Organic Food: As healthy as you can get
Barbara Camie

Healthy food grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, chemical preservatives or genetically engineered DNA is Organic. It is more labor intensive. Organic farming doesn’t use herbicides and other chemicals. So the yield is much smaller and to buy, more expensive. But organic foods are high in vitamins and minerals, tempting a good population to include these diets in their lifestyle.

Benefits of Organic food
No pesticide, fungicides residues on food
No synthetic residuals built into plants
No genetically engineered organisms
Realistic flavors
High in vitamin
High in minerals
Higher in anti oxidants

The ‘Organic-certified produce’ is grown, harvested, stored and transported without the use of any synthetic chemicals or fumigants. They are processed according to uniform standards and USDA accredited organizations verify it.

Organic farming vs. Conventional farming
Traditional farmers use chemical fertilizers in the soil to grow crops. Organic farmers build soil with natural fertilizer
In traditional farming, insecticides are used to kill the insects and diseases. Organic farmers use insect predators and barriers
Traditional farmers control weed growth by applying synthetic herbicides but crop rotation, tillage, hand weeding and mulches control weeds in Organic fields

Organic foods are not completely chemical free, but the pesticide residues will be much lower than those found in produce manufactured with synthetic chemicals.

About the Author

Barbara Camie
Agriculture Organic Food Specialist
Phentermine Weight Loss ManagmentGroup

Tags: Author, Barbara Camie, Camie, Chemical Fertilizers, Chemical Preservatives, chemicals;, Control Weeds, Crop Rotation, Fertilizers Pesticides, Food Specialist, food;, Healthy Food, Insect Predators, Lifestyle Benefits, Natural Fertilizer, Organic Farmers, Organic Farming, Organic Food Specialist Phentermine Weight Loss ManagmentGroup, Pesticide Residues, Synthetic Chemicals, Synthetic Fertilizers, Synthetic Herbicides, Traditional Farmers, Traditional Farming, USDA;, Vitamins And Minerals, Weed Growth —

NON-TOXIC AND HEALTHY CANDLES
Patty Avey

Upon retiring to bed each evening for weeks, Mark was repeatedly alarmed as he experienced shortness of breath, heart palpitations, extreme weakness, and pressure in his chest. One evening, he was so concerned that he went to the emergency room of the local hospital where he was diagnosed as having panic attacks. Mark could not understand the diagnosis because he did not sense any anxiety or concerns that would precipitate in panic attacks. He left the hospital continuing to question why he was experiencing these symptoms.

One evening as Mark retired to bed, he noticed the four wick scented candle burning on his night stand as it normally did, he wondered if there might be any connection between the scented candle and his symptoms. At that point, he put his head closer to the candle and inhaled the smoke to see if he would have a reaction and immediately the symptoms manifested very strongly. Mark and his wife immediately proceeded to rid their home of the candle in their bedroom and others around the house. Mark’s alarming physical symptoms disappeared.

As you festively decorate your home during any Season, bring ambiance, tradition and warmth to your family with the natural glow of candles. When choosing candles to burn in your home, carefully take into consideration that not all candles are made the same and some candles may be exposing your family to a toxic and unhealthy environment. According to the American EPA, certain candles when burned release carcinogens (cancer causing agents) such as benzene and toluene into the air and are toxic when inhaled. These toxins will also settle on surfaces in your home. Candles made from paraffin, which is a derivative of petroleum wastes, create both smoke and soot which carry toxic substances. One air quality researcher has stated that soot from paraffin candles contains many of the same toxins produced by burning diesel fuel. Some paraffin candles also have lead core wicks which upon burning emit small particles of lead into the atmosphere.

There is also concern that some scented candles when burned may cause health challenges. Toxic chemicals such as acetone, benzene, carbon disulfide, carbon monoxide and many others have been cited as toxins emitted as some fragrances mix with the burning wax. If you desire to burn scented candles, make sure the candles are authentic aromatherapy candles which are scented with real essential oils.

But be of good cheer, candles can still be enjoyed without concern for toxic elements. Candles made from beeswax or soy provide a healthy alternative to potentially harmful candles made from paraffin. Beeswax does not produce toxins or soot when burned. Soy is a new substance used in the manufacturing of candles with the benefits of clean burning with little soot, made from a renewable resource, and uses no petroleum products. Soy candles are also available in many wonderful scents. Also, look for aromatherapy candles that are scented with real essential oils. Read labels carefully on candles before purchasing or ask the sales clerk for information on the ingredients. Unfortunately, candle manufacturers are not required to list hazardous, toxic or carcinogenic compounds used in their ingredients but you can call the manufacturer with your questions if the label is unclear.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR FOR IN A NON-TOXIC CANDLE:

– candles made with beeswax or wax with vegetable derivatives, with no animal products

– candles that burn with zinc-core or cotton wicks – NOT LEAD

– check to see if candles are authentically aromatic

HELPFUL SAFETY REMINDERS:

– Always keep a burning candle within sight
– Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire.
– Keep candles out of reach of children and pets.
– Trim wicks to inch prior to each use
– Keep candles away from drafts and vents.
– Always use an appropriate candleholder placed on a stable, heat resistant surface
– Never touch or move a votive or container candle when the wax is liquid

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brought to you by http://www.smartlivingenws.com

About the Author

Chief Editor for www.smartlivingnews.com

Tags: Animal Products, aromatherapy, Author, Avey, Benzene, Breath Heart, Cancer Causing Agents, cancer;, chemicals;, Diesel Fuel, Environmental Protection Agency, Extreme Weakness, Heart Palpitations, Home Candles, Local Hospital, manufacturing, Mark, Natural Glow, Panic Attacks, Paraffin Candles, petroleum products, Petroleum Wastes, Precipitate, quality researcher, sales clerk for information on the ingredients, Scented Candle, Shortness Of Breath, Soot, Toluene, Unhealthy Environment, Wick —

Healthy Eating, the Natural Way!
Stephania Munson-Bishop

In the past few weeks, Gram has been weeding through, throwing out, organizing – probably the most hateful task of all, the
chore for which there never seemed to “be enough time.” Well,
the truth is, time is always of the essence. But limited energy
should probably have taken top billing. Admiring the neat
appearance of her closet, Gram wondered, “What gives with me?
Why the sea change?”

Then, with one glance at the gleaming new juicer sitting at the ready on the kitchen counter, it became Obvious. All the claims
about the benefits of juicing must be true!

You might have heard about Juicing, and the trendy juice bars in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other major cities.
But for some, juicing has become a way of life. And now Gram
understands why. Energy, weight control, restful sleep, no
indigestion (not even one bout of acid reflux) – the overt
bonanza of juicing, even in the early stages. And this, during a
stressful period on the Day Job! “My, my,” thought Gram;
“Like a natural tranquilizer in a glass.”

And is it tasty! Never mind all the health benefits – terms like
natural enzymes and phytochemicals purported to fight disease/
dis-ease in the human body. Well, those, too. Who among us wouldn’t like to be healthier and feel better, less lethargic
and out of sorts?

But having a background in human services, Gram has long known that a client’s mood swings and even a teen’s unruly behavior
can be improved with a sound, nutritious diet. More people have
various food allergies than one might suspect. So it stands to
reason that what we eat or don’t eat can affect the way we feel.
If we think of our bodies as efficient machines, then we are
more likely to think of food as fuel.

Since the juicer arrived, Gram has assembled a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables at least once a day. Scrubbing produce
with a stiff vegetable brush, lining up the items to go into the
juicer, we’ve aimed for a quart of juice at each session.
Some super vegetable combinations:
cucumber, celery, spinach, green pepper, a small apple (nothing peeled, mind you – just core the apple and seed the pepper);
carrots, apples, yellow squash, celery, lemon (again, nothing peeled except for removing the lemon rind);
tomato, carrot, celery, kale. Fruit juices that are very good:
cantaloupe, apple, carrot; watermelon, lemon, celery;
blueberry, honeydew; pineapple, orange, lemon. Each juicing
experiment has resulted in another “favorite.” In the vegetable
combinations, we’ve added a tablespoon or two of wheat germ or brewer’s yeast, to add protein. Also, an assortment of sprouts – but keep reading for more about sprouting.

In the meantime, we’ll be juicing. Is there really a Fountain of
Youth? Our juicer just may be the closest thing.

All you need for a kitchen powerhouse of fresh foods and unparalleled nutrition during the winter months: a few Mason or mayonnaise jars, several 4″ x 4″ squares from old pantyhose (the top part is best), and some rubber bands. You also need a safe source of seeds and dried beans, most likely your local health or natural foods store — because whatever you use must be organic, e.g., not treated with chemicals.

It’s all about enzymes — and how freshly sprouted foods are loaded with them. It’s about vitamins and fiber, too. Here are some choices: adzuki beans, alfalfa, barley, beans of almost any kind, buckwheat, broccoli, clover, kale, chive, chickpeas (or garbanzos), chia, cress, mung beans, fenugreek, lentil (must be whole to sprout, not halves), radish, soybean, triticale, wheat.

Then you place a 1 to 2″ layer of seed or bean in a Mason jar, cover the jar with the nylon square, and secure the square over the mouth of the jar with a rubber band. Fill with water a few inches above your layer, and let soak for 2 to 8 hours or overnight (the larger beans need a lot longer than small seed such as alfalfa or clover). Drain the jar and invert at a 45 degree angle in your dish drainer (or in a large plastic margarine tub in your kitchen sink). Rinse with water and drain several times a day. When sprouted in the next few days (again, depending on the size of the bean or seed), rinse and drain, put a lid on the jar, and refrigerate. Use within 3 to 5 days.

What can you do with these dietary nuggets? Use mung beans in eggs foo yung, and certainly in stir-fries. You can toss into soup during the last few minutes, put alfalfa sprouts into an omlet, even make bread. Incorporate in meatloaf or burgers. Throw the sprouts into your juicer with either fruit or veggie blends, for a beverage so loaded with nutrients it might even add spring to your step! But the quickest, easiest way is to include them in a big green salad.

With fast food and packaged frozen dinners which comprise so much of the American diet, people simply aren’t getting enough fiber. Our foods are mostly processed. When was the last time, other than salad or an apple, you enjoyed anything raw?

There are many websites on raw food diets. Researchers say that the best course is a combination of foods, both raw and cooked. There are even some who advocate a completely raw diet, including raw fish and meat. http://www.rawpaleodiet.org/
“Say It with Sprouts” is an article devoted to mung bean sprouts:
http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa092101a.htm
“Types of Raw Food Diets” discusses the variety of diets, at
http://www.living-foods.com/articles ypesofraw.html
The Raw Food Directory has a wealth of resources to guide you:
http://www.buildfreedom.com/rawmain.htm And don’t miss a colorful, whimsical site with over 400 pages of sprout information: http://www.sproutpeople.com

The other detail we’d like to include: sprouts are probably the all-time best nutritional value you can obtain for the negligible price. True, you can forage for wild foods, but you have to be able to identify what you’re bringing home to eat. I priced alfalfa sprouts at my local grocery: $1.99 for 4 ounces. You can sprout your own at home for a few cents, and know they are fresh and wholesome.

Dr. Ann Wigmore was one of the first raw foods proponents. She recommended Energy Soup, the base of which is sprouts. Even your children can develop a taste for sprouts. Mix a half cup of alfalfa sprouts with peanut butter for sandwiches. “Mmm! What’s this crunchy stuff?” they’ll say, as the natural vitamins are helping their bodies to grow strong. Toss sprouted garbanzo beans (chickpeas) into your next taco filling. Sprinkle clover sprouts into breakfast cereal, omlet, or pancake batter.

Up for a new/nutritious eating adventure? Try sprouts!

About the Author

Stephania is a human services professional with nearly 40 years in the field. She publishes a monthly, content-rich ezine, “Tidbits from the Pantry,” to over 10,000 subscribers.

Tags: Ann Wigmore, Author, beverage, chemicals;, Chicago, Day Job, energy;, food allergies;, food;, Fresh Fruits And Vegetables, Fruits And Vegetables, human services, Juice Bars, Juicer, Kitchen Counter, Los Angeles, Mood Swings, Natural Enzymes, Natural Tranquilizer, Neat Appearance, New York, Nutritious Diet, Phytochemicals, Raw Food Diets, Restful Sleep, rubber band, rubber bands, Sea Change, Stressful Period, Top Billing, Unruly Behavior, USD;, Vegetable Brush, whimsical site, York Chicago —

Childhood Obesity & Parents’ Healthy Food Confusion
Cheryl Haining

Many parents struggle to know which foods are healthy for their children. When they are able to opt for healthy choices, about two-thirds struggle to get their children to eat healthily, a poll of nearly 800 parents found. Developing Patient Partnerships (DPP), which commissioned the survey, said that parents need more support to tackle the growing problem of childhood obesity. Childhood obesity has tripled in the past 20 years, official figures show.
Recent studies suggest that parents do not know what good nutrition is. Perhaps advertising of fast foods, and busy life styles has contributed to this. Nutritional meals can be prepared quickly and simply at home.

Of the parents of children aged 15 years and younger questioned by the DPP, 45% said they found it difficult to work out which foods were healthy for their children. When parents did select healthy foods, 65% said they struggled to motivate their children to eat it. Three-quarters of parents blamed advertising and marketing of unhealthy snacks and drinks for making this job so difficult. Another 87% believed that schools should play a big role in teaching children how to be healthy.

When more than a thousand children aged seven to 16 were questioned about their lifestyles, 70% said they would be more likely to eat healthily and get active if their parents were doing it. Only 16% said they ate the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. This suggests that parents are not making healthy food choices themselves. There are strong links between obesity and ill health. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare lists the following increased risks of cancers in obese people:-
MenWomen
Cancer% Increase RiskCancer%increase Risk
Prostate23Uterus178
Leukaemia43Kidney110
Bowel53Bowel35
Liver128Liver48
Gallbladder76Breast71

Statistics such as these are a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining a healthy weight level. Children must be given every opportunity to have a healthy body. In order to get their family on track to a healthy lifestyle parents need to learn how to feed themselves and their family good nutrition.
A simple way to improve nutrition is to add raw fruit and vegetables to family diets. These are foods that have no preservatives or added color. They provide plenty of vitamins, mineral, antioxidants, fiber, water and trace elements. (All necessary for good nutrition.) They look appetizing and have high water content. They have a firm texture which means we need to chew them well. This aids the digestive system. The body quickly and easily processes them. This means less work for the digestive system.
They are natural, that is, not processed and pre-packaged with extra chemicals. They are pure energy – living foods. Look for different colored vegetables and fruits when you shop. Experiment with ones you have never tasted. Visit a market for more variety and fresher foods. Eat at least one from each group every day.

Red/Purple Group includes tomatoes, watermelon, berries, cherries, and grapes
Orange/Yellow includes carrots, sweet potato, squash, mangoes, cantaloupe, apricots, oranges, mandarins pineapples and many stone fruits
Yellow/green among this group are avocado, spinach, beans, peppers, corn, beans, broccoli, green leafy vegetables,
White/green some in this group asparagus, celery, garlic, leeks, mushrooms, pears
For more information read, “What Color is Your Food” by Dr D Heber.

Experiment with adding these to your daily diet. Of course a balanced diet must also include daily servings of dairy, whole grains and protein. Start with the simple idea of adding more fresh fruit and vegetables to the family’s daily food intake. This simple step will have fantastic and long lasting impact on your health.

About the Author

Cheryl Haining is a skin care, body shape and nutrition coach. She has her own successful business. Her mission statement is to ensure everyone reaches his or her optimum body shape, size and condition. Contact Cheryl at www.uloseweight.net To learn how to create an income stream from home visit
www.keybusinesstips.info

Tags: Australian Institute Of Health, Australian Institute Of Health And Welfare, Author, Cancer Increase, cancers;, chemicals;, Cheryl Haining, Childhood Obesity, Daily Food Intake, Developing Patient Partnerships, Dpp, Fruit And Vegetables, Good Nutrition, Haining, Healthy Choices, Healthy Food Choices, Healthy Foods, Ill Health, Institute Of Health, Making Healthy Food Choices, MenWomen Cancer, Nutritional Meals, obesity;, pure energy, Red/Purple Group, shape and nutrition coach, Stark Reminder, Teaching Children, Three Quarters, Unhealthy Snacks, www.keybusinesstips.info, www.uloseweight.net, Yellow —