Plantar Fasciitis-- the pain can affect you from head to toe... Although plantar fasciitis is a painful, sometimes debilitating, foot condition, there are effective exercises, natural treatments, and suggestions for healing without expensive orthotics or operations What is Plantar Fasciitis? Plantar fasciitis is a common foot ailment that affects many individuals, causing pain and discomfort in the heel and the bottom of the foot. This condition occurs when the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that connects the heel to the toes, becomes inflamed. The plantar fascia supports the arch of the foot and absorbs shock during activities like walking, running, and jumping. Here, we will explore who is prone to experiencing it, and provide a comprehensive list of non-surgical exercises and treatments that don't rely on expensive orthotics or operations. Standard Treatment Options Rest and Ice: Resting the affected foot and applying ice can help re
Thornless Blackberries are the most prolific fruit in our back garden. Thornless (or prickle-free) blackberries are a cultivar of other blackberries -- maybe wild blackberries, but most often, other commercial varieties, such as loganberries. Wild blackberries still spring up with wily abandon on most empty lots in the Pacific Northwest (Canada and the USA). When we came to Vancouver Island nine years ago this Fall, I was thrilled to hike around our neighborhood berry patches with a pail every summer. Most of our neighbours were quite incredulous at my industry-- why was I picking so many berries? Most of them picked enough for a pie or a few jars of jam, and that was it. The novelty had worn off. They had so many other wonderful fruits and berries to choose from, many growing in their yards. At the time, my husband and I were falling in love with-- actually, fast becoming addicted to-- green smoothies. We were amazed by the simple abundance of the FREE blackberries. W