October 21st, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
 Nutrition labels and symbols would best benefit shoppers if they appeared on the front of food packages and focused on calories, saturated fat, trans fat and sodium—the top four overconsumed nutrients, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
The not-so-fab four are strongly associated with many of America’s health woes, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
The IOM recognizes that packages have limited space, so its expert committee believes information on cholesterol, fiber, added sugars, vitamins and other nutrients that are listed on Nutrition Facts panels (right) can remain on the back.
Read More: Front of Food Packages Should Highlight Calories, Fats, Sodium Levels
Tags: food labels, Health, heart health, obesity, Organic Food, saturated fat, sodium, trans fat
Posted in Health, Organic Food | 2 Comments »
October 19th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
We have two new recalls to announce. While the involved products are not organic, you may have purchased them.
Pats Exotic Vegetable Beverages
 Bronx, NY-based Pats Exotic Beverages is recalling all packages of its Carrot Juice, Carrot Beet, Carrot Lime and Cucumber beverages because they were inadequately processed and may contain foodborne pathogens.
Read More: 2 New Recalls: Pats Exotic Vegetable Beverages, Store-Brand Frozen Vegetables
Tags: beverages, FDA, food safety, foodborne illness, frozen vegetables, Health, recalls
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October 17th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
 Braces are no longer just a teen thing. In fact, roughly half of today’s orthodontic patients are adults.
Having lived through 4 years of mouth metal back in the day, I know how Halloween treats like caramel apples and popcorn balls can wreak havoc with just a few bites. Is it any coincidence that October is National Orthodontic Health Month?
The good news: The American Association of Orthodontists has provided the following list of best and worst Halloween treats.
Read More: When Halloween and Braces Collide
Tags: candy, dental care, halloween, Health, holidays, Organic Food
Posted in Health, Organic Food, Parenting | Comments Off
October 16th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
 As with humans, dogs and cats can develop diabetes—a condition in which the body’s blood glucose levels are not properly regulated.
Here’s the basic biology: The pancreas secretes insulin, which helps regulate blood-sugar levels. When there’s a surplus or shortage of insulin, variations in glucose levels can lead to a host of damaging conditions.
Ask your veterinarian to run a blood workup if your dog or cat exhibits any of the following signs:
- Increased panting
- Increased water consumption
- Increased urination
Read More: 8 Signs Your Pet May Have Diabetes
Tags: cats, diabetes, dogs, Health, pets
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October 14th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
 The average American will spend $66.28 on Halloween this year, $20.29 of which will go toward candy purchases, according to the National Retail Federation. (Costumes are the No. 1 expense.)
But when trick-or-treating first became popular in the 1920s, children received whatever neighbors had on hand: apples, pastries, breads and even money. Flash-forward to the 21st century: We now spend $1.8 billion on Halloween candy each year—so, what has changed?
Read More: Halloween Candy Companies Have Brainwashed Us Into Buying
Tags: advertising, candy, halloween, Health, holidays, Organic Living, Parenting
Posted in Health, Organic Food, Organic Living, Parenting | Comments Off
October 13th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
 As I reported Friday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (right) wants to prevent food-stamp recipients in the Big Apple from using them to buy soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.
New York Times reporter Anemona Hartocollis has since put Bloomberg in an awkward position by revealing that his company, Bloomberg, L.P., offers free Coke, Pepsi, Fanta orange soda, ginger ale and Mountain Dew to its employees.
Critics are debating whether Bloomberg’s food-stamp proposal makes him a hypocrite or hero. In the meantime, New York City obesity stats remain alarming:
Read More: NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg: Hero or Hypocrite?
Tags: diabetes, Health, New York City, obesity, Political Action, soda
Posted in Health, Political Action | Comments Off
October 11th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Americans consume 300 million sandwiches daily—roughly one per U.S. resident each day.
While we tend to think of the noble ’wich as lunch fare, Organic Sandwich Night is a great way for families to enjoy a nutritious dinner that requires minimal preparation.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend six 1-ounce servings of grain foods each day, half of which should come from whole grains—a goal many of us fail to meet. A dinnertime sandwich helps ensure you’re eating at least two of those servings.
Read More: Make Tonight an Organic Sandwich Night
Tags: Health, Organic Food, recipes, sandwich, sandwiches, whole grains
Posted in Organic Food, Organic Food Recipes | 1 Comment »
October 10th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
If you love the flavors of chai and chocolate, check out the new organic Chai Drinking Chocolate from Dagoba Organic Chocolate.
Made with organic cacao powder, unsweetened dark chocolate, cane sugar, crystallized ginger and chai spices, it’s 100% organic and Fair-Trade certified. Just add water, milk, cream or soymilk for a deliciously rich hot beverage.
The mix is now available at supermarkets and natural/organic food stores. It joins Dagoba’s existing line of organic drinking chocolates:
Read More: Dagoba Introduces Organic Chai Drinking Chocolate
Tags: chai, chocolate, cocoa, Health, Organic Food, shopping
Posted in Organic Food | 1 Comment »
October 8th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
 As the New York Times reported on Wednesday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to bar residents who receive food stamps from using them to purchase soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.
His goal: to help combat the obesity epidemic—a move supported by the state and city health commissioners.
Read More: NYC Mayor Seeks to Ban Use of Food Stamps for Soda Purchases
Tags: diabetes, Health, New York City, obesity, Political Action, soda
Posted in Health, Political Action | Comments Off
October 6th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Anyone wondering why more than 23 million U.S. children and adolescents are overweight or obese can find the answer in a study published this month in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Researchers from the National Cancer Institute can sum it up in two words: empty calories.
Here are the basic findings:
Read More: Kids Consume 40% of Calories from Solid Fat, Sugar
Tags: Health, Junk Food, obesity, Parenting, soda
Posted in Health, Parenting | Comments Off
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