My Plants Love Me

"To My Curator:

I Am Your Plant and I Love You

When you breathe, I will convert carbon dioxide to oxygen so you can keep breathing. I will not stop there. I will filter pollutants out of your air so you can breathe better.

When you are sick, I will give you my leaves and flowers for your medicine. You may lay me upon your eyes, rub me on your wounds, or swallow me into your body. I can heal you.

When you are hungry, I will be your food. You may eat me and drink my juices. You will not go hungry.

When you are stressed, I will please your eyes with my beauty and color. My bright reds flowers will inspire and excite you and my dark greens leaves will soothe and calm you. Relax!

I love you,

Plants"

Dr. Bill Wolverton, formerly a senior research scientist at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, Bay St. Louis, Miss., has researched into the use of biological processes as a means of solving environmental problems.

The research on indoor plants found that plants are very effective in absorbing air borne contaminants.

According to Wolverton, common indoor landscaping plants can remove some pollutants from the rooms.

The experiments were done by placing different plant type in sealed, Plexiglas chambers. Pollutant related chemicals were then put into the chambers.

"Philodendron, spider plant and the golden pothos were labeled the most effective in removing formaldehyde molecules. Flowering plants such as gerbera daisy and chrysanthemums were rated superior in removing benzene from the chamber atmosphere. Other good performers are Dracaena Massangeana, Spathiphyllum, and Golden Pothos. "Plants take substances out of the air through the tiny openings in their leaves," Wolverton said. "But research in our laboratories has determined that plant leaves, roots and soil bacteria are all important in removing trace levels of toxic vapors". (1)

Some Causes of Indoor Pollutants

Newer buildings are built with a large amount of man-made building materials. They are usually furnished with synthetic carpeting, fabrics, laminated counters, and plastic coated wallpaper.

The newer buildings are insulated better and sealed more tightly than older buildings. The money saved by conserving heat and air-conditioning comes with a different price tag; pollutants can only circulate in indoors. Constantly circulating and building up pollutants indoors can be extremely difficult for people with respiratory illnesses or asthma problems.

The "sick building syndrome," (a phrase often used to describe the retardation of the new structures, can be dramatically improved naturally. Add some plants.

NASA scientists studied nineteen different plant species for two years. Most of the plants tested are houseplants that are normally kept indoors year-round. Of the specimens studied, only two were primarily flowering plants; chrysanthemums and gerbera daisies. They are normally used to add a brightness and color to a room during holidays and significant events; but they are not kept indoors throughout the year.

Aloe Vera (now renamed Aloe barbadensis and commonly referred to as Medicine Plant) extracted juices can help soothe and heal burns, bites, and also skin irritations. The extracts from this plant are also used in some body lotions.

The leaf part of a plant is where photosynthesis takes place to process gasses from the air. Often overlooked in the process is the importance of the soil. The soil and roots have a big part in removing air-borne pollutants. Micro-organisms in the soil become more adept at using trace amounts of polluting materials as a food source over a period of time. (2)

Debrah Dupre adds great information about the care of some popular plants in the article "Plants to Help Indoor Air Pollution" at eHow.com.

This is a short list of just four beautiful plants.

Spider Plant: Chlorophytum comosum

• Also called the airplane plant. Easy to grow. It reproduces readily but dramatic changes in sun exposure can harm the plants.

Snake Plant: Sansevieria trifasciata

• Also known as "Mother-in-Law's Tongue," can survive successfully for months without minimum sun light. This plant also reproduces readily.

Lacy Tree: Philodendron selloum

• The houseplant is popular from the plushest office to the average home and is easy to re root. Cut about five inches from the top, place the cutting in water in a window and replant it into a small pot after the roots grow.

Elephant Ear Philodendron: Philodendron domesticum

• This is a large plant and gives a room an exotic look and is easy to maintain.

The NASA study suggests that 15 to 18 good-sized houseplants in 6 to 8-inch diameter containers should be used to enhance air quality in a normal 1,800 square foot house.

These plants effectively remove Formaldehyde, Benzene, and Carbon Monoxide from the air are:

• Bamboo Palm or Reed Palm - Chamaedorea Seifritzii
• Chinese Evergreen - Aglaonema Modestum
• English Ivy - Hedera Helix
• Gerbera Daisy - Gerbera Jamesonii
• Janet Craig - Dracaena deremensis
• Marginata - Dracaena Marginata
• Mass Cane/Corn Plant - Dracaena Massangeana
• Mother-in-Law's Tongue - Sansevieria Laurentii
• Pot Mum - Chrysantheium morifolium
• Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum `Mauna Loa'
• Warneckii - Dracaena "Warneckii" "

These plants are also very good for improving air quality:

• Spider Plant - Chlorophytum comosum
• Golden Pothos - Epipiremnum aureum
• Snake Plant - Sansevieria trifasciata
• Heartleaf - Philodendron scandens `oxycardium'
• Elephant Ear - Philodendron domesticum
• Red-Edge - Dracaena marginata
• Weeping Fig - Ficus benjamina

In conclusion, plants clean the air so we can breath; provide medicine to keep us from being ill; provide food to keep us from starving; and also provide beautiful colors to help with our mental calmness when you create your personal greenhouse "My plant loves me and I love my plant."

Effects of Arthroscopy Surgery

Arthroscopy surgery is a commonly performed surgery that helps to treat knee problems. The main difference from normal open surgery is that small incisions are made to allow a small camera and surgical devices to be placed at the knee joint. Since only small incisions are made, the recovery time will be shorter and there will be less potential complications as compared to open surgery. However as with all surgery, there are some effects after the surgery that are due to the surgery itself.
Decreased range of motion
After surgery, some patients may experience a decreased range of motion for their knee. This decrease in range of motion can be attributed to both the injury itself as well as the trauma during the surgery. Over time and physical therapy, the full range of motion can be obtained. However in severe and rare cases, patients may experienced stiffness in their knee for the rest of their lives.
Blood clots
There is always a possibility that blood clots will form at the surgical site after surgery. This is due to the nature of the anaesthesia, causing the surgical area to be numb and devoid of blood. This can result in blood pooling in the bottom half of the body and result in blood clots after the surgery.
Infection
Although all the surgical instruments are sterile, there is still a low risk of infection in patients due to different reasons such as poor surgical techniques and inadequate sterilisation of medical personnel. Some pre-existing conditions of the patients can also increase the risk of infection such as diabetes. Infection can cause serious problems in patients and patients will need to consume antibiotics orally to be cured.
Further injuries due to surgery
The entire surgery will be carried out in a careful and meticulous way. However, since arthroscopy surgery involves the use of surgical instruments passing through small incisions in the knee, some further damages or injuries to the knee could happen when trying to pass the instruments through. In unfortunate scenarios, the surrounding tissues and nerves could also be accidentally injured. However, this is a very rare thing to happen.
Hemarthrosis
Hemarthrosis is a rare effect of arthroscopy surgery. It is a collection of blood at the surgical site which can cause pain if there is a significant amount of blood. It will also lead to inflammation and infection.
Above are some of the effects of arthroscopy surgery. Overall, it is a rather safe surgical method but it depends on the quality of the surgeon you choose as most of it is due to poor surgical techniques.

The Many Benefits of Abdominoplasty

There are many people who have never heard of the term abdominoplasty. This procedure is actually a form of plastic surgery in which excess fat and skin is removed from the stomach area. This particular procedure is extremely beneficial in several different ways.
One of the things it can do is help people lose stubborn fat from their stomach, without having to go on an exercise spree. There are some people who will work out every day and still not see the results they want to see in that particular area. Many of them find that if they would eat a better diet that they easily get to their weight loss goal, but while this may be true for some people, it isn't always an easy task for others. The fact of the matter is there are some people who are disciplined enough to exercise, but not disciplined enough to eat right, and vice versa. So, the best thing to do in their case would be to go through an abdominoplasty procedure. Losing excess fat in the stomach area comes with many great benefits.
First of all, it can help people go down two or three sizes instantly after the surgery. For those who hold on to old clothing that they haven't been able to get into for years, finally getting to see themselves in their old clothing once again can be extremely satisfying.
Some may think this can actually cause problems, especially for those who don't have any clothing from when they were smaller. Their smaller stomach would mean they would have to buy new clothes. Although this may be true, most people would rather lose the fat than worry about whether or not they have to go shopping.
Abdominoplasty can also prove beneficial for those who like to swim, whether that's on the beach or in hotel swimming pools. Many women shy away from wearing two-piece bikinis and many men are self-conscious about taking their shirts off, because they don't like the way their stomach area looks. This particular procedure can help to alleviate those types of fears and issues.
Lastly, this procedure is beneficial to those who enjoy wearing clothing that is a little skintight. There are some women who wear form-fitting clothing no matter what their size or shape is. The truth of the matter is that type of clothing doesn't look good on everyone, but the good news is that there is a procedure that can help people get rid of this issue and wear the clothing they want to be able to wear.