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Mold Detection: How to detect toxic mold in your home?

Mold is a type of tiny living organism from the fungi family. Mold spores thrive on moisture and they spreads rapidly with the presence of moisture. They can grow on any materials and surfaces, in particular on objects made of cellulose.

Recent studies show that most of the homes are having some sort of mold infections due to unknown indoor moisture problems. This leads to the rapid growth of mold in damp areas like bathroom, water-damaged basement, leaking pipes and roofs. Indoor mold growth poses great health threats and should be removed quickly to prevent it from spreading. Thus mold detection is very important, one should be very observant to the presence of mold and take appropriate actions to stop mold from mushrooming.

Do-it-yourself mold detection in home

1. Hunt for visible mold
Recognize the natural characteristics of mold will help in detection of visible mold. Molds appear in the form of cotton-like element. They usually develop in the color of gray, green, black or white.

2. Smell the mold
Another straightforward way of mold detection is by the smell. Molds produce strong earthy and musty odors. So, whenever there are moldy smells that put you off, start to investigate immediately. However, there are still molds, which are odor-free, and these molds usually grow behind the walls, in between panels and canals. So, if your home does not smell moldy, it may not mean that your home is mold free.

3. Basement search
If your basement experiences water damage such as flooding, you may want to do a thorough check in your basement, as it is very likely that your basement is filled with toxic molds. Look for any sign of water seepage or water stains on walls and ceilings. The strong odors of mustiness could be an indication of mold growth.

4. Beware of hidden mold
Unseen mold is deemed to be the most dangerous type as it can cultivate extensively without being detected by naked eyes. Be wary of frequent episodes of nasal congestion or stuffy nose and constant clearing of throat. These could suggest the presence of hidden mold growth. The unknown earthy odors would further confirm the existence of hidden molds.

5. DIY test kits for mold detection
Get yourself a do-it-yourself mold test kit to help detecting harmful molds in your home. These test kits can be obtained from most of the home improvement and hardware stalls. They are easy to use, by following the instructions you are able to get the results instantly.

6. Get help from certified mold inspector
When you are experiencing mold exposure like symptoms but fail to detect any indoor mold growth, you can get help from certified mold inspectors. Their expertise in mold detection can help to identify the exact spots of possible hidden mold growth.

Find more information about indoor mold detection and effective solutions for home mold removal. Tips for finding mold, cleaning and preventing home mold problem.

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Indoor Hydroponic Systems Let You Garden Year Round

Do you love gardening? There is nothing quite like going out to your own garden and picking fresh ripe vegetables for your daily meals. If you love gardening as much as I do, then you probably feel a little sad when it all comes to an end each fall.

Well. I have found a way to have fresh vegetable growing all year by growing them with indoor hydroponic systems. It takes a little work to get set up, but then so does traditional gardening.

Hydroponics means soilless gardening. That’s right. You can grow lush healthy plants and vegetables without any soil whatsoever. Hydroponics actually is not new technology. I has been in use many years on the commercial and research levels. It has only been the past few years that hydroponic systems have taken off in the home use sector. Now you can buy indoor hydroponic systems in kits so it is easier to get set up.

There are actually several different ways to grow plants with an indoor hydroponic system. Soil is not used, but other growing material is. This material may be water, gravel, sand, or vermiculite. Water needs to be able to flow through the medium so the more porous it is, the better it will be for they plants to grow. One could even use bran, moss or coconut fiber as a medium for indoor hydroponic systems.

The lifeblood of indoor hydroponic systems is the nutrient solution which is added to the water and bathes the roots. The nutrient solution was first developed in the 1890s and continues to be used today. It contains phosphorous, nitrogen, potassium, and trace minerals. This nutrient solution is used in the place of fertilizer.

The fun thing about indoor hydroponic systems is that you can design and build your own system if you want. If that sounds like too much trouble you can buy parts or entire kits. When you design your own system you can use whatever is available to you such as an old aquarium which can be used as a tank for the nutrient solution.

In addition to the tank or the reservoir, you will also need artificial lighting. Lighting that is specifically designed for growing plants, or grow lights, should be used. These can be obtained easily at any garden shop.

You will also need an air pump to maintain the proper levels of oxygen in the nutrient solution for the plant roots. An aquarium air stone works just fine. Anything can be used that aerates the water and makes bubbles.

A growing tray or tubes are needed to support your plants. Design them in such a way that the plant roots can hang below the tray to come into contact with the nutrient solution.

The easiest thing to do is to buy a kit that has all the indoor hydroponic system parts in one easy package. This is especially helpful if you know little about designing and building things, particularly hydroponics systems. Once you see the system in action and have a good grasp of how it all comes together, you may want to design your own system from then on.

If you are wondering what types of plants can be grown in indoor hydroponic systems, you will be pleased to know that you can grow anything you want from tomatoes, to mushrooms, to green vegetables, and anything else you want to try.

Sarah Thomas provides articles on gardening. You can find more of her work at the site hydroponicsnews.com.

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How to Conduct a DIY Mold Test

From the family of fungi, molds are little living organisms that rapidly multiply and grow in places that are damp. Normally, you would see molds in places like lakes, or even in some walls. As a matter of fact, they can grow in almost any type of climate and in any surface â?? flat, rounded, etc. These mushroom spores can be quite harmful most especially if inhaled, or worse, mixed up with the food that we eat.

There are also cases that molds build up inside the house. There are still some unknown reasons why moisture is being built up inside the home. Due to the moisture, the growth of molds and their multiplication process occurs. Bathrooms, roofs, kitchens, and water-damaged basements are just some of the few places inside the home where molds could appear. Since these mushroom spores serve as a health threat to most households, it is important that people know how to conduct a mold test, and if detected, eliminate these with mold removal products as soon as possible. Listed below are some DIY <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.diymoldremovalproducts.com”>diy mold testing</a> wherein you could see and detect the presence of molds.

Know the characteristics of mold

Molds may be greenish, whitish, grayish or bluish in color. The very practical way to check the presence of mold is to know what molds look like. They appear like little cottons that build up in moist and damp places.

Molds also smell awful. Whenever you have detected some earthy odor, then it is most probably molds are already present. The smell of these molds can be noticed easily since they produce a soil-like smell which is pretty uncommon inside the house. Once you have detected the smell of these molds, you can easily get rid of these as long you have some mold removal products available.

Conduct a search which involves the whole house

We would never know when these molds would decide to multiply and live. These could stay within walls and places that are normally out of sight. Delegate one of your days in inspecting the whole house. If there were instances that your house was reached by flood, there is a slight possibility that there are toxic molds residing in your basement or garage. Try to do a thorough search.

Use DIY mold testing products

These are pretty available in the market â?? normally in home improvement stores and some local hardware stores as well. There should be no reason for you to worry, since a DIY mold testing product normally has instructions written at the back. Just follow the instructions given, and in no time, you would notice that there are molds that are hiding from the naked eye.

DIY mold testing products are effective as long as you trust the manufacturer, and as long as you follow their given instructions. DIY <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.diymoldremovalproducts.com”>mold removal products</a> offer these types of DIY mold testing kits. Once detected, you could use the companyâ??s mold removal products to further get rid of these tiny organisms. You could visit their website at http://www.diymoldremovalproducts.com/ for more information and to get one of your very own DIY mold testing kits.

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The Diy Mold Test

From the family of fungi, molds are little living organisms that rapidly multiply and grow in places that are damp. Normally, you would see molds in places like lakes, or even in some walls. As a matter of fact, they can grow in almost any type of climate and in any surface â?? flat, rounded, etc. These mushroom spores can be quite harmful most especially if inhaled, or worse, mixed up with the food that we eat.

There are also cases that molds build up inside the house. There are still some unknown reasons why moisture is being built up inside the home. Due to the moisture, the growth of molds and their multiplication process occurs. Bathrooms, roofs, kitchens, and water-damaged basements are just some of the few places inside the home where molds could appear. Since these mushroom spores serve as a health threat to most households, it is important that people know how to conduct a mold test, and if detected, eliminate these with mold removal products as soon as possible. Listed below are some DIY mold testing tips wherein you could see and detect the presence of molds.

Know the characteristics of mold

Molds may be greenish, whitish, grayish or bluish in color. The very practical way to check the presence of mold is to know what molds look like. They appear like little cottons that build up in moist and damp places.

Molds also smell awful. Whenever you have detected some earthy odor, then it is most probably molds are already present. The smell of these molds can be noticed easily since they produce a soil-like smell which is pretty uncommon inside the house. Once you have detected the smell of these molds, you can easily get rid of these as long you have some mold removal products available.

Conduct a search which involves the whole house

We would never know when these molds would decide to multiply and live. These could stay within walls and places that are normally out of sight. Delegate one of your days in inspecting the whole house. If there were instances that your house was reached by flood, there is a slight possibility that there are toxic molds residing in your basement or garage. Try to do a thorough search.

Use DIY mold testing products

These are pretty available in the market â?? normally in home improvement stores and some local hardware stores as well. There should be no reason for you to worry, since a DIY mold testing product normally has instructions written at the back. Just follow the instructions given, and in no time, you would notice that there are molds that are hiding from the naked eye.

DIY mold testing products are effective as long as you trust the manufacturer, and as long as you follow their given instructions. DIY Mold Removal Products offer these types of <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.diymoldremovalproducts.com”>diy mold testing</a> kits. Once detected, you could use the company’s mold removal products to further get rid of these tiny organisms. You could visit their website at http://www.diymoldremovalproducts.com/ for more information and to get one of your very own DIY mold testing kits.

senuke

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Healing Cancer with Proper Diet

Avoid all chlorine and fluoride in your diet. This includes avoiding tap water and foods made with tap water. Chlorine and fluoride destroys many phytonutrients and other nutrients, thus the damage done to the food during processing, if chlorine is used, is permanent and cannot be reversed. This means, for example, not drinking soda pop or any other drinks that have been made by mixing tap water with something else. You should not buy bottled grape juice because during processing, the chlorine in the tap water destroyed many phytonutrients. The damage cannot be reversed.

All vegetables should be organic, if possible. Green vegetables, including juiced grasses and sprouts, must be the foundation of a good cancer diet. The fiber, enzymes, chlorophyll, minerals, and many nutrients are essential for your cancer diet. Juicing vegetables and grasses will help get more nutrients into the body. However, some whole vegetables should be eaten in order to get the fiber. Fiber is critical to a cancer treatment. As with all juices, if you make the juice from the actual foods, the juice should be drunk immediately after they are prepared. In cases where many small doses of a fresh vegetable juice are needed to be taken, the juice can be refrigerated during the day.

You should have organic, fresh salads/vegetables/juiced grasses/sprouts for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many of the other foods that are allowed on this diet should be mixed in with the salad, except for the vegetable juices.

Vegetables that are known anti-cancer foods include broccoli, asparagus, beets, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, egg-plant, green and yellow squash, fresh green beans and peas, peppers, spinach, mustard greens, collards, kale, lettuce, okra, parsley, scallions, radishes, Swiss chard, watercress, sea vegetables, such as nori, wakame and niziki, wheat grass juice, barley grass powder, turnips, and sprouted grains or beans. Also eat lots of garlic and onion.

A warning about sprouts. Even sprouts purchased in health food stores have been shown to have very dangerous bacteria in them. Wash them very well, but it is even better to make them yourself.

Only whole almonds, whole macadamia nuts and whole walnuts are allowed on a cancer diet. Cashews are strictly prohibited. Almonds and macadamia nuts both have laetrile, and both are acceptable. Walnuts have the very critical omega 3. Other nuts should be used very sparingly. Peanuts (which are not really nuts) and cashews both have too much fungus and should not be used at all. Nuts should be used sparingly.

By a very wide margin, the best foods in the world are wheatgrass juice, barley grass juice, spirulina and chlorella. Only a small number of vegetables can even come close to these superfoods. However, most people are not going to sprout grass (search the Internet for the phrase: “wheatgrass kits” if you want to do it). Thus, many vendors make a variety of qualities of parsley powder, kale powder, barley powder or powder made from a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, and grasses. Such foods are absolutely required for a cancer treatment.

Legumes, are allowed to be eaten by cancer patients, but only in moderation and only to stabilize the weight of the patient or to provide protein.

Soy products are a highly controversial issue among alternative health experts. Some experts love some soy products, and others hate all soy products. It is up to your own judgment on this issue. All soy products should be avoided except fresh soy sprouts. Soy sprouts have an impressive number of anti-cancer nutrients and are acceptable as part of your salads, if you can make your own soy sprouts.

Whole grains can be used only when a cancer patient is fighting dangerous weight loss. If the weight loss is uncontrolled, they should consider a cachexia treatment plan, based on Hydrazine Sulphate. Yeast, which every cancer patient has throughout their body, converts complex carbohydrates into simple carbohydrates, so even whole grains should be avoided when possible. In any case, avoid commercially stored grains and potatoes. Another reason to avoid even whole grains is that over the decades the soil has become acidic and because of the soil many whole grains have more fungus than they did many decades ago. Corn and rice (because of the way they are stored) are grains that should be totally avoided.

Yeast (Baker’s and Brewer’s) should be completely avoided. This is another reason for avoiding processed bread and other bakery products. Japanese research links breast cancer with the ingestion of goods baked with yeast. The problem is mycotoxins, which are waste products of yeast. There are many health problems that can be directly attributed to yeast, including arteriosclerosis, obesity, and AIDS. No flour (using yeast) can be used in a cancer diet, not even if whole grains are used!

All beef, all pork, all fish, all turkey, all chicken, all dairy, and eggs, should be forbiden during a cancer treatment. The only exception is that if a person is fighting weight loss, some fresh, freshwater fish can be eaten if that is the only thing the cancer patient will eat (e.g. they won’t eat beans or other legumes). Avoid all dairy products, including butter, all cheeses and all malts, except cottage cheese or skim milk when used in the Budwig Diet. One exception is that pregnant and nursing women should eat two eggs per day because the choline is necessary for the baby’s brain development and the baby takes precedence since two eggs a day is not life-threatening to a cancer patient. If a person must have milk, the only acceptable variety is unprocessed goat’s milk, from organically grown and grazing goats.

Meat also uses up the two critical enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin, which are critical to allowing the immune system to kill cancer cells, though more potent enzymes have now been found. Vegetable proteins do not use up those enzymes. Another reason to avoid meat is the accumulation of fecal matter in the colon. The colon should be relatively clear during a cancer treatment so that the body can absorb as many nutrients as possible. “All foods which ferment in the bowel should be avoided. Absolutely no meat or fish!

Diethylstilbestrol has been shown by the FDA to cause cancer of the uterus, breast and other reproductive organs. This is an artificial sex hormone widely used in food production. Dangerous residues of stilbestrol are in 85% of all the meat sold in the United States. This is the main reason why 15 countries around the world now refuse to import American meat. 21 nations have a total ban on the use of stilbestrol in food production or processing. Nitrosamines cause cancer of the liver, stomach, brain, bladder, kidneys and several other organs. When chemical preservatives and color enhancers are ingested, they cause the body to produce nitrosamines. Another source is nitrates and nitrites, which are heavily added to meat during processing.

Meat is a dead matter, low in minerals, and produces uric acid in excess which is a waste product. The incidence of cancer is in direct proportion to the amount of animal proteins, particularly meat, in the diet. However it is true that devitalized, processed, and sugared food can also cause cancer even in vegetarians. Far more often though, when cancer strikes, those eating the junk foods are also eating meat. Nations and groups which consume less meat have less cancer. Hospital records show that Seventh-day Adventists, who eat little or no meat, suffer far less from cancer than the average meat-eating American. Dr. Willard J. Visek, research scientist at Cornell University, stated that the high protein diet of Americans is linked to the high incidence of cancer in the U.S. Another cancer physician, who also worked with hundreds of cancer patients, said that anyone who does not eat meat, eats only good food, and does all he can to protect his liver, may never get cancer. Cancer would be almost unheard of if no devitalized food or meats were eaten. Cancer cannot exist where there is a pure bloodstream.

Cancer cells are able to grow by making the amino acids of protein available for their growth at the expense of the body as a whole. Meat, especially red meat, being the most readily assimilable protein, becomes a banquet for cancer cells. Emphasizing the use of plant sources of vegetable protein such as legumes and beans that contain cancer-fighting compounds should be a prominent part of an anti-cancer diet.

Meat does have some nutrients that help prevent and deal with cancer. Meat does have nutrients that are good for your immunity system. Meats have a low glycemic index, which is good. The problem is that meat overall does far more harm that good to your cancer treatment. However, there are situations where eating meat, especially turkey or chicken, is not only acceptable, but advised. For example, if a person has been on a very restrictive liquid diet for two weeks or more, it would be advisable to eat some meat to rebuild the protein in the person’s body. Also, consider a person who weighs very little (i.e. less than 120 pounds) when they begin a cancer diet. A cancer diet typically causes a person to lose weight, but by eating some meat while on the diet, the weight of the person may stabilize before it gets too low.

All man-made sweeteners (e.g. aspartame, NutraSweet, Equal) and fat substitutes should be avoided. These items are most often associated with brain cancer, but everyone should avoid them. This is one of many reasons soda pops are out of the question. Soda pops are also acidic. here is only one acceptable sweetener in a cancer diet, Stevia, which is an herb.

You should absolutely avoid eating refined sugar and refined grains and anything else refined. These things not only feed the fungus and yeast in your body, they also feed the cancer cells. The yeast in flour makes things even worse. Do not eat anything where yeast, fungus or mould is used, added or is a part of. Refined sugar and other simple sugars also interfere with your immunity system. These substances also interfere with getting Vitamin C and oxygen into the cancer cells. Sugar also depletes the body of key minerals and other nutrients because of its acidity. It is not the acidity that directly destroys the minerals, the acidity causes the body to use the minerals to regulate the pH level in the body. The same is true of all acidic foods.

The chain reaction caused in the body by acidic foods (due to the body’s attempts to keep the blood at a level pH) is the cause, or a major contributing factor, to almost all chronic diseases, including cancer. It would take an entire book to describe how the body keeps its pH normal, and the ramifications of these processes.

Honey is a case of both the good and the bad. Honey contains simple sugars, the fructose (38 percent) and glucose (31 percent) feed cancer cells. The good news is that honey contains powerful phenolic antioxidants. However, like grape juice, it should be avoided.

The only fruits that are allowed on this diet, without restrictions, are unsweetened lime, unsweetened lemon, and avocados. That is it. Lemons are actually a required part of any cancer treatment because of their beneficial effect on the liver and because they get oxygen into the body. Lemon juice and lime juice should be taken primarily just before bedtime. One exception to this general rule is special fruit “fasts,” such as the Johanna Brandt Grape Cure. When the body gets nothing but a potent fruit mush, it is a potent cancer healing program. Another exception to these general rules are for those on a cesium chloride protocol. They are allowed to eat fruits rich in potassium in order to meet their potassium quota.

There are some mushrooms that are used in cancer treatments, generally as supplements. Realizing that some mushrooms kill cancer cells, but are at the same time primarily a fungus, take heed. Mushrooms are one of the good and bad foods. Use with caution. The good news about mushrooms is that they do contain polysaccharides, which are essential to the immunity system. Mushroom supplements such as beta glucan are certainly acceptable to a cancer diet.

Seaweed is also high in polysaccharides, and anti-cancer properties. It is highly recommended. Brown seaweed has at least 3 nutrients that kill cancer cells; furanone, fuecoiden, and algenic acid.

Refined salt may be a major cause of cancer. Refined salt, the wrong fats, margarine and butter are the main causes of red blood cells sticking together, causing them to absorb less oxygen and making hemoglobin a free meal for yeast and fungus. The clumped together red blood cells do not get as much oxygen into the cells of the body. Also, the clumped together red blood cells cannot pass through the smaller arteries/capillaries, meaning much less (if any) oxygen gets to cells in these areas of the body, and some of these cells may be turned to anaerobic (i.e. cancerous). On the other hand, natural sea salt has a very similar mineral content as human blood. It is truly a health food as long as you don’t eat too much of it. Sea water salts are actually a complex blend of trace minerals, as well as calcium and magnesium salts. This complex blend is essential to life.

Other foods you should absolutely avoid are trans fats, meaning trans fatty acids or partially hydrogenated oils. Trans fatty acids may be one of the major causes of cancer. They become part of the cell’s wall (replacing cholesterol) and make the cell wall rigid or sticky and can make the cell anaerobic (i.e. the first step to becoming cancerous) because large oxygen clusters cannot get into the cells. Like refined salt, these fats also destroy the electrical charge of red blood cells, causing them to “stick” together. When this happens, among other things, the red blood cells do not get to many cancer cells, meaning the cancer cells get far less oxygen (if any), meaning they thrive because they are anaerobic.

Another bad food for cancer patients is polyunsaturated oils. Polyunsaturated oils (e.g. corn oils sold in supermarkets everywhere) promote the growth of small blood vessels (by promoting the production of “bad” prostaglandins). This is bad for cancer because it allows tumors to grow new blood vessels. However, these small blood vessels are good for preventing strokes. Thus, while on a cancer diet avoid polyunsaturated oils.

All herbs and spices are acceptable, except black pepper and other highly acidic spices. Several herbs, such as Sheep Sorrel and Black Walnut, are known to be strong anti-cancer foods. Turmeric, which contains curcumin, is a spice that is a potent anti-cancer food. As with all foods, the storage of herbs can cause them to be high in fungus.

You can forget about eating at a restaurant, big or small, formal or informal, unless it has a menu specifically for organic, raw foods.

Condiments are absolutely forbidden. One of the most acidic foods on earth is black pepper (black pepper is a major cause of acid reflux disease). Avoid soy sauce, pickled vegetables, relish, green olives, sauerkraut, and cucumber pickles.

Basically, any “refined” or processed food that contains sugar, refined salt, aspartame, MSG, trans-fatty acids, coloring, other additives, or refined flour should be avoided. The cooking of food kills critical enzymes needed for digestion.

While it is true that cooking does release some vitamins, by a very wide margin, overall it is better to eat food raw, if it can be safely eaten raw.

Stop smoking (no matter what kind of cancer you have), because smoking puts more than 100 carcinogens in your body. Tobacco is also very high in sugar, fungi and yeasts. Part of this is due to they way tobacco leaves are processed. Alcohol (which is a “primary mycotoxin”), which interferes with all treatment plans. Completely avoid caffeine because it restricts the blood vessels, meaning less oxygen gets to the cancer cells. It is also acid-forming and mucoid-forming.

Peanuts are perhaps the number one food that should be avoided because they are so high in fungus. Foods that have little resistance when they are growing, are frequently high in fungus. Corn, rice (because of the way it is stored) and potatoes, and any foods with corn, rice or potatoes, should be avoided, also because of fungus and the way they are stored. Cashews are another food high in fungus.

Avoid processed apple juice. Avoid oranges, tangerines, and dried fruits, for a variety of reasons. Do not microwave any foods during a cancer diet.

Every cancer patient should drink as much natural water (i.e. natural spring water or natural artesian water, processed with ozone) as they can, up to a gallon a day. Also, a cancer patient should get as much exercise as reasonable. Exercise pumps the lymph system and helps get toxins out of the body. Even if a person can do no more than lift 3 pound weights for 10 minutes while sitting in a chair, it will help.

Advanced Natural is a company dedicated to helping people heal naturally from disease, providing natural alternatives to drugs, and offering helpful information.

www.onehealingformula.com

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Drug Addiction and Risks

Drug addiction is compulsive use of a substance despite negative consequences which can be severe; drug abuse is simply excessive use of a drug or use of a drug for purposes for which it was not medically intended. Dependence on a substance is not necessary or sufficient to define addiction, there are some substances that don’t cause addiction but do cause dependence (for example, some blood pressure medications) and substances that cause addiction but not dependence (they are mainly characterized by depression).

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Drug abuse can lead to drug dependence or addiction. Drug addiction may also follow the use of drugs for physical pain relief, though this is rare in people without a previous history of addiction. The exact reason of drug abuse and dependence is not yet known. The genetic make-up of the individuals, peer pressure, emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and environmental stress are all factors which seem to be involved. Children who grow up in an environment of illicit drug use may first see their elders using drugs. This may put them at a higher risk for developing an addiction later in life for both environmental and genetic reasons.

Commonly abused substances include:

· Opiates and narcotics are powerful painkillers with sedative and euphoric qualities. These include heroin, opium, codeine, Oxycontin and others.

· Central nervous system stimulants have a stimulating effect and can produce tolerance. These include amphetamines, cocaine, commonly used stimulants are caffeine and nicotine.

· Central nervous system depressants produce a soothing sedative and anxiety-reducing effect and which leads to dependence. These include barbiturates (amobarbital, pentobarbital, secobarbital). Commonly used depressants, by far, is alcohol.

· Hallucinogens produce psychological dependence. These include LSD, mescaline, psilocybin (“mushrooms”).

· Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the active ingredient found in cannabis, marijuana, and hashish. Although used for their relaxing properties, THC-derived drugs can also lead to paranoia and anxiety.

Drug intoxication and drug overdose may be accidental or intentional. Drug withdrawal symptoms can occur when use of a substance is stopped. Withdrawal symptoms vary, depending on the particular substance. The withdrawal symptom depends on the length of time the drug was being used. Drug intoxication, overdose, and withdrawal can be life-threatening in some situations.

Treatment for the person with drug addiction begins with the recognition of the problem. Though earlier “denial” was considered as a symptom of addiction, recent studies has shown that this symptom can be dramatically controlled if addicts are treated with love and care, rather than being told what to do or “confronted.” Treatment of drug addiction involves detoxification, support and abstinence. Emergency treatment may be indicated for acute cases. Often, there may be a loss of consciousness and the person may need special medical attention temporarily. The specific treatment depends on the drug. Detoxification is the gradual withdrawal of an abused substance in a controlled way. Sometimes a drug with a similar action is substituted during the withdrawal process to reduce the unpleasant symptoms and risks associated with withdrawal. If depression or other mood disorder exists, it should be treated appropriately. The need for treatment is underscored by the severity of illness of those who undergo detoxification and the societal costs of untreated substance use disorders.

DrugTestStrips.com is an online store offering drug test kits and drug screening products in several formats including blood, urine and oral drug test kit. DrugTestStrips.com offers FDA-approved urine drug testing kit as well as DOT-approved alcohol testing products. These drug test kits can be used discreetly for at home drug test or for random employee drug testing.

senuke

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Learning About Hydroponics Gardening

Many gardeners are beginning to switch to Hydroponics gardening for many different reasons. These types of gardens are small and can easily be grown inside and are perfect for most vegetables, especially the red tomato. Also the equipment required for Hydroponics gardening is not expensive and they are relatively easy to manage.

Hydroponics gardening is the growing of plants without soil, in other words, “dirtless gardening”. There are many methods of Hydroponics gardening, most of which work better than regular soil gardening because it is easier to give the plant exactly what it needs when it needs it. Plants will only receive what you give them; therefore you will be able to regulate the pH, nutrients, nutrient strength, water amount, and light amount. This makes it imperative that you research the kind of plants you will be growing so you know what they need to survive.

Hydroponics gardening is only as difficult as you make it. It can be complicated if computers with sensors are used to control water cycles, nutrients, and light for the plants. However, it can also be as simple as a hand watered bucket with a single plant. The normal home Hydroponics system is usually made up of a few basic things: a growing tray, light (natural or artificial), a reservoir, a water controlled pump for watering (or some type of watering equipment), and some form of air pump to give oxygen to the nutrients.

The growing medium used in Hydroponics gardening can be any number of things, such as Rockwool, perlite, coconut fiber, gravel, sand, vermiculite, or even air. You can get instructions from a gardening store or online or buy separate parts and build your own. There are also kits already assembled for sale in gardening supply stores.

There are certain micro-nutrients that are necessary for healthy plant growth including magnesium, sulfur, calcium, cobalt, boron, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc. These nutrients are absolutely essential to plants and if missing could cause the food to not be as healthy and in some cases even cause health problems for those who eat it. It is very important that you use a quality fertilizer when Hydroponics gardening.

Another important aspect of Hydroponics gardening that must be closely regulated is the pH balance. When the pH balance varies the plants will lose the ability to absorb nutrients that it needs. The ease with which the pH in Hydroponics gardening is tested and controlled give it a huge advantage over regular dirt gardening.

Even though there are hundreds of different variations, Wick, Water Culture, Ebb and Flow, Drip, N.F.T., and Aeroponic are the six most basic types of Hydroponics gardening systems. Hydroponics gardening is easy, affordable, and you can have fresh produce, flowers, herbs & spices all year long!

Information on how to grow tomatoes can be found at the How to Grow Things site.

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“On The Growth Path-Diagnostics And Pathological Testing Market In India”

“On the growth path-Diagnostics and Pathological Testing Market in India”

The Growing Indian Healthcare Industry

The healthcare industry in India is growing at a rapid pace and it is poised to become one of the dominant participants of the Indian economy. According to a Yes Bank and ASSOCHAM report, the Indian health care industry is estimated to grow at 23% p.a. to $77 billion by 2012 from the current $35 billion. The sector has grown at a rate of 9.3% from the year 2000 to 2009.

Of the sum, diagnostic and pathology services would account for $2.5 billion in 2012, more than double its estimated current size of $1billion. The growth in the segment is expected to be driven by consolidation in the industry and increasing insurance penetration among the country’s population. Healthcare facilities, inclusive of public and private hospitals, the core sector, around which the healthcare sector is centered, would continue to contribute over 70% of the total sector and touch a figure of $54.7 billion by 2012

According McKinsey report, the Indian healthcare market is expected to grow at a rate of 10-12 percent p.a. This is being driven by a strong local demand and growing population. With average household consumption expected to increase by more than 7 per cent per annum, the annual healthcare expenditure is projected to grow at 10 per cent and also the number of insured is likely to jump from 100 million to 220 million. India’s high population makes it an important player in this industry. According to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, the Indian healthcare industry has the potential to show the same exponential growth that the software and pharmaceutical industries have shown in the past decade. Only 10 per cent of the market potential has been tapped till date. This is indicative of the strong growth potential of the Indian healthcare market.

The last few years have seen a rise in the purchasing power of the middle class. With an erratic and sedentary urban lifestyle of the growing middle and upper-middle class in India, healthcare has become an important component of everyone’s life. Expenditure on healthcare is rising with increase in self-awareness and availability of high-class healthcare facilities with the advent of private players. According to ICRA 2005 report on Indian Medical Care Industry, India spends 5.10 percent of its GDP on healthcare. India’s expenditure on health, in terms of percentage of GDP, is among the highest for developing countries. India is being seen as the preferred destination for quality health solutions due to the major cost advantage over the western countries.

 

The burgeoning segment; Pathology and Diagnostics testing market in India

 

The diagnostics and pathology testing market in India represents one of the most lucrative markets in the world. The market has grown robustly in past few years on the back of increasing disease prevalence and rising consumer awareness. There are 2 major segments of the Diagnostics Market:

1) Pathological Laboratories             2) Diagnostic kits and reagents

Both of the above segments provide very strong potential for growth, both in the domestic market and as a preferred hub for clinical trials and outsourcing from western countries.

 

Pathological Laboratory Business

 The revenues from diagnostic segments are projected to grow at a CAGR of around 20% during 2010-2012. With increasing awareness among people about having a healthy lifestyle; the diagnostic market in India will experience strong growth in coming years. The country is witnessing a strong growth in biochemical and molecular diagnostic test segments.

The pathology market is currently 2.5 per cent of the overall healthcare delivery market. As per industry estimates, there are over 40,000 independent pathology labs in the country servicing around 1-1.25 million patients per day. This includes specialized laboratories, laboratory facilities in hospitals and nursing homes and small testing centers with basic facilities. The quality of services provided by these labs varies widely. The National Accreditation Board of Laboratories (NABL) has been established to accredit the laboratories, but the number of laboratories actually accredited is still minimal with majority of players operating in the vast unorganized segment.

 

Currently there are a few large national Players like Super Religare laboratories, Dr. Lal Pathlabs, Metropolis, Thyrocare, Max Health Care, and Apollo Clinics. Quest Diagnostics, a major international player has also entered India in the recent past. The industry is highly competitive and price-driven with kickbacks and business referral payments in the absence of a regulatory body. Around 70 per cent of treatment decisions in the country are based on lab results.

 

 

 

 

 

Major Indian Players in the Pathological Laboratory and Clinical Trials Segment

Super Religare Laboratories

Dr. Lal Pathlabs

Metropolis

Thyrocare

Vimta Labs

Quest Diagnostics

 

 

Diagnostic Kits and Equipment Segment

 

The diagnostic kits and reagents segment in India is a relatively new segment. Diagnostic kits consist of syringes, vacutainers, swabs etc. used at the time of sample collection whereas reagents are compounds, such as sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, etc., used in the laboratory for chemical analysis or experiments.

 In addition to the presence of international players, at present India has more than 25 companies manufacturing diagnostic kits. These diagnostic companies are manufacturing and selling kits mainly in the areas of pregnancy, ovulation, estimation of T3, T4 & TSH, HIV, HBV and HCV infection, rheumatoid diseases and disorders, cancer (cervix, colon, prostate, lung, mouth etc.), kidney function and liver function.

There has been an increase in the utilization of diagnostic devices and tests in last few years. The major reason for this is the increase in consumer awareness, increasing income of middle class consumers and spurt in the health insurance schemes which is leading to increased usage of diagnostic kits. The number of tests conducted in the last decade has more than doubled from 180 million to over 500 million. There are over 11,500 hospitals and 14,000 diagnostic laboratories in the country that utilize large volumes of diagnostics. The major factor that is driving the growth of manufacturing of diagnostic kits in India is the 70-80 percent cost advantage that Indian laboratories offer over their western counterparts.

The Indian companies with their R&D facilities have developed a range of quality products which are giving a tough competition to imported kits. However, there are hi-tech products like Elisa, PCR, a few cancer markers and some other products for which there are very few manufacturers in the country. Though there have been major developments, still the diagnostic kits and reagents market has a long way to go.

 

Some of the companies manufacturing diagnostic kits include Accurex Biomedicals, Beacon Diagnostics, Bhat Biotech, Bio-systems Diagnostics J Mitra & Co, Monozyme India, Span Diagnostics Ltd, Transasia Biomedicals, Tulip Group and XCyton Diagnostics.

 

Trends in the Indian Pathological Laboratory Segment

Of late, Indian Pathological and diagnostics industry is witnessing some action with the entry of bigger players and international companies. Apart from the growth in the domestic segment, India has the potential of becoming an international hub for Clinical trials and export of reagents and diagnostic kits. The cost advantage that Indian companies have over their western counterparts could play a major differentiator. Following are some of the trends being witnessed in the Indian pathology segment:

 

Consolidation and Takeovers

Today there are 800 private labs in the US of which the top 10 laboratories carry out 85 percent of the pathological workload. Earlier like in India, the US too had standalone labs but the scenario changed when health insurance entered the US healthcare market. Insurance companies tied up with labs that had quality control, uniform systems of billing and services. This consolidation came about and the functioning changed. Since in India, the public healthcare system is falling apart and there is a growth of around 20 per cent in private sector each year. International health insurance companies entering India tie up with pathology chains, thereby changing the face of the diagnostic industry.

 

With the advent of large pathology laboratories chain, the Indian diagnostics landscape has undergone some major changes in the last four to five years. One of the significant impacts has been the rising competition among the large players, which may not have cut down the prices to the consumers, but has surely raised the entry barriers for small path labs, which mushroomed in the nineties to uncontrollable proportions. Now, large path labs say that consolidation is imminent and they quote the US example which evolved in a similar way, but is today dominated by only four major chains of path labs.

Though large path labs have been showing impressive growth rates (for instance Metropolis claims that its business grew 50 per cent over last year, while the overall market growth was estimated at 25 per cent), a large portion of the market is still dominated by the unorganized sector.

Large path labs have outperformed the industry growth estimates and it is obvious that they are eating into the share of small labs. For instance, a test for diabetes is generally done at small labs by arbitrary calculation in 80-90 per cent of the cases. Large labs claim that this method is unreliable, while direct estimation offer accurate results. As the consumer awareness is increasing, organized players with more focus on quality and accuracy are taking on smaller players head-on.

 

Major emphasis on Quality and Technology

With the advent of International players and large corporates, there has been a major focus on providing enhanced quality right from sample collection, sample transportation to actual testing of sample in the lab.

There has been a major improvement in sample collection procedures with the use of sealed sample collection kits and vacutainers. There has been major focus on training phlebotomists (technicians who draw blood); emphasis is on their technical as well as communication skills to enhance end-customer experience.

Another milestone has been the use of barcodes for sample tracking and transportation for proper delivery of the sample to the lab and avoiding sample misplacements. Lastly, temperature controlled gel packs and boxes are increasingly getting used to maintain sample integrity and maintaining correct reporting.

 

Focus towards wellness testing, in addition to normal disease testing

Wellness testing is a new concept and is meant for apparently healthy individuals who are not aware whether they are suffering from a particular disease. Among the organized players, there has been an increasing trend towards targeting healthy individuals who have sedentary lifestyles and are more risk prone for lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular and diabetes ailments.

Organized players have developed specific panels such as full body screening panels, diabetes panel, cardiovascular panel, thyroid panel etc. to tap into this segment. A panel comprises of bouquet of tests for that specific disease or ailment. For example, a thyroid panel would consist of specific tests such as T3, T4 and TSH.  Therefore, these panels are product packages designed for end customers and are easy to understand and provide a comprehensive analysis as compared to individual tests. The whole notion behind this is to encourage consumers to self-initiate these tests rather than taking a doctor’s prescription which is generally required for advanced and complicated tests like cancer, osteoporosis and other ailments.

Thus, companies are trying to create an interest for the diagnostics category amongst the masses so that they can monitor their disease levels themselves and thus generating a lot of end-customer involvement.

 

 

 

Brand Building initiatives by Organized Players

Recently a lot of action is seen in advertisement space from major diagnostic players and hospitals. There has been a conscious effort by major players to differentiate their brands and services from competitors and the unorganized segment. From SRL, Fortis, Dr. Lal Pathlabs, Apollo Clinics, everyone is using advertising and focusing more towards brand development which was absent around 3-4 years back.

Companies are trying to create specific testing products in the form of health and disease panels which generally include a bouquet of tests for general health checkup or particular ailments. Thus, for promoting these products various Above the Line (ATL) and Below the Line (BTL) mediums are being used for the same. From outdoors to print, from radio to direct marketing, diagnostics and Pathlabs are present everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issues in the Indian Diagnostic Kits and Reagents Industry:

 

The diagnostic kits and reagents segment provides a huge opportunity. But still there are various issues which act as impediments and a strong action from both the industry and government is required to facilitate the same. Some of the key characteristics are as follows:

 

Diagnostic kits and reagents still being primarily imported

Although there is a huge opportunity in the diagnostic kits and reagents manufacturing segment but still more than half of the kits are being imported. These kits are imported at a higher cost and are often ineffective as these are not designed for Indian climatic conditions. There is a huge opportunity in the manufacturing of substitutes for these imported kits and reagents as per the Indian requirements. But there are some impediments in the path, these are highlighted as follows: 

High import duty for raw materials and custom clearance procedures,
competition from the western companies who offer more sophisticated products,
lack of knowledge and expertise among the Indian manufacturers,
licensing and slow pace of approvals from statutory authorities,
Absence of national laboratory network for evaluation and approval of new products are some of the factors slowing down the pace of indigenization.

Red-tapism, lack of strong will power to remain in the business of diagnostics, regulatory confusion and lesser margins are some of the issues confronting the growth of the segment. Moreover, as the segment is very small, it is difficult to drive the struggle. Importing raw materials at high cost is also a major issue facing the segment.

There is an urgent need to address these issues with the Government authorities.

 

Lack of market and technical know-how

There is a serious opportunity in the diagnostic kits and reagents business, but our entrepreneurs are missing on this lucrative sector. Though the opportunity is huge, there are some hurdles in the way. These are as follows:

lack of knowledge about the range of products,
absence of technical expertise for these medical kits and reagents,
Complex nature of manufacturing process.

In India, there is still a gap between the industry and academia. The authorities need to work towards enhancing public-private partnership. This will result in proper utilization of public funds and technology transfer to private sector.

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has been facilitating the transfer of many technologies for diagnostic kits to the industry developed at the CSIR labs.

 

Government Licensing

There are no standard guidelines and procedures for issuing license for manufacturing diagnostic products. Also the approval for the ranges of products is missing for both products manufactured in India or imported products. These vary from state to state. There is also no special package and exemption in taxes from the government for establishing diagnostic manufacturing units. The number of cheaper and efficient technology transfers in the area of diagnostics is limited.

This industry is considered to be a part of the pharma segment but really does not belong there. The authorities themselves are not knowledgeable about the diagnostics industry. Current rate of customs duty is a major disincentive, which makes the manufacturing not cost effective. Also there is an absence of any trade organization of diagnostic kits and reagents manufacturers to take these important issues with the authorities. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

India has the potential of becoming the global hub for R&D, clinical trials and pathology services. The major reasons in support of this are the growing health awareness and quality consciousness in the increasing middle class, opening of the health insurance industry, advent of private players and consolidations in the diagnostics and pathology segments, huge cost advantage of the clinical trials segment, availability of trained medical professionals, increased test-prescriptions in the urban and rural areas and initiation of Public-private partnerships.

 

But some corrective measures are required on the industry and government front to address various issues like licensing, limited technical expertise and stiff competition from imported products.

 

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Sources:

IBEF Industry report on Healthcare sector;
National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories;
Biospectrum India
Indian Expres Healthcare management
India PR wire

Mr. Nikhil Bhatia?has completed B.Com (Hons.) from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University?and?MBA from IMT, Ghaziabad with specialization in?Marketing & Finance.?He has over?two and a half?years’?corporate experience in banking and healthcare sectors. He has worked with CitiFinancial Consumer Finance?India Ltd.?and is currently working with a leading healthcare MNC in marketing domain. In addition,?he has done Industry oriented?marketing projects with?Maruti Udyog Limited and Kellogg’s India.?He has to his credit?projects and?prize winning case study on “Rediff Bol-Marketing of Rediff.com online messenger”?presented at SJMSOM, IIT Bombay and IMT, Ghaziabad?respectively. He has received merit scholarships from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India and the French Embassy in India.????

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Gifts for Gardener – Unique Ideas

Buying a present for a gardener should be easy. Whether they are a novice or an expert, you’ll find the holidays are the ideal time to give them gifts they will enjoy. When spring rolls around, they’ll have had plenty of time to decide how and where to use the gift you’ve given them.

You won’t have to go far to find the right gift. You probably have a gardeners’ catalog in your mailbox, a garden supply store nearby, and access to the Internet. There are many websites for wonderful selections.

Giving Practical Gifts

Your local hardware store or garden supply should have a good line of practical gifts. For the gardening beginner, gifts such as a shovel or trowel, garden hose or other digging and planting tools are perfect. Perhaps your gardener would like to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. There are certain flowers and plants that will draw them to a garden, and you can most likely get them at your local garden supply. Not too sure about buying plants? How about a gift certificate to a garden supply store?

Baskets Of Gifts

Another great gift idea is a basket full of excellent “stuff” for the gardener. You can purchase one already assembled, or find a basket you like and fill it with some of the many items you will find in a garden shop. A basket with just essentials is a good choice for the beginner. It could include gloves, poison oak/ivy medication, flower seeds, plant food, a rain gauge, a Farmers Almanac, and special hand cream.

Gardening Books Are Nice

Gardening books can be a treasured gift for the gardener on your list. Any bookstore will carry books covering a variety of gardening topics. Choose among specialty garden books, such as wildflower gardens, vegetable gardens, or drought-tolerant gardens. Buy them a book on the subject of perennials and annuals. Which flowers are best suited to their climate? How do you select plants that grow best in their type of soil? These and countless other questions are answered in the many books available on gardening. You’ll find that some of the larger bookstores have whole sections devoted to gardening.

Garden Stones

A garden stone is another perfect gift for gardeners. Garden stones can be found in unusual shapes and colors, or inscribed with famous quotations or poems. Kits are available to make garden stones with a child’s handprint and name added to it. That’s the making of wonderful memories for the child and for the gardener. You can also buy a garden stone and personalize it by putting your favorite gardener’s marriage year, or the year the garden was established. Personalization can turn a plain gift into something unique.

On the more practical side, there are hundreds of gifts to choose from. Hose carts and attractive pots for storing garden hoses out of sight are easy to find. Water sprinklers and fertilizer sprinklers are also good gifts. You can find fun water sprinklers, like one in the shape of a John Deere Tractor.

Fun Gifts

Some gifts add whimsy and fun to a garden. They are easy to find, and make perfect gifts, whatever your gardener’s experience. Gazing balls are available in all sizes and colors, and add a creative dimension to the garden. Holders for the gazing balls come in dozens of various shapes, sizes and materials, too.

Among the most fashionable gifts for gardeners are wind spinners and flags. You can find wind spinners in a variety of colors, such as the patriotic red, white, and blue spinner, or the rainbow spinner. Garden flags are a popular gift because they can be changed to coordinate with the seasons, or more frequently just to create a new look in the garden.

Exotic Gift Ideas

Wanting something a little more unusual? Your gardener might love an exotic plant, such as the amaryllis exotica, a gift of unusual Iris bulbs, or a sago palm. How about a ginkgo tree growing kit, or a Shitake mushroom log?

Statues of animals, gnomes or angels of have regained popularity after many years of being out of favor, and they make great garden gifts. Birdbaths and bird feeders attract birds, a source of joy for most gardeners. You’ll also find delightful hummingbird feeders that will keep these beautiful birds coming all rear round.

Whatever your gardener’s inclinations are, you’ll be able to find the perfect gift..

For seasonal gifts, see Gifts For Gardeners. For more info click on Gardener Gifts. For landscaping ideas visit, Gardening Gifts.


Copyright 2007 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

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Posted in mushroom growing kits0 Comments

Gifts for Gardener – Unique Ideas

Buying a present for a gardener should be easy. Whether they are a novice or an expert, you’ll find the holidays are the ideal time to give them gifts they will enjoy. When spring rolls around, they’ll have had plenty of time to decide how and where to use the gift you’ve given them.

You won’t have to go far to find the right gift. You probably have a gardeners’ catalog in your mailbox, a garden supply store nearby, and access to the Internet. There are many websites for wonderful selections.

Giving Practical Gifts

Your local hardware store or garden supply should have a good line of practical gifts. For the gardening beginner, gifts such as a shovel or trowel, garden hose or other digging and planting tools are perfect. Perhaps your gardener would like to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. There are certain flowers and plants that will draw them to a garden, and you can most likely get them at your local garden supply. Not too sure about buying plants? How about a gift certificate to a garden supply store?

Baskets Of Gifts

Another great gift idea is a basket full of excellent “stuff” for the gardener. You can purchase one already assembled, or find a basket you like and fill it with some of the many items you will find in a garden shop. A basket with just essentials is a good choice for the beginner. It could include gloves, poison oak/ivy medication, flower seeds, plant food, a rain gauge, a Farmers Almanac, and special hand cream.

Gardening Books Are Nice

Gardening books can be a treasured gift for the gardener on your list. Any bookstore will carry books covering a variety of gardening topics. Choose among specialty garden books, such as wildflower gardens, vegetable gardens, or drought-tolerant gardens. Buy them a book on the subject of perennials and annuals. Which flowers are best suited to their climate? How do you select plants that grow best in their type of soil? These and countless other questions are answered in the many books available on gardening. You’ll find that some of the larger bookstores have whole sections devoted to gardening.

Garden Stones

A garden stone is another perfect gift for gardeners. Garden stones can be found in unusual shapes and colors, or inscribed with famous quotations or poems. Kits are available to make garden stones with a child’s handprint and name added to it. That’s the making of wonderful memories for the child and for the gardener. You can also buy a garden stone and personalize it by putting your favorite gardener’s marriage year, or the year the garden was established. Personalization can turn a plain gift into something unique.

On the more practical side, there are hundreds of gifts to choose from. Hose carts and attractive pots for storing garden hoses out of sight are easy to find. Water sprinklers and fertilizer sprinklers are also good gifts. You can find fun water sprinklers, like one in the shape of a John Deere Tractor.

Fun Gifts

Some gifts add whimsy and fun to a garden. They are easy to find, and make perfect gifts, whatever your gardener’s experience. Gazing balls are available in all sizes and colors, and add a creative dimension to the garden. Holders for the gazing balls come in dozens of various shapes, sizes and materials, too.

Among the most fashionable gifts for gardeners are wind spinners and flags. You can find wind spinners in a variety of colors, such as the patriotic red, white, and blue spinner, or the rainbow spinner. Garden flags are a popular gift because they can be changed to coordinate with the seasons, or more frequently just to create a new look in the garden.

Exotic Gift Ideas

Wanting something a little more unusual? Your gardener might love an exotic plant, such as the amaryllis exotica, a gift of unusual Iris bulbs, or a sago palm. How about a ginkgo tree growing kit, or a Shitake mushroom log?

Statues of animals, gnomes or angels of have regained popularity after many years of being out of favor, and they make great garden gifts. Birdbaths and bird feeders attract birds, a source of joy for most gardeners. You’ll also find delightful hummingbird feeders that will keep these beautiful birds coming all rear round.

Whatever your gardener’s inclinations are, you’ll be able to find the perfect gift..

For seasonal gifts, see Gifts For Gardeners. For more info click on Gardener Gifts. For landscaping ideas visit, Gardening Gifts.


Copyright 2007 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

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