Saturday, June 29, 2013

有机蔬菜就是不一样


2012年末,我们考察广州时,获得广州种子商赠送一些蔬菜品种进行试种。团员回来之后,报告蔬菜品种试验结果好坏参半,令我怀疑,参与试验的农友,在种植过程中忽略了环境和气候对蔬菜的影响。
为了亲自了解有关蔬菜品种(广州华绿种子叶林金先生送)的素质,我要求茶山有机番薯农友李锦和先生一同做试验。他在下种之前,先了解菜心的栽培技术和须要注意的事项,然后自制了一些火烧泥,撒在田上做基肥,接着将菜心种子播下田里。两个星期之后,我亲到菜园观察,感觉蔬菜长得不像使用化学肥料种植的菜心快生长,但整体长势亦相当不错。几天之内,雨水增加,菜心开始显露营养不足,李锦和即将朱国庆报效的有机液体肥继续追肥,结果发现菜心叶子增绿,而且长得更加大。
我们在大约3星期之后,采了一些试验菜心到餐馆立即烹调。亲口品尝发现,这些有机菜心的口感嫩滑,没有一般化学肥料和农药菜心的苦涩味,菜梗脆口,纤维体比较韧,但不难咬。因此确定有机蔬菜和普通化学蔬菜的品质是完全不相同的,而且确定以有机方式种植蔬菜,它的成长率比普通蔬菜优越和稳定。即使肥料下得少,也生长得好。


Saturday, June 22, 2013

欧盟计划将农业科研投入翻番


2013-06-06
 欧盟委员会负责科研与创新的委员梅尔·盖根-奎因4日在欧洲议会说,欧盟将加大农业科研力度,未来农业科研投入计划比目前翻一番。
    她说,自上世纪90年代以来,欧盟农业科研投入有所削弱。为扭转这一局面,欧盟主要科研规划地平线2020”计划在农业科研领域投入40亿欧元。将于2014年至2020年实施的地平线2020”是欧盟一揽子科研规划,欧盟科研经费均由其支持。
梅尔·盖根-奎因强调,欧盟农业科研的重点是通过农业科技为欧盟提供更多的粮食和更安全的食品,同时为世界其他国家和地区提供农产 品;利用农业新科技应对全球变暖对农业生产带来的巨大挑战,同时积极尝试利用农业新科技延缓全球变暖;利用农业新科技解决食品生产、储存和运输以及消费时 的浪费问题等。
注:农业科技的发展比其他技术进展慢,原因是什么,是值得大家深思的,以便了解农业的本质并非技术而已。

Friday, June 21, 2013

Walk 30 Minutes a Day to Cut Diabetes Risks


No excuses - get out and walk for 30 minutes a day as your minimum daily requirement for health and to prevent Type 2 diabetes. A study by the Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, published in the Oct. 1, 2003 American Journal of Epidemiology discovered that walking for 30 minutes a day cut diabetes risks for overweight as well as non-overweight men and women.

Complications of Type 2 diabetes are the leading causes of misery and death in the US - amputations, impotence, blindness, kidney failure, and shortening life by five to seven years. Yet this disease is preventable by lifestyle changes - get out walking each day, eat healthier, enjoy life rather than heading down the road to a life governed by blood sugar readings and disabilities.
"We have found that men and women who incorporate activity into their lifestyles are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who are sedentary. This finding holds no matter what their initial weight," said study author and principal investigator Andrea Kriska, Ph.D., associate professor of epidemiology at GSPH. "This suggests that adopting and maintaining a program of regular physical activity similar to what the Surgeon General's recommendations suggest can play a significant role in preventing type 2 diabetes."

Walking Sheds Pounds as Well as Cutting Diabetes Risks in Overweight People

This is further support for the landmark 2001 Diabetes Prevention Program study that showed that walking 30 minutes, for five days a week and moderate changes in eating cut in half the risk of diabetes in overweight people with high blood sugar. The participants also lost an average of 15 pounds in a year. This result makes moderate exercise such as walking the prescription to prevent Type 2 diabetes in the 16 million Americans on the verge of developing diabetes.
These two studies are exciting because they studied high-risk populations, made minor changes in lifestyle, and showed significant results.

10 Surprising Foods that Kill Your Sex Life


While we know that dark chocolate and almonds are great aphrodisiac, there are certain foods that can have just the opposite effect on your mood. It is important for you to know about the foods that can naturally ruin your sex-drive and harm your reproductive health as well. So, take a look at some such foods that you should strike-off from your menu, when you are in the mood to spice-up your sexual appetite!

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners contain aspartame, an ingredient that causes trouble for your body's happy hormone (serotonin), without which your mood and libido tends to suffer. Not only this, aspartame has other side effects as well, such as headaches, irritation, anxiety disorders and insomnia. So, next time when you are out getting your groceries, pick up some natural sweeteners like honey or jaggery, to keep your health and sex life on right track.

Corn flakes

The anti-aphrodisiac qualities of corn flakes might come as a surprise to many. Did you know that Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, made this cereal as a part of a bland diet to lower people's sex drive? So, whether you are planning a romantic breakfast in bed or a quick snack before your bed-time, it is best to stay away from corn flakes.

Cheese and more

The dairy products that you get in the market these days are not natural, anymore. The high-fat dairy products, such as cheese, can cause a lot of damage to your body. Overconsumption of such products will induce toxins that will interfere with the production of the natural, mood uplifting hormones like oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Collection of such harmful toxins in your body, can also cause sexual dysfunction in extreme cases. 

Crispy delights

A pack of chips by your bedside is enough to damage the tissues and cells of your body, along with your libido. These potato chips and crispy snacks are prepared in rancid oils and heated at very high temperatures. Hence, the combination of bad fats and high temperature can genuinely interfere with your mood for love.

Coffee

A cup of coffee in the morning can induce a happy mood but too much of it can spike up stress hormones, such as cortisol, in your body. Too much caffeine can cause stress and hormonal imbalances. So, if you are in mood for some romance and love, it is best to decrease the coffee intake from your and your partner's diet.

Soy

It is healthy and a good replacement for meat. But, soy contains phytoestrogens that competes with the male sex hormone. It is enough to cause fertility issues, male breast growth and body hair loss, it is a strict no-no for men.

Aerated Drinks

Consuming regular sodas and flavoured beverages can cause fluctuations in your weight and your mood. Such drinks can cause a number of health problems like obesity, dental cavities, diabetes, and more. It is quite obvious that if you start suffering from these health issues then it is harmful enough to even dip your libido levels. 

Mint

Think before you pop another gum into your mouth! While it benefits the digestive system and gets rid of that bad breath, it can also have adverse effects on your libido. Mint produces menthol that cools down the sex drive. So, stick to brushing your teeth or consuming natural herbs to get rid of that bad breath.

Alcohol

You might feel relaxed after a few drinks but alcohol can actually make you feel drowsy and less sensitive to your surroundings. Now can you feel romantic with a person who is falling all-over the place? It is because alcohol induces a chemical reaction that hampers the production of testosterone. Next time, if you are planning to get cosy with your partner, it is best to steer clear from alcohol.

Fried and junk food

Fried food, like French fries and hamburger, are serious romance killers! The hydrogenated fats lowers your testosterone levels, and can also cause low quality and abnormal sperm production in men. If you are in mood to impress your partner with take-out dinner, stay away from all fast food joints, especially if you are planning something romantic.
So, if you are in the mood to get cosy with your partner then it is best to kick these anti-aphrodisiac foods away from your platter.