Organic Food on the Rise

Organic Food On The Rise Around the World -

Did you know that the sale of organic food in Ireland has increased by 82 per cent in the last two years http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicveg/news/story.php?id=1591

Organic food could be cheaper than regular food in the next few years. Although this is a British article, it makes the point that with rising oil prices, the cost of producing food could be more expensive than organic. Organic growers require less energy. Even Prince Charles has an organic farm at one of his estates.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2668489/Organic-food-to-be-cheaper-than-other-produce.html

The number of organic producers in the country of Turkey have increased by nearly 500% in just 4 years. Turkey supplies many European countries with produce. http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicveg/news/story.php?id=1607

I wonder if this trend will move across the ocean?

Honey better than antibiotics?

Science Daily recently reported that there was a study done in Canada that "in eleven isolates of three separate biofilms honey was significantly more effective in killing both planktonic and biofilm-grown forms of the bacteria, compared with the rate of bactericide by antibiotics commonly used against the bacteria."

They were testing to help find relief for those suffering from chronic sinusitus. This disease plagues more than 31 million people each year.

Honey is used in other cultures to treat bad wound infections, so they were investigating the use of honey for this condition. Who knows. In the future we may be taking honey to treat infections instead of antibiotics....

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080923091335.htm

Accupuncture more helpful than drugs?

In a recent study, accupuncture treatment was actually found to be "just as effective as Effexor, also called venlafaxine, in managing symptoms including hot flashes and night sweats, according to researchers led by Dr. Eleanor Walker of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

After 12 weeks of treatment, symptoms were reduced for 15 additional weeks for women who had undergone acupuncture, compared with two weeks for those who had taken Effexor, Walker said."

While accupuncture causes no side effects, the drug Effexor has quite a list of side affects as with many drugs.You also would only have to have a treatment 3-4 times a year instead of taking a pill every day.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN2228263220080922?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

How much chocolate should you eat?

As much as possible, right? Well, not exactly. This article mentions that people that eat 6.7 grams of dark chocolate per week (about 1/2 a bar) have these results: "Our results have been absolutely encouraging: people having moderate amounts of dark chocolate regularly have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood. In other words, their inflammatory state is considerably reduced. The 17% average reduction observed may appear quite small, but it is enough to decrease the risk of cardio-vascular disease for one third in women and one fourth in men. It is undoubtedly a remarkable outcome".

They go on to say that milk chocolate and white chocolate do not qualify. They do not have any of the health benefits of dark chocolate.

You know it works....

Almost anyone who has done either a 9 or 30 day Isa cleanse knows that it works. There are SO many programs out there that people use to try to lose weight. Cleansing gets to the source of the weight issue and provides the health benefit as an added bonus. Many people have more of a desire to eat healthy foods after a cleanse time because their bodies received the nutrients they needed and got back on track.

Is it time to jump start your health and weight loss goals? You can still eat well and exercise like you planned to do in your New Year's resolutions, but cleansing will make those goals even easier to achieve.

Concerned about the economy and don't think you can afford cleansing? You can just cleanse for 2 days if you like which would require just a bottle of cleanse drink and a bottle of snack wafers.

Let me know if you want to get the wholesale cost through my account. Otherwise you can order retail at this website www.greatfit.isagenix.com

20 Diseases and Conditions Directly Attributed to Being Overweight

Unfortunately this list is pretty depressing. More motivation for Americans to take charge of their weight and, in turn, take charge of their health.


http://www.food-intolerance.ca/14/20-diseases-and-conditions-directly-attributed-to-being-overweight/en/

More local produce at your grocery store....

Supermarkets are selling more local produce - Here's an encouraging article that talks about how many grocery store chains are switching to purchasing more local produce. I don't know if they gas prices have caused this or not, but I think it's certainly a great idea.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/dining/06local.html?_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Where does your favorite restaurant get their food?

You would think that a hot dog from Yankee stadium and a meal at a 5 star restaurant would have nothing in common, but in this case they do. They both come from the same supplier. Sysco foods supplies more than 400,000 hospitals and restaurants including the fast food and 5-star ones!

There is nothing wrong with getting food from the same place. Let's hope they're not serving the same thing with the 5 star restaurants calling it "home made."

Here's my favorite quote from the article - "As the company notes on its Web site, our "unique 3-D technology gives you the look and texture of a solid muscle chicken breast, at a fraction of the cost. …""

It's pretty hard to stay away from MSG and partially hydrogenated oils when eating out, but my advice is to eat as much unprocessed foods as possible and you'll be much better off.

http://www.slate.com/id/2160284/

US Food Portions- Just About Right?

Not according to this article! "Portion sizes in the United States not only exceed those in less-developed countries, but also in the developed world. In fact, Americans have the highest per capita daily consumption in the world, eating 3,770 calories a day, more than a Canadian at 3,590 calories or an Indian at 2,440, according to data from the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization.

"We've looked at large portion sizes almost entirely in terms of whether it's healthy for us, and now we have to consider is that sort of a demand going to be sustainable," said Paul Roberts, author of "The End of Food."

They say that the typical American adult eats at a restaurant 6 times per week and more than ½ say it's an essential part of their lifestyle. Some of this portion problem comes from the sizes of processed food portions. We've gotten used to eating those sized portions. I'm sure that advertising also contributes to how much we think we need to eat.

Here's the whole article for you to read: http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN2639845320080729

Nano Foods?

I guess I hadn't really heard of nano foods before I read this article. It talks mostly about labeling food that contains this nano technology.

Here is what nano foods are: "Nanotechnology involves the design and manipulation of materials on molecular scales, smaller than the width of a human hair and invisible to the naked eye. Companies using nanotechnology say it can enhance the flavor or nutritional effectiveness of food.

U.S. health officials generally prefer not to place warning labels on products unless there are clear reasons for caution or concern. But consumer advocates say uncertainty over health consequences alone is sufficient cause to justify identifying nano-foods."

Read the whole article here - http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN3044875220080730?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=10003

Does Food Have an Effect on Us?

Here's a great article about a neurosurgeon's finding about the effect of foods on our moods and bodies. It's a lot of what I have mentioned before (sugar, alcohol, MSG). Here are 2 interesting quotes from the article "One study found an astonishing 97 percent of alcoholics to be hypoglycemic. Yet another study showed that when an alcoholic's hypoglycemia is treated with nutrition, 70 percent of them become sober. When other alcoholism treatment methods are used, only 25 percent or less find relief from their addiction."

"Glutamate is a messenger molecule in the body. Tiny releases of glutamate play an important role in the body, but any excess can be dangerous - especially to the brain and nervous system.

This glutamate is identical to the flavor-enhancing monosodium glutamate (MSG) and its chemical cousins found in thousands of food products."

This is interesting reading, so I encourage you to read the whole article (it's not long) http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/353246.aspx