Why,How and what to Grow

Why,How and what to Grow The way of Effective Planting…

There are many people think that growing a fruits or vegies are so awful and difficult, with the best guide and planning you may easily grow stuff on your own. There is nothing quite like pulling your own carrots from the ground or eating juicy plums straight from the tree. More and more people are discovering the satisfaction of growing their own and it’s easy to see why—it’s not only rewarding, but it can be cost-effective, eco-friendly, and organic, too. Whatever your plot size, whether you have a large backyard or a window box, you will be able to grow crops yourself—your options are only as limited as your imagination.

                                 Nurturing healthy and happy crops is hugely enjoyable, but it will also take time and effort so you need to make sure that you grow the tastiest, most productive crops possible You can handpick the crops you really want to grow and make the best of your time and space. Somehow little known fruits and vegetables that you’ll never find in the one or two types fits all produce section of your local supermarket. Plants are also featured that are readily available, particularly hearty or disease-resistant, and easy to grow. Don’t limit your choices—there is a huge range of fruits and vegetables out there.

Buying your first plant and growing it up....

When buying plants ensuring that they are healthy is of the utmost importance. Be cautious if you are buying plants over the Internet—if possible, try to buy from reputable companies so that you can guarantee the quality. If you are buying from a garden center or specialized nursery, check for signs of pests and diseases and be vigilant with pest control and garden hygiene after planting.

Deciding to Planting…

If you have the luxury of a large backyard or urban garden, make  the most of it by ensuring that you plan your plot carefully. Bear in mind that some crops require differing soil types, locations, and microclimates, and that some will spread and become quite large. Keep a record of what you grow year to year and consider rotating crops to get the best from your soil and ensure high yields.

Sketching your own decorum…

Sketch out the dimensions and boundaries of your plot and decide which crops you want to grow. Start by inserting the features that will be permanent, such as compost bins, sheds, paths, and fruit trees. Think next about the microclimates that exist in your garden, such as frost pockets where plants are less likely to thrive, or a south-facing wall that could act as a shelter for cordons of delicate fruit. When planning your plot, make sure that you create an environment that will be easy for you to work in. (Remember) Leave pathways between rows so that you can reach crops easily for watering and weeding. Make beds an accessible size to avoid damaging surrounding plants; the ideal width is about 4 ft (1.2 m). Some crops require specific planting formations; corn, for example, is best planted in a fairly dense grid formation to increase its chances of pollination, while crops such as potatoes are traditionally grown in rows—consider which crops you want to grow and how their specific needs might affect your planning. Think also about the way that light hits your plot during the day—you don’t want to cast small crops such as lettuce into shadow if they become stranded behind a tall crop such as runner beans.

Diet Recipes

BBQ Chicken and Broccoli Wrap

3 ounces rotisserie chicken breast, shredded    

                                                      

cup drained canned corn

½ cup broccoli slaw

2 teaspoons jarred barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon reduced-fat ranch dressing

1 multigrain Flatout Soft 100% Whole Wheat Flatbread

Place chicken, corn, broccoli slaw, barbecue sauce, and ranch dressing in a medium bowl. Mix until everything is coated. Place mixture on the Flatout wrap and carefully roll up. If desired, cut in half before serving.

Preparation Tips: You can find broccoli slaw in the produce section, next to the bagged lettuce. For this recipe, you can also use plain cooked chicken breast. It has fewer calories than rotisserie chicken, but less flavor.

Italian Quinoa Salad

¼ cup dry quinoa

2 ounces drained chunk light tuna in water
½ cup rinsed and drained canned garbanzo beans
½ small cucumber, peeled and chopped

5 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

2 tablespoons light Italian dressing, such as Wish-Bone Light Italian

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Let cool. Place cooked quinoa in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. If desired, chill before serving.

Health Tip: Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a gluten-free grain: it doesn’t have any of the gluten proteins found in wheat and rye that many folks are trying to avoid for better health. Quinoa has a mild flavor that mixes well with other ingredients, and it’s rich in protein, making it a great choice for vegetarians.

What you must know….

Nutrition: the science of foods and the nutrients and other substances they contain, and of their ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, metabolism, interaction, storage, and excretion. A broader definition includes the study of the environment and of human behavior as it relates to these processes.
Cultural competence: an awareness and acceptance of one’s own and others’ cultures, combined with the skills needed to interact effectively with people of diverse cultures.
Bioactive food components: compounds in foods (either nutrients or phytochemicals) that alter physiological processes in
the body.
Phytochemicals: compounds in plants that confer color, taste, and other characteristics. Some phytochemicals are bioactive food components in functional foods. Nutrition in Practice 8 provides details.
Foodways: the eating habits and culinary practices of a people, region, or historical period.

Sound nutrition throughout life does not ensure good health and long life, but it can certainly help to tip the balance in their favor. Nevertheless, most people choose foods for reasons other than their nourishing value. Even people who claim to choose foods primarily for the sake of health or nutrition will admit that other factors also influence their food choices. Because food choices become an integral part of their lifestyles, people sometimes find it difficult to change their eating habits. Health care professionals who help clients make diet changes must understand the dynamics of food choices, because people will alter their eating habits only if their preferences are honored. Developing cultural competence is an important aspect of honoring individual preferences, especially for health care professionals who help clients to achieve a nutritious diet.

Why do people like certain foods?

One reason, of course, is their preference for certain tastes. Some tastes are widely liked, such as the sweetness of sugar and the savoriness of salt
. Research suggests that genetics influence people’s taste preferences, a finding that may eventually have implications for clinical nutrition.
For example, sensitivity to bitter taste is an inheritable trait. People born with great sensitivity to bitter tastes tend to avoid foods with bitter flavors such as broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, spinach, and grapefruit juice. These foods, as well as many other fruits and vegetables, contain. bioactive food components—phytochemicals and nutrients—that may reduce the risk of cancer. Thus, the role that genetics may play in food selection is gaining importance in cancer research
. Nutrition in Practice 8 addresses phytochemicals and their role in disease prevention

Where ever you belong…

Every country, and every region of a country, has its own typical foods and ways of combining them into meals. The foodways of North America reflect the many different cultural and ethnic backgrounds of its inhabitants. Many foods with foreign origins are familiar items on North American menus: tacos, egg rolls, lasagna, sushi, and gyros, to name a few. Still others, such as spaghetti and croissants, are almost staples in the “American diet.” North American regional cuisines like Cajun and TexMex blend the traditions of several cultures.

Very Important to remember:

❚Foods provide nutrients—substances that support the growth, maintenance, and repair of the body’s tissues.
❚The six classes of nutrients are water, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
❚Vitamins, minerals, and water do not yield energy; instead they facilitate a variety of activities in the body.
❚Foods rich in the energy-yielding nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) provide the major materials for building the body’s tissues and yield energy the body can use or store.
❚Energy is measured in kcalories.

Coordinating Nutrition Survey Data
The National Nutrition Monitoring program coordinates the many nutrition-related activities of various federal agencies. All major reports that examine the contribution of diet and nutrition status to the health of the people of the United States depend on information collected and coordinated by this national program. A national food and nutrient intake survey, called What We Eat in America, collects data on the kinds and amounts of foods people eat. Researchers then calculate the energy and nutrients in the foods and compare the amounts consumed with standards such as the DRI. What We Eat in America is conducted as part of a larger research effort, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), which examine the people themselves using nutrition assessment methods. The data provide valuable information on several nutrition-related conditions such as growth retardation, heart disease, and nutrient deficiencies. These data also provide the basis for developing and monitoring national health goals.