Categories
Healthy Tips

Spice Up Your Health

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Your favorite marinades may provide a beneficial source of natural antioxidants, according to a new study by researchers at The University of Western Ontario.
………...CLICK  &  SEE
After analyzing seven popular brands of marinade that contained herbs and spices as their primary ingredients, they found “very good quantities” of antioxidants remained, even after cooking and marinating.

Although marinating meat reduced antioxidants levels by 45-70 percent, there was still a benefit over cooking meat plain, with no marinade.

Consumers can help boost their intake of antioxidants by choosing sauces with the highest levels of antioxidants to begin with, according to researchers.

Foods rich in antioxidants play an essential role in preventing cardiovascular diseases, cancers, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, inflammation and problems associated with cutaneous aging,” Science Daily reported.

Resources:
Science Daily March 24, 2010
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis May 2010, Volume 23, Issue 3, Pages 244-252

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Categories
Herbs & Plants

Australian Bugle (Ajuga australis )

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Botanical Name : Ajuga australis
Family  :
Labiatae
Genus : Ajuga

Habitat : E. AustraliaNew South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria.  Most habitats, especially in open forests, in sandy soils in the montane zone.

Description:
Ajuga  australis is a small,evergreen perennial herb growing to 0.15m. with a basal rosette of leaves and soft, erect stems. The leaves are velvety, toothed and decrease in size towards the flowers spikes. The flowers are usually deep blue or purple but pink and white forms are also known. They are around 15mm long, somewhat tubular in shape and have a short upper lip and a long, spreading lower lip. Flowers are seen mainly in spring and summer.
It is hardy to zone 6. It is in leaf all year. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)

click to see the pictures..>…..(01)....(1)……..(2)

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Cultivation
Prefers a humus-rich, moisture retentive soil and a sunny position. Easily grown in the rock garden, it spreads rapidly by root suckers.

Propagation

Seed – sow spring or autumn in the open border. Division in spring.

Medicinal Uses
Salve.
The leaves are used as a salve for wounds and also in the treatment of boils and sores.

Other Uses
Ground cover.

Plants can be used for ground cover.


Resources:

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Ajuga+australis
http://asgap.org.au/a-aus.html
http://asgap.org.au/APOL11/sep98_1b.html

Categories
Healthy Tips

Feel the Runner’s High

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Running is one of the best forms of aerobic conditioning for your heart and lungs. It can significantly increase your metabolic rate and the amount of calories you burn, leading to loss of excess body fat. Running is also beneficial for slowing down the aging process. Those who run regularly are less likely to experience bone and muscle loss due to the body’s positive response to additional physical demands.

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Running can also have many psychological benefits. Most runners typically report being happier and feeling less stressed from the grind of daily life. Why? Because regular exercise has the ability to alter mood, attributable to a surge in hormones called endorphins. These hormones create a sense of euphoria often referred to as a “runner’s high” and can result in an improvement in mood.

Here are some great tips, courtesy of running coach Chipper Robinson from Running on the Edge in Ramsey, N.J., on how to maximize your running experience:

* Incorporate cross training into your running routines. Add weight-lifting, bicycling, yoga, elliptical training, or swimming. Why? They make you fitter and less prone to injury.

*Exercise your abdominal muscles almost every day. A strong midsection (core) is a key component to running. In fact, it can often be the single most important factor for success in long-distance running.

* Change your intensity levels by running faster or farther. Alternate which one you choose to implement in various workouts. It prevents your body from adapting to routines.

*Pay attention to your shoes. Most shoes wear out after 300 to 500 miles. You often can’t see the wear, but, your knees, hips, and back will feel it. Visit a running specialty store for quality shoes and talk to your doctor for suggestions on the best shoes to get. Not just any shoe will do.

* Run on different surfaces. See how many different surfaces you can run on in a month: asphalt, gravel, trail, grass, track, treadmill, and beach. Each stresses your leg muscles in a slightly different way, helping to prevent overuse injuries. (If possible, avoid concrete, the hardest and most harmful surface for runners.)

* Keep a training journal. A journal can be a great way to maintain motivation and consistency. Keep it filled with running times, routines, motivational quotes, and how your body reacts to various routines. You should have a documented road map for reaching your running goals.

* Take some time off. You don’t have to run every day, every week, or even every month (as long as you’re performing other cardiovascular activities). For healthy, consistent training, your body needs regular recovery periods. Performance suffers with too much exercise. Start slow and work your way toward higher mileages and/or more frequency.

* Introduce high-intensity interval training into your running routine. Alternate, pace, speed, tempo and rest periods during a single running session. For example, keep a steady pace for a mile and then sprint run for 30 seconds. Do this for several cycles and notice how your heart rate and muscle fatigue threshold increase.

Every great journey starts with a single step; now just put one foot in front of the other to see how far this new journey takes you. Welcome to the wonderful world of running. Talk to your doctor to learn more about the benefits of running.

You may click to see more

Source:
to your Health. April13. 2010

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Categories
Herbs & Plants

Ageratum Houstonianum

Botanical Name: Ageratum houstonianumBlue Danube
Family  : Compositae
Genus : Ageratum
Synonyms : Ageratum caeruleum – Hort., Ageratum mexicanumSims.
Common Name: ‘Blue Danube’ ageratum, ‘Blue Danube’ floss flower

Habitat: South-western N. AmericaMexico. An occasional garden escape in Britain.  Pine woods and cultivated ground.

Description:

It is hardy to zone 8. It is in flower from June to October, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies).

click & see the pictures.
Plant details:-
Height : 6 in. to 12 in.
Spread :  6 in. to 12 in.
Growth Habit :  Clumps
Growth Pace :  Fast Grower
Light :   Full Sun Only
Moisture:    Medium Moisture
Maintenance :    Low
Characteristics:    Attracts Butterflies; Showy Flowers
Bloom Time:    Early Fall; Late Summer; Summer
Flower Color :    Blue Flower
Uses :   Beds and Borders, Container
Style  :  Formal Garden
Seasonal Interest:    Summer Interest, Fall Interest
Type :  Annuals

Cultivation :
Grows well in ordinary garden soil. Requires a sheltered position in full sun[200]. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[200]. A very ornamental plant[1], the flowers are very attractive to butterflies[30]. The removal of dead flowers will extend the flowering season.

Propagation:
Seed – surface sow March in a light position in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 1 – 3 weeks at 20°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out and plant them out after the last expected frosts.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Medicinal Uses
Anodyne.
The juice of the plant is used externally to treat cuts and wounds.

Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Ageratum+houstonianum
http://www.finegardening.com/plantguide/ageratum-houstonianum-blue-danube.aspx
https://www.anniesannuals.com/signs/a/ageratum_houstonium_b.htm
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Asteraceae/Ageratum_houstonianum.html

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Categories
Exercise

Bend and Stretch those Hamstrings

Use a chair as a helpful tool in stretching the backs of your upper thighs, or hamstrings. The elevation of the chair allows you to maintain a straight back so you can focus the stretch in the legs.

click & see

Stand in front of a sturdy chair with toes facing forward. Shift your weight to your left leg and place your right foot on the seat of the chair, keeping your right knee straight and your toes facing up toward the ceiling. Maintain a straight back as you bend forward at the hips, resting your fingertips on the chair seat on each side of your foot. Pause for three to six breaths, feeling the stretch in the back of your right thigh. Repeat on the other side.

As your legs become more flexible, practice a more advanced version of the stretch — placing your right foot on the top of the chair backrest and resting your hands on the top of the chair on each side of the foot. As before, pause for three to six breaths, feeling the stretch in the back of your right thigh. Repeat on the other side.

Source : Los Angeles Times

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