Where do you stand on the debate over organic foods? Many people believe that organic foods are healthier and therefore worth the higher prices, while others feel that this is simply another marketing game designed to convince consumers to spend more money.

While the debate over organic versus conventional foods rages on and on, there is some concrete evidence, as well as a bit of common sense, that organic foods do offer many health benefits.

Wherever you stand on the health debate, don’t forget the advantage to our environment that is offered by organic alternatives. Farmers that grow organic produce and raise organic livestock must use sustainable practices, which are always better for the environment then the conventional methods.

Even organic enthusiasts cannot deny that the actual shelf price of organic foods is almost always higher than the shelf price of conventional foods. However, what is the real cost? Organic foods have a much lower cost to the environment, and for many people who stick with the organic diet, these foods lead to much lower health care costs as well.

The FDA has banned many pesticides, yet other known carcinogens remain common ways to treat conventional fruits and vegetables. Not only are carcinogens used to treat the conventional produce you eat, but many conventional crops have been genetically engineered, and we may not yet know the true health impacts of genetically engineered food.

These contaminants can’t be good for the human body.

If you can’t buy all organic food, at least make organic selections when purchasing produce that is known to get sprayed with lots of pesticides, like strawberries.

It becomes easy to see why organic foods are said to be better for you when you understand what is involved in producing conventional foods.

Aside from health, this writer also frequently contributes articles on gift boxes and tissue paper.

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Gaia Herbs is a large producer of organic herbal products. They Have a strong commitment to product quality and natural organics. They grow their own herbs on a two hundred and fifty acre farm. On this farm they grow all of their herbs. The quality of the land and the way that the herbs are grown are essential to growing the best quality herbs. The farm is in North Carolina and they do not use anything that is not grown on their own land.

Their farm is located in the south west Blue Ridge region of North Carolina in a fertile valley. Although this is their main farm they do plan on setting up a farm in Costa Rica for the tropical and subtropical herbs. Every part of their growing process is certified organic. Their facility houses every aspect of the growth process from seeds to final finished product. Even the capsules and bottles are organic.

Their extracts are made in the exact same place as they are grown so you know that only the freshest herbs are used. They are kept at their peak throughout the extraction and refining process. Also there are quality controls in place that insure that their product stays pure. All of their facilities meet or exceed FDA guidelines so although their products are not FDA approved they do still meet their standards.

Their research facility is on the same property as the production facility and the farm. The dosages, alcohol content, and ingredients are all researched and thoroughly investigated. The liquid extracts come with alcohol, without alcohol, and all of their herbs come in capsule form as well.

Individual herb extracts and healthy combinations are also produced at this facility. In single herbs they have about sixty four extracts. Their combinations are formulated to treat specific illnesses or conditions. The bronchial wellness extract is produced from herbs that are traditionally known to promote lung and respiratory health. They have combinations for just about every ailment. They have everything from stimulants to respiratory health treatments including mood stabilizers and antistress herbal formulas.

The products also come in different kits. They are specific combinations for specific purposes. They have kits for things like weight loss, cleansing, and anti fungal. The kits are designed for those who want full body health. They have an entire research section on their website for those who want to know more about herbal medicine. They are also connected to the herb med pro database.

You can purchase Gaia Herb products in health food retailers across the country. If you cannot find a retailer in your area there are several online stores that carry their products. These stores are nationally known places such as iherb and the center for natural healing.

The people at Gaia herbs develop new products for the public all of the time. Their research facility is constantly developing new formulas. Their research facilities are at the same standards as all their others and they believe in a pure carefully produced product.

gaia milk thistle However, do keep in mind that it is not a quick fix, and can only alleviate the symptoms of anxiety attacks. Generally, these herbs are an alternative to disorders relating to low hormonal/estrogen levels. Witch hazel applied with a cotton ball a few times a day acts as astringent.

Sustainability in agriculture is defined as a way to raise food that’s healthy by using methods that aren’t harmful to the environment and are humane for workers, that show respect for the animals and support and enhance rural communities and provide a decent living for the farmers. That sounds like quite a mouth full but it primarily boils down to three words – conservation, preservation and respect.

We must meet the requirements of the present while finding ways to replenish supplies without compromising the needs of future generations. What we take from the environment we have to put back in. Sustainable agriculture looks at ways of minimizing transportation costs and fuel usage by keeping processing at local levels where possible and looks for ways in which to make certain that waste from farming stays inside the farm’s own ecosystem so it won’t cause build up or pollution.

Every farm also raises different crops and animals that they rotate around the fields to enrich the soil and reduce the necessity for chemical fertilizers and herbicides. This also help prevent disease and pest problems keeping the need for chemical pesticides at a minimum. In fact, many organic farms do not use any sort of chemicals at all.

Natural agriculture also means treating animals and livestock with respect and permitting them to follow their natural behaviors like grazing or pecking rather than keeping them caged up and feeding them chemical and hormone laden feed. Animals are well cared for and allowed to mature at their natural rate rather than being fed growth inducing chemicals. Not only does this provide a better life for the animals but it produces a better product for the consumer because the meats aren’t loaded with toxins.

Consumers, too, see the benefits in sustainability agriculture because it provides tastier, safer, more nutritious foods that don’t have all those toxic chemicals and they also see the effects on the environment. And because this sort of farming involves minimizing transportation costs, farmers are finding ways to market their products locally which also helps bring the community closer together. So organic agriculture has the support of the entire community.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of organic farming is how it affects the farmers and their workers. Farmers are paid a fair wage for their produce and don’t have to rely on government subsidies while their workers are treated fairly, provided with a safe work environment and also receive a fair wage and benefits.

Sustainability agriculture is more a way of life than an actual rule or regulation and there is no legal obligation for a farmer to follow any of these guidelines. But the benefits to the community and also the environment, not to mention the farmer himself, are so tremendous that more and more farmers are turning their backs on the old ways and returning back to what farming is all about – the land and the environment and respect.

Want to find out more about Sustainability, then visit Dan Locavore’s site on how to choose the best Farmers close to you for your needs.

The term “detox” has become quite the buzz word these days. You can hardly open the paper or turn on the TV without learning about some new potion or pill that claims to detoxify your system. Well, you might be wondering if you need to worry about detoxifying as well. The answer is yes! No matter what method you choose, these days detoxification is an important component to include in any health, weight loss or prevention regimen. Here’s why..

We live in incredibly advanced and complicated times where much of what we take into our bodies on a daily basis was never meant to be there. For example, there are over 70,000 chemicals used commercially today which lead to more than 4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals being released into the environment each year– bi-products of processes such as manufacturing, production and transportation. 4 Billion Pounds! Not to mention the fact that 72 Million Of Those Are Known Carcinogens, or Cancer Causing Agents.

Even our water is under assault. It was recently discovered that the water supplies of most major US cities contain traces of a wide variety ofpharmaceuticaldrugs, ranging from sleeping aids to baldness cures, medicines for depression and other psychological disorders– things you don’t want hanging around in your drinking water! Even traces of rocket fuel (yes you read that correctly!) are being found in the water we drink and the food we eat. With all of this evidence, is there any wonder why disease and obesity are at an all time high?

You don’t need me to point out that these manmade substances were never meant to enter your body. But your body takes in everything you are exposed to in some fashion or another. Therefore, no matter how hard you try to live a healthy lifestyle, toxins are entering your system faster than ever before. In fact, some studies show that on any given day you can count on 30,000 foreign substance entering your body. Now that’s a lot to process even for our exquisitely designed bodies!

But there is hope! Juice Fasting Detoxification can maintain and even restore optimal health despite the bombardment of toxins we face today. It’s the the smartest, easiest and quickest solution to remaining clean from the inside out. Obviously, with this such contamination in the world, even a health-obsessed person should consider a juice fasting detoxification plan.

Juice fasting detoxification is done by ingesting large quantities of highly nutritious, enzyme rich fruits and vegetables in order to make sure that your body gets an abundance of the the vitamins and minerals it needs to rebuild. This boosts your immune system, the very thing under attack, and also gives your body much needed rest. Because you are juicing the vegetable, you are taking care of the ‘breaking down’ process and thus temporarily eliminating the need for digestion. This very fact alone frees up a whopping 75% or more your energy! And considering that the body has a built in house keeping mechanism that goes to work scrubbing your cells clean any chance it get, this energy does not go to waste! Instead, it goes toward cleansing and purifying you from the inside out and eliminating these harmful substances from your body and your life! (Imagine tiny scrub brushes polishing your cells clean!)

Considering the stress our bodies are put under by constantly being bombarded with harmful substances, juice fasting detoxification should be included as an important tool in the survival kit of every person living in the 21st century. Considering that it’s a simple and natural method for detoxifying, increasing energy, facilitating the loss of unwanted pounds and even eliminating a whole host of medical conditions, it’s easy to see why juice fasting detoxification is one of the very best things you can do to reclaim or maintain vitality and vibrant health!

Is there a certain line of defense to engage when you are not well? Is it true that once you hit a certain age things begin to fall apart and youre at the mercy of a life of medication to keep organ systems going? Well, it will be true for you if you believe that. My job here though is to remind you that your body has the greatest potential for healing, and once you taste the triumph when Infinite Intelligence reverses an illness or condition, youll be empowered for life. Youll be invincible.

Everyone needs reminders. They come in the form of a good friend, a spouse, a mentor, a movie like the Secret or What the Bleep, a class or a book. The reminder is simple yet profound and that is that YOU ARE IN CHARGE. You can turn poor health around by going to the root cause of all disease: bad digestion. Bad digestion simply means youve run out of or are very low in digestive enzymes and minerals. Your job now is to eat whole, organic, take digestive enzymes every time you eat and combine your foods properly.

The Infinite Intelligence in the body considers assimilating food a high priority; in fact, all else takes second place to digestion. As a persons digestion becomes increasingly worse, the body must expend more time and energy grasping for nourishment. As the body becomes more starved and depleted it only makes sense that organs and systems breakdown, usually those that are genetically predisposed. If poor eating habits persist, the body spends more energy trying to work food through the system, organ systems break down, and the Infinite Intelligence programmed for homeostasis doesnt have a spare moment for healing. This is when people are in a real crisis.

Illness used as an opportunity to heal the entire Being, spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically is the life altering miracle that some people write about. The idea is to eat as much organic raw as possible. Not only is juicing the most effective way to put minerals in and replenish, a juicer is the best pharmacy you can go to. And you dont have to be sick to juice.

There are some really tasty juice combinations. In our home we love carrots, a cucumber, a green apple, celery, spinach, fennel and watercress. The cucumber and green apple lend a lot of juice and cut any heaviness in the carrots and spinach. Carrots are rich in beta carotene, great for the immune system, spinach is rich in folic acid, vitamin E and a great blood builder, celery is rich in potassium, fennel great for the digestive system and cucumber promotes beautiful skin.

There are many great books on health food store and the Amazon shelves about juicing. Grab a few and use them until the pages look like the juices you’re making. Here are a few simple mixes I love: 1. Arthritis: handful of cherries, a handful of blueberries, and pineapple. Also try: pineapple, 6 carrots, and a handful of spinach. 2. Beautiful Skin: 2 Cucumbers, handful of parsley, 7 carrots, a green apple and kale, 3. Blood Building: 7 carrots, 1 beet with the greens and a handful of parsley. Add a green apple if you like. These three are only a taste of the many juice recipes you can play with. You will create many of your own favorites

Juicing cuts down on the energy the body expends in the digestive process. Always use organic. To do otherwise will make you ill as your body tries to push through the toxic chemicals that are used to spray conventionally grown foods.

As Earth Day is on our minds, take a stand for organic, both for fabrics and foods. Ask store owners to make sure that they do not stock genetically engineered, seedless varieties. The middles of all stores contain that which is lifeless. In all times and especially in times of illness, eat from the outside live isles of your organic food store. Create an extra ten years of quality life by making a commitment to eat 75% whole live and organic foods.

If you are healing, there are certain rules of thumb: it is better to not eat than to eat something that will throw the healing process back, drink lots of pure water every day, use only the freshest of everything you put in or on your body, make sure you eliminate several times a day, get lots of rest or meditation time, or both, have people you can trust to talk to, change the way you do things, eat every bite of food with gratitude and consciousness, help a friend, and love yourself above all else so you have more to give to others.

You Are Healthy, Ellen Valentine

Ellen Valentine is a Nutritionist and Life Coach in Sacramento, CA.Organic Choices create health for Your Precious Child. She is passionate in her belief that change is not only constant – it is good.Coaching Successful Life Transitions.

YOUR DAY
Eat an energy-sustaining bowl of Nature’s Path cereal and you’ll bounce your way through the day
Are you forever deciding between five more minutes under the duvet and eating a nutritious breakfast? Well, step away from the snooze button! Skipping breakfast, or consuming something unhealthy, such as refined cereals, sugary pastries and white bread, can only lead to one thing – a mid-morning energy slump, which may well tempt you to reach for a caffeine-crammed coffee or sweet treat. Eating a whole grain breakfast, however, such as a bowl of Nature’s Path organic cereal, is an essential part of a healthy diet, will fire up your metabolism and will also give you more sustained energy, setting you up for the day. No wonder experts say it’s our most important meal.
95%
DID YOU * KNOW?
Research shows that heart disease and type 2 diabetes may be up to 30% lower in people who regularly eat wholegrains as part of a low-fat diet and healthy lifestyle.
of UK adults don’t eat enough whole grains, and J
nearly one in three of us get none at all*.

With loads of healthy benefits, getting your fill of nuts is a tasty way to good health
The spolight was cast on nuts when walnuts hit the health headlines back in 1993. It was found by New Englanf of Medicine that eating 84g(3oz) a day reduced bad (LDL) cholesterol and improved the ratio of good (HDL) to bad cholesterol. Nowadays, nuts and seeds are well known for their super healthy benefits. Full of omega 3 fats, they are also rich in protein and contain lots of fibrre, which is missing from oter protein rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Theu have a low-Gi(glycaemic index) ranking meaning
they slow carbohydrate digestion and prevent blood suger highs and lows, leaving you energised for longer. They are also a brilliant source of minerals, vitamins and phytoestrogens. And they taste nice. Not bad for such little fellas, we reckon.

Brasil nuts
These big fellas are especially high in selenium, an important mineral that is not always easy to find in the EU diet. Selenium works as an antioxidant with vitamin E, and it has long been used by athletes at the Colgan Institute in California, mopping up free redicals produced after intensive exercise.
IN fact, a recent study from New Zealand revealed that brazil nuts are nearly as effective as selenium supplements in rising selenium levels. And a handful will help you more than reach your quota (the recommended daily intake of selenium is 75 mcg). A recent study found just 2 brazils a day provide 53 mcg of selenium, and raise blood selenium levels by about 60 per cent.
Brazils are also the nut richest in phytoestrohens, which can help protect against osteoporosis. What is not to like ?

Almonds
These contain more fibre and more vitamin E, a potent antioxidant, than any other nut. They are also rich in magnesium, essential for the smooth functioning of the nervous system (magnesium protects the sheath which encloses many nerves in the brain and spinal cord). Plus, around 20 almonds contain as much fibre as an apple or orange, so they are great for digestion.

Walnuts
The king of all nuts when it comes to omega-3 content, walnuts also have one of the highest ratios of polyunsaturated(good) to saturated (bad) fats (7:1) of any natural food. Plus they have a high content of alpha-linolenic acid(ALA), a type of omega-3

Let’s face it. Diets don’t work! If you don’t have first hand experience with that notion, ask anyone who has tried and failed to lose weight a dozen times or more. The dieting merry-go-round, as I like to call it, can be brutally discouraging and frustrating, not to mention that it plummets your self esteem to an all time low! “What’s wrong with me?!” you think. “Why can’t I find the right diet, program or pill?!” And once you think have, you wonder why you can’t stick to it. Juice fasting to the resue!

There is one fundamental reason as to why you haven’t been able to loose the pounds despite your most dogged and sincere efforts. And that reason boils down to one word– TOXICITY! All disease– including excess weight– stems from the same problem. It’s the result of a build up of waste materials in the body. In fact, I often tell my clients that fat is their friend. And after the look of bewilderment dissolves from their faces, I proceed to tell them that it’s fat that’s keeping their bodies safe from the harm of toxins. Let me explain…

You see fat has one purpose– to buffer toxins. Just like an oyster will wrap a single grain of sand in an alkaline substance (the pearl) to prevent aggravation, so do our bodies wrap foreign contaminants. Only our bodies wrap them in fat! So, the more toxic you are, the more fat cells you will have and the more frustrated you will be. And that’s why diets don’t work! They don’t address the underlying CAUSE of your weight problem in the first place. But the solution is simple… DETOXIFY.

Arguably the best way to help your body detoxify from the onslaught of environmental and food related toxicity that we are faced with today AND eliminate the source of your weight problem at once, is to use the age old, time tested technique of Juice Fasting. Juice fasting for weight loss has helped countless people eliminate their weight problems permanently because rather than being a ‘diet’, it is designed to simultaneously flush your body free of toxins AND saturate it with enzyme rich fruit and vegetable juices. This in turn sets up optimum conditions for your body to release the excess weight for good. (And to thrive!)

There are two main reasons why people are finding it so difficult to lose weight and keep it off these days. First is the fact that toxic substances are bombarding our bodies on a constant basis. The list of foreign agents in our food, air and water that have a negative cumulative impact on our health goes on and on. Second is that people are consuming far more calories than ever before. This is due to the fact the the majority of our food supply has become watered down and denatured due to processing and unsound farming practices, causing us to require twice as many calories to get the same amount of nutrition we would have had to have consumed only decades ago. Therefore people keep eating in order to satisfy their cravings which are simply signals from the body calling out to satisfy it’s nutritional needs!

Juice fasting for weight loss takes both these of issue and swiftly nips them in the bud. Built around the simple idea that by flooding your body with abundant quantities of high quality bioavailable nutrition in the form of enzyme rich fruit and vegetable juices, the body’s nutritional needs are satisfied and cravings disappear. Then, once the the body gets its nutritional requirements satisfied and fulfilled, it goes to work detoxifying your entire system and scrubbing clean each of your 80 trillion cells. Because all nutrition is ”juiced”, the need for digestion (which can take up to a whopping 70% of your energy!) is eliminated and the body can spend that energy cleaning up the mess that is causing you to remain overweight despite any and all dieting efforts.

So as you can see, juice fasting for weight loss is by far the most efficient and health affirming way to jump-start your body and get you looking and feeling fabulous fast! And since there are no side effects, besides radiantly glowing skin, sparkling eyes and the energy of a ten year old, can you think of any reason not to give it a try?!