Vitamin Information Center

There are people who will tell you that asparagus is so good it’s a shame to call it a vegetable.

Such are the powers of the green stalk just now coming into its prime growing and eating season. Long a staple on many tables on Easter Sunday, the good news is that asparagus is as good for the body as it is for the soul.

Shannon Justice is a nutritionist with St. John’s Regional Medical Center and an affirmed asparagus lover. Justice, who lives on a farm where asparagus grows wild, said she has already started looking for signs of the plant.

The health value with asparagus, Justice said, is that it has a high vitamin C content. According to Justice, a 3-ounce serving (equal to about eight stalks) provides as much vitamin C as an orange. That 3-ounce serving equals 55 percent of the recommended daily allowance.

Like all vegetables, there are good and not-so-good ways to prepare asparagus that take advantage of its health benefits. Justice said you want to avoid boiling asparagus for an extended amount of time.

“If you boil it you can lose 50 percent of its vitamin C content,” she said.

If you’re in a hurry, Justice suggests wrapping the asparagus in a wet paper towel and putting it into the microwave to give it a quick steam. You can also blanch it quickly in hot water or bake or grill it. The main thing you want to avoid is having asparagus sit in water for any extended period of time, she said.

Gayl Navarro, owner of Ozark Nursery, 5361 N. Main St., said it’s possible for patient asparagus lovers to set themselves up with a almost unlimited supply of fresh asparagus. As it turns out, the plant — once given a few years to truly take root — is a prodigious grower and will continue to sprout pretty much year after year and in greater and greater numbers.

“Once you plant them, it takes a couple of years before you can harvest them. The first year you don’t harvest at all and then in the second year you can harvest about half,” Navarro said.

According to plant guides, it’s not until the fourth year that you will be able to fully harvest your asparagus crop. But after that fourth year, she said, you will have an ample supply of fresh asparagus. And since asparagus is a perennial, you shouldn’t ever have to replant it.

“You plant it once and it just goes and goes,” she said.

Navarro said she sells asparagus roots at her nursery. Currently asparagus roots are selling for about $1.35 a root. One root, she said, will produce several asparagus spears. The suggested planting dates for asparagus runs from approximately March 14 through April 5. Harvesting dates run from early to mid-April and runs into late May.

The following asparagus recipes are among those available at www.whatscookingamerica.net.

Are you popping too many pills along with Alesse and INCREASING your risk of getting pregnant? Find out by checking if you are taking any of these medications and possibly reducing the effectiveness of your oral contraceptive pill.

Alesse is a combined oral contraceptive pill that is very effective in preventing pregnancy when taken correctly. However, did you know that certain other drugs, when taken alongside Alesse, can reduce this effectiveness and possibly increase your risk of getting pregnant? Alesse contains ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel which may react with any of the drugs listed below so please carefully check the package list of ‘active ingredients’ on ANY medications you are taking alongside Alesse.

NB. This includes herbal products, vitamins and minerals, over the counter medications such as pain killers, sleeping pills and other prescriptions you have filled. Check with your doctor if you use illegal drugs as well as Alesse and if you are a heavy drinker of alcohol or smoke to excess.

acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ascorbic acid (vitamin C) •anastrozole •antibiotics or medicines for infections, especially rifampin •aprepitant •barbiturate medicines for producing sleep or treating seizures (convulsions)secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton) •bosentan •carbamazepine (Tegretol) •caffeine •clofibrate •cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf) •dantrolene •doxercalciferol •exemestane •grapefruit juice •hydrocortisone •letrozole •medicines for anxiety or sleeping problems, such as diazepam or temazepam •medicines for mental depression •medicines for diabetes, including troglitazone and pioglitazone •mineral oil •modafinil •mycophenolate •nefazodone •oxcarbazepine phenylbutazone (Azolid, Butazolidin) •phenytoin (Dilantin) •prednisolone (Orapred) primidone (Mysoline) rifampin •ritonavir (Norvir)or other medicines for the treatment of the HIV virus or AIDS such as modafinil (Provigil) •selegiline •soy isoflavones supplements •St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) •tamoxifen or raloxifene •testolactone •theophylline (Respbid, Theo-Dur) •topiramate (Topamax) •warfarin

………..and possibly certain antibiotics (such as ampicillin and other penicillins and tetracyclines)

WARNING: Do not share Alesse with anyone else and keep the pack of oral contraceptive pills out of the reach of children. Do not use Alesse or any other medication after the expiry date on the pack. Sources: Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.Philadelphia, DrugDigest, Drugs.com The above information is intended as a guide only and should not be substituted for the professional expertise and advice from your doctor or pharmacist.

Life normally includes anxiety at different points. However, if you are constantly anxious for no reason you can figure out, and if your anxiety is difficult to control and long-lasting, you may have an anxiety disorder. The components in this natural treatment formula are designed to relieve anxiety as well as general nervousness. Included are powerful botanicals which have been proven to ease tension and facilitate peaceful sleep. St. John’s Wort Extract, Hops Extract, and Valerian Extract are some of the botanicals included in this formula.

Anxiety has many related unpleasant symptoms and associations. These include restlessness (as well as fatigue); trouble concentrating; irritability; muscle tension and sleep problems. St. John’s Wort Extract helps to maintain a steady mood and supports mental health. Hops Extract and Valerian Extract can act as sedatives, inducing sleep and relieving anxiety and tension.

When people reach middle age, the gel-like vitreous begins to liquefy and contract. The vitreous gel pulls away from the back wall of the eye, causing a posterior vitreous detachment. It is a common cause of floaters, and it is more common for people who are nearsighted, have undergone eye surgery, have had laser surgery of the eye, or have had inflammation inside the eye.

Anxiety has many related unpleasant symptoms and associations. Some of the symptoms of anxiety include restlessness, and also, contrarily, fatigue. Other symptoms are difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep problems. St. John’s Wort can facilitate a steady mood and support mental health. Hops Extract and Valerian Extract can act as sedatives, inducing sleep and relieving anxiety and tension.

St. John’s Wort Extract helps to maintain a steady mood and supports mental health. Hops Extract and Valerian Extract can act as sedatives, inducing sleep and relieving anxiety and tension. Valerian Extract should be taken 30 minutes before bedtime. Skullcap Extract has historically been used as a sedative for people with nervous tension and insomnia, and may therefore be helpful in the natural treatment of anxiety disorder. Chamomile Extract contains active constituents that contribute to smooth-muscle relaxing action. People with anxiety disorder (also known as Nervousness or Panic Attacks) are often deficient in essential nutrients, including Calcium, Magnesium, and B Vitamins. Zinc is an essential mineral that is a component of enzymes that protect against free radicals caused by anxiety, and may be important in the natural treatment of anxiety disorder.

The ingredients in this formula include St. John’s Wort Extract. St. John’s Wort has a positive effect on mood and mental health. Hops Extract and Valerian Extract act as sedatives and can serve to induce sleep and relieve anxiety and tension. Valerian Extract should be taken 30 minutes before going to sleep. Historically, Skullcap extract has been used to calm those with nervous tension and insomnia. Therefore it is likely to be helpful in the natural treatment of anxiety disorder. Chamomile Extract contains active constituents that contribute to smooth-muscle relaxing action. Anxiety is sometimes exacerbated when the body is lacking essential nutrients. Lack of such nutrients as Calcium, Magnesium, and B Vitamins may contribute to anxiety. Enzymes that protect against free radicals contain Zinc, which may be important in the natural treatment of anxiety disorder.