Running a Catering Business from Home

Do you love cooking or spending time in the kitchen? Running a catering business from home can be somewhat simple to start compared with other businesses because it doesn't need a lot of specific equipment or inventory. Although, there are things you should take into concern before deciding to undertake this business.

Construct a general business plan. What kind of events you would like to cater? Is there a market for this kind of service in your area? How much rivalry would you have? Is there any particular role you want to fill, or quality that would set your catering business different from others?

Search into catering business laws in your area. Though many home catering businesses are operated under the radar, you may have to track a number of procedures if you want to become fully licensed. One challenged is that many states demand food service to organize food in a specially zoned commercial kitchen. There are few ways to get around this requirement; however, one is to prepare food in the kitchens of your clients. If ever you are not advertising your service rather than the food you prepared, you may not need to use a commercial kitchen.

Set a space in your home for different business uses even if you cook elsewhere. Make an area for storing bulk food supplies that you use for catering, a place to keep your papers arranged and for using a telephone and computer.

Make a decision whether you will work alone or engage anyone else in your catering business. It can be useful to have more hands on the job; but it also can make things more difficult from a business standpoint. If you need employees, you may need to be a registered official business and you may also need to acquire certain obligations in terms of paying social security tax or providing insurance for your employees. If you don't feel like working alone think setting up a partnership instead.

Preserve all the records; keep the receipts for any utensils or food you buy plus copies of invoices you mail to your clients and careful records of payments you receive. Make promotional materials like business cards, website, advertisements and sample menus. Settle on how you will price your services. Let people know that you are going into business and consider offering to cater to a few parties for free to get some experience for your new home business.

Honey Bees Beekeeping

Honey bees beekeeping is a very interesting hobby anyone, in any shape, from any parts of the world can take up. Honey bees, for starters, are quite intriguing creatures and keeping them can be a worthwhile and rewarding hobby that will provide you a jar of healthy and tasty treat for your own home, or as a gift to families and friends. And as your hobby flourishes, who knows, another surefire way to augment the family earnings. It is also another source of relief from the daily grind of living and working.

Getting started is not always a walk in the park. Of course you will have to learn the trick of the trades and make sure that you are equipped with the proper tools to prosper. Consider the following steps to guide you in your beekeeping adventures:

Learn from the masters - Find an experienced, successful beekeeper who is willing to help you. Seek his guidance and advice to aid you in your newly chosen endeavor.

Book-smart pays - Read two or three of the many good books available on beekeeping and if you can find one written specifically for the area where you live, the better. You may also want to start subscribing to a beekeeping magazine since they will be full of valuable information and tips for beginners.

Start a-fresh - Start with new equipment of standard dimensions and designs. As a newbie, you can do away with the complications brought about by used or homemade equipment.

The tools of the trade - Buy only the equipment you know how to use and that you are certain you would like to use it.

Italian, I love Italian! - Start with Italian bees. They are the standard, the most common, and readily available in most countries.

Beekeepers unite - Join your local beekeepers' association. These groups welcome and encourage beginners and will be a great source of information on books and other publications, trainings and workshops, as well as beekeeping events in your area. You will find kindred souls there.

Candidiasis Symptoms

Common Candidiasis Symptoms

For women

A white discharge, thick and cottage cheese in appearance, is a signs of a vaginal yeast infection. The infection normally causes itching and irritates the vagina and surrounding outer tissues, and may also cause painful sexual intercourse or burning sensation during urination

For infants and adults

Thick, white lacy patches on top of a red base that forms on the tongue, palate, or elsewhere inside the mouth is a symptom of thrush or oral candidiasis. This infection also may make the tongue look red without the white coating, and can be painful and make it difficult to eat.

Red flat rash with sharp scalloped edges is a sign of superficial candidal skin infection. These rashes may cause itching or pain and normally occurs in moist parts of the body such as the diaper area and skin-folds.

For people with weakened immune systems

A painful ulcer throughout the gastrointestinal system that makes it way too painful to even swallow liquids can very well be a sigh of candida esophagitis. This usually occurs to people with suppressed immune system due to AIDS, chemotherapy or other conditions.

Vomiting and diarrhea, frequent stomach pains and digestion problems are known symptoms of digestive tract yeast infection.

Be wary of these signs as well

• Skin problems (skin infections, eczema, psoriasis, acne)
• Foggy brain / Trouble concentrating
• Constant tiredness and exhaustion
• Anxiety
• Mood swings
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Anger outbursts
• Irritability
• Headaches

Candidiasis can also be a sign of a more serious condition such as HIV/AIDS or diabetes so it is best to consult your medical practitioner for recurring infections.

The Beekeeping Hive

Here is a lowdown on beekeeping hive 101

To start off:

To finally begin my beekeeping journey, I headed down to the nearest beekeeping store to get my equipment and supplies. I purchased hive parts, smoker, a veil helmet, a feeder, and a hive tool (which is practically the jack of all trades when it comes to beekeeping) and of course, a hive and two packets of bees. I will also need additional equipment once my hive starts producing honey, like honey supers (that's extra parts to store the honey), a bee brush and a suit; so, I am all set for now to start building my own beehive.

To install the bees in my hive:

The bees came in a small cage with a separate one for the queen and a few of her attendants. I filled the feeders with sugar syrup and pried open the cages. I then lifted the queen cage and placed it in the hive, in between two frames. I will be using gradual introduction to make sure the bees are familiar with the queens smell and therefore accepts her as their own before she is finally freed. Once the queen cage is in, I simply removed the syrup can from the main bee cage and placed the cage inside for the bees to crawl out, and placed the lid back securely. I will be back to remove the cage and refill the feeder a few days after.

A note from the hive:

It will pay to observe precautions during beekeeping installation, although bees will less likely sting during hive introductions. Always wear your veil to prevent those nasty stings especially if you are allergic. And do try to visit your hive during sunny days as the bees also get grouchy when its raining. And do not forget to open the hive only, and I mean only, when it is necessary. Your bees wont like the unnecessary attention and gets too stressed with activities.

So, don't take my word for it, go out and start your beekeeping adventure A.S.A.P!

Yeast Infection: Tongue

Yeast infection of the tongue, also known as oral thrush, is generally caused by a fungal infection due to an abnormal overproduction of a microorganism known as Candida Albicans that can be naturally found in the body. Inflamed mucosa, burning sensation, difficulty and pain when eating or swallowing are common signs and symptoms experienced by an individual with oral yeast infection. Tongue may appear to have white to yellow cream-like patches present upon initial inspection of the oral cavity and quickly bleeds when the thrush is scraped.

Oral infections often occur in people who have underdeveloped or very low immune systems like babies and the elderly. Individuals who are suffering from chronic diseases such as AIDS, diabetes and cancer and those who are taking antidepressants, corticosteroids, antihistamines and antibiotics for long term therapy are also highly predisposed to such an infection.

While it may sound scary and disgusting, oral thrush can be easily treated with home remedies. Yogurt can be very good for treating yeast infections since it contains live bacteria that could destroy the yeast. You could try eating yogurt or directly apply it to the affected part. Likewise, slightly crushed garlic may help heal oral thrush since it contains allicin that is believed to have anti-fungal property.

It is still best, however, to seek the medical advice of the doctor when dealing with oral yeast infection, considering the fact that it may be a sign of another underlying disease so to speak. During treatment, it is also advised that toothbrushes should be regularly changed monthly to avoid re-infection.

How to Treat Candidiasis

Candidiasis treatment can simply be over-the-counter (OTC) remedies or prescription medications to be taken at home but if some other disease causing your immune system to weaken, it is best to consult your doctor for any new symptoms before you try self-treatment because you might risk getting infection.

Treatment for yeast infections:

Yeast infections can easily be treated at home with over-the-counter medications such as miconazole, tioconazole, butoconazole, and cotrimazole. Simply massage these remedies into your privates and surrounding tissues for a week depending on the formulation. In case irritation increases around the area, stop using the ointment at once. You have to consult your doctor first before using any of the treatments if you are pregnant or if symptoms continue for more than a week.

Treatment for thrush

To treat thrush, simply swish the antifungal agent nystatin(Bio-Statin, Mycostatin, Mycostatin Pastilles, Nilstat) around the mouth and make sure to maintain excellent oral hygiene. For babies and small children, make sure that all objects they put in their mouths are sterilized after each use and breastfeeding mothers ought to be checked for candida of the breast, too.

For adults, treatment options include troches, pills like fluconazole to be used in conjunction with nystatin to help clear infection. If one wears dentures, make sure to clean them thoroughly after each use. Good oral hygiene is a must.

Treatment for skin and diaper rash

For treatment of diaper rash, make sure to frequently change baby diapers, use barrier creams to speed recovery and to keep the affected area clean and dry all the time. Clotrimazole creams and lotions can also be applied to skin infections. To use other medications, make sure to visit your health care practitioner to get prescriptions.

Important Pointers on Watering your Orchids

Orchid watering plays such a pivotal role in your orchid raising success, and to be able to ace it, here are a few important things you must take note of:

1. Firstly, you should bear in mind that, unlike any other plant, orchids have a special kind of roots that require different and specific type of care. It is best to check on your orchid's particular type to give it the specific care it needs.

2. Generally, you should water once a week, but, remember that different potting materials and different sizes of these potting materials affect the water to dry out at different rates too and may require you to water as often or seldom as necessary.

3. You must water only early in the day and during sunny days as water staying over night or staying in the orchids roots for too long will promote the growth of bacteria and fungi that may kill your orchids.

4. Water your plant with room temperature or lukewarm water to avoid causing injuries to your plant.

5. Water your plant from the top and make sure to wipe out the water that splashed on the leaves and in between the leaves.

6. If you can, it is best to use rainwater instead of tap water, as it absorb and dissolve substances such as dusts and pollens and contributes well in the nourishment of your plant.

7. Lastly, as with everything else, orchid watering is instinctual, so if you feel like you need to water your plant frequently or otherwise, just follow those green thumb instincts and you can never go wrong.

Night Terrors: Infants

What is night terror in infants and who are commonly affected?

You rushed to your child's bedroom because you heard a frightening shriek. His eyes glassy, heart racing, breathing is rapid, screaming and confused and he may also be drenched in sweat. He may appear to be awake, yet he won't respond to your attempts to comfort him. After the screams subside, he is calm and has no memory of this episode and, yes, no dream or nightmare to tell you about the morning after.

He will not be able to talk and express feelings for some time and/or to explain the trauma he has just experienced. Such is a classic example of night terrors, infants are most likely to be affected between ages 18 months and 6 years old, which are not not to be confused with nightmares.

How can I prevent night terrors from happening to my baby?

There are several ways to prevent night terrors. Make sure that your baby gets adequate sleep at naptime and at night. Also, make sure to have a noise free and silent place for your baby to sleep and turn off dark lights which may irritate him. Establish a consistent sleep schedule for him and fix a daily routine of waking up, sleeping and eating, and actually follow it.

You can also try giving a chamomile tisane sip before sleeping and have a tissue sprinkled with orange oils and chamomile under your child's pillow to help him sleep better. Cuddling is also helpful and don't forget to visit the doctor occasionally for proper medical care and make sure to give only medications which are properly prescribed.

What are the cures for night terrors?

Relaxation techniques and medications are the best treatments for night terrors. Hypnotherapy is also being used, as well as antidepressants like imipramine or a drug called chlordiazepoxide, which may be prescribed for relief of tensions and nervous feeling.

It is a big consolation to know that night terror does not lead to other sleep disturbances and that providing your child with a lot of love and affection is very important while dealing with such health related issues.

Candida Die Off Symptoms

A person who is under Candida diet would normally experience a Candida die off symptoms. However, there are some people who do not feel such discomfort and problems while on a strict Candida diet.

The purpose of Candida diet is to fight the yeast overgrowth that is happening inside the body. It has to be done in a gradual manner so as not to overwhelm the body with such change in diet. The Candida die off symptoms may differ in every person; it would depend on how long the yeast has been over growing in the body. Herxheimer reaction is the other term for candida die off.

The die off symptoms can be experienced by some people for a couple of days, while others would be in severe pain for a week. You need to remember that experiencing pain does not mean failure in treatment. In fact, it could mean other wise, the treatment is working well.

The aim of the Candida diet is to kill or stop the Candida overgrowth inside the body and not to starve yourself to death. Aside from combating the overgrowth of yeast or candida inside the body; the diet could also help normalize the balance in your health system.

The common symptoms that a person would normally experience during Candida die off are dizziness, headache, depression, anxiety, exhaustion, sweating and chills. You just need to stick to your diet even if you feel these symptoms. It just means that your body will be back to normal once you are done with the Candida diet.

Beekeeping Class for Beginners

A person interested in beekeeping must not only possess the desire to take care of bees but he or she should be equipped with knowledge on how to properly take care of the bees as well. Some beekeepers would attend a beekeeping class in order to learn something more about beekeeping.

A beekeeper should know the details like the beekeeper protective clothing. You cannot just wear anything during beekeeping, or else you will be prone to bee stings. A beekeeper should know that he or she should be protected from head to feet.

Aside from the protective clothing, other things to learn about beekeeping are the beehives. In order to attract more bees, learn how to create the perfect hive for the colony. There are different hives to choose from, and the most common of which is the Top Bar Hive.

The beekeeping guide or lessons would not only show you what are the necessary equipment for beekeeping; it will also give you an in depth explanation on the functions of each beekeeping equipment and supplies. It will also provide learnings and ideas on how you would go about handling the bees.

Investing to get a quality beekeeping class will give you wealth of information that can be useful in starting your apiary. This would give you a good start in creating a healthy colony and in no time, you will be able to have a taste of the delicious honey as your harvest. Plus the fact the you could also make money out of the beeswax that you can also harvest.

Orchid Growing Supplies

Orchids are highly delicate plants that need constant care as well as grooming. This can be done if appropriate tools are utilized in caring for orchids. Orchid growing supplies are as equally crucial as the basic needs of these lovely flowers for them to give a vibrant bloom such as sunlight, air and water.

It is of prime importance that you keep a handful of cutting shears to cut withered and deteriorating leaves and stems such as secateur shears, blades, heavy scissors and knives. It prevents the further spread of damages to other plant parts and therefore maintains the integrity of the orchids.

On the other hand, the size of the pot will greatly vary on what type of orchids you choose to grow. Other tools that you may need for potting method are planting sticks, hammers, and butane/propane torches which may be necessary to push potting materials, break pots and sterilize tools respectively. Also, you must use potting mixes that are made of both organic fibers and inorganic materials for they promote aeration and aid in holding water to keep the soil constantly damp.

Likewise, it is also a must to keep a number of watering accessories in your garden to complete your set of orchid growing supplies. These tools give your orchids a regular splash of water which may be substantial for their growth, to wash away pests and keep them clean at all times. Watering materials include watering cans, hoses, water flow regulators, water breakers sprayers and mists.

Yeast Intolerance

Yeast is needed by the human body but too much of yeast is harmful and can cause health problems. The human body needs yeast in small quantities in order to maintain a normal digestive system. But yeast in the body must not be excessive because it can cause problems and people who have too much yeast tend to develop intolerance to it.

There are lactose and gluten intolerance and this is common knowledge already but yeast intolerance is different because not everybody has knowledge about it until they encounter such problems.

The reasons for the intolerance can be caused by a long-lasting illness/stress, an unbalanced diet or a course of antibiotics. If a person is diagnosed with such health problem, he needs to reduce his intake of any yeast type of products or foods that have yeasts in it such as sugar foods and fermented foods.

There are symptoms that show a person has a candida infection and these includes but is not limited to: bloating of the stomach, oral thrush and bad breath, food cravings, mood swings, feeling tired and production of gas. But a person must not assume directly that he has an infection just because he experiences all of the symptoms. It is important that he visits a doctor and get his condition diagnosed first because there are also illnesses which has the same symptoms with candida infection.

There are many medical tests available that can help determine whether a person is suffering from yeast intolerance. A home test can be done but a person cannot just rely on it, medical test is still recommended.

Yeast Intolerance

Yeast is needed by the human body but too much of yeast is harmful and can cause health problems. The human body needs yeast in small quantities in order to maintain a normal digestive system. But yeast in the body must not be excessive because it can cause problems and people who have too much yeast tend to develop intolerance to it.

There are lactose and gluten intolerance and this is common knowledge already but yeast intolerance is different because not everybody has knowledge about it until they encounter such problems.

The reasons for the intolerance can be caused by a long-lasting illness/stress, an unbalanced diet or a course of antibiotics. If a person is diagnosed with such health problem, he needs to reduce his intake of any yeast type of products or foods that have yeasts in it such as sugar foods and fermented foods.

There are symptoms that show a person has a candida infection and these includes but is not limited to: bloating of the stomach, oral thrush and bad breath, food cravings, mood swings, feeling tired and production of gas. But a person must not assume directly that he has an infection just because he experiences all of the symptoms. It is important that he visits a doctor and get his condition diagnosed first because there are also illnesses which has the same symptoms with candida infection.

There are many medical tests available that can help determine whether a person is suffering from yeast intolerance. A home test can be done but a person cannot just rely on it, medical test is still recommended.

How To Repot an Orchid

People who just started to love and grow orchids might ask themselves if it is difficult to repot an orchid. Houseplants and orchids needed to be transferred to larger pots when they grow because they need more space, but repotting an orchid is more complicated compared to ordinary houseplants. When repotting orchids, it pays when the person does the right thing because more flowers will bloom and the orchid becomes healthier.

Steps on How to Report an Orchid:

Remove the orchid from the old pot. Get some old newspapers and turn the orchid upside down on it. If the roots are stuck to the container, use sterilized knife to loosen it from the pot. It is important to only use sterilize tools to cut the orchid roots in order to avoid diseases. Wiping the tools with rubbing alcohol or sterilizing it through flaming using a lighter can be done.

Prepare the orchid to be repotted is the next thing to do. Shake off the soil attached to the roots. The roots needs to be trimmed before the orchids can be repotted using sterilized scissors to remove the dead and damaged roots.

Move the orchid to the new pot. If the orchid is placed in previously used pot, the pot needs to be washed thoroughly and must be soaked in a weak solution of chlorine for 30 minutes and should be rinsed well. Clean stones or plastic foam must be put into the bottom of the pot because orchids require good drainage.

Coeliac Foods

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the inability of the small intestine to digest peptide contents found in gluten. An individual may show signs of diarrhea, muscle wasting, vomiting, extreme lethargy and abdominal distention. A classic sign of the said disease is steatorrhea, a pale, foul-smelling feces, usually floats on water since it contains mostly of fat.

Coeliac food, on the other hand, is the recommended diet for people with celiac disease. It is totally gluten-free diet (yeast - free diet) as a lifetime therapy, since even the tiniest traces of gluten in the food may trigger inflammatory responses in the bowel. The diet allows the intestinal walls to heal itself from previous damages caused by hypersensitivity reaction to gluten. However, if it's left untreated may cause scarring of the intestinal walls and may lead to other complicated conditions like ulcerative jejunitis, adenocarcinoma and lymphoma of the small bowel.

Foods that are included in coeliac diet are fresh, unspoiled fruits and vegetables for it contains most of the nutrients that your body needs to cope with the disease. Pork, chicken and beef are safe to consume for as long as you prepare them by yourself so as to avoid purchasing processed meat products which usually contains gluten. Other foods such as wine, gluten-free cheese, eggs and oats (those that do contain wheat, barley or rye) can also be safely consumed by people suffering from celiac sprue.

On the contrary, grains, breads, pastries, mushrooms, vinegar, pie, pasta, wheat, barley, rye, grains and cookies are contraindicated in a coeliac diet.

Settling Your Baby to Sleep

A sound of an infant's sudden shrill cry at night may break a mother's heart at first, but when it becomes a regular scenario, it becomes irritating. Scolding or shouting at your baby wouldn't be a great idea of calming him down. Talking with your child in a low, soft voice would be a better way to settle baby. A parent's voice is soothing enough for babies to feel safe and secured.

During the first year of life, the little tots are solely dependent on their primary caregiver, usually the parents. The infant is very much fragile and therefore requires constant caring and touch. If these needs are properly met by parents, the child will be able to develop "trust" among the people around him and may feel that the world is not scary after all.

In contrast, some experts may encourage moms to allow their babies to cry at some time during bedtime until the child eventually gets tired of crying and falls back to sleep. Others claim that it may foster child independence. A baby may usually cry whenever he feels that he is alone and scared. This feeling of abandonment may lead to disappointment and "mistrust" to the people around him especially his loved ones. If the child constantly feels deserted, he may develop depression later in life and may cause him to take his own life.

As parents, we should know the importance of parenthood by giving meticulous care on babies' most basic needs - love and support. A special caution should also be given to methods we use to settle baby as it may indicate behavioral dilemmas in the future.

Growing Greenhouse Orchids

Orchids were inhabitant to rain-forest climates because they usually grow and thrive there before they were cultured and people tried to home grow them that is why sometimes many people would wonder if greenhouse orchids growing can be possible. What most people forget is that there are already many studies conducted with regards to these issues and there are already people who have tried to grow orchids in their greenhouses, so it is definitely possible. The number one thing to consider is the temperature of the region or area that the chosen orchid came from.

Different types of orchids comes from different climate conditions and the three main climate types are cool, intermediate and warm. The temperature must be kept accurate in order for the orchids to cope well with the new environment. Ventilators and extractor fans are available in order to regulate the temperature inside the greenhouse.

It is important to maintain the humidity inside the greenhouse. Water sprayers needs to be installed inside the greenhouse in order to maintain humidity, and these sprayers needs to water the orchids at least once a day and must be often used during summer or hot season. Direct heat or direct sunlight needs to be prevented, so heat blocking items such as roller blinds are needed especially during hot summer weather.

Growing greenhouse orchids is easy if you know what you need to do in order for the orchids to bloom and prosper. Growing orchids inside a greenhouse is great because you can control the temperature and climate conditions inside the greenhouse to meet the orchids needs.

Baby Sleeping Problems

Baby sleeping problems has always been the dilemma of most parents, especially those who are working and at the same time parenting their children. Usually, the child is having a hard time to fall asleep or doesn't want to sleep at all because he's too busy playing all day or has a fever. Sometimes, sleep problems may be a symptom of a more serious underlying problem like sleep apnea.

Here are some great tips on how to avoid sleep problems at night:

• Kids may have trouble sleeping through the night due to oversleeping during the day. A child's nap in the afternoon should only take about 1 - to hours of rest periods. This may allow him to take time off in between play activities. In addition, nap time should be early in the afternoon, and not early evening.
• Avoid giving foods and beverages with caffeine content, especially a few hours before bedtime. Foodstuffs like, tea, soda, chocolates and the like may cause children to go to hyperactive mode throughout the night.
• Train your little tots to wake up early in the morning so that he would be able to do as much fun activities during the day and will eventually fall asleep early in the evening. This may also be a good time to train him to rise early in the morning in preparation for his preparatory schooling.
• Baby sleeping problems may be triggered by the child's separation-anxiety issues from their parents. During this age, toddlers mostly seek their parent's cuddling arms and loving attention. The child feels safely secured when his parents are around him as this may aid him to want to go to bed and sleep soundly.

Settling Baby to Sleep

Helping to settle baby for a good night's sleep is daunting especially when at times they want to stay up all night and party like a rock star. So the question goes, how to settle your baby to a soothing sleep? There are lots of tips available that you can find and you just have to choose what's best for your baby. One of the techniques that most experts would recommend is by creating the right environment so falling asleep comes naturally for your baby. But you actually have to help your baby in doing this and understanding that sleeping is associated with something.

Sleep associations involves many things, including yourself (parents) like feeding, rocking your baby, pacifiers, etc. Your baby thinks that they need them to fall asleep and you just need to choose the best association that suits for your baby to have a restful night sleep. Establishing a sleep association from day one is a key factor. Creating a regular bedtime and consistent bedtime routine will set your baby's internal clock, creating a circadian rhythm. This will help them distinguish between day and night and that night time is bedtime.

Using other method to settle baby to soothe himself to sleep is worth doing for a long term goal. Or you can make it in a gradual process and this will help them develop the ability to fall asleep by their own. However, we should bear in mind that consistency is very much important and necessary for it to effectively work.

Solving Baby Sleep Problems

Solving baby sleeping problems is not an easy task at all but it's not as difficult as it may seem to be and understanding their sleeping pattern could be the answer, especially to new parents. Just remember that there's no single approach that will work best for your baby and the guides are there, but there are no hard and fast rule. Don't persist if it doesn't work with your baby yet be open to trying other styles and technique.

Typically, baby's sleep cycles are quite very irregular in the first 3-4 months and they don't stay asleep for more than 2 to 4 hours at a time over 24 hour period. So expect that you're going to be up several times during the night to feed, change and put them back to sleep. The last part is what causes the major problem for parents. Putting baby back to sleep is difficult and could be a struggle for parents but that is just the way it is and it is just temporary.

By the time your baby reaches 5 or 6 months old, most infants sleep for a long stretch at night and some continue to wake up in order to feed. You may be able to stop your baby sleeping problems if you figure out the signs that your baby is tired. Rubbing his eyes and pulling on his ear are some of the common signs that your baby is tired so don't wait longer in putting them down before your baby become overtired then they'll have trouble falling asleep. But then again, you know your baby best than anyone else and follow your maternal instincts.

Beekeeping for Dummies

Beekeeping can be a hobby or a business or it can be both. But, a person who might want to try beekeeping must keep in mind that he needs to know more about the said hobby or business before trying it out through reading different articles about beekeeping for dummies.

Honey is the main product that can be harvested from beekeeping, and it is probably the main reason why a lot of people venture into this kind of business. Before cane sugar was discovered as a sweetener, honey was the leading sweetener available.

But aside from this, pollination is another important value of the bees for the beekeeper. Commercial crops will suffer without the bees help and having bees bring more yields to farmers with regards to their crops. Pollination plays a vital role in the life of plants and most of them require effective pollination for their survival. Proper pollination brings more and larger harvest of fruits, vegetables and crops; therefore the yield increases when bees are around.

Bees or beekeeping also helps in relieving stress in a persons life; though there are no scientific studies that could prove such claims, beekeepers feel that their personal stress levels are lessened just by watching bees coming in and out of the bee hives.

The benefits that a person can gain in beekeeping are bigger than the cost that a person pays in order to be in one. So, if you or a friend of yours is interested in trying this hobby, grab that laptop or book about beekeeping for dummies and instantly become a beekeeper.

Indoor Orchid

Knowing that orchids can be cultivated in the comfort of your own home makes you want to try growing orchids indoor. But there are a lot of things to consider when doing these because growing orchids needs extra care especially if it is to be put indoors. Even though it is inside your home, orchid pruning still needs to be done.

First things first, a person needs to choose an orchid that is suitable for indoor growing because not all orchids are the same; each specie has different character and thrive in different conditions. Before buying that orchid of your choice you must check the orchid seedlings if it is healthy. Inspect the leaves, roots, and flowers of the orchid. If the leaves have brown or black patches, it means that the orchids have a disease. Yellow leaves indicates poor health. Firm and whitish roots are healthy, so you must check for it.

The next thing is to learn how to take care of the orchid indoors. Most plants need sun light in order to grow so as the orchid, but remember that it is inside the house so the orchid needs to be near a window in order to have its share of sunlight. But direct afternoon sunlight is not good; a curtain can be used to filter the heat that the sun emits directly to the orchid. Humidity also plays a vital role in the orchid's life. A humidifier can be used or a keeping dish with moist gravel under the plant can be a substitute.

Apiculture

Bee keeping is regarded as one of the well-established traditional methods of food production. A beekeeper is the one who maintains and takes care of the bees' needs. The beehives of honeybees are placed and kept in bee yards or Apiary. The size of apiary may vary accordingly, depending on the bee specie.

Also known as apiculture, beekeeping is the process of propagating insects, such as bees primarily for honey and beeswax production. Honey is widely used for medicinal and nutritional purposes. Whereas, beeswax is used to make furniture polish, candles, cosmetics and for modeling. Nowadays, it is used for crop pollination services where beekeepers obtain most of their profits.

In contrast, special considerations should be observed in starting beekeeping like wearing the proper attire and using the proper tools when caring for these little creatures, so as to avoid accidents and, most especially, bee stings.

Beekeeper's suit consists of protective clothing including hooded suit or hat, a veil and a pair of gloves. However, amateur beekeepers are advised to wear light colored clothes since bees are highly attracted to dark colors. A pair of white or khaki pants with white socks is the appropriate outfit as you get closer to the apiary. Likewise, socks should be securely pulled over the folded pant legs to prevent bees from getting into your pants. A light-colored shirt tightly zipped or buttoned may also be necessary.

Beekeeping smoker on the other hand, is the most valuable tool amongst other equipment for apiculture. The smoke it produces calms the bees, thereby allowing the beekeeper to open and examine the hive without getting stings. Some beekeepers prefer to use sumac as fuel for it emits large amounts of smoke but doesn't have any foul odor. However, a liquid smoke may be used as an alternative for soothing the bees.

Get Rid of Yellow Leaves on Orchids

There are two types of orchids. First is the one that has thick and leathered leaves which dwells in places that are not wet and parched. They are usually taken care of by sunlight. Last is the species that are placed in more conducive areas. They grow long and their leaves are thin.

The life span of the leaves of orchids are usually for a couple of years only but then, there are some which sheds and falls annually to pave way for the growth of new leaves.

• Do you know the indications being shown by your orchids?
• Can you see orchid yellow leaves?
• Do they fall right after they turn yellow?
• Are the leaves now watery and black?

Generally, one of its disorders is the occurrence of orchid yellow leaves. This could mean that something irregular is happening to your plants, or maybe it had already come to its elderly age. Very often, leaves become the determinant of how well our plants are doing. They become the indicators whether our orchids are still healthy or not. One of the uncommon things in our orchids leaves is the presence of yellow spots. This is called fungal infection but remember this doesn't make the whole leaf yellow.

Too much exposure from the sunlight can produce spots on the leaves. To avoid this, place the orchids to a more shaded area. It might take some time for the orchid yellow leaves to recover, but once they do, new grown leaves will now be in color green which is known to be the healthy and right color.

Cold temperature could also make the leaves yellow. And to prevent this, keep in mind that when the temperature drops down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, its time you spare your orchids from such coldness. And as the whole plant needs humidity, too much of it can also cause fungus. The idyllic ranges of temperature for orchids are: at daytime it should be between 75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit while it should not go below 55 degrees Fahrenheit during night time.

Unlike this one type of orchid- Vandas, others do not need constant watering as they may produce yellow leaves or Black Rot. If the plants dry out even after you watered it, skip this method for one week or two and cure it with a fungal fighting procedure.

Other ways to make sure that the leaves wont turn yellow is the absence of toxin in the surroundings. You should also feed enough nitrogen to the orchids and to enable this, you can replace the pot you have for your plants. In this way, new roots will conjure up.

Beekeeping Tools

It is a must for every profession or craft to undergo serious training and to have tools within our hands. They make our work load easy, precise, accurate and on time. The same is true with apiculture or beekeeping. In fact, business-minded people are looking for beekeeping schools, wherein they could learn more to translate this beekeeping hobby to an income generating resource. Once, you enrolled you will definitely encounter the following beekeeping tools.

First, we need something that will pacify our insect friends during monitoring and harvesting the smoker. Basically, it looks like an airpot or a tall kettle with a small opening or inlet to let steam or smoke out.

Second, we need something that will help us lever up the frames in our Langstroth hives, the hive tool. This is made up to two parts: the wedge and the body (handle). It is used to detach stuck frames and remove propolis within the man-made hive.

Third, we also need brushes to gently push away the bees to check if the honey is ready to be harvested.

Fourth, when we see that the honey is ready to be collected we now use the uncapping fork. It appears to be a wide flat fork with several points or it is like a comb with a handle.

Finally, we need to have a hive stand; this will prolong the life span and freshness of honey. A few elevation from the ground will keep the hive ventilated and will prevent direct absorption of the earth's heat.

However, these are just some of the tools needed. You should consider clothing, venue, gardening to ensure the productivity of your apiculture investment.

Candidiasis and Yeast Free Diet

Candida Albicans are microscopic fungal organisms that resemble yeast-like properties which are naturally found in warm, moistened mucous membranes such as the mouth, vagina, and intestinal tract of able-bodied people. Factors that affect growth of candida are regular consumption of processed meat products that contain food preservatives, use of oral contraceptives, chronic use of NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), unhygienic or multiple sexual practices, immune-compromised patients (having diabetes or AIDS), and stress, or any other causative factor that may weaken the body's defenses. However, an overproduction of such microorganisms may cause pathological diseases such as Candidiasis.

Candidiasis is an infection characterized by painful, inflamed, burning-like pruritus (itching) accompanied by white exudate (or cheese-like discharge), peeling, and easy bleeding on the affected site. Drug of choice for this type of disease could be benystatin or clotrimazole. For severe cases, amphotericin B or fluconazole may be given through oral, topical or anal drug administration.

In contrast, yeast free diets are used in conjunction with drug therapy to enhance treatment and prevent further spread of the harmful fungi. In other words, sticking to non-processed food varieties that includes all sorts of vegetables, refined vegetable oil, unprocessed seeds and nuts, eggs, whole grains, all kinds of beans, and uncured meat products. Likewise, yogurt can either be consumed orally or can be applied to affected areas to alleviate itch and burning sensation.

Nevertheless, certain dietary restrictions include foods that contain yeast - like plain and wheat breads, pastries, rolls and cookies. Moldy foods are also prohibited in this diet such as canned tomatoes, mushrooms, peanuts and pistachios, all forms of cheese, soy sauce, cured bacon and the like. Moreover, foods that contain sugar are also banned from this diet. Whereas, starchy food intake (corn and potatoes) may be limited to about 3-4 times a week the most.

Toddlers and Sleep: Waking at Night

Naturally, toddlers are seemingly hyperactive little creatures for they love to explore things around their environment. They are fond of mimicking adult tasks such as feeding and putting baby to sleep, serving tea, and cooking. However, children age 2-3 years tend to wake in the middle of the night when everyone falls in deep slumber.

One of the reasons why a child gets up after two hours of sleep in the evening is because of over-stimulation during the day. Kids go overboard and got overfatigued with nonstop tagging along with toys or other children; making it hard for them to fall asleep at night. Hence, here are some factors that might stimulate unnecessary waking at night and how to deal with them:

• A night lamp may help ease discomforts of the child's perception towards dark rooms and monsters. You may use lights with changing colors for it fosters relaxation and sleep. This will reassure the child that there is nothing scary with the dark.
• Change diapers before going to bed so as to avoid untimely waking up due to leaking diapers.
• Be sure to tuck your child with blankets to keep him warm throughout his sleep.
• When your baby wakes up at night, he may be thirsty or hungry. You can offer him water, cookies or milk (depending on the child's preferences) to help him go back to sleep afterwards. Most doctors would say that milk should not be given to children who get up at night for it would cause tooth decays. Drinking water after eating would best do the trick.
• Different noises may also cause sleep disturbance. When you opt to watch late shows on TV, be sure to keep the volume low to prevent your tots from getting up from sleep.
• Perform comforting activities that would help him calm through the night. You may read story books or sing nursery rhymes together, or teach him to count numbers until he falls asleep.

Settling baby to a Sound Sleep

Are you having a hard time putting your baby to sleep? If your answer is yes, then that's alright since infants do not have fixed sleeping pattern in the first three months after birth. That's because they still need to establish what is night and day but most of all it is frightening for them to be separated from us. And settling baby to a sound sleep is quite a daunting responsibility for new parents. So it is important for parents to understand about infants sleeping pattern.

It is now easy to find articles about infant sleep patterns and on getting baby to sleep. The cyberspace makes it handy for everyone but let me remind you one thing, there's a lot too that gives conflicting information and advice. And if that's the case then don't forget that the best advice that you can get is the mother's instinct. Mothers know better than anyone else for each baby is unique so it is best to find what works for your baby instead of trying to fit your baby to the pattern.

Here are some tips that may be of use to you:

Create a relaxing environment by making the room quiet and switch off the lights or you can use baby light. Also don't forget to make your baby's bed warm. Make sure your baby's clothing is not too warm and not too cold.

Establish a bedtime routine. Always change your baby into bedtime clothes; this will somehow give a signal for them that it's time to sleep. It's another way also of starting to establish their sleeping pattern.

Give your baby a warm bath. Warm bath is relaxing but again this may not be relaxing for others.

The techniques that I mentioned may not work for your baby but remember, babies simply need parental support and always follow your instinct.

Beginner Orchids: Cockle-shell Orchid

Nicknamed by its shape, the Cockle-shell is also known as the Clamshell Orchid. This orchid and a few siblings have been moved from one family to another, namely, Encyclia, Anacheilium, & Epinendrum due to some distinct characteristics. Today, it is officially named Prosthechea cochleata.

It grows differently than most orchids. The labellum or lip of the Clamshell orchid flowers grow in a way that forms a hood that covers the column. Quite the opposite of what is common to orchids where the lip grows in an outward direction from the column. And while its inflorescence stays on top, its tepals grow hanging downwards, forming what seems like of an octopus. Its looks is a gratifying feat that hides the fact that they are not as freely fragrant as they look.

Sharing features with the genus Epinendrum and Encyclia, clamshell orchids are also good beginner specimens. It favors medium lighting due to its leaves being thin. A session with the morning sun by the window is more enough to fulfill its daily needs.

It requires abundant moisture at their roots while in development. For a less humid season, misting with distilled water several times in a day or placing a tray of water under it would help keep it from becoming dry. If it's too dry, spider mites might attack the plant. With such requirements of well maintained humidity, a good circulation of air in its area of growth will help greatly in preventing fungal and bacterial growth. You can also tell a healthy orchid by checking the roots if it turns green from white when watering.

When it's in active growth, it would be the best time to put some fertilizers. For most mediums, a 20-10-20 NPK is sufficient, except for fir barks. Fir barks share nitrogen when decomposing so you need a fertilizer with higher nitrogen content. There are also fertilizers made for orchid blooming at 6-30-30 but pretty much effective for epiphytic orchids such as the Clamshell orchid.

BEE Ready

Bee keeping is like an art of taming the savage beast. But in this sense taming the dangerous and unpredictable bees. These insects are one of the most useful creations but also one of the deadliest insects. But bee keepers are the modern day Pied Pier they know to deal and use bees to our advantage. How ever the best offense is a good defense that is why preparation is their key.

Bee keepers when dealing with bees always have to prepare themselves for battle. These warriors have a lot of beekeeper equipment that they will bring and use when they tame the bees but for what? For the sweet taste of honey. Honey is one of the best sweet taste in which a lot of people cannot get enough of.

Bee keepers need their beekeepers suit to protect them from head to toe. This is because one sting sometimes can be fatal. So after suiting up bee keepers then use their secret weapon and that is the beekeeping smoker. They smoke the bees so that they will not be aggressive. The smoke gives the bees a high and brings simply relaxes them. That is when the bee keeper gets the honey without harming the bees and without putting himself in danger.

A bee keeper always has these two important equipment in dealing with the unpredictability of bees. They do this because they need the honey to get the money. Without these beekeeping tools it would be fatal for them to extract the honey.

For the Love of Orchids

Many people love the beauty of an orchid for it is different, unique and simply stunning compared to just any flowers in the garden. Some people thought that it is hard to grow orchids but they are wrong for it is easy to grow orchids if they only know how and where it is best to grow them. Orchid growing is becoming a fad not only for women but also for men, young and old.

Though it is uncommon to see an orchid as a house plant, it can still be done; growing orchids as house plants is not complicated. Someone who wants to try growing orchids only needs to know that orchids are just like all other house plants, they need sunlight, water, fertilizer, and that they need to be pruned. There are many books, e-books and the like that teach people how to grow orchids and how to take care of them. Many people can learn through reading such books or by experience, by learning from other people's garden.

Orchids pruning is a very essential part in the orchids life because it is needed in order to maintain the growth of the orchid and improve its appearance. Orchid pruning also motivates new growth and more blossoms. In order to do orchid pruning correctly, it is important to know the type of the orchid you are growing.

Some orchids needs to be pruned when the flowers begin to wilt and for other types, pruning should be done when the stems turn brown. The tools used in pruning should be sterilized in order to avoid viruses that could leave a disease to the orchid. And please do not forget that it is important to know what and where to prune the orchids. The growth of the orchid is at risk in pruning so it is very important to know these things.

Pruning Orchids

Pruning is very essential in keeping the orchids clean and healthy, thus, providing more new rooms for flowers and leaves with its main aim of eradicating unwanted and unnecessary portions of the plant, such as diseased leaves or dead and broken aerial roots or branches.

There are numerous ways in determining the perfect timing for pruning such wonderful flowers, hence, it also depends on the variety of orchids. Pruning can be best performed during the months of October to November when there a no new blossoms and the orchids are believed to be inactive. However, some flowers may require to be pruned when they start wilting like in the case of phalaenopsis. Others may need to be trimmed down a little if the stems begins to turn brown.

On a special note, once yellow or black spots appear on the leaves it should be removed immediately to prevent it from further spreading to other parts of the plant. Also, you need to inspect the roots for any damages. By the time you're done pruning the roots, the orchids can now be transferred to a fresh potting medium.

Conversely, a pair of secateur shears is the most appropriate tool for pruning orchids giving flawless cuts without actually destroying the plant. Orchids are highly susceptible to infection and diseases, however, the tools used for caring these plants should be kept clean and sterile at all times. Be sure to wear gloves when cleaning the scissors with a diluted bleach solution.

Caring for orchids may be difficult and complicated, but if you studied the background of the plants well, and know the basics of pruning according to its specie, growing them in your garden or outdoors could be fun and worthwhile.

Secrets of Growing Orchids

When we are talking already about orchids, a lot have thought that growing them is a big nightmare to take care of and very delicate as many have been led to believe that it is. In fact, orchids are among the easiest of plants to culture just as any other plant.

But as a general rule, choose discreetly the types of orchids you will be growing that is in conformity in the area with which you area living. Despite being one of the most adaptable flowers, they tend to have a very specific habitat in which they thrive. And there are some things that you must know in order for your orchids to flourish and bloom.

The appropriate amount of light is probably the most crucial factor if your plants will survive and is necessary for its growth. Many made the mistake of assuming that orchids must be watered several times a week then they probably just wilted before you knew it. When watering your plants, take care not to wet the leaves. Just bear in mind that orchids can tolerate being too dry better than being too wet.

And when its time for orchids pruning, it is very important to remember of how far you cut back the flower stalk. You can prune your orchids within an inch from where it grows once the stalk turns yellow or brown. There are several reasons why this should be done in the right way for it helps in promoting new growth. It also increases structural strength and it regenerates old flowering branches.

Developing Circadian Rhythms

Dealing with infants needs a great deal of patience for it is the start of more months of sleepless nights. Sleep deprivation is not uncommon to new parents with newborns but don't make this as an excuse not to take a rest and sleep for it will just haunt you back in the end. And the most common question we often hear is when will my baby sleep through the night?
Sleep when your baby sleeps is often the words we get from anyone else, even from experts and that make sense after all. But newborns sleeping pattern is erratic and not fixed until by age 3 months or so yet this doesn't mean you should impose a sleep/wake pattern for your baby for it is just natural that they are awaken frequently.

In the first two or three months, you should stretch your patience to adjust with your baby's sleeping and feeding pattern. That would mean getting up every couple of hours and putting baby to sleep sometimes (if not often) is a daunting task. So parents should nurture and cuddle your baby to help them fall asleep because at this stage, they simply don't know the difference between day and night. And their sleep isn't controlled yet by circadian rhythms but you should also start establishing your baby's sleep pattern by starting to develop a bedtime routine.

Typically, by age 3 to 6 months, babies are capable of sleeping through the night but we are not talking of 8 hours, though. It seems plausible to say that sleep habits vary greatly in the amount of time and different individuals have different needs which may be true for baby's sleep requirements. Keep in mind that every baby has their own unique developmental pattern and if your baby isn't sleeping a stretch of five to six hours, don't worry you're not alone.

Understanding Coeliac Disease

When it comes to consuming foods, the human digestive system is an expert but it follows a complex process to break down the food so the nutrients will be absorbed and waste products are excreted. Any disruption along the way or in any part of its process may lead to deficiencies or disease. There are a lot of disorders and diseases throughout the digestive tract and one of it is Coeliac disease (spelled as Celiac in North America).

Coeliac disease, also known as gluten intolerance or gluten sensitive enteropathy, is an autoimmune disorder that damages the lining of the small intestine, thus interfering in the absorption of nutrients from food resulting in various deficiencies and health complications. It is genetically predisposed, meaning it runs in family. It affects each person differently: one might have diarrhea, abdominal pain and weight loss while others may have fatigue, bone/joint pain, tingling numbness in upper and lower extremities and unexplained anemia. Because of the broad range of symptoms, it can be very difficult to diagnose them and the longer that the person remained undiagnosed and untreated, the higher their chances of developing long term complications.

A lifelong gluten free diet is the only known effective treatment. It is imperative that strict dietary gluten elimination is to be followed to control coeliac. Food with any gluten that you ingest even in the smallest amount will cause the damage to reoccur or cause further damage. A gluten free diet means eliminating all products that contain wheat, rye and barley or any of their derivatives.

Putting Baby to Sleep: Grave Mistakes Made by Parents

As first-time moms and dads, it's really hard to put on a firm grip of a good night sleep especially with your bundle of joy around. Doctors would say that babies sleep most of the day, but the thing is it's actually a broken sleep. Several parents believe that teaching babies to sleep early are for toddlers not for babies. But I beg to disagree.

Newborns, even during the early weeks of life can be trained on how to go to bed early by setting a sleep routine at a regular pace like cleaning the baby's face, arms and legs with soft, damp cloth, breast feeding and helping him burp afterwards or chanting nursery rhymes until he goes to slumber land. Putting up these bedtime rituals signal the little ones that it's just about time for them to rest.

Conversely, western cultures roughly advocate the need for the baby to sleep alone inside the crib in his own room during night for it boosts self discipline and independence as the little tot grows. Caregivers, more often than not, adhere to the practice of allowing the child to lie on their tummies rather than on his back for it was believed to facilitate eternal rest. But did you know that putting baby to sleep on his stomach particularly in the crib may actually cause him to die?

SIDS, or the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the main cause of mortality in infants who were left alone sleeping prone, since their entire face are being blocked making it hard for them to breathe. Also, the lungs cannot fully expand because it bears most of the infant's weight when lying down.

Cosleeping, on the other hand, has been highly acclaimed by La Leche league International, the foremost breast feeding organization in the world. Studies revealed that cosleeping has been proven to strengthen the bond not only to mothers, but also to the fathers as well. Consequently, it provides a strong emotional security to your little angel when he is around with mommy and daddy. It also favors constant nursing especially at night, thus, decreases the urgency for the baby to cry for his personal needs.

During sleep, the body restores lost cells, elicits growth of hair follicles, toenails, fingernails and skin, and most importantly, recharges the brain. Sleep is indeed crucial in nurturing the youngling's developmental progress. Ergo, with parents' proper guidance and moral support, children will grow with autonomy and self - reliance later in life.

Beekeping 101

Is it always true that if you have no money, you have no honey? We know what's on your mind. It is not that. Don't take it figuratively.

Yes!

It is about the bees.

Yes!

We are starting beekeeping here.

Beekeeping or Apiculture simply refers to the culturing or maintaining colonies of honey bees. Usually, an apiarist (or beekeeper) does not collect beehives but rather makes an artificial habitat for these social insects. These manmade niches could be outdoors especially if they are located in a forested area or could be housed in a confined structure (similar to a greenhouse).

Establishing an apiary or a bee yard is a challenging but fruitful and high yielding investment. The natural byproducts such as honey, beeswax or simply the bee itself (for beekeepers) could give you dollars.

So if you are interested with this venture, you may also need the following equipment.

First is the right clothing to wear. You will need beekeeping veil to protect your face especially your eyes. Beekeeping suits in order to protect your whole body as well. Don't also forget to wear thick gloves and boots. As much as possible don't expose any skin or leave any space wherein bees could enter your clothes. A bee sting should not be taken for granted because this could cause from a simple skin infection or allergy to a more serious one such as paralysis and even death.

Second, we should have a smoker. This will drive away bees so that we can harvest our sweet products.

Third, we need also the extractor and processors if we want to maximize profit.

Yeast Free Pizza Dough

It's not at all impossible to continue eating pizza when you start a yeast free diet. As it all heats down to the dough, a substitute can be used in place of yeast, in the form of baking soda plus lemon juice.

• 2 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• cup warm water (or more)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
  
• tsp. salt

1. Adding it all in. Start with all the dry ingredients first and put all of it in a big bowl. Then add the wet ingredients with the lemon juice as the last one. The reaction between baking soda and lemon juice is what makes the dough rise. It doesn't compare to the effect of yeast, but does the purpose of preventing your dough to turn into stone.


2. Mixing. Carefully mix it and gauge if its too dry or wet. It's easy to tell. Add water if it's too dry and add flour if it's too wet. Sometimes you may find mixing in less water on a very humid day. Mix until they're all together.


3. Kneading. Ready your work surface by sprinkling some flour on it. Take out the mixture to start kneading the dough. Bring everything together and knead it very well, pushing and pulling until it is smooth and not sticky anymore. The more you knead it, the less likely it will tear when you stretch it later on. There's no need to leave it to rise like you would when using yeast.


4. Preheating. Just in case your oven heats up slow, this might be a good time to start preheating the oven to the ideal temperature (400-425 F). Otherwise, it would be the time when you've finished the dough and already placing the toppings.


5. Shaping. Cutting the dough depends on how thick and large you want your pizza, and of course, how big your oven is. Just imagine your ideal size. Then work each one. Spread your dough using a rolling pin or your hands. If you want thick handles, work on the outer ring first and then press on the middle. Stretch the dough to your desired size.

At this point, your dough is ready for your favorite toppings. Don't forget to preheat your oven before you put it in.

Honeybee Dysentery

A colony is said to have dysentery when they defecate within the hive. It is a disease common during the cold season, but it can happen anytime in the case of severe Nosemosis. When majority of the bees become affected by this condition, it may lead to the death of the colony.

Normally, bees take cleansing flights away from the hive in order to excrete feces. This is part of their OC behavior to home cleanliness. When the temperature drops down, it becomes harder for them to fly as it affects the muscles of their wings, potentially leading to their death if they're unable to return. Instinctively, they wait for a warmer day to take the flight. Without the opportunity though, they are then unable to keep it in.

If you cant digest it, out it goes. Cleansing flights are entirely caused by the need to let it out. Depending on the amount of indigestible matter in their food, it pretty much dictates the need for such flights. Old fermenting honey and honeydew collected from plant sap-sucking insects contains indigestible matter. Common practice during a cold season is to replace frames and/or fill empty combs with corn syrup which has almost no indigestible matter.

Nosemosis, caused by Nosema microbes, is a disease that infects the intestinal tract of adult bees causing diarrhea. The spore nature of the microbe makes it easy to be transmitted merely by contact; contaminated food, feces, and even clean up of dead bees. This makes it exceptionally fatal in regions with long and rainy winter where dysentery further increases the transmission within the hive.

Generally, its good practice to replace old frames as it may have accumulated a harmful amount of microbes. If you notice a large amount of dark honey, replace it with a healthier feed. Honeydews don't contain enough protein required by bees to maintain their health.

Food to Avoid while on Yeast Free Diet

Why do we need to live a yeast free life? Not all people may know about a yeast free diet but all people should have at least a little information about such topics. A yeast free diet is a diet which highlights in reducing foods or wholly abolished foods that will cause escalation of natural yeasts in our body.

There are quite a few reasons why some people decide to turn to a yeast free diet. One such reason is because they already have a yeast infection and it is hard to heal when they would still intake many yeast carrying or yeast causing foods. Another good reason is when they have weak immune system. One more reason to practice yeast free diet is simply to lose weight. However other people may use the yeast free diet as a technique to battle symptoms of autism.

There are many foods to avoid while on a yeast free diet such as breads, cookies, pastries, fermented foods, processed meats, cheese, canned tomatoes, processed sugar, soft drinks, chocolate and many more.

Why these foods? Yeasts love to feed on glucose that is why anything and everything sweet must be avoided. Dairy products contained yeasts especially cheese because they are purposely added with mold. Many people who suffer chronic yeast infection are inclined to have gluten allergies. It is therefore recommended that wheat be avoided too. Processed meats are treated with chemicals in order to withstand consumable time and to manufacture different types such as ham, bacon and sausages.

Honeybee Pests

Varroa Mites

Varroa mites are external parasitic mites that suck on the blood of honey bees. They resemble red spots attached to larval, pupal or adult bees, and they are big enough to be easily spotted. They accumulate in number until the host dies. Its potential for higher risk lies on the spreading of other viruses when they bite. This may cause other diseases.

If not treated right, it may turn to a heavy infestation that may render the end of the colony. Treatments include miticides, natural occurring chemicals, as well as non-chemical methods like comb trapping and bottom screen boarding.

Acarine Mites

Smaller than the varroa mites, these pests make their way inside the bees trachea, thereby earning its other name as Tracheal mites. Drawn by carbon dioxide, they enter the spiracles of a bee and reproduce inside its airways where they propagate and suck blood. Bees with infestations stop working at some point and eventually die.

They are easily controlled by vegetable shortening mixed with sugar. As the bees consume the sugar, they get partly coated with the shortening and this affects the mites instincts from transferring to other bees.

Small Hive Beetle

Aethina tumida is a dark-colored beetle that infests the combs itself. They start their lives outside the hive but later finds their way inside by tunneling through the combs to feed on the honey. This makes the comb unusable, disrupting the life-cycle of the bees.

Late discovery leading to heavy infestation may cause the bees to abscond. It is best to maintain a strong colony by setting the proper environment and population. Oil traps can also be used to suffocate the beetles while avoiding toxic contamination of the hive.

Wax Moths

Wax moths feed on the wax that the bees use in making their combs. Not a general threat to a healthy colony but could still affect the colonies' productivity as they fend of foreign insects. They are almost never a problem during winter as the eggs does not survive the temperature.