Zinnia 'Profusion White' captured the AAS Gold Medal as a breeding breakthrough due to the ease of growing and length of the flowering season. This is the only white Zinnia with 2 1/2 inch single daisy-like flowers and proven disease resistance. The plant resists powdery mildew allowing 'Profusion White' to flower profusely in the fall when other zinnias deteriorate from mildew. 'Profusion White' plants fill flowerbeds, spreading 12 to 24 inches in a full sun garden. No pinching or pruning is needed. 'Profusion White' plants are capable of producing a masterful display of white blooms from early spring through fall with minimal "hands on" garden care.

Portulaca F1 'Margarita Rosita' looks different from other portulaca as a young plant. It has a compact mounded habit and looks like a rock garden or alpine plant. Large 1 1/2 inch semi-double rose flowers adorn the small 3 to 4 inch fleshy leaved plants. 'Margarita Rosita' needs a sunny garden spot or patio container to reach its mature spreading plant habit of about 12 to 14 inches. Heat and drought tolerant, 'Margarita Rosita' will flower continuously for months if given minimal garden care. Easy-to-grow, 'Margarita Rosita' will thrive in any container size including unglazed terra cotta, which tends to dry soil quickly.

Eustoma F1 'Forever Blue' will provide gardeners their favorite blue color throughout the gardening season. The large 2 1/2 inch single blue flowers decorate the vigorous plants. 'Forever Blue' plants have a distinct branching habit, benefitting the gardener with more blooms and a dense plant. This trait has been submitted for a utility patent. 'Forever Blue' plants will reach 12 inches when mature, in a full sun garden. Proven to be heat tolerant, 'Forever Blue' plants will benefit from deadheading like all other Eustoma (lisianthus). These well-groomed, attractive 'Forever Blue' plants are perfectly adaptable to patio containers.

Nicotiana F1 'Avalon Bright Pink' is an improved dwarf nicotiana that provides multitudes of star-shaped blooms throughout the growing season. The color is an unusual shade of bright, pastel pink, visible from quite a distance. The heat tolerant plants will reach a mature height of 10 inches and spread 10 to 12 inches. 'Avalon Bright Pink' is maintenance free, no deadheading is required. 'Avalon Bright Pink' proved it's superior garden performance in AAS trials across North America. Easy-to-grow, 'Avalon Bright Pink' is widely adaptable to annual or perennial border plantings as well as patio container culture.

Sunflower 'Ring of Fire' is a five-inch sunflower having golden petal edges and a ring of red surrounding the chocolate brown center. Decidedly different from other sunflowers, 'Ring of Fire' stands out in a crowd of plain gold or yellow flowers. Later to bloom, 'Ring of Fire' may require 120 days to show bicolor blooms, but this late season display is often what the garden needs for a fresh new look. Needing a full sun garden, 'Ring of Fire' plants may reach 4 to 5 feet tall, spreading 2 to 3 feet. The long flower stems are perfect for cut flowers. If not cut, flowers may produce seed for wildlife, another benefit to growing 'Ring of Fire'.

You live with your landscape 365 days a year. Why not get the most out of it?

By using fall-blooming perennials, you can keep your landscape and garden interesting even during the cold months.

Most fall-blooming perennials are hardy, long-lived and come in vivid colors. They can be planted from spring until mid-October. The dried flowers and stalks also can remain in the garden during winter, adding beauty to the landscape and providing a feeding place for birds.

Fall is a good time to purchase and plant these perennials because you can see what the flowers look like. It's best to visit many nurseries so you can see a variety of fall-blooming plants. You're also more likely to find some unusual ones.

One of the most unusual fall-flowering plants is the toad lily, which thrives in partial shade and moist soil and produces clusters of orchid-like flowers covered with purple speckles. It blooms from late September until frost.

For daisy lovers, there's chrysanthemum nipponicum, which is covered with yellow-centered flowers with white petals. It looks very much like shasta daisy. It starts blooming in September and can be used to extend the daisy season.

Others are Japanese anemone, with large, pink, reddish or white petals; woods aster, with a profusion of iridescent purple or pink flowers; false dragon's head, which resembles white or purple snapdragons; and chrysanthemum pacificum, grown for its dusky green foliage trimmed with silver.

Many perennials provide added interest in the winter. From late July to mid-September, Russian sage produces spikes of fragrant purple flowers above silvery foliage. When winter comes, the leaves and stalks bleach to a silvery white. It looks great next to shrubs that have red berries.

Cultivars of wild goldenrod are extremely hardy and do well in partial shade and dry soil. In the fall, they're covered with golden-yellow flowers. After frost, the flowers turn fluffy white and later golden brown. They can be picked for dried arrangements.

A cultivar of Joe Pye weed grows four feet high with burgundy stems and dark green, leathery foliage. It likes moist soil but will do fine in drier gardens. The flowers are enormous, reaching eight to 10 inches across. They start out dusky purple and go through many color changes, staying attractive all winter long.

Sedums have long been used for their winter beauty. Bright pink, paler pink or reddish flowers form clusters up to six inches across. The stems and flowers turn tawny when cold weather comes.

Before buying perennials, prepare your soil by adding fertilizer, bone meal and organic matter. Plant the perennials in holes the same depth and width as the pots they come in and gently tamp the dirt around them. Mulching will hinder weeds and retain moisture.

Perennials are hardy and can take a lot of weather extremes once they're established, but they do need some care. Potted plants usually come with tags that give instructions about shade and watering requirements. It's important to water deeply or the roots will grow next to the soil surface and the plants will dry out quickly.

Source: Penn State, Agricultural Information Services

Many disease problems are best controlled with preventive measures. Chemical rescue treatments may act as temporary solutions but are usually not the answer for long-term disease control. These fall lawn and garden cleanup procedures will help prepare plants for winter and discourage development of disease problems.

1. Keep grass mowed until it stops growing. This helps prevent winter injury and damage from fungal snow molds.
   
   
2. Prune oak trees in the dormant season so as not to increase the risk of oak wilt. Pruning from September to early March is recommended because pruning during the growing season attracts bark beetles, which transmit the oak wilt fungus. Oak wilt is a potential threat in all of Illinois and can kill mature oaks in one season.
   
   
3. Prune trees and shrubs to remove all dead and seriously cankered wood, as well as any crossing and interfering branches. Opening up the center of woody plants helps promote faster drying, lets in more light, and reduces foliar and stem diseases. This is a common practice to help prevent fire blight on rosaceous hosts, as well as to prevent bacterial leaf spots of Prunus species.
   
   
4. Provide suggested winter protection for roses, evergreens, thin-barked young trees and other sensitive plants. Winter injury causes wounds that become infected with secondary canker fungi. Many of the rose cane cankers infect such injuries. Plants that have been located out of their natural range are often weakened in this way and predisposed to cankers and insect feeding.
   
   
5. Prune tree and bush fruits according to recommendations by Extension horticulturists.
   
   
6. Removal and burning (where possible), composting or burying plant debris will help reduce foliar and stem disease next year. It is usually safe to compost any leaf material, but diseased stem and root tissues should be burned or buried, not included in a compost pile.
   
   
7. Look over a variety of seed and nursery catalogs. Select resistant varieties (if they are otherwise horticulturally acceptable) and plant them where you've had problems in the past, but have no rotation options. Choosing disease-resistant hybrids, varieties and species is usually the least expensive and best long-term method of disease control. If you have had problems with scab on crabapple, consider replacement with a scab-resistant variety showing flower and fruit color that you prefer as well. Try to obtain a variety that is also resistant to powdery mildew and rust.
   
   
8. Make a map of your flower and vegetable gardens. Next year, move related plants to another area of the garden to reduce soilborne pathogens that cause Rhizoctonia and Fusarium root rots. Now is also a great time to make soil amendments to improve soil drainage.
   
   
9. Divide perennial flowers (where appropriate), remove rotted or diseased parts and replant in a new location. Let the cut edges dry before replanting to avoid soft rot bacteria and other soilborne root rots.

Of course these measures will not guarantee a lack of plant disease in your garden, but they will help reduce disease incidence.

Source: Nancy Pataky, University of Illinois

Each season has certain insect pests associated with it. Now that we have reached late summer, one of the insect pests of the yard and garden is the yellowjacket.

Small, yellow and black "bees" flying in the backyard, around picnics, or in parks are most likely yellowjackets. Don't confuse the name "yellowjacket" with the term often associated with the much larger bumblebees. Yellowjackets are about the size of a honeybee with yellow and black stripes and can sting repeatedly. Honeybees are brown with black stripes and a hairy body.

Yellowjackets are readily attracted to trash cans, ripe or overripe fruits and vegetables and outdoor activities involving food and soft drinks. Sanitation helps keep yellowjacket problems to a minimum. Keep food covered as long as possible when having a backyard outing.

In the garden or around fruit trees, clean up fallen or rotten produce such as apples or tomatoes that may be piling up. Alert children to the problem that often exists as wild apples or crabapples often accumulate under trees, attracting yellowjackets.

Another problem with yellowjackets is when nests are in areas frequented by people. Yellowjackets nest in the soil, under porches, in landscape timbers or in wall voids. Soil nests in problem areas may be treated with Diazinon and the hole then sealed. Apply carbaryl (Sevin) dust in and around openings to nests in other areas. As the insects come and go, they will pick up the insecticide and carry it into the nest. Do all treatments in the evening and only treat nests in problem areas.

Gray, football-shaped nests up in trees are the work of the bald-faced hornet. If at all possible, leave the nest along. It will die off with the arrival of winter and will not be reused gain next year. If the nest is in a problem area and needs to be destroyed, wait until evening and spray insecticide up into the opening (stand to one side) in the bottom of the nest. Apply ready-to-use wasp and hornet spray products.

The best advice with these types of insects is to leave them alone if at all possible. Only control them when the threat of people being stung exists, which is often the case when the nest is near homes or other structures.

Source: Bruce Spangenberg, Extension Educator, Horticulture, University of Illinois Extension

All-America Selections
Check out the past flower and vegetable selections
http://www.all-americaselections.org

Etera Perennials - Tutorials
Over 100 step by step tutorials with pictures of everything from planting bulbs in layers to transplanting a houseplant
http://www.etera.com/school/TutorialCreator/view/tutorial
default.asp?sp=11&SrcID=2501

Miracle of Fall
Check out fall color in the Midwest at:
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/fallcolor/

Bulbs & More
Check out selection and planting procedures for spring flowering bulbs at:
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/bulbs/

Take the family for a weekend trip to an apple orchard. Check out our web site Apples & More for a listing of apple orchards at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/apples/

Go pick a pumpkin for Halloween. Check out our web site Pumpkins & More for a listing of pumpkin farms at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/

Cure Gourds

Gourds are ready for harvest when the stems dry and turn brown. It is best to harvest gourds before frost. Mature gourds that have a hardened shell will survive a light frost, but less developed gourds will be damaged. Gourds should be cut from the vine with a few inches of the stem attached. Take care not to bruise the gourds during harvest, as this increases the likelihood of decay during the curing process. Discard any fruit that is rotten, bruised or immature.

After harvesting, gourds should be cleaned with soap and water and dried. Next apply rubbing alcohol to the surface. Punch the end close to the stem with a long needle to allow air inside, then hang for several months in a well-ventilated area. The seeds will rattle when the gourds are fully dry.

Apple Note

The major diseases encountered on apples this year were cankers, scab, fly speck, sooty blotch, powdery mildew, rust, fire blight and black rot. Pruning is one of the most important cultural methods to help prevent many of these diseases. Although it is probably slightly better for tree health to prune apple trees in March, it is easier to do a good job as soon as the fruit crop is removed. Healthy plant material is more easily distinguished from dead or cankered wood in the fall. Pruning and removing dead and cankered wood and opening the tree to better air circulation limit the development of fire blight, black rot, sooty blotch, fly speck and scab. If you suspect that fire blight was present in your tree, disinfect the pruners after every cut to prevent further spread of the pathogen. We recommend rubbing alcohol or a ten percent solution of chlorine bleach as disinfectants, but other products may work as well.

Pruning Oaks

Many fungal diseases affect oaks, but oak wilt is the one that strikes fear in the heart of most landscapers and homeowners. It has the ability to kill a mighty oak in as little as a few weeks. Here is some important information about oak pruning that will help discourage oak wilt.

Because of the many cankers, wood rots and injuries that occur on oak, periodic removal of dead wood is necessary. With many trees, we can do this as the dead wood appears, but oaks should be pruned only in the dormant season. Most references say to prune oaks in Illinois from September through March, while others suggest any time after July. Still others just say to prune in the dormant season.

Oak wilt is spread in two ways. One method is by root graft from oak to oak. This happens underground and is not influenced by pruning. The other method is by insects that have acquired the oak wilt fungus. The fungus must enter the tree through a wound and the insect provides transportation to that wound site. These insects are attracted to sap that is exposed to the air. When trees are pruned in the growing season, they exude sap from the wound, which could attract the insects carrying the oak wilt fungus. For this reason, oak pruning is not recommended during the growing season. City arborists do not have the luxury of waiting for a specific time period. They often have their work force during the growing season, so they may push the limit and prune in late summer, especially in areas that do not have a known oak wilt problem. Homeowners can and should be more conservative.

Clean Up Old Iris Plants

Adult iris borers have been active since August and September, laying eggs on old iris plants. The eggs remain there through the winter, hatching early next spring. You can reduce the number of borers that will be present next year, by removing and destroying old iris plant material and any nearby plant debris this fall.

By doing this, you remove and kill overwintering eggs, minimizing the risk of iris borers next year. You should do this even if you did not see borer damage, because there is likely to be other iris nearby which could be a source of iris borers.

The best time to do your clean-up is after the first hard frost when female moths are not longer laying eggs. If you remove the old plant material too soon, adults may still be actively laying eggs. You should burn (where permitted) or bury this material. You can also put foliage into a properly maintained compost pile.

If you've had a history of iris borer problems, you may need to apply an insecticide next spring when new growth is about four inches high. Cygon 2E (dimethoate) is currently labeled for iris borer control.

Accidental Invaders

Late summer and fall is the time of year when many types of insects and other arthropods accidentally enter homes as they search for sites to overwinter. They are not harmful to people or cause damage to property. They are short-lived indoors and do not reproduce there. But people object to their presence and they are considered to be nuisances.

Following is a brief summary of some of the more common insects that can be expected to be seen. So far, it does not appear that any of thee insects are present in large numbers this year, although we can expect to see all of them to some degree.

Boxelder Bugs: These 1/2 inch long orange and black insects, feed on the seeds of boxelder trees during summer before flying to homes in the fall to seek shelter.

Cluster Flies: These flies look similar to house flies but a little larger (3/8 inch long). Upon close examination, wavy yellow hairs can be seen on the sides of their thorax near their head. During summer, cluster flies parasitize earthworms. When they fly to structures, they're typically found on the upper half of buildings.

Elm Leaf Beetles: These are 1/4 inch long, oval, yellow-green with several black stripes. Once they die their color often fades to an olive or brown and the stripes may not be apparent. During the growing season, these beetles feed on elm leaves, especially those of Siberian elm.

Millipedes and Sowbugs: These are not insects but are related arthropods. Millipedes are one to 1-1/2 inches long, dark-colored and curl up when they die. Sowbugs are about 3/4 inch long, grayish and resemble a turtle or armadillo. They both prefer cool, dark, damp sites and often are found on the ground under stones, wood, mulch, leaves and other objects. Millipedes and sowbugs are usually more common in the fall after we have had a wet, cool summer.

Multicolored Asian lady beetles (MALB): These lady bugs are about 1/3 inch long (a little larger than most lady beetles) and have 19 black spots on their back, although the size of the spots are quite variable. MALB also have a black 'M' on their prothorax (behind their head). These lady beetles are very beneficial because they eat aphids, but can be very annoying when they cluster in large numbers around homes. While other fall invaders first start coming to homes in August or September, MALB will be first noticed around homes in mid-to late October.

There are several steps you can take to combat these insects. The best solution is to try to prevent them from coming in to begin with. Do this by exclusion. Check around the outside of your home for cracks in foundations, spaces around windows, and doors, holes in screens, spacing under siding areas where wiring comes into a building, poorly screened vent, spaces in overhangs, and other places where insects may enter buildings. Caulk cracks and other openings, screen vents, replace or install weather stripping around doors and make what ever other repairs are necessary. Although it is not possible to completely seal out all pests, you can significantly reduce their numbers by repairing obvious openings.

If large numbers of insects are present, consider applying an insecticide. Diazinon is effective against most insects. Permethrin is particularly effective against cluster flies. For flying insects, concentrate your efforts on the south and west side of your home; this is where these insects are most likely to be found.

For millipedes and sowbugs, you should also remove leaves, grass clippings, wood piles, stone, mulch, brick piles, and other objects these invertebrates may hide under. If it is necessary to use an insecticide, make your application in a band on the ground and on the building. You can also apply granules on the ground around the foundation.

Once these pests get inside, the only practical control is to remove them by hand or with a vacuum. Insecticides are normally not necessary. Remember they are harmless and just a temporary problem. It is possible to see these insects periodically throughout the winter and again in the spring when weather is mild and sunny. You can not prevent them from coming out from the walls or other places. Just physically remove them when they appear.

September - Edible

Get a free listing of Pick Your Own Apple Orchards by giving us a call or check out our Apples & More Web site at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/apples/

Plant a cover crop such as oats or annual rye in empty garden areas. Dig in next spring. Factsheet available.

Plant lettuce, spinach & radishes for fall harvest.

Plant garlic in late September. Factsheet available.

September - Ornamental

Overseed your lawn or do lawn renovation in early September. Factsheet available.

Core aerate your lawn.

Plant pansies, chrysanthemums, ornamental kales and cabbage for fall color.

Plant shrub roses.

Plant trees and shrubs. Factsheet available.

Plant lilies and peonies. Factsheets available.

Divide and transplant garden lilies, daylilies and peonies. Most perennials can be divided in the fall. Factsheet available.

Be alert for wasps. Factsheet available.

Start a compost pile with fallen leaves and garden debris. Factsheet available.

Put up a bird feeder. Factsheet on bird feeders and feeding birds available.

September - Indoors

Fertilize houseplants for the last time until spring. Fertilizer can accumulate and cause salt problems in soil when plants are not growing.

Take cuttings of coleus, begonias and impatiens for winter houseplants.

Bring houseplants indoors. Check for insects.

Repot houseplants in the same pot or a pot one size larger. Factsheet available.

October - Edible

Have soil tested. Soil testing booklet available.

Wrap unblemished, green tomatoes individually in newspaper to ripen. Keep at 60 degrees and they will ripen slowly over a period of weeks.

Spread a 2-4" layer of organic matter over garden and dig in 6-8" deep.

Dig up herbs - chives, parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage and tarragon. Shake off soil and pot up using a potting soil. Set in bright, sunny window.

Store leftover seeds in an air-tight jar in the fridge. Add two tablespoons of powdered milk wrapped in tissue as a desiccant.

October - Ornamental

Plant spring flowering bulbs. Bulbs can be planted until ground freezes. Factsheet available.

Check out our Bulbs & More Web site at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/bulbs/ for tips on growing spring flowering bulbs.

Transplant deciduous trees and shrubs after leaf fall. Factsheet available.

Rake fallen leaves from lawn.

Check out the web site, Miracle of Fall at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/fallcolor/ for Midwest fall color information.

Become a Master Gardener Volunteer - Call for application.

October - Indoors

Try a great fall activity for kids. Start a worm bin indoors. Call for a factsheet or check out our worm composting web site at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/worms/

Give Christmas cactus cool temperatures and 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness to initiate flowering for the holidays. Factsheet available.

Pot bulbs for indoor forcing for holiday blooms. Factsheet available.

Give poinsettias 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness so bracts will turn red for Christmas. Factsheet available.

A chutney is a piquant relish from the cuisine of India. It is usually eaten in small amounts to add flavor and to accent a meal. There is a great difference in what is understood to be chutney in the East and the West.

A chutney in India is customarily a mixture ground fresh on a curry stone; it consists of a paste of raw ingredients, such as fresh ginger, mint, coriander (cilantro) leaves, sour fruits, Indian mango and/or coconut. In fact, local ingredients considered tasty, stimulating or refreshing to the palate are generally used. The cooks of India are free to create from what is available, within wide limits to make chutney.

Although chutney is of Indian inspiration, western recipes always seem to be cooked combining sugar and vinegar with spices and fruit. Usually mango, but sometimes apples, raisins, pears and apricots or a mixture of fruits and vegetables.

The next time you visit an authentic Indian or Asian restaurant, ask for chutney. There are generally three categories: sweet, hot, and sweet/hot. Be very careful when tasting the hot chutney, it is really very, very hot. Making your own will allow you to control the heat factor.

To can chutney, process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts. The following recipe makes two pints. It is very flexible so use whichever firm fruit is available (apples, pears, nectarines, peaches or apricots).

End-of-the Harvest Chutney

1 cup prunes
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, ground
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3 medium-sized (crisp) apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup currants, chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1. Cover the dried prunes with water and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and chop.
2. Combine vinegar, sugar, coriander, cinnamon, salt and pepper in an enameled or stainless steel pan. Heat to boiling: add prunes, apples, currants, onions and tomatoes.
3. Cover and boil stirring frequently with a wooden spoon for about 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Pour into pint jars, use two piece lids and adjust lids and process for 15 minutes.

Makes 2 pints.

Note: This recipe can be doubled or tripled with very good results.

Indoor heat dries the air. Dry air in turn reabsorbs moisture from any available source. Your skin, your throat and the interior of your nose, as well as your furniture and houseplants give up moisture to dry air.

A dry throat and nose can be uncomfortable. Your lungs may become irritated and dry air can make a cold more annoying. The research also indicates they dry mucous membranes which makes you more susceptible to colds. The best way to fight these symptoms is to moisten the air with an ultrasonic humidifier. Unlike cold air humidifiers, ultrasonic humidifiers eject no live molds and very few bacteria into the air.

If possible, use distilled water in your ultrasonic humidifier. If you use tap water, run the water through a de-mineralizing filter first, or, boil tap water for 10 minutes, allow it to cool then dip water out leaving mineral deposits in the bottom of the container. Leave at least an inch of water in the boiling pot and discard this water.

Chicagoland tap water contains minerals that can be dispensed into the air by the humidifier. These deposits can then be inhaled into the deepest part of the lungs. Although drinking mineral deposits is not harmful, breathing them is another story. It can actually increase your number of colds and flu. Chronic respiratory diseases like asthma and bronchitis can also be aggravated by mineral deposits and dry indoor air quality.

During the month of September, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is sponsoring a National Cholesterol Education Program for the American public. Scientific evidence indicates a need to lower blood cholesterol levels in the general public to reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease in the United States.

The education program emphasizes the importance of screening, evaluation and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults. The program also focuses on modifying life habits with the aim of reducing coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors. The following information is from a factsheet entitled "Facts About Blood Cholesterol," which has been developed by the NHLBI as part of the National Cholesterol Education Program.

Why Blood Cholesterol Matters

Blood cholesterol plays an important part in deciding a person's chance or risk of getting coronary heart disease. The higher your blood cholesterol levels, the greater your risk. That's why high blood cholesterol is called a risk factor for heart disease. Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States? About 1.25 million heart attacks occur each year in the United States.

Even if your blood cholesterol level is close to the desirable range, you can lower it and reduce your risk of getting heart disease. Eating a heart healthy way, being physically active and losing weight if you are overweight are things everyone can do to help lower their levels.

The Blood Cholesterol Heart Disease Connection

When you have too much cholesterol in your blood, the excess builds up on the walls of the arteries that carry blood to the heart. This buildup is called "atherosclerosis" or "hardening of the arteries." It narrows the arteries and can slow down or block blood flow to the heart.

With less blood, the heart gets less oxygen. With not enough oxygen to the heart, there may be chest pain ("angina" or "angina pectoris"), heart attack ("myocardial infarction"), or possible death. Cholesterol buildup is the most common cause of heart disease and it happens so slowly that you are not even aware of it. The higher your blood cholesterol, the greater your chance of this buildup.

Your blood cholesterol level is influenced by many factors. These include what you eat, being overweight, lack of physical activity, heredity, your age and your gender.

All adults age 20 and over should have their blood cholesterol (also called "total" blood cholesterol) checked at least every 5 years. Blood cholesterol levels of under 200 mg/dl are called "desirable" and put you at a lower risk for heart disease.

If an accurate HDL cholesterol measurement is available, HDL, should be checked at the same time. If you do not know your total and HDL levels, ask your doctor to measure them at your next visit.

Total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol measurements require a blood sample. The sample can be taken from your arm or finger. You do not have to fast for this test. Unlike total cholesterol, the lower your HDL, the higher your risk for heart disease. A HDL level less than 35 mg/dl increases your risk of heart disease. The higher your HDL level, the better.

For more information about this exciting interactive web site program, visit the NHLBI's at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/chd/ Live Healthier - Live Longer. It is filled with easy to read information about blood cholesterol and the effects on heart disease. Take the quiz and check your knowledge level and order additional information. Publications can be ordered by phone, fax or mail. Single copies of "Facts About Blood Cholesterol" are free. Request a copy and a free catalog online or by calling or writing:

NHLBI Information Center
P. O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20824-0105
Phone: (301) 592-8573
Fax: (301) 592-8563

Are Brown Eggs Better Than White Eggs?

No, the color of the egg shell is determined by the breed of the hen according to the Egg Nutrition Center in Washington, D.C. Since many consumers prefer white eggs producers most often raise White Leghorn hens, which produce eggs with white shells. It seems that Easterner's prefer brown shelled eggs, so egg producers in New England often raise breeds such as the Rhode Island Reds, which produces brown shelled eggs.

The color of the shell has nothing to do with egg quality, nutritional value or flavor - only the breed of the hen that laid the egg. Keep in mind that brown shell eggs are usually higher in price than white eggs because the brown shell producing hens are larger birds with greater appetites, thus costing more per egg produced.

FDA Cancer "Tools" Page Opens

Consumers and patients can learn more about different types of cancer and their treatments on a new Food & Drug Administration (FDA) web site called "Oncology Tools." At http://www.fda.gov/cder/cancer/ users can search for information by specific cancer type and by approved drug therapies. Documents are available on cancer drug labeling, approved summaries and advisory committee transcripts.

Health care professionals can use the site to get references for performing clinical studies and for information on calculating drug dosage. The page includes links to other FDA resources for cancer patients, including the latest on clinical trials and more on treatments and diagnostic tools.

Source: FDA Consumer Sept/Oct 2000, Vol 34 No. 5

Junk Food and Children

Children in the United States between the ages of two and nine years of age were eating more junk food in the 90's than ever before. At the same time children are having trouble meeting the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for some important nutrients according to information presented in the Community Nutrition Institute's Nutrition Week Newsletter.

The U. S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) looked at 9,812 children up to nine years old and found that two-thirds did not consume sufficient levels of Vitamin E or zinc. Half of these children did not get enough calcium and almost one-third did not get enough iron or Vitamin B6.

Instead, children were drinking more soft drinks and fruit juice/fruit drinks. Soda consumption increased 21 percent among two to five year olds, compared to 20 year olds. Soda consumption increased 37 percent and fruit juice/fruit drink consumption rose 11 percent among six to nine-year olds vs. two decades ago.

ARS also reported that 83 percent of children stated they ate one or more snacks like crackers, popcorn, pretzels and corn chips a day, which contributed on average 20 percent of their daily calories. The study suggests America's children consumed more calories daily in the 90's than the 70's. The children's eating habits combined with a lack of physical activity help to explain why more children than ever are overweight.

Where does a two year old get a bag of chips and a can of pop daily? What effect will this have on overall health when these children reach adulthood? Adults are still responsible for the eating habits of their children.

Source: Agriculture Research Service News, 8-11-00

...you can lose weight and become healthier by becoming a semi-vegetarian? A semi-vegetarian is someone who supplements a regular diet of vegetables, beans, grains, fruit and dairy products with small occasional servings of meat, poultry and fish. A serving of meat is one egg, 2-3 ounces of cooked, lean, ground beef, fish or poultry (about the size and thickness of a new deck of playing cards).

...some new brands of bread are not being pumped up with more calcium? A single slice of white bread has 40 milligrams of calcium and whole wheat bread has 25 milligrams, the new brands boast 140 mg per slice. That means two fortified slices contains as much calcium as an 8 ounce glass of milk. Two to three daily servings of calcium rich food is essential for healthy teeth and bones.

...the number of people stricken with E.coli 0157:H7 after eating at a Sizzler restaurant in Miluwakee, WI, has increased to 63, according to the Milwaukee Health Department? Two other people were infected with E. coli after eating at a different Sizzler in Milwaukee. The health department said that cross-contamination by a raw beef product with a fruit or vegetable item may be the culprit for the illnesses at both restaurants.