Growing your own herbs is one of the easiest and tastiest gardening projects you can undertake.

Stepping out the back door to pick your own fresh basil or rosemary can bring you and your friends and family some sweet and savory satisfaction.

It can also save you a lot of money in the long run, since herbs bought at the grocery tend to be pretty pricey.

Start with some basics, choose your plants and follow these helpful tips.

Happy, happy plants:

Before you even plant a seed, prepare your soil. Organic compost is one of the simplest ways to improve your soil. However, don’t mix garden soil into containers. Instead mix organic hummus and organic potting fertilizer for a loose, well-drained mix.

Let the sunshine in:

Most herbs love, love, love sunshine, so pick a spot where they will get plenty of it. Only a few herbs need shadier areas – like cilantro  and mint.

Although realistically, mint is the Gengis Khan of herbs. Shade or sun, this herb grows like a weed and can take over the entire garden. Plant it separately or in a area where you will want the coverage it can give. It’s a perennial, so make sure to look for it each year when it pops back up  in the spring.

Just a sip:

Only water every few days when the top inch of soil feels dry. Herbs thrive better in a semi-dry environment.

It also helps to plant them in area of the yard or containers that drain well and don’t hold in too much water.

Easy on the fertilizer:

You should only fertilize once a month at the most. Too much fertilizer can make the herbs overproduce and the flavor will be dulled.

Lots of times, just adding garden compost to the top layer of the soil is all the fertilizer your herbs will need throughout the growing season.

Harvest time:

Harvesting your herbs promotes their growth and keeps plants in a growing cycle instead of maturing and going to seed. Snip and clip a little to prep up some delicious meals sprinkled with fresh herbs every night and your herbs will last all through the spring and summer.

On the other hand, don’t go to town and harvest it all, it will take a few weeks for your herbs to replenish.

What’s Twinkle growing?

This year I’ve planted a salsa garden – cilantro, peppers, tomatoes and other herbs. Check back for tips on growing your very own!

—————————————————————————-

Twinkle VanWinkle has over 20 years of professional cooking under her apron strings, feeding thousands of friends, family and other folks. She baked apple pies for the “Oprah Winfrey Show” and has appeared on Food Network’s “The Best Of…” Along with producing dynamic lifestyle content for LIN Media, she is a mother, urban gardener, chef, musician and social media fanatic.

Find out more on TwinkleVanWinkle.com or  Foodspotting, Tumblr and Twitter.  by Twinkle VanWinkle

I’m all for saving time in the garden. Not because I don’t love gardening, but I’d like to spend more time just sitting there enjoying it.  I’m not convinced that will ever happen, but who knows?

Tony Fawcett, who wrote a story for the Herald Sun real estate page, thinks it could. He shares “… sneaky ways to spare ourselves some toil.

“I know most of them,” he says, “because I’ve put a lot of hard work into becoming a lazy gardener. For starters, stop beating yourself up about your lack of garden energy. It’s OK. The world won’t end.”

GARDENING IN STRAW: Sacramento Bee reporter Debbie Arrington interviewed Joel Karsten, author of  “Straw Bale Gardens: The Breakthrough Method for Growing Vegetables Anywhere, Earlier and With No Weeding,” which made it to Amazon’s top 10 best-selling garden books this spring.

He told her, “I’ve been doing this for 20 years,” said Karsten, who was initially inspired by straw bales on his family’s farm. “For the first 14, I couldn’t get anybody to care about it no matter what I did. But in the past six years, it’s just exploded.

“People see it and they’re fascinated by it.”

EDIBLES ARE PRETTY, TOO: Edibles can be just as beautiful as any other ornamental in the garden. In fact, Read more: why are vegetables, herbs and fruits not included in the “ornamental” designation?

In his Gardening With Tim column, Seattle meteorologist Tim Joyce makes my point: “From the color pops on the edges of the leaves of lemon thyme to the red hues of some basil varieties it’s proof there is color to be had from edible plants. Lots of texture too – from the spiky leaves of the artichoke to the fragile fern-like fennel. And mixing in edibles into the yard and garden remains a growing trend here in the Northwest.”

— Kym Pokorny

Growing your own herbs is one of the easiest and tastiest gardening projects you can undertake.

Stepping out the back door to pick your own fresh basil or rosemary can bring you and your friends and family some sweet and savory satisfaction.

It can also save you a lot of money in the long run, since herbs bought at the grocery tend to be pretty pricey.

Start with some basics, choose your plants and follow these helpful tips.

Happy, happy plants:

Before you even plant a seed, prepare your soil. Organic compost is one of the simplest ways to improve your soil. However, don’t mix garden soil into containers. Instead mix organic hummus and organic potting fertilizer for a loose, well-drained mix.

Let the sunshine in:

Most herbs love, love, love sunshine, so pick a spot where they will get plenty of it. Only a few herbs need shadier areas – like cilantro  and mint.

Although realistically, mint is the Gengis Khan of herbs. Shade or sun, this herb grows like a weed and can take over the entire garden. Plant it separately or in a area where you will want the coverage it can give. It’s a perennial, so make sure to look for it each year when it pops back up  in the spring.

Just a sip:

Only water every few days when the top inch of soil feels dry. Herbs thrive better in a semi-dry environment.

It also helps to plant them in area of the yard or containers that drain well and don’t hold in too much water.

Easy on the fertilizer:

You should only fertilize once a month at the most. Too much fertilizer can make the herbs overproduce and the flavor will be dulled.

Lots of times, just adding garden compost to the top layer of the soil is all the fertilizer your herbs will need throughout the growing season.

Harvest time:

Harvesting your herbs promotes their growth and keeps plants in a growing cycle instead of maturing and going to seed. Snip and clip a little to prep up some delicious meals sprinkled with fresh herbs every night and your herbs will last all through the spring and summer.

On the other hand, don’t go to town and harvest it all, it will take a few weeks for your herbs to replenish.

What’s Twinkle growing?

This year I’ve planted a salsa garden – cilantro, peppers, tomatoes and other herbs. Check back for tips on growing your very own!

—————————————————————————-

Twinkle VanWinkle has over 20 years of professional cooking under her apron strings, feeding thousands of friends, family and other folks. She baked apple pies for the “Oprah Winfrey Show” and has appeared on Food Network’s “The Best Of…” Along with producing dynamic lifestyle content for LIN Media, she is a mother, urban gardener, chef, musician and social media fanatic.

Find out more on TwinkleVanWinkle.com or  Foodspotting, Tumblr and Twitter.

In the first of her new monthly columns, Crawley Horticultural Society’s Helen Bergin shares tips and tales from her Southgate garden

HOORAY, it’s spring! Well, it looks like spring even if it doesn’t feel like spring.

1. ​

2. ​

   TOP TIPS: Helen Bergin shares gardening expertise in her monthly column

3. ​

   IN BLOOM: Doronicums are in flower in Helen’s garden

This is the busiest time of year for all gardeners and 2013 has been particularly difficult with the windy, wet and cold weather we have had.

Despite this, my garden still has daffodils in flower as well as blue and pink pulmonarias with their white spotted leaves, forsythia, tulips, forget-me-nots and doronicums.

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery VAT included. Choose from 1000’s of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms:
Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

Seeds are also being sewn for summer, autumn and winter vegetables.

Currently on my terrace and in the greenhouse I have beetroot, lettuce, spinach, broad beans, runner beans, french beans, sweet peppers, cucumbers, courgettes, leeks, parsnips, peas and tomatoes. Most of them are ready to go into the allotment or out into the flower borders.

For planting in the garden, there are pots of sweet peas, cosmos, annual and perennial dahlias, tagetes (for the pollinators in the greenhouse) and zinnias.

Now is the time to plant hanging baskets with summer bedding. Remember to think about where your basket will be – in the sun or shade – before you buy your plants and decide on a theme or colour.

Bees are also a necessity in the garden. The numbers of bees visiting our flowerbeds and vegetable plots have been falling over recent years.

Last spring there were worryingly few and this year is the same, so we should try to think about them when we are planning our gardens.

Bees like plants which help them collect nectar and pollen to turn into honey in their nests.

They love aquilegias, marigolds, cosmos, sunflowers, poppies, achillea, asters and echinops.

Come along to our talk at the Crawley Horticultural Society (in Ifield Avenue, West Green) on June 6 and listen to our bee expert explaining how important bees are to us and what we can do to help them.

Lastly, remember that whilst planning all the good things in the garden, we must remember to keep on top of weeds – the bitter fight for all gardeners.

I am currently digging over my autumn flower border which is infested with pernicious creeping buttercup and dock leaves.

They arrived over winter and will choke the summer day lilies and heleniums if I don’t dig now.

When I have cleared the ground I will also plant a very tall perennial sunflower – Lemon Queen – alongside a deep purple aster, which should look spectacular in the autumn, and be food for the bees at the same time.

If you have any questions or would like more plant recommendations you can e-mail me at editorial@crawleyhorticulturalsociety.org.uk

Crawley Horticultural Society calendar of events (held in the CHS Hall):

6 June – Dr Karin Alton, honey bee research scientist at the University of Sussex, will be giving a talk on “Planting for pollinators, how can we help boost our declining populations?”

9 June – Cats Protection Homing Show 11am – 3pm

22 June – Summer and Pelargonium Show 1.30pm

In the first of her new monthly columns, Crawley Horticultural Society’s Helen Bergin shares tips and tales from her Southgate garden

HOORAY, it’s spring! Well, it looks like spring even if it doesn’t feel like spring.

1. ​

2. ​

   TOP TIPS: Helen Bergin shares gardening expertise in her monthly column

3. ​

   IN BLOOM: Doronicums are in flower in Helen’s garden

This is the busiest time of year for all gardeners and 2013 has been particularly difficult with the windy, wet and cold weather we have had.

Despite this, my garden still has daffodils in flower as well as blue and pink pulmonarias with their white spotted leaves, forsythia, tulips, forget-me-nots and doronicums.

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery VAT included. Choose from 1000’s of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms:
Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

Seeds are also being sewn for summer, autumn and winter vegetables.

Currently on my terrace and in the greenhouse I have beetroot, lettuce, spinach, broad beans, runner beans, french beans, sweet peppers, cucumbers, courgettes, leeks, parsnips, peas and tomatoes. Most of them are ready to go into the allotment or out into the flower borders.

For planting in the garden, there are pots of sweet peas, cosmos, annual and perennial dahlias, tagetes (for the pollinators in the greenhouse) and zinnias.

Now is the time to plant hanging baskets with summer bedding. Remember to think about where your basket will be – in the sun or shade – before you buy your plants and decide on a theme or colour.

Bees are also a necessity in the garden. The numbers of bees visiting our flowerbeds and vegetable plots have been falling over recent years.

Last spring there were worryingly few and this year is the same, so we should try to think about them when we are planning our gardens.

Bees like plants which help them collect nectar and pollen to turn into honey in their nests.

They love aquilegias, marigolds, cosmos, sunflowers, poppies, achillea, asters and echinops.

Come along to our talk at the Crawley Horticultural Society (in Ifield Avenue, West Green) on June 6 and listen to our bee expert explaining how important bees are to us and what we can do to help them.

Lastly, remember that whilst planning all the good things in the garden, we must remember to keep on top of weeds – the bitter fight for all gardeners.

I am currently digging over my autumn flower border which is infested with pernicious creeping buttercup and dock leaves.

They arrived over winter and will choke the summer day lilies and heleniums if I don’t dig now.

When I have cleared the ground I will also plant a very tall perennial sunflower – Lemon Queen – alongside a deep purple aster, which should look spectacular in the autumn, and be food for the bees at the same time.

If you have any questions or would like more plant recommendations you can e-mail me at editorial@crawleyhorticulturalsociety.org.uk

Crawley Horticultural Society calendar of events (held in the CHS Hall):

6 June – Dr Karin Alton, honey bee research scientist at the University of Sussex, will be giving a talk on “Planting for pollinators, how can we help boost our declining populations?”

9 June – Cats Protection Homing Show 11am – 3pm

22 June – Summer and Pelargonium Show 1.30pm

In the first of her new monthly columns, Crawley Horticultural Society’s Helen Bergin shares tips and tales from her Southgate garden

HOORAY, it’s spring! Well, it looks like spring even if it doesn’t feel like spring.

1. ​

2. ​

   TOP TIPS: Helen Bergin shares gardening expertise in her monthly column

3. ​

   IN BLOOM: Doronicums are in flower in Helen’s garden

This is the busiest time of year for all gardeners and 2013 has been particularly difficult with the windy, wet and cold weather we have had.

Despite this, my garden still has daffodils in flower as well as blue and pink pulmonarias with their white spotted leaves, forsythia, tulips, forget-me-nots and doronicums.

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery VAT included. Choose from 1000’s of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms:
Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

Seeds are also being sewn for summer, autumn and winter vegetables.

Currently on my terrace and in the greenhouse I have beetroot, lettuce, spinach, broad beans, runner beans, french beans, sweet peppers, cucumbers, courgettes, leeks, parsnips, peas and tomatoes. Most of them are ready to go into the allotment or out into the flower borders.

For planting in the garden, there are pots of sweet peas, cosmos, annual and perennial dahlias, tagetes (for the pollinators in the greenhouse) and zinnias.

Now is the time to plant hanging baskets with summer bedding. Remember to think about where your basket will be – in the sun or shade – before you buy your plants and decide on a theme or colour.

Bees are also a necessity in the garden. The numbers of bees visiting our flowerbeds and vegetable plots have been falling over recent years.

Last spring there were worryingly few and this year is the same, so we should try to think about them when we are planning our gardens.

Bees like plants which help them collect nectar and pollen to turn into honey in their nests.

They love aquilegias, marigolds, cosmos, sunflowers, poppies, achillea, asters and echinops.

Come along to our talk at the Crawley Horticultural Society (in Ifield Avenue, West Green) on June 6 and listen to our bee expert explaining how important bees are to us and what we can do to help them.

Lastly, remember that whilst planning all the good things in the garden, we must remember to keep on top of weeds – the bitter fight for all gardeners.

I am currently digging over my autumn flower border which is infested with pernicious creeping buttercup and dock leaves.

They arrived over winter and will choke the summer day lilies and heleniums if I don’t dig now.

When I have cleared the ground I will also plant a very tall perennial sunflower – Lemon Queen – alongside a deep purple aster, which should look spectacular in the autumn, and be food for the bees at the same time.

If you have any questions or would like more plant recommendations you can e-mail me at editorial@crawleyhorticulturalsociety.org.uk

Crawley Horticultural Society calendar of events (held in the CHS Hall):

6 June – Dr Karin Alton, honey bee research scientist at the University of Sussex, will be giving a talk on “Planting for pollinators, how can we help boost our declining populations?”

9 June – Cats Protection Homing Show 11am – 3pm

22 June – Summer and Pelargonium Show 1.30pm

In the first of her new monthly columns, Crawley Horticultural Society’s Helen Bergin shares tips and tales from her Southgate garden

HOORAY, it’s spring! Well, it looks like spring even if it doesn’t feel like spring.

1. ​

2. ​

   TOP TIPS: Helen Bergin shares gardening expertise in her monthly column

3. ​

   IN BLOOM: Doronicums are in flower in Helen’s garden

This is the busiest time of year for all gardeners and 2013 has been particularly difficult with the windy, wet and cold weather we have had.

Despite this, my garden still has daffodils in flower as well as blue and pink pulmonarias with their white spotted leaves, forsythia, tulips, forget-me-nots and doronicums.

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery VAT included. Choose from 1000’s of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms:
Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

Seeds are also being sewn for summer, autumn and winter vegetables.

Currently on my terrace and in the greenhouse I have beetroot, lettuce, spinach, broad beans, runner beans, french beans, sweet peppers, cucumbers, courgettes, leeks, parsnips, peas and tomatoes. Most of them are ready to go into the allotment or out into the flower borders.

For planting in the garden, there are pots of sweet peas, cosmos, annual and perennial dahlias, tagetes (for the pollinators in the greenhouse) and zinnias.

Now is the time to plant hanging baskets with summer bedding. Remember to think about where your basket will be – in the sun or shade – before you buy your plants and decide on a theme or colour.

Bees are also a necessity in the garden. The numbers of bees visiting our flowerbeds and vegetable plots have been falling over recent years.

Last spring there were worryingly few and this year is the same, so we should try to think about them when we are planning our gardens.

Bees like plants which help them collect nectar and pollen to turn into honey in their nests.

They love aquilegias, marigolds, cosmos, sunflowers, poppies, achillea, asters and echinops.

Come along to our talk at the Crawley Horticultural Society (in Ifield Avenue, West Green) on June 6 and listen to our bee expert explaining how important bees are to us and what we can do to help them.

Lastly, remember that whilst planning all the good things in the garden, we must remember to keep on top of weeds – the bitter fight for all gardeners.

I am currently digging over my autumn flower border which is infested with pernicious creeping buttercup and dock leaves.

They arrived over winter and will choke the summer day lilies and heleniums if I don’t dig now.

When I have cleared the ground I will also plant a very tall perennial sunflower – Lemon Queen – alongside a deep purple aster, which should look spectacular in the autumn, and be food for the bees at the same time.

If you have any questions or would like more plant recommendations you can e-mail me at editorial@crawleyhorticulturalsociety.org.uk

Crawley Horticultural Society calendar of events (held in the CHS Hall):

6 June – Dr Karin Alton, honey bee research scientist at the University of Sussex, will be giving a talk on “Planting for pollinators, how can we help boost our declining populations?”

9 June – Cats Protection Homing Show 11am – 3pm

22 June – Summer and Pelargonium Show 1.30pm

• 

Topricin is a great tool for gardeners who wish to prevent and heal aches, pains, and injuries

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, last year more than 41,200 people were injured while gardening

Rhinebeck, NY (PRWEB) May 29, 2013

It’s the time of year people are tidying up their yards, digging in the dirt, and planting flowers and vegetables in their gardens. However, along with the joy and satisfaction of being active outdoors in nature, gardening also brings with it the risks of pain and injury. Topical BioMedics, Inc., of Rhinebeck, NY, offers insights and tips for enjoying gardening more with less pain.

BENEFITS OF GARDENING

Some of the benefits of gardening include being outside in the fresh air and sunshine as well as getting the blood moving. It’s also great form of exercise because it combines three types of physical activity: strength, endurance, and flexibility. Perhaps surprisingly, it’s possible to burn the same number of calories gardening for 45 minutes as doing 30 minutes of aerobics.

Here’s another benefit. In a study of more than 3,010 women, researchers from the University of Arkansas found that those involved in yard work and gardening had lower rates of osteoporosis than women who jogged, swam and did aerobics. In addition, spending time in nature can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and relieve muscle tension.

There’s no doubt that gardeners place demands on their bodies and—if done improperly—gardening and yard work can lead to muscle and joint pain, repetitive strain injuries, tendonitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, as well as other injuries and accidents.

“Planting, raking, weeding, digging, pruning, stooping, reaching, bending, kneeling, lifting, crouching, carrying heavy debris, and operating machinery puts stress on different parts of the body,” says Lou Paradise, president and chief of research at Topical BioMedics, Inc., the makers of natural Topricin® Pain Relief and Healing Creams. “Gardeners spend hours performing these activities and without warming up and using proper form, they can lead to a variety of problems such as sprains, strains, twisted ankles, hand and wrist pain, lower back and shoulder pain, foot, and knee pain.”

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, last year, more than 41,200 people were injured while gardening. For a safer 2013, Topical BioMedics offers the following tips to help stay injury free and safe from potential hazards throughout the gardening season:

To avoid/reduce injuries:

–Warm up/stretch as you would before any physical activity, and then cool down and stretch afterwards.

–Wear gardening gloves to lower the risk of skin irritations/cuts and reduce blister formation, and use kneepads or a foam cushion to make the work less stressful on knees.

–Dress to protect yourself from lawn/garden pests and the hot sun. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long, light-colored pants made from breathable cotton, tuck pants into socks or boots, and check yourself and family members for ticks. Wear a hat and sunglasses, and if you use a sunscreen make sure it is as safe and natural as possible (for recommendations, visit the Environmental Working Group at http://www.ewg.org).

–Wear goggles when doing things like weed-whacking or chipping and ear protection when using loud equipment.

–Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water throughout the day. Remember that you’re outside in the heat, working up a sweat and perspiring.

–Use ergonomically designed tools, or ones with padded handles that are kinder to hands. Keep your “tools of the trade” in tip-top shape by making sure your power equipment is working properly and your tools are sharpened and properly stored.

–Do not mow grass when it’s wet and slippery. Before mowing, walk around the yard, checking for sticks, stones, toys, and other foreign objects that could shoot out from under the mower.

–Work at a steady, constant speed, take breaks often, and be sure to change positions every 10 or 15 minutes to avoid overusing any one muscle group.

To prevent and treat injuries:

Aches and pains don’t have to interfere with summer gardening when you practice prevention and follow activities/injuries with appropriate treatment protocol.

Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream is a favorite treatment for gardeners around the country. Fueled by nature not chemicals, Topricin is a blend of eleven natural medicines that naturally help the joints detoxify by stimulating the body’s desire to drain toxins and excess fluids from the muscle tissue, which restores blood flow back to normal and helps heal the damage that is causing the pain.

–As a preventative, Topricin can be applied prior to outdoor activities. For example, if you are planting flowers or vegetables, apply Topricin lower back, hands and wrists, which are points of stress. Topricin can also be applied to exposed areas of skin, acting as a barrier to the urushiol oil in poison ivy.

–Topricin helps relieve symptoms of pain from other gardening aliments such as blisters, tick bites, Lyme disease, poison ivy, and minor sunburn and dehydration.

HOT AND COLD THERAPY:

Hot and cold therapy, along with Topricin, can shorten the duration of the recovery so the body heals faster and you feel better sooner.

–ICE is the first course of action, for the first 24 – 48 hours to help with inflammation. Ice therapy has an effect when the ice is REMOVED. Ice stops the blood flow, when removed it releases fluids and toxins, stimulates lymphatic and toxin draining and more blood flow. Basic procedures for ice therapy: 10 minutes on; 5 off; 10 on, 5 off.

–MOIST HEAT and ICE/HEAT:

–HEAT: 48 – 72 hours after injury try using heat on the injured area. You’ll know it’s OK to continue if you don’t feel worse afterwards. Heat draws more blood to the area and removes toxins.

–ALTERNATING HOT AND COLD: Cold and heat can be very powerful when used together at this point. Protocol – takes about 45 minutes: Start with HEAT for 10 minutes; followed by 5 minute break. Then COLD for 10 minutes, followed by 5-minute break, then HEAT again for 10 minutes. Follow with application of Topricin.

Topricin Application Instructions:

–Generously apply Topricin as needed three inches on and around to affected area/injury. Rub in well until absorbed. For best results, apply evenings, morning/after bathing and 3 – 4 or more times during the day as needed.

NOTE: For severe pain and swelling, seek medical attention (Topricin may be applied as a first line first aid treatment while enroute to a medical facility).

To learn more about Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream, go to http://www.topricin.com.

About Topical BioMedics, Inc.

Topical BioMedics is the research and development leader in patented topical natural biomedicines for pain relief. The company’s flagship product, Topricin® Pain Relief and Healing Cream, was introduced in 1994 and is now a leading natural therapeutic brand. A combination biomedicine formula, Topricin has been awarded a patent for the treatment of pain associated with fibromyalgia and neuropathy.

Topricin products are formulated with approved medicines as found in the HPUS (Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States) and are in compliance with federal rules for homeopathic over-the-counter medicines. Safe for diabetics, the products contain: no parabens, petroleum or harsh chemicals, are odorless, greaseless and non-irritating, and produce no known side effects.

For more information or to sign up for the free newsletter Natural Healing, Natural Wellness visit http://www.topricin.com

# # #

SOURCES:

Topical BioMedics

Rodale.com

Mother Nature Network

SparkPeople/The American Institute of Cancer Research

Health.com

Care2.com

Weed Man

Prevention.com

PDF


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• 

Topricin is a great tool for gardeners who wish to prevent and heal aches, pains, and injuries

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, last year more than 41,200 people were injured while gardening

Rhinebeck, NY (PRWEB) May 29, 2013

It’s the time of year people are tidying up their yards, digging in the dirt, and planting flowers and vegetables in their gardens. However, along with the joy and satisfaction of being active outdoors in nature, gardening also brings with it the risks of pain and injury. Topical BioMedics, Inc., of Rhinebeck, NY, offers insights and tips for enjoying gardening more with less pain.

BENEFITS OF GARDENING

Some of the benefits of gardening include being outside in the fresh air and sunshine as well as getting the blood moving. It’s also great form of exercise because it combines three types of physical activity: strength, endurance, and flexibility. Perhaps surprisingly, it’s possible to burn the same number of calories gardening for 45 minutes as doing 30 minutes of aerobics.

Here’s another benefit. In a study of more than 3,010 women, researchers from the University of Arkansas found that those involved in yard work and gardening had lower rates of osteoporosis than women who jogged, swam and did aerobics. In addition, spending time in nature can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and relieve muscle tension.

There’s no doubt that gardeners place demands on their bodies and—if done improperly—gardening and yard work can lead to muscle and joint pain, repetitive strain injuries, tendonitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, as well as other injuries and accidents.

“Planting, raking, weeding, digging, pruning, stooping, reaching, bending, kneeling, lifting, crouching, carrying heavy debris, and operating machinery puts stress on different parts of the body,” says Lou Paradise, president and chief of research at Topical BioMedics, Inc., the makers of natural Topricin® Pain Relief and Healing Creams. “Gardeners spend hours performing these activities and without warming up and using proper form, they can lead to a variety of problems such as sprains, strains, twisted ankles, hand and wrist pain, lower back and shoulder pain, foot, and knee pain.”

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, last year, more than 41,200 people were injured while gardening. For a safer 2013, Topical BioMedics offers the following tips to help stay injury free and safe from potential hazards throughout the gardening season:

To avoid/reduce injuries:

–Warm up/stretch as you would before any physical activity, and then cool down and stretch afterwards.

–Wear gardening gloves to lower the risk of skin irritations/cuts and reduce blister formation, and use kneepads or a foam cushion to make the work less stressful on knees.

–Dress to protect yourself from lawn/garden pests and the hot sun. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long, light-colored pants made from breathable cotton, tuck pants into socks or boots, and check yourself and family members for ticks. Wear a hat and sunglasses, and if you use a sunscreen make sure it is as safe and natural as possible (for recommendations, visit the Environmental Working Group at http://www.ewg.org).

–Wear goggles when doing things like weed-whacking or chipping and ear protection when using loud equipment.

–Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water throughout the day. Remember that you’re outside in the heat, working up a sweat and perspiring.

–Use ergonomically designed tools, or ones with padded handles that are kinder to hands. Keep your “tools of the trade” in tip-top shape by making sure your power equipment is working properly and your tools are sharpened and properly stored.

–Do not mow grass when it’s wet and slippery. Before mowing, walk around the yard, checking for sticks, stones, toys, and other foreign objects that could shoot out from under the mower.

–Work at a steady, constant speed, take breaks often, and be sure to change positions every 10 or 15 minutes to avoid overusing any one muscle group.

To prevent and treat injuries:

Aches and pains don’t have to interfere with summer gardening when you practice prevention and follow activities/injuries with appropriate treatment protocol.

Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream is a favorite treatment for gardeners around the country. Fueled by nature not chemicals, Topricin is a blend of eleven natural medicines that naturally help the joints detoxify by stimulating the body’s desire to drain toxins and excess fluids from the muscle tissue, which restores blood flow back to normal and helps heal the damage that is causing the pain.

–As a preventative, Topricin can be applied prior to outdoor activities. For example, if you are planting flowers or vegetables, apply Topricin lower back, hands and wrists, which are points of stress. Topricin can also be applied to exposed areas of skin, acting as a barrier to the urushiol oil in poison ivy.

–Topricin helps relieve symptoms of pain from other gardening aliments such as blisters, tick bites, Lyme disease, poison ivy, and minor sunburn and dehydration.

HOT AND COLD THERAPY:

Hot and cold therapy, along with Topricin, can shorten the duration of the recovery so the body heals faster and you feel better sooner.

–ICE is the first course of action, for the first 24 – 48 hours to help with inflammation. Ice therapy has an effect when the ice is REMOVED. Ice stops the blood flow, when removed it releases fluids and toxins, stimulates lymphatic and toxin draining and more blood flow. Basic procedures for ice therapy: 10 minutes on; 5 off; 10 on, 5 off.

–MOIST HEAT and ICE/HEAT:

–HEAT: 48 – 72 hours after injury try using heat on the injured area. You’ll know it’s OK to continue if you don’t feel worse afterwards. Heat draws more blood to the area and removes toxins.

–ALTERNATING HOT AND COLD: Cold and heat can be very powerful when used together at this point. Protocol – takes about 45 minutes: Start with HEAT for 10 minutes; followed by 5 minute break. Then COLD for 10 minutes, followed by 5-minute break, then HEAT again for 10 minutes. Follow with application of Topricin.

Topricin Application Instructions:

–Generously apply Topricin as needed three inches on and around to affected area/injury. Rub in well until absorbed. For best results, apply evenings, morning/after bathing and 3 – 4 or more times during the day as needed.

NOTE: For severe pain and swelling, seek medical attention (Topricin may be applied as a first line first aid treatment while enroute to a medical facility).

To learn more about Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream, go to http://www.topricin.com.

About Topical BioMedics, Inc.

Topical BioMedics is the research and development leader in patented topical natural biomedicines for pain relief. The company’s flagship product, Topricin® Pain Relief and Healing Cream, was introduced in 1994 and is now a leading natural therapeutic brand. A combination biomedicine formula, Topricin has been awarded a patent for the treatment of pain associated with fibromyalgia and neuropathy.

Topricin products are formulated with approved medicines as found in the HPUS (Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States) and are in compliance with federal rules for homeopathic over-the-counter medicines. Safe for diabetics, the products contain: no parabens, petroleum or harsh chemicals, are odorless, greaseless and non-irritating, and produce no known side effects.

For more information or to sign up for the free newsletter Natural Healing, Natural Wellness visit http://www.topricin.com

# # #

SOURCES:

Topical BioMedics

Rodale.com

Mother Nature Network

SparkPeople/The American Institute of Cancer Research

Health.com

Care2.com

Weed Man

Prevention.com

PDF


Print

• 

Topricin is a great tool for gardeners who wish to prevent and heal aches, pains, and injuries

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, last year more than 41,200 people were injured while gardening

Rhinebeck, NY (PRWEB) May 29, 2013

It’s the time of year people are tidying up their yards, digging in the dirt, and planting flowers and vegetables in their gardens. However, along with the joy and satisfaction of being active outdoors in nature, gardening also brings with it the risks of pain and injury. Topical BioMedics, Inc., of Rhinebeck, NY, offers insights and tips for enjoying gardening more with less pain.

BENEFITS OF GARDENING

Some of the benefits of gardening include being outside in the fresh air and sunshine as well as getting the blood moving. It’s also great form of exercise because it combines three types of physical activity: strength, endurance, and flexibility. Perhaps surprisingly, it’s possible to burn the same number of calories gardening for 45 minutes as doing 30 minutes of aerobics.

Here’s another benefit. In a study of more than 3,010 women, researchers from the University of Arkansas found that those involved in yard work and gardening had lower rates of osteoporosis than women who jogged, swam and did aerobics. In addition, spending time in nature can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and relieve muscle tension.

There’s no doubt that gardeners place demands on their bodies and—if done improperly—gardening and yard work can lead to muscle and joint pain, repetitive strain injuries, tendonitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, as well as other injuries and accidents.

“Planting, raking, weeding, digging, pruning, stooping, reaching, bending, kneeling, lifting, crouching, carrying heavy debris, and operating machinery puts stress on different parts of the body,” says Lou Paradise, president and chief of research at Topical BioMedics, Inc., the makers of natural Topricin® Pain Relief and Healing Creams. “Gardeners spend hours performing these activities and without warming up and using proper form, they can lead to a variety of problems such as sprains, strains, twisted ankles, hand and wrist pain, lower back and shoulder pain, foot, and knee pain.”

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, last year, more than 41,200 people were injured while gardening. For a safer 2013, Topical BioMedics offers the following tips to help stay injury free and safe from potential hazards throughout the gardening season:

To avoid/reduce injuries:

–Warm up/stretch as you would before any physical activity, and then cool down and stretch afterwards.

–Wear gardening gloves to lower the risk of skin irritations/cuts and reduce blister formation, and use kneepads or a foam cushion to make the work less stressful on knees.

–Dress to protect yourself from lawn/garden pests and the hot sun. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long, light-colored pants made from breathable cotton, tuck pants into socks or boots, and check yourself and family members for ticks. Wear a hat and sunglasses, and if you use a sunscreen make sure it is as safe and natural as possible (for recommendations, visit the Environmental Working Group at http://www.ewg.org).

–Wear goggles when doing things like weed-whacking or chipping and ear protection when using loud equipment.

–Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water throughout the day. Remember that you’re outside in the heat, working up a sweat and perspiring.

–Use ergonomically designed tools, or ones with padded handles that are kinder to hands. Keep your “tools of the trade” in tip-top shape by making sure your power equipment is working properly and your tools are sharpened and properly stored.

–Do not mow grass when it’s wet and slippery. Before mowing, walk around the yard, checking for sticks, stones, toys, and other foreign objects that could shoot out from under the mower.

–Work at a steady, constant speed, take breaks often, and be sure to change positions every 10 or 15 minutes to avoid overusing any one muscle group.

To prevent and treat injuries:

Aches and pains don’t have to interfere with summer gardening when you practice prevention and follow activities/injuries with appropriate treatment protocol.

Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream is a favorite treatment for gardeners around the country. Fueled by nature not chemicals, Topricin is a blend of eleven natural medicines that naturally help the joints detoxify by stimulating the body’s desire to drain toxins and excess fluids from the muscle tissue, which restores blood flow back to normal and helps heal the damage that is causing the pain.

–As a preventative, Topricin can be applied prior to outdoor activities. For example, if you are planting flowers or vegetables, apply Topricin lower back, hands and wrists, which are points of stress. Topricin can also be applied to exposed areas of skin, acting as a barrier to the urushiol oil in poison ivy.

–Topricin helps relieve symptoms of pain from other gardening aliments such as blisters, tick bites, Lyme disease, poison ivy, and minor sunburn and dehydration.

HOT AND COLD THERAPY:

Hot and cold therapy, along with Topricin, can shorten the duration of the recovery so the body heals faster and you feel better sooner.

–ICE is the first course of action, for the first 24 – 48 hours to help with inflammation. Ice therapy has an effect when the ice is REMOVED. Ice stops the blood flow, when removed it releases fluids and toxins, stimulates lymphatic and toxin draining and more blood flow. Basic procedures for ice therapy: 10 minutes on; 5 off; 10 on, 5 off.

–MOIST HEAT and ICE/HEAT:

–HEAT: 48 – 72 hours after injury try using heat on the injured area. You’ll know it’s OK to continue if you don’t feel worse afterwards. Heat draws more blood to the area and removes toxins.

–ALTERNATING HOT AND COLD: Cold and heat can be very powerful when used together at this point. Protocol – takes about 45 minutes: Start with HEAT for 10 minutes; followed by 5 minute break. Then COLD for 10 minutes, followed by 5-minute break, then HEAT again for 10 minutes. Follow with application of Topricin.

Topricin Application Instructions:

–Generously apply Topricin as needed three inches on and around to affected area/injury. Rub in well until absorbed. For best results, apply evenings, morning/after bathing and 3 – 4 or more times during the day as needed.

NOTE: For severe pain and swelling, seek medical attention (Topricin may be applied as a first line first aid treatment while enroute to a medical facility).

To learn more about Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream, go to http://www.topricin.com.

About Topical BioMedics, Inc.

Topical BioMedics is the research and development leader in patented topical natural biomedicines for pain relief. The company’s flagship product, Topricin® Pain Relief and Healing Cream, was introduced in 1994 and is now a leading natural therapeutic brand. A combination biomedicine formula, Topricin has been awarded a patent for the treatment of pain associated with fibromyalgia and neuropathy.

Topricin products are formulated with approved medicines as found in the HPUS (Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States) and are in compliance with federal rules for homeopathic over-the-counter medicines. Safe for diabetics, the products contain: no parabens, petroleum or harsh chemicals, are odorless, greaseless and non-irritating, and produce no known side effects.

For more information or to sign up for the free newsletter Natural Healing, Natural Wellness visit http://www.topricin.com

# # #

SOURCES:

Topical BioMedics

Rodale.com

Mother Nature Network

SparkPeople/The American Institute of Cancer Research

Health.com

Care2.com

Weed Man

Prevention.com

PDF


Print