Sunflower seeds

Sunflower and its seeds

Description

Sunflower seeds are the gift of the beautiful sunflower, a plant with rays of petals emanating from its bright yellow, seed-studded center. The sunflower's Latin scientific name, Helianthus annuus, reflects its solar appearance since helios is the Greek word for sun, and anthos is the Greek word for flower.
The sunflower produces grayish-green or black seeds encased in tear-dropped shaped gray or black shells that oftentimes feature black and white stripes. Since these seeds have a very high oil content, they are one of the main sources used to produce polyunsaturated oil. Shelled sunflower seeds have a mild nutty taste and firm, but tender texture. Their taste is oftentimes compared with the Jerusalem artichoke (not to be confused with the bulb artichoke), another member of the Helianthus family.

flower seeds are the gift of the beautiful sunflower that has rays of petals emanating from its bright yellow, seed-studded center. The flower produces grayish-green or black seeds encased in tear-dropped shaped gray or black shells that oftentimes feature black and white stripes. Since these seeds have a very high oil content, they are one of the main sources of polyunsaturated oil.

Sunflower Seeds, dried
0.25 cup
(35.00 grams)

Calories: 204
GI: low

NutrientDRI/DV

 vitamin E82%

 copper70%

 vitamin B143.3%

 manganese34%

 selenium33.7%

 phosphorus33%

 magnesium28.4%

 vitamin B627.6%

 folate19.8%

 vitamin B318.2%

This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Sunflower seeds provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System.

Health Benefits

Looking for a health-promoting snack? A handful of sunflower seeds will take care of your hunger, while also enhancing your health by supplying significant amounts of vitamin E, magnesium and selenium.

Anti-Inflammatory and Cardiovascular Benefits from Sunflower Seeds' Vitamin E

Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E, the body's primary fat-soluble antioxidant. Vitamin E travels throughout the body neutralizing free radicals that would otherwise damage fat-containing structures and molecules, such as cell membranes, brain cells, and cholesterol. By protecting these cellular and molecular components, vitamin E has significant anti-inflammatory effects that result in the reduction of symptoms in asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, conditions where free radicals and inflammation play a big role. Vitamin E has also been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer, help decrease the severity and frequency of hot flashes in women going through menopause, and help reduce the development of diabetic complications.

In addition, vitamin E plays an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin E is one of the main antioxidants found in cholesterol particles and helps prevent free radicals from oxidizing cholesterol. Only after it has been oxidized is cholesterol able to adhere to blood vessel walls and initiate the process of atherosclerosis, which can lead to blocked arteries, heart attack, or stroke. Getting plenty of vitamin E can significantly reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis. In fact, studies show that people who get a good amount of vitamin E are at a much lower risk of dying of a heart attack than people whose dietary intake of vitamin E is marginal or inadequate.

facts about the Moon

Basic facts about the Moon:

The Moon (or Luna) is the Earth’s only natural satellite and was formed 4.6 billion years ago around some 30–50 million years after the formation of solar system. The Moon is in synchronous rotation with Earth meaning the same side is always facing the Earth. The first unmanned mission to the Moon was in 1959 by the Soviet Lunar Program with the first manned landing being Apollo 11 in 1969.

Moon Profile

Circumference at Equator: 10,917.0 km Diameter: 3,475 km Mass: 73,476,730,924,573,500 million kg (0.0123 x Earth) Average Distance from Earth: 384,400 km Length of Orbit: 27.3 Earth days Surface Temperature: -233 to 123 °C

Size of the moon compared to Earth

Facts about the Moon

The dark side of the moon is a myth:
In reality both sides of the Moon see the same amount of sunlight however only one face of the Moon is ever seen from Earth this is because the Moon rotates around on its own axis in exactly the same time it takes to orbit the Earth, meaning the same side is always facing the Earth. The side we see is lit by reflected sunlight, while the side facing away from Earth lies in darkness and has only been seen by the human eye from a spacecraft.

 

The rise and fall of the tides on Earth is caused by the Moon:
There are two bulges in the Earth due to the gravitational pull that the Moon exerts; one on the side facing the Moon, and the other on the opposite side that faces away from the Moon, The bulges move around the oceans as the Earth rotates, causing high and low tides around the globe.

The Moon is drifting away from the Earth:
The Moon is moving approximately 3.8 cm away from our planet every year. It is estimated that it will continue to do so for around 50 billion years. By the time that happens, the Moon will be taking around 47 days to orbit the Earth instead of the current 27.3 days.

A person would weigh much less on the Moon:
The Moon has much weaker gravity than Earth, due to its smaller mass, so you would weigh about one sixth (16.5%) of your weight on Earth. This is why the lunar astronauts could leap and bound so high in the air.

The Moon has only been walked on by 12 people; all American males:
The first man to set foot on the Moon in 1969 was Neil Armstrong on the Apollo 11 mission, while the last man to walk on the Moon in 1972 was Gene Cernan on the Apollo 17 mission. Since then the Moon has only be visited by unmanned vehicles.

The Moon has no atmosphere:

 
This means that the surface of the Moon is unprotected from cosmic rays, meteorites and solar winds, and has huge temperature variations. The lack of atmosphere means no sound can be heard on the Moon, and the sky always appears black.

The Moon has quakes:
These are caused by the gravitational pull of the Earth. Lunar astronauts used seismographs on their visits to the Moon, and found that small moonquakes occurred several kilometres beneath the surface, causing ruptures and cracks. Scientists think the Moon has a molten core, just like Earth.

The first spacecraft to reach the Moon was Luna 1 in 1959:
This was a Soviet craft, which was launched from the USSR. It passed within 5995 km of the surface of the Moon before going into orbit around the Sun.

The Moon is the fifth largest natural satellite in the Solar System:

At 3,475 km in diameter, the Moon is much smaller than the major moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Earth is about 80 times the volume than the Moon, but both are about the same age. A prevailing theory is that the Moon was once part of the Earth, and was formed from a chunk that broke away due to a huge object colliding with Earth when it was relatively young.

Mosquitoes

Mosquito larvae are aquatic insects, and as such, play an important role in the aquatic food chain. 

Their role on the bottom of the food chain doesn't end at the larval stage, of course. As adults, mosquitoes serve as equally nutritious meals for birds, bats, and spiders.

As much as we loathe them, mosquitoes represent a considerable biomass of food for wildlife on the lower rungs of the food chain. Their extinction, were it even achievable, would have an enormous adverse affect on the entire ecosystem.

A symbolic meaning of swallows

A legend holds that since swallows return to the same location every year to mate and nest, the swallow will guarantee the sailor returns home safely.

 

A sailor would have one swallow tattooed before setting out on a journey, and the second swallow tattooed at the end of their tour of duty, upon return to their home port. It is also said that if the sailor drowns, the swallows will carry their soul to heaven.

The swallow also represents love, care and affection towards family and friends, showing the loyalty of the person always returning to them. The bird also represents freedom and hope.

CROATIAN SOUVENIRS FOR ECO SENSITIVE TOURISTS

                                     all MADE IN /CROATIA/

CORALS,

 

EATABLE LICITAR HEARTS FROM NORTH CROATIA,

AND OUR FABULOUS PAG CHEESE MADE OF SHEEP MILK: 

      






... NOT TO FORGET OUR SUPERB HONEY

AND ...



                OUR TIE IN RED AND WHITE SQUARES:

A MYSTERIOUS HOLE IN THE GROUND

WHAT CAN IT BE?!

BENEFITS OF OLIVE LEAVES

 

While olive leaves have been used as a source of food and medicine for thousands of years, their potential benefits have gone largely untested until recent years. Now available as a supplement, olive leaf extract is gaining a solid reputation for a variety of health benefits. Use olive leaf extract with the guidance of a trained health professional knowledgeable in its proper use.

BENEFITS:

• Enolinate, a substance derived from olive leaf extract, may inhibit bacterial, viral and fungal infections while sparing the beneficial bacteria in your intestinal and respiratory tracts,
• Olive leaf extract may lower blood pressure as effectively as some medications. A study published in the February 2011 issue of the journal "Phytomedicine" found that eight weeks of supplementation with 500 milligrams of olive leaf extract twice per day lowered systolic blood pressure -- the upper number in the blood pressure ratio, signifying pressure in the arteries during heart contraction -- 83 percent as effectively as a common blood pressure medication. Olive oil extract reduced diastolic pressure -- the lower number of the blood pressure ratio, signifying pressure in the arteries during heart relaxation,
• Brain-protective benefits of olive leaf extract were demonstrated in a laboratory animal study published in the January 2011 issue of the journal "Phytomedicine." In the study, olive leaf extract prevented brain injury following periods of reduced oxygen supply similar to that which occurs during a stroke. The herbal supplement decreased the area of affected brain tissue, reduced brain swelling and improved the blood-brain barrier -- the selective filter that helps the brain maintain a healthy environment. Researchers also noted improved scores on neurologic function tests with olive leaf extract supplementation.
•  Diabetic patients may experience better blood sugar management with olive leaf extract.
  

Marine ecology

 MARINE ECOLOGY

Marine Ecology is the scientific study of marine-life habitat, populations, and interactions among organisms and the surrounding environment including their abiotic (non-living physical and chemical factors that affect the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce) and biotic factors (living things or the materials that directly or indirectly affect an organism in its environment).
Marine ecology is a subset of the study of marine biology and includes observations at the biochemical, cellular, individual, and community levels as well as the study of marine ecosystems and the biosphere.
The study of marine ecology also includes the influence of geology, geography, meteorology, pedology, chemistry, and physics on marine environments. The impact of human activity such as medical research, development, agriculture, fisheries, and forestry is also studied under marine ecology. In some ways, marine ecology is more complex than the relatively straightforward study of a particular organism or environment because of the numerous interconnections, symbiotic relationships, and influence of many factors on a particular environment.

 

To understand the difference between marine biology and marine ecology, it may be useful to look at a community of organisms. A marine biologist may focus on behavioral relationships between the organisms in one particular species while someone studying ecology would study how the behavior of one organism influences another. An ecologist would also look at abiotic factors and how they influence that organism. A scientist studying community ecology might study a group of organisms to see how they influence other species and abiotic factors.

 

The major subcategories of ecology are:

• Physiological ecology: the study of how biotic and abiotic factors act on the physiological characteristics of an organism and how the organism adapts to the abiotic and biotic environment.
• Behavioral ecology: a subcategory of ecology that studies which ecological and evolutionary dynamics are responsible for the way in which organisms adapt to their environment.
• Population ecology: the study of populations of organisms in a particular species and how the populations interact with their environment.
• Community ecology: the study of how species react to each other in a community.
• Landscape ecology: the study of how organisms interact with a particular landscape.
• Ecosystem ecology: the study of how energy and matter flow through ecosystems.
• Global ecology: the study of how energy and matter interact in the entire web of life on Earth.

The study of ecology in general includes all of the subcategories listed above as they apply to marine ecology, animal ecology, plant ecology, insect ecology, arctic ecology, tropical ecology and desert ecology.

What is ecology?

WHAT IS ECOLOGY? 
 

Ecology is the scientific study of interactions of organisms with one another and with the physical and chemical environment. Although it includes the study of environmental problems such as pollution, the science of ecology mainly involves research on the natural world from many viewpoints, using many techniques. Modern ecology relies heavily on experiments, both in laboratory and in field settings. These techniques have proved useful in testing ecological theories, and in arriving at practical decisions concerning the management of natural resources.

An understanding of ecology is essential for the survival of the human species. Our populations are increasing rapidly, all around the world, and we are in grave danger of outstripping the earth’s ability to supply the resources that we need for our long-term survival. Furthermore, social, economic and political factors often influence the short-term distribution of resources needed by a specific human population. An understanding of ecological principles can help us understand the global and regional consequences of competition among humans for the scarce natural resources that support us.