(Explore in/out 6/11/2013) Thank you very much for the visit and comments. Cheers.

Hoverfly on Borage (Borago officinalis), also known as a starflower, is an annual herb. It is native to the Mediterranean region and has naturalized in many other locales. It grows satisfactorily in gardens in the UK climate, remaining in the garden from year to year by self-seeding. The leaves are edible and the plant is grown in gardens for that purpose in some parts of Europe. The plant is also commercially cultivated for borage seed oil extracted from its seeds.

 

Traditionally borage was cultivated for culinary and medicinal uses, although today commercial cultivation is mainly as an oilseed. The seed oil is desired as source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3, cis 6,9,12-octadecatrienoic acid), for which borage is the highest known plant-based source (17-28%). The seed oil content is between 26-38% and in addition to GLA contains the fatty acids palmitic acid (10-11%), stearic acid (3.5-4.5%), oleic acid (16-20%), linoleic acid (35-38%), eicosenoic acid (3.5-5.5%), erucic acid (1.5-3.5%), and nervonic acid (1.5%). The oil is often marketed as "starflower oil" or "borage oil" for uses as a GLA supplement, although healthy adults will typically produce ample GLA through dietary linoleic acid.

 

Borage production does include use as either a fresh vegetable or a dried herb. As a fresh vegetable, borage, with a cucumber like taste, is often used in salads or as a garnish. The flower, which contains the non-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid thesinine, has a sweet honey-like taste and is one of the few truly blue-colored edible substances, is often used to decorate desserts. It is notable that the leaves have been found to contain small amounts (10 ppm of dried herb) of the liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids: intermedine, lycopsamine, amabiline and supinine. The levels are extremely low (2-10 ppm). Leaves contain mainly the toxic lycopsamine also amabiline and the non-toxic saturated PA thesinine (the only alkaloid found in seed contained thesinine and amabiline in a ratio of 10:1). No alkaloids have been found so far in seed oil.

 

Vegetable use of borage is common in Germany, in the Spanish regions of Aragón and Navarra, in the Greek island of Crete and in the northern Italian region of Liguria. Although often used in soups, one of the better known German borage recipes is the Green Sauce made in Frankfurt. In Italian Liguria, borage is commonly used as a filling of the traditional pasta ravioli and pansoti. The leaves and flowers were originally used in Pimms before being replaced by mint or cucumber peel. It is used to flavour pickled gherkins in Poland.

 

Borage is also traditionally used as a garnish in the Pimms Cup cocktail, but is sometimes replaced by a long sliver of cucumber peel if not available. It is also one of the key "Botanical" flavourings in Gilpin's Westmorland Extra Dry Gin.

 

In Iran people make tea to relief cold, flu, bronchitis, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney inflammation. It is warm in nature and alleviated symptom that caused by using food that is cold in nature like cucumber and fish. People with heart problems can benefit using the borage tea, since it promotes reaching more oxygen to the heart, thatâs why one should use this herb in moderate amounts.

 

Traditionally Borago officinalis is used in hyperactive gastrointestinal, respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, such as gastrointestinal (colic, cramps, diarrhea), airways (asthma, bronchitis), cardiovascular, (cardiotonic, antihypertensive and blood purifier), urinary (diuretic and kidney/bladder disorders).

 

Naturopathic practitioners use borage for regulation of metabolism and the hormonal system, and consider it to be a good remedy for PMS and menopause symptoms such as the hot flash. The flowers can be prepared in infusion.

 

One case of status epilepticus has been reported that was associated with borage oil ingestion.

 

A methanol extract of borage has shown strong amoebicidal activity. The 50% inhibitory concentration (LD50) of the extract for Entamoeba histolytica was only 33 µg/mL.

(Source: Wikipedia)

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What the heck? Explored? Okay, but if I had of known I would have at least done my eye make-up! Thanks to all my Flickr friends who decided to take a look!

 

December 29, 2008 - #181

 

So two of my Flickr friends tagged me over Christmas, but I was just too bagged to give this a good effort. But I am ready now.

 

I took my new Canon 50D, stood at a mirror, and snapped this. Here I am for all the world to see, whether you like it or not.

 

And now for 16 things about myself:

 

1) I wear a pink toque and yellow boots (I have added sparkles to both - one can never have too much bling, can one?)

 

2) I talk to inanimate objects, especially cheeky garden gnomes.

 

3) I love the movie, "Moonstruck," especially the part where Cher slaps Nic Cage and tells him to, "Snap out of it," or when Olympia Dukakis tells her father-in-law, "I'll kick you till you're dead," if he feeds any more of her food to the dogs. (I am laughing just thinking about it).

 

4) I have the best husband on the planet. He's my third and last. Thank goodness, I finally got it right. We're going on 22 years.

 

5) I love striking up conversations with old men, anywhere in the world. It freaks my poor husband right out, because I don't care if they are ragged street people or surly men with machine guns. If I want to meet them, I walk up to them and start a conversation. It's true!

 

6) I take photos in my pyjamas. Some photo ops just can't wait.

 

7) I was thrown from a horse when I was 12; I should have been killed. I lost my memory (temporarily) and tore through 3 strands of barbed wire. (Ouch!)

 

8) I am a born again Christian. Jesus came to get me in my shower one day; yep, my shower with soap and shampoo, and dripping hair. (Me, not Him.) It was one of the darkest days of my life. When I walked out, I knew I would never be the same again. That was 12 years ago.

 

9) I can milk a cow, kill, pluck and draw a chicken, drive a tractor, candle an egg, squish potato bugs, and make the best damn risotto you've ever tasted.

 

10) I have been a writer since I could first hold a pencil. When I was 8, one of my stories was picked as one of the best on a CBC radio show. It was called, "How Fire Came to Be."

 

11) I was once a rock 'n roll reporter. 'Nuff said on that, trust me.

 

12) I studied holistic medicine and nearly became a naturopath. But I chose the wild life of an entertainment reporter instead.

 

13) I love God. I have always loved God. And everything He has created.

 

14) I love Florence, Italy, too. I had the most wonderful encounter behind Dante's house with a classical actor. His voice was like a melody, and my ear wanted to get off the side of my head and lay down on the ground to forever hear his voice.

 

15) I am who I am. And that's all that I am. Said Popeye the sailor man.

 

16) Oops, J.D. pointed out that I missed 16, but I never said I could count. LOL!

 

And now you know . . .or do you?

 

Sincerely,

Sheree (Canada)

 

The health benefits of the seaby NAOMI COLEMAN, femail.co.uk

The sea is an excellent source of nutrition. Believe it or not, half of seaweed is made up of carbohydrate and around one third is protein, vitamins and fibre. Even better, seaweed contains only two per cent of fat.Seaweed is a form of marine algae that grows in the upper levels of the ocean. Out of the hundreds of types of seaweed available, there are around ten different kinds that we can actually eat. And, according to naturopath Dr Gillian McKeith, author of Living Food for Health, plants from the sea contain more minerals than any other plant source. This is because they contain a variety of important elements. Typical ingredients are calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, potassium and many trace elements.In fact, one type of seaweed called Wakame contains ten times more calcium than the amount found in milk. There is eight times more iron in Kombu - a type of kelp - than beef.In addition, Dr McKeith claims the protein in seaweed is more easily absorbed by the body than protein found in meat or fish.'This is because protein in meat is a complex structure that the body finds difficult to break down,' she says. 'By comparison seaweed has a simple structure which the body can easily absorb.'Not only this, but the alkaline content of seaweed makes our bodies less acidic. 'Too much acid in our bodies can make us slow and sluggish,' she says. But eating alkaline foods such as seaweed speeds up our metabolic rate and gives us more energy.'Although it is possible to eat too much seaweed because it has a cooling effect on the liver, Dr McKeith recommends eating a small handful of seaweed sprinkled on soups or stews three times a week.Here, we look at the nutritional properties of four different types of seaweedNori for healthy bones and teethThis popular type of seaweed found along the coast of Japan is an excellent source of nutrition. It contains 48 per cent of protein - the equivalent to meat or eggs. It also has the same amount of beta carotene as carrots and twice as much vitamin C as oranges.Nori is a rich source of B vitamins and minerals including calcium - used for building bones and teeth, iron - essential for the formation of red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body, phosphorus - for energy metabolism and iodine - essential for the formation of thyroid hormones, which regulate the body's energy production and promote growth.It is also said that Nori can reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure due to its high levels of essential fatty acids (EFAs). Essential fatty acids are essential to health because they reduce high cholesterol levels, prevent blood clots and help brain and eye development.Dulse for joint painThis reddish purple seaweed found in America and Canada contains eight times the amount of iron as beef - making it the richest source of iron in any food. Its high levels of iron help the body to produce red blood cells and keep our blood healthy Dulse is also rich in B vitamins and the minerals calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and manganese. Manganese is important for relieving arthritis, osteoporosis - a bone-thinning disease - and joint pain because manganese is thought to encourage protein production involved in repairing cartilage and bones.Kombu or kelp for weight loss, thyroid problems and skin problemsA type of kelp that is rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, iron and iodine - Kombu - is claimed to improve our body's metabolism and immune system. Kelp can also help with obesity linked to thyroid deficiency because it boosts levels of endocrine hormones, increasing metabolic rate, thus helping with weight loss. Kelp is also said to help with skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema thanks to its anti-fungal properties. Blue-green algae for brain function and preventing hair loss

Although most algae are found in the ocean, edible algae actually grows in lakes. Scientific studies show that this plant vegetable is good for brain function. Researchers have shown how academic results improved when school children took algae daily. Other evidence published in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medical Society, shows that algae can reverse - or even prevent Alzheimer's from developing into the full blown disease. According to Dr McKeith, the body finds algae particularly easy to absorb - thanks to its simple molecular structure. Unlike other foods such as beef, of which where we absorb just 20 per cent, the human body can absorb 90 per cent of algae making it a nutritious source of food.

Algae is also a richer source of beta carotene, vitamin B12 and chlorophyll than any other plant. It is also an excellent source of B vitamins - essential for the production of red blood cells and creating energy. In addition algae is rich in iodine, a mineral that's crucial for hair growth. According to John Mason, president of The Institute of Trichologists in London, one of the main reasons for hair thinning in women is due to the sluggish working of the thyroid gland, which needs iodine to function correctlyRead more www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-102694/The-health-bene...

 

Nourishing on spiritual levels, particularly for those feeling restless and dissatisfied, or those with addictive tendencies. Helps in finding positive outlets, including artistic for energy and expression. Brings balance for meditation.

 

Bach believed that illness was the result of a conflict between the purposes of the soul and the personality's actions and outlook. This internal war, according to Bach, leads to negative moods and to "energy blocking", thought to cause a lack of "harmony", thus leading to physical diseases. Bach derived his solutions intuitively[ and based on his perceived psychic connections to the plants, rather than using research based on scientific methods.  If Bach felt a negative emotion, he would hold his hand over different plants, and if one alleviated the emotion, he would ascribe the power to heal that emotional problem to that plant. He imagined that early-morning sunlight passing through dew-drops on flower petals transferred the healing power of the flower onto the water,[15] so he would collect the dew drops from the plants and preserve the dew with an equal amount of brandy to produce a mother tincture which would be further diluted before use.[16] Later, he found that the amount of dew he could collect was not sufficient, so he would suspend flowers in spring water and allow the sun's rays to pass through them.[15] If this was impractical because of lack of sunlight or other reasons, he wrote that the flowers may be boiled. The result of this process Bach termed the "mother tincture", which is then further diluted before sale or use. Bach was satisfied with the method, because of its simplicity, and because it involved a process of combination of the four elements: The earth to nurture the plant, the air from which it feeds, the sun or fire to enable it to impart its power, and water to collect and be enriched with its beneficent magnetic healing.

By the time of his death in 1936 at 50 years of age, Bach had created a system of 38 different flower remedies along with their corresponding theories of ailments.

 

Bach flower remedies (BFRs) are solutions of brandy and water—the water containing extreme dilutions of flower material developed by Edward Bach, an English homeopath, in the 1930s. Bach claimed that the dew found on flower petals retains the supposed healing properties of that plant.[1] Systematic reviews of clinical trials of Bach flower solutions have found no efficacy beyond that of a placebo.

 

The Bach flower remedy solutions, which contain a 50:50 mix of water and brandy, are called mother tincture.[4] Stock remedies—the solutions sold in shops—are dilutions of mother tincture into other liquid. Most often the liquid used is alcohol, so that the alcohol level by volume in most stock Bach remedies is between 25 and 40%[5][better source needed] (50 to 80 proof). The solutions do not have a characteristic scent or taste of the plant because of dilution. The dilution process results in the statistical likelihood that little more than a single molecule may remain; it is claimed that the remedies contain "energetic" or "vibrational" nature of the flower and that this can be transmitted to the user.[2] The solutions are described by some as vibrational medicines,[6][better source needed] which implies they rely on the pseudoscientific concept of water memory. They are often labeled as homeopathic because they are extremely diluted in water, but are not homeopathy as they do not follow other homeopathic ideas such as the law of similars.

 

The hypothesis that flower remedies are associated with effects beyond a placebo response is not supported by data from rigorous clinical trials.

All randomized double-blind studies, whether finding for or against the solutions, have suffered from small cohort sizes but the studies using the best methods found no effect over placebo.[3][2] The most likely means of action for flower remedies is as placebos, enhanced by introspection on the patient's emotional state, or simply being listened to by the practitioner. The act of selecting and taking a remedy may act as a calming ritual.

 

Most of the available evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of BFRs has a high risk of bias. We conclude that, based on the reported adverse events in these six trials, BFRs are probably safe. Few controlled prospective trials of BFRs for psychological problems and pain exist. Our analysis of the four controlled trials of BFRs for examination anxiety and ADHD indicates that there is no evidence of benefit compared with a placebo intervention.

 

Bach flower remedies are an alternative or complementary treatment that is used for emotional problems and pain. They're made out of watered-down extracts from the flowers of wild plants. Edward Bach, a medical doctor and homeopath, created these remedies in the early 1900s.

 

The center of a Tulip bud is known for being almost perfectly symmetrical. It has a geometric pattern of a hexagram. This is the symbol of the human position between the cosmos and the Earth. Tulip brings balance like the inward and outward expressions, like the tides of water being pulled by the Moon. Tulip helps us to see deeper and find balance within the shadow. Ruled by the Moon Tulip empowers us to make our own decisions through self-value and personal knowledge confidently. Planetary characteristics: Venus

 

Latin Name: Tulipa X gensneriana

 

Seven of Hearts: The Chariot & Tulip

 

From The Flower Attunement Guidebook-

 

The Tulip brings the feeling that spring has arrived in the northern hemisphere. Its assortment of beautiful chalice-like petals reaches high to the heavens but holds various sacred geometric patterns inside. In this flower essence from the Tulip, we look inside to see the patterns of the hexagrams; this is a symbol of the human position between the cosmos and the Earth, the inward and outward expression in nature like the tides of the water being pulled by the cycles of the Moon. This acknowledgment brings us psychic awareness into a fully embodied Venus quality of personal growth and self-value and worth. Tulip brings balance and stability in the search for personal growth and enlightenment. Tulip flower essence helps us to embody wisdom from the stars giving us insight and keeping us connected to Mother Earth.

 

Flower essence tinctures work by modifying energy flow through the typical acupuncture meridians. Shifts in these energetic patterns influence the consciousness in helpful ways, both emotionally and physically. These homeopathic remedies can be described as “vibrational” or energy medicine. Flowers themselves contain the highest concentration of life force energy of the plant. Through the sun infusion method, we can harness the flower's healing vibrational pattern and energy. This is imprinted in the water and then preserved as medicine. Preserved with brandy but can be replaced with glycerin upon request.

 

A Tulip's flower essence is only the plant's vibration, and no plant material is used in the harvesting process.

 

This can be used as a tincture ingested neat or added to water, tea, or whatever you feel. I recommend one drop in water three times a day. All of the essences can also be added to a bath.

 

1/2oz 15ml

 

Made intentionally by hand in Portland, OR

 

***Disclaimer

 

results vary and are not 100% guaranteed.

 

The blends are not intended to replace any medical or mental treatments by a qualified health physician. This information is for educational purposes.

 

primroseapothecary.com/flower-essences/tulipfloweressence

  

Flower remedies are sometimes promoted as being capable of boosting the immune system, but "there is no scientific evidence to prove that flower remedies can control, cure or prevent any type of disease, including cancer". Each solution is used alone or in conjunction with other solutions, and each flower is said by advocates to impart specific qualities. Remedies are usually taken orally.

 

The solutions may be recommended by a naturopath or by a trained Bach flower practitioner after an interview.

 

The best known solution product is the Rescue Remedy combination, which contains an equal amount each of rock rose, impatiens, clematis, star of Bethlehem and cherry plum remedies. Rescue Remedy is a trademark and other companies produce the same formula under other names, such as Five Flower Remedy.[10] Rescue Cream contains the same remedies in a cream form, with the addition of crab apple.

  

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bach_flower_remedies

The rock hyrax (Procavia capensis), also called rock badger, rock rabbit, and Cape hyrax, is commonly referred to in South African English as the dassie. It is one of the four living species of the order Hyracoidea, and the only living species in the genus Procavia. Like all hyraxes, it is a medium-sized (~4 kg) terrestrial mammal, with short ears and tail.

 

The closest living relatives to hyraxes are the modern-day elephants and sirenians. The rock hyrax is found across Africa and the Middle East in habitats with rock crevices into which it escapes from predators. It is the only extant terrestrial afrotherian in the Middle East. Hyraxes typically live in groups of 10–80 animals, and forage as a group. They have been reported to use sentries: one or more animals take up position on a vantage point and issue alarm calls on the approach of predators.

 

The rock hyrax has incomplete thermoregulation and is most active in the morning and evening, although its activity pattern varies substantially with season and climate.

 

Over most of its range, the rock hyrax is not endangered, and in some areas is considered a minor pest. In Ethiopia, Israel and Jordan, it is a reservoir of the leishmaniasis parasite.

 

The rock hyrax is squat and heavily built, adults reaching a length of 50 cm (20 in) and weighing around 4 kg (8.8 lb), with a slight sexual dimorphism, males being approximately 10% heavier than females. Their fur is thick and grey-brown, although this varies strongly between different environments: from dark brown in wetter habitats, to light grey in desert living individuals. Hyrax size (as measured by skull length and humerus diameter) is correlated to precipitation, probably because of the effect on preferred hyrax forage.

 

Prominent in, and apparently unique to hyraxes, is the dorsal gland, which excretes an odour used for social communication and territorial marking. The gland is most clearly visible in dominant males.

 

The head of the rock hyrax is pointed, having a short neck with rounded ears. They have long black whiskers on their muzzles. The rock hyrax has a prominent pair of long, pointed tusk-like upper incisors which are reminiscent of the elephant, to which the hyrax is distantly related. The forefeet are plantigrade, and the hind feet semi-digitigrade. The soles of the feet have large, soft pads that are kept moist with sweat-like secretions. In males, the testes are permanently abdominal, another anatomical feature that hyraxes share with their relatives elephants and sirenians.

 

Thermoregulation in the rock hyrax has been subject to much research, as their body temperature varies with a diurnal rhythm. However, animals kept in constant environmental conditions also display such variation and this internal mechanism may be related to water balance regulation.

 

The rock hyrax occurs across sub-Saharan Africa, with the exception of the Congo basin and Madagascar. A larger, longer-haired subspecies is abundant in the glacial moraines in the alpine zone of Mount Kenya. The distribution continues into southern Algeria, Libya and Egypt, and the Middle East, with populations in Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and the Arabian peninsula.

 

A mammal of similar appearance by convergent evolution, but unrelated, is the rock cavy of Brazil.

 

Rock hyraxes build dwelling holes in any type of rock with suitable cavities such as sedimentary rocks and soil. In Mount Kenya, rock hyraxes live in colonies comprising an adult male, differing numbers of adult females and immatures. They are active during the day, and sometimes during moonlit nights. The dominant male defends and watches over the group. The male also marks its territory.

 

In Africa, hyraxes are preyed on by leopards, Egyptian cobras, puff adders, rock pythons, caracals, wild dogs, hawks, and owls. Verreaux's eagle in particular is a specialist hunter of hyrax. In Israel, the rock hyrax is reportedly rarely preyed upon by terrestrial predators, as their system of sentries and their reliable refuges provide considerable protection. Hyrax remains are almost absent from the droppings of wolves in the Judean Desert.

 

Hyraxes feed on a wide variety of different plants, including Lobelia and broad-leafed plants. They also have been reported to eat insects and grubs. The rock hyraxes forage for food up to about 50 metres from their refuge, usually feeding as a group and with one or more acting as sentries from a prominent lookout position. On the approach of danger, the sentries give an alarm call, and the animals quickly retreat to their refuge.

 

They are able to go for many days without water due to the moisture they obtain through their food, but will quickly dehydrate under direct sunlight.

 

Despite their seemingly clumsy build, they are able to climb trees (although not as readily as Heterohyrax), and will readily enter residential gardens to feed on the leaves of citrus and other trees.

 

The rock hyrax also makes a loud grunting sound while moving its jaws as if chewing, and this behaviour may be a sign of aggression. Some authors have proposed that observation of this behaviour by ancient Israelites gave rise to the misconception given in Leviticus 11:4-8 that the hyrax chews the cud In fact, hyraxes are not ruminants.

 

Rock hyraxes give birth to between two and four young after a gestation period of 6–7 months (long, for their size). The young are well developed at birth with fully opened eyes and complete pelage. Young can ingest solid food after two weeks and are weaned at ten weeks. After 16 months, the rock hyraxes become sexually mature, they reach adult size at three years, and they typically live about ten years. During seasonal changes, the weight of the male reproductive organs (testis, seminal vesicles) changes due to sexual activity. A study showed that between May and January, the males were inactive sexually. From February onward, there was a dramatic increase to the weight of these organs, and the males are able to copulate.

 

Social behaviour

In a study of their social networks, it was found that hyraxes that live in more "egalitarian" groups, in which social associations are spread more evenly among group members, survive longer. In addition, hyraxes are the first non-human species in which structural balance was described. They follow "the friend of my friend is my friend" rule, and avoid unbalanced social configurations.

 

Captive rock hyraxes make more than 20 different noises and vocal signals. The most familiar signal is a high trill, given in response to perceived danger. Rock hyrax calls can provide important biological information such as size, age, social status, body weight, condition, and hormonal state of the caller, as determined by measuring their call length, patterns, complexity, and frequency. More recently, researchers have found rich syntactic structure and geographical variations in the calls of rock hyraxes, a first in the vocalization of mammalian taxa other than primates, cetaceans, and bats. Higher ranked males tend to sing more often, although the energetic cost of singing is relatively low.

 

The rock hyrax spends approximately 95% of its time resting. During this time, they can often be seen basking in the sun, which is thought to be an element of their complex thermoregulation.

 

Dispersal

Male hyraxes have been categorised into four classes: territorial, peripheral, early dispersers, and late dispersers. The territorial males are dominant. Peripheral males are more solitary and sometimes take over a group when the dominant male is missing. Early-dispersing males are juveniles that leave the birth site around 16 to 24 months of age. Late dispersers are also juvenile males, but they leave the birth site much later; around 30 or more months of age.

 

Names

They are known as dassies in South Africa, and sometimes rock rabbits. The Swahili names for them are pimbi, pelele and wibari, though the latter two names are nowadays reserved for the tree hyraxes. This species has many subspecies, many of which are also known as rock or Cape hyrax, although the former usually refers to African varieties.

 

In Arabic, the rock hyrax is called "wabr" or "tabsoun". In Hebrew, the rock hyrax is called "shafan sela", meaning rock "shafan", where the meaning of shafan is obscure, but is colloquially used as a synonym for rabbit in modern Hebrew. According to Gerald Durrell local people in Bafut, Cameroon, call the rock hyrax the n'eer.

 

Naturopathic use

Rock hyraxes produce large quantities of hyraceum—a sticky mass of dung and urine that has been employed as a South African folk remedy in the treatment of several medical disorders, including epilepsy and convulsions. Hyraceum is now being used by perfumers who tincture it in alcohol to yield a natural animal musk.

 

In culture

The rock hyrax is classified as non-kosher in the Jewish Torah. Nonetheless, it is also included in Proverbs 30:26 as one of a number of remarkable animals for being small, but exceedingly wise, in this case because "the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs".

 

In Joy Adamson's books and the movie Born Free, a rock hyrax called Pati-Pati was her companion for six years before Elsa and her siblings came along; Pati-Pati took the role of nanny and watched over them with great care.

 

The 2013 animated film Khumba features a number of rock hyraxes who sacrifice one of their own to a white black eagle.

 

The species was introduced to Jebel Hafeet, which is on the border of Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

 

***************

 

Dikhololo

South Africa

via Instagram ift.tt/1Os6HAN

© All Rights Reserved - Black Diamond Images

 

"The Kallawaya are an itinerant group of traditional healers living in the Andes of Bolivia. They live in the Bautista Saavedra region, a mountainous area north of La Paz. They are members of the Mollo culture and are direct descendants of Tiwanaku culture. According to the UNESCO #Safeguarding Project, the Kallawaya can be traced to the pre-Inca period. The Kallawaya performed brain surgery as early as 700 CE and knew how to effectively prevent and treat malaria with quinine before the Europeans. They also helped to save thousands of lives during the construction of the Panama Canal.

Kallawaya doctors (médicos Kallawaya), are known as the naturopathic healers of Inca kings, and as keepers of science knowledge, principally the pharmaceutical properties of vegetables, animals and minerals. Most Kallawaya healers understand how to use 300 herbs, while specialists are familiar with 600 herbs. Kallawaya women are often midwives, treat gynecological disorders, and pediatric patients. Kallawaya healers travel through northwestern Bolivia and parts of Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Panama, and Peru. Often they are on foot, walking ancient Inca trails, through the tropics, mountain valleys and highland plateaus, while looking for traditional herbs."

Read more at Wikipedia

 

Note - "The main Objectives of the #safeguarding project are to:

* Promote the preservation and safeguarding of Kallawaya culture at local, regional and national levels;

* Strengthen the techniques and transmission of traditional medicine;

* Strengthen the knowledge Concerning Natural Healing with medicines;

* Necessary create the conditions to Ensure the transmission of the traditional knowledge;

* Promote Kallawaya culture, as part of the multicultural identity of Bolivia;

* To Promote the practice of traditional medicine in hospitals of the municipalities of the Bautista Saavedra province." Reference

We got down to the waterfront for a dramatic sunset at the late hour of 4pm. This is a composite of 6 images. I shot Jen, then had her step out of the frame and then bracketed the bg.

 

Strobist: SB600, camera left, 1/2 power thru an umbrella, triggered by Nikon CLS.

HDR: 5 exp @ 1ev @ f/8, Photomatix

Surya Chikitsa or Color Therapy is a drugless method of treating the diseases by using different colors from sunlight. The rays of the sun contain all the essential elements needed to reestablish and maintain the health of the human body. Sun rays are made-up of seven colors – (1) Red (2) Yellow (3) Orange (4) Green (5) Blue (6) Indigo (7) Violet.

 

These colors can be seen in rainbow. These seven colors have different qualities. In the other words there are only 7 medicines for all the bodily ailments. The law of nature is that where there is light, there is energy and there is life. There is coolness, heat and weight in colors. Place a thermometer in a glass of water and throw rays over it. Red rays will show heat and blue rays will show coolness. This proves the above fact.

 

The history of color therapy is very ancient. Indian Vedic scriptures have mentioned the significance of these colors. This system was first practiced in India by Indian Rishis (Indian Saints). Then slowly this knowledge reached to China, Egypt, Greece and spread throughout the world. According to the basic principles of Surya Chikitsa or Color Therapy, human body is composed of different colors and lack of any color in our body gives rise to disease. A man is said to be in a state of health as long as the colors of the spectrum are in a harmonious state in his body. The body parts, which are visible, have different colors and so have the internal organs. The brain, eyes, lungs, heart, liver, intestines, kidney, bones, blood have different colors. When closely examined, even the smallest cell of the body is found colored.

 

During the state of disease, there is a disturbance in the balance of colors in the human body. When a disorder arises, besides its chemical balance, its color balance too is affected. Surya Chikitsa or color therapy restores the chemical and color balance of the body and cures the disease. Color therapy removes the foreign matter from the system that causes disease. It removes the disorder from the root cause and permanently suppress the disease.

 

This is a universally accepted fact that development of all living forms of life depends mainly on solar energy. Today solar cells can produce electricity and can run cars, trains etc. When the sun is the life force of all living things, the efficacy of colors, which are emitted from the sun rays, can hardly be doubted. An experienced naturopath can use seven colors for curing different ailments, but for the ordinary person, following four groups will be helpful for treatment:-

  

Red, Orange and Yellow

 

Green

 

Blue, Indigo and Violet

 

White Solar Charged Water

   

Red, Orange, Yellow Charged Water

Nature: Stimulating, expanding and heating property.

Properties: Orange color mainly affects the stomach, liver, spleen, kidney and the intestine. It improves the blood circulation and tones up the muscles. It is helpful in cold, anemia, low blood pressure, rheumatism, sexual weakness, sprains, polio, paralysis, constipation, brain disorders, indigestion, diabetes and eye defects. This water removes weight and removes weakness. It also increases milk in nursing mother's breasts. It enhances mental power, willpower, intelligence and courage.

Precaution: It is injurious in cases of fever, boils, inflammatory disorders, when nerves are very active and in case of high palpitation of heart.

 

Green Charged Water

Nature: Neutral, harmonizing and eliminating.

Properties: It builds up muscles and gives energy. It strengthens the nerve center and purifies the blood. And it helps to expel foreign matter from the body and helps to perk up body and mind.

Benefits: It is a mixture of yellow and blue color. It is the king of colors. It keeps the body chemistry well balanced. Being highly medicinal and depressive, it is of great help in the treatment of inflammatory conditions, fevers like typhoid and malaria, liver trouble, eye trouble, indigestion, small pox, boils, pimples, skin trouble, eczema, nightly seminal ejaculations, diabetes, boils, ulcers, headache, nervous trouble, dry cough, cold etc.

 

Blue, Indigo, Violet Charged Water

Nature: Contracting, cooling and soothing.

Properties: It is a good antiseptic. It removes swelling caused by wind and help in curing burning sensation of any kind. It affects mostly the mouth, throat and the above part reaching the brain. It increases and stimulates the hormones and the antibodies. This water increases the resistance of our body from bacterial diseases. This color is related to human mentality.

Benefits: It is useful in skin diseases, high blood pressure, old ulcers, abdominal colic, dysentery, arthritis, over fatigue deafness, migraine etc. It is as helpful medicine in easing childbirth. It is very effective in high fever and headaches, and removes burning sensation from the body. It cures excessive bleeding during menstruation, and is an effective medicine in tonsillitis, swelling of gums, toothache, pyorrhea and other aliments of the throat. If one gets burnt on any part of the body, pouring blue waters or oil and giving blue rays on the affected part, will give him a quick recovery and will also help in removing the burning sensation.

Precaution: Injurious in paralysis, colds and anemia.

 

White Solar Charged Water

It can be prepared by keeping the water for 8-10 hours in direct sunlight. A liter of this water should be taken every morning. Those who are sick and sensitive can first start with 1 glass of water and gradually increase the amount. This water should be taken empty stomach in the morning. Without brushing your teeth. Nothing should be taken (tea, coffee, or breakfast) with in one hour after taking this water. Other color charged waters could be taken after 45 minutes if needed.

 

Method To Prepare Colored Water

Colored water (water treated with different color rays of the sun) can be prepared, by exposing water in transparent glass bottles of desired color in sunlight for 6-8 hours. To prepare blue water, use blue color bottle. If colored bottle is not available warp white bottle with transparent colored sheets. After treating the water keep it for 1-2 hours to cool and then use it. Color combination described in ancient Hindu books Red, yellow and blue are the original natural colors. By mixing these colors other colors are formed. Red color when mixed with yellow color in equal proportion produces orange color and yellow color. If mixed with blue produces green color.

 

Color Combination

Red and yellow make orange, blue violet make indigo. Yellow and green make lemon. Green and blue make turquose. Red and violet produce magenta. Magenta and red make scarlet. Blue and red make purple/ violet. Yellow and blue make green. Orange and violet make brown. Green and orange make olive. Green and violet make slate.

 

Sun Bath

The exposure of body to sun rays at a particular time is termed as sun bath. It has many medicinal values. Sunlight is of prime importance for maintaining good health. Out of the five naturopathy. Sun bath should be taken early in the morning. Sun showers three types of rays upon us. These are:-

 

Rays of visible (white) light: Sunlight has seven different colors, which can be seen during rainbow. They are violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. Each color has an effect on the body.

 

Infra red rays: These rays generate heat, and are beneficial in the winter. They have a good effect on the body. It relaxes the muscles, reduces swelling and removes pain.

 

Ultra violet rays: When these rays are exposed on the skin, vitamin D. is produced. Sunlight is the best available source of vitamin D. Ultraviolet rays keep the skin healthy, cures disease of the bone known as ‘Rickets'.

   

Sunlight is beneficial for the whole body. Sunlight destroys certain bacteria and disease spreading germs. It increases red blood corpuscles and white blood corpuscles in the blood and helps to increase the natural resistance of the body. It is beneficial in rheumatism, lumbago, backache, gout, cramps and loss of appetite. Sunlight helps to develop the size and the strength of the muscles. It is also useful for pregnant lady. She gets relief from fatigue, backache, over stimulation etc.

  

Points To Remember While Taking Sun Bath

 

During sun bath, minimum possible clothes should be worn. The mild sunlight of morning and evening is to be taken. The intense sunlight of the mid day should be avoided. Do not look directly into the sun. Eyes should be closed and head should be covered during sun bath. Initially, the duration of sun bath should be 5 minutes. This time can be increased gradually. In summer, it should be taken for 15 minutes and for 50 minutes during winter. It is advisable to take a cold water bath after sun bath. If cold water bath is not possible, body should be wiped by a piece of cloth dipped in cold water. Sun bath should be taken in a place, which is sheltered from direct wind. It should not be given to patients suffering from fever or acute pulmonary tuberculosis.

 

DESCRIPTION SOURCE:

 

naturopathy.co.in/colortherapy.htm

  

All plants 50% Off

Naturopathic Doctor, Minister, Author, Lecturer, Certified Fitness Trainer, and Raw Food Chef Dr. Renette Dallas leads ‘Are You Healthy?’ demonstration at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Work and Family Month Open House and Expo in the Whitten building patio and South building cafeteria meeting rooms, in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, October 16th 2014. The demonstration included a cooking demonstration, samples of raw food, and a talk about the role that food has in healthy living. This expo was in keeping with the spirit of the Presidential Memorandum (PM) theme ‘Bringing Workplace Flexibilities and Worklife Balance Into the 21st Century’. USDA is proud to support flexibility in the workplace and work-life programs and encourages employees to take time to reflect on USDA’s progress in fostering a flexible and supportive workplace. By supporting work-life benefits such as flexible work schedules, Telework, health and wellness programs, dependent care and community involvement, among other workplace programs. USDA will continue to attract, motivate and retain a talented, diverse and inclusive workforce. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

I am supposed to go to Birmingham on Wednesday for a week to see my sister and her family, and my 91 year old mom who is in a nursing home and suffers from dementia. Won't exactly be on the road, but more like on the airplane to Chicago, and then Birmingham. The problem is that I developed this horrible rash with blisters on it last Tuesday, and it's on my left side bum area, which makes it hard to sit. I went to the dermatologist on Friday, and found out it is shingles, which apparently lays dormant in your system once you've had chicken pox. The derm said that stress can weaken your immune system and once that happens, latent things can step forward. Along with the blisters are my swollen lymph nodes which feel like a narble beneath the skin and throb and hurt.

 

Okay, this is going to be another illness paragraph, and I am writing it to see if anyone understands what may be going on with me because perhaps you have experienced it yourself. For the last six months, my body has been super stressed out as I have been experiencing extreme body heat, and I'm thinking this is what may have brought on the shingles. It's mostly in my upper body, and I get so hot that I don't even take hot baths or showers anymore because it makes me feel even hotter and really sick. I have stopped eating meat because it makes me feel too hot, and I have been consulting a Chinese website that lists warm, cooling and neutral foods, and I am eating a lot of cooling foods like avocados and cucumbers and sesame oil. (Who knew sesame oil was cooling??) If I eat a warming food, I really feel uncomfortable, like there are burners beneath my skin and they are on medium heat. Ok, so this is not menopause because I've been there and done that, and this is more intense that that anyway...

 

I have been to an allergist, a naturopath, an endocrinologist, my primary care physician, a dermatologist, and no one can figure out what's causing this. Oh, and acupuncture and even it doesn't help. So I guess I am writing this in the hopes that maybe one of you, perhaps, can shed some light on this, albeit cooling light!

 

Thanks for listening!! I realize this might just also be one of those freaky things that burns itself out and moves on. Keeping my fingers crossed!!!

 

Hope you are all feeling healthy!!! And big hug!!

Loschwitz is a borough of Dresden, Germany, incorporated in 1921. It consists of ten quarters. Loschwitz is a villa quarter located at the slopes north of the Elbe river. At the top of the hillside is the quarter of Weißer Hirsch, named after a former inn erected in 1685 by the Saxon kapellmeister Christoph Bernhard, where in 1888 the naturopathic physician Heinrich Lahmann opened a sanatorium. The quarters of Wachwitz and Pillnitz are adjacent in the east and the Rosengarten park in the west. Loschwitz is connected with the borough of Blasewitz south of the Elbe by the Blue Wonder (Blaues Wunder) bridge. Furthermore, the borough encompasses large parts of the Dresden Heath, the city's forest. Source: en.wikipedia.org

This shot was taken a week or two ago now, on the 30 second, 1oo metre walk between the bus stop and home. I looked to the side and there it was, and I figured it would have been rude not to snap it! I’ll try and post again before the end of the week, but am a little snowed under the next few days.

 

Looks better on black me hearties...

 

Ok, so something a little different as well. I’ve been ‘tagged’ in one of those social network things where you’ve got to say a few things about yourself. Now many of you will probably have picked up few of these already, but here goes… Courtesy of Stephen, aka, Catapault99.

  

1.My unwife, not-the-wife, partner, lover, or whatever you want to call it, and I have been together since first year university. Indeed we just marked our 15th year together a couple of weeks back. We are very lucky as we are still very much as in love now as ever, despite being very different people.

 

2.For work I do a couple of different things. I work on reception at my mum’s world renowned naturopathic fertility clinic, and although I’ve never had less responsibility in a job, ever, it is really lovely to work for a business that you most definitely believe in and support.

 

3.Otherwise, I volunteer at one of Sydney’s oldest community radio stations, 2ser. I host/produce a weekly current affairs show on international aid and development issues. It is really interesting, and not an area I knew anything about before starting on the show about a year ago.

 

4.As the Whitlams sang on their first, and best, album, all my friends are fuck ups, but they’re fun to have around. And ok, not all, but they’re a bunch of reprobates.

 

5.In all honesty, I’m a bit of a reprobate as well. It’s fun, you should try it sometime.

 

6.I have a strange mixture of self confidence and self doubt. I believe in my ability to do just about anything, but doubt the moment and judgement therein.

 

7.I’m losing my hair, and that really sucks. But then life can, but we move on and get over it. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck.

 

8.Even though I don’t see them all that often, I’m very close to my family, who I am lucky enough to get along with well. Indeed, I would happily chat to any of them for great lengths of time if they were strangers I met at a party.

 

9.Most of my close friends, I’ve known for almost half my life, or more.

 

10.And lastly, I’m a little obsessive over music. I listen to it whenever possible and am always listening to new artists, of all kinds. In the past I’d research essays to grungy rock and roll and now the only times I’m not listening to tunes are when I’m interviewing, editing or watching telly with me lady.

Loschwitz is a borough of Dresden, Germany, incorporated in 1921. It consists of ten quarters. Loschwitz is a villa quarter located at the slopes north of the Elbe river. At the top of the hillside is the quarter of Weißer Hirsch, named after a former inn erected in 1685 by the Saxon kapellmeister Christoph Bernhard, where in 1888 the naturopathic physician Heinrich Lahmann opened a sanatorium. The quarters of Wachwitz and Pillnitz are adjacent in the east and the Rosengarten park in the west. Loschwitz is connected with the borough of Blasewitz south of the Elbe by the Blue Wonder (Blaues Wunder) bridge. Furthermore, the borough encompasses large parts of the Dresden Heath, the city's forest. Source: en.wikipedia.org

HOLY BASIL

 

Holy Basil aka Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is an aromatic plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is an erect, much branched subshrub 30-60 cm tall with hairy stems and simple opposite green leaves that are strongly scented. Leaves have petioles, and are ovate, up to 5 cm long, usually slightly toothed. Flowers are rapurplish in elongate cemes in close whorls.There are two main morphotypes cultivated in India—green-leaved (Sri or Lakshmi tulsi) and purple-leaved (Krishna tulsi).There is also a variety of Ocimum tenuiflorum which is used in Thai cuisine, and is referred to as Thai holy basil, or kha phrao—not be confused with "Thai Basil", which is a variety of Ocimum basilicum.

 

Tulsi is native throughout the Old World tropics and widespread as a cultivated plant and an escaped weed.It is cultivated for religious and medicinal purposes, and for its essential oil. It is widely known across South Asia as a medicinal plant and an herbal tea, commonly used in Ayurveda, and has an important role within the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism, in which devotees perform worship involving Tulsi plants or leaves.

 

15 Benefits of Holy Basil

 

1. Healing Power: The tulsi plant has many medicinal properties. The leaves are a nerve tonic and also sharpen memory. They promote the removal of the catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tube. The leaves strengthen the stomach and induce copious perspiration. The seed of the plant are mucilaginous.

 

2. Fever & Common Cold: The leaves of basil are specific for many fevers. During the rainy season, when malaria and dengue fever are widely prevalent, tender leaves, boiled with tea, act as preventive against theses diseases. In case of acute fevers, a decoction of the leaves boiled with powdered cardamom in half a liter of water and mixed with sugar and milk brings down the temperature. The juice of tulsi leaves can be used to bring down fever. Extract of tulsi leaves in fresh water should be given every 2 to 3 hours. In between one can keep giving sips of cold water. In children, it is every effective in bringing down the temperature.

 

3. Coughs: Tulsi is an important constituent of many Ayurvedic cough syrups and expectorants. It helps to mobilize mucus in bronchitis and asthma. Chewing tulsi leaves relieves cold and flu.

 

4. Sore Throat: Water boiled with basil leaves can be taken as drink in case of sore throat. This water can also be used as a gargle.

 

5. Respiratory Disorder: The herb is useful in the treatment of respiratory system disorder. A decoction of the leaves, with honey and ginger is an effective remedy for bronchitis, asthma, influenza, cough and cold. A decoction of the leaves, cloves and common salt also gives immediate relief in case of influenza. They should be boiled in half a liter of water till only half the water is left and add then taken.

 

6. Kidney Stone: Basil has strengthening effect on the kidney. In case of renal stone the juice of basil leaves and honey, if taken regularly for 6 months it will expel them via the urinary tract.

 

7. Heart Disorder: Basil has a beneficial effect in cardiac disease and the weakness resulting from them. It reduces the level of blood cholesterol.

 

8. Children's Ailments: Common pediatric problems like cough cold, fever, diarrhea and vomiting respond favorably to the juice of basil leaves. If pustules of chicken pox delay their appearance, basil leaves taken with saffron will hasten them.

 

9. Stress: Basil leaves are regarded as an 'adaptogen' or anti-stress agent. Recent studies have shown that the leaves afford significant protection against stress. Even healthy persons can chew 12 leaves of basil, twice a day, to prevent stress. It purifies blood and helps prevent several common elements.

 

10. Mouth Infections: The leaves are quit effective for the ulcer and infections in the mouth. A few leaves chewed will cure these conditions.

 

11. Insect Bites: The herb is a prophylactic or preventive and curative for insect stings or bites. A teaspoonful of the juice of the leaves is taken and is repeated after a few hours. Fresh juice must also be applied to the affected parts. A paste of fresh roots is also effective in case of bites of insects and leeches.

 

12. Skin Disorders: Applied locally, basil juice is beneficial in the treatment of ringworm and other skin diseases. It has also been tried successfully by some naturopaths in the treatment of leucoderma.

 

13. Teeth Disorder: The herb is useful in teeth disorders. Its leaves, dried in the sun and powdered, can be used for brushing teeth. It can also be mixed with mustered oil to make a paste and used as toothpaste. This is very good for maintaining dental health, counteracting bad breath and for massaging the gums. It is also useful in pyorrhea and other teeth disorders.

 

14. Headaches: Basil makes a good medicine for headache. A decoction of the leaves can be given for this disorder. Pounded leaves mixed with sandalwood paste can also be applied on the forehead for getting relief from heat, headache, and for providing coolness in general.

 

15. Eye Disorders: Basil juice is an effective remedy for sore eyes and night-blindness, which is generally caused by deficiency of vitamin A. Two drops of black basil juice are put into the eyes daily at bedtime.

 

DISCLAIMER: These are only general guidelines as a first aid. It is always better to see a doctor depending upon the intensity of the case.

Shooting, Bienne,ValérieL, pro, naturopatie, corporate, elfenau, Biel

The chapel at Bastyr University in Kenmore.

living-in-progress.com/diabetic-shoes-and-socks-for-men-a... - These diabetic shoes are manufactured to protect numb naturopathic feet, foot deformities due to diabetes (like bunions), hammertoes and feet with poor blood circulation.

 

Can You Get a Larger Bust Size With Unverified Naturopathic Cures?

The traditional method of making your boobs bigger is by going through breast augmentation. Aside from the expenses which are associated with the surgery, it is understandable for most women to be concerned with its possible side...

 

Read more: bit.ly/2drFJ16

bemaxi.com

A creative publicity portrait for this naturopathic doctor. My goal for this photo was to not have it look like a strobist shot, instead I wanted it to look like naturally diffused light. For this look I used a 3 speedlight setup. The subject was placed 60 cm away from the white office wall, I used one SB-900 through a 60 inch white shoot through umbrella on camera right (in line with her shoulder). Speedlight #2 is on camera left, placed high and aimed at the wall to reduce her shadow. Speedlight #3, the hair light, is on a boom stand, high and behind the subject.

Nikon D750 Nikon 85mm f1.4 3 Nikon SB900 X3

Shot in manual mode 1/100th sec f8.0 ISO 200 speedlight triggered by PockWizard Plus III transceivers.

Just returned home from the gold coast.

Had to see my kinesiologist/naturopath, to get patched up.

Oh, I think I need to get more body/mind rest…

Early night tonight…

I'm craving for the Land of Nod…

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No edits

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mclauchlinwellnessclinic.com/ - Reach our office today at 519-676-3311. The staff of McLauchlin Wellness Clinic, are dedicated to providing their patients with the best quality care possible. We treat our patients through chiropractic care, naturopathic medicine, and chiropody. In addition, our office is equipped with physiotherapy, audiology, and compression & bracing. Come visit our office in Chatham-Kent near Ridgetown and Blenheim.

Bled (German: Veldes) is a town and a municipality in northwestern Slovenia in the region of Upper Carniola. The area, within the Julian Alps and alongside of Lake Bled, is a popular tourist destination.

 

History:

A settlement area since Mesolithic times, Bled was first mentioned as Ueldes (Veldes) within the March of Carniola on April 10, 1004, when it was awarded by Emperor Henry II to Bishop Albuin I of Brixen. Bled Castle was first mentioned in a 22 May 1011 deed in which Henry II donated it to Albuin's successor, Bishop Adalberon of Brixen. With Carniola, Bled was ceded to Rudolph of Habsburg after he defeated King Ottokar II of Bohemia at the Battle on the Marchfeld in 1278. From 1364 until 1919, Bled (Veldes) was part of the Duchy of Carniola, except for a stint between 1809 and 1816 as one of the Napoleonic Illyrian Provinces

 

After the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918, Bled came under the rule of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and became a summer domicile of the ruling House of Karađorđević, a tradition that President Josip Broz Tito continued, when he built his residence here in 1947. Bled became an independent municipality in 1996.

 

Tourism:

Bled is known for the glacial Lake Bled, which makes it a major tourist attraction. Perched on a rock overlooking the lake is the iconic Bled Castle. The town is also known in Slovenia for its vanilla-and-cream pastry called kremna rezina ("cream slice") or kremšnita (from German Cremeschnitte).

 

Naturopath Arnold Rikli (1823–1906) from Switzerland contributed significantly to the development of Bled as a health resort in the 2nd half of the 19th century. Due to its mild climate, Bled has been visited by aristocratic guests from all across the world. Today it is an important convention centre and tourist resort, offering a wide range of sport activities (golf, fishing, horseback-riding) and is a starting point for mountain treks and hikes especially within the nearby Triglav National Park.

 

A small island in the middle of the lake is home to the Assumption of Mary Pilgrimage Church; visitors frequently ring its bell for good luck. Human traces from prehistory have been found on the island. Before the church was built, there was a temple consecrated to Živa, the Slavic goddess of love and fertility. One can get to the island on a traditional wooden row barge called Pletna. The island on Lake Bled has 99 steps. A local tradition at weddings is for the husband to carry his new bride up these steps, during which the bride must remain silent.

Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium.

 

Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. With a history of human use of over 7,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent seasoning in Asia, Africa, and Europe. It was known to Ancient Egyptians, and has been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes.

 

DESCRIPTION

Allium sativum is a bulbous plant. It grows up to 1.2 m in height. Its hardiness is USDA Zone 8. It produces hermaphrodite flowers. Pollination occurs by bees and other insects.

 

ORIGIN AND MAJOR TYPES

Allium sativum grows in the wild in areas where it has become naturalized. The "wild garlic", "crow garlic", and "field garlic" of Britain are members of the species Allium ursinum, Allium vineale, and Allium oleraceum, respectively. Identification of the wild progenitor for common garlic is made difficult by the sterility of its many cultivars which may all be descended from the species, Allium longicuspis, growing wild in central and southwestern Asia.

 

In North America, Allium vineale (known as "wild garlic" or "crow garlic") and Allium canadense, known as "meadow garlic" or "wild garlic" and "wild onion", are common weeds in fields. One of the best-known "garlics", the so-called elephant garlic, is actually a wild leek (Allium ampeloprasum), and not a true garlic. Single clove garlic (also called pearl or solo garlic) originated in the Yunnan province of China.

 

EUROPEAN GARLIC

There are a number of garlics with Protected Geographical Status in Europe; these include:

 

- Aglio Rosso di Nubia (Red Garlic of Nubia) from Nubia-Paceco, Provincia di Trapani, Sicily, Italy

- Aglio Bianco Polesano from Veneto, Italy (PDO)

- Aglio di Voghiera from Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy (PDO)

- Ail blanc de Lomagne from Lomagne in the Gascony area of France (PGI)

- Ail de la Drôme from Drôme in France (PGI)

- Ail rose de Lautrec a rose/pink garlic from Lautrec in France (PGI)

- Ajo Morado de las Pedroñeras a rose/pink garlic from Las Pedroñeras in Spain (PGI)

 

SUBSPECIES AND VARIETIES

There are two subspecies of A. sativum, ten major groups of varieties, and hundreds of varieties or cultivars.

 

A. sativum var. ophioscorodon (Link) Döll, called Ophioscorodon, or hard necked garlic, includes porcelain garlics, rocambole garlic, and purple stripe garlics. It is sometimes considered to be a separate species, Allium ophioscorodon G.Don.

 

A. sativum var. sativum, or soft-necked garlic, includes artichoke garlic, silverskin garlic, and creole garlic.

 

CULTIVATION

Garlic is easy to grow and can be grown year-round in mild climates. While sexual propagation of garlic is indeed possible, nearly all of the garlic in cultivation is propagated asexually, by planting individual cloves in the ground. In cold climates, cloves are planted in the autumn, about six weeks before the soil freezes, and harvested in late spring. The cloves must be planted at sufficient depth to prevent freeze/thaw which causes mold or white rot. Garlic plants are usually very hardy, and are not attacked by many pests or diseases. Garlic plants are said to repel rabbits and moles. Two of the major pathogens that attack garlic are nematodes and white rot disease, which remain in the soil indefinitely after the ground has become infected. Garlic also can suffer from pink root, a typically nonfatal disease that stunts the roots and turns them pink or red.

 

Garlic plants can be grown closely together, leaving enough space for the bulbs to mature, and are easily grown in containers of sufficient depth. Garlic does well in loose, dry, well drained soils in sunny locations, and is hardy throughout USDA climate zones 4–9. When selecting garlic for planting, it is important to pick large bulbs from which to separate cloves. Large cloves, along with proper spacing in the planting bed, will also improve bulb size. Garlic plants prefer to grow in a soil with a high organic material content, but are capable of growing in a wide range of soil conditions and pH levels.

 

There are different varieties or subspecies of garlic, most notably hardneck garlic and softneck garlic. The latitude where the garlic is grown affects the choice of type as garlic can be day-length sensitive. Hardneck garlic is generally grown in cooler climates; softneck garlic is generally grown closer to the equator.

 

Garlic scapes are removed to focus all the garlic's energy into bulb growth. The scapes can be eaten raw or cooked.

 

PRODUCTION TRENDS

Garlic is grown globally, but China is by far the largest producer of garlic, with around 20 million tonnes (44 billion pounds) grown annually, accounting for over 81% of world output. India (4.6%) and South Korea (1.4%) follow, with Egypt (1.2%) on fourth place and the United States (where garlic is grown in every state except for Alaska) in ninth place (0.8%). This leaves 11% of global garlic production in countries that each produce less than 2% of global output. Much of the garlic production in the United States is centered in Gilroy, California, which calls itself the "garlic capital of the world".

 

USES

CULINARY USES

Garlic is widely used around the world for its pungent flavor as a seasoning or condiment.

 

The garlic plant's bulb is the most commonly used part of the plant. With the exception of the single clove types, garlic bulbs are normally divided into numerous fleshy sections called cloves. Garlic cloves are used for consumption (raw or cooked) or for medicinal purposes. They have a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking.

 

Other parts of the garlic plant are also edible. The leaves and flowers (bulbils) on the head (spathe) are sometimes eaten. They are milder in flavor than the bulbs, and are most often consumed while immature and still tender. Immature garlic is sometimes pulled, rather like a scallion, and sold as "green garlic". When green garlic is allowed to grow past the "scallion" stage, but not permitted to fully mature, it may produce a garlic "round", a bulb like a boiling onion, but not separated into cloves like a mature bulb. It imparts a garlic flavor and aroma in food, minus the spiciness. Green garlic is often chopped and stir-fried or cooked in soup or hotpot in Southeast Asian (i.e. Vietnamese, Thai, Lao, Cambodian, Singaporean) and Chinese cookery, and is very abundant and low-priced. Additionally, the immature flower stalks (scapes) of the hardneck and elephant types are sometimes marketed for uses similar to asparagus in stir-fries.

 

Inedible or rarely eaten parts of the garlic plant include the "skin" covering each clove and root cluster. The papery, protective layers of "skin" over various parts of the plant are generally discarded during preparation for most culinary uses, though in Korea immature whole heads are sometimes prepared with the tender skins intact. The root cluster attached to the basal plate of the bulb is the only part not typically considered palatable in any form.

 

Garlic is a fundamental component in many or most dishes of various regions, including eastern Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, northern Africa, southern Europe, and parts of South and Central America. The flavor varies in intensity and aroma with the different cooking methods. It is often paired with onion, tomato, or ginger. The parchment-like skin is much like the skin of an onion, and is typically removed before using in raw or cooked form. An alternative is to cut the top off the bulb, coat the cloves by dribbling olive oil (or other oil-based seasoning) over them, and roast them in an oven. Garlic softens and can be extracted from the cloves by squeezing the (root) end of the bulb, or individually by squeezing one end of the clove. In Korea, heads of garlic are heated over the course of several weeks; the resulting product, called black garlic, is sweet and syrupy, and is now being sold in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.Garlic may be applied to different kinds of bread, usually in a medium of butter or oil, to create a variety of classic dishes, such as garlic bread, garlic toast, bruschetta, crostini and canapé.

 

Oils can be flavored with garlic cloves. These infused oils are used to season all categories of vegetables, meats, breads and pasta. Garlic, along with fish sauce, chopped fresh chilis, lime juice, sugar and water, is a basic essential item in dipping fish sauce, a highly used dipping sauce condiment used in Indochina. In East and Southeast Asia, chili oil with garlic is a popular dipping sauce, especially for meat and seafood. Tuong ot toi Viet Nam (Vietnam Chili Garlic Sauce) is a highly popular condiment and dip across North America and Asia.

 

In some cuisines, the young bulbs are pickled for three to six weeks in a mixture of sugar, salt, and spices. In eastern Europe, the shoots are pickled and eaten as an appetizer. Laba garlic, prepared by soaking garlic in vinegar, is a type of pickled garlic served with dumplings in northern China to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

 

Lightly smoked garlic is becoming increasingly popular in British and European cuisine. It is particularly prized for stuffing poultry and game, and in soups and stews. In both these cases it is important to utilize the undiscarded skin, as much of the smoke flavor is situated there, rather than in the cloves themselves.

 

Immature scapes are tender and edible. They are also known as "garlic spears", "stems", or "tops". Scapes generally have a milder taste than the cloves. They are often used in stir frying or braised like asparagus. Garlic leaves are a popular vegetable in many parts of Asia. The leaves are cut, cleaned, and then stir-fried with eggs, meat, or vegetables.

 

Mixing garlic with egg yolks and olive oil produces aioli. Garlic, oil, and a chunky base produce skordalia. Blending garlic, almond, oil, and soaked bread produces ajoblanco. Tzatziki, yogurt mixed with garlic and salt is a common sauce in Eastern Mediterranean cuisines.

 

Garlic powder has a different taste from fresh garlic. If used as a substitute for fresh garlic, 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder is equivalent to one clove of garlic.

 

STORAGE

Domestically, garlic is stored warm - above 18 °C - and dry to keep it dormant (lest it sprout). It is traditionally hung; softneck varieties are often braided in strands called plaits or grappes. Peeled cloves may be stored in wine or vinegar in the refrigerator. Commercially, garlic is stored at 0 °C, in a dry, low-humidity environment. Garlic will keep longer if the tops remain attached.

 

Garlic is often kept in oil to produce flavored oil; however, the practice requires measures to be taken to prevent the garlic from spoiling. Untreated garlic kept in oil can support the growth of Clostridium botulinum which causes the deadly botulism illness; refrigeration will not assure the safety of garlic kept in oil. To reduce this risk, the oil should be refrigerated and used within one week. According to wikihow, the garlic immersed in oil should be stored in the freezer and not the fridge. Commercially prepared oils are widely available. Manufacturers add acids or other chemicals to eliminate the risk of botulism in their products. Two outbreaks of botulism related to garlic stored in oil have been reported.

 

Garlic bulbs should be clean and white with a dried neck and outer skin and quite firm under pressure. They should be discarded if they are soft or spongy or show signs of mold.

 

HISTORICAL USE

The use of garlic in China dates back to 2000 BC. It was consumed by ancient Greek and Roman soldiers, sailors, and rural classes (Virgil, Ecologues ii. 11), and, according to Pliny the Elder (Natural History xix. 32), by the African peasantry. Galen eulogized it as the "rustic's theriac" (cure-all) (see F. Adams' Paulus Aegineta, p. 99), and Alexander Neckam, a writer of the 12th century (see Wright's edition of his works, p. 473, 1863), discussed it as a palliative for the heat of the sun in field labor. Garlic was placed by the ancient Greeks on the piles of stones at crossroads, as a supper for Hecate (Theophrastus, Characters, The Superstitious Man). According to Pliny, garlic and onions were invoked as deities by the Egyptians at the taking of oaths.

 

In his Natural History, Pliny gives a list of scenarios in which garlic was considered beneficial (N.H. xx. 23). Dr. T. Sydenham valued it as an application in confluent smallpox, and, says Cullen (Mat. Med. ii. p. 174, 1789), found some dropsies cured by it alone.

 

Garlic was rare in traditional English cuisine (though it is said to have been grown in England before 1548) and has been a much more common ingredient in Mediterranean Europe.[citation needed] Translations of the c. 1300 Assize of Weights and Measures indicate a passage as dealing with standardized units of garlic production, sale, and taxation - the hundred of 15 ropes of 15 heads each - but the Latin version of the text refers to herring rather than garlic.

 

Garlic was used as an antiseptic to prevent gangrene during World Wars I and II.

 

NUTRIENTS

In the typical serving size of 1-3 cloves (3-9 g), garlic provides no significant nutritional value with the content of all essential nutrients below 10% of the Daily Value (DV) (right table). When expressed per 100 grams, garlic contains several nutrients in rich amounts (> 20% DV), including vitamins B6 and C, and the dietary minerals, manganese and phosphorus. Per 100 gram serving, garlic is also a good source (10-19% DV) of certain B vitamins including thiamine (Vitamin B1), and pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5), as well as certain dietary minerals including calcium, iron, and zinc (right table).

 

RESEARCH

CARDIOVASCULAR

A 2013 meta-analysis concluded that garlic preparations may effectively lower total cholesterol by 11–23 mg/dL and LDL cholesterol by 3–15 mg/dL in adults with high cholesterol if taken for longer than two months. The same analysis found that garlic had a marginally positive effect on HDL cholesterol, no significant effect on blood triglyceride levels, and that garlic preparations were generally well tolerated with very few side effects.

 

A 2012 Cochrane review of two randomized controlled trials found that the effect of garlic supplementation on blood pressure is unclear and that there is insufficient evidence to determine if garlic lowers cardiovascular death and disease rates in people with hypertension.

 

As garlic may reduce platelet aggregation, patients taking anticoagulant medication are cautioned about consuming garlic.

 

CANCER

A 2014 meta-analysis of observational epidemiological studies found that garlic consumption is associated with a lower risk of stomach cancer in the Korean population. Similarly, a 2013 meta-analysis of case-control studies and cohort studies found limited evidence suggesting an association between higher garlic consumption and a lower risk of prostate cancer. However, the association was only significant in the case-control studies and the authors noted there was evidence of publication bias.

 

COMMON COLD

One news source reported garlic supplements may prevent the common cold, but there is insufficient clinical research to confirm this effect. A 2014 report in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews concluded that "there is insufficient clinical trial evidence regarding the effects of garlic in preventing or treating the common cold. A single trial suggested that garlic may prevent occurrences of the common cold but more studies are needed to validate this finding. Claims of effectiveness appear to rely largely on poor-quality evidence." Another review reached similar conclusions about the lack of high-quality evidence for the idea that garlic prevents or treats the common cold.

 

OTHER USES

The sticky juice within the bulb cloves is used as an adhesive in mending glass and porcelain. An environmentally benign garlic-derived polysulfide product is approved for use in the European Union (under Annex 1 of 91/414) and the UK as a nematicide and insecticide, including for use for control of cabbage root fly and red mite in poultry.

 

Garlic along with cinnamon is used as a fish and meat preservative, and displays antimicrobial property at temperatures as high as 120 degree Celsius; the combination can also be used to preserve fried and deep fried foods, and in the future might be used in an inner layer of plastic.

 

ADVERSE EFFECTS AND TOXICOLOGY

Garlic is known to cause bad breath (halitosis) and body odor, described as a pungent "garlicky" smell to sweat. This is caused by allyl methyl sulfide (AMS). AMS is a volatile liquid which is absorbed into the blood during the metabolism of garlic-derived sulfur compounds; from the blood it travels to the lungs (and from there to the mouth, causing bad breath; see garlic breath) and skin, where it is exuded through skin pores. Washing the skin with soap is only a partial and imperfect solution to the smell. Studies have shown sipping milk at the same time as consuming garlic can significantly neutralize bad breath. Mixing garlic with milk in the mouth before swallowing reduced the odor better than drinking milk afterward. Plain water, mushrooms and basil may also reduce the odor; the mix of fat and water found in milk, however, was the most effective.

 

The green, dry "folds" in the center of the garlic clove are especially pungent. The sulfur compound allicin, produced by crushing or chewing fresh garlic, produces other sulfur compounds: ajoene, allyl polysulfides, and vinyldithiins. Aged garlic lacks allicin, but may have some activity due to the presence of S-allylcysteine.

 

Some people suffer from allergies to garlic and other species of Allium. Symptoms can include irritable bowel, diarrhea, mouth and throat ulcerations, nausea, breathing difficulties, and, in rare cases, anaphylaxis. Garlic-sensitive patients show positive tests to diallyl disulfide, allylpropyldisulfide, allylmercaptan and allicin, all of which are present in garlic. People who suffer from garlic allergies are often sensitive to many other plants, including onions, chives, leeks, shallots, garden lilies, ginger, and bananas.

 

Several reports of serious burns resulting from garlic being applied topically for various purposes, including naturopathic uses and acne treatment, indicate care must be taken for these uses, usually testing a small area of skin using a very low concentration of garlic. On the basis of numerous reports of such burns, including burns to children, topical use of raw garlic, as well as insertion of raw garlic into body cavities, is discouraged. In particular, topical application of raw garlic to young children is not advisable. The side effects of long-term garlic supplementation are largely unknown, and no FDA-approved study has been performed. Possible side effects include gastrointestinal discomfort, sweating, dizziness, allergic reactions, bleeding, and menstrual irregularities.

 

Some breastfeeding mothers have found, after consuming garlic, that their babies can be slow to feed, and have noted a garlic odor coming from them.

 

If higher than recommended doses of garlic are taken with anticoagulant medications, this can lead to a higher risk of bleeding. Garlic may interact with warfarin, antiplatelets, saquinavir, antihypertensives, calcium channel blockers, quinolone family of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, and hypoglycemic drugs, as well as other medications. Alliums might be toxic to cats or dogs.

 

SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS USES

Garlic has been regarded as a force for both good and evil. In Europe, many cultures have used garlic for protection or white magic, perhaps owing to its reputation as a potent preventative medicine. Central European folk beliefs considered garlic a powerful ward against demons, werewolves, and vampires. To ward off vampires, garlic could be worn, hung in windows, or rubbed on chimneys and keyholes.

 

In Iranian countries which celebrate Nowruz (Persian calendar New Year) such as Iran, the Caucasus countries, Afghanistan, and Central Asian countries such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, garlic is one of the items in a Seven-Seen table, a traditional New Year's display.

 

In Islam, it is generally recommended not to eat raw garlic prior to going to the mosque, since the odor could distract other Muslims during their prayer. Muhammad himself disliked eating garlic.

 

In both Hinduism and Jainism, garlic is thought to stimulate and warm the body and to increase one's desires. Some devout Hindus generally avoid using garlic and the related onion in the preparation of foods, while less devout followers may only observe this for religious festivities and events. Followers of the Jain religion avoid eating garlic and onion on a daily basis.

 

In some Buddhist traditions, garlic – along with the other five "pungent spices" – is understood to stimulate sexual and aggressive drives to the detriment of meditation practice. In Mahayana Buddhism, monks and nuns are not allowed to consume garlic or other pungent spices such as chili, which are deemed as being "earthly pleasures" and are viewed as promoting aggression due to their spiciness and pungency.

 

PROPERTIES

Fresh or crushed garlic yields the sulfur-containing compounds alliin, ajoene, diallyl polysulfides, vinyldithiins, S-allylcysteine, and enzymes, saponins, flavonoids, and Maillard reaction products, which are not sulfur-containing compounds.

 

The composition of the bulbs is approximately 84.09% water, 13.38% organic matter, and 1.53% inorganic matter, while the leaves are 87.14% water, 11.27% organic matter, and 1.59% inorganic matter.

 

The phytochemicals responsible for the sharp flavor of garlic are produced when the plant's cells are damaged. When a cell is broken by chopping, chewing, or crushing, enzymes stored in cell vacuoles trigger the breakdown of several sulfur-containing compounds stored in the cell fluids (cytosol). The resultant compounds are responsible for the sharp or hot taste and strong smell of garlic. Some of the compounds are unstable and continue to react over time. Among the members of the onion family, garlic has by far the highest concentrations of initial reaction products, making garlic much more potent than onion, shallot, or leeks. Although many humans enjoy the taste of garlic, these compounds are believed to have evolved as a defensive mechanism, deterring animals such as birds, insects, and worms from eating the plant. Because of this, people throughout history have used garlic to keep away insects such as mosquitoes and slugs.

 

A large number of sulfur compounds contribute to the smell and taste of garlic. Allicin has been found to be the compound most responsible for the "hot" sensation of raw garlic. This chemical opens thermo-transient receptor potential channels that are responsible for the burning sense of heat in foods. The process of cooking garlic removes allicin, thus mellowing its spiciness. Allicin, along with its decomposition products diallyl disulfide and diallyl trisulfide, are major contributors to the characteristic odor of garlic, with other allicin-derived compounds, such as vinyldithiins and ajoene. Because of its strong odor, garlic is sometimes called the "stinking rose". When eaten in quantity, garlic may be strongly evident in the diner's sweat and garlic breath the following day. This is because garlic's strong-smelling sulfur compounds are metabolized, forming allyl methyl sulfide. Allyl methyl sulfide (AMS) cannot be digested and is passed into the blood. It is carried to the lungs and the skin, where it is excreted. Since digestion takes several hours, and release of AMS several hours more, the effect of eating garlic may be present for a long time.

 

The well-known phenomenon of "garlic breath" is allegedly alleviated by eating fresh parsley. The herb is, therefore, included in many garlic recipes, such as pistou, persillade, and the garlic butter spread used in garlic bread.

 

Because of the AMS in the bloodstream, it is believed by some to act as a mosquito repellent, but no clinically reported evidence suggests it is actually effective.

 

Abundant sulfur compounds in garlic are also responsible for turning garlic green or blue during pickling and cooking. Under these conditions (i.e. acidity, heat) the sulfur-containing compound alliinase react with common amino acids to make pyrroles, clusters of carbon-nitrogen rings. These rings can be linked together into polypyrrole molecules. Ring structures absorb particular wavelengths of light and thus appear colored. The two-pyrrole molecule looks red, the three-pyrrole molecule looks blue and the four-pyrrole molecule looks green (like chlorophyll, a tetrapyrrole). Like chlorophyll, the pyrrole pigments are safe to eat.

 

WIKIPEDIA

San Francisco naturopath

I'm grateful for friends who lend me SouthPark dvd's for stuff to watch while I'm home sick. :))

 

I'm grateful for my naturopath. She is totally understanding of everything. :))

 

I'm grateful for iron supplements. lol and that I'm finally starting to take them again. and finally have energy again.

 

I'm grateful for everything that is turning around for me. lots of new and great things happening. yay :)))))

 

:)

 

p.s. southpark is hilarious.

   

From the upper tram station. Though the approaching aerial tram itself is interesting, my main interest in this photo was the cable-stayed bridge in the upper left quadrant of this picture. It (Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People) is dramatic both in design and function. I had hoped to walk out onto it when in this area, but the wind was high and the temperatures were cold, so I decided to settle with this picture.

 

What’s remarkable about the bridge is that it was mainly built as a crossing of the Willamette for the light rail MAX line, and is used also by pedestrians, bikes, emergency vehicles, and the Portland Streetcar – but NOT cars and trucks! In other words, a bridge for the people. The bridge opened in 2015 and is named after the Native American people who lived in the area.

 

Also notable in this picture is the campus of the National University of Natural Medicine, the “..oldest accredited naturopathic medical university in North America.” It’s the prominent, large, 3-story, brown building below the end of the Tilikum bridge.

 

Finally, the other bridge across the Willamette, south (right) of the Tilikum Crossing is more remarkable than it looks. It’s the Ross Island Bridge, built in 1926 (see the pictures on the link).

 

Sources:

Tilikum Crossing: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilikum_Crossing

National University of Natural Medicine: nunm.edu/

Ross Island Bridge: geo.io/en/Ross_Island_Bridge

Le bain de siège le plus populaire est le bain de siège froid, qui est très populaire dans certains milieux naturopathiques et serait considéré comme un véritable bain de jouvence. Le bain de siège froid procure un effet tonique et fortifiant sur toute la région abdominale, les organes génitaux et la colonne vertébrale.