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Organic Facts

" . . . The quality of the fruits and vegetables available at grocery stores is terrible. Most are laden with toxic substances, such as sulfates on grapes, pesticides . . . many times fruits and vegetables are imported from foreign countries that use toxic pesticides that are illegal in the United States."
As stated by Dr. Ronald Steriti in our article Antioxidants and Organic Foods

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Coked-Up Doctors

Sugary soft drinks are nutritionally bankrupt beverages that contribute to obesity, diabetes and rotting teeth. So, why is the American Academy of Family Physicians—a professional organization that boasts of representing more than 94,600 U.S. doctors—crawling into bed with Coca-Cola?

As reported Thursday by Associated Press Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner, the AAFP has signed a six-figure deal with Coke dealers to “fund educational materials about soft drinks.”


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Chiles Rellenos

Veggie burgers remain an underutilized alternative to meat. Our weekend recipe features the black bean variety, which brings some south-of-the-border flavor to your table.

Combining poblano peppers, black beans, rice, cilantro and queso fresco (a staple in many Mexican dishes), this entrée was created by Chef Alex Eusebio, a Top Chef contestant (Season 5) and former partner/executive chef at the now-defunct Restaurant 15 in Los Angeles.


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U.S. Organic Dairy Farms Face Tough Challenges

COWThe number of organic dairies is on the rise, or so says a new report by the USDA entitled “Characteristics, Costs and Issues for Organic Dairy Farming.”

In 2000, there was an annual average of 38,000 certified organic cows in the U.S., but by 2005 that number rose to 86,000.

But having an organic dairy farm isn't easy, and it doesn't come cheap.


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Cilantro Delivers Health Benefits

If you enjoy ethnic food, you’re no stranger to cilantro.

From Thai (Thai Roasted Squash Soup) and Indian (Indian Chickpea Dip, Madras Curry Dip for Fish/Seafood) cuisine to Mexican (Golden Guacamole, Harvest Stuffed Squash, Granny Smith Guacamole) and Middle Eastern (Middle Eastern Meatballs) dishes, this fragrant herb is a seasoning staple.

Also called Chinese or Mexican parsley, cilantro is the leafy part of the coriander plant. In folk and holistic medicine, it has been used to settle the stomach, relieve anxiety, lower cholesterol levels, help control diabetes, reduce inflammation and treat infections.


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Vermont Company Selling Organic Wool Mattress Pads

SHEEPI wonder if sheep like eating organic nom-noms. Either way, feeding sheep organic food, makes organic wool.

And organic wool can be used to make many of the same things regular wool is used for, like fabrics, yarn, and mattress pads.

Vermont Organic Fiber, a leading provider of organic wool, has launched a new line of mattress pads made with organic wool, or O-Wool as it's called.

So, what makes organic wool so special, and how do you make it?


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Welcome to My Diner!

I’m serving a special five-course meal to the intellectually challenged members of Congress who support Big Agribusiness and predatory insurance companies over the health and safety of the American people.

Let’s review the menu:

First Course: Double Cheeseburger

Sourced from: San Diego Meat Co. On Oct. 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) declared a Class I recall on 925 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli.


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Less Demand for Organics - So Prices Will Drop

FRUITHere's how it works.

As the recession reduces the demand for organic ingredients, the total supply of available organic products falls back in line with the total demand.

This means premium pricing will start to tail off, and experts claim it should start as soon as fall 2009, i.e. right now!

So says the Organic Monitor, which keeps tabs on the international organic industry.

In short, there's enough organic stuff to satisfy people's needs, so sellers can't keep gouging consumers.


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Buddy System Encourages Weight Loss

If you’re trying to lose weight, you may be more successful if you partner with a family member or friend who has similar goals.

A study published in the Oct. 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that enrollment with a buddy in a comprehensive program enhanced weight loss among 344 African-American participants—but only if they attended sessions together.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine ran the 2-year study to help participants achieve and maintain a 5%–10% weight loss. The program involved self-monitoring of food intake, physical activity, pedometer use, group sessions with weight and activity checks, and community-based field workshops (cooking demonstrations, gym visits).


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  • Categories:
  • Back to School: 4 Tips for Organic Families
    Pregnancy & Parenting

     Growing Up HealthyAs we enjoy the last weeks of summer (or “freedom,” as kids may call them), it’s time to prepare for the new school year. For organic families, the emphasis is on healthful lunches.

    Sound challenging? Not if you follow these four kid-pleasing tips.

    1. Protein in Perspective

    Years ago, our moms sent us to school with protein-heavy meat sandwiches and coins to buy whole milk. These days, it’s easy to lighten up with your kids’ favorite organic vegetables, low-fat cheese or tofu—each of which proves wholesome with whole-grain bread. Beans are another terrific source of protein and fiber, with negligible saturated fat.

    Read more... [Back to School: 4 Tips for Organic Families]
     
    Send Kids Back to School with a Healthy Diet
    Pregnancy & Parenting

    Glorious One-Pot MealsThe school year is in full swing. So what does that mean for your child’s diet? Hopefully not a strict diet of fast food five days a week as you run to football practices and dance lessons. The start of the school year can indeed be a busy time for families, but it is possible to make healthy meals even with time constraints. It just takes a little know-how.

    Read more... [Send Kids Back to School with a Healthy Diet]
     
    Cool School Lunches
    Pregnancy & Parenting
    Founders of Fresh BabyAs you know by now, all parents have a different idea of what is healthy food and what is not. For years, you have had the opportunity to hand select and monitor what your child eats for lunch. Now it is time to test their ability. It is only natural for your child's eyes to wander and notice, and be envious of, what the other kids are eating. Here are a few tips that may help your child's lunch be healthy, fun and get noticed by the other kids.
    Read more... [Cool School Lunches]
     
    The Real Science of Organic Farming
    Reviews

    Traditional Farming’s reliance on pesticide is a deadly choice for consumers. Scientists say, first and foremost, to seek out organic foods, fruits and vegetables.

    One of the nation’s hottest public debates has its origin in the food industry. The issue of human side effects from pesticide residue on conventionally grown produce is being debated from congressional committees in Washington to family dinner tables across America. A beneficial side effect of this issue is the science of the health benefits of organic agriculture to environmental health, that is, to soil, water, air and ecosystems has been extensively studied, documented and compiled. However, science-based knowledge regarding the benefits of organic agriculture and organically grown products to human health is in its embryonic stages

    Read more... [The Real Science of Organic Farming]
     
    Pain in the Back: Your Child's Backpack May Not Be the Cause
    Pregnancy & Parenting

     Back pain is pervasive throughout the adult population.  It is one of the most common reasons to visit a doctor.  Young children are suffering from back pain much earlier than previously reported, and the use of overweight backpacks is a major contributing factor.  In addition to overloaded backpacks, improper wearing of them may predispose a child to various health problems.  Back pain usually results from repetitive loading as well as improper mechanics, not to mention kids are getting weaker and less physically active, leading to the child’s inability to handle the load of the backpack.

     

    Read more... [Pain in the Back: Your Child's Backpack May Not Be the Cause]
     
    Breakfast Blues?
    Organic Food Articles

    breakfastcerealI love breakfast foods, and I’ll sometimes prepare them for dinner. But like many on-the-go professionals, I rise early and have a hard time cooking at 6 a.m. Short of a blast of coffee, I may forego breakfast until mid-morning and, I must confess, occasionally skip this meal altogether—a bad nutritional move.

    I’m not alone. Many Americans fail to eat what Mom repeatedly—and correctly—called the most important meal of the day. Some of us play the “I don’t have time; I’m rushing out the door” card, while others believe skipping breakfast will help them lose weight. Both approaches are rife with dietary pitfalls.

    Read more... [Breakfast Blues?]
     
    MSG FREE, It’s Not as Clear as it seems
    Health

    This additive is a good reason to go organic and fresh.

    Msg is something many Americans might think of when searching for Chinese food restaurants. The form of the word used in this case is Msg - free. Msg is short for monosodium glutamate. It’s a food additive that is used globally in abundance. In recent decades, msg was found by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be a nutrition-less but non-harmful food additive. Yet hundreds of scientists have published studies on the harmful effects of msg.  One study describes msg as a neuron disrupting excito-toxin with the potential to cause harm to human health. The scientific studies corroborating the multitude of negative effects of msg are published and available to the public. (See links provided below.) Yet despite the controversy, msg is an economic growth industry worldwide with millions of tons alone distributed to the United States annually.

    Read more... [MSG FREE, It’s Not as Clear as it seems]
     
    Stop the Diaper Changing Battles
    Pregnancy & Parenting

    Babies are little bundles of energy! They don’t want to lie still to have their diapers changed. They cry, fuss, or even crawl away. A simple issue can turn into a major tug-of-war between parent and baby.

    Diaper changing as a ritual

    The position of parent and baby during a diaper change is perfect for creating a bonding experience between you. You are leaning over your baby, and your face is at the perfect arms-length distance for engaging eye contact and communication. What’s more, this golden opportunity presents itself many times during each day; no matter how busy you both get, you have a few moments of quiet connection. It’s too valuable a ritual to treat it as simply maintenance.

    Read more... [Stop the Diaper Changing Battles]
     
    REAL BEAUTY 101
    Organic Living
    ImageOwner, Green Bliss Eco Spa

    Did you know the average woman who wears lipstick on a regular basis will end up swallowing about 10 pounds of petroleum by-product (in the form of common lipstick ingredients mineral oil and petroleum jelly) during her lifetime?

    That’s because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate what goes into our beauty products.  So it’s up to you, as an informed consumer, to read the labels on EVERY skin care and cosmetic product that you purchase – just as you do with food labels.

    Read more... [REAL BEAUTY 101]
     
    Organic Restaurants: Real Food Daily
    Organic Food Articles

    RFD CookbookA college friend, now a newspaper photographer, recently visited from Boston. When we first met, she smoked several packs of cigarettes a day and thrived on fast food. Today, as mom to a 7-year-old, she’s a role model for organic living, and the family dines strictly on organic vegetarian cuisine.

    When we set a lunch date, she chose her favorite restaurant on Los Angeles’ trendy “Restaurant Row”: Real Food Daily, an organic, vegan haven in West Hollywood, where celebrity sightings are de rigueur and the wait staff goes out of its way to ensure customers leave happy and replenished.

    Read more... [Organic Restaurants: Real Food Daily]
     
    Summer Shape-Up: Sane + Organic
    Organic Living

    ImagePass by any magazine rack this month, and the hard-to-miss cover lines will seem all too familiar: “Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days,” “Amazing Summer Wonder Workouts” and “Are You Ready for Bikini Season?” Consider it a seasonal publishing rite, when thoughts of bathing suits and waistlines dance in our heads.

    But healthful organic eating and regular physical exercise are a year-round commitment, not a brief summer whim. That said, because we like to look and feel fit, I’d like to share some sane and effective summer shape-up tips that mesh well with the basics of organic living. No fad diets. No outrageously over-the-top exercise extravaganzas. Just some simple, commonsense strategies for taking care of your body and nurturing your organic spirit as temperatures soar and you decide to get physical.

    Read more... [Summer Shape-Up: Sane + Organic]
     
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