Florida Tourist Attractions: Northwest Florida Gems You Must See

July 1st, 2010 by admin No comments »

By Greg Schnoor

Santa Rosa County in Florida provides some of the most breathtaking getaway and adventures spots, plus fun activities for visitors of all ages. Here is just a sampling of the Florida tourist attractions in this county that you must add to your trip:

1. Navarre Beach

One of Florida’s treasured barrier islands, Navarre Beach is located on Santa Rosa Island and has pristine beaches that are ranked among the top beaches in the country every year. Visitors often compare crossing Navarre Bridge to transcending paradise.

This Florida tourist attraction is surrounded by super clear emerald waters and the beaches feature clean, powdery white sand that squeak under your tours. The Gulf Islands National Seashore between Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach is an eight-mile stretch of undeveloped shoreline and a magnet for nature lovers.

Navarre Beach offers visitors endless activities to choose from, including beach volleyball, tennis and biking. Water activities include the usual favorites such as surfing, boarding, wakeboarding, jet skiing, sailing, SCUBA diving and snorkeling. Also, the warm Gulf waters are a haven for a wide variety of fish, making the area one of the best for fishing.

2. Blackwater River State Forest

One of the largest forests in the state, this idyllic Florida tourist attraction is named for the Blackwater River, which begins in Alabama and flows through the forest into Blackwater Bay located near Milton in Santa Rosa County.

The forest is a favorite for eco lovers who marvel at the river’s shifting sand bottom streams – among the few you will find in the country. The forest is also host to a longleaf pine/wiregrass ecosystem, which, when combine with the Conecuh National Forest in the north and Eglin Air Force Base in the south, make up the largest adjoining ecological community of this type in the world.

Visitors can camp in the forest, go horseback riding, canoe or kayak along the river, and take in the hundreds of different plant and animal species.

3. Golfing

Santa Rosa County’s golf courses are bona fide Florida tourist attractions and favorites with the pros. They’ll soon become your favorites too. Lush, emerald-colored greens overlook mesmerizing blue bays and lakes and provide year-round golf for players at all skill levels.

You can choose from over seven courses conveniently located within the area. Hidden Creek Golf Club in Navarre is an 18-hole championship golf club and has been rated “the finest golf facility in Northwest Florida” and given 4? stars by Golf Digest.

Tanglewood Golf and Country Club in Milton is an 18-hole regulation length public golf course with picturesque fairways and water features. They’ve teamed up with Stonebrook Golf Club in nearby Pace to provide great golfing at affordable prices.

Tiger Point Golf Club in Gulf Breeze offers golfers one of the most scenic layouts with amazing waterfront views and soaring southern pines. It boasts a recently redesigned Scottish-style East Course, and was voted best course overall in 2007 by the Pensacola News Journal for their “Best of the Bay” awards.

4. Shopping

No vacation is complete without indulging in a shopping spree or two. Navarre, Gulf Breeze, and Historic Milton in Santa Rosa County, as well as the surrounding area, is home to some of the most versatile shopping you’ll find anywhere. They’re sure to have something to please any visitor.

Craft and antique hunters won’t be disappointed with the selection available in the area, either. Find the perfect item for your home or souvenirs in any of the many antique and arts and crafts shops in Gulf Breeze, Pace, Milton or Navarre. For a one-stop antique hunt, Annais Antique Mall in Gulf Breeze is a 12,000 square foot area with over 88 antique dealers and is open seven days a week.

A major attraction is Cordova Mall in nearby Pensacola. It is the largest and most upscale shopping mall in the area. It features more than 125 specialty stores with every brand name you can think of. Shopaholics are sure to find favorite department and brand name stores, as well as enticing specialty stores.

About the Author: Ready to plan your Florida vacation? Download your free vacation guide now.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=527743&ca=Travel

Read more from the original source: Florida Tourist Attractions: Northwest Florida Gems You Must See

Autoblogging Plugin

No comments »

Posted in Roselle

Tags:

Diet Herbs: Cornsilk, Cranberry, Dandelion And Ephedra – Ephedrine

June 29th, 2010 by admin No comments »

By Georg Kharchenko

Cornsilk

The long, fibrous filaments on an ear of corn are cornsilk. As an herbal preparation, it is dried into powder and placed in capsules.

Cornsilk does not affect fat loss but is a natural diuretic to help rid the body of excess water. The Chinese use it to reduce swelling (edema) caused by kidney disease. In one study of twelve kidney patients taking 2 ounces of cornsilk twice a day, edema completely disappeared in nine of the subjects.

Cornsilk is a harmless herb.

Cranberry

Cranberry supplements are made from the familiar red berries of an evergreen native to North America. The juice of the berries is dried into a powder or concentrated as an extract, and put into capsules or tablets.

This powder is a filler in some natural weight-loss supplements, probably because cranberry is somewhat diuretic and able to prevent water retention. The diuretic component of cranberry is a natural chemical called arbutin. Arbutin is also an antibiotic and the active ingredient that fights urinary tract infections.

Cranberry is considered very safe.

Dandelion

Dandelion the stubborn weed that pops up in your lawn every spring is actually a healthful herb packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, and various minerals, particularly potassium.

Its ground roots and leaves are used in herbal medicine for a variety of ailments, including water retention. Studies have confirmed its power as a diuretic a safe one, too, since the herb’s high potassium content replaces any potassium lost in the urine. Also, dandelion is thought to be an herbal lipotropic, although no evidence exists to support this claim.

Dandelion is considered very safe.

Ephedra

Ephedra is a plant that contains ephedrine alkaloids, stimulant compounds that act on the appetite control center of the brain to suppress appetite. Ephedrine also stimulates the heart and central nervous system much as amphetamines do. Dietary supplements containing ephedrine are sold as weight-loss agents, energy boosters, and bodybuilding aids. Cold remedies also contain ephedrine. Ephedra goes by other names as well: ma huang, Mormon tea, Brigham tea, and popotillo.

The caffeine/ephedrine/aspirin stack may be risky, however, since ephedrine has so many troublesome side effects. Caffeine may aggravate certain health problems, such as ulcers, heart disease, high blood pressure, and anemia, to name just a few. Aspirin can upset your stomach.

Ephedrine often produces adverse reactions, including sleeplessness, anxiety, and nervousness. It can make the heart race and blood pressure soar. Because of these effects, people with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or diabetes should stay away from it.

When abused, ephedra and ephedrine can be lethal. In 1993, neurologists from the University of New Mexico reported that ephedrine had caused strokes in three people who had exceeded the recommended dosages.

In June 1997, in an attempt to curb the health problems associated with ephedra and supplements containing it, the FDA proposed safety measures that would result in marketing and label changes. The proposal would forbid the marketing of dietary supplements containing 8 mg or more of ephedrine alkaloids per serving. Also, a total daily intake of 24 mg or more would not be allowed. Labels would instruct consumers to not take the product for more than seven days. A warning would appear on labels, too: “Taking more than the recommended serving may result in heart attack, stroke, seizure, or death.”

Also proposed was a ban on formulating products containing ephe-drine plus other stimulant products such as herbal sources of caffeine. Such combinations increase the stimulant effects of ephedrine and the chance of serious side effects. (Manufacturers of over-the-counter cold and flu medications that contain ephedrine and the less potent pseudoephedrine would not be affected by these regulations.)

Since 1994, the FDA has received and investigated more than 800 complaints of health problems associated with the use of ephedrine-containing products. Among the most serious: heart attacks, stroke, and death. Most occurred in young-to-middle-aged, otherwise healthy adults using the products for weight control and increased energy. Clearly, the risks of supplementing with ephedra products outweigh any benefits.

About the Author: Georgiy Kharchenko – best herbal weight loss, synephrine fat burners, original lipodrene

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=527788&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet

Read more: Diet Herbs: Cornsilk, Cranberry, Dandelion And Ephedra – Ephedrine

No comments »

Posted in Roselle

Tags:

Welcome to Roselle World

June 29th, 2010 by admin No comments »

The roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a species of Hibiscus native to the Old World tropics, used for the production of bast fibre and as an infusion. It is an annual or perennial herb or woody-based subshrub, growing to 2–2.5 m (7–8 ft) tall. The leaves are deeply three- to five-lobed, 8–15 cm (3–6 in) long, arranged alternately on the stems.

Roselle/rozelle, red sorrel, Jamaica sorrel
oseille rouge/l’oseille de Guinée (French), Rosella (German), quimbombó chino/sereni (Spanish), vinagreira/azeda de Guiné (Portuguese), karkade (Arabic), krachiap daeng (Thai), asam susur (Malay), rozeru (Japanese), bisap (Senegal)
(Hibiscus sabdariffa var sabdariffa — Family Malvaceae)

Despite the “Jamaica” name, this fruit did not reach that country until the beginning of the 18th century. Not only that, but it is not even a close relative of the sorrel. Native to West Africa, it is now cultivated in many tropical regions, including Southeast Asia, and imported into the US at the time of the slave trade. The names stem from corruptions of the French words for the red colour of the edible calyx, which influenced the slide from that language into the more glowing sound of roselle. The earliest name of the plant is from the 16th century when it was called “sabdariffa”. No one knows why or how, but the name was incorporated into its botanical name. The sorrel reference applies more to its taste.

The roselle is a woody annual, bearing green leaves on red stems. Its fruit is not considered a true fruit, but rather a boll or flower-cup of flesh enclosing the bud and seeds. There are two main varieties, but this one includes all the cultivars grown for food. The other, var altissima, is more important economically for its fiber. The plant is unusual in that its main edible part is not the actual “fruit” but the calyx of the fruit. The calyx is like the little green star on top of a tomato or strawberry. In this instance, it is red, large, and fleshy, and enwraps a small useless fruit. The calyx is made into a refreshing sour drink in the West Indies and elsewhere, and also used to produce jellies and jams, tasting more like cranberries than cherries. They are also dried and marketed and have become a source of a red food colourant. A Filipino author, Maria del Oroso, wrote a collection on food in 1970 and embodied the roselle into sixty of her varying recipes. In 1947, Gladys Graham wrote from Panama, describing this “sorrel” as an important ingredient in beverages and jam made for the highway crews that were widening Central American roads. These men would cut down everything except this shrub so that is was left to bloom by the side of the road.

No comments »

Posted in Roselle

Tags:

Cranberry For Urinary Tract Infection: An Alternative To Prescription Drugs

June 29th, 2010 by admin No comments »

By Darrell Miller

Cranberry juice is a common home remedy for urinary tract infections, but it is only recently that the way in which it works is beginning to be understood. Cranberry grows in acidic wetlands throughout the Northern hemisphere, including Canada and the Northern parts of the USA. The main areas of cultivation in the USA are Wisconsin and Massachusetts. It is used as a juice, sauce and dried and is one of what are classed as ‘superfoods’ for its antioxidant properties.

Early Europeans and Americans used it topically to treat infections and wounds, and it was also used in the treatment of scurvy. The effectiveness of Vitamin C was known at that time, and cranberries are now known to possess large quantities of Vitamin C which is also a powerful antioxidant with a beneficial effect on the heart.

However, it is in its effect on urinary tract infections that cranberry is currently under major investigation, and a 2001 study in Finland strongly supported this. Urinary tract infections (UTI) such as cystitis are extremely painful, with a sometimes severe burning sensation when you urinate and pain in the lower back and abdomen. Normally you will urinate frequently in small amounts, and there is no relief from the pain and discomfort. It is one of the most common bacterial infections in the USA and Europe, and is generally treated with antibiotics.

Up to 60% of women contract a UTI and of these 30% will contract it twice. A total of 5% – 6% of women will have it three times or more in their lifetime, and seven million women annually will visit a doctor with the problem. It is world wide problem that cause great expense to industry and to health authorities, let alone the pain and misery it causes to the patients.

However, there is a growing problem with antibiotics in that their continued use is creating a natural resistance of many bacteria to them and researches have been seeking alternatives to antibiotics for the more common infections. Cranberry is known for its antibacterial properties, and it has recently been established that it may be capable of curing this particular infection. Not only that, but a regular intake of cranberry juice could prevent its recurrence.

The urinary tract infections caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli (commonly E Coli) are cystitis and pyelonephritis. The former is an infection of the bladder and pyelonephritis is a kidney infection caused by the migration of the E coli to the kidneys. The bacteria normally live in the colon. There is another, urethritis, which is an infection of the urethra that runs from the bladder out, but this is a normally a viral infection and so not affected by antibiotics, natural or synthetic.

Studies have shown that cranberry (Vaccinium in four different species) contains a glycoprotein that can prevent E. coli from attaching to the bladder wall and so causing it to be flushed out of the system, and thus preventing infection. Tests amongst women with a history of repeated infections with cystitis have indicated that regular taking of cranberry juice reduced the frequency and number of incidences.

Women are more prone than men to this condition because while in the male the urethra is about 10 inches in length, and not straight, in women it is around only 2 inches and straight. Bacteria therefore find it easy to move up the female urethra into the bladder. This is exacerbated by tight clothing and intercourse, making it easier for women to contract the infection. Women also have frequent recurrences since the bladder lining is injured by the initial infection, and is therefore weakened and more susceptible to further attack.

Not all E. coli strains cause urinary tract infections, but those that do are common. At one time it was thought to be the acidity of the cranberry juice that was the reason for its effect, and the reduction in pH of the urine, but that is now known not to be the case. For the infection to proceed, it is necessary for the bacteria to bind to the bladder wall early on in the infection, otherwise they are flushed out. Cranberries contain chemicals known as proanthocyanidins that inhibit this process, fructose, and mannose that is also believed to have an effect.

Because cranberry has an effect on the adhesion of E. coli to the uroepithelial cells of the bladder, it is thought that it might also have an effect on the adhesion of Heliobacter pylori to the cell lining of the stomach. This bacterium cause conditions such as stomach ulcers and gastritis. There is evidence that this is so and investigations are continuing. There is also evidence that cranberry juice has a mitigating effect on the formation of bacterial aggregates in the mouth, and its use as an oral mouthwash is being investigated.

The most widely used method of distribution of cranberry is in the form of the juice, although there are other cranberry products available. It is also taken in the form of a powder in capsule form. Many physicians treat urinary tract infections with antibiotics to remove the bacteria and then with cranberry capsules over a period time until the damage done to the balder and urinary tract has been repaired. The cranberry capsules prevent reinfection during this critical period when the body is most at risk of further attack by the E. coli.

The juice is also though to contain antioxidant properties and to be an effective aid to the immune system and in the prevention of some cancers. However, these claims have yet to be established with clinical testing. It has also been seen to prevent dental plaque and to be effective in preventing the formation of kidney stones.

People taking warfarin should avoid cranberry, and it should be taken only at the recommended dose since an excessive dose can cause gastric problems and diarrhea. Otherwise cranberry is safe to take with no other known side effects. It is stressed, however, that anybody with a urinary tract infection should consult their doctor and not try to treat it themselves with cranberry juice or capsules since the main benefit of cranberry seems to be in the prevention of infection rather than its treatment.

About the Author: More information is available at http://vitanetonline.com/ where cranberry and cranberry extract can be found at discount prices.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=178590&ca=Medicines+and+Remedies

Read the original post: Cranberry For Urinary Tract Infection: An Alternative To Prescription Drugs

Affiliate Marketing

No comments »

Posted in Roselle

Tags:

Cranberry Juice Is One Of The Finest Urinary Tract Infection Remedies

June 29th, 2010 by admin No comments »

By Ann Marier

I had always severely distrusted antibiotics. Nonetheless, sometimes I will use them. There are certain infections, where the risks of not treating them outweigh the benefits. Although there are urinary tract infection home remedies, I would highly recommend against them. Urinary tract infections are no joke. The only foolproof urinary tract infection remedies are the prescription drugs. Otherwise, you can actually end up in the hospital.

I have a friend who once tried these bladder infection remedies. She came down with a sudden infection of the urinary tract, and she had no health care. Although she had no problem with using antibiotics as a urinary tract infection remedy, it would have cost her a lot of money. Not only would she have had to pay for the prescription, but she would have had to go into the doctor’s office as well.

Urinary tract remedies, by contrast, cost very little. Your typical urinary tract infection remedy will cost from 10 to 50 dollars. This is nothing compared to the costs of mainstream medicine. Even a doctor’s visit by itself can cost more than that!

The bladder infection remedy that she tried worked at first. Most urinary tract infection remedies involve at least a bit of cranberry juice. In her case, she used cranberry almost exclusively, combined with what was supposed to be an herbal antibiotic remedy. However, after a few days it came back. The urinary tract infection remedies suppressed the infection for a few days, but once it gathered strength again, it was worse than ever. She suddenly turned pale and started to run a fever. We had to call an ambulance. It was awful. I have never seen her so pale and sickly.

It turns out that they had to keep her in the Hospital for more than a week. Although urinary tract infection remedies from the doctor would have cost close to a hundred dollars with the price of the visit, a week in the hospital costs even more. Alternately, she gave them a fake name and so was not obliged to pay the hospital bills. Nonetheless, the inconvenience itself was a good argument against urinary tract infection remedies.

Although the doctors claim that she could have died may be an exaggeration, then again it may not be. You really should never mess around when it comes to your health. Herbal urinary track infection remedies are not worth the drawbacks. Stick with mainstream medicine on this one.

About the Author: Ann Merier writes articles about the home and family health. Article topics include diabetes,detox diet,yoga,pilates exercise
Urinary Tract Infection Remedies
Article on Health Care

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=130498&ca=Medicines+and+Remedies

Read the rest here: Cranberry Juice Is One Of The Finest Urinary Tract Infection Remedies

Submit RSS

No comments »

Posted in Roselle

Tags: