Just Another Wrinkle to Aging | Effects of Smoking on Skin

Have you ever considered the possibilities that there are aging effects of smoking on skin? OK we all understand the dangers of smoking when it comes to our health such as lung cancer and even heart disease. But did you also know that smoking can also make you look years older? The next time that you light up a cigarette, remember that there aren’t only health risks involved but that it’ll also make you look years older than you really are. And in this day and time, no one wants to look older.

How Does Smoking Make You Look Older?

The bottom line fact is that smoking can damage your skin and appearance. The aging effects of smoking on skin show up in such ways as:

Creating small lines around your mouth Discoloration of your teeth, And also robbing your skin of important nutrients.

Teeth discoloration is oftentimes associated with aging, which if you’re smoker then that will tend to make you look older. The hair of a person that smokes is also somewhat discolored and this will also make you look years older than you really are. A smoker’s skin is usually in a dry lifeless condition because smoking leaches a lot of the goodness out of the body. The action of sucking on a cigarette on a regular daily basis can often cause wrinkles to form around the lips. And frown lines often forms because the smoker is always looking out through a smoky haze.

Make sure you examine this informative article thoroughly, the challenge and the results have various different versions. Except for the case of over exposure to the sun, smoking cigarettes can age your skin faster than anything else. Besides all of the health risks, as you can see there are also a lot of negative aging effects of smoking on skin. And the really bad news is that the aging effects on skin seem to be even more prevalent in women smokers. You can easily see now why smoking does make you look years older than you really are. If you’re a smoker then you need to stop now! Not only is there health risks involved but there are also aging effects of smoking on skin.

Can the Aging Effects of Smoking on Skin be Reversed?


Once a person stops smoking then there are various skin treatments that can be done to reverse the aging process such as tooth whitening procedures and other anti aging processes to help a person to now look much healthier. By quitting smoking, you no longer have the health risks but now you can also look years younger. Your skin will now have a healthier radiance that you did not have as long as you were smoking cigarettes. Before you light up that next cigarette, think about all the harm that you’re doing to your body. Stop smoking today and look years younger and be much healthier!

Would you like to get more information about the Aging Effects of Smoking on Skin and how to look younger? Visit http://isavehealth.blogspot.si/2016/02/why-smoking-harms-women-more-than-men.html

Making Sure You Act On The Right Information – Pregnancy Facts & Fallacies

Do not worry – I am not going to fill anyone’s head with frightening pregnancy facts that could over-shadow what is one of the truly wonderful times in most women‘s lives.

But it is natural to be apprehensive maybe, even if it is not your first pregnancy. And it can be easy to get confused by all the myths associated with pregnancy – facts and fallacies soon become intermingled, making it difficult to know what is going to be best for your baby

OK, pregnancy can be tinged with fear of the unknown even, if it is your first pregnancy, but for most women the excitement and anticipation of coming face to face with a little baby who’s going to be the most wonderful and important little person you’ve ever met in your life so far (and that includes your partner!) is always going to outweigh any temporary issues you may have.

So, what I’d like to do is to put a few pregnancy facts and figures in front of you that are meant to reassure in some cases and to act as gentle warnings in others.

Once you know the facts, it is amazingly simple to relax and just get into a routine of doing the ‘right’ things and avoiding doing the ‘wrong’ things.

Let’s proceed with this blog post. But hardly anything can be worse than suddenly realising, maybe too late on in your pregnancy, that smoking for example does not only harm you but also can seriously harm your precious unborn baby. Unfortunately, you do not have to be a smoker yourself to suffer from cigarette smoke! Passive smoking can be just as bad for you and your baby.

This is one of the inescapable pregnancy facts that I really must stress!

Whilst I am not medically qualified, I’m a trained scientist and I can evaluate research findings with an experienced eye. I can therefore say that there is no doubting the research which has gone into smoking and health in recent decades.

So I can most definitely say that one of the most potentially disturbing pregnancy facts for smokers is that giving up smoking before you even become pregnant is essential!

OK, I know it is difficult – I went through the bad times of giving up many times myself but in the end I managed it.

Nonetheless, I genuinely think it would have been easier for me personally if we’d been planning on starting a family because I am sure we are all going to think much more about our baby’s wellbeing than our own.

Anyway, hopefully I have made my point so let’s move on to some less heavy pregnancy facts!

How about taking sufficient rest and avoiding stress? Sounds good to me, but giving up smoking can be pretty stressful so if you are planning to become pregnant, the sooner you start the better so you can have lots of lovely stress-free rest!

One aspect of pregnancy that particularly appeals to me is eating healthy high fibre foods including plenty of vegetables and fruits and taking low-fat milk, yogurt and other dairy produce in moderation but sufficient to keep your calcium levels good!

On the subject of food, one of the real problems is that it can be difficult to distinguish pregnancy facts from fallacies as the situation is so often surrounded with superstition or misconceptions (no puns intended!).

Like, the ‘wise’ old saying “you are eating for 2 now”.


This could hardly be worse advice in our modern society where many of us (me included) are eating at least partly for someone else already.

It’s without doubt that one of the most important pregnancy facts is that overeating is not only bad for you, but also for your baby.

In fact, research data released only this year (2011) has shown that obesity in pregnancy can lead to the baby’s DNA becoming altered so that he or she becomes much more prone to being obese in later life.

At the same time, it’s not only inevitable that you gain weight during your pregnancy but it’s also essential to do so in a controlled and well-informed way.

Chamomile : Growing Medicinal Herbs

Chamomile is one of the most common medicinal herbs that you can grow in your garden. It’s fairly easy to grow and with its many uses, especially as a medicinal herb, it definitely is a valuable addition to your home herb garden.

Grow Chamomile

Chamomile, grown for its daisylike flowers, prefers full sun outdoors. It grows up to twenty to twenty-five inches and is best planted in the ground than in containers. It’s also ideal for mass planting and landscaping provided that each plant is six inches apart. Soil has to be well drained with adequate nutrients, and like most sun-loving herbs, water only when the topsoil is dry to the touch.

One more helpful thing in relation to this subject. Propagation is through the seed. Additionally, starting chamomile from seed can be very tricky and challenging. It is better to start from a young seedling in a container then transplant in the garden once the plant has hardened. An established chamomile plant is very hardy and can tolerate almost any growing conditions.

Medicinal Properties

The key element in a chamomile plant is its flowers. Chamomile flowers are used as medicinal herb, cosmetic agent, herbal tea, aromatherapy ingredient and can even be tossed in salads and beverages.


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Its flowers have anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, nervine or nerve-soothing properties. As anti-inflammatory, it can be used to treat skin irritations, gingivitis, rheumatism, arthritis, and other painful swellings. As antispasmodic, it can be used to relieve stomachache and gas pain, menstrual cramps, indigestion, diarrhea and ulcer. It’s also a very good laxative. As nervine, it’s slightly sedative and can be used to induce sleep and dull pain. It also helps to alleviate anxiety and depression.

As a cosmetic agent, chamomile can lend anti-allergenic and soothing properties to beauty products. It’s sometimes added to soaps and lotions because it can soften the skin. It’s also great for aromatherapeutical applications because it has a calming effect and relieves mental and physical stress. It’s also used in shampoos for its sweet-smelling scent.

In addition, chamomile is not recommended as an alternative medicine for pregnant and breastfeeding women. It’s also anti-coagulant (blood-thinning) and vasodilative (nerve-dilating) and must be avoided, at all cost, weeks before and after undergoing surgery. Use with medications having the same effect is also highly discouraged.

How to Use


This wonderful and common medicinal herb is often use in the form of herbal tea. Dried flowers are added into boiling water then covered and steeped for at least ten minutes. Alternatively, you can also place them in a tea bag to eliminate the need for draining.

Dried flowers can also be used in a bath soak as a relaxing beauty regimen. They can also be made into potpourri and burned for aromatherapy. Commercial chamomile essential and massage oils are also available in the market. If you are in for an organic gastronomical treat, you can eat chamomile flowers fresh by tossing some into your salad or your favorite lemonade.

The uses and benefits of growing medicinal herbs in your home is plenty and truly amazing. Having chamomile, along with other common medicinal herbs will make your herb gardening more worthwhile.

To know more about growing medicinal herbs and other herb gardening technique, visit her site: http://www.GrowHerbsInfo.com. Nova Person is an herb expert and a gardener and her site is a collection of all her gardening wisdom and know-how that she learned from her twenty years of experience in growing and tending herbs.

FAQs On Kashayam Tablet

How are Kashayam/ Qwath tablets different from kashayam/ qwath?

The Kashayam Tablet/ Qwath tablets are just a diffferent presentation of the traditional kashayam/ qwath, achieved by cocentrating the kashayams/ qwath further and converting the same into tablet. There is no differnce in the efficacy of the product.

Is this form of presentation accepted in classical ayurveda?


Yes. Ayureda recommends concentration of kashayam/ qwath and conversion into tablet with the name ” Ghanavati”.

What are the advantages of kashaym/ qwath tablets?

They’re easily swallowable- taste immaterial, easy to carry, administration of correct dosage possible, enhances patient compliance and there is no preservatives added.

What does a kashayam/ qwath tablet contain?


A kashayam/ qwath tablet is made from 12gms of crude drug and is equivalent to 6ml of concentrated qwath/ kashayam.

What is the recommended dosage?

It’s recommend a dosage of 2-3 tablets twice daily before food with hot water.

Qwath/ Kashayam tablets available


1. Amruthotharam: For ama, fever and rheumatoid arthritis.

2. Ashtavargam : For all types of rheumatic diseases especially to the upper part of the body and cervical spondylosis.

3. Aragwadhadi : Indicated in skin diseases, fever, vomiting and indigestion. It’s also used to wash and cleanse the wounds.

4. Bruhatyadi : A very potent medicine for all type os urinary infections and inflamation of urinary tract.

5. Chiruvilwadi : Indicated for dyspepsia, indigestion, flatulence, haemorrhoids and fistula- in- ano.

6. Dasamoolam : For debility, acts as a nervine tonic and specially beneficial in rheumatic diseases and chronic diabetes associated with neuritis.

7.Dasamolla kaduthryam : For dry cough, asthma, chest pain, back pain and intermittent fever.

8. Dhanadanayanadi : Indicated for facial paralysis and hemiplegia.

9. Dhanwantharam : For post partum care, lumbosacral pain, bone and connective tissue injury and for strengthening the back of the body.

10. Drakshadi : Useful in pitha dominated diseases like fever, jaundice, anxiety, insomnia and alcoholism.

11. Gandharvahasthadi : For flatulence, low back pain, dyspepsia and constipation.

12. Gulgulluthiktakam : For all types of inflammation especially pertaining to connective tissues, bones and joints, in skin diseases, for wounds and relieving inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.

13. Guluchyadi : For all pitha dominated diseases, metabolic disorders, hyper acidity and peptic ulcer.

14. Indukantam : For relieving peptic ulcer and for relapsing fever and emaciation.

15. Karimbirubadi : Indicated in anaemia, jaundice, dyspepsia, nausea and vomiting.

16. Manjishtadi : For chronic skin diseases of vata kapha dominance.

17. Maharasnadi : For chronic rheumatism, arthritis and nervous disorders.

18. Mahatiktakam : Useful in all pitha dominated diseases, helps to heal all types of internal and external wounds and ulcers.

19. Patolakadurohinyadi : Skin diseases with kapha pitha dominance, small eruptions, fever, insect bites and jaundice.

20. Patolamooladi : This has special capacity to eliminate morbid materials from the body in all chronic skin diseases and in inflammatory conditions of the internal organs and constipation.

21. Pathyakshadhatryadi : Indicated in head ache with pitha dominance and migrane.

22. Punarnavadi : it’s diuretic, reduces generalized and local edema and useful in jaundice and anaemia.

23. Sahacharadi : Useful in sciatica, lumbar spondylosis, in all nervous weakness and rigidity.

24. Saptasaram : Highly effective in different conditions with proper adjuvants and indicated inindigestion, constipation, abdominal distention, menustral disorders and splenomegaly. Adjuvants used are jaggery, pippali powder, saindhavam and hingu powder.

25. Rasnasaptakam : For pain in hip, low back and legs, inflammations associated with the back, hip, thigh and calf.

26. Rasnadi : For all stages of ghout and other inflammatory conditions of skeleto muscular system.

27. Sukumaram : Indicated in hernia, constipation, menustral disorders, apana vayu disorders and other gynaecologic diseases.

28. Tiktakam : Blood purifier for skin diseases of pitha predominance and also useful for healing wounds and ulcers.

29. Varanadi : For obesity, internal abscess, appendicitis, head ache and loss of appetite.

30. Vasaguluchyadi Kashayam Tablet- Qwath tablet: Very effective in jaundice of various aetiology and anaemia. The adjuvants used are punarnava mandooram and mandooravatakam.


Teas To Help Stop Smoking

Can drinking tea actually help you quit smoking? In this article I am going to have a critical look at the assertion that drinking tea can help with quitting the deadly habit of smoking tobacco. I am aware that tea, especially green tea, has been shown to contain anti-oxidants. Oxidants are chemicals formed in the body due to a variety of reasons. Smoking is one reason why these chemicals are created. These chemicals are important because they react with cellular components causing cell damage. In turn this results in genetic damage and genetic damage is a step towards cancer. The anti-oxidants in green tea have been scientifically shown to mop up oxidants. Therefore, green tea can possibly help combat the carcinogenic effects of tobacco smoke to some degree.

The Claims of Tea Drinking
Remember to study this particular blog post really carefully, the issue and the options have many differences. Teas to help stop smoking? Are there any ingredients in tea that are of help in quitting smoking? There is no doubt that tea contains chemicals that can influence the body in a number of ways. At the same time, is there any sound scientific evidence that supports the claim that tea drinking helps, in any way, to quit smoking? There are teas that can act as an expectorant; that’s, they help to clear the chest of phlegm. Exponents advocate that drinking tea can relieve anxiety and reduce stress, detoxify the body, renew and improve lung function and suppress appetite. It’s claimed that peppermint tea helps to alleviate withdrawal symptoms such as nausea and supposedly helps curb nicotine cravings. It’s also claimed that drinking green tea can help to burn calories thus counteracting weight gain which is often a problem during the initial phase of the quit smoking process.

Teas to Help Stop Smoking- The reality

The scientific evidence for green tea having anti-oxidant properties is convincing. Therefore, green tea may actually help to reduce the risk of smoking related cancer. The worry of course is that the anti-oxidant properties of green tea may discourage smokers from quitting. The anti-cancer benefits are relative and do not equate to returning the smoker to the lung cancer risk of the non-smoker. Evidence in support of drinking tea to help reduce nicotine cravings is less conclusive. I suspect that many of the claims for tea drinking, as a quit smoking aid, are scientifically unsupported. As with many so called ‘natural’ products that are put forward to help stop smoking the benefits are perceived rather than real. They act as a psychological crutch. Nevertheless, this psychological aspect of the quitting process shouldn’t be underestimated. If someone honestly thinks that it helps, then it probably does.

In the final analysis, I’m of the opinion that the claim that drinking tea to help stop smoking is overstated. There is no doubt that green tea is a health tonic. On the other hand, as a quit smoking aid, apart from providing psychological support, there are no real benefits.

Prevention of Dog Arthritis


There are many things that can be done to prevent dog arthritis. It’s important to start prevention early on. Most people start good preventatives too late. Knowing the clinical signs of early arthritis can help you identify if your dog is suffering from dog arthritis. It’s important to understand and incorporate some of the more general things that can be done to prevent arthritis into your dog’s day-to-day life.

Prevention of Dog Arthritis:


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1) Daily Exercise Let’s face it, the average dog doesn’t get nearly the amount of exercise that it needs. Before dogs became domesticated, they would spend all day exercising by traveling from place to place looking for food. Dog as we know them today, spend most of their day sleeping. Why is that? Most dogs stay at home while their owners go to work. Do you think your dog is exercising while you’re at work? Probably not! They’re lounging around waiting for you to get home. At this point, most dogs are lucky if they can get 1-2 hours of exercise on any given day.

Daily Exercise is a very important key to the prevention of arthritis. There are many different exercises that you can do with your dog on a daily basis to keep them healthy and strong.

To go from arthritis exercise

2) Weight Management Dogs love to eat and that’s why we enjoy feeding them. Having said that, most dog owners don’t believe that their dog is overweight. Veterinarians refer to what is called a Body Condition Score (BCS) to determine a dog’s weight and body condition. In order to maintain the correct body weight for your dog, it’s important to know what their ideal body weight is. Below is the typical body condition scoring used by veterinarians. (Note: Studies have shown that dogs that are mildly to moderately obese live on average two years less.)

1. Emaciated

Ribs and lumbar vertebrae obvious, pelvic bones and all other bony structures obvious and prominent. Tail base prominent and bony.

There are many things that can be done to prevent dog arthritis. It’s important to start prevention early on. Most people start good preventatives too late. Knowing the clinical signs of early arthritis can help you identify if your dog is suffering from dog arthritis. It’s important to understand and incorporate some of the more general things that can be done to prevent arthritis into your dog’s day-to-day life.

1) Daily Exercise Let’s face it, the average dog doesn’t get nearly the amount of exercise that it needs. Before dogs became domesticated, they would spend all day exercising by traveling from place to place looking for food. Dog as we know them today, spend most of their day sleeping. Why is that? Most dogs stay at home while their owners go to work. Do you think your dog is exercising while you’re at work? Probably not! They’re lounging around waiting for you to get home. At this point, most dogs are lucky if they can get 1-2 hours of exercise on any given day.

Daily Exercise is a very important key to the prevention of arthritis. There are many different exercises that you can do with your dog on a daily basis to keep them healthy and strong.

Accentuated concave abdominal tuck Accentuated, severe hourglass shape to waist. No discernible body fat. Obvious loss of muscle mass.

2. Thin

Ribs and lumbar vertebrae easily seen with no fat cover. Pelvic bones obvious. Tail base bony with little soft tissue. Marked concave abdominal tuck. Marked hourglass shape to waist.

3. Optimal

Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and other bony structures easily palpable with slight fat cover. Tail base smooth with thin, soft tissue cover. Concave abdominal tuck. Smooth hourglass shape to waist.

4. Fat

One more beneficial fact in relation to this study. Ribs and lumbar vertebrae are difficult to palpate. Pelvic bones are palpable with moderate tissue cover. Tail base has fat deposition with moderate soft tissue cover. Concave tuck is decreased to absent. Loss of hourglass shape to waist with back slightly broadened..

5. Obese

Ribs and lumbar vertebrae are very difficult to impossible to palpate. Pelvic bones are difficult to palpate with thick tissue cover. Tail base is thickened from fat deposition with thick soft tissue cover. Abdomen is convex with or without a pendulous ventral bulge. Back is markedly broadened.

3) Joint Supplements This is a very important factor in the prevention of arthritis. But where do you start? There are so many different products out on the market today. Many of these supplements have different ingredient, so how to you know which to choose? There is also a huge pricing difference between many of the products. How do you know which one is the best? Let me explain some key points:

This is very important part of this subject matter. A. You Get What you Pay For! If you want a good joint supplement, you have to pay for it. Quality is key. Not all products are created equal. You should do your research. You should also trust the company that’s making the product to make sure that they’re using the best ingredients.

B. Chondroprotectants/Natural Anti-Inflammatories A good supplement should incorporate both chondroprotectants and natural anti-inflammatories. Most people think glucosamine is enough. Not so! An effective product should contain anti-inflammatories such as MSM or Cetyl Myristoleate along with chondroprotectants such as glucosamine and chondroitin.

A balanced approach and good quality ingredients is key to healthy joints.

Dr. James St.Clair, is the founder of TopDog Rehabilitation & TopDog Animal Health. He’s one of the nations leading experts on arthritis in dogs with regards to prevention and treatment.dog-arthritis dogs-with-arthritis/arthritis-dogs/signs-dog-arthritis

Arthritis Prevention Article Arthritis prevention may seem impossible to individuals, but there can be steps taken to help prevent arthritis from occurring.

Some Less Common Arthritis Types

There are more than one hundred different arthritis types, which are split into 3 main classifications. These are inflammatory arthritis, for example rheumatoid arthritis, non-inflammatory arthritis, for example osteoarthritis, and connective tissue/ autoimmune disease, for example lupus. Arthritis is a term generally used to describe inflammation within a joint, whilst rheumatism is a more general term used to describe aches and pains in or around the joint area. The 3 most common and well known types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. However, there are many rarer and less known types of the disease; we’ll explore some of these in this article.

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS); this is an inflammatory type of arthritis affecting the joints of the spine. After an inflammation attack, the body produces calcium which is laid down over the point where the ligaments attach to the vertebrae in the spine, causing a loss of flexibility. Eventually ankylosis can result, which is a fusing of the bones in the spine. Symptoms include sciatica type pain in the buttocks or thighs and stiffness.

A further beneficial idea related to this topic area. Reactive Arthritis (also known as Reiter’s Syndrome or Reiter’s Arthritis); this is an autoimmune type of arthritis that develops following an infection in another part of the body. It commonly develops in the knees and the back, and responds well to treatment. Symptoms include increased frequency of urination or pain on urinating, pain and swelling in affected joints, conjunctivitis type symptoms and small hard nodules which develop on the soles of the feet or the palms of the hand. Some people also experience recurrent mouth ulcers.


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Psoriatic arthritis; this is an inflammatory type of arthritis which often develops in people with the skin condition psoriasis. There are 5 forms of psoriatic arthritis, some of which can be severe if not diagnosed and treated. Symptoms include swelling, throbbing, redness and stiffness in the affected joints, particularly first thing in the morning or after a period of rest, a reduced range of movement in the affected joints and swelling to the fingers or toes.

Pseudo gout; this is another inflammatory type of arthritis, and, like gout, is caused by the formation of crystals in the joints. Nevertheless, unlike gout where crystals are formed by uric acid, they’re formed from a type of salt known as calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD). This build up of crystals causes swelling and pain in the knees, ankles, wrists and other joints. Symptoms include joint pain and swelling and a build up of fluid in the joint. The symptoms of pseudo gout can mimic the symptoms of gout and rheumatoid arthritis, making it difficult to diagnose at times.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JIA); this is an inflammatory type of arthritis which affects children under the age of sixteen. There are 3 main types of JIA; Oligoarticular (or pauciarticular) JIA, which is the most common form and which affects only a few of the joints, Polyarticular JIA, which affects more of the joints including the digits, and Systemic JIA (Stills disease), the rarer form of the condition, which is a more general illness of which joint pain is one symptom. Symptoms of JIA include stiff, swollen, reddened and painful joints which may feel hot to the touch. This can be accompanied by other symptoms such as a fever or rash.

Fibromyaligia; this is a connective tissue/ autoimmune type of arthritis and is found in the muscles and soft tissues overlying the joints. The cause of fibromyalgia is not yet fully known, but it’s thought to be due to a defective neurotransmitter function in the brain. Fibromyalgia can affect the whole body, and symptoms range from exhaustion, chronic fatigue, muscular pain and spasm, muscle twitching and a disturbed sleep pattern. Although there is no cure for fibromyalgia, there are treatments available that can relieve some of the symptoms.

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR); this is an inflammatory type of arthritis which most commonly affects people over the age of 65. It causes inflammation of the larger muscles in the body such as the muscles around the shoulders, neck, upper arms and hips. Although the cause of PMR is still unknown, it generally responds well to treatment. Symptoms include stiffness, aching or pain in the large muscles around the neck, shoulders and upper arms, which is often worse in the mornings or after sitting for long periods. Inflammation and swelling can also occur in the soft tissues around the joints.

If you suspect you may have one of these arthritis types, you should visit your doctor so that an accurate diagnosis can be made and appropriate treatment prescribed.

Is arthritis making your life a misery? Would you love to be able to relieve the pain and discomfort of this debilitating condition? Drop by our blog Arthritis Remedy for tips and resources on how to deal with the symptoms of arthritis. Also visit to read reviews of some of the most effective arthritis treatments available.

User deba27 writes: What is arhiritis? A group of diseases affecting joints or their component tissues. Several types of arthritis are recognized, and these can be divided into groups by their clinical course and pathologic appearance. There are 4 basic types of arthritis: inflammatory arthritis, degenerative joint disease, nonarticular rheumatism, and miscellaneous arthritis. Inflammatory arthritis is characterized by inflammation of tissues associated with joints.
 Connective tissue diseases, crystal deposition diseases, infectious arthritis, and spondyloarthropathies are examples of inflammatory arthritis. Connective tissue diseases are a group of acute and chronic diseases characterized by involvement of joints, connective tissue, serosal membranes, and small blood vessels. These diseases are divided into acquired disorders (for example, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, polymyositis, vasculitis) and rare hereditary diseases (for example, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome). Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common variety of inflammatory arthritis. It occurs in younger and middle-aged persons and is characterized by noninfectious inflammation of the synovium (joint-lining membrane) frequently associated with extraarticular manifestations other than in the joints. The etiology is unknown, but genetic, immunologic, infectious, and psychologic disturbances have all been suggested. The systemic disease follows a variable but slowly progressive course, marked by spontaneous flares and remissions.
 There are 3 groups of crystal deposition disease classified according to type of crystal involvement: gout (monosodium urate), pseudogout (calcium pyrophosphate), and calcific tendonitis (hydroxyapatite). Infectious arthritis is an inflammatory joint disease caused by the invasion of the synovial joint by living microorganisms such as gonorrheal, streptococcal, and staphylococcal bacteria. Such arthritis usually results from a generalized infection but may appear following local spread or after trauma.
The spondyloarthropathies are types of inflammatory arthritis characterized by involvement of the axial (central) skeleton (for example, the spine rather than the limbs). Ankylosing spondylitis and Reiter's syndrome are examples of the spondyloarthropathies. See also Connective tissue disease; Gonorrhea; Gout; Staphylococcus; Streptococcus; Uric acid. Degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) is a ubiquitous joint disease characterized pathologically by deterioration of cartilage lining the joints and new bone formation beneath the cartilage. The disease is very common in older persons and is thought to be inherent in the aging process. Degenerative joint disease is marked by a progressive stiffness, loss of function, and destruction of the larger, weight-bearing joints of the body. With advancing age, the continued slow damage causes increasing disability. See also Aging. Nonarticular rheumatism is a group of diseases, also called soft-tissue rheumatisms, that includes tendonitis, bursitis, tenosynovitis, and fibrositis. The etiology is unclear, but the disorder may relate to psychobiologic or sleep disturbances or muscular and soft-tissue abnormalities.

See also Bursitis; Rheumatism. Systemic diseases of other or unknown etiology may produce arthritis or joint destruction. There are neurologic, blood, and endocrine examples of these unusual rheumatic diseases. Disability can often result from arthritis but can be curtailed by general health maintenance, rest, and rehabilitation. Occupational and physical therapies can be helpful. Diagnosis of the particular type of arthritis is extremely important in choosing drug therapy. Rheumatoid arthritis can be treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and immunosuppressive drugs are also frequently used. Osteoarthritis is treated with anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. Cortisone compounds are also used to treat arthritis, but the dosage and duration of treatment must be carefully monitored because of significant side effects. Surgical treatment includes arthroscopic surgery and joint replacement. See also Autoimmunity.

Growing Asian Greens Outside of Asia

Asian food has become incredibly popular worldwide, so it’s no surprise to find that an increasing number of people are keen to grow their own Asian greens.

But what are Asian greens?


To give a short answer, they include a range of quickly grown brassica species, ranging from quite large Chinese cabbage to baby bok choy. In Western nurseries you will find a range of these (as seedlings and in the form of seed), although quite often the same types are given different names. A good example is pak choi, pak choy and bok choi, which although considered to be a type of Chinese chard, is a lot more like a type of spinach (which it’sn’t) than a type of cabbage!

Common Asian Greens

One other interesting part regarding this subject. Probably the best known Asian green is Chinese cabbage, Brassica pekinensis, which is also called Shantung cabbage. Cultivars or varieties include wong bok, Pe Tsai and Chihili, all which will mature in 8 to 10 weeks, unlike Chinese chard that takes only 5 to 6 weeks to maturity.

Generally Chinese cabbage is a crop that matures relatively quickly and has a nice high yield. Its flavour is considerably more delicate than regular cabbage, Brassica oleracea variety capitata.

There is also a Chinese flat cabbage (tat soi or rosette bok choy) that spreads out to form what looks like a deep-green posy with bright-white stems. Like the Chinese cabbage, it may be harvested after 2 months.

Mustard cabbage (gai choy) has more leaf than stem when mature, and so instead of just using the leaves, the whole plant may be cooked.

Chinese broccoli (gai larn) has long thin stems and large leaves. It produces white flower clusters that unlike the yellow pak choi flowers (which may be cooked with the leaves or eaten raw) should be discarded.

Chinese flowering cabbage (choy sum) look a lot like Chinese broccoli, both having long stems and rounded leaves. The flowering cabbage, though, has little yellow flowers. Like the broccoli flowers, they may be eaten in bud form, but otherwise should be discarded.

How to Plant Potatoes

In spite of this, like all brassicas, when the plant starts to flower (or bolt), it’s generally considered to be past its prime for eating. Even so, if you get in quickly enough, or if a young plant “bolts”, you can sometimes nip it in the bud, so to speak. Just chop of the newly formed flowers and hold thumbs it’ll continue to grow.

While the general rule is not to eat the flowers of brassicas, there are people who swear that the bolting stems of pak choi in particular are absolutely delicious. The word is that a bolting stem is best JUST BEFORE the flower buds open fully.

Commonly, Asian greens should be grown in a nice rich soil that’s fertilised regularly. It should also be watered often. While they grow well in winter, they do not like frost. In tropical regions it’s possible to grow them all year round.

Annette Welsford is the co-author, editor and publisher of international best selling books How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes and How to Grow Great Potatoes.

The books, which are available for online purchase, are considered the authoritative “bibles” on Growing Tomatoes and Growing Potatoes. They have been purchased by many thousand gardeners in eigthy-three countries, and have been featured on TV, radio and in leading gardening publications and newspapers in four continents.

Chiropractic Is Effective & Natural for Arthritis

Chiropractic has proven to be an effective treatment method for those suffering with arthritis. This is especially true with osteoarthritis, which is the most common type by far. The term arthritis comes from the greek word ‘arthro’ which means joint and ‘itis’ which means inflammation. Putting it together, arthritis simply means joint inflammation which may

Three Major Factors To Quality Arthritis Home Remedies

Determining the Quality


Have you tried to sort through the masses of alleged arthritis home remedies on the internet? Have you ever wondered what makes a remedy effective and how we can distinguish the good ones from the bad? Well, it all boils down to a few key factors that we can apply to any new remedy we would like to try.

Why don’t we go on with this post. At first glance, there are a few questions we need to ask ourselves when trying out any new arthritis home remedies. Does it reduce inflammation? And if so, how does it? Does it provide nutrients to aid in the rebuilding process of lost connective tissue due to arthritis? Does it prevent arthritis from occurring in other joints of my body? Or could it help me lose weight to prevent the extra strain on weight barring joints affected by arthritis (if that’s a factor)?

There are a few ways your arthritis home remedies can reduce inflammation in your body. Creating alkalinity to reduce inflammation is a good start. Alkaline remedies can also have a number of other amazing health benefits.

Alkalizing Arthritis Home Remedies


When we consume alkaline foods, drinks or other remedies, we create an alkaline pH balance within our body. When our body is in an alkaline state, it’s much harder for it to create inflammation, thus we can reduce our joint pain and the progression of the disease simply by consuming foods or drinks on the high side of the pH scale. Alkaline arthritis home remedies must have a pH higher than seven, or contain substances that create a pH higher than seven.

The majority of easy to make arthritis home remedies are drink concoctions made up of a combination of alkalizing anti-oxidants. The most common remedies I see recommended are simple drinks with added alkaline vitamins such as a glass of plain water with a slice of lemon or lime.

You may be thinking… Are not lemons and limes acidic? Yes, they’re acidic by nature, but they contain vitamins such as vitamin C that has the ability to create an alkalizing effect on the body once absorbed. The same thing can be said for the majority of citrus fruits.

These 2 simple remedies serve as a triple threat to arthritis. They alkaline, hydrate and detoxify, which brings me to another key factor to creating your own arthritis home remedies.

Anti-oxidants for Arthritis Home Remedies


There is a growing theory that low amounts of dietary anti-oxidants can cause and contribute to the development and progression of arthritis. It makes sense when you understand the oxidative damage that can be caused by a low intake of anti-oxidants. Luckily, incorporating anti-oxidant rich foods can drastically reduce oxidative damage on our body and be easy and delicious.

There are many drinks and snacks we can whip up at home that can provide us with a hefty dose of anti-oxidants. The majority of vitamins are detoxifying on the body; as long as you’re intaking naturally sourced vitamins and not synthetic vitamins.

This isn’t to say that all vitamin supplements are synthetic. Some are natural and some are synthetic. If you cannot tell the difference, just make sure to buy your vitamins from a health food store and not a drug store.

Berry or vegetable mixes are amongst my favorite arthritis home remedies. I know that right off the bat these do not sounds overly interesting, but as I said, a good arthritis home remedy can be as simple as a glass of water with lemon or lime.

Berries can provide a strong dose of anti-oxidants with little effort. You can whip up a berry smoothie with only a handful of blueberries, 3 or so strawberries and maybe even a half a banana for a bit more flavor.

This one berry smoothie can provide 3 out of the 5 keys factors to great arthritis home remedies.

Want to learn more about arthritis home remedies or natural arthritis cures? Just click the links and check them out.

Embracing the Aging Process

With each day that passes, we not only become wiser but our bodies change and we inevitably will begin to show the signs of aging. Then again, instead of turning towards cosmetic enhancements let’s look at what the generation ahead of us does to embrace the aging process.

Below are five habits of successful anti-agers:


1. Avoid smoking and second hand smoke – Smoking is hazardous to your health, but did you know that tobacco smoke can double or even quadruple your risk of heart disease, stroke and not to mention raising the odds of lung cancer. Inhaling second hand smoke will also increase the risk of heart disease by thirty percent and lung cancer by twenty-five percent. And if that weren’t enough, as you age your skin will become more fragile and smoking will contribute to the damaging of the skin and appearance of wrinkles will be enhanced.

Remember to examine this content extremely carefully, the problem and the answers have numerous differences. b 

2. Make time for fun – Studies have shown that people who work long hours are more likely to develop high blood pressure. In one study, the risk of a fatal heart attack was nearly three times higher for those who did not take a break from work-related fatigue. Do not allow this to occur, instead be sure to leave your work at work. Enjoy your time at home with family and friends and most importantly learn to relax and simply enjoy life.

3. Avoid fast food – The successful anti-agers stay away from fried foods and soft drinks. They’re aware that consuming fast foods not only raises the odds for gaining weight but may also lead to chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is not only uncomfortable but can also age your body, inside and out. Moderation is important but if you can avoid fast foods, your body will thank you.

4. Sunglasses and hats – Have you noticed how often the older generation go outside without head covering or sunglasses? The answer is almost never! They wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from the sun’s ultra-violet rays and reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration which can lead to blindness. They also wear protective clothing to avoid skin damage and stay cooler during the warmer months. Very rarely will you see them without hats, shades, long sleeves, or umbrellas to shade the sun.

5. Health Screenings – Perhaps one of the most important tips is this one. Checking their cholesterol levels, blood pressure as well as blood sugar and testing for cancers of the breast, cervix and colon are all precautions that every successful anti-ager is aware of. Not only will it keep them safe, but getting testing regularly will help catch conditions in the earliest most treatable stages.

We all know that we’ll age and that’s inevitable. However learning from the successful anti-agers that are truly enjoying life is something we should not avoid. After all, isn’t our goal to live our life to the fullest? Implementing the above tips early on will help you embrace the aging process gracefully.

Dr. Daisy Sutherland, aka Dr. Mommy is a doctor, mom, wife, author and speaker. Her love of helping others has branched to blog talk radio and syndicated radio shows.

Dr. Mommy’s Mission: To help you find the balance necessary to achieve success in your life, your health and your family…To learn more visit:http://wholisticfitliving.com/

Do not Reinvent The Wheel | How to Quit Smoking

So often when we want to make big changes in our life and ask the big questions such as how can I quit smoking, we either try to go our own way or we attempt to reinvent the wheel and find a new solution.

There is very little in this world that hasn’t already been sorted out by someone else. There are possibly no human problems that have not already been faced and solved by hundreds of thousands or possibly millions of people already.

When it comes to quitting smoking you have many options. You can try to solve it yourself by biting the bullet and trying to push through the difficulties. You could try some new method that you think may just work for you, but it is mostly you’ll fail.

Why don’t we proceed with this story. Apart from trying to reinvent the quit smoking wheel the other thing that humans aren’t good at is asking for help. Some see it as a failure; some believe they should stand on their own 2 feet and solve all their own problems.

Asking for help is actually being more human. It is about recognizing that we’ren’t the experts in all fields and that others expertise can be tapped into.

Finding someone you can trust to help you quit smoking is not difficult. Finding the most successful method isn’t difficult either. A simple search will determine that hypnosis is the most successful long term quit smoking method.

My belief is that If I work with someone for my health I want a specialist and not a jack of all trades. If a practitioner advertises that they do hypnosis or NLP for a long list of problems then I look elsewhere.

The reason is simple. It can take a few years to refine a treatment strategy to the point where it’s successful most of the time. It takes a certain amount of early trial and error in developing quality, successful hypnosis scrips.

It takes time to learn how to gain good rapport with clients and instill in them the confidence that they’ll be successful. It can take years to pick up the subtle messages and change the session to accommodate them.

E.g. A smoker who smokes to manage their stress is different from one who smokes in social situations and is very different to one who smokes in order to exert some degree of control over their lives when they feel that many aspects of their lives are being controlled or out of control.

Do not reinvent the feel, do seek expert help and above all do make a 100% decision to quit smoking now.

And now for more free info on quitting cigarettes go to http://www.60minutestoquitsmoking.com/

Your FREE membership to the Wellness Center Community go to http://www.60minutestoquitsmoking.com/thewellnesscentre

Wishing you the best of health Ian Newton

Ginger Oil & Its Pain-Relieving Properties for Arthritis

Ginger has been used in Asian medicine for thousands of years. It was written about in Chinese as well as Sanskrit texts, and the Romans and the Greeks had a lot to say about this versatile herb as well. Europeans started to use it as a spice and condiment around the 10th century.

There are over one hundred different forms of arthritis. The most common form, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) is a result of trauma to the joint, infection of the joint, or age. Other arthritis forms are rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and related autoimmune diseases. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection. People with arthritis have pain

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that’s chronic in nature, and affects not only tissues and joints, but also other organs at later stages of the disease. The exact cause of the disease is yet to be found out, and unfortunately, there is no complete cure for the disease. Medicine and certain lifestyle changes can Arthritis is a condition which is related with the inflammation of joint. Though there are different types of arthritis but all types of arthritis is related with the inflammation of joints. People suffering from this problem have common complaints which include joint pain, swelling and stiffness. The problem of arthritis can be described as the Before we delve into the remedies for arthritis, it’s important to understand the 2 main types of arthritis. There are over one hundred types of arthritis but they all go under the heading of these 2 main branches: This is my burden in life, the main type and the one most often suffered. Osteoarthritis mean

How To Treat It? Foot Arthritis

Foot arthritis could be described as one of the more common forms of arthritis. The problem with the foot is that it consists of twenty-eight bones and thirty joints, of which any are susceptible to arthritis. If arthritis develops in any of these joints, its going to affect the way you walk, run and move in general. The joints in the foot which are more commonly affected are: the big toe, the ankle, the mid foot and the hind foot joint.

The most common form of arthritis which develops in the foot is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the result of getting older, and essentially wear and tear on the joints and cartilage. The cartilage wears down, and the bones rub together resulting in pain and swelling.

Please understand the next few paragraphs with care, the situation and the options have a lot of different versions. Traumatic arthritis is a common form of osteoarthritis that develops in the foot of a patient following some form of severe injury. This can develop in the foot even when the injury was treated correctly, and given time to recover fully. The most common forms of traumatic foot arthritis are a torn ligament, broken bone or severe sprain.

There are various symptoms and indications of foot arthritis, which should alert the sufferer to the condition immediately. These symptoms include swelling, tenderness, pain, stiffness and reduced mobility of the affected joint. All these symptoms will eventually lead to a difficulty in walking.

For a doctor to properly diagnose foot arthritis, a serious of tests and physical examinations will need to be performed. The doctor will also require information about your health and lifestyle to give clues on the complexity of the condition. The next step is to perform a walking analysis. In performing this walking analysis, the doctor will measure your stride and test your ankle and foot strength. Certain diagnostic imaging tests may also be required to further diagnose your condition- theses may include and X-Ray, CT or MRI scan.

After fully evaluating your foot arthritis, your doctor/physician will devise the most suitable treatment plan. There are many non-surgical treatments available, these include:

Taking anti-inflammatory medication

Steroid injection

Foot brace or cane usage

Ankle and foot support usage

Physical therapy

The final treatment option is surgery, and is generally reserved as a ‘last resort’ when all other treatment methods have failed. The key to effectively treating arthritis is early diagnosis. Do not ignore those sensations of stiffness and soreness; see a doctor as soon as possible, so that you have the best chance of treating your foot arthritis.

Excellent comment on the subject:

Arthritis is a degenerative condition that can be caused by normal wear and tear on the joints over a long period of time. Eventually joint cartillage can wear down and then you have bone grating on bone, which is very painful. Think of joint cartillage like a brick wall. Your body is the bricklayer, and time is the enemy firing weapons at your wall. Your bricklayer is pretty good at putting up bricks, but he has a very sporadic supply train (blood) giving him replacement bricks and mortar. If there was a way to increase the supply train, your bricklayer would be able to work faster. He’ll never be faster than the enemy, but he can stall defeat. In my clinic we counsel clients theat treatment of arthritis is a three-pronged approach. 1) control pain and inflammation. This is achieved through the use of drugs such as NSAIDS (Rimadyl, Previcox, Deramaxx) or when these drugs become innefective, you can advance to the cortisone drugs. 2) Give the joints what they need to repair themselves (think back to your bricklayer.) This means fortifying his diet with the building blocks of cartillage- glucosamine and chondroitin. Plus, there is exciing new research that an amino acid (chromium ethylester- sold under the brand name Rejuvinate) has a catalytic effect on the glucosamine and chondroitin, making them work even better. 3) Retain muscle mass and range of motion. Mild exercise (several short walks per day- no more than what is comfortable for your dog) is very beneficial in the treatment of arthritis. There are also veterinary physical therapy centers that have underwater treadmills for dogs also, so that they can walk without thier full weight on the joints. Swimming is great, too! At the end of the day, addressing the problem of arthritis from all 3 angles will give yout the best result and make him comfortable for the longest period of time, but ultimately your dog will reach a point where he’s no longer having a good quality of life. No one knows your dog like you, so no one besides you- not even your vet- can know when he’s ready to give up the fight. Best of luck, and my heart goes out to you. IM me if you want any other info. And apologies for the typos- i'm typing with a broken wrist!

Surviving Glycemic Diets (Ketogenic, Low-Carb or Atkins):

1.The first step to living a Glycemic Diet Lifestyle is knowing what you can have, and have lots of. This includes a large variety of vegetables and fruits. The best you can do is eating five vegetable servings of cup per day and four cups of fruits (Please be selective) per day.

2.Remember that eating refined white flour, white potatoes, white rice to your body, is like eating sugar, making a diet high in “White Stuff”, typically, breads, rolls, bagels, pretzels, and crackers made from white flour – a high sugar diet. Whole grains mean extra fiber, which aids in weight loss. Not only does the fiber fill you us quickly with fewer calories, but is also eliminate some of the calories you eat. Fiber can go through the digestive system so quickly that some of the calories never have a chance to actually digest.

3.Try to eat two or three calcium – rich foods every day. Calcium not only supports your bones and helps prevent osteoporosis, but it also helps prevent colon cancer, high blood pressure, and PMS. Calcium may also lower your body fat.

You should read through the next few paragraphs thoroughly, the matter and the fixes have quite a lot of different versions. 4.Beans are the highest-fiber foods you can find, with the exception of breakfast cereals made with wheat bran. Beans are high in soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels, and foliate, which lowers levels of homocysteine, another risk factor for heart disease.


Diets That Work – ‘Burn’ Fat Faster With This Diet – YouTube: Visit: diets that work

5.People who eat nuts regularly have less heart disease and other illness than people who avoid them do. There are compounds found in most nuts called tocotrienols. You just have to limit the amount of nuts that you eat. The best thing to do is to chop your favorite kind, keep them in your fridge and sprinkle two Tablespoons a day on your food.

6.People who east fish twice a week have fewer fatal heart attacks. Fish is rich in Omega-3 fats, which have the ability to prevent the development of a dangerously irregular heartbeat. Fish is a good source of protein, which promotes satiety – the feeling of fullness you look for in a meal.

7.Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day, plus a cup or more of tea. Water is so important to our body. Water also helps to metabolize the fat. Big water drinkers also appear to get less colon and bladder cancer. Every cup of tea you drink provides a strong infusion of anti-oxidants that help keep blood from clotting too easily and that may help lower you risk of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.

8.Try to stay within a healthy fat budget and watch the type of fats you consume. Get most of your fat from Cold Pressed Virgin Olive Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Borage oil or Walnut Oil. You may use Butter and creams for your daily dose of Vitamin E, but remember that you only need a little.

9.What nutrition you cannot get from your foods, you can take in a pill. Just remember to be sensible. Most vitamins won’t dissolve in your stomach, or your intestines. Make sure that your vitamins are food source or they can cause vitamin toxicity in your liver. If you’re eating correctly, non-processed foods being 95% of your diet, then you should be getting all that you need. If you feel you need more nutrition, only take of the amount of vitamins that have been recommended. Remember that your body will store what it does not use, and if it stores too much, you can be asking for trouble.

10.Be careful with the choices you have in your diet. You carry with you a guide for the amount of meat that you should eat in a day. Make of fist and put it down on a piece of paper with the little finger down against the surface. That’s the size of meat that you should be eating in a day. Make sure that your choices in meat are free of other chemicals that can interfere with your health or medication.

D.S. Epperson is the top formulator for Home Blend Gourmet / South Pacific Health, a leader in the functional food industry in the U.S. With twenty years of experience in Nutritional Biochemistry, she has written reference books on botanicals and manufacturing of medicines from botanicals, and published articles on health, fitness and foods. She has formulated over 240 formulas and inventions for health, the environment and agricultural uses, and continues to research and study microbial advantages in nutraceuticals and functional foods. For more information or to view the articles that she has written: http://www.sugarblend.com

What Is Osteoarthritis of the Knee & What Is the Treatment?

Articular cartilage is the gristle that caps the ends of long bones. It consists primarily of a matrix of proteoglycans which are complex arrangements of proteins and glycogen molecules. The proteoglycans exist within a framework of tough collagen fibers. Within the proteoglycan matrix are cells called chondrocytes. These cells are the ones that are responsible for the synthesis of proteoglycans. In fact, the normal maintenance of cartilage integrity is highly dependent on the normal metabolic function of these chondrocytes.

Healthy cartilage can withstand the usual loads that accompany the activities of daily living. Cartilage, when loaded, acts as a shock absorber. It’ll partially deform but springs back to its normal shape under normal circumstances. It also provides a gliding surface which is enhanced by a small amount of synovial fluid, produced by the joint lining, that acts as a lubricant.

This is often really important part of this topic. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of articular cartilage. It arises as a result of the inability of cartilage to keep up with excessive breakdown. The first step is a disturbance in the matrix. This causes loss of cartilage resiliency. Of course, proteins that promote inflammation (called inflammatory cytokines) are produced by the joint lining. These cytokines activate destructive enzymes, called proteases. The proteases degrade the matrix and cause the chondrocyte to malfunction.

The inflammatory cytokines cause the production of other bad chemicals including nitric oxide and matrix metalloproteinases. These cause further cartilage breakdown.

Over time, cartilage wears away, underlying bone is exposed, and joint deformity occurs. Pain and disability are the end result.

The knee is a particular target of osteoarthritis.


With the aging demographic as well as the increasing incidence of obesity, knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a significant public health problem. Significant disability can result and health care dollars are being spent at an astonishing rate for total knee replacement. The 2003 National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement on Total Knee Replacement estimated that the mean total cost of a knee replacement in the United States was 35,000. That figure is obviously higher now. And the dollar cost doesn’t factor in the potential for complications.

More than half a million knee replacements occur annually and that figure will continue to rise.

Non-surgical treatments by and large are palliative. These include education, weight loss, analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), braces, physical therapy, exercise, and injections of glucocorticoids and viscosupplements (lubricants).

Investigational therapies aimed at either increasing the production of matrix and/or collagen or reducing the amount of inflammatory cytokines are being scrutinized but so far, there is little cause for optimism.

More recently, the use of autologous stem cells, have been shown to have promise for KOA.


(Wei N, et al. Guided mesenchymal layering technique for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. J Applied Research. 2011; 11)

Nathan Wei, MD, FACP, FACR is a rheumatologist and Director of the Arthritis Treatment Center http://www.arthritistreatmentcenter.com. He’s a former Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and consultant to the National Institutes of Health. For more info: Arthritis Treatment

If you are a Male You Should Be Concerned :: The Effect of Nicotine

We all know that smoking kills. And we also know that the chemicals that exist in cigarettes such as tar and especially nicotine are the main reason for our smoking addiction. Like most drugs, nicotine stays in the body, even when you’re not smoking.

Beside the normal attributes of nicotine addiction such as high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer there are more disturbing evidence that nicotine contributes to erectile dysfunction. The fact that less blood flows through your body due to blocked arteries, mean less testosterone is produced and the likelihood of erectile dysfunction increases

You should read this short article with care, the matter and the answers have a variety of differences. Nicotine dependency will be directly related to what kind of smoker you’re the longer you smoke and the more you smoke the greater your dependency on nicotine. Those who smoke socially will have nicotine trace in their blood for few days while other heavy smoker can expect the nicotine trace to last for up to thirty day

To accelerate the process of getting rid of nicotine in your blood stream try these few simple steps

Drink plenty of water- water is been known to remove toxin out of your body and it’ll assist in removing nicotine from your blood stream. Take antioxidant and vitamins to try rebuilt and cleanse your body. Exercise, be active your brain will use some of its resources while you’re active leaving fewer resources to peruse the addiction

The good news is that our body is capable of repairing the damage caused by smoking. Once you stop smoking your body will start the healing process, the nicotine will be removed from your blood stream and the addiction will gradually disappear!

If you would like some more information,a place where you can ask a question and get some tips and advice on different methods of giving up smoking please drop by at quit smoking advice.

Here’s How – Quit Smoking

Trying to quit smoking is definitely not one of the easiest things to do in life, some people would rather eat sand than having to go through the withdrawal period. Cigarettes is one of the most socially accepted drugs in most countries, it’s definitely not illegal, it may just be illegal to smoke in certain places, but it’s not a banned drug.

As with everything in life, trying to kick the dirty habit’s all about choice, however, easier said than done as most smokers would say.

Here’s how:

The first thing is to make a conscious decision to quit, not a conscious decision to try to quit. Our brain sometimes does funny things to us and because we sincerely know it would be the right thing to do, we practice a little mercy on ourselves and put the words “will try to quit” in our sub-conscious mind, meanwhile, telling family and friends we’ve decided to quit and then going through the painful, agonising withdrawal period only to relapse. It’s called denial! Take a moment, sit down and have a heart-to-heart with yourself. List the pros and cons of it if you need to see it in black and white. This is also effective in actually helping you to see that there really is no pro’s to it. How can there be when with each puff, you’re hurting yourself and your organs and with secondary smoke, hurting the ones you love most. It starts with a sincere intention which comes from understanding why you need to, not want to, but need to quit smoking, then making the conscious choice to quit, and then comes the hard work by following through on your decision. This is by no means easy so get professional help if you need to. Avoid people, places and things that would normally cause you to light one up. Avoid those three things at the beginning of the process, but manage them at a later stage because you can’t be avoiding the rest of the world nor reality, you’ll encounter smokers at some time or the other during your time of quitting.

Most smokers who finish a packet a day will admit that most of it’s due to habit and not actual craving.

You can only manage what you can control. Monitor yourself when you have a craving. How long does it last? What happens to you during that time? Ask yourself if you’ll be able to manage it when it happens again?

Also, to entertain the thought of a craving is to validate it, so don’t pay too much attention to it, otherwise you’ll find yourself anticipating when the next craving will happen.

It certainly is a process to quit smoking, so be conscious of that, but don’t use it as an excuse to relapse. Relapsing is a choice too.

This is often a very important section of this specific subject. So it really helps to think of the benefits to your organs, especially your lungs, think of all the money you’ll be saving, you’ll be able to taste better, you’ll be increasing your chances of a longer healthier life and of those loved ones around you. The pros of quitting definitely outweighs any craving.

Considering Different Aquaponics Designs Will Make Things Cheaper & Easier

By considering the different aquaponics designs that might suit your needs, you’ll start off on the right foot when starting your own sustainable organic garden. Many people make the mistake of rushing into building an aquaponics system, without fully considering and understanding what makes a system like this work in the first place.

Rushing into a project like this will likely result in higher maintenance and ongoing expenses that can be avoided if you take the time to set up your system properly from the very start. If you’re interested in building a home aquaponics system in the cheapest and most time-efficient manner, then part of your research should include how to use recycled materials, and how to convert household items into usable supplies.

The Most Common Designs Are All Trying To Achieve The Same Thing

Let us go on with this short post. 3 of the most common aquaponics designs that are used to set up a home aquaponics system are elevated grow beds, an aquaponics raft, and a backyard solar pond. Regardless of the basic design that you choose, you really should understand what we’re trying to accomplish first, and then choosing the right set up for your needs will become much easier.

Successful aquaponics is all about biological balance. All of your efforts will be centered on balancing the amount and number of fish, plants, and bacteria – so that each of these parts is in the right proportion to sustain the other two parts.

Aquaponics GA – YouTube
Creating a system that will sustain itself will require effort for the first few weeks and possibly months, but the payoff will be worth your efforts. Sustainable organic gardens can provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber on an ongoing basis that’s more nutrient dense and far cheaper than what you can get in a health food store.

Most of the time, you can create the proper biological balance in an aquaponics system in a week or two. You’ll first condition the water that the plants and fish will live in, by encouraging the growth of healthy bacteria.

By encouraging bacteria to grow in the water, you’ll be reducing the harmful chlorine in the water and creating the fish waste conversion system at the same time. The bacteria will decompose the fish waste and ammonia into usable nitrates that the plants will absorb through their roots. As the plants take up these vital nutrients, they’ll also clean the water for the fish.

Why The Design of the System is Important

The design of the system will ensure that the dirty water is circulated from the fish to the plants, and that the purified water will move from the vegetables back to the fish again. As an example, if you use elevated grow beds, the system will use gravity to drain the water from the vegetation back to where the fish are. This water movement does 2 things. It reduces the pH levels of the water where the fish are, while simultaneously aerating the water for the fish. Both of these processes happen naturally in freshwater rivers and lakes, and that’s why you see so many fish in these places.

The other important consideration when you’re researching which aquaponics design to use, is to determine if you may possibly want to scale up your system at a later date. Many people can envision either increasing the size of their harvests of fresh fish and vegetables, while others hope to grow their system into a commercial aquaponics business.

By taking the time to reflect on your own goals and needs, and by learning about the types of systems that can meet those needs, you’ll be in a much better spot to start building your own aquaponics self-sustaining system.

Robert Alekson has been growing organic fruit and vegetables for over twenty years. If you’re interested in learning more about the different aquaponics designs that you should consider.

Container Vegetable Gardening

Container vegetable gardening is a great concept that will help people to do gardening even if they’ve a space constraint in their houses. Especially, those who live in apartments and condos will definitely find this concept highly useful. The best thing about this gardening is that you can have this garden anywhere inside your home. The only point you should ensure is to have a good ventilation and sunlight in the place you choose. The place should also be comfortable to work in.

You should buy the containers of the right size so as to fit the space you choose. The containers that are already available with you can also be used. There are no hard and fast rules about the sizes of the containers. They should be of the right size to accommodate the plants you choose to grow in your container vegetable garden. The point that’s being emphasized here is that the roots of the plants should be able to grow. The containers shouldn’t be very heavy because you may like to move them when there is a need. Drainage holes should be there along the sides slightly above the bottom. For improving the drainage, you should put a one inch layer of gravel in the bottom of the containers.

This may very well be very important part of this topic. The greatest advantage in container vegetable gardening is that the usual hassles that are associated with out-door gardening such as unfavorable weather conditions, soil-borne disease, and poor soil conditions are either not there or can easily be avoided in this.

The plants that can be grown in such containers are eggplant, green onions, beans, etc. You can also grow peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, and squash. Those who have tried this type of gardening have succeeded in growing even cucumbers and pole beans. The only thing these plants need is a little extra care and a little more space because they need vines for their growth.

You should understand that synthetic soil is very good for this type of gardening because this soil is quite light and drains well. This synthetic soil is also capable of holding moisture and nutrients. The composition of this soil is compounds that include wood chips, sawdust, vermiculite, peat moss or perlite.

If you want to get this synthetic soil, you can get it from the local retailer who sells gardening items or you can make this mixture yourself. Superphosphate, horticultural grade vermiculite, limestone, peat moss and garden fertilizer are mixed in the right proportions to make this synthetic soil mixture.

In short, if you do your container vegetable gardening properly, you’ll not only enjoy the experience but you’ll be able to grow useful plants also.

Phil Faustini, Grandson of Stephen Follett, creator of “Watch Us Grow”. In the 1940′s Stephen Follett developed this unique Plant Food. After many years of trials and experiments on all types of plants and crops. 1952 was the year “Watch Us Grow” was made available to the public. Since then the positive testimonials have poured in from all over the world, from professional to novice growers “Watch Us Grow” has made believers out of them all. Go to http://www.allpurposeplantfood.com and try some for yourself to see why the gardening world is so excited about “Watch Us Grow”

How to Start Your Own Seed Bank for Organic Gardening

If you are a beginner organic gardener, you will need reliable seed sources to begin your seed bank. Even if you do not want to save seeds, many people are worried about their seeds sources, wanting to steer clear of genetically modified seeds. So, how do you know that the seeds you are buying are safe and good for organic production?

Research Farms: The first place to look are research farms, i.e., private research farms devoted to finding and applying ecologically sound techniques.

Seed Companies: Second look for seed companies that are devoted to selling open pollinated seeds. Open pollination happens when plants are left to reproduce on their own via wind, birds and bees. Hybrid seeds aren’t evil. Hybrids are crossbreeds of 2 or more vegetables bred for their strengths. For instance a farmer takes a tomato that usually lasts longer against certain diseases in his area, then he breeds it with a variety that’s known to produce early–if it produces early, it will never have a chance to develop disease. Both these properties combine to make a strong, early-to-market variety. Many other farmers might like the variety and would want to buy some of the seed. Well, they will have to buy seed from the original breeder unless they know the exact varieties he used to make the variety.

Organic seeds are produced

Selection: Third select 3 or 4 companies that fit the bill. Order something from each of them. It does not have to be a big order. Just order something small, gauge their customer service, and gauge their seeds. Plant and see what happens. If you’re satisfied, you could have several sources for seeds. The 3 seed companies I use are Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Bountiful Gardens and Southern Seed Exchange. I’ve no affiliation with these companies; however, they provide great customer service, ship quickly, and deliver on their promises.

Market Farmers: Another great seed sources are market farmers devoted to organic and open pollinated seeds. These guys and gals are growing specifically for market. If you buy their seed bearing produce, you will have seeds for you garden next season.

Avid Gardeners: These are your serious types, people who garden even in the cold of winter! If they are devoted to open pollinated seeds, they can be a great source of information as well as a great source for helping you start your own seed bank. They often have more seed than they can possibly grow in one season.

Open pollinated seeds are a great way to get started in preserving and expanding the diversity of our vegetable species. You are doing more than just growing beets and beans. You are learning a skill that will feed you and your family.

Winning the War Against Rheumatoid Arthritis

RA is a condition that forces half of patients to become disabled from the work force within 5 to 10 years… And reduces life expectancy by as much as eightteen years. RA affects about one per cent of the world’s adult population, most commonly women between the ages of thirty and 50.

The good news is that a tremendous amount of progress has been made within the last 10 years in identifying patients earlier and treating the disease more aggressively. Patients with RA, if treated appropriately, can lead a relatively normal life. This is in stark contrast to the wheel-chair bound existence common as recently as twenty years ago!

Experts in the field consider early rheumatoid arthritis to be a medical emergency with mortality and morbidity equal to that for diabetes, asthma, heart disease, and other life-threatening conditions.

Rheumatoid arthritis attacks the joints in a symmetric fashion (both sides of the body affected equally) with the most common areas being the hands, wrists, ankles, knees, and feet. In addition to the swelling and pain, patients with RA often have profound fatigue and stiffness.

All of this is really important part of this specific subject matter. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks not only joints, but internal organs such as the blood vessels, lungs, heart, and eyes. Patients with RA are at increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and lymphoma.

Since many other types of arthritis such as gout, lupus, and osteoarthritis can look like RA a careful diagnostic approach is needed.

Laboratory testing has its pitfalls. The rheumatoid factor, a blood test found to be positive in about eigthy per cent of individuals with RA, may also be positive in other disease conditions. Couple that with the fact that twenty per cent of patients with RA will be rheumatoid factor negative, then it becomes clear a diagnosis shouldn’t hinge on the results of blood tests alone.

Imaging procedures can also be misleading. Conventional x-rays often miss the erosions found with early disease. Newer imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound are much more sensitive.

After the diagnosis is made, there is even more hope for a patient today. In the past, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) used to be considered a cornerstone of therapy. That’s no longer true.

Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) are being used earlier. Among the DMARDS currently being used are methotrexate, leflunomide (Arava), azathioprine (Imuran), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), cyclosporine, and hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil). These drugs attack the immune cells responsible for chronic inflammation. While DMARDS alone in combination are effective, they’re relatively non-specific. Most times, combinations of DMARDS are required.

Biologic Response Modifiers (BRMS) can target the disease more specifically than DMARDS. RA is a disease that’s dependent on the signaling that occurs between immune cells. The signaling takes place through the use of special chemical messengers called cytokines. BRMS act at both the cytokine (chemical messenger) as well as the cellular level allowing the disease to be better controlled and in some instances put into remission.

Biologic response modifiers, which include drugs that suppress tumor necrosis factor (TNF), appear to be particularly effective.

Tumor necrosis factor is a protein that’s produced by the immune cells. TNF is the major culprit responsible for inflammation-inducing damage. By block the effects of TNF, better control of RA can be achieved.

3 anti-TNF drugs are currently available: etanercept (Enbrel), adalimumab (Humira), and infliximab (Remicade). Another biologic drug, anakinra (Kineret) blocks interleukin, a different cytokine.

These drugs allow patients to have their disease controlled to such an extent that most are able to enjoy a normal work and leisure existence.

Second line biologic agents such as Rituxan and Orencia allow rheumatologists to treat patients who have failed anti-TNF drugs.

On the horizon are other biologic drugs that work at different points in the immune system- on different cytokines and on different pathways- to allow even greater as well as more specific control of disease. Since rheumatoid arthritis is a disease with many different cytokine and cellular mechanisms responsible for damage, attacking the disease at different points makes sense. In the future it may be possible to identify patients through specific tissue signals (called “biomarkers”). These biomarkers will allow physicians to type patients and give patients the specific therapy that will work best for them. Once that’s achieved, the possibility of a cure becomes a reality.

Everything, though, starts with early accurate diagnosis. If damage is allowed to occur the chances for remission drop dramatically!

Dr. Wei (pronounced “way”) is a board-certified rheumatologist and Clinical Director of the nationally respected Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. He’s a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and has served as a consultant to the Arthritis Branch of the National Institutes of Health. He’s a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians. For more information on arthritis and related conditions, go to: Arthritis Treatment

How to Make a Year Round Vegetable Garden?

Have you ever wished for a year round vegetable garden that produces cherry tomato during winter or lettuce or broccoli during summer?

Vegetable Garden Planner: The Garden Planner makes it simple to create the perfect plans for your vegetable garden. It includes detailed growing information on all commonly grown vege…

If you’re staying in those parts of the world that have short seasons, you’ll find it difficult to grow a vegetable garden. This is because the next season will fall upon you before the plant bears fruit and thus stunts the plant growth. If you’re living in areas with short summer season, the winter will come when warm weather vegetables like tomatoes, egg plants etc starts bearing fruit and the adverse climate will stop the produce. So how can you grow a year round vegetable garden?

The solution to the short season is to extend the season that’s favorable for the growth of your plants. As it’s not possible to lengthen a season naturally, the best you can do is to simulate an environment similar to that season by artificial means. This could be done using green houses; or growing the vegetable garden indoors.

Be sure to evaluate this diligently, the matter and the alternatives have number of variations. Green houses are of three types – cold, cool and warm. This classification is based on the temperature that’s maintained in the greenhouse during night. Cold green house is warmed during the day time by the sunlight. A temperature of about twenty-eight degrees Fahrenheit’s normally maintained here. Frost sensitive plants couldn’t be grown here. Cool greenhouse has a temperature of fourty-eight degree Fahrenheit and during cold season the temperature is maintained by artificial means. Warm greenhouse should have a temperature of fifty-five degrees minimum and to maintain this temperature at night, the house has to be heated by artificial means. The temperature is usually maintained by using hydroponic lights. In cool greenhouses, vegetables that are frost sensitive could be grown and in warm ones all type of vegetables could be grown.

All of this is really important section of this specific issue. Depending on the type of green house and the types of vegetables that you plan to grow, seeding dates may vary. While selecting seeds for your greenhouse garden, choose the ones that are specifically made for greenhouse production. The crops that could be grown are tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, egg plants, squash, beans etc and lettuce, carrots etc. The seeds are sown on seedling mix with light consistency. This is for the roots to develop. Once the first 2 leaves come out, the sapling is transplanted to its pots. Regular garden soil is not normally used as it’s heavy and has poor drainage. Instead potting soil is used. It has to be watered daily and fertilizers have to be added regularly.

Though you could have your year round vegetable garden using green houses, there are some draw backs. The heating cost for warm greenhouse is very high especially if the winter season is too long. In summer seasons the temperature in the green houses has to be brought down for the proper growth of plants. Another draw back is that in the absence of bees for natural pollination, you yourself have to help in pollination.

With the help of greenhouses your year round vegetable garden can be grown.

Why don’t we go on with this post. Zack Wilson is an avid organic gardener, for more comprehensive information on how to alternative gardens visit my website where you’ll also find many articles on organic gardening, problems with gardening, easy steps to organic gardening, making money with your garden and much much more

Should You Be Composting?

Since there are a variety of uses for compost, you’ll find that people with assorted hobbies and occupations taking advantage of this eco-friendly resource.

Composting: Michelle from Pure2raw is making her first compost using organic soil, coffee grounds, juice pulp and shredded paper.

A home owner can utilize a compost bin or pile to decrease the amount of trash they’re discarding. An additional advantage is that they’re creating fertilizer for their potted plants or vegetable garden. Given that compost bins need green food (grass clippings) and brown food (organic waste) you can gather up clippings from your yard and toss them in your bin as well.

Also, crops on a farm can produce a large amount of waste. Farmers can take crop waste that’s not consumable and add that to a compost bin in conjunction with manure from any animals they’re raising. After the compost matures, and is ready, the farmer can use this substance for adding need nutrients to their soil; building up dips and low spots in their field; and to maintain healthy soil.

Composting: A mix of used coffee grounds,used coffee filters,shredded paper and leaves.

my compost
Mature compost also prevents those pesky weed seeds from growing.

Remember to evaluate this informative article with care, the matter and the options have alot of differences. Professional landscapers can make compost for their clients that request only natural or organic materials be used on their lawn and flower beds. This is a low-cost material for a landscaper to make use of that provides his customers with eco-friendly options that also have a low overhead cost.

If composting is something that would benefit you, but you do not have the time or space to maintain a compost heap, contact your local cities recycling center. Some of them will accept your organic waste and grass clippings for their city compost pile. The resulting compost will then be used in your city’s parks and gardens. A number of recycling centers will also let local residents use the cities mature compost for their own needs as well.

Let’s go on with this content page. In spite of this, schools will utilize compost to enlighten the students on the process of decomposition and to show children things we can do to help keep our planet healthy. Another added benefit’s the cost savings for the school in up keeping the grounds and parks.

Carrots: Easy to Grow & Children Love Them

What we know today as carrots started out centuries ago as a bitter, pithy root. Since then, they’ve been bred and selected to grow orange and sweet, popular all around the globe. They date back at least 5,000 years. Pollen from carrots dating back even further has been found at neolithic sites.

Allotment Diary : Sowing Planting Carrots using Seed Tape: Just a quick video of me sowing Carrots on the allotment using Seed Tape rather than Seed for the first time. I have never use…

The Latin name for carrots is Daucus carota, a member of the Umbelliferae family. The word “carota” appears in writings dating back to two hundred AD.

Carrots started out as red, purple or yellow in color. The Dutch, in an effort to pay homage to their royal family, The House of Orange, bred orange carrots. These Dutch-bred orange carrots are the ancestors of our modern carrots.

Carrots will grow in soil that’s left unimproved after harvesting another crop for which the soil was improved. They like a sandy, well-drained soil free from rocks. If you have clay soils you will have better luck with round or “half-long” type carrots.

All of this is an important piece of this specific subject matter. Rototill or hand-dig the soil in your garden before planting carrot seeds. This will loosen up the soil, and make it easier for the carrots to grow down into it. They’ll also be more likely to grow straight. Bent and twisted carrots are the result of rocks or other foreign impediments in the soil that the carrots must find a way to grow around.

Let me continue with this story. Carrots even grow well in containers, as long as the container is twice as deep as the length of the carrots at maturity.

One other intriguing fact about this study. Sow seeds 2 weeks before your last frost. The seeds will germinate faster and at a higher rate the warmer the soil is when they’re planted. Make successive plantings every 2 weeks until mid-summer. Sow rather thickly and thin successively to a final spacing of two to three inches apart. The later, larger “thinings” can be eaten as baby carrots.

We should continue with this writing. Feed carrots plenty of potassium, (the third number on the fertilizer label), and go easy on the nitrogen (first number on the fertilizer label). Too much nitrogen can cause the carrots to branch and fork and makes the roots hairy and fibrous.

Carrots are a good companion plant for tomatoes. Both vegetables will benefit, growing lush green foliage and producing succulent tomatoes and carrots.

Home grown carrots are remarkably better tasting than grocery store varieties. Children often dig them up, brush the dirt off, and eat the carrot with the greens hanging down, like a certain cartoon bunny. I know I did

How to Grow Zucchini the Practical Way

If you want to start a vertical garden, learning to how to grow zucchini could be the first practical step to do so. Not only does Zucchini grow nicely into a vine, it does not take too much trouble to grow as well.

Zucchini belong to the family of pumpkins. The curious thing with this vine is that you can also cross breed this with squash and pumpkin. You can save the seeds resulting from the breed and have it planted the following year.

This vegetable are known to contain a good amount of Vitamin C. It also contains useful amounts of potassium, folate and vitamin A. The darker the zucchini, the more packed with nutrients it’s. And its color does range from yellow, light green to a more darker hue of gray and almost black.

Growing Zucchini Squash

To be able to successfully grow this vegetable, follow these simple yet practical steps detailed below:

Preparation:

The first step includes preparation of the area where you’re planning to plant the zucchini as well as preparing the seedling for planting. For the former, you need to choose a very good area to plant the zucchini seedling. If you already have an existing garden, you may want to plan carefully the layout of the crops as zucchini could grow broad leaves and it might overshadow other crops you may have planted.

How to Grow Organic Zucchini in Your Home Garden

As for the seeds, you need to have it planted in peat pots indoor a month before. This will ensure that the vines are germinated nicely and you would not have any trouble planting the vine without disturbing the roots. These preparation has to be done during the winter months so that by the start of spring, you’re all ready to plant in your garden.

Sowing:

Zucchini has to be spaced in such a way that they will not overrun each other and other smaller crops which you may also plan on planting. If you’re short on space, I strongly suggest that you plant the zucchini near the fence, trellis or lattice. Zucchini makes a beautiful vine. You just have to make sure that the poles are strong enough to support the weight of the vine.

Growing Zucchini In Containers

Adding some well rotted manure to the soil will help in the growth and development of the vine.

Care:

When watering the zucchini, you have to see to it that you avoid watering the leaves so as to prevent fungal growth. And at the first sign of mildew or insects on the vines, you have it off immediately. Some other pests and problems you need to be on the lookout for includes pests such as Cucumber Beetles and Vine Borers.

You also need to cultivate the ground regularly to deter the growth of weeds. However, adding some mulch will help preventing the growth of weeds as well as keeping the fruits clean.

Simple Steps to Making a Successful Vegetable Garden Plan :: Vegetable Garden Planning

If you have decided to start to grow your own vegetables at home, vegetable garden planning is a worthwhile investment of your time. Planning your veggie garden will enable you to save time, money, space and labor. A well planned garden can increase the duration of harvest time and produce an increased quantity of vegetables at harvest time. With careful planning, you can ensure that your vegetables mature at different times rather than all at once providing a regular harvest of the vegetables you require. Vegetable garden planning can seem to be an intimidating project when you’re just a learner. But it need not be that hard if you follow some simple suggestions.

Vegatable Garden

1) Draw a rough plan of your yard. Your garden planning needs to take into account how much space you can devote to your new pursuit. It’ll be easier to plan your vegetable garden if you first make a sketch of your yard, then go and measure it, writing your measurements on your sketch.

2) Decide on the size and location of the vegetable beds. How much of your yard will you devote to your veggie patch? Consider all your other outdoor activities and their space requirements. Select a position in your yard which will be suitable for growing vegetables. Not all positions will be appropriate. For example, most vegetables require at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day.

Vegetable Gardening : How to Control Ants in Vegetable Gardens: Simple organic solutions such as spraying peppermint oil or sprinkling diatomaceous earth in your vegetable gardens can control ants without hurting your pla…

3) Draw a measured plan of your vegetable garden beds Decide on what layout you would like for your vegetable garden. Rows? Raised garden beds? 4 square? Potager? Now draw your vegetable garden plan with a pencil on graph paper or use some garden design software.

4) Plan the vegetables you’ll grow in your garden Next you need to make a prioritized list containing the vegetables and herbs that you currently use in your kitchen, that will succeed in your climate and that you wish to grow.

5) Plan where you’ll be planting your vegetables Starting with the vegetables on your list which have the highest priority, begin placing these on your garden plan, making sure that you leave enough space for the adult plant. You’ll also need to consider crop rotation and companion planting.

In conclusion Planning your vegetable garden will ensure a better return for the more physical work you’ll do outside digging beds, laying paths, watering, weeding and planting seeds and seedlings. Visit http://www.squidoo.com/vegetable-garden-planning to get more details on how to plan your vegetable garden. Be creative with your vegetable garden layout. Find out more details and see sample plans of different vegetable garden layouts at http://hubpages.com/living/VegetableGardenLayout-2

Enjoy your vegetable garden and the fruit of your labors.