By Larry Marragay

Imagine yourself eating your favorite strawberries that you grew it on your own. Is it nice to see a part of your garden or in your balcony that is full of strawberries? When you grow your own strawberries, you can save a few dollars from buying it in supermarkets. Surely, you will be delighted when you will now know on how to grow organic strawberries and yard pesticides will help you combat those pesky insects that destroy your crops. Growing strawberries is not as hard as you might think. Just follow these following tips and guideline and in no time you can harvest your own organic strawberries in your own home.

When planting strawberries, we need to consider these three important factors: the sun, fertilized or rich soil, and good drainage. These three are essential for the success of growing your own berries. The first one is the sun. These strawberries need exposure to the sun at least hours a day. So position your plant in the art of the garden where you can expose it to the sun. Next is the soil. When choosing an area to plant, you must clear the area with the weed and grass to make sure that they will not get the nutrients that is intended for the strawberries. Another important thing is that the soil must be well fertilized or has increased organic matter to let you berries grow faster and healthier. Next is proper drainage. Straw do not live well if they sit into the water, they need moisture but too much will kill them. That is why proper drainage is a must when growing strawberries.

After you have selected your site and prepared everything, what you need to choose is the type of strawberry that you will grow. There are three types of strawberries available in the market: the June bearing, the ever bearing, and the day bearing. They are harvested on different seasons according to its types and also, they have their own limitations and strengths.

For the June bearing type of strawberry, as its names says, it only bears its tasty fruits during the month of June. You can buy its seeds during its season, in the month of June. This type of strawberry is a large type and can produce a lot of fruit at the same time. But they will produce fruit during its season only.

The other type of strawberry is the ever bearing. These type produces its fruits between the late spring and early fall. They develop regularly but they are relatively small than the June bearing type. You can harvest these strawberries a lot of time in a season.

The third type is the day neutral type. They produce fruits regularly between spring and fall but they bear larger fruits during the fall season. They are small types but can be harvest a lot of times and the only disadvantage of this type is that they do not usually survive in areas that have hot climates especially in the summer.

 Now, let us go to the fun part, planting the strawberries. It is quite simple to plant these delicious treats, you just prepare the area you chose then, dig a hole and plant it, make sure that the crown of the plant is overlapping the soil. After planting it, water the plants and put some organic materials like dead leaves, manure, or straws to keep it nourished.  There are some advices from planters that you must not plant it near tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, or peppers because these plants can have Verticillium wilt and this can infect and kill your strawberry plants.

After all the hard work of choosing the location and planting the berries, let us now go on with the exhausting part, its maintenance. Strawberries do not like to be soaked in water, but they need sufficient moisture to keep them hydrated and alive. Water it as much as possible but make sure you proper drainage to it. Next is fertilizing the soil. Strawberries really need nutrition so that they can produce healthy looking and delicious fruits. Continuously provide organic materials to continuously give the strawberries the nutrition they need. Also, you need to remove all those weeds that grew out of nowhere.

Next is the pest control. Having pests can really be a big problem in your crops and if it becomes severe you might lose all of your hard work. One of the most annoying pests in growing strawberries is not those insects, but instead, the birds. They love to snatch those berries even if they are still not ripe. If you want them to keep them away from your beloved berries, cover the fruit or the entire plant with nets. There are a lot of bird nets available in your local garden stores or you can buy it online because it is more affordable.

There are also other pests that can feast on your berries, these are the snails. For some reason, they really like these fruits. If you want those snails away from your berries, put copper fences around the plant. They will not try to cross these copper fences because they will create an electric reaction when the copper and their slime come in contact.

Lastly, the most destructive of all the pests are the fungi called verticillium wilt. They can make your plants not grow any fruit and will eventually kill your plants. When your plant exhibits signs of infection with these fungi, you cannot control or remove it. The best thing to do is to discard the infected plant immediately and plant to other areas to prevent re infection. The best way to prevent these from happening is to spray a little pesticide and choose a variety of berries that are resistant to it.

If you follow these guidelines and tips, you will surely harvest a lot of your favorite strawberries and all your efforts will be worth it.

By Sherjeel Amir

Consumption of food rich in fiber highly reduces the chances of strokes in a person. An international study covering over 250,000 people reported that people who consume diets rich in magnesium such as beans and vegetables have a highly reduced rate of having strokes.

The authors of the research have stopped short of recommending a daily intake of diets that are rich in magnesium because they think that there is a possibility that some aspect of the food other than magnesium might be responsible for the findings.

Susanna Larsson, a professor at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and the lead author of the report, concluded that people should eat foods which are rich in magnesium like nuts, whole grains, beans and leafy vegetables.

The research team has basically researched and considered the results of all the major surveys conducted in the past 45 years to get the mean figures of magnesium intake and stroke incidents. The main source of data is the combination of seven studies published in the last 14 years covering around 250,000 Americans with around 6,500 people having a stroke at the time they were followed.

The most common type of stroke is ischemic stroke which is typically caused by blood clot. According to the statistics, the risk of ischemic stroke falls by 9 percent for every hundred milligrams intake of magnesium per day.

Nutritionists have suggested in the past that one of the major reasons for health problems is a lack of fiber in the diets taken by a person. Introducing changes in the diet like addition of nutraceuticals, functional foods and supplements can reduce the risk and improve the health of a person.

Lack of intake of fiber rich diets and an excessive intake of modern fast food diets lead to an increased chance of obesity. Obesity is the main root of a number of very serious diseases of the heart and intestine. A high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes arrive due to intake of modern fast food diets which are rich in fats.

The findings of the report made by Larsson and his colleagues are limited but according to nutritionists, the findings are very much consistent with the typical recommendations by the doctors. Dr. Larry Goldstein, director of stroke centre in Durham, North Carolina also said that the research is consistent with the view of the doctors and medical researchers.

You need to reconsider your eating habits if your daily diet intake has an excess of fats and a lack of fiber like magnesium. Changing your eating habits according to the findings of this survey will ensure you a more than healthy life style and a largely reduced risk of being affected by strokes.

The study has been published in the American journal of clinical nutrition and the International journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public health.

By Sherjeel Amir

The term ‘hybrid vehicle’ defines a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to power up the vehicle.  However, the term more commonly points to the electric hybrid vehicles.  These vehicles run with the combined operation of internal combustion engine and one or more electric motor.  Such combination enables hybrid cars to have higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions compared to the traditional gas-powered cars.

Some power sources for the hybrid cars include on-board or out-board rechargeable energy storage systems (RESS), compressed air engines, coal, wood or other solid combustibles, electricity, electromagnetic fields, radio waves, compressed natural gas, hydrogen, liquid nitrogen, solar cells, etc.

Hybrid cars are nowadays becoming more and more popular, especially as gas prices seem to be going up all the time, and as climate change problem is becoming more and more serious. People are opting for more and more hybrid vehicles in order to cut short their expenses and in order to play their part in an effort to save the environment.

So, whether these hybrid vehicles are really a step towards a greener environment or not? In relation to the above discussion there are two main advantages of hybrid cars as compared to traditional cars, one is lower CO2 emissions, this implies that there may be less impact to global warming, termed as the environmental advantage of hybrid cars, and the other, obviously is the higher fuel efficiency that can save you sufficient amount of money over the years, more commonly termed as the economic advantage of hybrid cars. Both these advantages point to a step towards a greener environment. It also shows that people are becoming more and more aware of climatic changes as a result of the gasoline engines so they want to switch to hybrid technology.

After considering the advantages of the hybrid vehicles, we cannot overlook the disadvantages, everything comes with a price to pay. Hybrid vehicles are generally more expensive than the traditional gasoline powered cars. One other disadvantage is the weight of the vehicle, hybrid vehicles are usually heavier than the simple vehicles as they house two or more sources of power to drive the vehicle. Most of the times, the increased weight is because of the batteries as they are very heavy.

While there is no doubt that hybrid vehicles are the future of cheap transport and a greener environment but, the hefty price tag and small scale production are the two major things which are stopping the customers to buy them.

Once the production cost will become equal to the conventional cars, we are most likely to expect a mass production of hybrid cars and a change in trend regarding how customers compare vehicles. We hope that governmental institutions plan and work in accord with the climatic changes and gas prices to make this planet a more greener place to live in.

By Daniel Harri

Organic products such as avocados and eggs are now increasing in popularity as people start to appreciate their benefits. Farmers who produce these two tasty products are known to use traditional environmentally-friendly methods. Many people now prefer purchasing and eating organic avocados and eggs since they have a superior taste along with additional environmental and health benefits.

 1. Production of organic eggs

Organic eggs are special kinds of eggs that are gotten from hens that have been fed a distinctive organic feed. In general, organic eggs normally come from chickens that do not get routine prophylactic antibiotics, that are not injected hormones and also who consume organically grown feed. This means that the feed given to these chickens is not treated with either fertilizers or chemical pesticides.

Currently, there are many requirements for an egg to be regarded as organic. Most of the organic eggs come from farm chickens that have not been confined to small cages. These kinds of chicken are known as free-range and they are normally allowed more room to move around. You should note that free-range chickens do not always lay organic eggs. However, people are continually seeking for new ways of producing organic eggs.

Benefits:

·         Organic eggs may enhance your overall eye health if you include it in your daily regimen. According to certain studies, eggs contain a high a carotenoid content, particularly zeaxanthin and lutein. Both essential nutrients are easily accessible to the body from organic eggs compared to other sources. In addition, researchers also discovered that those who eat organic eggs daily reduce their likelihood of getting cataracts.

·         Organic eggs also promote healthy nails and hair since they have a high content of sulphur and a wide range of minerals and vitamins. Many people have experienced improved hair growth after adding organic eggs into their diets. This benefit is much more visible in people who were previously lacking in foods that comprise of vitamin B12 and sulphur.

2. Production of organic avocados

Meanwhile, avocados are renowned for their creamy texture and rich flavor. Besides being delicious, these fruits also deliver immense health benefits as they are rich in the important good fats. Now, avocados are much better since they are accessible in an organic form. This basically means they are organically grown without using pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

Benefits:

·         Organic avocados benefit the user through improving heart health. This is caused by the high quantity of folate found in organic avocados. Studies now clearly show that those who consume folate-rich diets have lower cases of heart complications compared to those who do not. Moreover, the monounsaturated fats, glutathione and vitamin E found in organic avocados are also beneficial for healthy heart function.

·         Organic avocados also provide the benefit of cholesterol reduction due to their high beta-sitosterol content. This particular compound has been proven to lessen cholesterol levels and improve blood flow in the body.

In brief, organic eggs and avocados are full of vital nutrients and minerals. Even though they may be more costly in most food stores, they are worth it as they are truly nutritious.

By Florita Martinez

In one of the previous articles, we tackled about making your own simple facial cleanser. In this section, we are going to talk about what chemicals you avoided when you switch to organic or homemade facial cleanser.

Few of the numerous harmful chemicals and it effects to the following are the following:

·         Alcohol - one of the contributory factors to oral cancer.

·         Alpha Hydroxy Acid - causes skin cells destruction leaving skin more sensitive to damage from enviromental hazards andc may eventually cause skin cancer.

·         Benzoyl Peroxide - irritant and highly toxic

·         Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate - said to be containing with and/or broken down into chemicals that are toxic and are linked to cancer and other major body health problems.

·         Diazolidinyl Urea - contributes to immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity.

·         Kajoic Acid - Since it prohibits melanin production, it damages the skin's natural protection and eventually leads to skin diseases, or worst, cancer.

·         SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate) - Concentration can lead to the damage of a number of organs including brain, liver, heart, and lungs.

It is to be noted that these chemicals harms the body when they have reached more than enough concentration inside the body. With the regular use of these products that contains the chemicals mentioned above, the likelihood to diseases will increase. When you use these non-organic facial cleansers, you facial skin will become dependent on these products, and probably produces a good sensual effect to the facial skin, but what you do not see and observe is that with the regular use of these chemically contained products, the likelihood to diseases increases due to its easily penetration to the skin. When they penetrated to the skin and travelled through the bloodstream, concentration to the organs happen and eventually destroying these organs which is evident in the form of diseases.

In order to protect your health from these kinds of toxic products, it is very important to switch to organic products. When buying an organic product, read the labels too. There are some low cost "organic" in the market and may not really function as organic. So, educating yourself with these products is definitely important.

Go to local stores that feature organic facial products or search through the net for fine organic products that might be available. Read product reviews.

You don't want to be beautiful outside and dead on the inside right? So give yourself a break, go for Organic or natural homemade facial products.

By Donna Ryan

Don’t Eat Non-organic Celery if you Want to Stay Healthy

It’s difficult to believe that the non-organic celery sold in the supermarket is not fit for consumption. However, according to the Environmental Working Group, the veggie is a bit too pesticide-friendly, containing sixty-seven varieties of the harmful substances. That makes eating the food almost as dangerous as smoking cigarettes. Because of the plant’s composition, it can easily absorb the chemicals used in order to keep pests away. What’s more, the finding was made after the United States Food and Drug Administration (USDA) power-washed the plant.

Organic Celery Grows Well in Both Cooler and Warmer Climates

Needless to say, if you like eating peanut butter on celery, you better make sure that both are organic. You can buy organic celery or you might think of growing the vegetable as well. The plant grows a fairly long time throughout the year, so it grows well in a variety of environments. If you live in an area that is warm most of the time, then celery is a good plant to grow during the fall or winter seasons.

Organically Grown Celery will Reap Good Results as Long as It’s Watered and Fertilized

It’s a shame that more organic celery isn’t grown as the plant responds well to organic nutrients. The vegetable does well in partial shade when grown in moisture-retaining soil, and will prove to provide good eating if compost is added on a regular basis. As long as the vegetable is well-watered and the soil is continually nourished, the plant will reap good results when grown organically.

Watch for Caterpillars

When it comes to pest control, you’ll need to watch for caterpillars of the swallowtail butterfly. The best way to eradicate the problem is to simply pick the caterpillars off the stalks. Also, blight can affect celery plants as well, Early and late blight are fungus-type diseases that can be avoided by the rotation of the plants in your garden. If plants do become infected, they should pulled up and thrown away.

Growing Celery Involves Routine Care

Growing organic celery is really not too laborious of process as long as you regularly maintain your garden and make a commitment towards routinely caring for the plant. When organic celery is mature and ready for harvesting, you can harvest stalks separately by cutting the plant at its base. Organic celery is much more flavorful when you pick a variety like Tendercrisp. If you live in a warm climate, then you may want to choose the Tango variety.

Health Benefits of Eating Organic Celery

Of course, you may just want to buy organic celery too and forego planting it in your garden. If that is the case, you’ll find that choosing organic celery will avail you with a number of health benefits. For example, those people who enjoy organic celery experience a reduction in their blood pressure as well as cholesterol count. Also, organic celery has antiseptic qualities – good for preventing kidney disease and urinary tract infections.

Relief from Joint Pain

People benefit from eating organic celery too who suffer from joint diseases, such as rheumatism, gout, or arthritis as the vegetable’s properties reduce inflammation. Celery is helpful in eliminating the build-up of uric acid too which affects the joints and causes gout.

Overall, a Good Food to Eat as Long as It’s Organic

In addition, organic celery contains chemicals and nutrients that work at preventing cancer and improving immune system functioning. Also, people who suffer from migraines find relief by eating the vegetable, which contains coumarins – compounds proven to help in this regard. Consuming organic celery is also beneficial in calming the nerves. Add organic celery to your diet and you will avoid illnesses and diseases, such as joint pain, hypertension, acidosis, anemia, kidney disorders, circulatory problems, and cancer.

By Donna Ryan

Bottles Used for Bottled Water are Damaging to One’s Health

If you have been led into believing that bottled water sold in stores is pure and healthy, then you may be surprised to learn that much of that “spring” water that is featured on grocery store shelves comes from municipal water sources. What’s more, the plastic bottles holding the water are breeding grounds for bacteria, and contain toxic substances, such as Bisphenol A (BPA), which is known to cause health problems, such as:

·     Cancer of the prostate,

·     Brain and neurological damage;

·     Breast cancer; and

·     Hormonal problems.

Therefore, using organic water bottles, especially those made of steel, is recommended if you want to drink water that is considered safe and free of bacteria and toxins.

Bottled Water Poses Serious Health Concerns as Regulations for its Use are not Strictly Enforced

Also, when you consider that bottled water does not fall under as stringent guidelines (or those mandated by the Food and Drug Administration or FDA) as tap water (whose regulations are enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency EPA), using organic water bottles made of steel just makes better sense. In addition, not all water that is bottled is regulated by the FDA  as the agency does not consider water as being the bottled variety if the H20 is defined as sparkling, carbonated, or filtered, or described as seltzer or tonic water.

Generally Tap Water, especially if it is Filtered at the Tap, is Safer than Bottled Water

So, any spring water that you buy in the bottled water aisle does not have to meet the same criteria as city tap water when it comes to the amount of contamination in the product. While the FDA’s most frequent test for contamination occurs once a week, the EPA necessitates that water from the tap be tested at least a couple times daily for impurities. Installing a filter on your faucet too is also a better option than buying bottled water.

Not the Best Way to Hydrate

A good deal of that supposedly unadulterated water that is sold in the store simply does not carry any information that shows the source of the water or details about how it is purified. Almost 20% of producers of bottled water do not disclose the source of the water while just over 30% do not make any claims as far as purity.

A Large Variance in Cost

Given the aforementioned data, using an organic water bottle provides a better way to consume water, and is more affordable too. While the average per gallon cost of bottled water is just over $3.75, drinking tap water from an organic water bottle costs an incredibly low $.000 2 per gallon. It’s not too surprising then that manufacturers of bottled water make billions of dollars each year. That’s quite a markup when you could purchase an organic water bottle and obtain your water from a safer supply. When you consider that almost 50% of bottled water comes from municipal water sources, it makes one wonder why people are so enthralled with drinking bottled water. Apparently, companies that bottle water are highly adept at marketing and advertising their products.

Some Startling Statistics

Bottles used to hold water that is sold commercially use over one million tons of plastic annually. Plus, approximately 1,500 plastic bottles used for bottled water are discarded each second. Billions of pounds plastic bottles are strewn as trash along the road as well as deposited in landfills. In addition, some bottles are burned, which releases toxins into the air. By switching to an organic water bottle then, you will save money, help clean up the environment and prevent any health issues down the road.

Stainless Steel – Safe and Clean

Install a filter on your tap to make sure you don’t defeat the purpose of using an organic water bottle in the first place. While organic water bottles are featured in aluminum and food-grade plastic, your best bet in playing it safe is, again, to choose a bottle made of stainless steel. Free of BPA and other toxins, the bottle does not require the plastic or resin lining that is required for drinking out of aluminum bottles – a deciding reason why stainless steel is the better choice. So-called organic bottles which are made of food-grade plastic are less desirable than steel too as plastic can still affect the taste of the water you consume and, again, it is still plastic.