COFFEE IS GOOD FOR YOUR EYES

Coffee is good for your eyes.

There's another good reason to indulge in your morning ritual: Coffee helps prevent deteriorating eyesight, according to a Cornell University study.

Raw coffee is, on average, just 1% caffeine, and it contains 7% to 9% chlorogenic acid, a strong antioxidant that prevents retinal degeneration in mice, according to the study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The retina is a thin tissue layer on the back wall of the eye with millions of light-sensitive cells and other nerve cells that receive and organize visual information. It is one of the most metabolically active tissues, demanding high levels of oxygen and making it prone to oxidative stress. The lack of oxygen and production of free radicals lead to tissue damage and loss of sight. Retinal degeneration can be caused by glaucoma, aging and diabetes.

The study is "important in understanding functional foods, that is, natural foods that provide beneficial health effects," Chang Lee, professor of food science and the study's senior author, said in a statement. "Coffee is the most popular drink in the world, and we are understanding what benefit we can get from that."

Previous studies have shown that coffee cuts the risk of such chronic diseases as Parkinson's, prostate cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and age-related cognitive declines.

2nd Person in U.S. tests Positive for Ebola

From CNN:

The deadly Ebola virus appears to have been contracted by someone inside the United States for the first time.

A nurse who had worn protective gear during her "extensive contact" at a Dallas hospital with an Ebola patient who died has tested positive during a preliminary blood test, officials said Sunday.

The woman had on a gown, gloves, mask and a shield during her multiple visits with Thomas Eric Duncan, but there was a breach in protocol, health officials said.
The patient is a nurse at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, an official who is familiar with the case told CNN.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta is conducting confirmatory testing on the blood sample, and its results are expected to be announced later in the day.

 CDC: Protocol 'breach' led to infection Hospital: Worker wore protective gear Are U.S. hospitals prepared for Ebola? Second confirmed Ebola case in U.S.
If confirmed by the CDC, the nurse's case would mark the first known transmission of Ebola in the United States and the second-ever diagnosis in the country.

She was involved in Duncan's care after he was placed in isolation -- his second trip to the hospital after coming to the United States from Liberia -- said Dr. Tom Frieden, the director of the CDC.
The nurse is in stable condition, Texas Health Resources chief clinical officer Dan Varga said. Duncan, the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, died Wednesday.

The nurse had "extensive contact" on "multiple occasions" with Duncan, Frieden said.
"At some point, there was a breach in protocol, and that breach in protocol resulted in this infection," he said at a news conference Sunday. "The (Ebola treatment) protocols work. ... But we know that even a single lapse or breach can result in infection."

Also, Varga said that someone who is a "close contact" of the nurse has been "proactively" placed in isolation.
The hazardous materials unit of the Dallas Fire Department has cleaned up and decontaminated the public areas of the health worker's apartment complex, Mayor Mike Rawlings said. Police are keeping people out of the area and are talking to residents nearby.

"We have knocked on every door on that block," the mayor said.
Hazardous materials units have also cleaned out the nurse's car and will work on her apartment Sunday.
Complete coverage on the Ebola outbreak
Case was anticipated
"We knew a second case could be a reality, and we've been preparing for this possibility," Dr. David Lakey, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, said in a statement Sunday morning.

"We are broadening our team in Dallas and working with extreme diligence to prevent further spread."
The nurse reported a low-grade fever Friday night and was isolated, the health department said. The preliminary test result came in late Saturday.
 This is the messy truth about Ebola U.S. airports start Ebola screenings Are U.S. hospitals ready for Ebola?

President Obama received two briefings Sunday on the second Dallas Ebola case, including one from Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell. According to a White House statement, the President wants federal authorities to immediately take further measures to ensure health care professionals are able to follow protocols for treating Ebola patients.

CDC corroboration expected
David Sanders, associate professor of biological sciences at Purdue University, said he thinks the CDC testing will probably support the preliminary results.
"It sounds likely that it's positive, and it's going to stay positive."

The news that a health care worker might have the disease is not completely unexpected, an infectious disease specialist told CNN's "New Day."
"I think we've always expected that there may be another individual who will come down with the Ebola from the transmission of this one particular person, and we always felt that it was going to likely be one of his close contacts or one of the health care workers, because that's the way this virus works," Dr. Frank Esper said.
Esper said Texas officials have been keeping a close eye on people who had contact with Duncan.

"I will tell you that the fact that we identified this individual so quickly is actually to me a sign that the system is working," he added.
Globally, the disease has wrought catastrophic consequences.

The World Health Organization estimates more than 8,300 people have contracted Ebola during this year's outbreak. Of those, more than 4,000 have died.

Ebola not very contagious
Ebola is actually difficult to catch. People are at risk if they come into very close contact with the blood, saliva, sweat, feces, semen, vomit or soiled clothing of an Ebola patient, or if they travel to affected areas in West Africa and come into contact with someone who has Ebola.

Those stricken with Ebola suffer ghastly symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, fever and unexplained bleeding.
Three countries -- Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia -- have been hardest hit. And many of those who care for the ill have also come down with the disease.

The World Health Organization estimates at least 416 health care workers have contracted Ebola, and at least 233 have died.
In Liberia, health care workers are threatening to strike if their work conditions don't improve.

The first infection outside of Africa happened in a nurse's aide in Spain, Teresa Romero Ramos. She became sick after she helped treat an Ebola-stricken Spanish missionary.
Her case has prompted questions from fellow medical professionals about whether they are properly equipped to safely treat Ebola patients.

For weeks, health officials have been monitoring those who had contact with Duncan before he was hospitalized and isolated.
Duncan left Liberia on September 19 and arrived in Dallas on September 20. Four days later, he began feeling ill; the following night, he went to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.
But despite telling a hospital worker that he had arrived from Liberia, Duncan was sent home with antibiotics. He returned a few days later and tested positive for Ebola.

And now, the search begins for all the contacts whom the nurse came in contact with.
"We need a whole new crew of people to do contact tracing," said Elizabeth Cohen, CNN senior medical correspondent.
Because Ebola's incubation period can last up to 21 days, the health nurse's contacts will have to be monitored for three weeks.
The Texas health department said officials have interviewed the patient and are identifying any contacts or potential exposures.

"This is not an easy thing," Cohen said. "Keeping track of large numbers of people, taking their temperature twice a day, making sure they don't ... leave town, all of that is a lot of work."

HEALTH BENEFIT OF COFFEE

Coffee is actually very healthy.

It is loaded with antioxidants and beneficial nutrients that can improve your health.
The studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of several serious diseases.

Here are the top 13 evidence-based health benefits of coffee, that have been confirmed in actual human studies.

1. Coffee Can Improve Energy Levels and Make You Smarter
Coffee can help people feel less tired and increase energy levels.

This is because it contains a stimulant called caffeine, which is actually the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world.

After you drink coffee, the caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream. From there, it travels into the brain.

In the brain, caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine.

When that happens, the amount of other neurotransmittersi like norepinephrine and dopamine actually increases, leading to enhanced firing of neurons.

Many controlled trials in humans show that coffee improves various aspects of brain function. This includes memory, mood, vigilance, energy levels, reaction times and general cognitive function.

Bottom Line: Caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, which leads to a stimulant effect. This improves energy levels, mood and various aspects of brain function.

2. Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat

Did you know that caffeine is found in almost every commercial fat burning supplement?

There’s a good reason for that… caffeine is one of the very few natural substances that have actually been proven to aid fat burning.

Several studies show that caffeine can boost the metabolic rate by 3-11%.

Other studies show that caffeine can specifically increase the burning of fat, by as much as 10% in obese individuals and 29% in lean people.

However, it is possible that these effects will diminish in long-term coffee drinkers.

Bottom Line: Several studies show that caffeine can increase fat burning in the body and boost the metabolic rate.

3. The Caffeine Can Drastically Improve Physical Performance

Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, causing it to send signals to the fat cells to break down body fat.

But caffeine also increases Epinephrine (Adrenaline) levels in the blood.

This is the “fight or flight” hormone, designed to make our bodies ready for intense physical exertion.

Caffeine makes the fat cells break down body fat, releasing them into the blood as free fatty acids and making them available as fuel.

Given these effects, it is not surprising to see that caffeine can improve physical performance by 11-12%, on average.

Because of this, it makes sense to have a strong cup of coffee about a half an hour before you head to the gym.

Bottom Line: Caffeine can increase adrenaline levels and release fatty acids from the fat tissues. It also leads to significant improvements in physical performance.

4. There Are Essential Nutrients in Coffee
Coffee is more than just black water. Many of the nutrients in the coffee beans do make it into the final drink.


A single cup of coffee contains:

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 11% of the RDA.
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): 6% of the RDA.
Manganese and Potassium: 3% of the RDA.
Magnesium and Niacin (B3): 2% of the RDA.


Although this may not seem like a big deal, most people are drinking more than one cup per day. If you drink 3-4, then these amounts quickly add up.

Bottom Line: Coffee contains several important nutrients, including Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium and Niacin.

5. Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a gigantic health problem, currently afflicting about 300 million people worldwide.

It is characterized by elevated blood sugars in the context of insulin resistance or an inability to secrete insulin.

For some reason, coffee drinkers have a significantly reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The studies show that people who drink the most coffee have a 23-50% lower risk of getting this disease, one study showing a reduction as high as 67%.

According to a massive review that looked at data from 18 studies with a total of 457,922 individuals, each daily cup of coffee was associated with a 7% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Bottom Line: Several observational studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of getting type II diabetes, a serious disease that currently afflicts about 300 million people worldwide.

6. Coffee May Protect You From Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia worldwide.

This disease usually affects people over 65 years of age.

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s.

However, there are several things you can do to prevent the disease from showing up in the first place.

This includes the usual suspects like eating healthy and exercising, but drinking coffee may be incredibly effective as well.

Several studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.

Bottom Line: Coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease, which is a leading cause of dementia worldwide.

7. Caffeine May Lower The Risk of Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, right after Alzheimer’s.

It is caused by death of dopamine-generating neurons in the brain.

Same as with Alzheimer’s, there is no known cure, which makes it that much more important to focus on prevention.


In studies, coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, with a reduction in risk ranging from 32-60%.

In this case, it appears to be the caffeine itself that is causing the effect. People who drink decaf don’t have a lower risk of Parkinson’s.

Bottom Line: Coffee drinkers have up to a 60% lower risk of getting Parkinson’s disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder.

8. Coffee Appears to Have Protective Effects on The Liver

The liver is an amazing organ that carries out hundreds of important functions in the body.

Several common diseases primarily affect the liver, including hepatitis, fatty liver disease and others.

Many of these diseases can lead to a condition called cirrhosis, in which the liver has been largely replaced by scar tissue.

It turns out that coffee may protect against cirrhosis. People who drink 4 or more cups per day have up to an 80% lower risk.

Bottom Line: Coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of developing cirrhosis, which can be caused by several diseases that affect the liver.

9. Coffee Can Fight Depression and Make You Happier

Depression is a serious mental disorder that causes a significantly reduced quality of life.

It is incredibly common and about 4.1% of people in the U.S. currently meet the criteria for clinical depression.

In a Harvard study published in 2011, women who drank 4 or more cups per day had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed.

Another study with 208,424 individuals found that those who drank 4 or more cups per day were 53% less likely to commit suicide.

Bottom Line: Coffee appears to lower the risk of developing depression and may dramatically reduce the risk of suicide.

10. Coffee Drinkers Have a Lower Risk of Some Types of Cancer

Cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of death and is characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells in the body.

Coffee appears to be protective against two types of cancer… liver cancer and colorectal cancer.

Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the world, while colorectal cancer ranks fourth.

Studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 40% lower risk of liver cancer.

One study of 489,706 individuals found that those who drank 4-5 cups of coffee per day had a 15% lower risk of colorectal cancer.

Bottom Line: Liver and colorectal cancer are the 3rd and 4th leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of both.

11. Coffee Does Not Cause Heart Disease and May Lower The Risk of Stroke

It is often claimed that caffeine can increase blood pressure.

This is true, but the effect is small (3-4 mm/Hg) and usually goes away if you drink coffee regularly.

However, the effect may persist in some people, so keep that in mind if you have elevated blood pressure.

That being said, the studies do NOT support the myth that coffee raises the risk of heart disease.

In fact, there is some evidence that women who drink coffee have a reduced risk of heart disease.

Some studies also show that coffee drinkers have a 20% lower risk of stroke.

Bottom Line: Coffee may cause mild increases in blood pressure, which usually diminish over time. Coffee drinkers do not have an increased risk of heart disease, but a slightly lower risk of stroke.

12. Coffee May Help You Live Longer

Given that coffee drinkers are less likely to get many diseases, it makes sense that coffee could help you live longer.

There are actually several observational studies showing that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death.

In two very large studies, drinking coffee was associated with a 20% lower risk of death in men and a 26% lower risk of death in women, over a period of 18-24 years.

This effect appears to be particularly strong in type II diabetics. In one study, diabetics who drank coffee had a 30% lower risk of death during a 20 year study period.

Bottom Line: Several studies show that coffee drinkers live longer and have a lower risk of premature death.

13. Coffee is The Biggest Source of Antioxidants in The Western Diet

For people who eat a standard Western diet, coffee may actually be the healthiest aspect of the diet.

That’s because coffee contains a massive amount of antioxidants.

In fact, studies show that most people get more antioxidants from coffee than both fruits and vegetables… combined.

Coffee is one of the healthiest beverages on the planet. Period.

Check out other post on this blog; you would love them.
Happy Reading!
Nwadu Obiora.

Ebola Virus Infection; Symptons, Treatment and Prevention

Ebola Virus Infection; Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

Ebola is a rare but deadly virus that causes bleeding inside and outside the body.

As the virus spreads through the body, it damages the immune system and organs. Ultimately, it causes levels of blood-clotting cells to drop. This leads to severe, uncontrollable bleeding.

The disease, also known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever or Ebola virus, kills up to 90% of people who are infected.


How Do You Get Ebola?
Ebola isn’t as contagious as more common viruses like colds, influenza, or measles. It spreads to people by contact with the skin or bodily fluids of an infected animal, like a monkey, chimp, or fruit bat. Then it moves from person to person the same way. Those who care for a sick person or bury someone who has died from the disease often get it.


Other ways to get Ebola include touching contaminated needles or surfaces.

You can’t get Ebola from air, water, or food. A person who has Ebola but has no symptoms can’t spread the disease, either.

What Are the Symptoms of Ebola?
Early on, Ebola can feel like the flu or other illnesses. Symptoms show up 2 to 21 days after infection and usually include:

*High fever
*Headache
*Joint and muscle aches
*Sore throat
*Weakness
*Stomach pain
*Lack of appetite

As the disease gets worse, it causes bleeding inside the body, as well as from the eyes, ears, and nose.  Some people will vomit or cough up blood, have bloody diarrhea, and get a rash.

How Is Ebola Diagnosed?
Sometimes it's hard to tell if a person has Ebola from the symptoms alone. Doctors may test to rule out other diseases like cholera or malaria.

Tests of blood and tissues also can diagnose Ebola.

If you have Ebola, you’ll be isolated from the public immediately to prevent the spread.

How Is Ebola Treated?
There’s no cure for Ebola, though researchers are working on it. Treatment includes an experimental serum that destroys infected cells.

Doctors manage the symptoms of Ebola with:

*Fluids and electrolytes
*Oxygen
*Blood pressure medication
*Blood transfusions
*Treatment for other infections

How Can You Prevent Ebola?
There’s no vaccine to prevent Ebola. The best way to avoid catching the disease is by not traveling to areas where the virus is found.

Health care workers can prevent infection by wearing masks, gloves, and goggles whenever they come into contact with people who may have Ebola.

Ebola Facts
There are five types of Ebola virus. Four of them cause the disease in humans.

The Ebola virus first appeared during two 1976 outbreaks in Africa.

Ebola gets its name from the Ebola River, which is near one of the villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo where the disease first appeared.

WHAT IS EBOLA?

What is Ebola?

Ebola is a deadly disease caused by a virus. There are five strains, and four of them can make people sick. After entering the body, it kills cells, making some of them explode. It wrecks the immune system, causes heavy bleeding inside the body, and damages almost every organ.
The virus is scary, but it’s also rare. You can get it only from direct contact with an infected person’s body fluids.

How do you get it?
You get Ebola from a person who has the virus, and only while he or she has symptoms. People pass it to others through their body fluids. Blood, stool, and vomit are the most infectious, but semen, urine, sweat, tears, and breast milk also carry it.
To get Ebola, you’d have to get these fluids in your mouth, nose, eyes, genitals, or a break in your skin. You could also pick it up from items that have fluids on them, like needles or sheets.

How You Won’t Get Ebola
You can’t get Ebola from casual contact, like sitting next to an infected person. Air, food, and water don’t carry the virus. But kissing or sharing food or a drink with someone who has Ebola could be a risk, since you might get his saliva in your mouth.

What are the symptoms?
It can take from 2 to 21 days, but usually 8 to 10 days, after infection for signs of Ebola to appear. Symptoms can seem like the flu at first -- sudden fever, feeling tired, muscle pains, headache, and sore throat.
As the disease gets worse, it causes vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and bruising or bleeding without an injury, like from the eyes or gums.

Where is Ebola?
There have been 33 Ebola outbreaks since 1976, but the 2014 outbreak in West Africa is by far the largest. The virus has infected thousands of people and killed more than half of them. It started in Guinea and spread to Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Nigeria. A man who had traveled to the U.S. from Africa died of Ebola in October.

Is There a Vaccine for Ebola?
There is no approved medicine or vaccine to treat or prevent Ebola. Scientists have tested some drugs on animals, which seemed to work. But they haven’t studied how the medications affect humans. Researchers are also studying two new vaccines that could prevent Ebola, but they still need to test them in more people to see if they’re safe and if they work.

Treatment
Since there aren’t any drugs to fight the virus, health care teams treat the person’s symptoms and offer basic support care. They:
*Keep the person hydrated with fluids through an IV.
*Give oxygen.
*Maintain their blood pressure.
*Treat any other infections they have.
A person’s survival depends on how well his immune system works. The sooner he gets medical care, the better the chances he’ll recover.



After Ebola
Ebola survivors have certain proteins, called antibodies, in their blood that may protect them from the same strain of the virus for 10 years or more. But no one knows if they can get sick from the other strains.
It’s rare, but the Ebola virus can stay in semen for 3 months after a man recovers, so he should avoid sex or use a condom to keep from infecting others. The virus can stay in breast milk for 2 weeks after recovery, so women shouldn’t breastfeed during that time.

How Can I Prevent It?
The best way to avoid Ebola is to stay away from areas where the virus is common. If you are in an outbreak area:
*Avoid infected people, their body fluids, and the bodies of anyone who has died from the disease.
*Avoid contact with wild animals, like bats and monkeys, and their meat.
*Wash your hands often.
After you leave the area, watch for changes in your health for 21 days, and get medical help right away if you have any symptoms.

Controlling an Outbreak
Trained public health workers find every person who might have had contact with an infected person. They watch each of those people for 21 days. If someone shows signs of Ebola, health care teams test them, treat them, and keep them away from others. Then the workers track down everyone that person came in contact with as well. The goal is to stop Ebola from spreading further.

UNCOMMON WISDOM ON EBOLA VIRUS

The best of Uncommon Wisdom Daily
for the week ending Oct. 11, 2014
 
This Week's Featured Story ...
Viruses Go Viral

Ebola isn’t the only virus threatening us. A whole series of scary-sounding organisms are suddenly in the headlines.

This week Spanish authorities confirmed a nurse had been diagnosed positive in what became the first known case of a patient acquiring Ebola outside Africa.

Her dog, Excalibur, was euthanized by health authorities because it was exposed to the virus.

Is anyone safe?

***

Several readers wrote in to say U.S. media outlets are giving Ebola far more attention than it deserves. The point out, correctly, that other diseases are far more likely to strike people in the developed world and we should focus on those.

I see the point.

On the other hand, I think the one Ebola case in Dallas revealed our healthcare system is not as well-prepared as we thought. Now we see the same may be true in Europe.

News revealed that a Spanish nurse had contracted Ebola without going anywhere near West Africa. She had been involved with treating a Spanish missionary who had caught Ebola in Sierra Leone.

The Madrid hospital where she worked knew Ebola patients were on the way and still wasn’t ready, according to this this report from The Guardian.

Health authorities said they were monitoring more than 50 possible contacts of the nurse.

Staff at the hospital where she worked told El País that the protective suits they were given did not meet World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, which specify that suits must be impermeable and include breathing apparatus. Staff also pointed to latex gloves secured with adhesive tape as an example of how the suits were not impermeable and noted that they did not have their own breathing equipment.

I see two big problems here.

First, unlike the Dallas hospital, the one in Madrid had plenty of advance warning and time to take protective measures.

They failed.

Second, why does it matter if the suits didn’t have their own breathing equipment? The experts keep saying Ebola isn’t transmissible by air.

If that’s true, then breathing the same air as an Ebola patient should be perfectly safe.

Am I missing something here?

***

Even if Ebola isn’t airborne, plenty of other viruses are.

A 4-year-old New Jersey boy died last month from Enterovirus 68D. This virus isn’t new or foreign. The CDC says they first identified it in California way back in 1962.

For some reason, it is spreading more than usual this year.

The enterovirus mainly affects children and teens. It can cause severe respiratory distress for those with asthma-like problems. The New Jersey victim died very suddenly with no such symptoms, however. His parents thought he had pinkeye but saw nothing else unusual.

If you’re a parent of young children, as I am, such stories are terrifying. My wife and I are expecting our second one soon, so we’ve watched the news coverage very closely.

There’s a lot of debate about vaccinating children. I know some families who follow all the standard recommendations and others who don’t vaccinate at all.

There is no vaccine for Enterovirus D68. Other than the normal hygienic steps, the CDC says there isn’t much you can do.

***

The germs are out there. Whether they find you or your child seems like a matter of luck. Science can’t protect us from everything.

I’m curious what everyone else thinks about vaccination, especially for young children. We’re also approaching the colder months when older people often get flu shots.

These are more than personal health decisions. Our decisions influence the healthcare industry and the entire economy. They can also hit close to home. Many, many personal bankruptcies are a direct result of medical bills. By protecting your health, you also protect your wealth.

What are your thoughts on vaccinations for children and adults? I’d like to share some good letters with other readers. You can leave a comment on our website or send me an e-mail. Tell me what you think about the Spanish Ebola case, too.

Written by
Brad Hoppmann

CHEMICAL VS ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Chemical Fertilizer vs Organic Fertilizer

A chemical fertilizer is defined as any inorganic material of wholly or partially synthetic origin that is added to the soil to sustain plant growth. Organic fertilizers are substances that are derived from the remains or by products of organisms which contain the essential nutrients for plant growth.

Comparison chart

Chemical Fertilizer

Currently 3.25/5

Rating: 3.3/5 (336 votes)

Organic Fertilizer

Currently 4.08/5

Rating: 4.1/5 (345 votes)

Advantages:

Chemical fertilizers are rich equally in three essential nutrients that are needed for crops and always ready for immediate supply of nutrients to plants if situation demands. Adds natural nutrients to soil, increases soil organic matter, improves soil structure and tilth, improves water holding capacity, reduces soil crusting problems, reduces erosion from wind and water, Slow and consistent release of nutrients,

Disadvantages:

Several chemical fertilizers have high acid content. They have the ability to burn the skin. Changes soil fertility. Have slow release capability; distribution of nutrients in organic fertilizers is not equal.

A chemical fertilizer is defined as any inorganic material of wholly or partially synthetic origin that is added to the soil to sustain plant growth. Chemical fertilizers are produced synthetically from inorganic materials. Since they are prepared from inorganic materials artificially, they may have some harmful acids, which stunt the growth of microorganisms found in the soil helpful for plant growth naturally. They’re rich in the three essential nutrients needed for plant growth. Some examples of chemical fertilizers are ammonium sulphate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium chloride and the like.

Organic fertilizers are substances that are derived from the remains or by products of organisms. Organic fertilizers depend upon the microorganisms found in soil to break them down and release the essential nutrients. Organic nutrients are rich in phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium, but in unequal proportions. Examples of organic fertilizers are cottonseed meal, blood meal, fish emulsion, and manure and sewage sludge. There are two types of organic fertilizers: first is the synthetic type which is organic compound produced artificially (e.g., Urea, a common organic fertilizer; the other type is natural organic fertilizers because 100% of the ingredients used to create a typical natural organic fertilizer come from nature (e.g., fish extract, seaweed and manure, guano, and compost materials).

Distribution of nutrients:

Fertilizers are used to provide nutrients to the plants for their good growth. Soil nutrients’ deficiency is the prevalent problem among home-garden owners. One of the distinct advantages of chemical fertilizers over organic fertilizers is that chemical fertilizers are rich equally in all three essential nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. On the other hand, organic fertilizers may be rich in one of the three nutrients, or may have low levels of all the three nutrients.

Cost:

Organic fertilizers are much cheaper as compared to chemical fertilizers. One can prepare organic fertilizers on their own by composting or mixing cow, sheep, or poultry manure with other organic matters. On the other hand, one has to buy the chemical fertilizers from nearby gardening shops or horticulturists.

Supply of nutrients:

One aspect of the organic fertilizers is their slow-release capability. Slow-release capability of organic fertilizers has both advantages and disadvantages: Slow-release means there is less risk of over-fertilization but sometimes this slow-release of organic fertilizers is not able to fulfill to needed supply of the nutrients, whenever required. In contrast to organic fertilizer, chemical fertilizers are always there to provide immediate supply of nutrients to plants if situation demands.

Acid content:

One of the main disadvantages of chemical fertilizers is that, in contrast to organic fertilizers, several chemical fertilizers have high acid content like sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid. This high acid content results in the destruction of the nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which is helpful in supplying the nitrogen to a growing plant. In contrast, organic fertilizers support the growth of nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

NPK ratio:

Chemical fertilizers always have a high total NPK (nitrogen:phosphorous:potassium), from 20 to 60 percent or more. The total NPK for organic fertilizer blends will always be low. Fourteen percent is about as high as it gets.

History:

Natural fertilizers like manure have been in use for centuries as these were the only form of nutrition that could be provided to crops before the invention of chemical fertilizers. Chemicals were added to natural fertilizers after the second world war. Post the war, with advancement of technology there was an explosive growth in artificial fertilizers due to improved productivity. But of late, there has been mass awareness of the eco friendliness of the use of organic fertilizers and many are using those methods again.

Use:

There are two ways to measure fertilizer use in a country. One is by nutrient content — how much nitrogen, phosphate and potash are contained in the fertilizer applied. In fiscal year 2004, 23.4 million tons of nutrients were applied in the US. Another way to measure is in total tonnage — the total tons it takes to deliver the nutrient content. In fiscal year 2004, 57.8 million total tons were used in the United States. The world's largest producers and users of fertilizers are the United States, China, India, Russia and Brazil.

Some reports suggest the US Fertilizer market to be around $40 Billion of which organic fertilizers occupy only about $60 Miliion. The rest of it is the share of the various artificial fertilizers.