| Photo Information |
Copyright: Francine Malo (NinaM)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 801 W: 3 N: 2100]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (6596) |
| Genre: Landscapes |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2008-11-17 |
| Categories: Trees |
| Camera: Canon Powershot G10 |
| Exposure: f/3.5, 1/6 seconds |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2008-11-18 9:07 |
| Viewed: 1802 |
| Points: 22 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Today's post is one shot where I go walking with Toupti since the beginning of the month. I finally went to a small trail I had heard about but thought wasn't that great. To my surprise, I just love going there and so does Toupti. Also, this is Love's pick for you.
This picture shows you some thuja trees and what I think is a Speckled Alder. At the foreground you can see young pines and firs. This trail follows Lac Pierre on the West side leading to a handicapped children's camp, the Camp Papillon (Butterfly Camp) where they have some handicapped children, from the light handicapped to heavy handicapped kids, come and stay in nature for a week or so every summer. It is bordered by small cottages owned by another organism who welcome children from poor families. They have a boat where the handicapped children get into and they go around the lake, singing and clapping their hands, well, those who can sing and clap their hands.
Around the lake at that place, there is a small forests with a trail where they also built play furnitures for the kids, trails and everything they need to discover nature. They have canoes and sailboats and its an usual sight to see the kids in the canoes, singing along and having fun.
Naturally, at this time of year there are no kids at the camp but on the weekends, small groups of kids come at the cottages.
Yesterday, the wood was empty except for me and Toupti. All along the shore of the lake you can find many thujas, some lowering down to the water, some are very old. There are birch trees, pines, fir and many many plants which are hard to identify at this time of year or whereas some have simply dried out.
I was walking when I saw the play of light in this small bush of thujas. In fact, the rare ray of lights manifest themselves strongly because we've had so much grey skies in the past weeks. This slight opening in the clouds gave me the opportunity to shoot this serene scene. I have to learn to take interesting pictures in dull light here because with climate changes, we get so much rain and snow. In fact, about 15 minutes after this picture, snow started falling, carried by the wind and giving strange effects on the lake. I shall post a picture of the second snow of the year tomorrow or later this week.
I hope you enjoy the scene,
Francine
Shot at iso 80 in jpeg, leaning on a tree trunk for stability
With my brand new Canon G10!!!! Light and easy to carry!
Levels and sharpening
No crop, resized for TN
FROM THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY:
I picked this over others because it is interesting and I trust the information:
Thuja
Other common name(s): eastern white cedar, northern white cedar, yellow cedar, tree of life, arborvitae, swamp cedar
Scientific/medical name(s): Thuja occidentalis
Description
Thuja (pronounced thu-ya) is an evergreen in the cypress family, native to eastern North America. The tree is also grown in Europe as an ornamental plant. The parts used in herbal remedies are the branches and the tiny, flat, scale-like leaves, which contain the oil thujone (see Wormwood).
Overview
Available scientific evidence does not support claims that thuja or its extract is safe or effective. Taken internally, the herb can cause serious side effects, and may be toxic in large doses. The essential oil, also known as cedar leaf oil, is not generally sold for internal use. It is poisonous, and can also irritate or burn skin and eyes.
How is it promoted for use?
Thuja is promoted as a treatment for many medical conditions, including cancer. Some proponents claim that thuja decreases the toxic effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Herbalists prescribe thuja to treat coughs and other respiratory ailments (including strep throat and respiratory distress related to congestive heart failure), and viral and bacterial infections. They also use it as a diuretic (to increase urination) and an astringent, to "purify the blood," reduce inflammation, and cleanse the body of toxins. Thuja is sometimes used together with antibiotics to treat bacterial skin infections and herpes sores. It has even been used by some practitioners to induce abortions. Thuja ointment is applied to the skin for ailments such as psoriasis, eczema, vaginal infections, warts, muscular aches, and rheumatism. Available scientific evidence does not support these claims.
Some practitioners of homeopathy (see Homeopathy) recommend use of very dilute thuja, in pill or liquid form, for treating irritability, depression, sadness, impaired thinking, headache, warts, growths, rashes, runny nose, sores in the nose, mouth pain, toothache, gas, hemorrhoids, watery stool, enlarged prostate, gonorrhea, back pain, joint pain, bad dreams, tiredness, insomnia, fevers, shaking chills, muscle pain, and cancer. Again, available scientific evidence does not support these claims.
What does it involve?
Leaves from the tree are harvested and dried. Liquid extracts, tinctures, and tea made from thuja are taken internally. There is no standard dose of the herb. Thuja ointment is applied directly to the skin. Thuja oil and capsules are available in health food stores and over the Internet. When properly prepared and dosed as dietary supplements, the thujone levels are reportedly below the toxic range. However, because dietary supplements are not considered drugs, the FDA does not put them through the same strict safety requirements that other drugs must meet.
Homeopathic dilutions of thuja are available to take by mouth, in pill or liquid form. Thuja is also made into homeopathic creams or ointments to be applied to the skin. These contain very tiny or even undectable amounts of thuja (see Homeopathy).
What is the history behind it?
Native Americans of the eastern United States and Canada used thuja for generations to treat menstrual problems, headaches, and heart ailments (see Native American Healing). Loggers drank tea made from white cedar twigs to relieve rheumatism. During the 17th century, some people called the eastern white cedar the "tree of life," because they believed that its sap had healing powers. In the late 1800s, the US Pharmacopoeia listed thuja as a treatment to stimulate the uterus and as a diuretic (to increase urine flow).
Thujone (a major component of thuja oil) is banned as a food or drink additive in the United States, but small amounts are used in some alcoholic drinks in Europe. It is used in shoe polish and as a pest repellant. Cedar leaf oil, which is distilled from the leaves of thuja occidentalis, is used in some furniture polishes and fragrances.
What is the evidence?
A 2005 German study looked at a mixture of extracts that included echinacea, baptisia, and thuja in the treatment of 91 adults with colds and runny noses. Those who received the extracts used fewer facial tissues than those who got placebo. However, it is impossible to say how much of this effect was related to thuja. Human clinical trials of thuja by itself have not been reported.
Available scientific evidence does not support claims that thuja is effective in treating cancer or any other disease. The medical literature contains no studies on the effects of thuja in humans, and there is very little scientific data to verify that the herb has any therapeutic value. Many supporters base their claims on limited lab experiments or individual (anecdotal) reports. One laboratory study done in Germany found that a polysaccharide (a type of complex sugar) from thuja enhanced the immune system's ability to fight off invading germs. Lab studies may show a substance holds promise, but further studies are needed to find out if the results apply to humans.
Are there any possible problems or complications?
This product is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States. Unlike drugs (which must be tested before being allowed to be sold), the companies that make supplements are not required to prove to the Food and Drug Administration that their supplements are safe or effective, as long as they don't claim the supplements can prevent, treat, or cure any specific disease.
Some such products may not contain the amount of the herb or substance that is written on the label, and some may include other substances (contaminants). Actual amounts per dose may vary between brands or even between different batches of the same brand.
Most such supplements have not been tested to find out if they interact with medicines, foods, or other herbs and supplements. Even though some reports of interactions and harmful effects may be published, full studies of interactions and effects are not often available. Because of these limitations, any information on ill effects and interactions below should be considered incomplete.
Taken internally in large doses, thuja can be toxic, although the exact amount that causes problems is uncertain. Some people who have consumed thuja reportedly experienced asthma attacks, intestinal irritation, excess stimulation of the nervous system, and spontaneous abortion (miscarriage.)
The essential oil causes spasms if taken internally, and in high doses it can cause seizures as well as damage to the liver and the kidneys. The fresh leaves and shoots can also cause poisoning. Deaths have been reported. Skin or eye contact with cedar leaf oil can cause severe irritation or burns. Asthma and rashes have occurred in people who work with the wood of this tree.
People with seizure disorders or gastrointestinal problems (such as ulcers or gastritis) should avoid thuja. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not use this herbal treatment. In fact, because so little is known about thuja, it is not recommended for any medicinal use.
Additional Resources
More Information From Your American Cancer Society
The following information on complementary and alternative therapies may also be helpful to you. These materials may be ordered from our toll-free number (1-800-ACS-2345).
* Guidelines for Using Complementary and Alternative Methods
* How to Know What Is Safe: Choosing and Using Dietary Supplements
* American Cancer Society Operational Statement on Complementary and Alternative Methods of Cancer Management
References
Cartier A, Chan H, Malo JL, et al. Occupational asthma caused by eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) with demonstration that plicatic acid is present in this wood dust and is the causal agent. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1986 Apr;77(4):639-45.
Deane PM. Conifer pollen sensitivity in western New York: cedar pollens. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2005 Sep-Oct;26(5):352-5.
Fetrow CW, Avila JR. Professional's Handbook of Complementary and Alternative Medicines. Springhouse, Pa: Springhouse Corp; 1999.
Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C, eds. PDR for Herbal Medicines, Third Edition. Thomson PDR, Montvale NJ, 2004.
Naser B, Lund B, Henneicke-von Zepelin HH, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical dose-response trial of an extract of Baptisia, Echinacea and Thuja for the treatment of patients with common cold. Phytomedicine. 2005 Nov;12(10):715-22.
National Toxicology Program. Alpha-Thujone (546-80-5). Available at: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov. Accessed 2/16/06.
Offergeld R, Reinecker C, Gumz E, et al. Mitogenic activity of high molecular polysaccharide fractions isolated from the cuppressaceae Thuja occidentalis L. Enhanced cytokine-production by thyapolysaccharide, g-fraction (TPSg). Leukemia. 1992; 3:189S-191S.
ScienceLab.com. Material Safety Data Sheet: Cedar Leaf Oil. Available at: http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Cedar_leaf_oil-9923339. Accessed April 30, 2007.
Note: This information may not cover all possible claims, uses, actions, precautions, side effects or interactions. It is not intended as medical advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultation with your doctor, who is familiar with your medical situation.
Revised 06/19/2007 |
marhowie, CeltickRanger, eng55, nglen, eqshannon, jaycee, fartash, BobH has marked this note useful
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