WOX-XION

Your blood pressure is affected by a lot of things. Diseases for example. Your state of mind. And even the various states of your body throughout the day. On top of that, there are outside influences. Even the temperature plays a roll. And then of course, there is what you eat and drink. Every bite you take, every zip you take influences your blood pressure. Good or bad. And although it’s always good to focus on the positive, let’s take a closer look at one of the most significant relationships between your blood pressure and what you consume: alcohol.

Alcoholic drinks are an important factor when it comes to a healthy blood pressure. How important is often overlooked. In fact, the relationship between alcoholic drinks and your blood pressure could very well determine whether or not you are healthy.

If you consider yourself a regular drinker (not even a heavy drinker!) your blood pressure is probably above average. Why? Because of your kidneys. Your kidneys can only handle a certain amount of alcohol and they are closely connected with your blood pressure. If you give your kidneys a rough time, you actually force them to increase the pressure on your arteries. And guess what’s next…

Should you stop drinking alcohol? I leave that up to you. I didn’t. But I only allow myself one or two drinks a day. And I encourage you to do the same. You’ll feel better, stronger and more alert in a matter of days. And your blood pressure will drop significantly.

There is not such a thing as a Vitamin D. Vitamin D is actually a group of vitamins. There are two major forms: D2 and D3. D2 is not produced by your body. You’ll have to eat  fatty fish (tuna or salmon) or eggs to make sure your body gets enough D2. D3 however, is a fun-vitamin. Your body can produce it’s own and all you have to do is to make sure you get enough sunlight.

In general Vitamin D helps to regulate the calcium and the phosphorus levels in your blood. It’s also a big player when it comes to promoting the immune system, anti-tumor activity, bone formation, and the mineralization of the skeletal system. So getting the right amount every single day is important.

The problem with Vitamin D these days is the way we live. In a few words: we spend our days indoors instead of fishing salmon. So it isn’t obvious we get the right amount of vitamin D every single day.

Do you feel you ain’t getting your daily doses? Supplements may help. But whatever you do, don’t just rush out to the drugstore and buy yourself a big bottle of Vitamin D. Getting too much is as harmful as getting too little. Getting the right amount is tricky and that’s why consulting your doctor or a nutritionist is a smart and healthy move.

Yoga has been around for centuries. It’s a meditation exercise with a lot of benefits. Yoga is multitasking at it’s best. It isn’t just Peace of Mind. It’s also a good way to build muscles, burn fat and work on your self image.

Yoga is a routine of exercises. The bad news: it isn’t easy. But when it’s done well, the exercises shouldn’t make you feel tired but rejuvenated, strong and very much alive. Therefore more and more athletes use yoga as a very effective warm up exercise.

Ordinary people like you and me, should always speak with our doctor before we start any exercise routine whatsoever. But it’s a fact that yoga is not just very effective, it’s also safe, maybe even the safest way to ‘work out’. And if you are smart (and you are, aren’t you?) you join a yoga class. Why? Because although yoga is safe, it just isn’t easy. Especially when you are a beginner, getting the right instructions to get you started is essential.

In fact, yoga is all about calming the spirit and focusing the mind. Breathing techniques are a very important part of the routine. Yoga will help you to learn to breathe fully. As a result there will be more oxygen going to your brain.

There a lot of ways yoga can really help you in getting healthier and stronger. In fact, there are more the we can address here. So do yourself a big favor and explore this ancient routine. I bet you’ll find a way that will suite your needs.

High blood pressure? We all know it’s important to do something about it. By decreasing your blood pressure, you are not just giving yourself the opportunity to become healthier but also to add some years to your life. And working on a decrease of your blood pressure isn’t as hard as it seems.

One of the most effectives decisions to make, is to eat foods that are low in fat. Like low fat dairy. Why that’s effective? Well, the fat in your food will build up in your arteries. That will make it harder for your blood to get through. Therefore your heart is going to have to work a lot harder and your blood pressure will rise. A heart attack or a stroke may be the result. What more reason do you need to stay away from fat food?

Staying away form fat is an important thing to do. And even more important: start right now. Your body probably needs some time to heal. So the effect isn’t going to instantly. Give it time and don’t give up. If you’ve been neglecting your body for years, don’t expect it to be back on it’s feet in a couple of days or weeks. But trust me: eventually you’ll see results. Staying away from fat will do wonders.

Want to kick start the results? Eat healthy foods and get plenty of exercise. Take the stairs, play soccer with the kids, buy yourself a bike or drag your body to the gym at least three times a week. Get your heart moving. But before you start, go and consult your doctor.

The benefits of a water feature are many: the musical murmuring or splashing can muffle or even mask traffic and other noise pollution; the feature brings a focal point to the garden; the sounds are soothing, even healing and spiritually refreshing; and if you have a koi pond, just watching them gracefully swim through the depths of a pond is relaxing. A water feature can also bring great beauty to a garden.
 
Water features include ponds, water gardens, table fountains and more. Since standing water is ripe for mosquito breeding, always include a pump to keep the water moving.  Mosquito dunks and fish are also great deterrents. 

Some landscaping professionals categorize garden water features into three basic types: the water garden (primary focus being the plants), the pond (deeper with the primary purpose being the fish) and the waterfall. These can all overlap, but there will be certain considerations, depending on what you want the most. For example, the water garden should be at least 18 inches deep, while fish need something deeper (depending on the climate and predators), and a reflecting pond can be less than a foot deep.

Ponds, water gardens and reflecting pools are usually made either with a pond lining material (various types include ones that are fish-safe), a rigid, prefabricated pond (where a hole is dug to fit it) or concrete.

The waterfall may tumble over boulders and smaller rocks or a flat surface so that it falls in a sheet. The water’s edge can be landscaped to support the look you want whether this be a lush, tropical setting or a desert spring. Plants that grow naturally at water’s edge include grasses, sedges and ferns. Moisture-loving plants such as mosses and potted orchids can be tucked in among the waterfall’s stones so that they benefit from the mist.

Did you know you need 40 different nutrients to keep your body healthy? More then you would think right? You don’t need to get to know all of them. But you do need to remember a few basic things.

First of all: You need water. And you need a lot of it. Most experts recommend drinking at least 8 glasses a day in order to keep healthy. A watermelon will do too of course. Whatever you do, make sure you get plenty of water. Every day!

Proteins is another group of nutrients we can’t do without. Proteins provides amino acids. You need those acids to build muscle tissue. It also helps making hormones. You shouldn’t have any problems finding your daily dose. Proteins are found in meat, eggs, and lots of other foods.

Carbohydrates and fats are essential as well. Without carbohydrates and fats you’ll feel tired and exhausted. They provide you with the energy to do the things you wane do. Carbohydrates are primarily used for energy during less intense activities, like sitting or standing. Fets are primarily used for the heavy stuff.

Unlike proteins, both the fats and the carbohydrates can be stored for later use. That’s why it’s important to regulate intake in order to stay slim and healthy.

Next of our vital groups of essentials are of course vitamins and minerals. I guess you know (you should!) you need iron, thiamine, vitamin C, vitamin D, and some others every single day.

You will most likely get enough vitamins and minerals if you are eating a healthy diet. You ain’t so sure your diet is a healthy one? Talk to your doctor and ask him about taking vitamin supplements. He’ll be happy to help you find a way to make sure you’ll be eating a healthy amount of nutrients.

You need your daily dose of protein. When your intake is too low for on any given day you’ll start feeling weak. Protein can’t be stored in the body. So your body can’t use reserved protein from previous days. And it just isn’t able to produce proteins itself. Therefore, protein is very important to consider when you are planning your meals.

 You can’t have too much protein. If you eat more protein than necessary, your body will simply ignore the ‘overdose’. What protein does? Well, essentially, it repairs and builds muscles. Muscle provides energy, just like fat. In every day live, they deteriorates, as your body needs the energy. Having protein in the body helps you to rebuild any muscle lost.

Protein also helps your with the maintenance of hormones. What hormones are good for? Well, a number of things actually. They are important because they regulate your organ functions. But they also account for stimulation, create metabolism, and (ask any woman) affect your mood.

Proteins are important in the making of some essential hormones. So a lack of protein will make you suffer in different ways. It isn’t hard at all to make sure your protein intake is sufficient. Look for foods with protein as a key component on the label. Examples? Pork, nuts, beans, chicken, eggs and fish. Make sure you have some of these in your diet every single day and you’ll be fine.

There is a Cranesbill geranium outside that I have to do something with. Again this is the result of poor planning on my part.  Last year, a neighbor gave me a piece of her Cranesbill geranium. They do smell lovely and when in bloom, they are gorgeous. Mine has lovely pink blossoms. I think officially the color is magenta, but I call it a deep pink. This one bloomed from early summer to late summer, but mostly in early summer.

The thing grew like a weed.  Really. Like a weed. It sprawled out over half of the garden bed I put it in. Now for weeks, I have this big mound of greenery that crowds the garden and I swear I can hear it growing underground even more.

Before going on with my solution I want to make it clear that this is not like the usual geranium that we think of that we have to protect in the winter. This is a true perennial and can thrive on its own even in the coldest climates and then reappear in its magnificence in late spring.

What is useful to know about it is that it is self-seeding hence its amazing ability to begin as a six inch plant and turn into a three-foot spreading plant in a matter of months. It is also useful to know that if you pinch it back after it flowers, it will likely flower again.

It’s not too fussy about where it is planted. It can grow nicely in full sun or partial shade. It like light soil but it is very hardy.  Actually another common name for it is hardy geranium.

It would be great planted in a rock garden or as a ground cover. My mistake was plunking it in the middle of a flower bed without realizing how it would spread.  I have a wooded area that is not actually gardened but since I don’t like to destroy any plant, I often take the abundance and plant them in the wooded area. This would thrive there and if it spreads, so be it. There is lots of room in the woods for it and the woods is not too thick so there will be enough light.

As for the Cranesbill that I keep, I plan to move it to a separate bed with some snow in summer.  Next year I will pinch it back and after the second blooming, I will cut it back. For a few weeks the pink geranium and the white snow in summer will be beautiful. When I cut it back (along with the snow in summer) I will pop in some annuals to keep the bed colorful.

Americans love traveling to the Caribbean. And for a good reason! Even so, not many of us seem to realize how vast this region is. There are thousands of islands to visit and million of things in the Caribbean. So before you start designing your cruise or trip, you should make up your mind and decide what to do and where to go.  Overall, the Caribbean offers sun, beaches and luxurious resorts. The best way to visit the Caribbean? Take a cruise. Life the lives of the millionaires and get on one of those luxurious liners that cruise the Caribbean all year round. Wherever you choose to go, be sure you do your homework. And be prepared. First of all: you will need a passport and occasionally you will need visa. You’ll be amazed how many people show up without valid documents. The guys from customs are ruthless. They’ll send you home no matter your story. Trust me. Bring your Passport! A good recourse for information about cruising the Caribbean (and a cool place to start your online journey) is a website from a former cruise line captain, Jack Storms. He runs a website called Captain Jack’s Cruise Info.

I went out to prepare the big bed for the fall.  It has tulips and William and Mary in the spring, followed by lilies, irises, peonies, primroses, lamb’s ears, policemen’s helmets, and assorted pansies that bloom all season. Oh and there are daisies and some wild grasses as well. I had a couple of other plants there as well – sedum and a hosta. 

Did I mention it was not a big bed. It is way too overcrowded so I have to remove more plants. I’ve found new spots for the lamb’s ears, policemen’s helmets, and some of the lilies. The wild grasses I’ve also removed.  The lilies and irises have been trimmed back. So here I am, all set to work in some compost and prepare the ground for next spring.

Guess what problem I encountered. Yep. That’s right. Preparing the ground is a challenge when it is full of tulip bulbs. I can’t layer too much new topsoil and compost on top of the existing bed without having the bulbs buried too deep. I can’t work the soil too much without churning up the bulbs that are there. And do I remember where the bulbs are?  Not really.

This is a case of poor planning on my part. The first year I planted about a dozen tulips in one corner. The second year, I put a couple of dozen more in adding them in clumps here and there. Also there are the iris rhizomes to contend with.

I can keep on picking around in this manner, putting more tulips in and working the soil around where the current bulbs are. But the problem is that the bed is not rich and productive in spots because last year, I did the same thing. I just picked around in spots, planting bulbs and tossing on some sheep manure but not digging it in with the soil because I did not know where the bulbs were from the year before.

What I have done is created a problem that will only get worse if I don’t spend the time this fall to resolve it. This is my solution:

First I will grid the garden on paper in squares of about a square foot each. Then I will fill a wheelbarrow with topsoil and manure, half and half, and make sure it is mixed together well. Then I will begin with the larger perennials and cut them back and split them if necessary and move them if necessary. Then I will get on my hands and knees with my little garden tools and  dig up the earth with my hands and if I find bulbs, I will be careful about them and not move them.  I’ll add some of the new soil/manure mix and work it in with my hands. I’ll mark this on my grid. If I don’t find bulbs, I will plant some and mark that on my grid. Gardening is about getting your hands dirty, remember… I love it!

The end result will be a garden that has tulips every where that there are not other perennials and a bed that is rich with soil and compost/manure. I will mark the perennials on the grid and in the spring, I will have to consider planting pansies and annuals if there are bald spots after the tulips die down.

Organic gardening? Click the link to learn how to prepare your garden beds