The healing nature of a garden is actually an ancient concept. The famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built by King Nebuchadnezzar to comfort his homesick wife, Amyitis. From Japanese Zen gardens to medieval monastic gardens to modern therapy gardens, the healing power of nature has long been recognized in the form of gardening.

What is it about gardening that makes it so effective at lifting the spirits? What form does gardening take today?

Good Dirt

There is bacteria that lives in soil called mycobacterium vaccae. Interestingly, exposure to this bacteria has been shown to enhance cognitive function, perhaps by stimulating brain cells to produce serotonin. It is the brain level of this chemical that determines mood and mental function. In fact, low levels of serotonin are present in people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), depression, bipolar disorder, and other emotional and mental disorders. Getting your hands in the dirt exposes you to this beneficial microbe, and may play a part in the happy effects of gardening.

Grounded in the Ground

Continue reading " Garden = Place of Healing "

By Tai Takatani

They say that every rose has its thorn. That may or may not actually be true, but the saying seems to apply when considering the beauty of wooded and bushy areas. Though many of us enjoy the wonders of nature, being surrounded by trees, the fresh air and all the other beauty that comes with it, being outside does have its thorn ” a tick that carries disease.

A tick is a blood-sucking parasite (think of it as a mite) that normally lives on the blood of large animals such as deer. Unfortunately, ticks also attach to humans. Ticks transmit the widest variety of pathogens of any blood-sucking arthropod, including bacteria, rickettsiae, protozoa and viruses. Contracting Lyme disease is one of many threats of being bitten by a tick.

Lyme disease is more of a threat in the upper Midwest, northeastern coast and northern California. But, regardless of where you live, if there are ticks, then Lyme disease is a potential risk. The disease is not fatal, but it does pose serious health problems such as arthritis, muscle and joint pains, neurological problems, cognitive defects or fatigue if left untreated.

Continue reading " Preventing Lyme Disease "

While most people are aware that medication can help alter their moods, many people prefer a more natural approach – finding foods which can make them happy rather than turning to medication. You may be surprised at the number of happy foods you have available to you right now.

A quick tour of your kitchen or local grocers’ can help you find a few key items which can assist in triggering your brain into happiness, without the need for medication. Many of the most common “comfort” foods also contain multiple nutrients known to uplift moods and general state of mind. These are omega-3 fats, folic acid, vitamin B12 as well as selenium.

* Milk (skim milk is preferable) – There’s an amino acid found in milk products called tryptophan which our brain uses to make serotonin; the natural chemical our bodies create to make us happy. Milk is also rich in antioxidants, vitamin D and vitamin B12. These help fight stress as well as aging. Besides, the calcium is good for you and vital for building strong bones and teeth.

Continue reading " Happy Foods "

Clinical depression is radically different from a passing feeling of sadness. It is a phase of low mood that lasts for more than three to four weeks at a stretch. Typical symptoms of depression are social withdrawal, insomnia, change in appetite, weight gain or loss, extreme pessimism and a feeling of worthlessness.

Passing phases of sadness can potentially lead to clinical depression if not attended to. It is imperative that you arm yourself with some protection to avoid such a situation. Some simple procedures including natural remedies for depression can prove very helpful in boosting energy levels and avoiding depressive moods.

According to the ancient Indian therapy Ayurveda, disease is caused by an imbalance of the three aspects. These aspects are the basis of the healthy functioning of a body. They are vata (wind), kapha (phlegm) and pitta (heat). Depression occurs when this imbalance is accompanied by â��œlack of awareness of one ’s deeper, inner Self.â�

Originally posted 2007-09-18 09:59:02.

Continue reading " Ayurveda – Natural Treatments for Depression "

It’s doubtful whether anyone would have thought, during the first official Groundhog Day in 1886, that over 100 years later people would still be focusing their attention on a little critter on February 2 each year. It is on that date that Punxsutawney Phil tells the nation if there will be six more weeks of winter or not.

Many people don’t realize Groundhog Day has its origin in Germany. Tradition there claims that a badger or hedgehog would predict the coming of spring. If the animal saw its shadow on Candlemas, winter weather would continue. German settlers moved to the United States and continued the tradition. However, since there weren’t hedgehogs or badgers where they lived, they chose the groundhog as the weather prognosticator.

* Phil, the groundhog everyone looks to, has a long name: “Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary.” This name was given to a groundhog in 1887 by the “Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.”

Continue reading " Groundhog Day Fun Facts "

Believe it or not, vitamins which are so popular today were otherwise not known up to 15 years ago. They had not been isolated in the lab, they could not be seen were weighed and they were essentially unknown. Today almost everybody knows about vitamins and much has been written about the different types of vitamins necessary for the overall an optimal health of individuals and animals. Vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K are some of the major components which helps the body to manufacture the appropriate enzymes and proteins for optimal health.

The three major vitamins-vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin C must all me presents in any diets. Interestingly, vitamins only came to light when it was found that diets which were thought to be “balanced” did not provide the proper nutrition, and even in some cases brought on certain deficiencies such as scurvy and beriberi.

Up until 10 to 12 years ago there were is no good units of measure for vitamins and no adequate way of determining the best methodology of manufacturing and delivering vitamin supplements.

Continue reading " Vitamin X "

Despite the low-carb craze, whole grains remain a vital component of a healthy diet. When you hear the term “whole grains,” do you think immediately of whole wheat? While whole wheat is a healthy and tasty grain, it is by no means the only one. Whole grains are affordable and can be stored for a long time in their whole form. Here is a list of some of the “alternative” whole grains, their health benefits, and some suggestions on how to use them.

1. Oats
Whole oats – rolled, steel cut, or groats – make a nourishing, high-fiber, cholesterol-lowering breakfast. Oats are also anti-inflammatory, making them a good choice for those who suffer from allergies or inflammatory bowel disease. If you want to incorporate oats into your diet in other ways, try grinding whole oats into flour (or purchasing oat flour) and adding it to baked goods. Replace 1/4 of every cup of flour called for in a recipe with oat flour.

Continue reading " Amazing Grains "

What is Psoriasis?

Typically psoriasis sufferers usually develop well defined red raised patches covered by silvery scales which form first on the scalp, behind the ears, on the back of the neck, between the shoulders, on elbows and knees or near fingernails and toenails.

Other areas of the body can also be affected including the back, the penis, the nails and even eyebrows. Individual psoriatic patches can spread and join together to affect quite a large area of the body. However, there are always psoriasis-free places where the skin looks normal, which is an important characteristic in diagnosing this condition.

The most common form of psoriasis is psoriasis vulgaris. Other forms include localized pustular psoriasis and exfoliative psoriatic dermatitis. Localized pustular psoriasis usually only appears on the soles of the feet and the palms of the hand; and instead of red, scaly patches there ’s usually a mass of tiny yellow blisters. With exfoliative psoriatic dermatitis the entire skin is red and covered in fine scales.

How is Psoriasis usually treated?

Continue reading " Psoriasis – What Is It And What Can Help? "

It’s important to know about your family background; it gives you a sense of who you are and where you’ve come from. It can also be important because knowing how your ancestors died could have an effect on your own medical history. If you’re not sure what you need to get started in genealogy, these tips will help you along your way.

You’ll need to have some basic office supplies available when you get started. File folders can be used to keep any blank charts you’ll need; they can also be used to keep your ancestors organized. Start a file folder for each surname you find during your search. When it is too full, you can always separate the information further.

If you’d rather not keep everything you gather in paper form, you can invest in good genealogy software such as Roots Magic 3, Legacy Family Tree 7.0 Deluxe, or Family Tree Maker. These range in price between $30 and $100. You can also find free software, such as Personal Ancestral File 5.2 or Family Tree Builder 4.0.

Continue reading " What You Need to Get Started in Genealogy "

Men often grow a goatee to simply change their appearance or to make up for a lack of hair on their head.

When a guy shaves his head or keeps his head hair cut very short, growing a goatee can help to create a good look that offsets the lack of head hair.

When it comes to growing a goatee, men often have questions that relate to how it will make them look as well as questions related to goatee maintenance.

How does a goatee feel? Personally, I don’t really notice much of a difference with a goatee as I tend to keep it short. I use a beard trimmer to keep my goatee trimmed which also helps to line a goatee and keep it neat.

How long does it take to grow a goatee? Depending on how quickly your facial hair grows, you can start seeing a noticeable goatee within several days or thereabouts. It also depends on how long you decide to grow your goatee since leaving it relatively short can be accomplished pretty quickly.

Continue reading " Goatee Shaping: Growing A Goatee "