Daily Archives: June 1, 2017

Around Ascension for June 1, 2017 – The Advocate

Posted: June 1, 2017 at 10:49 pm

Time to prepare for hurricane season

Its June 1, and that means hurricane season is upon us. FEMA is urging Louisianans to prepare now to save lives and property later.

Start by updating your disaster kit. Ready.gov recommends gathering a three-day supply of nonperishable food and bottled water, a battery-operated radio, a flashlight, extra batteries, cash, medicines, a first-aid kid, pet foods and important documents.

Outside your home, cut down or trim damaged trees and clear debris from pipes and culverts.

Know your evacuation routes and make a plan to keep your family together and safe. Create a communication plan that includes a family member or friend out of state as a point of contact in the event of separation when a storm hits.

For more information, visit ready.gov/hurricanes or emergency.louisiana.gov.

Rhodes Spedale and Live Jazz Group featuring Lil Josephine on bass and Lloyd Cambre on drums is set to perform from 6 pm. to 8 p.m. Saturday in Crescent Park in Donaldsonville.

The free concert is part of the Donaldsonville Downtown Live @Crescent series.

For information, call (225) 445-1383.

The Donaldsonville arts, crafts and farmers market is set from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Louisiana Square.

Community Sisterhood is accepting applications to its 2017 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Camp sponsoring One Smart Cookie.

The camp is for students in kindergarten through eighth grade and will be held Monday through June 9 at First Pilgrim Calvary Baptist Church, 11453 La. 73, Geismar, and June 12-16 at Greater Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, 926 St. Patrick St., Donaldsonville.

Cost is 60 and includes breakfast, lunch and a snack. Register online at http://bit.ly/2r5GXJQ or email communitysisterhood@cox.net for details.

Learn how to keep diabetes under control and prevent complications with Mary Campos at 6 p.m. Tuesday in St. Elizabeth Hospitals Sister Vernola conference room. Campos is a certified diabetic educator and registered nurse.

The event is free to attend, but registration is preferred. Call (225) 621-2906.

St. Elizabeth Hospital offers a variety of support groups that meet on a regular basis.

All groups are free, and no registration is required.

Contact Darlene Denstorff by phone, (225) 388-0215 or (225) 603-1996; or email, ascension@theadvocate.com or ddenstorff@theadvocate.com. Deadline: noon Monday.

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Around Ascension for June 1, 2017 - The Advocate

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This millionaire has a promising idea for space exploration. But he says aliens are already here. – Washington Post

Posted: at 10:48 pm

The millionaires leading mankind's march to space have a few things in common in particular, starry-eyedvisions of sending humans to the final frontier and galaxy-size bank accounts to launch their ideas into orbit.

But the motivation of Robert Bigelow who made millionsin the extended-stay motel industry then launched his own aerospace company is kind of, well, out there.

Bigelow told "60 Minutes reporter Lara Logan that not only is he absolutely convinced that aliens exist but that he and his family members have had personal experiences with beings from another planet.

He is, to quote dozens of alien movies, not alone. A Newsweek poll from 2015 showed that 54 percent of Americans believe in intelligent alien life.

But Bigelow is capable of pumping millions of dollars into testing histheories about spacecolonization and alien life forms.

He spoke about his beliefs and his motivations with Logan, who asked whether he believed that aliens have ever visited Earth.

There has been and is an existing presence, an ET presence, he said. And I spent millions and millions and millions I probably spent more as an individual than anybody else in the United States has ever spent on this subject.

By his own admission, it was millions that may not have been needed to make contact with beings from another planet.

You don't have to go anywhere, he said. " It's just like right under people's noses. Oh my gosh. Wow.

Whether people believe his claims doesn't really matter. He's used his own money some $290 million, he told "60 Minutes to form a company with a stylized alien logo to send things into space.

Last May, astronauts pumped up the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, a $17.8 million inflatable space beach ball that Bigelow hopes will be the future of space exploration.

CEO Elon Musk says SpaceX plans to fly two private citizens around the moon next year using a spaceship under development for NASA astronauts and a heavy-lift rocket that has not yet flown. (Reuters)

If it can survive the rigors of space, the modules could serve aswork spaces, labs and living quarters that are much wider than the narrow tube of a space shuttle.

The module was launched in 2016 and will be attached to the International Space Station for another year as NASA scientists test radiation levels and structural integrity.

As "60 Minutes reported: With no formal training in science or engineering, Robert Bigelow created an aerospace company with scientists and engineers that's achieved what no one else in the industry has done. His expandable spacecraft are the first and only alternative to the metal structures that have housed every astronaut in space for over half a century.

Seth Shostak, a senior astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, told The Washington Post that Bigelow's inflatable module is a promising concept even if people think his claims about alien contact are dubious.

Shostak said he's talked with Bigelow several times over the yearsabout whether aliens are among us.

He asks the multimillionaire for the same thing he demands of other people who call with claims of close encounters: proof.

I think the evidence is very poor, and its usually witness testimony, Shostak said. No one would have ever proved relativity by proving how clever the relativity witnesses are.

Shostak said he is skeptical that aliens have visited Earth but notof the existence of aliens.

[Meet the latest multimillionaire with an out-of-this-world idea for space]

He told The Post that it's hard to believe that of the trillions of planets in our galaxy, there's only one with intelligent life. It's more likely, he thinks, that there's intelligent life that hasn't been detected by humans.

But Shostak said he is a scientist one who works in a field that has also been the target of intense skepticism. That means he's not ruling anything out yet or writing Bigelow off as an eccentric billionaire.

Not that Bigelow would care.

Near the end of the "60 Minutes interview, Logan asks the millionaire whether he's worried that people will think he's mentally unstable.

Is it risky for you to say in public that you believe in UFOs and aliens? she asks.

I don't give a damn, he replies. I don't care.

You don't worry that some people will say, 'Did you hear that guy, he sounds like he's crazy?'

I don't care, Bigelow repeated.

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Iran cancels human space exploration program – JerusalemOnline

Posted: at 10:48 pm

Even though the Iranian government set a goal of sending a human into space by 2018, an Iranian news agency has reported that Tehran has dropped its human space exploration program, citing costs.

The Iranian government has decided to cancel its program for sending humans into space, according to the Associated Press. The AP reported that the countrys semi-official ILNA news agency broke the story.

In January 2013, Iran sent a monkey into space and stated that its goal is to send a person into space by 2018. However, it appears that this goal requires more funds than the government can allot. The AP report stated that the deputy head of the space organization told ILNA that the cost of the program was too high.

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Dubai’s civil defence is embracing nanotechnology and using smart apps to fight fires – Verdict (press release) (registration) (blog)

Posted: at 10:48 pm

GlobalData is the market leader in providing actionable insight into the cities around the world. With market analysts in 18 countries around the world, along with a team of researchers and consultants, we can provide you with the reliable, in-depth industry information you need.

The Dubai Civil Defence (DCD), an emergency management organisation of Dubai, has completed the testing for using nanotech in fire suppression operations and has also launched new smart applications.

Dubai has been facing raging fire situations over the past few years and to counter the problem, the city is embracing smart technologies to centralise its firefighting resources, so as to minimise the loss of property and life caused by the fire incidents.

In January the DCD announced the adoption of nanotechnology in the field of firefighting operations at the Intersec Fire Safety Conference. DCD also announced its intention to build a factory for producing these nanotech devices in the UAE, and launched eight new smart applications for managing firefighting operations.

The use of smart apps will help integrate and better co-ordinate the citys firefighting department operations with other emergency response departments.

Nanotechnology is the application of science, engineering, and technology at a very small size, which is about one to 100 nanometers.

This can be applied across fields of chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, and engineering. DCD plans to manufacture these nanotech devices which are capable of detecting fire accidents at an early stage.

The nanotech units are about two centimetres by two centimetres, and can be produced as different-sized adhesive plates.

These plates are activated automatically, when the temperature increases in that confined area.

This triggers the release of gas required to extinguish the fire at the source.

The DCD also unveiled eight new smart applications for the fire department including automated stirring system, accident leaders, vehicles management, and civil defence stations panel, among others.

These applications will help in efficiently managing firefighting resources, and improve service time during fire incidents.

From a financial perspective, these digital initiatives will provide an opportunity for technology vendors to collaborate with the citys authorities to provide support operations for these technologies, and reduce cost of operations for the public departments.

These support services can range from remote support for the command centres to security support for the online platforms and applications.

The city is also targeting to complete 100 smart initiatives and 1,000 smart services by the end of 2017 to transform the citys resources into a smart city environment.

Although, these transformation initiatives will offer a host of opportunities for IT vendors, it is will also escalate competition among the vendors vying for those contracts and outsourcing services.

Furthermore, Dubai is taking wide-ranging steps in technology to modify all its operations.

To illustrate, in April 2017, the city decided to digitally transform all its public services, to be easily accessed through electronic channels by 2021.

Similarly, in April 2017, the DCD opened a new command centre to monitor buildings and ships, and plans to connect all homes in the city with the command centre by 2019 to monitor fire incidents.

In May 2017, it launched an electronic platform called Dubai Now which will allow access of all government services through the app.

This shows that the city is transforming all its administrative departments, emergency response departments, financial institutions, and critical infrastructure operations into digital smart platforms.

While this transformation will speed up operations, decrease service time and remove redundancies, it might also cause service disruptions due to security attacks and lack of interoperability.

Organisations and service providers need to closely collaborate with their security software and network vendors to update their legacy IT architecture so that it can be used with the new smart apps and sensor devices.

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North Korea LATEST: Seoul orders urgent probe into THAAD defence over rising WW3 fears – Express.co.uk

Posted: at 10:48 pm

GETTY - REUTERS

President Moon Jae-in claims the US Defence Ministry failed to inform him that four more launchers for the controversial system had been brought into the country.

And he said it was very shocking to learn about the installation days after the fact.

Now his government will launch an investigation into the new launchers amid reports they could back off from the ongoing conflict.

REUTERS

REUTERS

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system battery was initially deployed in March in the southeastern region of Seongju.

The missile defence system was installed with two of its maximum load of six launchers to counter a growing North Korean missile threat.

But Mr Moon has called for a more moderate approach to Pyongyangs threat - and even called for a parliamentary review of the THAAD system in his recent election campaign.

AFP/Getty Images

1 of 7

A South Korean F-15K jet fighter takes off during the 'Max Thunder' South Korea-US military joint air exercise at a US air base in the southwestern port city of Gunsan

He also hopes to encourage engagement despite as the reclusive state continuing to pursue its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions and threats of more sanctions.

The United States has hit back against the ongoing programme and currently has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea.

READ MORE: North Korea vs USA latest

REUTERS

It also has a mutual defence treaty with Seoul dating back to the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a truce that has left the peninsula in a technical state of war.

South Korea's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday it had conducted a joint drill with a US supersonic B-1B Lancer bomber on Monday, after North Korea's state media accused America of staging "a nuclear bomb dropping drill".

The US military in South Korea did not have immediate comment on Moon's comments. The South Korean military also has yet to comment.

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The Three Types of Hallucinogens: Psychedelics …

Posted: at 10:47 pm

Human hallucinogen use precedes written history, and has shaped many lives and cultures throughout time. These drugs can be quite different from each other, however, and are commonly grouped into three major categories: psychedelics, dissociatives, and deliriants.

Psychedelics

Examples: cannabis (marijuana), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstacy), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin mushrooms

The category psychedelic drug is a blanket term for many chemical compounds with a variety of effects. The three sub-groups of psychedelics are cannabinoids, empathogens (also known as entactogens), and serotonergics. The underlying similarities between all three types of psychedelic drugs are that they produce changes in consciousness that are generally unfamiliar, while other classes of drugs such as stimulants or depressants give rise to familiar, if greatly magnified, states of mind.

Cannabinoid drugs, which work as antagonists of cannabinoid receptors in the brain, are named after the prototypical drug in this class, cannabis (also known as marijuana), which contains the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Effects of cannabinoids vary between dosages, users, and the types and amounts of particular compounds (different cannabis strains contain differing ratios of many different cannabinoid compounds). Users commonly report mild euphoria, senses of well-being, increased awareness of external sensations, increased hunger, and disruption of linear memory processes.

Empathogens are a class of psychedelics that release serotonin in the brain and derive their name from one of their major effects: increased feelings of empathy. The best-known drug in this class is MDMA, although several similar compounds exist as well. Users generally report heightened feelings of love, openness, euphoria, and overall enhancement of sensory experiences.

Serotonergic drugs are so named due to their activity as agonists of a specific serotonin receptor (5-HT2A) in the brain. Drugs in this class include LSD, DMT, psilocybin (the psychoactive compound in hallucinogenic mushrooms), and phenethylamines such as mescaline and 2C-B. Users of these drugs experience intense, fundamental alterations of perception, including synesthesia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and unusual thought patterns or emotional responses.

Dissociatives

Examples: ibogaine, phencyclidine (PCP), ketamine, dextromethorphan (DXM)

Dissociative hallucinogens, including ibogaine, PCP, ketamine, and DXM (at dosages many times larger than its use as a cough suppressant), work as antagonists of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the brain. While many of these drugs produce perceptual alterations similar to the psychedelic drugs listed above, the distinguishing features of dissociatives are feelings of depersonalization, or being disconnected from ones body. Derealization, or the sensation that ones surrounding environment is somehow not real, is also a characteristic of these drugs.

Deliriants

Examples: atropine, scopolamine (hyoscine), diphenhydramine (benadryl)

Deliriants are a class of psychoactive drug that generally block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from binding to receptors in the brain and central nervous system. As recreational drugs, deliriants produce vivid and generally very unpleasant hallucinations in addition to potentially dangerous side-effects. While users of psychedelics and dissociatives often report having euphoric, spiritual experiences, users of deliriants almost universally report unpleasant effects and have no desire to use these drugs again.

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Psychedelics touted as solution for society – Ashland Daily Tidings

Posted: at 10:47 pm

By John Darling for the Tidings

While psychedelic drugs rose to prominence in the 1960s, the attendees at an Ashland conference say the nation and world would be a better place if the non-addictive drugs regained their footing in society.

The peace and love message of the '60s inspired in part by psychedelic drugs hasnt changed over the last five decades, speakers told the approximately 300 attendees at the fourth annual Exploring Psychedelics conference, held May 25-26 at Southern Oregon University.

Pointing to a spiritual crisis in the west, conference organizer Martin Ball, an SOU adjunct faculty member, said mind-altering substances such as psilocybin mushrooms have been a positive part of culture since the beginning of history. But the federal government's War on Drugs over the last 50 years demonized the non-addictive entheogens (literally: generating god within) and pushed the movement to the periphery of society.

A psychedelic renaissance is underway as researchers and society learn of its benefits in health, healing and creativity in art, music, philosophy and a greater understanding of how to solve societys problems, says Ball. Were not talking about back-alley druggies and Grateful Dead concerts here. These are important members of our society.

Ball produces a podcast, the Entheogenic Revolution, with a motto, Just Say Know, a play on the Drug Wars just say no credo. Noting that psychedelics are not in the same category as meth or crack, he said they should stop being criminalized.

In the wake of the states legalization of marijuana, Tom and Sheri Eckert of Portland have organized the Oregon Psilocybin Society, which they said is promoting a ballot measure to legalize the mind-altering substance. The measure would set up a process for overseeing and training facilitators of trips, licensing, getting medical clearance for users who must be over 21 but would not legalize personal possession.

The psychedelic movement is rising to prominence and if humanity is to survive, we need to heal the culture, said Sheri Eckert. "Its bottoming out and forcing us to look at ourselves. We have to evolve and claim our higher consciousness or else. Psilocybin helps us reclaim our truth.

The plant offers relief for depression, end-of-life anxiety, addiction and PTSD, the Eckerts said.

When the history of this time is written in a thousand years, said Tom Eckert, a therapist, I bet they wont focus on our absurd politics but how we valued the inner dimension.

In a talk on marijuana, Michael Scott said psychoactive drugs are at the tipping point, with less and less suppression. More and more folks are talking about changing the world to a better place.

John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at jdarling@jeffnet.org.

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How to Increase Your Energy at Work … Without Coffee – Successful Meetings

Posted: at 10:46 pm

by Matt Alderton | June 01, 2017

"While many of us reach for caffeine when we're feeling tired at work, this is a band-aid solution at best -- and it leads to even bigger energy crashes when the caffeine wears off," Scalco says. "Whenever possible, you're better off turning to more sustainable strategies."

One such strategy is to replace coffee and sugar with water.

"Even mild dehydration can contribute to a range of energy-draining symptoms, including mental fuzziness, headaches, dizziness, lethargy, and sleepiness," Scalco explains. "Downing plenty of water throughout the day is a simple and effective way to maintain energy and focus. If you feel your energy dip at any point in the day, try reaching for a glass of water before hitting up the vending machine for a candy bar."

A supplement with your water might help, too. "While a healthy breakfast and lunch are good starts, you can achieve an even more immediate boost by consuming 'brain boosting' supplements such as nootropics," Scalco concludes. "Nootropics have been used by everyone from young entrepreneurs all the way up to Silicon Valley hotshots to gain a mental edge."

More Tips: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/294729

Questions, Comments, Suggestions? Contact Successful MeetingsEditor in Chief Vincent Alonzo with your "How To" ideas.

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Growing Use Of Smart Drugs By Students Could Be A Recipe For Disaster – IFLScience (blog)

Posted: at 10:46 pm

Its that time of year again. The blossom is on the trees, and university libraries and reading rooms are heaving with students poring over laptops, textbooks and stacks of notes exam season is here.

Though the quality of teaching is arguably as good as its ever been, and the support students get in terms of online material is brilliant, exams understandably make people anxious.

Of course, students have always felt pressure at exam time, but things seem to be different these days thanks to increasing job competition, more graduates and higher levels of debt from tuition fees.

To cope with this exam stress, it seems increasing numbers of students are turning to so called smart drugs. Often referred to as nootropics from the Greek, noos (mind) and tropos (growth) these are chemicals intended to improve your mental powers.

Its easy to see why students looking for an edge may turn to these substances to try and beat the competition. And it seems to be that, for a lot of them, its just part and parcel of gaining a degree: a recent Europe-wide survey found that most British university students generally approved of the use of such performance enhancing drugs for study.

Over in the US, as a result of student pressure, one university has actually amended its honour code to recognise this spike in performance enhancing substance use. The honour code is a set of rules or principles that govern the university community based on ideals that define what constitutes honourable behaviour. And Duke Universitys amended code, makes it clear that use of prescription medication to enhance academic performance is not tolerated.

In the UK, there have also been calls for universities to be more aware of the problem. One survey found that more than 15% of Oxford University students took such drugs without a prescription and similar levels are indicated nationwide. With a student population in excess of two million in the UK, this adds up to a lot of students potentially on smart drugs.

But students arent the only people taking nootropics. Office workers and city bankers are also reportedly using smart drugs to help boost productivity levels and allow them to work around the clock.

How do they work?

Some smart drugs make you more alert for longer. The first drugs for this were amphetamine (Adderall) and methamphetamine, which were used by both sides in World War II for example by bomber pilots on long missions.

Essentially, amphetamines work by affecting the release and re-uptake of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. These help to regular your mood and behaviour and they can become addictive.

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Bacopa: The Herb That May Increase Your Brain Power – ProHealth

Posted: at 10:46 pm

Reprinted with the kind permission of Dr. Mercola.

Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri), or moneywort, is a popular herb in Ayurvedic medicine that has been used in India for over three centuries. The bacopa herb is commonly known as a nootropic herb, which means that it can help repair damaged neurons and improve brain function. Nootropics are usually said to have the ability to "unlock" the brain when it comes to creativity and cognitive drive.1

In India, the bacopa herb falls under the category of the "medhyarasayana" herbs that have the ability to improve memory and intellect.2 This herb is also called "brahmi," together with the herb gotu kola. This was taken from the name of "Brahma," the creator of the universe in the Indian belief system. While the gotu kola herb shares the ability of the bacopa plant in improving cognition, these two can be easily differentiated based on their appearance.3

The gotu kola plant has fan-shaped leaves with slightly serrated edges, and produces purple to pink flowers.4 Bacopas, on the other hand, have succulent oblong leaves and white or light purple flowers.5 Bacopa monnieri also shares its name with the Bacopa caroliniana plant, which is widely cultivated in aquarium settings because of its blue flowers and aromatic leaves.

The two plants are closely related, but the Bacopa monnieri variety is much more known for its medicinal properties instead of its ornamental and decorative characteristics.6 Aside from being a nootropic, bacopa is an adaptogen and diuretic as well. Continue reading to learn more about the health benefits you can acquire from this herb.

Get These Impressive Health Benefits From Bacopa

Bacopa monnieri offers an impressive list of health and nutritional benefits, which are usually credited to the alkaloids, saponins and sterols that this herb contains.7 These benefits include the following:

May improve epilepsy symptoms. In Ayurvedic medicine, bacopa has been used to reduce the frequency of epileptic episodes. In one study, the herb's effect on the GABA receptors, which are responsible for maintaining and regulating neuronal excitation, was measured. An imbalance in these receptors causes the abnormal occurrence of seizures. The use of bacopa showed a decrease in GABA receptor activity, decreasing the frequency of seizures and epilepsy symptoms.8

Has antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties. Bacopa contains bacosaponin C and bacopasides, which were observed to show anti-depressive properties in animal studies. In a human study, people over the age of 65 who used bacopa showed a decrease in both anxiety and depression.9

Promotes normal blood pressure. This herb has been observed to help in vascular muscle function and the complete utilization of nitric oxide. These two processes help in normalizing blood pressure.10

Functions as a nootropic. As mentioned above, bacopa can boost cognitive function and improve memory and creativity. It also helps in improving focus.

May improve memory and information retention. In a study, subjects were given placebos and bacopa monnieri supplements. The individuals who were given the bacopa monnieri showed a higher ability to retain newly introduced information. Improved cognition was also observed in people who took bacopa regularly.11

Acts as an adaptogen. Bacopa has the ability to regulate the body's response to acute and chronic stress. In an animal study, rats were treated with bacopa monnieri and subjected to high amounts of stress. Their dopamine and serotonin levels were then measured, which showed that there were no observable decreases in both of these hormones.12

How Can the Bacopa Plant Be Used?

The bacopa plant is available in the market in various forms. It's usually sold as an oil or powder, but is also available in capsule and liquid extracts, which are easier to assimilate and add to various foods.13 Bacopa has also been incorporated into the culinary world, and is now being used as an ingredient in meals.

People who use bacopa in their diet have noted that it had a bitter taste, which may not be that appetizing for children.14 The taste, though, is just a minor characteristic because what you're actually aiming to get are the numerous health benefits it offers.

As a supplement, however, taking bacoba in large amounts is ill-advised due to the fact that it may have a toxic effect on the body. The recommended dose for this herb is normally 300 milligrams per day, but people often have varying tolerance to supplements. Be sure that you get a health practitioner's advice on the prescribed dose.15

Here's How You Can Grow Your Own Bacopa

Bacopa monnieri is a hydroponic plant, which means that it can grow without soil, and can even be cultivated in aquariums and other water-based planting systems.

The good news is that bacopa does not need too much of your attention for it to grow. All it needs is an adequate source of water and enough light.16 When growing bacopa in a hydroponic environment, make sure that it gets enough light so as to avoid the lower parts of the bacopa plant from rotting. Bacopa can either be grown through seed planting or stem propagation.

For stem propagation, here are the steps to help you grow your own bacopa in your backyard:17

1. Prepare the soil where you will be planting bacopa. This plant grows best in waterlogged areas and poorly drained soil. Plough the soil and thoroughly get rid of the weeds that can compromise the growth of bacopa.

2. Divide the area into plot and put one or two irrigations. Moisten the soil a day before planting the bacopa cuttings.

3. Before removing the bacopa cuttings for transplantation, flood the nursery. Take care of the cuttings, making sure that you do not damage the stems and roots. Cuttings that are ready to be transplanted are usually about 6 to 8 centimeters long.

4. One day before planting, spread vermicompost on the surface of the plots. Flood the soil.

5. Transplant the cuttings in the wet soil, alloting 15 by 15 centimeter spaces in between.

6. Provide flood irrigation. Irrigation should be provided at 3- to 4-day intervals in order to provide enough water for these water-loving herbs.

7. Harvest the bacopa herb when it has thoroughly spread or covered the ground.

Try These Tasty and Healthy Bacopa Recipes

Once you get your hands on this herb, the next step is determining how you can add it to your diet. The good news is that there are numerous recipes available that use bacopa as the main ingredient, which means that you get the highest concentration of the minerals it offers. Here are a couple of recipes that you can follow:18,19

Brahmi Pesto

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews, soaked overnight and drained

1/2 packed cup basil leaves

1/2 cup packed brahmi/bacopa

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Himalayan salt

50 milliliters water

Procedure:

1. Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender.

2. Blend until smooth.

3. Transfer to a jar and keep refrigerated. This will last up for up to 3 days.

Brahmi with Lentils (Vallarai Keerai Kootu)

Ingredients:

1 to 2 cups tightly packed bacopa leaves

3/4 cup mung beans

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon homemade ghee

2 teaspoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 dried red chili

1 teaspoon black lentils

1 teaspoon chickpeas

A pinch of asafetida

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

5 to 6 curry leaves

Himalayan salt to taste

Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Procedure:

1. In a pressure cooker, pour 2 cups of water. Add the lentils and turmeric powder. Cook for about 10 minutes or until done. Set aside.

2. Wash the greens with cold water. Make sure that the leaves are clean and free from dirt. Blend the leaves in a food processor or a blender until it becomes a coarse paste.

3. Using a pan, heat the coconut oil and ghee on low-medium heat. Add the mustard seeds to the coconut oil and ghee mixture. Once the mustard seeds start popping, add the red chili, mung beans, chickpeas, asafetida, black lentils and cumin seeds.

4. Add the bacopa puree and cook until the raw smell is gone. Add the Himalayan salt to taste.

5. Add the cooked lentils and mix until thoroughly combined. If the mixture is too thick, feel free to add a little water until you get your desired consistency.

6. Add lemon juice to taste. Serve.

What Is Bacopa Oil?

Bacopa oil, or brahmi oil, is commonly sold in natural food and health stores. It is usually mixed with either sesame oil or coconut oil to dilute its concentration. This herbal oil has been used to help with the maintenance of certain conditions and has been observed to improve alopecia areata (hair loss), dandruff, anxiety, insomnia and stress.

Because of the limited studies that back the use of this oil, it's not yet determined if it can improve certain health conditions when ingested regularly. If you're planning on using bacopa oil therapeutically, make sure that you consult a clinical practitioner for the right dose.20

Bacopa Contraindications and Possible Side Effects

The intake and use of this herb should be avoided by pregnant and breastfeeding women so as to avoid possible repercussions. While there are no studies that prove that bacopa causes side effects, people have observed that excessive intake of bacopa may lead to stomach upset, diarrhea and nausea. To avoid the risk of suffering from these adverse effects, it would be a good idea to gauge your tolerance for this herb.

Sources and References

Link:

Bacopa: The Herb That May Increase Your Brain Power - ProHealth

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