………………

STEP-1. Place an open-back chair or bench on a flat, padded surface and lie down in front of it. Place your lower legs on the seat of the chair with your feet hanging off the back end of the seat. Scoot in so your hips are close to the chair. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointed out to the sides. Inhale, allowing your abdomen and rib cage to rise slightly.

STEP-2. On an exhale, push your back firmly against the floor as you contract your abdominal muscles to raise your chest, shoulders and head off the floor. Pause for two seconds with the front of your ribs and navel pressed toward the floor. Remember to rest your head in your hands so your neck and shoulders can stay relaxed. Lower and repeat 15 to 20 reps. Rest 20 seconds and repeat another set.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Genus : Glochidion

Habitat : E. Asia – southern and western China.  Montane slopes, stream banks scrub or forest edges at elevations of 300 – -2200 metres.Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
Slopes, scrub on stream banks, forest margins; 300-2200 m. Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Japan].

Description: A decidious Perennial  Shrub growing to 3m.
Erect shrubs 1-5 m tall, monoecious, much branched; branchlets gray-brown, densely pubescent. Stipules triangular, ca. 1 mm; petiole 1-3 mm; leaf blade oblong, oblong-ovate, or obovate-oblong, rarely lanceolate, 3-8 × 1-2.5 cm, papery or subleathery, gray-green and midvein sparsely pubescent or glabrescent adaxially, greenish and densely pubescent abaxially, base cuneate to obtuse, apex obtuse, acute, shortly acuminate, or rounded; lateral veins 4-8 pairs, elevated abaxially, reticulate nerves prominent. Flowers in axillary clusters, 2-5-flowered, proximal axils mostly to all male flowers, distal axils mostly to all female flowers. Male flowers: pedicels 4-15 mm; sepals 6, narrowly oblong or oblong-obovate, 2.5-3.5 mm, spreading, green to yellowish, densely pubescent outside; stamens 3, connate into a cylindric column. Female flowers: pedicels ca. 1 mm; sepals 6, as in male, but shorter and thicker, green; ovary globose, densely pubescent, 5-10-locular; ovules 2 per locule; style column annular, shortly lobed in summit. Capsules depressed-globose, 8-15 mm in diam., 8-10-grooved, densely pubescent, reddish when mature, apex with persistent annular styles. Seeds subreniform, 3-angled, ca. 4 mm, red. Fl. Apr-Aug, fr. Jul-Nov.
..
It is hardy to zone 0. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant)
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Cultivation:-
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. However, judging by its native range, it could succeed outdoors at least in the milder areas of the country. It is likely to require a sheltered sunny position with some protection from winter cold.

Propagation:-
Seed – we have no information for this species but recommend sowing the seed in a warm greenhouse, preferably as soon as ripe if this is possible. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first year. Plant out in early summer after the last expected frosts and consider giving the plant some protection from the frost during at least its first winter outdoors.

Medicinal Actions & Uses:-

Depurative; Febrifuge.

Febrifuge, depurative. Dispels clots. All parts of the plant are used as medicine for the treatment of dysentery, diarrhea, rupture, cough, etc.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Other Uses
Oil.

The seeds contain up to 20 per cent of oil, which is used in making soap and as a lubricating oil.

Resource :

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Glochidion+puberum

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?403683

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=GLPU6

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=620&taxon_id=200012580

Habitat : It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in several habitat types.( South-western to South Central N. America.)   Pinyon-Juniper Woodland at elevations of 1500 – 2200 metres in California . Ageratina is found in forested areas. Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Description:
This is a perennial herb growing a green, fuzzy stem from a woody caudex to heights between about 50 and 70 centimeters. The leaves are yellow to green or grayish and are triangular to heart-shaped. The inflorescence is a cluster of fuzzy flower heads under a centimeter long containing long, protruding white disc florets and no ray florets. The fruit is an achene a few millimeters long with a rough bristly pappus.
.....
Ageratina herbacea has only white disc flowers, no ray flowers to create a “daisy” appearance. The flowers are mainly in groups at the end of stems. This appearance is similar to the Brickellias. However, the leaves of Ageratina are nearly triangular in shape and strongly toothed along the edge. In addition, the leaves are deeply veined. The veins are nearly parallel and mostly palmate from the leaf base except for some peripheral vein branching.

It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from August to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.

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 can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Cultivation :-
Succeeds in an ordinary well-drained but moisture retentive garden soil in sun or part shade.

Propagation:-
Seed – sow spring in a cold frame, only just covering the seed. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring.

Medicinal Uses:-
A cold infusion of the plant is drunk and also used as a lotion in the treatment of headaches and fevers.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Ageratina+herbacea

http://www.wnmu.edu/academic/nspages2/gilaflora/ageratina_herbacea.html

http://tchester.org/gc/plants/species/ageratina_herbacea.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ageratina_herbacea

The material, a protein called beta amyloid, or A-beta, piles up into tough plaques that destroy signals between nerves. When that happens, people lose their memory, their personality changes and they stop recognising friends and family.

But now researchers at Harvard suggest that the protein has a real and unexpected function — it may be part of the brain’s normal defences against invading bacteria and other microbes.

Other Alzheimer’s researchers say the findings, reported in the current issue of the journal PLoS One, are intriguing.

The new hypothesis got its start late one Friday evening in the summer of 2007 in a laboratory at Harvard Medical School. The lead researcher, Rudolph Tanzi, a neurology professor who is also director of the genetics and aging unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, said he had been looking at a list of genes that seemed to be associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

To his surprise, many looked just like genes associated with the so-called innate immune system, a set of proteins the body uses to fight infections. The system is particularly important in the brain, because antibodies cannot get through the blood-brain barrier, the membrane that protects the brain. When the brain is infected, it relies on the innate immune system to protect it.

That evening, Tanzi wandered into the office of a junior faculty member, Robert Moir, and mentioned what he had seen. As Tanzi recalled, Moir turned to him and said, “Yeah, well, look at this.”

He handed Tanzi a spreadsheet. It was a comparison of A-beta and a well-known protein of the innate immune system, LL-37. The likenesses were uncanny. Among other things, the two proteins had similar structures. And like A-beta, LL-37 tends to clump into hard little balls.

In rodents, the protein that corresponds to LL-37 protects against brain infections. People who make low levels of LL-37 are at increased risk of serious infections and have higher levels of atherosclerotic plaques, arterial growths that impede blood flow.

The scientists could hardly wait to see if A-beta, like LL-37, killed microbes. They mixed A-beta with microbes that LL-37 is known to kill — listeria, staphylococcus, pseudomonas. It killed eight out of 12. “We did the assays exactly as they have been done for years,” Tanzi said. “And A-beta was as potent or, in some cases, more potent than LL-37.”

Then the investigators exposed the yeast Candida albicans, a major cause of meningitis, to tissue from the hippocampal regions of brains from people who had died of Alzheimer’s and from people of the same age who did not have dementia when they died.

Brain samples from Alzheimer’s patients were 24 per cent more active in killing the bacteria. But if the samples were first treated with an antibody that blocked A-beta, they were no better than brain tissue from non-demented people in killing the yeast.

The innate immune system is also set in motion by traumatic brain injuries and strokes and by atherosclerosis that causes reduced blood flow to the brain, Tanzi noted.

And the system is spurred by inflammation. It’s known that patients with Alzheimer’s have inflamed brains, but it hasn’t been clear whether A-beta accumulation was a cause or an effect of the inflammation. Perhaps, Tanzi said, A-beta levels rise as a result of the innate immune system’s response to inflammation; it may be a way the brain responds to a perceived infection. But does that mean Alzheimer’s disease is caused by an overly exuberant brain response to an infection?

That’s one possible reason, along with responses to injuries and inflammation and the effects of genes that cause A-beta levels to be higher than normal, Tanzi said. However, some researchers say that all the pieces of the A-beta innate immune systems hypothesis are not in place.

Dr Norman Relkin, director of the memory disorders programme at New York-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell hospital, said that although the idea was “unquestionably fascinating”, the evidence for it was “a bit tenuous”.

As for the link with infections, Dr Steven DeKosky, an Alzheimer’s researcher at the Virginia School of Medicine, noted that scientists have long looked for evidence linking infections to Alzheimer’s and have come up mostly empty handed.

But if Tanzi is correct about A-beta being part of the innate immune system, that would raise questions about the search for treatments to eliminate the protein from the brain.

“It means you don’t want to hit A-beta with a sledgehammer,” Tanzi said.

But other scientists not connected with the discovery said they were impressed by the new findings. “It changes our thinking about Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr Eliezer Masliah, who heads the experimental neuropathology laboratory at the University of California, San Diego.

Source : New York Times News Service

Related articles by Zemanta

• New target for fighting Alzheimer’s: Study (calgaryherald.com)
• Special issue of NeuroRehabilitation focuses on hypoxic-ischemic brain injuries (scienceblog.com)
• Green Tea Extract May Delay or Prevent Alzheimer’s (newswire.ca)
• Turning the tide of dementia, hope is in prevention, research (newswire.ca)
• Pfizer’s Promising Alzheimer’s Drug Fails in Study (abcnews.go.com)
• Brain Amyloid Has Antibiotic Role in Alzheimer’s, Study Finds (businessweek.com)
• Old Enemy Might Help to Prevent Alzheimer’s (nytimes.com)

This was the practice a century ago. Medically, the honey did nothing to prevent stammering. But if it was contaminated with bacteria, it did cause fatal botulinium poisoning with flaccid paralysis in a significant percentage of children.
………
Around 10 million people in India stammer. The speech disorder affects 3-5 per cent of children, of which one per cent continues to stammer into adult life. About 80 per cent of the affected children are boys, and first-born males are more likely to be affected. Around 65 per cent of them have a family history of stammering. In most cases, it is the father who stammers or has rapid staccato speech.

Speech is a complex process. A person decides what he or she wants to say, and electro chemical signals are triggered in the brain’s speech area. These signals have to reach the muscle groups in the pharynx, larynx and tongue. If the speed of the thought and the release of the chemicals are not perfectly co-ordinated, stammering occurs. Words or syllables are repeated or prolonged, speech suddenly stops and no sound emerges. The speech becomes blocked in spasms, resulting in repetitive sounds or no sound at all. Even in normal people, emotions can trigger such a condition. In those who stammer, anxiety anticipation of stammering, and embarrassment can trigger tics and spasms of the facial muscles as well.

Children start to stammer before the age of five. It may first become evident when they start school. Many recover spontaneously, while others require treatment. If the stammering continues beyond the age of seven, it is likely to persist into adult life.

Many famous people like Winston Churchill stammered. It didn’t prevent them from scaling great heights. In most cases, however, the sufferer fails to achieve his or her potential. Such people fail in job interviews and viva voce presentations, as stress worsens the stammer. Society often pokes fun at these individuals. In films too comedians are often shown to stammer. As a result, these otherwise intelligent and sensitive people become withdrawn and isolated.

When in contact with a person who stammers:-

• Try not to show your embarrassment or look away. Do not reassure them just wait patiently and they will complete what they want to say

• Do not try to complete their sentences for them

• Maintain eye contact

• Many of those who stammer find answering the phone an ordeal. So if the phone rings and there is silence, wait till the person is able to speak.

Stammering is not due to tongue-tie, so surgery does not help. Since it is aggravated by stress, and the affected individuals appear distressed, antiaxiolytic medications like alpraxolam and valium, tranquillisers and antidepressants were initially tried. But they were not very useful. In short, there is no magic pill to cure stammering.

If a child’s stammer lasts more than six months, causes psychological problems in school, or continues beyond the age of five, it needs to be evaluated.

Children cannot voluntarily control stammering. Ridicule, asking him or her to speak slowly, or forcing him or her to repeat the words wont help. The only way parents can help is by providing a relaxed and supportive environment where the child is allowed to speak without feeling self-conscious.

Speech therapists can work with people who stammer, and by using a variety of techniques, can improve the speech. They can also help improve communication skills and create self awareness and confidence. Newer auditory feedback devices and computer assisted speech training can also be tried out. Many people do not have access to speech therapists and are forced to handle their child’s stammering as best they can.

A person may stammer while talking but not while singing. Asking him or her to formulate thoughts in the mind and then speak in a singsong way often helps. Speaking slowly, syllable by syllable instead of complete words, gets rid of the repetitive “th th th” sounds. Asking the person to follow the speech of the therapist or parent also helps. Sometimes using a gesture as the stammer sets in takes the concentration away from the speech and the stammer disappears.

UNIVERSAL TIPS  :-

• Sing the words

• Visualise the words in your head first

• Take a deep breath before speaking

• Speak slowly and break up the words into smaller components

• Speaking loudly or in a whisper makes stammering less obvious

If your child stammers, encourage him or her to do physical activity. This gives confidence which helps the anxiety and depression caused by stammering. Yoga calms the mind and corrects faulty breathing. It also improves speech in those who stammer.

Source: The Telegraph ( Kolkata, India)

Related articles by Zemanta

• A stammerer’s second life | Michael Grant (guardian.co.uk)
• Prince of Wales says George VI’s stammer ‘cut him off’ from family (telegraph.co.uk)
• The C-C-Cure (teabreak.pk)
• Genes behind stammering uncovered (news.bbc.co.uk)
• How to write an elevator speech (ismckenzie.com)

Our homes are often our sanctuaries, keep your home healthy by using natural cleaning products.

Our homes serve as sanctuaries in which we are protected from what is potentially harmful. If we are not careful, however, we can inadvertently surround ourselves with substances that can be toxic to our bodies. It is precisely because we rely on our private spaces to serve as refuges from the world that we must exercise great care when choosing how we build, furnish, cleanse, and decorate our homes. Here are some suggestions for creating a healthier home:

1. Be a conscious consumer. If you buy products that contain wholesome, organic, and inert components, you will avoid most common household toxins. Read labels.

2. Your spaces will be as healthy as they are clean when you use natural cleansers and detergents. Almost everything in the home can be cleaned and disinfected using varying combinations of baking soda, vinegar, salt, tea tree oil, herbs, and gentle castile soap. Organic cotton slipcovers can be washed regularly to keep dust mites at bay and to keep us from close contact with furniture that may be off-gassing toxins.

3. Plants clean and add oxygen to the air you breathe when you place them in your personal spaces. Two plants in each room of your dwelling will rid the air of toxins and pollutants while balancing indoor humidity levels. Air purifiers are an easy way to have clean air and are especially useful in a bedroom. Try and clean your air ducts and furnace and change filters regularly.

4. Natural décor that incorporates pesticide-free wood and fibers, organically grown materials, and nontoxic paints and varnishes adds beauty to your house or apartment while lowering your exposure to unsafe chemicals.

5. Scents can help you maintain a hazard-free home. As you enter your home after an absence, pay close attention to the dominant fragrance you perceive. You may discover toxins that might otherwise have gone unrecognized.

6. Be aware of the water you drink and bathe in and consider adding a whole-house filter system.

7. Getting a good night’s rest is easier when your bedding is comprised of natural materials. Organic cotton sheets, down comforters, and wool fiber mattresses offer a wonderful alternative to standard bedclothes.

8. Negative ions are invisible molecules that promote whole-self wellness found in the clean air atop mountains and near rushing water. Equipping your home with a negative-ion generator or salt lamp will ensure that you feel alert and refreshed whenever you are at home.

9. If building a new home, consider carefully the materials you choose and research how much they off-gas toxins. You may not be aware of many glues and hidden substances. Choosing sustainable wood floors over wall-to-wall carpeting can be very beneficial to those with allergies and sensitivities.

Making a few easy changes in your home can provide years of healthy living for you, your family, and pets. A healthy home is a good foundation for living. And whether you use these suggestions or others, the best thing you can do is be aware.

Source: Daily Om

STEP-2. Stand in front of a chair or short wall that comes to about hip level. Inhale, shift your weight to your left leg and place your right heel on the backrest of the chair or on top of the wall. On an exhale, twist your ribcage, chest and shoulders to the right as far as possible. Check that your hips, knees and toes are still facing the wall or chair. Reach your right hand out at shoulder level, palm facing out, thumb turned up. Place your left hand on your left outer leg and gently press against it to increase the stretch in your spine. Gaze over your right shoulder while holding this position for three complete breaths. Return to the center and repeat on the other side.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Habitat : Eastern N. America.Along the Gulf coastal plain from FL to LA, n., along the Atlantic coastal
plain from FL to MA; inland in the Appalachians to s. OH. Dry woods, thickets and clearings .Woodland Garden; Dappled Shade;

Description:
Herbaceous perennial growing to 1.5m. ; flowering August-October; fruiting September, October.. . The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
...
SIMILAR SPECIES: This plant is very similar to Ageratina altissima (Eupatorium  rugosum), but A. aromatica has notably thicker leaves, shorter petioles, and   crenate leaf margins. A. altissima generally grows in the woods, and A.  aromatica grows in open areas. The two species are known to hybridize, making  identification more difficult.

It is hardy to zone 4 . 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 can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.A variety of well-drained open areas on acidic soils.

Cultivation :-
Succeeds in an ordinary well-drained but moisture retentive garden soil in sun or part shade.

Propagation:-
Seed – sow spring in a cold frame, only just covering the seed. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring.

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Root.

One report says that the root is aromatic and suggests that it could be edible.

Medicinal Actions & Uses
Antispasmodic; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Expectorant.

The plant is antispasmodic, diaphoretic, diuretic and expectorant. It is used in the treatment of inflammation and irritability of the bladder, ague, pulmonary diseases, stomach complaints and nervous diseases.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Ageratina+aromatica

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/3/Abstracts/Abstract_pdf/A/Ageratina_aromatica.pdf

=

2. Stand facing a sturdy chair or a short wall. Inhale, bend foward at the hips and lightly rest your hands on the top of the chair back or on the short wall. Shift your weight to your right leg and slowly raise your left leg up to hip height. Be sure to keep both knees straight and both hips and shoulders squarely facing the floor. (The knees and toes of your raised leg should be pointed toward the floor.) Pause while holding your leg at this level for three complete breaths. Lower the leg and repeat on the other side.

Source: Los Angeles Times

So in societies and situations where women are under pressure to procure resources, they may be less likely to have the classic hourglass figure.

Cashdan’s hypothesis aims to explain a peculiar observation. Women around the world tend to have larger waist-to-hip ratios—more cylindrical rather than hourglass-shaped bodies—than is considered optimal.

Medical studies have shown that a curvy waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7 or lower is associated with higher fertility and lower rates of chronic disease. Studies have also shown that men prefer a ratio of 0.7 or lower when looking for a mate.

The preference makes perfect sense, according to evolutionary psychologists, because the low ratio is a reliable signal of a healthy, fertile woman.

But in data that Cashdan compiled from 33 non-Western populations and 4 European populations, the average waist-to-hip ratio for women is above 0.8. If 0.7 is the magic number both in terms of health and male mate choice, why are most women significantly higher? That’s where the hormones come in.

Androgens, a class of hormones that includes testosterone, increase waist-to-hip ratios in women by increasing visceral fat, which is carried around the waist. But on the upside, increased androgen levels are also associated with increased strength, stamina, and competitiveness. Cortisol, a hormone that helps the body deal with stressful situations, also increases fat carried around the waist.

“The hormonal profile associated with high WHR (waist-to-hip ratio) may favour success in resource competition, particularly under stressful circumstances,” writes Cashdan.

“The androgenic effects—stamina, initiative, risk-proneness, assertiveness, dominance—should be particularly useful where a woman must depend on her own resources to support herself and her family,” the expert added.

In other words, trading the benefits of a thin waist for better ability to collect resources may be a good deal in certain societies and situations. And there is evidence that male mate preferences may reflect this trade-off, according to Cashdan.

Source : The Times Of India

Habitat : Native to California and to Arizona, to Nevada, to Utah [Lum/Walker].South-western N. America .  Dry stony limestone slopes, 1000 – 1500 metres. Calcareous outcrops with desert scrub at elevations of 1100 – 1900 metres in California and Nevada. Cultivated Beds; South Wall By;

Description:
Agave utahensis, an evergreen Perennial  a monocot, is a shrub growing to 4m by 2m.  It is hardy to zone 9 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Moths, bats.

.....

You may click to see more pictures of  Century Plant
The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) 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 and can tolerate drought.

Cultivation:
Requires a very well-drained soil and a sunny position. Plants are only hardy on the south coast of England, where they succeed from Torbay westwards. A monocarpic species, the plant lives for a number of years without flowering but dies once it does flower. However, it normally produces plenty of suckers during its life and these take about 10 – 15 years in a warm climate, considerably longer in colder ones, before flowering. This plant is widely used by the native people in its wild habitat, it has a wide range of uses. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation:
Seed – surface sow in a light position, April in a warm greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 1 – 3 months at 20°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots of well-drained soil when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse until they are at least 20cm tall. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts, and give some protection from the cold for at least their first few winters. Offsets can be potted up at any time they are available. Keep in a warm greenhouse until they are well established

Edible Parts: Leaves; Root; Sap; Seed; Stem.

Edible Uses: Drink.You
The heart of the plant is very rich in saccharine matter and can be eaten when baked. Sweet and delicious, but rather fibrous. It is partly below ground. Can be dried for future use or soaked in water to produce a flavourful beverage. Seed – ground into a flour. Flower stalk – roasted. Root – cooked. Sap from the cut flowering stems is used as a syrup. The sap can also be tapped by boring a hole into the middle of the plant at the base of the flowering stem. It can be fermented into ‘Mescal’, a very potent alcoholic drink.

Medicinal Actions & Uses:-
Antiseptic; Diuretic; Laxative.

The sap is antiseptic, diuretic and laxative.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Other Uses
Brush; Fibre; Miscellany; Needles; Paper; Pins; Soap; Thatching.

The leaves contain saponins and an extract of them can be used as a soap. It is best obtained by chopping up the leaves and then simmering them in water – do not boil for too long or this will start to break down the saponins. A very strong fibre obtained from the leaves is used for making rope, coarse fabrics etc. To make hair brushes and brushes for cleaning, the dried matter of a dead and rotten leaf was knocked free from the fibres, which were then bent in two. the upper end of this brush was wrapped with a cord and the bent portion was covered with a cloth. The loose fibres were cut to the right length and hardened by burning the ends. A paper can also be made from the fibre in the leaves. The thorns on the leaves are used as pins and needles. The dried flowering stems are used as a waterproof thatch and as a razor strop.

Resources:

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Agave+utahensis+eborispina

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Agave_utahensis

http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=116

…………
Recent research shows that a man’s testosterone levels, which are linked with sexual interest, are significantly higher when they smell the shirt of a woman who is ovulating.

Other studies have linked higher levels of testosterone with an increase in sexual arousal as well.

In surveys, men have reported being more attracted to ovulating women. The new study builds on this research by measuring the response of men to a specific chemical cue

Rersources:
Discovery News February 10, 2010
Psychological Science December 22, 2009

Related articles by Zemanta

• Testosterone and the Ultimatum Game (freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Testosterone and the Ultimatum Game (freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Testosterone leads to fairness, not aggression: researchers (cbc.ca)
• Researcher presents risk-free treatment for low female sexual desire (scienceblog.com)
• Sexual response in women more subtle than men: Study (canada.com)
• How signals work on the dance floor (marginalrevolution.com)

Habitat : South-western N. America. Naturalized in the Mediterranean.     Original habitat is unknown but it grows wild in Mexico on cultivated land and in pine woods. Sandy places in desert scrub at elevations around 200 metres in Texas and eastern Mexico.

Description:-
An evergreen Perennial growing to 7.5m by 2.5m at a slow rate.It has a spreading rosette (about 4 m/13 ft wide) of gray-green leaves up to 2 m (6.6 ft) long, each with a spiny margin and a heavy spike at the tip that can pierce to the bone. Its common name derives from its habit of only occasionally flowering, but when it does, the spike with a cyme of big yellow flowers may reach up to 8 m (26 ft) in height. The plant dies after flowering, but produces suckers or adventitious shoots from the base, which continue its growth.

....

The average lifespan is around 10 years.

Cultivated varieties include the “marginata” with yellow stripes along the margins of each leaf, “medio-picta” with a central white band, “striata” with multiple yellow to white stripes along the leaves, and “variegata” with white edges on the leaves

It is hardy to zone 9 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies), bats.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) 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 and can tolerate drought.

Cultivation :-
Requires a very well-drained soil and a sunny position. The agave is not very hardy in Britain tolerating temperatures down to about -3°c if conditions are not wet. It succeeds outdoors on the south coast of England from Torbay westwards. Plants survived lower temperatures during the very cold winters from 1985/1987 and were unharmed at Glendurgan gardens in West Cornwall. A monocarpic species, the plant lives for a number of years without flowering but dies once it does flower. However, it normally produces plenty of suckers during its life and these continue growing, taking about 10 – 15 years in a warm climate, considerably longer in colder ones, before flowering. This plant is widely used by the native people in its wild habitat, it has a wide range of uses. In a warm climate suckers take 10 – 15 years to come into flower. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation:-
Seed – surface sow in a light position, April in a warm greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 1 – 3 months at 20°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots of well-drained soil when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse until they are at least 20cm tall. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts, and give some protection from the cold for at least their first few winters. Offsets can be potted up at any time they are available. Keep in a warm greenhouse until they are well established

Different Uses:
If the flower stem is cut without flowering, a sweet liquid called agua miel (“honey water”) gathers in the heart of the plant. This may be fermented to produce the drink called pulque. The leaves also yield fibers, known as pita, which are suitable for making rope, matting, coarse cloth and are used for embroidery of leather in a technique known as piteado. Both pulque and maguey fibre were important to the economy of pre-Columbian Mexico. Production continues today to a much lesser extent. Agave nectar (also called agave syrup) has recently been marketed as a healthful natural sugar substitute.
The sap is quite acidic and can be quite painful if it comes in contact with the skin. It can form small blisters.

Tequila is made from a different species, the Blue Agave (A. tequilana).

Edible Uses:-
Edible Parts: Leaves; Sap; Seed; Stem.

The heart of the plant is very rich in saccharine matter and can be eaten when baked. Sweet and nutritious, but rather fibrous. It is partly below ground. Seed – ground into a flour and used as a thickener in soups or used with cereal flours when making bread. Flower stalk – roasted. Used like asparagus. Sap from the cut flowering stems is used as a syrup  or fermented into pulque or mescal. The sap can also be tapped by boring a hole into the middle of the plant at the base of the flowering stem.

Medicinal Actions & Uses:-
Antiseptic; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Laxative; Miscellany; Odontalgic; VD.

The sap of agaves has long been used in Central America as a binding agent for various powders used as poultices on wounds. The sap can also be taken internally in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery etc. The sap is antiseptic, diaphoretic, diuretic and laxative. An infusion of the chopped leaf is purgative and the juice of the leaves is applied to bruises. The plant is used internally in the treatment of indigestion, flatulence, constipation, jaundice and dysentery. The sap has disinfectant properties and can be taken internally to check the growth of putrefactive bacteria in the stomach and intestines. Water in which agave fibre has been soaked for a day can be used as a scalp disinfectant and tonic in cases of falling hair.

Steroid drug precursors are obtained from the leaves. A gum from the root and leaf is used in the treatment of toothache. The root is diaphoretic and diuretic.  It is used in the treatment of syphilis. All parts of the plant can be harvested for use as required, they can also be dried for later use. The dried leaves and roots store well.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Other Uses:-
Fibre; Insecticide; Miscellany; Needles; Paper; Pins; Soap; Soil reclamation; Thatching.

The plant contains saponins. An extract of the leaves is used as a soap. The roots are used according to another report. It is likely that the root is the best source of the saponins that are used to make a soap.

Chop up the leaves or the roots into small pieces and then simmer them in water to extract the saponins.

Do not over boil or you will start to break down the saponins[K]. There is a report that the plant has insecticidal properties, but further details are not given. A very strong fibre obtained from the leaves is used for making rope, coarse fabrics etc. A paper can also be made from the leaves. The thorns on the leaves are used as pins and needles. The dried flowering stems are used as a waterproof thatch and as a razor strop. The plants are used in land-reclamation schemes in arid areas of the world.

The leaves also yield fibers, known as pita, which are suitable for making rope, matting, coarse cloth and are used for embroidery of leather in a technique known as piteado. Both pulque and maguey fibre were important to the economy of pre-Columbian Mexico. Production continues today to a much lesser extent.

Agave nectar (also called agave syrup) has recently been marketed as a healthful natural sugar substitute

Known Hazards :    Contact with the fresh sap can cause dermatitis in sensitive people. The plants have a
very sharp and tough spine at the tip of each leaf. They need to be carefully sited in the garden.

Resources:

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Agave+americana

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave_americana

But research suggests doctors should no longer ignore variation in test results and give drugs that produce the most steady blood pressure levels.

The Stroke Association called for national guidelines to be overhauled.

In the first of the series of studies published in The Lancet, UK and Swedish researchers looked at the variability in blood pressure readings at doctors’ checks.

They found those with fluctuating readings at different GP visits had the greatest risk of future stroke regardless of what their average blood pressure reading was.

A review of previous trials also found that the differences in effectiveness of several blood pressure drugs could be explained by how well they kept blood pressure on an even keel.

Some drugs, in particular beta blockers, were shown in a separate study in The Lancet Neurology, to increase variation in a patient’s blood pressure.

‘Major implications’

Professor Peter Rothwell of the Department of Clinical Neurology at the University of Oxford, who led the research, said the findings have major implications for how GPs spot and treat people at high risk of stroke.

“At the moment, the guidelines for GPs say not to believe a one-off unusual reading, to bring the patient back and measure again, and as long as it’s not consistently high, there is no need to treat.

“What we’re saying is don’t discount that one-off high blood pressure reading.”

He added that GPs would also need to make sure they prescribe the most effective drug combinations – ideally one that lowers blood pressure but also stabilises it.

It is not know exactly why occasional spikes would increase a person’s risk of stroke but it is thought it puts undue stress on the system.

If you get rapid fluctuations that can cause turbulent flow of blood which can cause damage and stiffening in the arteries,” said Professor Rothwell.

He said anyone with high blood pressure who tests themselves at home might want to mention to their GP if they spot variations in their results.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’s guidelines on high blood pressure is in the process of being rewritten and these latest studies will be taken into account.

Joe Korner, director of communications at The Stroke Association said people who have occasional high blood pressure readings – known as episodic hypertension – are often not treated.

“With this new research it is now important that the clinical guidelines about treating high blood pressure are reviewed.

“In the meantime we urge GPs to read this research to help them prescribe the best treatment for people at risk of stroke.”

Experts stressed that those already prescribed medication for high blood pressure should not worry or stop taking their pills.

Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation said: “Current practice is not wrong, but this might add a new measure to help doctors make decisions on who to treat for hypertension and which drug to use.”

Source : BBC News:12th.March.2010

Related articles by Zemanta

• Blood pressure spike ’stroke key’ (news.bbc.co.uk)
• People with variable blood pressure at stroke risk (ctv.ca)
• Variable Blood Pressure a New Stroke Risk Factor? (nlm.nih.gov)
• Blood pressure spikes could boost stroke risk (cbc.ca)

1. Hold a 5- to 10-pound dumbbell in each hand and lie on a full-length round roller. Place your hips and head on the roller (you can use a yoga block under your head if necessary). Put your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, toes and knees facing forward. Straighten your arms above your chest and press the ends of the dumbbells together.

2. Inhale, slowly lower the dumbbells until they’re just above your forehead, pausing with your wrists at shoulder height. Then exhale, contracting the backs of your upper arms to reverse directions and move the dumbbells up to the start position. Do not “lock out” at the elbows. Hold for two seconds at the top of the lift and repeat until you have done 12 reps. Rest for 20 seconds and repeat for a total of three sets.

Source : Los Angeles Times

………………….

Researchers have found evidence that when people wolf their food, they end up consuming more calories than they would at a slower pace. One reason is the effect of quicker ingestion on hormones.

In one recent study, scientists found that when a group of subjects were given an identical serving of ice cream on different occasions, they released more hormones that made them feel full when they ate it in 30 minutes instead of 5.

In other words, it can’t hurt to slow down and savor your meals.

Sources: New York Times February 22, 2010

Related articles by Zemanta

• Weight Loss: How to Eat Slowly (diet-blog.com)
• Really?: The Claim: To Cut Calories, Eat Slowly (nytimes.com)
• FDA Eyeing Serving Sizes (blisstree.com)

……..

The Center for Science in the Public Interest points out that Coca-Cola, whose products are not exactly heart healthy, is a strange partner for the NHLBI.

Are such partnerships a benign win-win? History suggests otherwise.

In 1984, Kellogg cooked up a partnership with the National Cancer Institute to put health claims for fiber on the boxes of All-Bran cereals. In doing so, Kellogg (and NCI) went around the FDA and undermined that agency’s control over health claims on food packages — leading to problems that the agency is still struggling to fix.

Source: Food Politics February 17, 2010

Habitat :It is native to the U.S. (United States). Western N. America – Montana to British Columbia, south to California and Colorado.   Moist soils of open hillsides, canyons and mountain valleys, from the foothills to about 2,500 metres.Cultivated Beds;

Description:

This is an aromatic perennial herb growing an erect stem with widely spaced leaves, each lance-shaped to nearly triangular and toothed. The leaves are up to 8 centimeters long and 7 wide. The inflorescence is a dense spike of many flowers. Each flower has long sepals tipped with bright purple and tubular corollas in shades of pink and purple. The fruit is a light brown, fuzzy nutlet about 2 millimeters long. The plant was used medicinally by several Native American groups, especially the leaves.

.....

This dicot (dicotyledon)  has its most active growth period in the spring and summer . The Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop has dark green foliage and inconspicuous red flowers, with a smattering of conspicuous green fruits or seeds. The greatest bloom is usually observed in the late spring, with fruit and seed production starting in the summer and continuing until summer. Leaves are not retained year to year. The Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop has a long life span relative to most other plant species and a rapid growth rate. At maturity, the typical Nettleleaf Giant Hyssop will reach up to 5 feet high, with a maximum height at 20 years of 0 inches.

It is hardy to zone 8. It is in flower in August, and the seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife.
The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) 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 warm sunny sheltered position and a well-drained soil. Succeeds in most soils. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. A plant is growing in a sunny bed at Kew Botanical gardens and appears fully hardy there[K]. This species withstands temperatures down to about -40°c when fully dormant. The flowers are very attractive to bees.

Propagation:
Seed – sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. The seed usually germinates in 1 – 3 months at 13°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first year. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring. Fairly simple, if large divisions are used it is possible to plant them straight out into their permanent positions. Basal cuttings of young shoots in spring. Harvest the young shoots when they are about 10 – 15cm tall and pot them up in a lightly shaded position in a greenhouse. They should root within 3 weeks and can be planted out in the summer or following spring.

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves; Seed.

Edible Uses: Tea.

Leaves. No further details are given, but they are most likely to be used as an aromatic flavouring in salads and cooked foods. Seed – raw or cooked. The seed is very small and fiddly to use. The dried flowers and leaves are used to make a herbal tea.

Medicinal Actions & Uses
Analgesic; Antirheumatic; Stomachic.

The leaves are analgesic and antirheumatic. A decoction is taken internally in the treatment of rheumatism, measles, stomach pains and colds. Externally, a poultice of the mashed leaves is applied to swellings.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Agastache+urticifolia

http://www.gardenguides.com/taxonomy/nettleleaf-giant-hyssop-agastache-urticifolia/

http://plants.usda.gov/java/largeImage?imageID=aguru_001_ahp.tif

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=AGUR&photoID=agur_007_avp.tif

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agastache_urticifolia

http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=113

2. Pressing into your left heel, swing the kettlebell up and over your left shoulder, keeping both arms straight. When your upper arms are near your ears, point your right toes on the floor and stop the momentum of the kettlebell in the air. Reverse directions and return to the start position, pause, then repeat on the other side. Continue alternating sides until you have completed 8 to 12 swings on each side.

Source : Los Angeles Times

Habitat : E. Asia – China, Japan, Korea, Siberia .  Grassy places in mountains, especially by streams, and in valleys all over Japan. Sunny, more or less stony meadows from the lowlands to elevations of 1500 metres.Cultivated Beds;

Description :
It is  a herbaceous perennial plant growing 2to 3 feet, spread 1.5 to 2 feet
It is hardy to zone 8 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen in September. Colour of the flower is blue. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife.
...
Highly attractive to butterflies, bees & birds, this licorice-scented flowering herb is lovely, too! Intense, violet to blue flowering clusters are held in dense, short spikes on multi-branching stems, 3’ to 4’ tall. Excellent in mid-to-back border or garden bed, it blooms in mid-Summer above scented, crinkled & toothed foliage. “Korean Mint” is native to China, Japan & Korea and prefers moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Makes a nice, scented, cut flower fresh or dried. Long used medicinally. Feed once in awhile.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) 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 sunny sheltered position and a well-drained soil. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. The flowers are very attractive to bees.

Propagation:-
Seed – sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. The seed usually germinates in 1 – 3 months at 13°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first year. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Division in spring. Fairly simple, if large divisions are used it is possible to plant them straight out into their permanent positions. Basal cuttings of young shoots in spring. Harvest the young shoots when they are about 10 – 15cm tall and pot them up in a lightly shaded position in a greenhouse. They should root within 3 weeks and can be planted out in the summer or following spring.

Chemical constituents:-
Chemical compounds found in the plant include:

*Estragole, Plant
*P-Anisaldehyde, Plant
*P-Methoxy-cinnamaldehyde, Shoot
*Pachypodol, Leaf

The plant has antibacterial, antifungal, antipyretic, aromatic, anticancer, carminative, diaphoretic, febrifuge, refrigerant, and stomachic properties, among others

Edible Uses:-
Edible Parts: Leaves; Seed.
Edible Uses: Condiment; Tea.

Young leaves – raw or cooked. A strong anise-like fragrance, they are normally used as a flavouring or as an addition to the salad bowl. We find them a bit coarse and too strong for use as a salad. The leaves can be used as a tea substitute. A pleasant flavour. The seed is possibly edible. No further details. The seed certainly should not be poisonous, but it is very small and its use would be very fiddly.

Medicinal Actions & Uses
Antibacterial; Antifungal; Antipyretic; Aromatic; Cancer; Carminative; Diaphoretic; Febrifuge; Refrigerant; Stomachic.

Korean mint is commonly used in Chinese herbalism, where it is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs. Considered to be a “warming” herb, it is used in situations where there is “dampness” within the digestive system, resulting in poor digestion and reduced vitality. The leaves and stems are antibacterial, antifungal, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, febrifuge and stomachic. They are used internally to improve the appetite and strengthen the digestive system, they relieve symptoms such as abdominal bloating, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. They are also used to treat morning sickness. The leaves are also used in the treatment of chest congestion, diarrhoea and headaches. An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of angina pains. The plant is used as a folk remedy for cancer, extracts of the plant have shown anticancer activity.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Agastache+rugosa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agastache_rugosa

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=B218

http://www.anniesannuals.com/signs/a/Agastache_rugosa_KM.htm