Following on from their huge sales surge over the last two years, P90X are excited to announce their new 90 day risk free offer is now available in Canada. Customers in the United States have been clamouring for the latest P90X trial offer as the response to the fitness program from customers has been overwhelmingly positive, with many achieving some spectacular results.

The new 90 day risk free trial for Canada now includes the following –

P90X 3-Phase Nutrition Plan designed to help you lose fat while maintaining high energy levels.

P90X Fitness Guide packed with valuable fitness information to help you get the most out of your program.

“How to Bring It” video for a quick overview of the complete P90X Extreme Home Fitness training system.

PLUS – 12 Highly diverse and intense workouts such as chest & back, plyometrics, shoulders & arms, yoga, legs & back, kenpo, stretch, core synergistics, chest, shoulders & triceps, back & biceps, cardio & the ab ripper.

Also included are other motivational tools such as the P90X calender which helps customers plan workout goals and track progress, along with free online support tools for access to fitness experts and peer support.

P90X are anticipating similar levels of success to what they have seen in the United States and are ultimately looking to increase their market share further through their new marketing drive into Canada.

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California Democrat Community Calender Sept. 28
• California High School ACT Workshop, 5:45-7:45 pm Thursday, Sept. 29, in Room 116 at CHS. Teacher Dana Barr will be the instructor. • The California Nutrition Center will host John Cecilia and His "Country Ordaras" 7-10 pm Saturday, Oct. 1, …
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The Red River Shootout
It's the game fans mark first on their calender, it's the game fans plan their schedule around, it's the game responsible for a year of non-stop bragging or hiding from rival fans; it's the Red River Shootout. It's the longest played rivalry that takes …
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If you’re satisfied with whatever diet and exercise plan you have, stick with it. If it’s been lacking or you feel the stress of the season may interfere, try this: Between now and the end of the year, try to set aside at least 30 minutes or more on most days of the week for physical activity. Exercise can help shake those winter blues. It can help you improve eating habits and can reduce food cravings in people prone to overeating.

Your routine doesn’t have to be all in one stretch, and it doesn’t have to be strenuous. Make a workout of household cleaning. Take the stairs. Go sledding. For extra motivation, work out with a colleague, friend or family member. With just a little planning now, you can stay fit, feel more energetic, and still enjoy the holidays.

Indoor Winter Maintenance

Staying in shape when it’s cold outside may take a little more effort and a dash more creativity than other times of the year, but it’s worth it. Stick with your winter workouts, and you’ll be a lot happier when the sweaters come off and the beach gear comes on. Exercise also keeps you occupied, filling time that might otherwise be spent on mindless eating. Health & Fitness Services offers several suggestions to keep you moving indoors.

Go for a walk. Walking is an easy way to meet the recommended amount of daily activity and avoid the holiday weight gain that can lead to obesity. Don’t have or not a fan of the treadmill? Some people walk with a friend or family member through indoor shopping centers before doors officially open for business. Walking outdoors can also be fun. Walking is not only a good choice for healthy living, but it is also great for strengthening relationships with friends and family.

Every little bit helps. You can watch TV without necessarily being a couch potato. Go for a walk or run on your treadmill, do some step aerobics, jump rope or jog in place. Any movement, even if it’s simply doing push-ups during the commercials, is worth something. When you’re at the mall, pick up a workout video. You can turn your TV into an exercise machine by popping in that video instead of just sitting there!

Join others at the gym. Contact your local gym to inquire about group exercise. If the basics like spinning or step aerobics don’t appeal to you, look into something different, such as candlelight stretch, circuit aerobics, yoga aerobics, aqua running, or boot camp where available. You don’t have to join an expensive gym to find a group exercise class. Many community centers, universities, and hospitals have health/fitness centers that offer classes at low or no cost.

If you’re unsure of what gym to join, check out the list of discounted commercial gym memberships available through the National Health & Fitness Program. And don’t forget you can also take advantage of the Fitness Subsidy Program to cover up to half of the basic cost (excluding the cost of classes) of your gym membership!

Keep your weight up. That is, keep up your weight training routine. Doing a weight workout that involves the major muscle groups of your chest, back, legs, abs and arms not only burns calories, it also builds and maintains metabolism boosting muscle. All you need is your body weight and a few dumbbells for an at-home weight workout. Exercise bands are also a great alternative to dumbbells. Buy a basic weight training video or try this indoor winter workout. (Consult your personal physician or other health care provider before starting this or any other exercise routine, especially if you are new to exercise.)

Let’s Take it Outside

No matter what the temperature may be outside, you may still love the outdoors. Then embrace the cold weather by taking up a winter sport. If skiing, the classic winter sport, isn’t your idea of fun, there are other cold weather activities to consider. How about ice-skating, sledding, winter hiking and cross-country skiing? By dressing properly and heeding cold-weather safety tips, you can exercise outdoors. Here’s our advice to keep you moving safely outside.

Dress the part. You’ll need to dress in layers. Start with a thin layer of synthetic material such as polypropylene, which draws sweat away from your body. Next try fleece for insulation. Top this with a waterproof (e.g. nylon) outer layer. To warm the air you breathe, wear a face mask or a scarf over your mouth. Remember to wear a hat and gloves. Also, choose footwear with enough traction to prevent falls on slippery surfaces.

Remember sunscreen. Sunburn is possible any time of year, even when it’s cold. Snow reflects the sun’s rays. You’ll also want to use a lip balm with SPF.

Start slowly. It’s ok to feel a little chilly at first, as you’ll warm up quickly. Don’t forget to stretch afterwards.
Prevent dehydration. Water is important for body temperature regulation, so cold weather increases fluid needs, just like hot weather. Drink water or sports drinks before, during, and after your workout, even if you’re not thirsty. Cold air has a drying effect, which can increase the risk of dehydration. In turn, dehydration increases the risk of frostbite.

Head indoors. The wind can penetrate your clothes and remove the insulating layer of warm air that surrounds your body. Activity that involves fast motion, such as skiing, running, cycling, or skating, also creates wind chill because it increases air movement past your body. If the cold seems unbearable despite the insulation from your clothing, head indoors.

If you see a patch of hard, pale, cold skin, you may have frostbite. Further, if your body temperature drops too much, you may experience hypothermia – intense shivering, slurred speech, loss of coordination, and fatigue. If you suspect numbness from frostbite or the symptoms of hypothermia, get out of the cold and seek emergency care.

Who said it’s cold outside? Is it sunny and warm this time of year where you live? Then go for that family walk outside. Jog, roller blade, bike, and take advantage of what most of us wish we have this winter! Aim for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.

Physician’s consent. For some people, cold air can trigger chest pain or asthma attacks. If you have any medical conditions, consult your personal physician or other health care provider before exercising in cold weather, especially if you are new to exercise.

Time to Eat!

The winter holidays are typically celebrated with luscious indoor feasts of food, food, and more food. Holiday shopping also draws us to unhealthy fast food restaurants. Here are some quick pointers to help you from stuffing your face:

? On the day of the party, eat regularly all day long. If you go to a dinner party and have starved yourself all day long, it will be difficult not to overindulge.

? At the party, start with the healthy foods. Filling up on fruits and vegetables should keep you from overindulging in fattening foods.

? Beware of alcoholic beverages. Some of them may contain several hundred calories!

? On-the-go? Have a piece of fruit, low-fat/low-sugar energy bar, or other healthy snack on hand to prevent that super-sized meal in the mall.

And even if it’s not a holiday, we may be trapped indoors because of the weather and often eat while sitting at the computer or watching television. It’s tempting to hit the mood-boosting carbs and fattening comfort meals over the winter, but try and resist the urge to comfort eat. Consider these tips this winter:

Remember to stay hydrated! As unappealing as a bottle of cold water may be when it’s freezing outside, it is important to keep up your fluid intake. Regular water intake may also help cut cravings.

Soup is a great way to get rid of winter’s chill and keep hydrated, especially if it’s low in salt. If it’s stocked with a variety of vegetables, beans, and grains, it can boost your nutrition as well. The plus in soup starts with the broth. Make chicken or beef broth by boiling the meat, then skim any fat before adding the vegetables, beans, and grains.

Nutrition bonuses come from the vegetables. Load your soup with dark green vegetables for fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals – the agents in vegetables that give them their color, and may aid in preventing disease. Beans provide protein, vitamins, fiber, and more phytochemicals. So, not only will you stay warm and hydrated, you may also prevent heart disease, cancer, and keep your immune system strong!

Drink to fight the winter bug. We are more susceptible to coughs and colds in the winter, so it’s a good idea to stock up on immune-boosting Vitamin C. Have a small glass of 100% fruit juice (e.g. orange juice is very high in Vitamin C) with your breakfast every morning. If you’re conscious of the calories, you can take a Vitamin C supplement instead.

Keep it whole grain. Try foods with a low glycemic index (GI), such as brown rice rather than enriched white rice, whole wheat bread and pasta rather than those made with white refined flour. If you’re baking, try whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose white flour. Replace your summer smoothie with a warming bowl of oats, an excellent low-GI food.

Low GI foods are invaluable during the winter (or anytime of the year), as they release energy slowly. They prevent you from having those sugar highs and lows, which can have a negative affect on your mood, reducing the likelihood of you exercising. As always, watch the portion size! Anything in excess can cause you to gain weight.
Holiday Sanity

Pressure from personal and professional commitments at especially this time of year can cause stress. You may not realistically have time to get in as much exercise as you’d like. The sun may not be shining as much, making you feel down. How can you improve your mood? This is what we think.

Prioritize. Find a quiet place alone and take a few moments to think through your priorities. Ask yourself which commitments, goals, or responsibilities are most important to your well-being. Then, focus reasonable attention on those things, while deliberately allowing the less important matters to wait. By exerting some intentional control, you should feel less overwhelmed.

Don’t turn to overeating. Find the time to exercise, as any type of exercise can help your mood.

Don’t stress the family reunion. The holidays can be a time to gather with family members, whom may be sources of social support, as well as sources of emotional friction. In the workplace, you may be recognized as a reliable professional, but back at home you may be known as the “overweight younger cousin” or be harassed with questions about your personal life from nosy relatives. When dealing with these types of family members, recognize what is happening and take control over your own reactions. Consider the person whose behavior annoys you. Does their behavior tell you they are disgruntled, depressed, self-absorbed, or just plain insensitive? Realize that you are not responsible for their actions, comments, or issues.

Remember that you don’t need to let yourself become drawn back into roles or relationships of your past, and you have no obligation to respond to intrusive or annoying questions. Change or deflect the subject or just walk away.

When it comes to diet and exercise, the theme of moderation should not be forgotten. Keep in mind that it is easier to stay in shape than it is to get in shape. Sticking to a diet and exercise routine that you’ve already established allows you to maintain your level of fitness and continue to enjoy the results that you’ve worked so hard for. Even if your routine is light, staying in the habit of exercise is better than dropping out altogether and risk losing your desire to get back into it again.

The first type converts ammonia into nitrite, while the other type converts nitrite into nitrate. Ammonia will be produce by the metabolism of your fish and extracted from the gills and in fish poo. High levels of ammonia are dangerous to fish, but fortunately enough there exist a group of bacteria that can convert ammonia into nitrite. Nitrite is actually even more toxic than ammonia, but the second group of bacteria will turn the nitrite into nitrate, which is much less toxic. The nitrate can then be removed by regular water changes.

The beneficial bacteria will of course need to be introduced to the aquarium, and this can be made by simply adding one or two sturdy fishes from species that cope well even with high levels of soluble waste. Their waste products will contain live bacteria than can start to colonies suitable homes in the aquarium, such as sponge filters and gravel. If you want to jump start the process, you can purchase a bacterial solution from the fish store that contains the right type of nitrifying bacteria. You can also use gravel or sponge from an already established aquarium when you set up a new one, but you should keep in mind that this can introduce benevolent bacteria as well.

When you purchase a bacterial culture form the fish store, you should always carefully read the label and avoid getting nitrobacter bacteria. Earlier, nitrobacter bacteria was believed to be very powerful converters of nitrite to nitrate, but scientific studies have now showed that nitrospira bacteria are much stronger converters. Some fish stores still sell nitrobacter bacteria, even though nitrospira bacteria are a better choice.

Another method of cycling the aquarium is the so called ‘fishless cycle’. This cycling method is much less frequently used compared to the one that uses cycling fish, but it has grown increasingly popular during the last few years. During fishless cycling, you will add small amounts of pure ammonia to the water together with nitrifying bacteria and wait for them to form large colonies. You will need a test kit to measure the amounts of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Investing in a test kit is however a good idea even if you use fish to cycle your aquarium.

A third cycling method uses plants and is commonly referred to as ‘silent cycling’. This method requires a densely planted aquarium with thriving plants. You should therefore avoid sensitive, demanding and slow growing plant species. During the silent cycling, the plants will consume nitrogenous compounds and use them as nutrition. Aquarists fond of this method like it since it does not produce the ammonia and nitrate spikes that are common during other forms of cycling. You should keep in mind that when plants absorb nitrogenous compounds they incorporate them leaves and stems. If the plant, or a part of the plant, dies and starts to decay, the compounds will therefore be re-released into the water. Pruning the aquatic plants and removing any dead parts are therefore important.

The key to improving concentration is actually relaxation, which opens the higher perceptual centers of the brain.

In fact, there is evidence from brain wave biofeedback work done by Barry Sterman,Ph.D., that increased productivity is actually a function of a brain moving between beta brain waves associated with focused external awareness and cycling at 15-42 cycles per second and alpha brain waves associated with relaxed external focus cycling at 8-15 cycles per second.

What that means is that brains that know how to move between work and rest styles of attention quickly are able to handle very stressful situations, like simulated combat pilot training, more effectively than brains that stay stuck in the beta attentional state.

So the required rest period for improving concentration can be very brief, but it does have to happen.

If you think about a workout for your bicep, you flex the muscle only 8-12 times per set, and then relax between repititions and you may only do one set of curls per workout.

The growth of the muscle comes across time, but the stress on the muscle is very brief.

Same principle for improving concentration, and since concentration happens in the brain, I think improving concentration should begin with a workout for your brain.

After all, the brain map for your bicep and your concentration both reside there, and if you want to take a look at an excellent source of information for your brain workout, then please take a look at Brainfit for Life written by Simon Evans,Ph.D. and Paul Burghardt,Ph.D., who are neuroscientists at the University of Michigan.

Luckily for us, they leave the jargon in the laboratory, and write very succinctly for us improving concentration junkies, so we know what the pillars of brain fitness are, and how to make sure our brain is really ready to focus more clearly. Evans and Burghardt spend some time discussing the dual n back task in their book, and if you want to improve your concentration using the dual n back as a novel learning experience, I think you will be very pleasantly surprised.

But first a bit about the pillars of brain fitness, and taking care of them is a prerequisite for improving concentration.

The pillars of brain fitness are physical activity/exercise, nutrition including lots of antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids, sleep, stress management, and novel learning experience.

When I taking care of the pillars I am increasing a couple of very important capacities of the human brain, neurogenesis, or the growth of new brain cells, and neuroplasticity, which is making it possible for neurons to connect in new ways, forming new networks, and that is actually why I concentrate, to learn new material.

The most important pillar for improving brain fitness and improving concentration is the physical activity or exercise pillar, and that is where Evans and Burghardt start.

For a clear understanding of the physical exercise, nutrition, and sleep pillars, please read their book.

The last two pillars, stress management and novel learning experience are the two pillars most germane to our improving concentration topic.

The novel learning pillar means that for increased neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, I need to challenge my brain with new learning, and the experts say that the best kind of learning is the learning my brain undergoes when it learns a new language or musical instrument, because of the increasing levels of complexity and chance for positive feedback.

But if you want neuroplasticity, and neurogenesis, and improved concentration, but do not have time to learn a new language or instrument, what should you do, because Evans and Burghardt are quite specific about the kind of learning required.

They do discuss research about the dual n back task, which has been shown to increase IQ or at least what is called fluid intelligence.

Doing the dual n back is addictive, once you get the hang of it, and it will teach you very rapidly how fast your attention wanders, and train you to stay focused while on task, like when you are flexing your bicep in a workout.

The commercial version of the dual n back practices are about 1/2 hour long, and the initial training is a practice per day for 19 days. Each trial will present the auditory and visual stimulus to you and give you time to respond, and provides increasing challenge level as you progress.

Just like a physical workout, then you need maintenance sessions to keep the neurons in the brain map of increased concentration well connected.

There are some other great computerized brain fitness programs out there which will help with improving your concentration, and once you have done that, it will be easier for you to reveal your inner rock star as you learn the guitar.

If you are my age, that means you will look like Bowser of Sha Na Na doing infomercials.

If people are looking to lose weight, no matter what level of athlete, mountain biking will provide a quality workout.  Studies have shown that a large number of people fail at an exercise routine due to a lack of variety.  That is one of the major issues people face when they buy a single piece of fitness equipment, such as a treadmill.  There isn’t much of a difference from day to day in a workout on a treadmill.  That lack of variety turns people off.  Even with people joining a gym there is still a lack of variety in cardiovascular training.  Mountain Biking will give similar results to a cardiovascular workout one receives on a treadmill; however, the different trails that a person can ride will keep people engaged and consistently riding.  Mountain biking also provides the interest of a hobby for people who get to maintain their bikes.  

The majority of the work that people need to put into being an excellent mountain biker is on their bikes.  Yet, a small change that can give mountain bikers a boost is to better manage their nutrition.  Mountain bikers should be trying to build lean muscle.  Maintaining a healthy nutritional program will provide your body with the building blocks it requires to create the lean muscle.  An increase in protein is a great way for people to build lean muscle.  

Protein supplements are the best way to add a boost of protein to your diet.  An active person should try to intake half their body weight in grams of protein, meaning that if a person weighs 200 pounds they should get 100 grams of protein in their daily diet.  A good protein supplement will provide at least 19 grams of protein per serving.  When looking for a protein supplement look to purchase Whey Protein.  Whey Protein is dairy based, and is easier for bodies to metabolize compared to soy based proteins.  They also include more protein and less fats and carbohydrates than soy based protein.  The other important thing is to purchase Isolate Whey Protein.  Whey Protein Isolate contains 90% per protein.  The other change in diet that people should do when they increase their protein intake is to increase the amount of water that they drink.  Besides the health benefits of drinking more water, additional water will help your body to process the additional protein into lean muscle.

Mountain biking is a great way to get a workout.  Yet, to get the most out of mountain biking or any workout adding protein to your diet will improve your performance.

These three endurance sports are really tough and it challenges your stamina and fitness level. Most of the time triathletes go through intensive trainings to condition their body and to be fit for this competition. Despite of these punishing workouts, it is strange to know that triathlon is sweeping its popularity across the globe.

So what are the underlying health benefits of triathlon trainings? Perhaps you wonder what propels them to compete or to go through these rigorous trainings. However, you have to remember that not everyone trains to compete. The competition is only a bonus after reaping the health benefits of triathlon trainings.

It is important to understand that you will require experts to guide you for these intensive workouts to avoid injuries and accidents. If you are really keen to kick off the triathlon workouts, then it is best to enroll in fitness boot camps.

Fitness boot camps are good venue to start because they are equipped with experts and the facilities for training. Conditioning your body for such intensive exercise must be done gradually especially if you have been living a sedentary lifestyle. The professional trainers and nutritionists in fitness and weight loss camps are your best guide in the initial phase of your plan to proceed further in triathlon trainings.

Boot camp programs are always incorporated with high intensity of cardiovascular exercises such as running, boxing, swimming, cycling and so on. As you go for these workouts, the fitness experts and certified nutritionist in the boot camps will impart you with the knowledge about fitness and nutrition. They will educate you and in return it equips you with proper and right health information before taking further the triathlon trainings.

So what are the incontestable health benefits of triathlon trainings? The primary benefit is you develop lean muscles and improve your stamina. It is also considered to be the fastest way to lose fats because of the intense cardiovascular exercises it involves. This is one of the chief reasons that more people are training for triathlon.

In addition to that, it eliminates boredom compared to regular workouts in the gym. The variation in the triathlons training activities will definitely keep the level of your enthusiasm up, more so if you aim for the competition.

Make no mistake when you start for the triathlon trainings. There is no other best way to train yourself before undergoing such intensive workouts than to condition your body first in fitness boot camps. This is to ensure that any aspiring triathletes will start safe and injury free.

Remember the Bugs Bunny cartoons where Yosemite Sam would get so angry and stressed out that steam would come out of his ears. In fact, this seemed to happen to a lot of cartoon characters that lost there cool. Were these guys actually frying there brains? If so, could they get those fried brain cells back after they calmed down? It seems that cartoonists may have correctly predicted some neurobiology of stress.

Stress biology has been a hot topic in neuroscience for many years and research emerges all the time to further our understanding of why stress is so bad for the brain. A new study reveals an important finding that sheds more light on maintaining brain fitness during these bouts of stress. But before getting into the new data, let’s back up a little.

Robert Sapolsky, a neuroscientist at Stanford, has been a prevailing voice in stress biology for some time. He proposed theories over a decade ago that suggested stress was actually killing brain cells in a part of the brain called the hippocampus, a structure crucial for learning and memory.

In fact, the last ten years or so have revealed some interesting things about the hippocampus, especially as it relates to stress. Contrary to years of dogma, we discovered that the hippocampus is an area of the brain that is continually giving birth to new neurons. For many years, we believed that the brain was incapable of making new neurons after development, but we now know that’s not true. New neurons are being born (and dying) in the hippocampus all the time.

The trick is to keep the rate of neuron birth in check with that of neuron death. If you lose more neurons than you gain, your hippocampus can shrink and whither; and your ability to learn and remember declines.

Sapolsky’s early work showed that stress was a bad thing for this process. Stress slowed the rate of new neuron birth, to tip the scales in favor of neuron death. Not only does this hamper your cognitive abilities, but it may leave you more susceptible to prolonged stress and create a viscous cycle.

Later work by a Yale researcher, Ron Duman, showed that anti-depressants often require new neuron birth in the hippocampus to have their affect. One a side-note, exercise is one of the most potent ways to stimulate new neuron birth in the hippocampus. This is probably why exercise is such a great anti-depressant.

New research from Duman’s group has now pinpointed on of the big players in how stress works to stop neuron birth in the hippocampus. They discovered a molecule called IL-1beta (Interleukin-1 beta) is responsible for putting the breaks on hippocampal neuron birth. We already knew that IL-1beta is a hormone involved in inflammation, increased by stress. We also knew that IL-1beta, itself, could increase some effects of stress.

What the new finding tells us is that if we focus on reducing IL-1beta during unhealthily long periods of stress, we may counter some of the cognitive problems that too much stress creates. I’m sure this discovery has peaked the interest of many pharmaceutical companies with anti-IL-1beta drugs, but there is already a simple way to reduce this hormone.

Previous studies showed that omega-3s can reduce many hormones involved in inflammation and that they can specifically counteract increases in stress, caused by IL-1beta. Putting this older research in light of the new study, suggests that omega-3s might actually be able to protect the hippocampus during stress.

So again, discoveries in molecular biology take us back to benefits of brain fitness cornerstones that we have been promoting for some time; in this case, exercise and quality nutrition. Exercise can increase the birth of new neurons in your hippocampus and omega-3s may protect them from stress-induced IL-1beta.

References: PNAS 2008 105(2) 751-756 J. Lipid Res. 2003 44(10):1984-91

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When engaging in a weight loss training program, you should focus on burning carbohydrate instead of fat. This is because your body uses more calories in the hours after exercise when you exercise with intervals and heavy resistance training than it would if you did traditional cardio and lifted lighter weights. In other words, you will be able to burn more calories after a fat-loss workout if you focus more on burning carbohydrate rather than fat.

You should also use a range of repetitions in your strength training workouts, so that you will be able to burn more carbs and promote as much muscle growth as possible. For interval training, it will be helpful to use the stationary cycle. This is because cycling against a resistance can help maintain muscle mass and allows you to perform a larger amount of mechanical work. Remember: Hard resistance based intervals are more effective for fat loss.

Moreover, a 2005 study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that eating six times a day was associated with eating fewer calories per day, lowered cholesterol levels, and lowered post prandial or after meal insulin levels. Therefore, you should eat small frequent feedings a day, and combine an increase in meal frequency with an increased protein and fiber intake.

Improve your body composition rapidly by engaging in a fat burn training program that suits you best, and coupling it with the proper diet.

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Examples of passive systems are the raft system and possible the easiest is the wick system, the plant nutrient solution is in a static container and the plants can either be suspended with just their tips in the solution or a material is used to make a wick with a very high capillary action which draws the hydoponic nutrient solution up to the tray with the media and the plants in it. The minerals and nutrients that the plants need come from hydroponic plant foods that are now available from garden shops and the internet.

These nutrients come as a concentrate and are mixed with water to the manufactures recommend quantities to form the nutrient solution that is used to feed the plants. Hydroponics is certainly revolutionizing how we grow plants, in Europe many of the flowers supplied to the retail trade are grown this way, there is also an increase in the number of commercial growers learning how to hydroponic to grow a selection of crops like tomatoes and lettuce, the systems they are using can be highly technical, with the strength of the nutrient solution the water cycle and the amount of light the plants receive all being controlled by sensors and computers.

For the home grower learning how to hydroponic can be incredibly simple, the basic home system comprising of a reservoir, a growing tray, an air pump with stone, a simple timer to control a submersible pump to supply the nutrient solution to the plants. Unless you can set your system up in a sunny position to make the most of natural sunlight you will need to add a grow light to your list, this will supply your plant with artificial sunlight it needs to grow. Once you know how to hydroponic you’ll be surprised by what you can grow and the space required.