ago, Native Americans primarily used echinacea to help treat the common cold. Today, common uses include:

• Boosting your immune system — The compounds in echinacea may help improve your immune system. In a study⁴³ published in Integrative Cancer Therapies, echinacea has been shown to help reduce the severity and duration of colds if it is administered right away once symptoms appear. However, if you use echinacea several days after getting a cold, it won’t have much of an effect.
• Fighting against bacteria and viruses — Echinacea contains a compound called echinacein, which can help against bacterial and viral infections. According to a study⁴⁴ in Pharmaceutical Biology, echinacea exhibited antimicrobial properties and is effective against 15 different pathogenic bacteria and two pathogenic fungi.
• Speeding up wound healing — When applied to a wound, echinacea may help speed up the formation of new skin cells, while helping prevent an infection thanks to its antibacterial properties. According to a study⁴⁵ in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, the compound responsible for echinacea’s wound-healing benefit is echinacoside, which is present in several varieties of the flower.

One of the easiest ways to obtain the benefits of echinacea is brewing homemade tea by simmering one-fourth cup dried echinacea flowers in 8 ounces of filtered water for 15 minutes.

No. 7 — Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha, known as a multipurpose herb and “rejuvenator,” has been used in ancient Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for thousands of years.⁴⁶ It’s a powerful adaptogenic⁴⁷ herb, meaning it helps your body manage and adapt to stress⁴⁸ by balancing your immune system,⁴⁹ metabolism and hormonal systems.⁵⁰

Ashwagandha also has natural pain reliever (analgesic) properties,⁵¹ which can help increase physical strength, and its rejuvenating effects can promote general health when used regularly.

Flavonoids and other compounds are the active ingredients that give ashwagandha its many powerful properties. In one study,⁵² bioactive withanolides — naturally occurring steroids — in ashwagandha were identified as agents that suppress pathways responsible for several inflammation-based illnesses, including arthritis, asthma, hypertension, osteoporosis⁵³ and cancer.

Withanolides in ashwagandha also have immunomodulating properties,⁵⁴ described as substances that can either stimulate or suppress your immune system to help fight infections, cancer and other diseases.

One of the alkaloids in ashwagandha, called somniferin, helps promote relaxation and sound sleep. A study⁵⁵ at the University of Tsukuba in Japan found it can relieve insomnia and restless leg syndrome.

As an adaptogen, ashwagandha is frequently used to support healthy adrenal function, which can be adversely affected by persistent stress, be it physical or psychological. Research shows the root reduces cortisol levels, restores insulin sensitivity and helps to stabilize mood.⁵⁶

Ashwagandha also supports sexual and reproductive health in both men and women, and may be used as an aid to boost your libido. In men struggling with infertility, ashwagandha has been shown to balance their luteinizing hormone,⁵⁷ which controls reproductive organ function in both men and women.

It’s been shown to improve the quality of semen in infertile men,⁵⁸ in part by inhibiting reactive oxygen species and improving essential metal concentrations, including zinc, iron and copper levels. Other research⁵⁹ suggests ashwagandha improves semen quality by regulating important reproductive hormones.

Ashwagandha can also help boost testosterone levels in men,^60,61 which can have a beneficial effect on libido and sexual performance. In otherwise healthy women, ashwagandha has been shown to improve arousal, lubrication, orgasm and overall sexual satisfaction.⁶²

In addition, ashwagandha’s ability to rebalance hormones (including thyroid hormone, estrogen and progesterone) has been shown to improve polycystic ovary syndrome⁶³ and relieve symptoms associated with menopause.⁶⁴

Ashwagandha also has antitumor and blood production (hemopoietic) capabilities, and benefits the cardiopulmonary, endocrine and central nervous systems, all “with little or no associated toxicity.”⁶⁵

Ashwagandha is contraindicated⁶⁶ for, and should not be used by pregnant women, as it may induce abortion; breastfeeding women, as it may have an effect on your child; and people taking sedatives, as ashwagandha may augment the sedative effects.

Also, while ashwagandha appears to be beneficial for thyroid problems, if you have a thyroid disorder, use caution and consult with your doctor, as you may need to tweak any medications you’re taking for it.

No. 8 — CBD Oil and/or Whole Hemp Oil

The medical benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) are now increasingly recognized, and we now know the human body produces endogenous cannabinoids and that this endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in human health by regulating homeostasis between your bodily systems, such as your respiratory, digestive, immune and cardiovascular systems.

According to Project CBD, at least 50 conditions⁶⁷ are believed to be improved by CBD, including pain, seizures, muscle spasms, nausea associated with chemotherapy, digestive disorders, degenerative neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, mood disorders, anxiety, PTSD and high blood pressure.

CBD is nonpsychoactive, nonaddictive, does not produce a “high” and has few to no dangerous side effects. In states where CBD is becoming widely used, there are also few reports of negative social or medical consequences, in fact, CBD has been shown to provide valuable benefits for those struggling with opioid addiction.

Endogenous cannabinoid production declines with age and, according to clinical nutritionist and expert on phytocannabinoids, Carl Germano, endocannabinoid deficiency has been identified in people who have migraines, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory and neurological conditions and a variety of treatment-resistant conditions.

A paper⁶⁸ in Translational Psychiatry also found low levels of anandamide (one of the endocannabinoids your body produces naturally) are a statistically positive indicator for stress-induced anxiety.

According to Germano, one of your best and healthiest options may be to use whole hemp oil rather than isolated CBD (from either hemp or cannabis). The reason for this is because CBD is just one of more than 100 different phytocannabinoids found in whole hemp, and the synergistic action between them is likely to produce better results.

According to Germano, CBD alone cannot fully support your body’s ECS. You need the other phytocannabinoids and terpenes, which are very complementary to the phytocannabinoids, as well.

In the past, before the signing of the new Farm Bill that legalizes the growing of hemp in the U.S., the leaf, flower and bud of the hemp plant could not be used in the production of CBD-rich hemp oil. The oil had to be pulled from the stalk and stem of the plant only — the less concentrated part.

With the new law, all parts of the plant can be used, which will make processing easier and more economical, as the cannabinoids are more concentrated in the leaves, flowers and buds. The law also makes it legal to grow hemp in every state, so if you wanted to, you could grow it in your backyard.

While the raw unprocessed plant could be juiced, processing will convert the cannabinoids into more usable forms. Germano offers the following advice:

“[To process it], you can take the leaf, flower and bud. You can blend it and store it in the refrigerator. Over a day or two of exposure to heat, air, light and moisture, it’ll decarboxylate to some extent and you’ll benefit more from that … [P]robably an ounce or two [of raw plant] would do the trick as a healthy plant beverage.”

No. 9 — Milk Thistle

While most people consider milk thistle a pesky weed, it actually possesses remarkable medicinal benefits^69,70 that make it worth keeping around. Notably, milk thistle has been prized for centuries for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral properties.

It is also highly regarded as a liver tonic due to high amounts of a chemical compound known as silymarin. Silymarin is a group of flavonoids known to help repair liver cells damaged by toxic substances. As such, milk thistle greatly improves the overall functioning of your liver, with specific applications related to cirrhosis of the liver, chronic liver inflammation and liver damage from alcohol and other intoxicating substances.

Silymarin has also been shown to prevent the formation of gallstones,⁷¹ support prostate health and treat prostate cancer.⁷² Under the direction of your doctor, you may want to consider adding milk thistle to your diet if you are dealing with a liver-based problem such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, jaundice and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.⁷³

Silymarin also activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an enzyme inside your cells that plays an important role in metabolism,⁷⁴ energy homeostasis and cellular repair.⁷⁵ It also inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)which, when chronically activated, may increase your risk of cancer.

While all parts of the milk thistle plant are edible, silymarin is contained in the seeds only. Whether or not you are able to grow your own, high-quality, organic milk thistle is inexpensive and readily available at your local health food store. Below are some ways you can incorporate this unique herb into your diet:⁷⁶

• Powdered — Use a mortar and pestle to crush milk thistle seeds into a powder that can be added to soups, stir-fries and other dishes
• Salads — Because the entire plant is edible, you can add milk thistle flowers, leaves, roots and stalks to salads or incorporate them into cooked dishes
• Smoothies — For a healthy liver smoothie, soak 2 tablespoons of milk thistle seeds in filtered water overnight; the next morning, add the milk thistle (and soaking water), 1 cup of lemon juice, one-third cup of lycium berries and 1.5 cups of ice to your blender and combine until smooth
• Snacks — Although it may be a bit of an acquired taste, milk thistle seeds can be eaten dry, as is
• Tea — Crush either or both milk thistle seeds and dried leaves to make a loose tea blend you can steep in an infuser with hot water; add a healthy sweetener of your choice to tone down the somewhat bitter flavor, or add a peppermint teabag for a different taste sensation⁷⁷

No. 10 — Tulsi

Tulsi, also known as holy basil, is an Ayurvedic herb considered vital in India. Like ashwagandha, it’s a powerful adaptogen with antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, analgestic, antioxidant and adaptogenic properties, just to name a few.⁷⁸

There are many tulsi products available today, including tea, tablets, powder, extracts and tulsi essential oil. Among its many benefits, tulsi may help:

Manage blood glucose levels — Tulsi has hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, which may be beneficial to diabetics. One study noted that after being given the tulsi leaf powder, diabetic rats had “a significant reduction in fasting blood sugar, uronic acid, total amino acids, total cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipids and total lipids.”79,80

Boost immunity — The leaf extract of tulsi was found to have immunotherapeutic potential in mammal subjects. The researchers noted the “crude aqueous extract of O. sanctum (leaf) possesses some biologically active principles that are antibacterial and immunomodulatory in nature.”81

Ease stress and anxiety — Compounds found in tulsi leaf extract, namely ocimarin and ocimumosides A and B, have anti-stress effects.82 A test done on human subjects found that taking the plant extract may help ease generalized anxiety disorder.83

Improve dental health — Using tulsi tea as a mouth rinse may have benefits for your oral health. A study84 found an herbal mouth rinse of natural herbs like neem, clove oil, tulsi and more were able to inhibit oral bacteria like Actinomyces sp., E. nodatum, P. intermedia and more.

Boost cognitive function — One study85 found dementia-induced rats had improved cognition after being given tulsi leaf extract.

Promote liver health — Tulsi may have hepatoprotective effects, and was found to help protect against induced liver damage among rat subjects.86

Protect against different kinds of infections — Tulsi is believed to help alleviate various bacterial infections, including urinary tract infection,87 dermal infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria88 and respiratory tract infections like pneumonia.89

Ease pain — Sipping tulsi tea may help you acquire its antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. One study notes that it may be a potential alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).90 https://beforeitsnews.com/eu/2022/08/learning-to-live-without-doctors-how-to-use-the-top-10-medicinal-plants-and-herbs-dr-mercola-2692498.html