Looking for jet lag remedies?  There are times when you cannot afford to take time out after a trip, but need to be running right off the plane and keep running. Jet lag can take many forms.  Sometimes you are completely wiped out for a day or two after your long distance plane trip.  Other times you may feel fine for the first couple days, but just as you are thinking that it hasn't got you this time, it hits and messes up a whole week with sleepless nights and drowsy days. And it's not just sleep.  You may also have digestive disturbances, headaches and possibly some depression. The medical term for jet lag is desynchronosis.  It happens when there is disturbance to the natural circadian rhythms of the body that tell us when it is time to sleep and when it is time to be awake.  These relate to daylight and they are adjustable, so if we cross time zones in a car, for example, we usually do it slow enough for our body to adjust.  But a plane can cross several time zones in one day, and that can take a while to recover from. On average, the recovery time is about ...

It's a good idea to use a variety of materials in your compost heap.  Common sense will suggest that different ingredients contribute different nutrients and value to the finished product.  Usually, the raw materials in a compost heap will begin to rot very quickly once mixed together and moistened with water.  However, some plant and vegetable debris is slow to decompose or can interfere in some other way with the composting process.  Here are some raw materials that need extra attention if you want to add them to your compost bin. Corncobs, cotton stalks, sugarcane leaves, and palm fronds are slow to rot.  They should be chopped up and mixed with materials that break down easily.  Citrus rinds are surprising tough and should be chopped into pieces or burned to ashes before composting. Apple pomace (waste material from cider-making) is excellent for composting, but because it contains a lot of moisture, it should be spread in thin layers.  The apple seeds may survive even through the heating of the pile.  Similarly, hops (brewery wastes) add value to the compost but can make the pile excessively damp.  Add an extra layer of dry material to balance things out and keep an eye on ...

If you think about it, that compost pile you built so carefully in the back yard is actually a teeming mass of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms.  That may sound a little disgusting, but it's really a good thing.  The organic material that you put into the compost pile contains elements that plants need to grow.  But those elements are locked up, unusable until bacteria and fungi break down the material.  Let's take a closer look at the microscopic life forms that cause decomposition to happen. The microorganisms involved in making compost need just four things to live.  They need an energy source.  This comes from carbon-rich materials such as dried leaves and straw.  They need a protein source.  This comes from nitrogen-rich materials such as kitchen waste or manure.  And they need oxygen and water.  If we expect to get compost, it's up to us to provide all of these elements.  Many composting problems can be attributed to a deficiency in one of these things. Thousands of different bacteria are at work in a compost pile, but for this discussion we are interested in three main categories.  Each group works within a different temperature range.  When bacteria digest organic matter in ...

If you have dry skin, you know that it’s not just annoying and even unsightly, it can also be incredibly painful.  You’ve probably tried all kinds of moisturizers with no real luck.  The reason may be that the moisturizers simply makes your skin oily or irritates the problem even further. The best way to avoid this is by going natural.  Here are some easy, natural treatments to help moisturize your skin. Drink plenty of water.  This one is totally simple, but often overlooked.  Your skin needs water to stay soft and smooth.  While putting water on your skin will dry it out, putting it in your body is essential for keeping it hydrated.  Plus, drinking enough water will make you feel better too! A really good way to get itchy dry skin quickly is to use soap.  Over cleaning your skin is often unnecessary and can really dry it out.  Avoid long baths, particularly with very hot water as this is extremely drying to the skin.  Quick showers are the better option, for both your skin and environment.  Use a natural mild soap sparingly.  And follow up with all natural coconut oil to seal in the moisture.  You can get 100% natural organic ...

There's an almost endless array of materials that are suitable for compost.  In fact, some gardeners become so enthusiastic about composting that they want to toss everything in sight onto that delightfully rotting heap.  However, certain items will cause problems and can even be hazardous to your garden's health.  Here are some commonplace materials that should never go into the compost pile. Diseased plants A working compost pile usually heats up enough to kill weed seeds, but disease organisms are another matter entirely.  The bacteria or fungi from diseased plants can easily survive the composting process.  If you then spread the compost on your garden, you will be spreading disease at the same time.  That would spell disaster. Any plants stricken by mildew, bacterial leaf spot, blight, dry rot, or other diseases should be disposed of in the garbage.  You may also burn the material if you have a way to do so.  The remaining ashes will be safe and can be added to the compost pile. Nonbiodegradable items The compost bin is not a garbage can!  Don't let anyone put plastic, glass, aluminum, synthetic or other nonbiodegradable items into the compost.  Although these items may not do any particular harm, they won't decompose with ...