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Grow Your Healthy Eating with Fresh Herbs!

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If you’re trying to eat healthier, consider fresh herbs your personal cheat code. They have basically zero calories, bring a diverse set of flavors, and contain loads of vitamins and phytonutrients. (Phytonutrients are those super-beneficial anti-inflammatory nutrients, such as carotenoids and flavonoids, that you can only find in plants.) 

This makes them the perfect addition to anyone’s weight loss journey! But you can go even further than just eating fresh herbs—you can grow them yourself!! 

Why should I grow herbs?
 
True, you can buy most fresh herbs at the grocery store. But they can be expensive for how much you get. That’s not great, considering there’s a good chance the herbs will wilt or die before you get a chance to enjoy them all.  

If there are some types of fresh herbs you find yourself consistently picking up each week at the store, consider growing them yourself. Then, when you need the herb, you can just trim off what you need and leave the rest, growing, until next time. With the money you save, you can invest in other healthy ingredients you love or want to try!

Adding fresh herbs can also:

Brighten Your Healthy Meals
Fresh herbs add a lot of flavor to healthy food without relying on salt, sugar, or fat. They can add depth to salads, be the main ingredient in a healthy sauce, or be the final finishing topping for your bowl.

Make Veggies More Appealing
The right herbs can be vegetable-changing, bringing out new dimensions to a vegetable you may have passed on previously. Plus, having herbs on hand might inspire you to cook more low-calorie, high-fiber meals with vegetables that will help keep you full.

Build Your Food IQ
Caring for a little herb garden can help you foster a deeper connection to what you eat. By seeing your food grow and transform into something that nourishes you and your family, you may become more mindful about your food in general. 


So, which herbs should I grow? 

To make the most of your garden space, focus on planting edible herbs that you can get a lot of mileage out of. Take a closer look at some of the most used spices in your pantries or some of your favorite recipes to get a better feel for what will work best for your home.

However, we recommend starting with one, some, or all of the following seven common herbs: 

  • Basil: Use basil to garnish pizzas, pastas, and other Italian and Mediterranean dishes—plus in Thai-inspired meals like curries
  • Rosemary: This piney herb pairs well with all sorts of meats and poultry and can really elevate a sheet pan of oven-roasted veggies
  • Parsley: Balance creamier dishes, mix into soups, or make a chimichurri sauce for your meats with the much-loved parsley
  • Cilantro: Find varied uses for this polarizing herb in Latin American foods and South Asian dishes
  • Mint: Add that minty-fresh flavor to your food and drinks with mint (just be careful where you plant it—it loves to take over garden beds!)
  • Chives: Sprinkle this subtle onion garnish on potato dishes and other savory options
  • Dill: Dill can help freshen up Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes and sauces—not to mention are essential for homemade pickles

These versatile herbs are packed with vitamins and phytonutrients and can be found in many recipes across global food cultures. No matter what types of foods you prefer, these herbs can help elevate them.

Additionally, these herbs are forgiving and low-maintenance. New to gardening? Just grab starter plants from your local grocery store or home/garden center, add to soil, water, and ta-da! The beginnings of a beautiful healthy herb garden.

 

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Important Safety Information
What is CONTRAVE?
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CONTRAVE can cause serious side effects including:

Suicidal thoughts or actions: One of the ingredients in CONTRAVE is bupropion. Bupropion has caused some people to have suicidal thoughts or actions or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking medicines used to treat depression. Bupropion may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults within the first few months of treatment. If you already have depression or other mental illnesses, taking bupropion may cause it to get worse, especially within the first few months of treatment.

CONTRAVE is a prescription weight-loss medicine that may help some adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese), or adults with a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) with at least one weight-related medical problem such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes, lose weight and keep the weight off.

Important Safety Information
See More
CONTRAVE can cause serious side effects including:
Suicidal thoughts or actions: One of the ingredients in CONTRAVE is bupropion. Bupropion has caused some people to have suicidal thoughts or actions or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking medicines used to treat depression. Bupropion may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults within the first few months of treatment. If you already have depression or other mental illnesses, taking bupropion may cause it to get worse, especially within the first few months of treatment.
What is CONTRAVE?
See More
CONTRAVE is indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index (BMI) of:
Important Safety Information
What is CONTRAVE?
See Less 

CONTRAVE can cause serious side effects including:

Suicidal thoughts or actions: One of the ingredients in CONTRAVE is bupropion. Bupropion has caused some people to have suicidal thoughts or actions or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking medicines used to treat depression. Bupropion may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in some children, teenagers, and young adults within the first few months of treatment. If you already have depression or other mental illnesses, taking bupropion may cause it to get worse, especially within the first few months of treatment.

While taking CONTRAVE, you or your family members should pay close attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. This is very important when you start taking CONTRAVE or when your dose changes.

Stop taking CONTRAVE and call a healthcare provider right away if you or your family members notice any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying; attempts to commit suicide; depression; anxiety; feeling agitated or restless; panic attacks; irritability; aggression, anger, or violence; acting on dangerous impulses; an extreme increase in activity and talking; other unusual changes in behavior or mood; trouble sleeping.

CONTRAVE is not approved for use in children under the age of 18.

Do not take CONTRAVE if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure; have or have had seizures; use other medicines that contain bupropion such as WELLBUTRIN, WELLBUTRIN SR, WELLBUTRIN XL, APLENZIN and ZYBAN; have or have had an eating disorder called anorexia or bulimia; are dependent on opioid pain medicines or use medicines to help stop taking opioids, or are in opiate withdrawal; drink a lot of alcohol and abruptly stop drinking, or use medicines called sedatives (these make you sleepy), benzodiazepines, or anti‐seizure medicines and stop using them all of a sudden; are taking or have taken medicines called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) in the past 14 days; or are allergic to any of the ingredients in CONTRAVE.

Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you have: depression or other mental illnesses; attempted suicide; seizures; head injury; tumor or infection of brain or spine; low blood sugar or low sodium; liver or kidney problems; high blood pressure; heart attack, heart problems, or stroke; eating disorder; drinking a lot of alcohol; prescription medicine or street drug abuse; are 65 or older; diabetes; pregnant or planning to become pregnant; or breastfeeding.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

CONTRAVE may cause serious side effects, including:

  • Seizures. There is a risk of having a seizure when you take CONTRAVE. The risk of seizure is higher in people who take higher doses of CONTRAVE, have certain medical conditions, or take CONTRAVE with certain other medicines. Do not take any other medicines while you are taking CONTRAVE unless your healthcare provider has said it is okay to take them. If you have a seizure while taking CONTRAVE, stop taking CONTRAVE and call your healthcare provider right away.

  • Risk of opioid overdose. Do not take large amounts of opioids, including opioid-containing medicines, such as heroin or prescription pain pills, to try to overcome the opioid-blocking effects of naltrexone. This can lead to serious injury, coma, or death.

    Get emergency medical help right away if you take opioids and you:

    • have trouble breathing

    • become very drowsy with slowed breathing

    • have slow, shallow breathing

    • feel faint, very dizzy, confused, or have unusual symptoms

  • Sudden opioid withdrawal. People who take CONTRAVE must not use any type of opioid, including street drugs, prescription pain medicines, cough, cold, or diarrhea medicines that contain opioids, or opioid dependence treatments, for at least 7 to 10 days before starting CONTRAVE. Using opioids in the 7 to 10 days before you start taking CONTRAVE may cause you to suddenly have symptoms of opioid withdrawal when you take it. Sudden opioid withdrawal can be severe, and you may need to go to the hospital. Tell your healthcare provider you are taking CONTRAVE before a medical procedure or surgery.

  • Severe allergic reactions. Stop taking CONTRAVE and call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away if you have any of the following signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction: rash, itching, hives, fever, swollen lymph glands, painful sores in your mouth or around your eyes, swelling of your lips or tongue, chest pain, or trouble breathing.

  • Increases in blood pressure or heart rate. Some people may get high blood pressure or have a higher heart rate when taking CONTRAVE. Your healthcare provider should check your blood pressure and heart rate before you start taking, and while you take CONTRAVE.

  • Liver damage or hepatitis. Stop taking CONTRAVE and tell your healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms of liver problems: stomach area pain lasting more than a few days, dark urine, yellowing of the whites of your eyes, or tiredness. Your healthcare provider may need to stop treating you with CONTRAVE if you get signs or symptoms of a serious liver problem.

  • Manic episodes. Bupropion can cause some people who were manic or depressed in the past to become manic or depressed again.

  • Visual problems (angle-closure glaucoma). Signs and symptoms may include: eye pain, changes in vision, swelling or redness in or around the eye. Talk with your healthcare provider to find out if you are at risk for angle‐closure glaucoma and to get treatment to prevent it if you are at risk.

  • Increased risk of low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus who also take medicines to treat their diabetes (such as insulin or sulfonylureas). You should check your blood sugar before you start taking CONTRAVE and while you take CONTRAVE.

The most common side effects of CONTRAVE include nausea, constipation, headache, vomiting, dizziness, trouble sleeping, dry mouth, and diarrhea. These are not all of the possible side effects of CONTRAVE.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is CONTRAVE?

CONTRAVE is a prescription weight-loss medicine that may help some adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese), or adults with a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) with at least one weight-related medical problem such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes, lose weight and keep the weight off.

CONTRAVE should be used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

It is not known if CONTRAVE changes your risk of heart problems or stroke or of death due to heart problems or stroke.

It is not known if CONTRAVE is safe and effective when taken with other prescription, over-the-counter, or herbal weight-loss products.

CONTRAVE is not approved to treat depression or other mental illnesses, or to help people quit smoking (smoking cessation).

Please see Full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide, for CONTRAVE.