The Content Composer Org

Michael J. Homan is a Reiki Master and studies natural healthing methods such as Acupressure, Electro-Acupuncture, Reflexology, Crystal Therapy, Chinese Magnetic Cupping, has his own e-Book called 4 Steps To A Pain-FREE Back!, and has a health related web site devoted to health issues and natural healing techniques.

I have studied and taken courses in acupressure. Studied some on chiropractic. I also have looked into psychological issues to do with pain and medical problems. And I am also a Reiki Master.

So now that you have a little about my background, and what fuels my writing… let’s get to the real content.

I am going to condense this article for convenience since it is a combination of four major studies in themselves, but you can get my e-book or read my full articles at my web site, which is healthgrowhealthier.com.

I have found that 4 major things play an important part in your spines health.

First, there is posture. I know this is not the first time you have heard this, but it needs to be said again and again.
Posture should be noted in sitting, standing, and sleeping. Start taking note of your posture at all times. If it is not straight, then start working on fixing it.

If you sleep in a position like I have in the past, with both hands under your pillow while you lay on your side, you can pinch a nerve in your neck if your shoulder of the arm that’s up starts to relax and leans in toward your head or neck. It would be better to lay your arm of your upper hand down on your leg while one hand is under your pillow.
And if you can, buy a few different thickness pillows for throughout the night. I do not know about you, but I can not have a high, fluffy pillow when I lay on my back. But a thin pillow gives me neck ache when I lay on my side.

The second thing on our list is the flexibility of your back.

What you want to do when you notice your back goes out a lot and you experience pinched nerves, is in getting your spine back into alignment and having it flexible.

Of course if you feel a chiropractor is your best choice, by all means seek one. But think about your progress if you could align your own back when ever you needed to. It’s not all that hard!

If you are in pain at the present, put ice or heat on the spot until the pain seems to lessen.

Do NOT, under any circumstances exercise while any of your nerves are inflamed or swollen!

To get your back more flexible you might want to learn kundalini yoga. Not all yoga styles are like those you may have seen on television, where they twist themselves up. Kundalini yoga has very good and useful spinal exercises developed to help flexibility. Kundalini Yoga is also a spiritual tool to help before meditation as well.

It is very important to strengthen your back and the surrounding muscles. This is the third step to a healthy back.
Doing sit-ups is one such exercise, You do not have to do many sit-ups until you feel you can… step by step.
Take all of these things slow and at the pace of your body. Your body will let you know what it is feeling. Pain is a warning sign.
Just remember… taking pain pills is okay when you really need them. But also remember that they do not heal the problem, they only mask the warning sign, they simply stop the warning sign, but not the underlying problem.
Health is more than just eating right. One has to consider mental health, environmental, and many other factors. It is not all that easy for a doctor to diagnose the complete problem and cure it, especially if it has roots in psychological issues and has gone a long time unchecked, and became a physical problem.

The fourth and last step in back health is to start a daily stretching routine. You have
seen cats and dogs stretch when they get up, try it for yourself!

The key to back health is in keeping it actively flexible and strong, or well supported by the stomach and back muscles. You may have to find that happy medium in between like I have, being too much strength in one area will pull out another.
Each person is uniquely different in many areas. So never think what worked for someone else is going to work for you. You may have to build on someone else’s information and work it into your own, personal program.

I recommend you learn a little about acupressure as well to maintain your pain when it flares up.
I have found that I can manage pain by using acupressure, simply by putting pressure on certain areas of the body. But that is something I suggest you seek a professional for help, or look for someone who does acupuncture, or take a course in acupressure like I did.

Article written by Michael J. Homan

www.healthgrowhealthier.com

INTRODUCTION

According to the World Health Organization, a few decades back diabetes was an uncommon disease, in both developed and developing countries. Today, the story is different. It is currently estimated that over 143million people worldwide are affected by the disease. This figure is ever increasing, by 2020 over 220million people are expected to be living with diabetes, if the current trend continues.

In the United States alone, there are 18.2 million people (6.3% of the population) living with diabetes. While another 13million people have been diagnosed with diabetes. Unfortunately, 5.2milion (or nearly one third) are unaware that they have the disease.

The figure for Nigeria is not readily available, but it is estimated that over 1.5million people have diabetes in Nigeria.

In developed countries, most patients of diabetes are over sixty, but in developing countries, diabetes is found to affect people in their prime.

WHAT IS DIABETES?

Diabetes Mellitus (or simply diabetes) is derived from the Greek word ‘Diabeinein’, meaning ‘To pass through’ describing copious urination, and Mellitus from the Latin word meaning ‘Sweetened with honey’. These two words signify sweetened urine or sugar in urine.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use Insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed, in the body, to control the rate at which sugar, starch and other food are converted into glucose required as energy for daily life. The hormone is produced and released
into the blood by an organ called ‘Pancreas’. This insulin help to maintain the blood glucose level within a normal range. The World Health Organization (WHO) puts this normal range between
60 – 100mg/dl (Before taking any food for the day, hence this value is called Fasting Blood Glucose). In health, despite several demands for glucose in different situations, the blood glucose rarely exceeds this value.

After a meal the liver stores the glucose from the meal as glycogen and releases it into the blood in between meals. The role of insulin is the control of this storage and release of glucose. It ensures that the amount of glucose in the blood at every particular time does not go beyond or below the normal range.

TYPES OF DIABETES.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), five classes of diabetes are recognized, these are; Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) or Type I Diabetes, Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) or Type II Diabetes, Gestational Diabetes, Diabetes Insipidus and Bronze Diabetes.

INSULIN DEPENDENT/TYPE I DIABETES: This type of diabetes was initially called Juvenile onset diabetes because it affects adolescents and young adults. It is caused by a sudden failure of the pancreas to produce Insulin. It is, therefore, an acute disease, presenting with thirst, polyuria (passing large amount of urine), diuresis and weight loss. Type I diabetes is not common, it accounts for less than 10% of all diabetes cases.

NON-INSULIN DEPENDENT/ TYPE II DIABETES: This is the most prevalent type of diabetes, accounting for more than 80% of all diabetic cases. It is found in adults and the elderly. This type of diabetes develops gradually over a long period of time (unnoticed) and is characterized by insufficient insulin, deficient insulin in the blood or the inability of the body to utilize the insulin resent (Insulin resistance). Because of its slow and gradual occurrence, it is mostly undetected until one or more of its long-term complications appear.

Unlike in Type I Diabetes, the Insulin in the blood of a Type II diabetic may be normal or even high, but lacks the desired effect, due to insulin resistance, and this is prevalent among obese people.

GESTATIONAL DIABETES: This type of diabetes occurs during pregnancy and disappears after delivery, within 3weeks. An estimated 3% of all pregnancies are accompanied by gestational diabetes and almost half of these patients are prone to developing permanent diabetes later in life.
WHAT CAUSES DIABETES.

As with hypertension and other non communicable diseases, no clear cut cause(s) can be attributed to the most prevalent type of diabetes (Type II Diabetes, Type I diabetes being secondary to failure of the pancreas). However, some factors are known to increase one’s chances of becoming diabetic and these are called risk factors. For example, indolent and well-fed populations are 2 – 20times more likely to develop type II diabetes than active and lean population of the same race. Some other factors known to increase one chances of getting diabetes include:

OBESITY: It is estimated that three quarter () of all Type II diabetes patient are obese. Indolent and affluent lifestyles tend to contribute to this. It is believed that a 10kg loss of weight can reduce fasting blood sugar level by almost 50md/dl. An active lifestyle with frequent exercise is also known to increase Insulin sensitivity.

The International standard for measuring overweight and obesity is based on a value called BODY MASS INDEX (BMI). This value is derived by dividing the body weight (in Kilograms) by the square of height (in metres).

i.e. BMI = Body weight (Kg) / Height2 (Metres).
Note: 1ft = 0.305metres.

For adults, a BMI less than 25kg/m2 is preferred.

25 – 29kg/m2 is considered overweight and above 30kg/m2 is Obesity.

FAMILY HISTORY: A family history of diabetes increases one’s chances of getting the disease. In such a situation, leading a healthy lifestyle and constant monitoring of one’s blood sugar level becomes very important.
AGE AND RACE: Most Type II diabetes patient are over 40yrs at presentation of the disease. However, the proportion of increase in the incidence of this disease with age is higher for those with a family history of diabetes, obese and probably those leading sedentary lifestyles. Moreover, diabetes tends to be more prevalent among Africans, African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Asian Americans. Belonging to any of the races is a risk factor in itself.

HISTORY OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES: in a woman also increases her chances/possibility of developing permanent diabetes later in life.

YOU CAN PREVENT/DELAY DIABETES!
Diabetes have no permanent cure once it develops, it is managed al through life. But you can prevent ever falling into this life long pain. Before diabetes present in people, it is almost always preceded by a situation called PRE DIABETES. A situation where the blood glucose is higher than normal, but not yet enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Saddening, however, you cannot know when you fall into this category, if you have not being monitoring your blood glucose regularly.

Pre Diabetes is itself a serious medical situation, though can still be reversed by making changes in diet pattern and increasing physical activity. To determine one’s blood sugar a test called Fasting Blood Glucose has to be conducted. This test measures the amount of glucose (sugar) in one’s blood before taking any meal for the day. It is measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl).

A value below 100mg/dl is generally accepted to be normal, while a value greater than 100mg/dl but less than 120mg/dl is not full diabetes yet, so it is regarded as Pre diabetes. An individual with a pre diabetes blood glucose level need to take urgent steps to reduce his blood glucose or risk life long diabetes.

It should be emphasized, however, that the racial and genetic factors predisposing to diabetes are still beyond human comprehension and control. It makes common sense, therefore, to reduce all human controllable factors to the barest minimum. Most of these factors have to do with social occupational and diet habits.

The following tips can help reduce your diabetes risk:

* Reduce weight. Obesity seems to be the single most significant factor in diabetes. Reducing body weight and fat and maintaining an average body weight is very essential. To this end a body mass index (BMI) less than 25kg/m2 for males and less than 24kg/m2 for females is recommended.

* Increase Physical Activity. It is an established fact that diabetes is more common among people that lead a sedentary affluent lifestyle. Simple dynamic exercises like brisk walking for 30-50mins daily or 3-5times weekly has been shown to be very helpful. Exercise reduces bodyweight and fat, increases functionality of the heart, reduces the chances of diabetes and also boosts emotions and healthy living.

* Cut down or cut out alcohol. Alcoholic intake of more than 2units per day has been shown to adversely affect the body. Alcohol being an addictive drug makes it very difficult to maintain a definite amount of intake for a long time. It is better therefore to strive to cut out alcohol completely.

* Avoid Smoking. Cigarette smoke has been shown to contain several poisonous substances. Cigarette smoking and alcohol have been related to several disease. Stopping smoking will definitely reduce the chances of several other ailments apart from diabetes.

* Lean good eating habits, such as;

* Cut down on fatty food and junks

* Eat more of fish and poultry (without the skin is better).

* Garlic reduces blood pressure cholesterol; add it to your meal plan once in a while.

* Cut the number of eggs you take to 3- 4 weekly (better boiled than fried).

* Reduce salt intake to less than 5.8grams daily.

* Eat more of vegetables and fibre rich food, especially fruits.

* Finally, constantly monitor your fasting blood glucose, as this is the only way to know when you are getting into trouble.

CONCLUSION

Diabetes and Hypertension being so interlinked requires a comprehensive plan of care, and this revolves round one’s dietary habits, social and environmental factors. Several lifestyle changes like regular exercise, maintaining a moderate body weight, reduction of fat intake and high fibre diet all help to live a normal healthy life. These measures are known to increase insulin sensitivity and also reduce blood pressure.

Conclusively, it is very important to create a more health conscious individuals in the populace. A people who practically believe that it is better and cheaper to prevent an illness than to treat it, when it has become stronger. Moreover, preventive health cannot be divorced from regular medical checks, as this two go hand in hand. There is no way to detect several non-communicable diseases without undergoing regular medical checks. The importance of these checks cannot be over emphasized.
Be alive to your health. Know your Blood glucose values and live a healthier life free from the pains of diabetes.

Mr. Adefemi Kazeem is a graduate of Human Anatomy from a Nigerian University and who wishes to specialize in Public Health, soon.
You can contact him by e-mail – yemupz@yahoo.com;
Phone – 234-803-613-6741.

Most marketers realize today that content is king and there is no faster vehicle to increase traffic and receive publicity than writing articles.

This is where the article directory comes into play. Writers are able to submit their articles to these online databases where content hungry webmasters, blogsters, and other internet marketers can find free content for their websites, newsletters, and ezines.

Article writers gain credibility as an expert in their field as well as gaining a link back to their website. Link popularity is increased with the added advantage that this can be achieved with a low advertising budget and very little effort.

Hence this marriage was made in heaven. Article directories are not only provided fresh content on a daily basis (thereby scoring high in the search engines), but are also given the opportunity to build considerable revenue from affiliate programs (such as Google, Clickbank, and others), as well as building an extensive opt-in email list of potential customers.

Another by-product of having an article directory is the chance to gain knowledge of subjects other than one’s own interests. Articles on the arts, business, communications, computers, health, fashion, finance, food, home and family, politics, recreation, self-improvement, travel, vehicles, and writing are all available to read at one’s leisure.

Meeting other writers, publishers, editors, and programmers can really expand your horizon. The ability to joint-venture with these parties can prove to be more than a bonus.

It’s a win-win situation for both the article writer as well as the article directory owner that continues to grow exponentially each day.

For more information concerning article directories please see Larry Cockerham or visit his website at http://www.articlemaniac.com

There is a crisis today not just in the United States, but all over the world. The crisis is a lack of leadership in virtually all of out institutions and organizations. People want and need individuals who are honest, competent, forward-looking, and inspiring. They want and need leaders.

People want and expect their leaders to be credible and trustworthy. But how do leaders earn the trust and confidence of the people they serve? They do it by standing for the commitment to a common cause.

The world community is very diverse and it has very high expectations of its leaders. People today are more demanding and harder to please than at any time in history. Surveys show that the majority of people are very disappointed in the lack of leadership in all their institutions. In fact in most modern institutions the very notion of strong leadership has been shattered and cynicism has taken its place.

Make no mistake about it: people still need and want leadership now more than ever. They want leaders who hold an ethic of service and are genuinely respectful of the intelligence and contributions of the people they serve. They want leaders who will put principles ahead of politics and other people before self-interests.

Still, leaders cannot do it alone. Neither can companies, communities, or countries. Everyone, leaders and the people that they serve, share responsibility for getting extraordinary things done. Leaders need the energetic involvement of the people around them just as much as the people need the vision, courage, and conviction of their leader. Responding to the demands of a highly diverse population is a social challenge and a personal struggle. Respect must run both ways.

Think about the two issues that top the list of concerns for business leaders: they are improving quality and enhancing customer service. Regardless of the industry, sector, or region, these to have been the top two items on most surveys of critical business challenges so far in the 21st century.

Superior quality of products and services alone will not guarantee that businesses, public agencies, nonprofits, independent sector organizations, and communities will be successful in this new century, because the demands and expectations of people are constantly changing with time. It will be the quality of leadership that will allow these organizations to anticipate and commit themselves to meeting the requirements of future years.

The ambitions for high-quality products, services, and leadership share a common foundation: they are all supported by an even more powerful force that shapes people’s decisions to follow leaders willingly and remain loyal to businesses’ products or services.
Business leaders must understand and strengthen this foundation if they’re going to be able to anticipate the future and be a successful leader.

The foundation is the customer, because it is the customer who decides if a product or service has superior quality. If a customer decides that a product or service meets their expectations, helps solve their problems, and satisfies their needs, they are much more likely to make another purchase from the same company. The same is true of leadership. If employees come to the same conclusions about their leader, they’re much more likely to support the leader’s vision for the company’s future.

Successful leaders look ahead at what the future will be like, especially if the visions they’ve held in the past have been fulfilled. Leaders are highly skilled interpersonally, always asking questions, and listening to advice. They know their values, beliefs, strengths, and weaknesses. Most of all true leaders have a broad network of support from the people they lead.

Tragically, around the world today, people have lost faith in their institutions and the individuals who lead them. We see this on the news every night, we read it in the newspapers, and hear it on the radio. As we hear this people have to ask themselves an important question; have people lost faith in their leaders or in themselves?

An important quality of all optimistic people is the common belief that one individual can make a difference. Yet in today’s turbulent and uncertain world people don’t seem to be as sure about this as they once were. People today are not as sure as they once were that they can achieve any goal they set or be whatever they want to be.

Perhaps there is good reason. The extraordinary dislocations caused by the shifting economic, political, and social forces happening today seem to be completely beyond our control. How can we possibly matter in the larger scheme of things? How can we possibly influence the powerful institutions and special interests that seem to pull the strings?

Before we give in to defeat and cynicism, let us remember that we have already made a difference. The product and service quality initiatives that now occupy the successful businesses all over the world are there because customers demanded it. Consumers have said that they will not buy products and services of poor quality or pay more than they think the product or service is worth. It is the customer, the people that caused these changes.

We can do the same with leadership and with all working relationships. By holding leaders accountable, we can improve the quality of our leadership and at the same time by holding ourselves accountable, we can enhance the quality of all our working relationships, thus renewing our faith in each other.

Copyright©2006 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many businesses around the world, on the subjects of leadership, achievement, goals, strategic business planning, and marketing.

Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com

There are currently 1.1 – 1.4 billion smokers and tobacco users in the world and about 4.9 million of them will die THIS YEAR from smoking and tobacco related diseases. Tobacco IS NOT just another Consumer Product. This misconception would have to go down in history as one of the most successful product marketing shams. Why? How is it that a product can be marketed as giving flavour and satisfaction, when what you really get is addiction, sickness and poverty.

Tobacco is one of the few legal substances available in stores as a ‘consumer product’ that will kill or harm when used as intended. Wow! Forgive me if I sound a bit cynical towards the tobacco industry. Three thousand kids become new smokers every day. I’m more in shock than cynical!

I believe that anyone can quit smoking if they choose, even without the use of Nicotine Replacement Therapy products. This statement may seem like a slap in the face for the giant NRT companies, but I’m sorry it’s true. Let me make another statement, ‘Nicotine Addiction is the World’s Greatest Deception’ and every smoker and tobacco user falls for the same lie.

I have examined the link between the ‘emotional gradualisation’ and the physiological rewiring of the brain from nicotine. The gradualisation process for most smokers is the product of a gradual numbing of the emotions to the point where our responses are slowly hardened to the consequences of smoking related disease. Even when facing death. In short anti-smoking emotional fear tactics do not work effectively for all smokers. Do people really take any notice of cigarette packet warning labels? I didn’t!

The bottom line is this…tobacco does kill. Smokers and tobacco users need urgent help to break the chains of the nicotine addiction. Tobacco reform laws and increased tobacco taxes will undoubtedly impose a certain amount of tobacco control.

However this will inadvertently cause unnecessary emotional trauma for many smokers being forced to stop smoking without access to comprehensive educational programs. Educational programs are essential for smokers to LEARN how to overcome the many internal and external psychological influences associated with nicotine addiction.

The multi-million dollar NRT industry, which seems to be riding very nicely on the back of the trillion dollar tobacco market, seems to target smokers and tobacco users with a very narrow medical approach, and as Alan I. Leshner Ph.D. Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) once quoted “Science has also shown that treating addiction with medications alone is not nearly as effective as when coupled with a behavioral approach.” [source NIDA]

The world is facing a major health epidemic as a result of smoking and tobacco related diseases. Over 450,000 people will die this year in the US alone from these diseases. These are very serious issues and my soap box plea is that tobacco is not ‘just another consumer product’, it is the source of the world’s greatest deception.

If you would like more information about Quit Smoking…NOW – It’s Easier Than You Think! Log onto http://www.quitsmoking-4-life.com /a>

==========================================================

** Attn Ezine editors / Site Owners **
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your
ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in
place, do not modify the content.

If you use this article please send an email to
colin@quitsmoking-4-life.com so I can see how it looks.

===========================================================

Colin R. Williams is a Quit Smoking Personal Coach and Seminar Presenter. He is the author of a new book titled Quit Smoking…NOW – It’s Easier Than You Think! Colin is passionate about helping people to quit smoking and teaches how anyone who REALLY SERIOUSLY wants to quit will and can destroy their nicotine addiction…forever.

When it comes to getting a tan in a tanning bed, there
is much controversy. For starters, people across the
country have been building golden tans for several decades.
While a tanned body is attractive, the problem is that
there are also many tanning bed dangers, some that people
know of and some that are hidden. Today, tanning salons account
for a $5 billion a year industry that just keeps on growing.

If you were to look at commercials, magazine advertisements,
and many high society people, you see toned and tanned bodies.
However, all of this is merely portraying a false sense of
health and beauty. In truth, tanning beds can be very dangerous,
causing burns, suppression of immune systems, damage to the
cornea, cosmetic and drug-induced photosensitivity, and a higher
risk of developing melanoma cancer.

Because there are no laws governing the use of tanning beds,
people are free to use them as long and as often as they like.
Keep in mind that the majority of tanning salons do have
restrictions about usage but these are rules set up by the salon,
not the government. Sadly, we see teenagers having restrictions
on them for smoking cigarettes, which cause cancer, yet the
tanning bed that has also been proven to increase the risk of
cancer has no such structure.

The bottom line is that every person interested in developing
a tan via indoor tanning needs to have a full understanding of
tanning bed dangers so they can make educated and safe choices.
For example, most tanning beds release very high and dangerous
levels of ultraviolet radiation, which has been shown through
massive testing to cause premature aging while increasing the
risk of skin cancer.

Additionally, using indoor tanning on a short-term basis commonly
causes itchy, dry skin while long-term use causes wrinkled and
sagging skin. Making things more difficult is the fact that
many people also take tanning accelerants as a way of speeding
up the tanning process. However, these accelerants contain
tyrosine derivatives and amino acid tyrosine, both which are
ineffective and have the possibility of being dangerous.
Even so, manufacturers push these products while the Food and
Drug Administration has not approved them.

Without doubt, tanning beds have become an extremely popular
option for maintaining a tan throughout the year. Just remember
that in exchange for the golden glow, the body is negatively
affected. In fact, because tanning beds emit from 50% to 100%
the amount of UV rays than from natural sunlight, you would be
safer lying out on the beach for a few hours. If you want to
tan, be wise about the amount of time spent and the frequency
of using indoor tanning beds.

Guido W. Stiehle provides general tanning tips and valuable information about the safe use of tanning beds at http://www.tanninginfocenter.com.

I have heard that WET FEET are NOT bad for ME-

-says the River Birch tree.

For humans, wet feet are VERY bad and cause “Athlete’s Foot” fungus on the skin. The soles of our feet are where the most sweat cells, the densest concentration in our whole body, are found. That’s why athletes who sweat so much often get the foot problem which also got their name. And what happens to our skin when we stay in the bathtub or swim too long?

As for trees, some trees actually DIE if the soil that immediately surrounds them is very wet. CONSTANTLY wet. Just ask any Norway Spruce tree.

Maybe you want to drink a lot of water when you run, or do a workout, or heavy physical labor. Well, similarly, trees that grow fast and grow large, want to drink a lot of water too. But, they don’t want to stay permanently immersed in it!

That’s part of the problem with clay soil, the poor drainage and moisture retention. Some clays can hold water over 40 times their volume. Wow.

Even when rainfall is below average, there are areas on most any property where water collects and the ground is especially wet.

So, look for low spots, look where perhaps where there are springs where groundwater constantly rises, and what about looking for where gutters and storm drains empty? Then, plant a River birch Tree right there and watch it grow! The following web sites provide River Birch trees in the Doylestown Township area: http://www.seedlingsrus.com http://www.zone5trees.com http://www.highlandhillfarm.com

How Oxygen Keeps Your Plants Thriving!

Oxygen is used in large quantities by plants. If you were to analyse a dried plant you would find that about 45% consisted of Oxygen atoms. Just like humans, plants need fresh air and their cells use Oxygen in the same kind of quantities that ours do. In air conditions with a low concentration of Oxygen, or where the air is poor, plants do not thrive. Those that do manage to eke out an existence remain poor stunted specimens.

The leaves of a plant have easy access to Oxygen. They make it as a natural bi-product of the process of producing plant sugars
and breathe it out as waste during the process of photosynthesis.

The roots of the plant do not have the same amount of Oxygen available to them. They have to work a lot harder to find enough for their needs. Insufficient Oxygen at the roots will reduce the plants root respiration and result in the shutting down of photosynthesis.

A plant’s growth and its yield are governed by the size and health of its root system. It can only grow to its full potential if the roots have enough Oxygen for their needs. In plants grown hydroponically this essential ingredient is supplied dissolved in the nutrient solution.

Dissolved Oxygen in the nutrient solution can be measured by a DO meter. These are available from all good hydroponics equipment suppliers.

The amount of Oxygen dissolved in the solution will vary depending on both temperature and pressure. The warmer the water the lower the gaseous content will be. Really cold fresh water has a DO reading of up to 14 ppm or 14mg/litre, while water at 30 degrees centigrade can only hold about 5ppm or 5 mg/l DO.

This DO only amounts to a very small percentage of the roots needs. All water culture systems have to utilise some other form of oxygenation for the roots as well as DO in the nutrient. Root systems that have insufficient Oxygen available will soon turn brown and become very sick.

We aerate the nutrient in our systems in order to get the best saturation that we can, (from 5ppm to 8ppm) but the main function of this aeration is to kill off the anaerobic bacteria around the roots. Anaerobic bacteria are pathogens that cannot survive in an oxygenated environment; (Anaerobic meaning without air).

Because the dissolved Oxygen in the nutrient can only supply about 1% of the roots requirements, the balance must be made up by breathing air. This air is trapped within the soil in conventional gardening and in the growing medium in normal hydroponics systems. This Oxygen search uses up energy that the plant could better use to produce root growth.

The only type of system where this does not happen is the aeroponics system. The aerated water being sprayed directly onto the roots, allows the plant to take in free Oxygen from the surrounding air, while still keeping the roots moist and supplied with nutrient.

One of the functions of Oxygen is to facilitate the exchange of nutrients and gasses between the plant roots and the surrounding solution. It does this by changing the electrical charges within the water, so allowing the roots to absorb the available nutrients with the least expenditure of energy. For this reason, if no other, the roots need all the Oxygen they can get.

Copyright (C) 2004, 2005, 2006.

J R Haughton.

— All Rights Reserved —

A partner in a thriving retail hydroponics supply business,
Rickie Haughton is the owner of hydroponics-gardening-information.com which aims to cater for all levels of expertise in the field of hydroponics gardening. The website is packed with good content about all aspects off hydroponics gardening and offers a free hydroponics Club membership to all subscribers.

Ribollita is a delicious low fat Italian soup, a bit similar to the famous minestrone, but instead of pasta, you cook it with beans.

Ribollita is very filling, as you serve it on top of 2 bread slices and a cooking spoon of slightly fried spinach, and top all that with a tablespoon of low fat Parmesan cheese.

You can add bacon bits if you want, but you don’t really need it. This delicious Italian soup is full of flavour and goodness.

Ribolita yields 3 WW points, but you may want to have a double ration and go for a sixer! You won’t go for seconds or dessert after that! (and if you are… you shouldn’t!).

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 Tbsp crushed garlic

2 celery sticks

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped

2 large courgettes, thinly sliced

1 X 425 g (14 oz) can chopped tomates (with onion and basil, or any other combination you want)

1 Tbsp pesto

1 lt (4 cups) vegie stock

1 X 425 g borlotti beans, drained

Salt and pepper

8 slices of white bread

1/2 kg spinach

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp low fat grated Parmesan cheese

This is what you do:

Ok, first you heat one tsp of olive oil in a large pot, and add the onions, carrots, garlic, celery and fennel and stir for about 10 minutes.

After that, add the courgettes and keep stirring for another 2 minutes.

Next, add the tomatoes, pesto, stock and the beans and stir till boiling, and then simmer for about 30 minutes or so. By then, the vegies will be soft and tender.

Add salt and pepper.

Now prepare your seving dishes by placing a slice of bread in the bottom of the saucers.

Heat a frying pan, and add 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil, and fry the spinach for about 2 minutes.

Spoon equal portions of spinach on the bread slices, and then laddle the soup on top of the bread and spinach.

Garnish with a Tbsp of low fat Parmesan cheese on each portion.

Ahhhhh! Magnifico!

For more of these delicious low fat recipes visit http://www.Jeff-The-Skinny-Chef.com. You’ll find a growing collection of free delicious low fat recipes, articles on healthy eating, and weight loss.

When was the last time you took a day just for yourself? If you’re a small business owner or anyone else for that matter, you answer is probably never. I first learned the principal; of Extraordinary Self-care Day at a workshop given by my friend Terri Levine the author of Work Yourself Happy. Essentially an Extraordinary Self-care Day is taking one 24-hour period where you take care of yourself. You do no work at all. I know, I can hear your protest. I protested too when I first heard this idea “But you don’t understand, I have to check my voicemail, I have to return phone calls, I have to answer my emails and on and on.” I protested in my very best entrepreneurial voice. The truth is any of us can take a day for ourselves without consequence. Believe it or not, the world will keep spinning. Calls will wait as will email.

This is a day just for you. If you normally do the cooking on your Extraordinary Self-Care Day, you will refrain from making meals. Trust me your family will not starve. Obviously if there are small children or infants that depend on you, you would have to modify this. Overall try to do nothing that is related to your normal work. This is a pampering day just for you.

The first time I did this, I discovered just how my work relates to things that I do on any given day. Most of my reading was centered on business topics. Being an entrepreneur and self-employed, I was convinced I had to be working all the time. I was wrong. Kicking and screaming, I embarked on my Extraordinary Self-Care Day. I took a walk, read part of a novel, took a luxurious bath in our soaking tub (something I never used to do) and just hung out and took care of myself. What a concept!

It’s been a year now and my Extraordinary Self-Care Day has become an integral part of my life. I not only feel better, and am having more fun, I have my life back. Doing this regularly has enabled me to put my work back into perspective. I no longer work seven days a week and I no longer do email throughout the day.

The interesting thing is that because of my taking this time to nurture myself, I’m actually more productive. Because I’m taking better care of myself I have more clarity and I’m able to better focus on the task on hand. Because I am taking better care of myself, I am more creative and productive. Most of all, because I am taking better care of myself, I feel better and have more happiness, after all isn’t that what it’s all about?

So your assignment, if you choose to accept it, is to schedule one 24-hour period, sometime within the next 10 days, when you can give yourself an Extraordinary Self-Care Day and then go and do it. Once you’ve done this, see how you might be able to do this weekly and when you feel really ready, schedule an Extraordinary Self-Care Day for what would have been a normal work day.

© 2004 Jim Donovan PO Box 1147, Buckingham, PA 18912 (215) 794-3826

Jim Donovan is the author of “Handbook to a Happier Life, a motivational speaker and coach. For a no cost bonus product & more, visit http://www.JimDonovan.com

If you had all the information and tools you needed to live your dream life, would you use them? Yes?
Click here ==> http://www.jimdonovan.com/ebookoffer.html