Herbs have been used for thousands of years to cure all types of ailments from common cold to serious infections. Every culture and country has used herbs for their own therapeutic purposes. However, after the development of conventional antibiotics and drugs, the use of herbs has drastically reduced. Most people want quick fix and opt for fast acting medicine, but conventional medicine has its own disadvantage. Aside from being very expensive, it may also contain chemicals and artificial ingredients that are toxic to the body when used for a long time. Herbal medicines, on the other hand,...

Essential Oils are called such because they contain the real essence of the plant where they were extracted from. They are usually extracted from plant parts such as the flowers, stems, barks, leaves, fruits, seeds and roots. Essential oils are greatly used in aromatherapy because they do not contain any artificial products or add-ons. In other words, they are as pure as you can get. Essential Oils or EOs are also widely known for their therapeutic benefits. They are either applied on the skin or inhaled using a diffuser or by rubbing a small amount on your palm. Although mainly treated as...

The FY 2014 Annual Report illustrates innovative incremental urbanism through projects that could be replicated in other communities across the country. These projects respond to residents who live, play and work in the Martin County Community Redevelopment Areas (CRA). Each project addresses common issues found in our communities such as stormwater management, need to encourage and support economic growth, and increased improvement to the quality of life of residents.

The Port Salerno Sewer Project demonstrates how a community vision can be incrementally improved into a walkable commercial corridor. This gateway into historic Port Salerno and the Manatee Pocket leads into the commercial and mixed-use core of the redevelopment area. Improvements on Dixie Highway and along the Pocket demonstrate the possibilities for private investment with the implementation of Complete Streets and expanded public utilities. This project achieves both without the need for additional right of way acquisition. The Salerno Road Sewer Enhancement Project proposes an extension...

Successful projects need local government and community stakeholders to work together, collaborate in planning and decision making. Bridge Road TownCenter is an ambitious project that seeks to improve vehicular and pedestrian safety, increase on-street parking availability and parking safety, improve walkability and pedestrian connectivity, and provide connections between the activity center and abutting residential areas in one of Martin County's Community Redevelopment Areas. This handbook shares this impressive community story, provides inspiration for similar projects across the country...