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It's CARNIVAL time all over the world. Carnival? What
do I mean by carnival? You know, Mardi Gras! It's that
time of year, January and February, when all the
festivities begin with Carnival season and end with the
big and decadent Mardi Gras party.
Did you know that Mardi Gras, otherwise known as "Fat Tuesday," is actually the last part of the carnival season? Carnival season starts approximately 46 days before Easter, usually around January 6th or sometime between Christmas and Lent, and ends with Mardi Gras, which is the last day before Ash Wednesday. Most people refer to the whole carnival season as Mardi Gras, for example, in New Orleans, where most people call all the festivities Mardi Gras. The oldest document about carnival festivities dates back to May 2nd, 1268. America's first Mardi Gras The explorers eventually found the mouth of the Mississippi River on March 3, 1699, Mardi Gras of that year. They made camp a few miles upriver, named the spot Point d'Mardi Gras and partook in a spontaneous party. This is often referred to as North America's first Mardi Gras. A couple of decades later, New Orleans was founded and soon Carnival celebrations were an annual event highlighted by lavish balls and masked spectacles. Some were small, private parties with select guest lists, while others were raucous, public affairs. Collectively, they reflected such a propensity for frolic in the local citizenry that historian Robert Tallant wrote in his book "Mardi Gras" that "natives would step over a corpse on the way to a ball or the opera and think nothing of it." Parades officially began in 1838. On Ash Wednesday of that year, The Commercial Bulletin read: "The European custom of celebrating the last day of the Carnival by a procession of masqued figures through the streets was introduced here yesterday." Over the next 20 years, Carnival became an increasingly rowdy event defined by drunkenness and violence. Eventually, churches and even the press began to call for its demise. In 1857, Mardi Gras found itself on the verge of death. The birth of the krewe Then along came Comus, which actually started 27 years earlier in the wee hours of Jan. 1, 1830 when a group of young men walking home after a New Year's Eve celebration in Mobile, Ala., passed a store featuring an outdoor display of rakes, hoes and cowbells. Making the kind of decision inebriated young men are apt to, they picked up the supplies and headed to the mayor's house where they caused a stir. An obviously patient man, the mayor sobered them up and, according to historian Buddy Stall, made the motley krewe's leader an offer. "Next year," said the mayor, "why not organize yourselves and let everybody have fun?" Led by Michael Kraft, the group that called themselves the Cowbellion de Rakin Society paraded the following New Year's Eve, and was so successful that the procession became an annual event. Now, jump ahead to 1857 when New Orleans city leaders were on the verge of canceling Mardi Gras for good. Six Cowbellions now living in the Big Easy proposed forming a new private club to present a parade based on a theme, with floats, costumed riders and flambeaux (torch carriers who lit the way). They wanted to create an orderly alternative to the chaos that Carnival had become. They chose the name Comus after the Greek god of revelry and coined the term "krewe." City leaders agreed and Comus was credited with saving Mardi Gras. Historic information furnished by: http://www.nola.com/mardigras/about/index.ssf?/mardi gras/about/content/history.html Many "krewes" have been established since, making Mardi Gras festivities stronger and more elaborate than ever. Once again, the krewes have helped save Mardi Gras in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina's devastation. Surprisingly enough, New Orleans carnival and Mardi Gras parties are not the largest in the world. Actually, Brazil holds the largest carnival and Mardi Gras parties, in Rio de Janeiro. It is famous for its outlandish fetish and samba parades and displays. In terms of the most famous and oldest carnival in the world, Venice, Italy leads the party. Beautiful hand- made masks and lavish costumes are spectacular and wonderfully fun to take part in during these festivites. Whatever part of the world you decide to celebrate carnival season and Mardi Gras, you better get organized now. You should plan and schedule flight, room, and other arrangements one year in advance of the festivites. All locations are booked six months out or longer. Have fun, enjoy the food and flavor of the city you are in, be safe, and have a piece of King Cake for me! (Read the "Food and Recipe of the Month" section of Yoga Bean to find out what I am referring to.) |
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Kali Magical Mystery Bus to Pavagadh - Gujarat,
India
By Miriam Stollar We climbed on the rickety bus, playing hop-scotch around the mounds of garbage blocking the entrance way. I sat down gingerly on the wooden bench that made no promises about holding me up above the floor for long. Looking up, my eyes took in the woman before me - draped in a necklace of skulls, her eyes glaring red, she held a bloody head in each hand, as she stood over a male corpse, one foot stamped proudly on his chest! The bus driver started the engine, and off we bounced with a roar. The woman was Kali, the dark fearful Hindu goddess. The male corpse lying inert under Kali's foot was almighty Shiva, great Hindu god of yoga. Buses in India are inevitably adorned with a poster of the driver's favorite god, positioned behind the driver so that all passengers may gaze upon the divine image throughout the often excruciatingly long, slow, painfully uncomfortable bus rides. It is common to see, amidst the dust and between bumps, a contemplative Shiva sitting in deep meditation, a blissful Krishna playing the flute, resplendent Laxmi surrounded by riches, lucky elephant god Ganesh, or, occasionally, a golden-haloed Buddha, gracing the poster altar of the bus. But the fearsome Kali of skulls and dripping blood, few bus drivers would brave as their deity emblem. This was not, however, any ordinary bus we were riding. This was the bus headed for Pavagadh, where thousands go every day to worship goddess Kali in her temple on the very peak of the mountain. Pavagadh, near Devodara (also known as Baroda), in the state of Gujarat, India, literally means "one quarter of a hill". Legend has it that Hanuman, the monkey god, was trying to save Laxman, who was unconscious on the battlefield. Precious medicinal herbs grew on a hill, but not finding the medicinal Sanjivani plant he needed right away, Hanuman hurriedly grabbed the whole hill. One quarter fell down to earth and became Pavagadh. On top of the mountain is the shrine of Goddess Kali Mata, or Mother Kali. In this shrine, Kali manifests in her most feared form - without body or recognizable shape, only two red eyes that glare out at the world. Kali, The Black One, is one of the Dasha MahaVidya, or the Ten Wisdom Goddesses. Kala is time, and Kali represents the mastery over time, through the cutting of attachment to self and the surrendering of the ego. Letting go of attachment to the self in the limited time concepts of past, present and future allows the glimpsing of the infinity of time and in it, the infinite consciousness that pervades all existence. Kali's foreboding appearance shows her power - her way leads to total liberation of the consciousness, and her power of transformation is through destruction - destruction of ego, attachment, and illusion. While her fearsome image will scare away all those who are not ready for her symbols, Kali in fact represents love, compassion, and liberation, ready to help all those who are sincere in their desire for transformation. Kali appears at the very moment of facing one's worst fear, and taking the first step towards it. It is when looking fears and doubts in the face, accepting fear but choosing to walk towards it, that Kali's power gives the strength to walk on. Kali's power is the power of transformation; her power comes in our darkest moments, when we choose to find in ourselves the faith and strength to continue, rather than turning away. It is a steep climb up to the Kali temple at the peak of the mountain, but for those willing to give up the spiritual penance points of the uphill climb, there is a cable car offering an easy pilgrimage and a decently thrilling ride. Dotting the steps leading up to the Kali temple are hordes of 'Mata-ji' women sadhus, or renunciants. Wild-eyed followers of Kali, dressed all in black, they call out to passing pilgrims for money in mocking and condescending cackles, putting black curses on those who dare to offer them too little. Whether going up by foot or by cable car, reaching the mountain temple of Mata Kali, in her most feared form of two burning red eyes, is a vivid and spectacular experience. It is also a good opportunity to take a few meditative minutes to look honestly at those things we desire to change, and the fears we are ready to face. Gujarat Tourism Department runs a well-maintained hotel just at the base of the steep ascent. With its unique and utterly spectacular view, and simple but large, pleasant and clean rooms, it is a great option to enjoy Pavagadh sites at a leisurely pace with one of the most scenic views around. Hotel Champaner, Pavagadh, Manch: Tel/fax 02676- 245-667/641 Season rates (applicable Oct, Nov, Dec, Apr 15- June15) are 400/300 rupees (double/single) for deluxe rooms, dormitory 300, and AC rooms 800/550. AC is generally not necessary except in the hottest season, and the non-AC rooms have the most spectacular views. Conference rooms are also available. Off-season rates are slightly cheaper. From Devodara, three hours journey by public bus (one hour by hired jeep) takes you bumped and bruised to Pavagadh. Look for the woman wearing a necklace of skulls! |
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Just a few years ago I took a wonderful trip to
Ecuador. There is so much to see and do in just one
country. You can visit the tortoises in the Galapagos
Islands, hang out at the beach in Guayaquil, see the
big city of Quito, take on the rainforest to the East and
the beautiful cloud forest in the West. What I found to
be most intriguing was the plethora of Eco-lodges all
over the place. It was my first experience at an Eco-
lodge and it was amazing. By definition, an Eco-lodge
is the accommodation preferred by eco-tourists, by
those who are seeking intimate contact with nature.
Eco-lodge accommodations always try to achieve
harmony with the surrounding landscape and
vegetation. A lot of the lodges will include buildings
that are sustainable and eco-friendly, using renewable
materials and working with nature to build a
noninvasive structure. Eco-lodges will, in some
cases, also grow their own organic good from a
sustainable garden and use the minimal amount of
electric to prepare and cook the food. They also
recirculate all the water they can and are very efficient
with resources that can only be used for one use. I
remember watching the chef blend a fruit drink by
sitting on a bike seat and peddling! The peddling
caused the blender blade to spin, therefore blending
whatever was in it.
Becoming a conscious eco-tourist is an important way to travel without leaving a big imprint on the earth. Why not try this type of travel. It is intriguing and introduces you to what it is like to truly live in a sustainable and 'green' way. Below you will find a few resources that will help benefit the environment and community you are visiting and allow you to tread lightly on the earth. Ecotour.org - find travel opportunities that benefit local communities and preserve the environment. Gre enhotels.com/members.htm- identify hotels that are committed to reducing waste, conserving resources and reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals. Int.org- when visiting the outdoors, follow the principles of leave no trace to minimize your impact on the natural environment you're passing through. Wherever you are traveling to this year- maybe to a sunny location like Ecuador, so you can take in some Vitamin D, try to travel a little 'greener.' Happy trails! |
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CREOLE- (Kree-ohl)
Mardi Gras is known for its wild nights and parties, topless exhibitions, colorful beads, ornate costumes, spectacular parades and rich in flavor cuisine. The most famous cuisine, that is synonymous with New Orleans, is Creole cooking. In the 18th Century, the Spaniards governed New Orleans and named all the residents of European heritage "Criollo," which later became "Creole." Creole cooking reflects the full-flavored combination of the best of French, Spanish, and African cuisines. The emphasis of this cuisine lies in butter and cream bases. Cajun is another culinary style that is synonymous with New Orleans. What is the difference between Creole and Cajun cooking? Cajun, unlike Creole, uses tons of pork fat for its base. Creole is more sophisticated in flavor and cooking style. It uses more tomatoes while Cajun uses more spices. Creole uses file (Fee-lay) powder generously as well. The most famous Creole heritage dish is gumbo. A similarity between the two is that they both rely on what is known as "the culinary holy trinity;" green pepper, onion, and celery. It is used in most of the Cajun and Creole dishes. File powder- The Choctaw Indians from Louisiana Bayou Country are said to have used this spice first. It is made from ground leaves of the sassafras tree. It is used to thicken and flavor gumbos and other Creole dishes. It has a woodsy flavor that is reminiscent of root beer. In New Orleans, Creole is not the only famous cuisine. There are famous foods and desserts that are made exclusively for the Mardi Gras festivities. One example of these desserts is the famous "King Cake." The King Cake is a colorful braided brioche. But this cake has a surprise to it. There is something hidden in the dough, a plastic baby. Whoever gets the piece of cake with the plastic baby in it has to supply the next King Cake for the celebrations the following year. It has also been known to mean that you are the one that does the dishes that night or that you win the pot of money collected at the beginning of the night. Another tradition is that the person who has the plastic baby within their piece of King Cake is pronounced either the King or Queen (depending on sex of course) of the Mardi Gras Krewe. Krewes are clubs that host the Mardi Gras balls and parade elaborate floats down New Orleans's streets. The king provides the food for the next gala and the queen provides the location. King Cakes never used to be stuffed with plastic babies. They started out being stuffed with gold coins, then jewelry, and even nuts, all of which did not work for one reason or another. Keeping in the holiday of carnival and Mardi Gras, tiny babies seemed appropriate as they symbolized Jesus. Why not think of a fun way to incorporate a King Cake into the menu of your next party. Think of something good for them to do when they find their prize! Maybe it's a great way to propose to someone in New Orleans or at a Mardi Gras themed party by hiding the engagement ring in the cake! RECIPES GUMBO 3/4 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup flour 2 cups chopped onions 1 cup chopped bell peppers 1 cup chopped celery 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows 1 teaspoon cayenne 5 bay leaves 8 cups shrimp stock 1 pound fish pieces (any white fish available-i.e. escolar, amberjack, pompano, etc.) 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 pound crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage 2 dozen oysters with their liquid 1/4 cup chopped green onions 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley File powder 2 cups cooked white rice 2 tablespoon chopped green onions Loaf crusty French bread In a large heavy pot, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, whisk in the flour. Stir the mixture constantly for 15 to 20 minutes, for a dark brown roux. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, Essence, cayenne, and bay leaves. Cook for 12 to 13 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are wilted. Add the stock and mix to blend with the roux. Simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the fish pieces and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 15 minutes. Add the crabmeat, oysters, green onions and parsley and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the edges of the oysters curl. Remove from the heat. Add the File` powder to thicken at the end. Ladle the gumbo in a shallow dish. Place a heaping portion or two of the rice in the center of the gumbo. Sprinkle the green onions over top. Serve with a piece of French bread. Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning): 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika 2 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano 1 tablespoon dried thyme Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container. Yield: about 2/3 cup Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993. Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup flour 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped bell peppers 1 pound smoked sausage, such as Andouille or Kielbasa, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 3 bay leaves 6 cups water 1 pound boneless chicken meat, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 teaspoon Rustic Rub 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 1/2 cup chopped green onions 1 tablespoon file powder Combine the oil and flour in a large cast-iron or enameled cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate. Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and continue to stir for 4 to 5 minutes, or until wilted. Add the sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves. Continue to stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the water. Stir until the roux mixture and water are well combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Season the chicken with the rub and add to the pot. Simmer for 2 hours. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, green onions, and file powder. Remove the bay leaves and serve in deep bowls. King Cake 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees) 2 packages dry yeast 2 teaspoons sugar 4 to 5 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 1/2 cup warm milk (105 to 115 degrees) 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled 5 egg yolks 1/2 cup finely chopped candied citron King Cake Baby ! Glaze: 2 cups sifted powdered sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons water Purple, green and gold sugar crystals Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Combine the warm water, yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside to a warm place for about 10 minutes. Combine the 4 cups of flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, nutmeg, lemon rind and add warm milk, melted butter, egg yolks and yeast mixture. Beat until smooth. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place the dough in a well-greased bowl. Turn once so greased surface is on top. Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours). Punch the dough down and place on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with the citron and knead until the citron is evenly distributed. Shape the dough into a cylinder, about 30 inches long. Place the cylinder on a buttered baking sheet. Shape into a ring, pinching ends together to seal. Place a well-greased 2-pound coffee can or shortening can in the center of the ring to maintain shape during baking. Press the King Cake Baby into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough. Cover the ring with a towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the coffee can immediately. Allow the cake to cool. For the glaze: Combine the ingredients and beat until smooth. To assemble, drizzle cake with the glaze. Sprinkle with sugar crystals, alternating colors. Cut into the cake and hope you do not get the baby. If you have any great recipes with your favorite foods, please send them to me and I will include them in this section of an upcoming issue. Or if you have any suggestions about what veggie, fruit, herb etc. you'd like to know more about- Just email me at tina@yogabean.net. Thanks! Recipes furnished by www.foodnetwork.com, Emeril Lagasse (my favorite chef!) |
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In December of 2006, Brad Pitt convened a group of
experts in New Orleans to brainstorm about building
green and affordable housing, on a large scale, to
help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Previously, Pitt
sponsored an architectural competition, organized by
Global Green, with the goal of generating ideas about
how to rebuild New Orleans in a sustainable way.
Several designs, from that competition, are currently
under construction in the Lower 9th. This project
inspired Pitt to expand his efforts. The group settled
on a goal of constructing 150 homes with an
emphasis on developing an affordable system that
could be replicated.
Lower 9th Ward is one of the most devastated areas in New Orleans. It still needs so much help and rehabilitation. Having listened to one of the former Lower 9th Ward resident's plea to help "make it right," Pitt was inspired to name this project "Make it Right" or MIR. Brad Pitt hired a team of architects to realize this massive project. Pitt is joined by five local, five national, and five international architects, who have worked together to design the most sustainable, safe, and efficient houses for the people of Lower 9th. The massive fundraising project that is currently underway, under the "Make it Right" organization is "The Pink Project." It not only stands as a fundraising concept but an installation to provoke conversation in the Lower 9th Ward. Each house that will be built, after its building costs are met in donations, will be assembled to a full, single-family house. There are sections of each one of these sustainable houses that are partially built and draped in pink cloth. When funds are met to build a house different sections of pink cloth are removed to reveal a part of the house that can be attached to other parts to create a fully sustainable house that someone from the Lower 9th Ward can move into. To date, there are 64 houses, of the originally specked 150, that have been donated and built. Good luck to Brad Pitt and the "Make it Right" foundation on this venture. I know a few people that are from New Orleans. They have told me that the devastation is still very real and there is much help needed to make it right again. At least there are organizations, like "Make it Right" that are still actively helping the New Orleans Hurricane Katrina devastation area that may, one day, be able to fully rebuild and house all of the displaced residents and their pets. Here is a list of organizations that you may hopefully choose to donate to. Donate as much as you can. Just a few dollars will go a long way. On Brad Pitt's "Make it Right" sight, www.makeitright nola.org, you can actually click on a house and see where your money is going. You can donate to help buy a lamp or a refrigerator. Check it out; it's fun to see what is available. New Orleans Organizations that are helping rebuild the houses and lives of victims of the Hurricane Katrina's devastation are listed below. Rebuilding Together New Orleans http://www.rtno.org/ The Rockefeller Foundation http://www.rockfound.org/initiatives/n ew_orleans/no_home.shtml Friends of New Orleans http://www. friendsofneworleans.org/ Arabi Wrecking Krewe http://arabiwrec kingkrewe.com/ Beacon of Hope Resource Center http://www.lak ewoodbeacon.org/ Common Ground http://www. commongroundrelief.org/ Katrina Home Drive http://katrinahomedr ive.org/ Katrina Krewe http://www.cleanno.org/ Leeves.org http://levees.org/ New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund http://nomhrf.org/3/ New Orleans Redevelopment Authority http://www.norawork s.org/ Network for Good http://www.networkforgood.org/topics /animal_environ/hurricanes/ Renew New Orleans Foundation http://www.renewnol a.org/ Make it Right http://www.make itrightnola.org For the Animals: Animal Rescue New Orleans http:// www.animalrescueneworleans.org/ Louisiana SPCA http://www.la- spca.org/archive/trapping013006.htm The Nascar Foundation http://foundation.nascar.com/N etCommunity/Page.aspx?&pid=383&srcid=183 Alley Cat Allies http://www .alleycat.org/kat_relief.html If anyone has any ideas that they would like to share with the Yoga Bean crowd, just email me your ideas and I will print them in the next issue or send as a supplement even earlier. tina@yogabean.net |
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Indoor Winter Plants
While there are few outdoor plants that we in the temperate parts of the world associate with winter, there are a number of indoor plants that always appear this time of year. People have been bringing cut mistletoe, holly, evergreen branches and trees indoors at Christmas time for hundreds of years, but there are also various living plants that have become popular more recently. Some of these, such as the poinsettia, have an associated religious significance, whereas others are popular due to our desire to have colorful flowers and pleasing fragrances at a time when little is happening in the plant world out of doors. A quick search online will explain the history and significance of holly, mistletoe, and Christmas trees (try here, here, and here to start), but as my primary focus is gardening, I will limit this article to living indoor plants. Poinsettias Euphorbia pulcherrima, also known as the Poinsettia, Christmas Star, or Mexican Flame Leaf, is native to Mexico. It naturally grows in deciduous tropical forests and is only hardy down to 50°F/10°C. In the wild, poinsettias tend to be open, semi-deciduous shrubs that get 6-12ft (2-4m) tall and 3-8ft (1-2.5m) wide. Of course, those we bring into our homes are much smaller and more compact. Although the colorful parts of the poinsettias are commonly referred to as flowers, botanically speaking they are actually bracts, or modified leaves. These bracts are most frequently red, but many cultivars have been developed and they might have pink, white, or bi-color bracts. The true flowers of poinsettias are actually yellow and are found at the center of the top of the plant. If you consider the natural growing conditions of poinsettias, you can guess how best to take care of your plant. First, make sure it is well protected for that walk from the store to your car and then for the walk to the house, otherwise the cold weather may prove deadly. Once it is indoors, place it somewhere that it will ideally receive about 6 hours of indirect light (remember, there aren't full sun conditions on the forest floor.) Make sure the poinsettia isn't touching a cold window or in the path of a cold draft. However, don't be fooled into thinking "the hotter, the better"- don't cook your plant on top of a radiator either. Poinsettias like moist (not wet) soil-allow the soil to become just dry to the touch before watering and make sure the excess water is allowed to drain away. If you are up for a challenge, try to get you poinsettia to re-flower the next year. The key to re-flowering is the amount of light (actually, of dark) it gets every day. Poinsettias are triggered to flower when the nights are longer than 12 hours. Make sure that the room the plant is in is truly dark at night-even a street lamp can provide enough light to thwart flowering. For detailed instructions on getting your poinsettia to re-flower, check out The Poinsettia Pages. The poinsettia's association with Christmas seems to have originated in 16th century Mexico. Legend has it that a poor child, having no gifts for the celebration of Jesus' birthday, collected roadside weeds. When these were placed on the altar, they miraculously became the beautiful plant we now know. The poinsettia was also believed to be significant because its shape is reminiscent of the Star of Bethlehem. Dr. Joel Poinsett, the first US ambassador to Mexico, brought the plant back with him in 1828 and is credited with being the first to introduce the poinsettia to the United States of America. Contrary to popular opinion, poinsettias are not deadly if ingested. The milky sap may cause a skin irritation in some people, especially those with a latex sensitivity. If large quantities of the plant are consumed, an upset stomach may result. Since the taste is reportedly unpleasant, it's unlikely that a child or pet would eat a large quantity. (The Poinsettia Pages, Snopes, Medicine Net) Christmas Cactus The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera sp.) gets its common name not from any religious significance, but because it typically flowers around Christmastime. Like the poinsettia, the Christmas cactus is a short day plant, needing long nights to trigger the formation of buds. The Christmas cactus is less sensitive than the poinsettia to low levels of nighttime light such as headlights and streetlights. They will also flower if exposed to prolonged cool temperatures between 50- 55°F/10-13°C. No flowers will form at night temperatures above 70 degrees. Actually, the plants sold as Christmas cacti may be one of several species collectively called holiday cacti-- Schlumbergera x buckleyi, a hybrid between S. russelliana and S. truncate (Christmas cactus), Schlumbergera truncate (Thanksgiving cactus), and Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri (Easter cactus). Each got its common name due to the time they flower under normal growing conditions. The Thanksgiving cactus is actually the one most often sold as a Christmas cactus both because it needs the least number of long nights to flower and because it is likely to be flowering before Christmas, attracting people shopping for the holidays. The Easter cactus is the one least likely to be is stores as it is the trickiest to grow. Here is a good website with photos and sketches differentiating each. Holiday cacti originated from Southeastern Brazil, where they naturally occur on rocky outcrops in tropical rainforests. From this information, you'll probably realize that they need different growing conditions than we normally associate with cacti. Holiday cacti like dappled light or indirect light, such as a location away from a window in a well lit room. Water your plant thoroughly but allow the soil to dry slightly between watering. Too much water causes root rot. If the plant goes too long without water, the leaves will wilt and wrinkle. Watering a wrinkled plant will bring it back to health, but if this happens frequently it can cause death. Holiday cacti are fairly easy to grow and to get to flower. In fact, it can sometimes be easier to bring a plant you've had for a while to full flower than to get a newly purchased plant to come to full flower, even if that plant was covered with buds when you bought it. Bud drop, due to significant changes in light, temperature, or moisture, can be a problem. Chances are reasonable that at least one of these conditions will be considerably different between the store and your home. Holiday cacti are also easy to propagate. Simply break a few segments from the plant and bury it at least the depth of a quarter of a segment in moist but well drained soil. Keep the soil moist and roots should soon develop. Bulbs Forcing bulbs is a popular way of having an early spring indoors. Many bulbs are easy to grow indoors. Potted bulbs like daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips show up in stores soon after the beginning of the new year. If you like, you can plant most of these bulbs in the garden after they're done flowering, assuming that they grow in your area. Make sure you allow the leaves to die naturally instead of cutting them off. The leaves provide the energy that gets stored in the bulb and let it bloom again the next year. Bulbs grown in water, not soil, typically won't be able to re-flower due to lack of nutrients. You can also buy un-potted bulbs in the fall for much less. If you do this, you will need to cold treat the bulbs to trigger blooming. (The potted bulbs you buy in late winter were cold treated already.) To cold treat bulbs, pot them and place them somewhere they will receive steady temperatures in the 35-48°F/2-9°C range for 12-16 weeks. Possible good locations for chilling your bulbs are the attic, a cool basement, an attached garage, or the refrigerator. Don't chill your bulbs outside as winter air temperatures can get too cold. (Soil temperatures, for your plants that are in the ground, are moderated and won't be as cold.) During this chilling period, the bulb will produce a lot of root growth, but little top growth. They don't need light while chilling. After the cold treatment time, move the bulb to a warmer location (60- 65°F/15-18°C) and allow it to get bright light. You may want to rotate the pot regularly to keep the newly emerging flower stalk and leaves from leaning in one direction. After about three to four weeks, depending on the plant, you should have flowers! Not all bulbs require cold treatment. Paperwhites (Narcissus tazetta 'Paper White'), the yellow cultivar of the same (Narcissus tazetta 'Soleil d'Or'), and amaryllis (Hippeastrum cultivars) can all flower without being chilled first. Just pot and water and flowers will appear like magic! The two narcissus varieties don't typically re-bloom and are best composted, but you can encourage the amaryllis to flower again next year without too much effort. After your amaryllis finishes flowering, cut the flower stalk to prevent the plant from spending energy going to seed but allow the leaves to grow. You can keep the amaryllis as a house plant but I find the leaves get really long and untidy after awhile. I tend to move my pot outdoors after the weather warms. You should bring the pot back inside before the first frost, place it in a dark location and withhold water, allowing the leaves to brown and the bulb to "rest". After eight weeks (or less if new growth appears), place the pot in light and water normally. You should be rewarded with a new flower stalk! For more detailed information on forcing bulbs and the best bulbs for indoor forcing a web search should uncover lots of resources. Try here, here (a PDF), here, and here for a good start. Happy gardening! Bryn Richard is a licensed landscape architect with a strong interest in sustainable design. She can be reached at Bryn@BlueTrillium.net and welcomes your questions and suggestions for further articles. |
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What, Where, When, Why and How of VITAMIN
D
What is Vitamin D? Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for the human body. It is responsible for maintaining normal calcium and phosphate levels in the blood. Where do we get Vitamin D? The normal balanced diet provides Vitamin D. However, it is found naturally in a limited number of foods. The foods with the greatest amount of Vitamin D are fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines. Cod liver oil has the highest amount of Vitamin D of all the natural sources: 1,360 IU (International Units) per tablespoon. In comparison, milk has 100 IU per 8 ounces and this amount is only because milk producers add Vitamin D to the milk. Vitamin D is also added to orange juice, cereals and instant oatmeal. We can also obtain Vitamin D from vitamin supplements. Vitamin D can be found as a single ingredient vitamin in various amounts, ranging from 200 to 1,000 IU. The most common form being the 400 IU tablet. Vitamin D can also be part of a multivitamin or it is commonly paired with calcium. Most of these preparations can be purchased without a prescription, however the actual concentration of Vitamin D will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer for nonprescription preparations because there is no F.D.A. regulation of these products. Believe it or not, we as humans can make our own Vitamin D. It's synthesized in our skin as a result of exposure to sunlight. It is thought that if a person receives five to ten minutes of sun exposure per day, between the hours of 11am and 2pm, three times per week, during the spring, summer and fall seasons, this should provide enough Vitamin D (in a fair skinned person without an existing vitamin deficiency) for the entire winter season. Why do we need Vitamin D? Vitamin D is important for the maintenance of the body's calcium and phosphorus levels, which are required for healthy bones. Without adequate Vitamin D as a child, you can develop a bone disease called Rickets. As an adult, without enough Vitamin D, one can develop Osteomalacia (soft bones) and/or Osteoporosis (demineralized bones). Vitamin D has an association with decreased incidence of colorectal cancer in men and decreased breast cancer and hip fracture in women. One five-year study of more than 120,000 people found that men with the highest Vitamin D intake had a 29% decrease in risk of colon cancer versus men with lower Vitamin D intake. Although the association between Vitamin D intake and breast cancer risk is not well documented, women who participated in the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that sunlight exposure and Vitamin D intake was associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer. Another study, involving 72,000 postmenopausal women in the USA, followed for eighteen years, found that those women who took 600 IU of Vitamin D per day had a 37% less incidence of hip fracture from osteoporosis. Also a sixteen-year study, of more that 80,000 women, found that higher intakes of Vitamin D were associated with lower breast cancer risk in premenopausal women. Rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes are examples of autoimmune diseases. The results of several studies concerning Vitamin D and autoimmune diseases suggest that adequate Vitamin D intake may decrease the risk of these diseases. One study, followed for thirty years, of children born in Finland, found that those children who received Vitamin D during the first year of life had a lower risk for developing insulin dependent diabetes. Additionally, in two large studies of women, followed for ten years, it was found that Vitamin D supplementation was linked to a decrease in the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Lastly, in another long-term study of postmenopausal women it was concluded that those women, with the highest Vitamin D intake, were at a lower risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis versus those women who had the lowest Vitamin D intake. How much Vitamin D do we need? It has been determined by various governmental agencies that there is insufficient evidence to establish a recommended daily allowance (RDA) of Vitamin D. Instead of an RDA, the Institute of Medicine has recommended an Adequate Intake or AI for Vitamin D. Vitamin D is listed on food and dietary supplement labels as either micrograms (ug) or International Units (IU). One microgram of Vitamin D is equal to 40 International Units, however in the United States Vitamin D is mostly referred to in International Units. The AI for children is 200 IU/day, adults 200 IU/day, adults 50 to 70 years 400 IU, seniors above 70 years 600 IU/day. People always ask if they can over do it when taking vitamin supplements. In relation to Vitamin D the information is not quite clear as to the upper limits of intake before problems occur. First of all, it is not possible to synthesize too much Vitamin D as a result of sun exposure. However, the Food and Nutrition Board, of the Institute of Medicine, of the National Academy of Sciences suggest an upper limit of daily intake to be 1000 IU for infants up to one year and 2000 IU for children and adults. A study done in 1997 suggested that the upper limit for Vitamin D intake in adults before toxicity occurs is 10,000 IU per day. Too much Vitamin D can cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, poor appetite, weakness, weight loss (not a weight loss option!) confusion and heart rhythm problems. When can a Vitamin deficiency occur? A Vitamin D deficiency can be defined as a Vitamin D or (25 hydroxy Vitamin D) blood level less than 80 nmol/liter. Your physician can easily order this test. The following groups of people are at an increased risk for Vitamin D insufficiency:
In summary The take home message is that if you maintain a balanced diet and get some consistent sun exposure you should be fine. However if you are short on sun exposure in the summer months you can always make it up by spending time near the equator during the winter. If you are a healthy adult and are interested in a Vitamin D supplement, it would be reasonable to consider 200 IU per day. |
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Don't forget, please send this to your friends and family so that everyone can be a part of the Yoga Bean family. Talk to you soon!
Sincerely,
Tina LeMar
Yoga Bean
email:
tina@yogabean.net
phone:
610.805.6724
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