Garden-Based Learning at the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, CA

Belief in garden-based learning is not new. In fact the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau in the 1700s and the educator Maria Montessori in the early 20th Century recognized the value of the garden as a tool. by 1914 there was even a federal government agency created to advocate and provide support for youth gardens. In recent years, school garden programs have increased dramatically in number and diversity, fueled by rising awareness of the serious consequences of childhood obesity and diet-related disease, such as Type 2 Diabetes.

The rise in school garden programs also reflect the adoption of federal school wellness policies and public concerns about where our food comes from. Research shows that participation in garden programs brings benefits for students by increasing their healthy eating habits, cooperative abilities, social skills, and academic achievement.

California continues to be a national leader in the school garden movement, and the training and support provided by Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC) staff has been the wellspring for many of the pioneer programs in Bay Area schools, including the Edible Schoolyard. A wealth of information on school gardens and garden-based learning can be found at the California School Garden Network website at http://www.csgna.org. 

California School Garden Network

School gardens are a powerful means of instilling lifelong environmental and nutritional literacy among children. These gardens can serve as living laboratories for hands-on exploration and learning, and seed saving can be a strong component of teaching ecoliteracy. The outdoor classroom fosters critical thinking skills and increases retention rate in man subject areas, including math, social studies, science, nutrition, and geography.

 

Garden and seed saving bring nature to children at a scale that can fully engage them. To fully understand the profound concepts expressed in this simple poem requires a depth of interaction with and knowledge about the natural world that few of us now experience.

 

 

'We feel by the moon'

 

We move by the stars

We eat from the earth

We drink from the rain

We breathe of the air

We live in all things

All things live in us

 

~ Author Unknown

 

 

To really understand this poem means that students know that because seeds are 95 percent water, they are affected by the moon's gravitational pull and experience miniature tides inside them. Seeds drink from the rain and respire. Many cultures plant by moon cycles. Seeds are a source of food for many animals, birds and insects; they provide a concentrated source of protein and carbohydrates. Seeds have co-evolved with humans, and it can be said that we live in them and they in us. The idea that plants convey meaning and therefore can offer light to an attentive person is a commonly held belief in much of the world.

 

 

Indoor Air Pollution & Plants

In our world of energy efficient houses and office buildings sealed against the elements, it is alarming to find the number of pollutants that are constant roommates. Copy machines and printers, rug pads, insulation and other synthetic materials, veneer furniture, products made of pressed wood and plywood, smoke, and detergents all give off pollutants, such as benzene, trichloroethylene, xylene, ammonia and formaldehyde. Studies by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) indicate that indoor air pollution is one of the fastest growing environmental problems.

How can we reduce these troubling substances in our lives? Plants reduce indoor pollution and therefore provide us with a healthier physical atmosphere. They absorb pollutants through their leaves, where naturally occurring microorganisms break down the chemicals. Some absorption and breakdown also occurs in potting soil.

The original research on plant filtering began with NASA, where the need to find ways to reduce the high amount of pollutants emitted by equipment on the space shuttle was discovered. Researchers as the National Space Technology Lab found that houseplants reduced pollutants, particularly nitrogen and formaldehyde. In fact, just a single spider plant in an enclosed chamber filled with formaldehyde removed 85 percent of the pollutant in a day. As few as 15 plants can significantly reduce pollutants in the average house. The study suggested that we use one potted plant for every 100 square feet of floor space for pollution control.

Besides controlling gaseous pollution in the home, plant leaves clean air by trapping particulate matter. And, in their natural process of respiration, plants absorb our waste product ~ carbon dioxide ~ and furnish us oxygen and moisture. The old myth about avoiding plants in the bedroom because they use up air couldn't be further from the truth.


Common Sources of Indoor Air Pollution & The Best Absorbers:

Formaldehyde:
Carpeting, pressed wood, fiberboard, foam insulation, paper products
Best Absorbers:
Bamboo Palm, Dracaena, Golden Pothos, Philodendron, Sansevieria, Spider plant

Hydrocarbons:
Vynl furniture, detergents, fabric softener
Best Absorber: Spider plant

Nitrogen Dioxide:
Malfunctioning furnaces, water heaters, leaking chimneys
Best Absorber: Spider plant

Benzene:
Glue, spot remover, paint, varnish, paint stripper
Best Absorbers: Dracaena, English Ivy, Spathiphyllum

Methylene Chloride:
Paint stripper, aerosols
Best Absorber: Spider plant

Trichloroethylene:
Ink, paint, lacquer, varnish, adhesive
Best Absorbers: Dracaena, Spathiphyllum



Resources:

Indoor Web Ring ~ a ring of web pages dedicated to indoor growing.
Indoor Web Ring


Informative Further Reading:

The Royal Horticultural Society
Encyclopedia of House Plants
London: Century Publishing. 1987.

The Indoor Garden
John Brookes
New York: Crown Publishers. 1986.

Anti-Aging: Ayurvedic Treatments and Home Remedy

Ayurveda and Yoga says that a normal human being should live 120 years, and through Sadhana (Routine practice of certain physical activities) one can prolong his life well past 160. While this concept was ridiculed by the western medicine, today the modern science accepts the fact that human beings should live 120 years or more. Human life span is solely determined by the number of times cells can replicate. It is genetically predetermined and researchers conclude that based on that concept a man should live 120 years or more.

Though humans are designed to live over 120 years, the average life span hovers around 70.  The reason for this is the deterioration of cells and tissues caused mainly because of the free radicals. These free radicals are oxidizing agents created in our system due to metabolism, toxins, pollutants, metals and so on. To combat this our body needs anti-oxidants. Too much of stress and insufficient supply of anti-oxidants increases the speed of aging. Ayurveda prescribes certain herbs to combat this accelerated aging, coupled with certain yoga asanas, people can effectively fight quick aging and regain their youth and vitality.
Most of the anti-aging herbs mentioned here are safe for prolonged usage.

Anti Aging Herbal Supplements

1. Indian Gooseberry (Amla, Phyllanthus Emblica)
Indian gooseberries are one of the richest sources of vitamin c (contains 720 mg of vitamin C per 100 gm of fruit) . It has 20 times more Vitamin C than oranges  However the herbal benefits of the Indian gooseberries are not restricted to vitamin c alone, it also has immune boosting and anti-aging benefits. It is a powerhouse of nutrients, learn more about Indian Gooseberries (Amla)

2. Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera)
Ashwagandha is an important herb in Ayurveda and has been in use for thousands of years in curing several diseases like ulcers, inflammations and impotence. The important constituents of ashwaganda are alkaloids and steroidal lactones like tropine and cuscohygrine.  Ashwagandha’s leaf extract boosts our Immune system and increase T-cell generation. The chemical agents in ashwagandha relieves the body of stress and oxidative degeneration. It is an excellent anti-aging supplement which detoxifies the body and controls inflammation and arthritis.

3. Guduchi – Tinospora Cordiofolia (Indian Tinospora)
Guduchi is generally used in Ayurveda to treat diabetes. However in addition Guduchi is used to strengthen the body and as an immunomodulator. It increases vitality and longevity.

4. Yashtimadhu (Licorice, Glycyrrhiza Glabra)
The rhizomes of Yashtimadhu is an excellent source of powerful antioxidants and this supplement rejuvenates and protects the liver and increases cell growth and cellular health. It is prescribed by Ayurveda to control pre-mature aging.

5. Garlic (Allium Sativum)
Garlic is a prohibited food in yogic diet (the sattvik diet), however it is considered as a powerful medicine by ayurveda for certain conditions. It is prescribed for issues related to cardiovascular system and to overcome premature aging. It has enormous amounts of anti-oxidants  and important compounds like allicin and diallyl sulphide.

6. Arjuna (Terminalia Arjuna)
This again is prescribed for heart related issues, but this herb also acts as an anti-aging herb.

7. Centella Asiatica (Vallarai, Brahmi)
Centella asiatica is a very important herb in both Ayurveda and Siddha systems. It is longevity herb, it is one of the most powerful adaptogens, it improves memory and controls mental fatigue and oxidative stress. It improves wound healing  and reduces scar tissues. Excellent anti-aging herb.

Be Smart with Antibiotics

Antibiotics are powerful medicines that should be reserved for situations that demand them, for instance, when the immune system cannot contain a bacterial infection or when a bacterial infec...tion establishes itself in a vital organ like the heart, lungs, or brain.


Antibiotics not only kill harmful bacteria that are making you sick, they also destroy the beneficial flora in your gut, and can promote the development of resistant organisms in your body. There's even evidence that without normal "friendly" bacteria in the digestive tract, our immune system wouldn't function properly, and we would be less resistant to harmful bugs.


To restore the helpful organisms, be sure to take supplemental probiotics while you're on antibiotics. Acidophilus is the general name for dried or liquid cultures of the living lactobacillus bacteria that aid digestion. Always check the expiration date to help ensure that the acidophilus product you choose is still viable. Take one tablespoon of the liquid culture or one to two capsules after meals, unless the label directs otherwise. I recommend taking acidophilus to restore "friendly" cultures even when on antibiotics for just a few days. And I particularly recommend products containing lactobacillus GG or bacillus coagulans 30 (BC-30), two strains proven to survive passage through the strong acid in the stomach.

Cinnamon & Honey

Facts on Honey and Cinnamon:

 

It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, when it is taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm even diabetic patients. Researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES:

 

Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply it on bread instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, when they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as one ages the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and the veins.

ARTHRITIS:

 

Arthritis patients may take daily (morning and night) one cup of hot water with two tablespoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. When taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week (out of the 200 people so treated) practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain -- and within a month, most all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis now started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:

 

Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL:

 

Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water given to a cholesterol patient was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, when taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS:

 

Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and, clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH:

 

Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from its root.
GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that when Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM:

 

Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles (where DNA is contained) to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION:

 

Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food is eaten relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA:

 

A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural 'Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY:

 

Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Use four teaspoons of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of boiling water to make a tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans increase and even a 100 year old will start performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

RASPY OR SORE THROAT:

 

When throat has a tickle or is raspy, take one tablespoon of honey and sip until gone. Repeat every three hours until throat is without symptoms.

SKIN INFECTIONS:

 

Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin Infections.

WEIGHT LOSS:

 

Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast and on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. When taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER:

 

Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder three times a day for one month.

FATIGUE:

 

Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, even when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, when taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M., the vitality of the body increases within a week.

 

HEARING LOSS:

 

Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing.

You might want to share this information with a friend, kinfolks and loved ones.

Analyzing Green Tea Leaves and Supplements

Quality control is a key factor in making sure green tea dietary supplement products pack the same antioxidant punch as green tea leaves used for brewing beverages, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists.

Green tea-based dietary supplements have gained popularity in the U.S. market in recent years. But when it comes to sipping green tea versus taking the dietary supplement form, the better choice relative to health is unknown.

Scientists with USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Beltsville, Md., studied the differences between phytochemicals in green tea dietary supplements and green tea leaves used for brewing beverages. ARS is USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency.

Chemist Pei Chen, with the ARS Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, headed the study. Chen and colleagues Jianqhao Sun and Long-Ze Lin analyzed extractions of 20 commercially available green tea dietary supplement products and eight dry green tea leaf samples. They compared the chemical constituents of the samples using an analytical technique called "HPLC/MS." This technique can separate one chemical constituent from another in a complex matrix. The technique also has the ability to identify and quantify chemical constituents accurately.

The study demonstrated that phytonutrients called flavonol glycosides were degraded and that another phytonutrient called catechin had oxidized during manufacturing and storage for many of the green tea supplement samples studied. They also found some additives in the supplements that were not listed on the labels. Brand names were not disclosed in the published study, but the researchers noted that most major dietary supplement manufacturers were represented.

The researchers concluded that although there are fine green tea dietary supplement products, there is no way for the consumer to know the qualities of those products from reading the labels. In addition, the consumer may ingest other botanical extracts unintentionally, and the quality of those green tea products varies significantly. The 2011 study was published in the Journal of AOAC International. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued “current good manufacturing practices” that require all botanical ingredients in supplements to be identified. To answer the increased demands for valid analytical methods, Harnly chaired an expert review panel that established “Guidelines for Validation of Botanical Identification Methods” for AOAC International (Association of Analytical Communities)—a nonprofit association dedicated to excellence in analytical methods.

Organic and Traditional Differences

Switching to fresh fruit, the BHNRC “Rio Red Grapefruit” study showed that MS fingerprinting, when combined with a pattern-recognition method called “ANOVA-PCA,” could clearly establish that there are chemical differences between grapefruit samples in terms of growing year, harvest time, and farming method (conventional or organic). 

For the study, Harnly and Chen studied samples of Rio Red grapefruit furnished by Gene Lester of the ARS Food Quality Laboratory, also in Beltsville. The grapefruits were grown using conventional and organic cultivation methods. They were harvested at three growing phases (early, mid, and late season) during 2005 and 2006. The juices were analyzed by mass spectrometry with no separation of the molecules. The overlapping mass spectra of all the molecules, or the “spectrometric fingerprint,” is very complex and, like human fingerprints, is analyzed by looking at the overall pattern.

ANOVA-PCA was used to determine whether a distinction could be made between the two cultivation methods and the three harvest dates (growing phases) by analyzing the MS spectral fingerprints of the grapefruit juices. The analysis showed that the chemical patterns of the fingerprints were statistically different among the farming modes, growing years, and times of harvest, regardless of the MS method used. 

The results are important in demonstrating that conventional and organic products have different chemical compositions, although it is unknown at this time if these differences have significance to consumers. The 2010 study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Let’s Not Forget Herbals

American ginseng is one of the most commonly used herbal medicines in the world. But discriminating between ginsengs grown in different countries is difficult using traditional methods.  Chen headed a study involving MS fingerprints and pattern-recognition analysis methods to discriminate between American ginseng grown in the United States and that grown in China. They studied 15 American ginseng samples grown in Wisconsin and 25 samples grown in China. The MS fingerprints, representing the chemical compositions of the samples, made it possible to distinguish between samples grown in the two different locations. 

This research is part of Human Nutrition, an ARS national program (#107) described atwww.nps.ars.usda.gov.

James Harney and Pei Chen are with the USDA-ARS Food Composition and Methods Development Laboratory, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705-2350; (301) 504-8569, ext. 261 [Harnly], (301) 504-8144, ext. 238 [Chen].

"Digital Detectives Decipher Ingredients" was published in the April 2012 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.

Beat the Cold and Flu Blues With Herbal Remedies

The approach to colds and the flu is comprehensive and holistic. Just as in our most comprehensive and integral health and wellness programs, it works best to look at the whole person, taking into account many different aspects of wellness health care and then nourish and support the body's own natural means of keeping itself well.

If you are interested in a more natural approach to colds and flu and in taking better care of your whole self you should know:

Over the counter drugs that are designed to eliminate the symptoms of the cold - ease congestion, stop the cough, soothe the sore throat - actually interfere with the body's protective immune responses. The condition may seem to get better because of the masking of the symptoms, but actually all that has happened is that the body's natural immune response has been curtailed. Over the counter cold remedies do nothing to fight cold viruses or boost the immune responses so they can have little effect on the duration of colds.

Of the five antihistamines commonly used to treat colds, research shows that only one of them may actually help dry a runny nose.

Researchers have found that over the counter drugs may have no benefit for preschoolers.

Decongestants can produce side effects like jitters and insomnia.

Mucus, tears, and saliva are all saturated with IgA antibodies. Mucus is a genetically engineered antibiotic substance that contains specific antibodies to your current infection. Thus when you take an over the counter decongestant that dries mucus secretions during a cold or flu you may be reducing your immune responses and contributing to lengthening the duration of your infection. It's better to take substances that thin and liquefy the mucus and keep it flowing freely with plenty of liquids.

Herbs like licorice may deal with excess mucus through a moistening action, loosening mucus and making it flow more readily out of the body. Marshmallow and slippery elm are two other herbs that may help to do this.

Echinacea and Goldenseal are probably the most frequently recommended herbs for colds and flu in the United States:

Clinically Echinacea is not generally considered to be a major herb for working with the flu although it is often used as an auxiliary herb. Research suggest that Echinacea may be particularly helpful at the onset of a cold or flu. If taken early enough in the appropriate dosages it may contribute to heading off a cold or flu.

Once the cold is well established, though, Echinacea by itself is not the most effective herbal approach. After the cold or flu has taken hold Echinacea continues to be useful in combination with other herbs and it helps shorten the duration and severity of the infection. By itself Echinacea does not usually knock out a cold or flu.

Taking Goldenseal in the early stages of a cold or flu may actually make the condition worse by drying up the mucus membranes. This inhibits the mucus, saturated with antibodies to fight the bacteria, virus or other microbes, from working.

Clinically Goldenseal is used for subacute and chronic infections of the mucus membranes but it is not usually thought to be appropriate for use in the acute stage.

Goldenseal works as a cleanser and anti-inflammatory. It can be helpful at very specific times in very specific doses in a cold. But there is not a single study that shows that Goldenseal works as a cold fighter.

Even better cold & flu herbs:

Black elder is another traditional herbal remedy that has been shown that it may have good effects on the flu. A recent clinical trail showed that a preparation of black elder ended cases of the flu within three days and also boosted the immune system responses. Oregon grape can be used as a contemporary substitute for Goldenseal and may be much better than even Echinacea for use with the common cold.

Peppermint contains compounds that can relax the airways and open congested sinuses and nasal passages.

Ginger appears to fight inflammation and pain. It also appears to acts as an expectorant and have warming effects that can be helpful if you are chilled.

Yarrow fights inflammation and muscle spasm and promotes sweating. It has long been used against colds and flu.

Thyme is an expectorant and appears to fight microbes. Its flavonoids may help decrease smooth muscle spasm which may assists in opening tight airways.

Mullen is a demulcent which contains mucilagous substances that coat and soothe irritated respiratory linings. It may help to loosen a cough and fight viruses.

More natural herbal remedies:

St. John's Wort has been shown in test tubes studies to inhibit influenza A viruses and parainfluenza virus but not rhinovirus (a cold virus). Osha has traditionally been used in the Rocky Mountains as the most important plant for treating respiratory infections. Osha is used extensively to treat colds, flu, and bronchial infections. The tincture or tea is antibacterial.

Boneset is used as a traditional remedy for the flu. Traditionally, Boneset was used as a major remedy for the flu, fevers, and as a general tonic. It has been used to treat both acute and chronic conditions. In one study the immune stimulating polysaccharides in Boneset were found to be ten times more potent than Echinacea polysaccharides.

An herbal bath may be an effective remedy for easing cold symptoms and increasing immune responses. It may help to nip them in the bud. During the bath the essential oils of the herbs are released by the hot water. These oils are believed to be absorbed through the pores of the skin and through the nose and mouth mucus membranes. Absorption through the mucus membranes may bring the oils into contact with the upper respiratory tract where they are able to exert their antibacterial effects.

Copyright (c) 2008 Mary Ann Copson

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/beat-the-cold-and-flu-blues-with-herbal-remedies-318435.html