As we mentioned in the previous articles, heart diseases are caused by high blood pressure that contributes to hardening of the arteries. High levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) build up in the arteries as a result of uncontrolled diet with high levels of saturated fat and trans fat. Therefore, in order to lower the risk of heart diseases foods consumed in everyday diet become one of many important factors. Here are some foods that I have found can actually lower high blood pressure and levels of cholesterol resulting in lowering the risk of heart diseases1. Fresh water algaeFresh water algae contains chlorophyII-rich foods that is a powerful antioxidant for protection of build up of free radicals and restoring DNA of damaged cells. It also contains high amounts of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that can help to maintain normal blood pressure as well as cholesterol levels. Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids also inhibit blood clotting that causes the blockage of arteries and heart diseases.2. Onions and garlicGarlic and onions contain high amounts of sulfur compounds that not only help to improve circulation of blood but also help to keep your platelets from clumping together. Daily consumption of both garlic and onions help to keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels in healthy range. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you are taking any blood thinner medicines.3. Nuts and seedsNuts and seeds contain high amounts of unsaturated fat and vitamin E. Unsaturated fat helps to prevent clots of arteries and lower cholesterol levels. Vitamin E, and the antioxidants beta varotene on the other hand stops bad cholesterol LDL from building up in the arteries, decreasing the risk of heart attacks.4. Vegetables and fruitsVegetable and fruits contain high amounts vitamins A, E, C and B. Vitamin E, the antioxidants beta carotene and vitamin C help to strengthen your small blood vessels and thins your blood so it can flow smoothly in result of lowering the risk of heart disease and strokes. Plums, tomatoes, and watercress are the best choices.There are many more foods that can help to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol levels such as horsenut, grape juices, and apples. I hope this article will give you some ideas of choosing foods that help to restore your health and disease prevention. If you need more information, please visit my home page at:
Kyle J. Nortonhttp://medicaladvisorjournals.blogspot.comhttp://heartdiseasespartxi.blogspot.com/
How many health benefits can a small fruit provide? Well, in the case of the tomato, numerous health benefits can be attributed to this particular fruit. Tomatoes are loaded with countless health properties that aid in reducing and preventing some of the most life threatening diseases.
First of all, tomatoes contain four major carutenoids: alpha carotene, beta carotene, lutein, and lycopene. All of these carutenoids have individual health benefits and they offer great health advantages when they all work together. The red pigment contained in the tomatoes is Lycopene. Lycopene is one of the strongest antioxidants and it is very beneficial when it comes down to neutralizing free radicals which damage the cells in the body. Lycopene is also very beneficial when it comes down to heart health, prostate health and pancreatic health. A study has shown that men, who consumed ten tomatoes per week, reduced their chances of developing prostate cancer by an overwhelming forty-five percent. Other studies indicated that people who consumed more than seven servings of raw tomatoes lowered their risk of developing stomach, rectal or colon cancers by sixty percent.
The prevention of lung cancer is yet another health benefit of consuming tomatoes. Recent studies show that tomatoes contain two important compounds, coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid. These two compounds block some of the carcinogens that are found in tobacco. When these carcinogens are blocked, our bodies are protected from second hand smoke and we are less likely to develop lung cancer. And last but certainly not least, tomatoes are extremely rich in potassium, something that many of us lack in our daily diets. For instance, a single cup of tomato juice contains 534 milligrams of potassium. Clearly, with all of these health benefits, many of us should incorporate more tomatoes into our diets.
If you’re not a big fan of getting dirty in the outside garden, then fear not. Most of the vegetables grown at home can be grown equally well in containers. By finding the right container and filling it with the right potting mixture, you will be able to grow anything you want in it, even tomatoes.
First you need to find the right size container for your plants. If you want the little cherry tomatoes (which are excellent in salads) then you can use the regular size hanging baskets, but if you prefer the larger tomatoes you’d do best to purchase five gallon buckets, because your plants need plenty of room to grow, you don’t want them to be cramped. Next you need to go to a nursery and purchase your tomato plants. You don’t want to get too large of a plant, you can buy a determinate tomato plant, that stops growing after they reach a certain size, or indeterminate that will continue to grow and produce larger tomato plants. Two very popular indeterminate tomato plants are Big Beef and Better Boy, which are also very resistant to plant disease and will give you tomatoes for a longer period of time.
Now you’re ready to begin planting, make sure you put some holes in the bottom of your container for proper drainage. You don’t want your plant to become overwhelmed with excess water. Carefully remove the bottom few sets of leaves and place the plant in the container. Make sure you don’t use a flimsy, light weight container, because when your tomatoes are in bloom they may be top heavy and could cause the plant to topple. Tomatoes should be staked as early as possible, to prevent root disturbances caused by setting in the stake. Use a well mixed potting soil supplemented with plenty of organic matter to enrich the taste of your tomatoes. Ask at your neighborhood nursery for help in picking out the proper soil and fertilizer for in home planting.
Plants need plenty of sunlight, at least 6 to 8 hours a day. A grow light can be very beneficial in growing young plants, especially on cloudy days with limited sunlight. Be sure to water them daily, forgetting to water them for a couple of days and then starting to water them again, and then you once again forgetting; this rigorous process could delay the growth of your tomato plants. So please, be consistent with your care for them.
Tomato plant left to fend for itself will not only grow too many leaves and thus take too much space in your garden but also be more vulnerable to various diseases like funguses. It is absolutely necessary to prune your plants every week and learn how to correctly support them with the use of stakes and cages so that you can get the most out of your garden every year.
Next you will want to tie them in the case you are using stakes with a soft string such as soft yarn or something like that. Correct pruning is done by cutting out all of the leaves below the first flower cluster on the plants. You also want to make sure that each leave section has plenty of room to grow, and capture the sunshine. The plant needs the light to produce the sugars that are necessary for it to live.
When you see a plant that has yellowing leaves, the leaves have turned yellow because that section is using more sugar than it is producing. This is due to lack of sunshine in the case of outdoor plants, and still not enough light on those growing indoors. If you are taking proper care of your outdoor plants, you will get larger fruit from it, and it will steadily produce until the first frost occurs. That can turn into a LOT of tomatoes!
Some little things you need to consider too are:
1. The plants and leaves can’t touch the ground.2. You should not let too many stems branch out from the plant. Keeping them tied will take care of this.3. When the leaves are wet you can not tie the plant off.4. Your plants need plenty of room to grow healthy! It’s far better to have 50 plants that are thriving than to try to have a hundred plants that are cramped for space!5. Keep the plants pruned. It is far better for the plant to remove some of the leaves so that others can prosper.
Home-grown tomatoes are the absolute best tomatoes! Of that there is little doubt. That is why home gardeners so often decide to grow their own tomato plants. You need to know that the effort put into growing tomatoes is relatively minimal in compared to other fruits and vegetables. There’s absolutely nothing better than walking out to the garden to gather the makings of the freshest salad in the world!
The following tips is all you need to know for growing a bountiful of beautiful tomatoes. Gardening tomatoes are not at all difficult, all it requires are some attention and care while you get started. Most tomato varieties require just the same or slightly different strategies for effective produce hence tips for gardening tomatoes is the same for all types and varieties.
The tips to be followed for gardening tomatoes, both indoors as well as outdoors are given below. They are very effective by being organic in nature so as to prevent concerns about using pesticides or herbicide in the garden
*The plant should be deep inside the gravel of the garden or the container. Make sure that the entire roots are two or three inches inside the soil. This should be ensured specially if a tomato variety is of the large type. If the tomato plants are rooted shallow they will require support or staking as it will fall over when it starts to bear fruit. The best of tips from the gardening experts on tomato are to see that the seedling is buried up to the last bottom leaves.
*Plant the tomatoes under direct or indirect sunlight and also in moist soil. The soil should be damp but not water saturated. Watch out for signs of the leaves appearing dry or curling in which case the plant needs more water. This requires immediate attention.
* Prior to farming, Stake or tomato cages are to be placed around the plants so as to prevent the plant from falling over or being uprooted. This tip should be given due importance. Also gardening tomatoes require advanced planning to ensure that the plant matures properly.
To begin with the quality of the seed is of utmost importance. It is important to find out what are the varieties that grow best and in which soil and stay with what works best. The Heirloom varieties of tomatoes are a good option to plant as this variety has a natural immunity to most type of soil. It also has a natural immunity to plant insects and plant diseases.
* Do mulch around the tomato plant. It’s a must even when it is planted inside a container. Mulching will prevent weed growing around while conserving the moisture.
*The leaves at the bottom of the tomato plant needs to be removed as they start ageing. The first signs of ageing appear on the bottom leaves as brown spots, moulds or fungus. This is because the moisture levels vary at the bottom of the plant and the absence of enough sunshine on these leaves.
These tomato gardening tips and techniques are for keeping the plants healthy and to get a bountiful yield. For an interesting start up its better to try the heirloom variety or the yellow and even the purple variety of tomatoes. The tips and advice for tomato gardening and the strategies will all be the same for different varieties of tomatoes and of course for the standard varieties most gardeners love growing.