The Herb AcaciaWritten by Judi Singleton
Acacia (ka´sh) , any plant of large leguminous genus Acacia, often thorny shrubs and trees of family Leguminosae (pulse family). Chiefly of tropics and subtropics, they are cultivated for decorative and economic purposes. Acacias are characteristic of savanna vegetation and are especially numerous in South African bushveld. The foliage often appears feathery because of many small leaflets, but in some species leaflike flattened stems contain chlorophyll and take place of leaves. Various Old World species (especially A. arabica and A. senegal ) yield gum arabic; other species, chiefly A. catechu, yield dye catechu. Blackwood (A. melanoxylon) is valued in Australia for its hardwood timber. Other members of genus are valuable for lac, for perfume and essential oils, and for tannins; some are used as ornamentals. The Australian acacias are commonly called wattles–their pliable branches were woven into structure of early wattle houses and fences and Wattle Day celebrates national flower at blossoming time. Many wattles are cultivated elsewhere, particularly in California, as ornamentals for their characteristic spherical, dense flowers. The Central American bullhorn acacias (e.g., A. sphaerocephala) have large hollow thorns inhabited by ants that are said to feed upon a sweet secretion of plant and in turn guard it against leaf-eating insects. The most common acacia indigenous to United States is cat's-claw (A. gregii) of arid Southwest. The biblical shittim wood is thought to have come from an acacia. Various species of locust are sometimes called acacia, and acacias may be called mimosa; all are of same family. Acacia is classified in division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Leguminosae. Common names, Cape gum, Egyptian thorn, Gum Arabic tree, Gum acacia, Gum Arabic,India gum tree,Bablah pods, Acacia bambolah. Acacia is a small, spiny, leguminous tree or shrub. After rainy season ends, stem begins to exude gum, which is collected from December to June for marketing as gum Arabic. The acacia has alternate, bipinnate leaves and axillary racemes of yellow flowers arranged in globose heads. The fruit is an oblong pod. Grows in sandy soil, mostly in tropical Africa Acacia was a sacred wood for ancient Hebrews. Moses used acacia wood in building Ark of Covenant and sacred Tabernacle (see Exodus, chapters 25-40). According to Near-Eastern Christian legend, a thorny species of acacia was used for Christ's crown of thorns. Moapa Paiute name for acacia is "Pah oh pimb." Used for inflammation of eyes, due to dust; vaqueros and travelers habitually carry acacia seeds and put 4 in each eye on retiring. Gum Arabic's main effect is to form a protective, soothing coating over inflammations in respiratory, alimentary, and urinary tracts. It is helpful for coughs, sore throat, and catarrh, eyewash, diarrhea, and dysentery. Sweetened, it is sometimes used for typhoid fever. Acacia greggii Taxonomy: Magnoliophyta (angiosperm), Magnoliopsida (dicot), Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae) Common names: catclaw, Gregg cat claw, cat's claw acacia, tear blanket, devils claw, paradise flower, long-flowered catclaw, Texas mimosa, uña de gato. Acacia greggii is a member of Fabaceae family; it is native to Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Catclaw occurs primarily in semi-desert grasslands and brushy range lands largely confined to washes. It is often found on upper slopes of a bajada (Spanish for downhill) where moisture is more available than middle or lower bajada situations. Catclaw has highest water requirements of several species of desert shrubs tested, partially explaining why although it is found in arid regions, is often confined to dry washes or stream bottoms with relatively shallow water tables.
| | 10 Tips: How to get in shape without sweatingWritten by Valerie Vauthey
Tip #1: The *Brazilian move*. The good thing about this move is that you don't need to go a gym to do it, you don't even need to find time in your day. Why? Because you will do this move while you brush your teeth! How does it work: Standing straight in your bathroom, bend your knees slightly. Tilt your hips forward while contracting them, then pull them back. Remember to make a very strong squeeze when you finish forward move. As you brush your teeth a minimum of twice a day, that's 6 minutes a day of Brazilian move. Along with a healthy eating, this will guarantee you will get a nice rear for this summer, yeah! Tip #2: Use your Hands! There are some chores you would be better off doing by hand! For instance, washing dishes by hand will burn 78 calories per half hour..... Knowing that a pound is about 3,500 calories, and assuming you will wash dishes half an hour over 45 days, you will have lost 1 pound without knowing it....(translated on a year, this amounts to about 8 pounds!) Tip #3: How to get your 60 minutes of accumulated exercise a day…. The General Surgeon's orders are to get 60 minutes of accumulated exercise per day (this can be sliced up into 6 small walks without any problem). Beside burning calories, when you walk you will build big muscles of your lower body. Muscle tissue uses up more calories to maintain than fat, even at rest. Again, you don't have to go for a 60 minute walk if you don't fee like it. You can slice it up into 4x15 minute walk: -1- one at home when you wake up (will also help wake up even more :o) -2- two at lunch time to go to your lunch place and to come back (just select a place that's 15 minutes away from your office) -3- one in middle of afternoon to help you remain focus until end of day. Tip #4: Manage your food cravings by being proactive!!! Your body produces endorphins when you do aerobic exercise -- which means getting your heart rate up for at least 20 mn. Aerobic exercise produces endorphins, body chemicals that induce euphoric and pleasurable feelings. These are same chemicals produced in response to eating fat/sweet foods. Tip #5: Improve your posture This is a great exercise to improve your posture hereby making you look great when you walk, when you are on beach, when you enter a business meeting room. On a yoga mat, stand straight. Breath a few times: inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale slowly. Tuck your toes under and push back into a low squat, with fingertips lightly touching floor. Drop your chin so it's relaxed toward chest. Slowly rise from squat position by pushing your heels toward floor until your torso hangs froward and down. Keep knees slightly bent and aligned over center of each foot. Breathe, relax upper body, and hang like a rag dool. Inhale in that position. Exhale as you engage your powerhouse and slowly roll up to a standing position. When you are standing, straighten your knees with your arms relaxed at your sides. Inhale once again, and as you exhale, rise slowly to balance on balls of your feet. Breathe, relax shoulders, and maintain this balance for several seconds. You can do this exercise 3 times each time you finish a work out. It may sound complicated by reading this text; I suggest you print this tip, take it with you wherever you do your workouts, do it once with paper and once you have understood move, re-do it without reading.
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