Sugar for your health? Sure! December 1, 2008

Sugar for your heath? Sure!

Monday, Dec 1, 2008

 

 

Sugar may not be the best cure for a sweet tooth; however it has wonderful health benefits for your skin.

 

Sugar can be very healing for people with skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema.

Sugar exfoliates the skin and cleans deep into the pores. Sugar is great for an all-over body scrub and polisher yet gentle enough for sensitive facial skin even as a daily cleanser.

 

You don’t need expensive lotions as sugar is rich in natural alpha-hydroxy which gives you glowing skin by promoting the growth of a healthier; more uniformly colored and textured skin. It moisturizes and restores.

 

Many high-end spas use sugar scrubs as an expensive beauty treatment, now you can do it at home for a fraction of the cost. Sugar spreads easily over damp skin and rinses cleanly away.

 

Sugar scrubs are great for all skin types, especially dry to very dry skin and even benefit acne-prone skin will benefit.  Sugar scrubs can be used after shaving to sooth irritation.  

 

Sugar scrubs are very safe with no side effects and are even safe to use on children. They can quickly help heal blemishes, absorb the dirt and oil from pores, and balance the natural oils in the skin and are even a great exfoliant for the lips.

 

Sugar hydrates skin without clogging pores and is absorbed in about one minute, because sugar is also a humectant, it helps draw moisture to the skin throughout the day. With Sugar cleansing there is no need for a separate cleanser and a separate moisturizing product.

 

Not sure what to get that special someone for the holidays?  Find some cute jars, ribbons and print a few tags and in minutes you can give a friend a beautiful hand-made home spa treatment.

 

Here is a sweet recipe that can be modified to suit just about anyone, and has healing benefits for all skin types.

 

A little goes a long way so be sure to purchase only the highest quality organic ingredients for a true pollution-free present. 

 

Give someone you love some sugar with this homemade sugar scrub:

 

Basic mild:

 

2 parts organic cane sugar

1 part virgin organic olive oil or coconut oil

Stir and put into sealed jars (simple as that)

 

Contrary to popular belief, all oils do not aggravate acne.  Organic pure olive oil and coconut oil contain fatty acids that have extraordinary antimicrobial properties known to protect against infection from bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi, and parasites.

 

For a “fluffier” whipped version:

 

1/2 cup organic oil

1 cup organic cane sugar

1 tbsp water

Whip your oil with a hand-head stick blender until it’s creamy.  Add in the water slowly while it’s being whipped. Pour in sugar slowly as you continue to whip, until you have the desired consistency. (makes several jars)

 

 

To customize your scrubs you can add any of the following:

 

• Mix 2 parts organic coco powder to 1 part organic oil for a rich chocolaty antioxidant rich scrub… how sweet is that!
• Even a little organic coffee will make a lively body scrub.  Applied topically coffee is said to help redistribute fat cells and decrease the formation of cellulite.
• Add some organic (food grade) aloe vera juice in place of some of the oil for its soothing properties.
• A tiny pinch of cinnamon and cloves will make for a nice spicy holiday scent that even men would love and helps improve circulation.
• Everyone loves vanilla, regular organic baking vanilla or a scraped out vanilla bean can be added to the coffee scrub or added alone for the delightful scent.
• Try adding a few drops of your favorite pure organic essential oil for healing benefits and a soft scent.
• Organic brown sugar works just as well as the cane sugar for a warmer look to your scrub.
• For a summer scrub, replace some of the olive/coconut oil with organic sesame seed oil for its sun protecting properties.
• For extremely dry skin add a little sweet almond oil or avocado oil.
• Bentonite or kaolin (Cosmetic-grade) clay will help detoxify and purify the skin as will seaweed.
• Add a little liquid or shredded pure soap such as Dr. Bronners Baby mild for a little bubbly effect.
• Grind some fresh seeds in your coffee grinder such as flax seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds or oats and add some of this powder to the scrub for extra exfoliating and nutrient benefits.

 

Be creative and any of the above combinations will make for a fantastic skin treatment and wonderful gift.

 

XO

Beautiful Nails: Naturally November 18, 2008

 

For years I had awful nails, they were yellow and thin, would peel, bend, split not to mention hangnails and ragged cuticles.  I cut them, soaked them, and polished them and still…Ugly nails.

Nail polish is really not attractive, for some reason, it seems when I see someone with polish, I think of how horrible their nails must be to have to cover them with unnatural colors..Eww.

 

Not to mention all of the toxins in nail polish and removers.  Many of which actually destroy the nails, yellow them and harm the delicate cuticle skin. Ick.

 

Eating a healthy diet of organic foods and getting sufficient vitamins and minerals will help you have healthy nails.  There are also some great natural treatments to help you have beautiful, clean and shiny nails without all the gunky polish.

 

Wash your hands with a good moisturizing facial soap.

 

 

• 
• Exfoliate your hands and clean nails with a natural nail brush. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nightly, after washing your hands, rub a liberal amount of organic olive oil into your hands and nails.

 

 

• 
• Use a nail buffer to shape and polish nails,  These are amazing, after using the polishing buffer your nails will look like they have a fresh coat of clear polish without any chemicals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 
• For extreme cuticle care, massage some Dr. Bronner’s body balm into each nail bed.  This softens the hands and cuticles and reduces hang-nails.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are my natural nails now after the above treatment.  I am an advid gardener and have several pets, so these hands go through a lot of tourture every day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s that simple, take care of your health and your hands with organic products and you will have beautiful fresh clean healthy nails.

 

XO

Are Energy-efficient Bulbs all they are Lit-up to be? November 16, 2008

I normally blog about organics, but from time to time I can’t help but add in an opinion on other “green” consumer products.

 

Being green and earth-friendly, I am always interested in ways to save energy and the safety of consumer products.  Recently it has come to light that energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs (those twisted bulbs) could be harmful not to mention the overall global cost of manufacturing and disposing of them.

 

Are CFLs toxic?

 

According to Leonard Robinson, Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of toxic Substances Control, once they are used up they become ticking time bombs.  “They need to be captured and recycled” he said.

 

Their toxic ingredients end up in landfills and the chemicals that leach from them build up in the environment and can pollute water and soil ultimately poisoning fish and other wildlife.

 

These toxins can enter the food chain and accumulate, for example, when larger fish eat smaller ones the larger fish become contaminated and in turn, we eat the large fish, as is already the case with mercury in  tuna.

 

So what could be so toxic about a light bulb?  Mercury among other things.

 

Mercury can be dangerous even in small quantities, it can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin, and it damages the central nervous system, kidneys and brain.

 

Small amounts can also build up in the environment if the bulbs are thrown in the garbage and break or are incinerated.

 

Each bulb only contains a small amount of mercury, about 5 milligrams, however, according to mercury research from Stanford University, 5 milligrams is enough to contaminate approximately 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels.

 

Aside from Mercury, there are many electronics inside a CFL that burn when the light blows and release toxic voc’s.  I literally had to leave my home for hours after one of these bulbs blew leaving a toxic stench of burning electronics throughout the entire house.

 

CFL’s produce a more intense light and can aggravate a range of existing problems, especially in those with light-sensitive conditions such as migranes and skin conditions. These bulbs can trigger migraines, as well as dizziness, loss of focus and are said to cause discomfort among those with epilepsy.

 

Dr Colin Holden, president of the British Association of Dermatologists, said: “It is important that patients with photosensitive skin eruptions are allowed to use lights that don’t exacerbate their condition. Photosensitive eruptions range from disabling eczema-like reactions, to light sensitivities that can lead to skin cancer.  It is essential that such patients are able to protect themselves from specific wavelengths of light emitted by fluorescent bulbs, especially as they are often trapped indoors because they can’t venture out in natural sunlight.”

 

The following is a list of symptoms and diseases known to be linked to exposure to fluorescent lighting: http://www.daylighting.com/hazards.asp

 

I have written them to ask for their sources and will update this article as soon as I get a response.

 

Be careful not to break a CFL. 

If you do, don’t simply treat them like a standard light bulb.

 

Manufacturers and the EPA say broken CFLs should be handled carefully and recycled to limit dangerous vapors and the spread of mercury dust.

 

The EPA offers a detailed procedure you should follow: Leave your home. Air out the room for a quarter of an hour. Wear gloves. Double-bag the refuse. Use duct tape to lift the residue from a carpet. Don’t use a vacuum cleaner, as that will only spread the problem. The next time you vacuum the area, immediately dispose of the vacuum bag.

 

Visit the EPA site for the complete clean-up instructions: http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm

 

 

CFL’s; what’s the cost?

 

CFLs need to be taken to a recycler, where the mercury is recovered, processed and sent out to be re-used. There are very few curbside recycling programs for these bulbs therefore it is estimated that only five to 10 percent are actually being properly recycled.  Most consumers throw them out in the trash. Ellen Silbergeld, a professor of environmental health sciences at Johns Hopkins University and editor of the journal Environmental Research said,

“This is an enormous amount of mercury that’s going to enter the waste stream at present with no preparation for it.”

 

Another hazard from the CFL bulbs may be to taxpayer’s pocketbooks. In Brittan, where they offer better recycling initiatives, it costs approximately $1,300 to properly dispose of just one recycling bin of bulbs.

 

There really is no efficient, cost effective way to recycle all the toxic materials in CFL’s.

 

One CFL bulb contains: Glass with a toxic phosphor coating,  gas containing toxic mercury vapor, non-recyclable plastic housing, an aluminum screw base (recyclable), solder (recyclable), ferrite coils, capacitors, carbon resistors, epoxy coated circuit rectifier, transistors, non-recyclable epoxy coated components (circuit board, epoxy/paper composites), Copper (recyclable).  For a total of 10 non-recyclable materials and 3 recyclable materials.

 

One Incandescent bulb contains: Non-toxic glass, non-toxic argon gas, Tungsten filament (recyclable), fine metal filament (recyclable), aluminum screw base (recyclable), ), solder (recyclable).  For a total of 7 recyclable materials and zero non-recyclable materials.

 

Check out this website for comparison charts: http://www.data4science.net/essays.php?EssayID=818

 

 

Another issue is that studies show CFL’s require 5.7 times more energy to manufacture than the incandescent bulbs.

 

What about saving energy?

 

This leads me to explain my interest in light bulbs.  I never thought much of how a light bulb worked or why they burned energy until I got my flock of chickens.  Anyone who owns animals that are in need of a heated pen will know that incandescent light bulbs are a great source of heat for animals. It is actually amazing how much heat is generated by a single 100-watt incandescent bulb.

 

The heat from incandescent bulbs it what burns the energy. Almost all of the energy consumed by any light bulb is dispersed as either light or heat.

CFL’s produce less heat thereby reducing energy consumption.  However, in cold climates we can benefit from the heat produced by incandescent bulbs.  Using CFL’s could actually increase the cost of heating your home in winter.

 

From what I have gathered, an incandescent lamp turns its electric power completely into heat. Even the visible light it gives off is actually thermal radiation. Incandescent bulbs create light by heating a filament inside the bulb; the heat makes the filament white-hot, producing the light that you see. The efficiency of these bulbs is around 20%.  This means that 80% comes off as heat.  This would translate to a 60W bulb not only giving you a light source, but also acts like a 48W heater.

 

It also important to note that CFL’s lose some of their energy efficiencies in very cold or very hot weather. Fluorescent lamps work best at temperatures between about 15° C and 40° C.

 

So in reality, if you live in a northern climate as I do, summer days are long and nights are cool.  By the time you need to switch on a light bulb, you can also benefit from the extra heat.  In winter, your thermostat regulates the temperature within your home, therefore the supplemented heat from your bulbs will be registered by the thermostat and you will use less radiator heat.

 

In a nutshell, my take on CFL’s is:

 

• They pose a health threat in home,
• I question if they really are efficient, especially in northern climates,
• They contain environmental toxins which can end up in our food chain, such as tuna,
• The cost of recycling is too high,
• Many are not being recycled properly,
• And it is said that on a global perspective regarding energy savings, there is considerable energy consumed in manufacturing the complicated components of CFL’s.

 

So you give up, all of this is just too complicated?

 

Don’t despair; saving energy through lighting is very important for you and for the environment.

 

Here are some ideas on how to save energy without worrying so much about bulbs.

 

• In northern climates simply use your old incandescent bulbs inside the home and use the new CFL’s outdoors where the heat is not needed.  Be sure to carefully remove any broken CFL’s and send them for proper recycling.
• Use LED solar lights whenever possible.  While the technology is still a bit costly, LED’s provide all the energy savings (if not more) than CFL’s without the toxins.
• Turn off your lights when you leave a room.
• For security have lights on timers or sensors rather than leaving them on all night.
• Buy an LED book light or LED rechargeable candles for night-time reading rather than a bedside lamp.
• Consider installing a few solar panels for supplemental energy.

 

XO

Organic Beauty Bars November 14, 2008

Anyone who knows me or have read my previous blogs will know that I am a great fan of Dr. Bronner’s liquid soaps.  I also like their bar soaps as a hand soap however, I do find it a little harsh for my sensitive skin.

 

I have been searching for an organic facial beauty bar for sometime.  I have narrowed down the choices of organic face soaps to ones that do not contain too many different essential oils, ones that have moisturizing ingredients; I am not a fan of tea tree oil on my skin so I narrowed those out as well.

 

I find with most soaps, they leave a waxy, squeaky feel to my skin which does not exactly feel clean.  I am hoping to try out the following list of organic soaps and I will let you know how they rate on my skin.  If you have tried any of these or other organic soaps,  please leave feedback on your experiences.

 

Soaps by WoodSprite

 

Calendula Organic Complexion Bar Soap

 

 

Calendula Cream Complexion Soap is one of our mildest soaps; suitable for those with very sensitive or damaged skin. Calendula is also known as “pot marigold”, and has been used for centuries for its mild anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and healthy. Unscented.

Ingredients: Saponified oils of *Organic Extra Virgin Olive, *Organic Coconut, Organic Palm, Avocado & *Organic Castor; with *Organic Shea Butter & *Organic Calendula Petals. Unscented. Sensitive Skin. (*Certified Organic)4 oz. wt.

 

Bloom Organic Complexion Soap

 

 

 

Bloom Organic Complexion Soap is an extra creamy, gentle facial soap formulated especially for the needs of maturing skin. To our rich organic olive oil base, we’ve added emollient avocado oil and organic shea butter, plus organic rose hydrosol and the pure essential oil of Bulgarian rose. Then, we used a special process of whipping the setting soap, to create a unique lightness and texture unlike any of our other soaps. The result is an oddly shaped (due to shrinkage during the 8 week cure) but incredibly gentle facial soap that your skin is going to love. Bears the very light scent of rose, but not overpowering.

Ingredients: Saponified Oils of *Organic Extra Virgin Olive & *Organic Coconut, *Organic Shea Butter, *Organic Palm Oil, Avocado Oil; Pure Essential Oil of Bulgarian Rose, *Organic Rose Petals, *Organic Rosehip Seed Oil and French Rose Clay. (*Certified Organic) Paraben-free, Pthalate-free and Preservative-free. 3.25 oz. wt.

 

Unscented Organic Shea Butter Shaving Soap

 

 

Shaving soaps are specially formulated with Organic Shea Butter & French Green Clay to give a lubricating, creamy lather for a clean & incredibly smooth shave that won’t dry your skin. French Green Clay gives a closer shave by making a more “slippery” surface for your razor to glide on, while rich organic shea butter and avocado oil condition and soften the skin.

Unscented formula is perfect for sensitive skin, or for those preferring an unscented soap. Great for men or women! May be used by lathering with the tips of the fingers or in gentle circular patterns using a traditional mug & brush (Brush and Razor Not Included).

Ingredients: Saponified *Organic Extra Virgin Olive & *Organic Coconut Oils, *Organic Shea Butter, *Organic Castor & Avocado Oils; French Green Clay (montmorillonite), Bentonite Clay. (*Certified Organic) 3.5 oz, 3-inch diameter.

 

Wholesale info

 

 

 

Pangea Organics

 

Bar Soap Tunisian Olive Oil & Coconut

 

 

Everything in these bars has been chosen with mindful intention to give you the purest, most nourishing soap possible. Hand crafted and made with the finest organic oils: Extra Virgin Olive, Hemp, Coconut & Soy. Pure organic essential oils & herbal extracts nourish the skin and soothe the soul. Creates a luscious lather every time. Packaged in Pangea Organics’ zero waste packaging – plant the box and watch it grow! Packaging is fully compostable and contains organic seeds of either sweet basil or amaranth – further instructions in packaging.

 

Ingredients: Organic Soy Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Organic Hemp Seed Oil [All Oils Saponified with Retained Glycerin], Rosemary Extract.

 

Indian Green Tea with Mint & Rose Petals Bar Soap

 

Ingredients: Organic Soy Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Organic Hemp Seed Oil and/or Jojoba Oil [All Oils Saponified with Retained Glycerin], Camellia sinensis (Organic Green Tea), Rosa centifolia (Organic Rose Petals), Mentha piperita (Organic Peppermint Leaf), Organic Essential Oil of Mentha piperita (Organic Peppermint), Rosemary Extract

 

Wholesale info

 

 

Beauty without Cruelty

 

Organic Beauty Bar Soap Citrus (currently on clearance)

 

 

BWC’s Citrus beauty bar gently cleans, conditions, and moisturizes the skin with emollient organic plant oils, and organic aroma therapeutic essential oils. Each bar contains rich organic shea butter for superior moisturizing and conditioning. Soft, luxurious lather, never drying.

 

Ingredients: Saponified Oils of Organic Coconut, Olive, Palm, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Aroma Therapeutic Essential Oils of Orange, Lemon, Lime, Ylang Ylang, Natural Vitamin E

 

Wholesale info

 

 

---

 

 

Simply be well

 

Fragrance Free Body Bar

 

 

Enjoy the simple pleasures of clean, smooth skin with our Simply Be Well Moisturizing Body Bar. Made from 100% Organic Palm, Coconut and Sunflower oils this soap is enriched with a high natural glycerin content and a super-antioxidant blend of Certified Organic Sunflower Oil, Goji Berry, White Tea, Blueberry and Soy. The mild, rich creamy lather gently cleanses and moisturizes your skin. (99% Certified Organic Ingredients) 5.3 OZ (150g)

 

Wholesale info

 

 

If you don’t want to go for pre-made soaps, there are also certified organic melt & pour soaps.  These are great for adding your own essential oils, herbs, clays or anything else you think will benefit your skin.  I just purchased two one pond blocks and experimented with making my own organic soaps this week.  Stay tuned as I will blog about that later.

 

For now, here are a few links to organic soap bases:

 

Go Planet Earth

 

 

 

 

A nearly opaque melt and pour soap with a slight tan butterscotch color due to the organic oils used. Only the oils are 100% organic certified as the other raw ingredients used are not yet available in an organic variety. When labeling your product, you may state: “Contains 100% Certified Organic Oils” or “Contains Organic Ingredients”. You do not want to make claims that the soap is a 100% Organic product as that would not be accurate.  Soap base is odorless.

 

 

INGREDIENTS: Blend of 100% Certified Organic Palm and Coconut Oils (Saponified), Purified Water, Glycerin, Sorbitol

 

Be sure to scroll down a little more then half way to the “organic” melt and pour.  The others contain chemicals.  They also sell a cute little soap mold which will imprint the word “organic” on a bean-shaped soap.

 

Wisteria Lane

 

Organic Oil Clear Melt and Pour Soap Base 32 oz. Container

Organic Oil Clear Glycerine Melt and Pour soap base (“natural” formula-20% added Glycerine) Our soap is 100% pure soap with only the finest natural vegetable oils. Mainly coconut oil is used and so you will have almost no smell to this soap!

Ingredients: Saponified Vegetable Organic oils mainly Coconut Oil, Glycerine (kosher, of vegetable origin), Purified Water, Sorbitol (from berries, moisturizer) , Sorbitan oleate (emulsifier), Soybean protein (conditioner)

 

Organic Oil White Melt and Pour Soap Base 32 oz Containers

Organic Oil White Glycerine Melt and Pour Soap base (“natural” formula-20% added Glycerine) This is our white soap base that is very similar in formula to the clear soap mainly coconut oil. All the great things about the clear melt and pour only white!

Ingredients: Saponified Vegetable organic oils mainly Coconut Oil, Glycerine (kosher, of vegetable origin), Purified Water, Sorbitol (from berries, moisturizer) , Sorbitan oleate (emulsifier), Soybean protein (conditioner), Titanium Dioxide (mineral whitener used in opaque soaps)

 

Organic Creations

 

This glycerin soap base is one of the purest and most natural products you can find on the market. Ready to melt, scent, color, mold and be used in less than a few hours. Or, slice it up and use it as-is for a scent free, color free soap! Either way, the high glycerin content will leave your skin feeling naturally soft and not chemically stripped. And the best news, is this product is made from 100% organic oils so you know its pure through and through!

 

Ingredients: Filtered water, organic palm oil, organic coconut oil, glycerin, and sorbitol (a humectant derived from berries).

 

 

---

 

I am hoping to give all of these a try in the near future and I will blog my results.

XO

 

---

 

 

---

 

---

Answer these important questions… November 8, 2008

A few questions I would like to ask and I would be very interested in your answers, are:

 

Could you live without:

• Your favorite household cleaners?
• Dryer Sheets?
• Your favorite skin care and cosmetics?
• Plastic bottles?
• Synthetic pesticides?
• Your favorite perfume?

These things all have alternatives and can be replaced.

 

Can you live with:

• An organic multi-purpose cleaner such as Dr. Bronners?
• Reusable dryer sheets or a dryer ball?
• Organic skin care and cosmetics such as Organic Wear or Miessence?
• Glass bottles?
• Alternative garden care such as hand pulling weeds and soap spray?
• Organic pure essential oils from flowers and fruit?

 

I want you to think hard about the next question.

 

But first, watch this eye-opening documentary now before you offer your answer.  This video offers just one of the many problems that can happen from using our every day products.

 

Two years ago I wrote an article, published in the Sierra Club Sandpiper explaining much of what is finally being brought to the public’s attention with this expose aired on CBC last Thursday.

 

Now I ask you,

 

Can you live without:

• Breathing clean air?
• Drinking clean water?
• Ladies, can you live without men?  Ok, seriously now, think about it in reality J
• Men, can you live without your sperm?  How about your testosterone or your testicles?
• Your Children?

 

What would be the replacements to the above?  There are no replacements.

 

This is a serious issue facing all of us and we can all make a difference.  We have to make some changes now, if not, what will happen in the future?  Changes are happening now from the daily decisions we are making, negative changes. 

 

Let’s all pull together and choose positive changes.  Change is good.

 

When purchasing products, read the ingredients, choose organic products, choose to be healthy, choose to live on and make your children and future generations proud that they came from a family that made the right choices to protect their health and the environment.

 

Simple changes will live on.

 

 

 XO

Organic Asparagus November 8, 2008

Organic Asparagus

Friday, Nov 7, 2008

 

I just love asparagus, it is nice steamed or grilled as a side dish and can add a wonderful flavor to many soups salads or even pasta and pizza.  I like mine steamed with a touch of butter and a sprinkle of grey sea salt served with poached eggs for breakfast.

 

Healthy asparagus

 

Recently, I was researching asparagus and came across this wonderful article explaining the many health benefits of this wonderful food. 

 

Asparagus contains vitamins B, folic acid, C, E as well as many minerals including calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, selenium, iodine, magnesium, manganese, sulphur, silicon and florine.

 

Asparagus has been used as a natural remedy to help cure kidney disorders, bladder infections, arthritis, it strengthens the lungs, heals stomach pains, bowl disorders, kidney stones, cramps, convulsions, gall and liver ailments.  Asparagus can assist with weight loss, stress and nervous tension, skin diseases and has been used to brighten vision.

 

Perhaps the most astounding claim on asparagus is its ability to cure cancer.

 

Read this link for some great information on asparagus.

 

Grown your own!

 

Another great thing about asparagus is that it is easy to grow in most climates.  And being a perennial plant it returns and spreads in your garden year after year.

 

You can start asparagus from seed however it can take 3-5 year to produce edible stalks.  The quicker way to grow your own would be to purchase crowns (asparagus roots) from a nursery.  Once the soil is prepared and the asparagus is planted, they require little care.  They even provide a great benefit in your garden as asparagus plants actually repel some of the nuisance insects that can damage other plants.

 

For more information on growing your own organic asparagus read this great information sheet.

 

Or buy some

 

Growing your own food is always best and with a beautiful edible perennial like asparagus, who can resist getting out a digging in the dirt.  But if you prefer to buy asparagus, then canned, bottled or frozen is just as healthy as fresh, as long as it is organic J

 

Here are just a few manufactures offering organic asparagus, if you can’t find them at your local grocery store, speak to your store manager and ask them to carry these brands:

 

Woodstock Farms Carry frozen baby asparagus as well as many other frozen organic produce. They also carry a full line of organic groceries from cream and sugar to condiments, pickles and packaged foods. 

 

Cascadian Farms Carry a full line of organic products including frozen organic asparagus cuts.

 

Green Organic Offers Canadian white and green frozen asparagus as well as a full line of frozen organic foods, they also offer private label to companies.

 

Native Forest by Edward & Sons Have a full line of organic products including organic canned and bottled asparagus.

 

Just imagine, eating this tasty vegetable could also benefit your health in so many ways.

 

If your company offers certified organic asparagus feel free to leave your contact information in a response below or join our forum and let us know.

 

XO

 

Organic Farming will feed the world. November 8, 2008

Here is something to think about

 

Do you stop to think of where your food is coming from?  If you think about it, one of the most influential things in our lives is food.  We need healthy food to be healthy people.  Now is the time to give thanks for organic food; foods that nourish our bodies as well as the planet which we live in.

 

Did you know that the world’s farmers now provide 24 percent more food per person on average than in 1961. Do we need that 24% more food per person? Do we even eat it or does it go to waste on the grocery store shelves?

 

The world population in 1961 was approximately 3 billion, As of November 2008, the world’s population is estimated to be about 6.7 billion. So we have more than doubled the population yet farmers are still producing 24% more food per person.

 

Where does all of this extra food go? Wasted in the grocery stores due to expiration dates? Why?  Because the food has to travel such long distances that it is practically outdated by the time it hits the shelves.

 

And people are still hungry?  Yes, because most of this food is distributed in the developed world to go to waste on our shelves and over-fill our stomachs.

 

So what can we do?  Respect your food. Understand where your food comes from, grow some thing of your own and purchase from local organic farmers.

 

One of the biggest debates when we discuss organic foods is that growing organic could not feed the world.  Facts show that organic food is the only way to feed the world.

 

Biotechnology companies who create genetically modified foods claim that the only way we can feed the world in the future will be with engineered crops.  This is fantastic marketing.  The “we” in “we can feed the world” being the companies themselves who are manufacturing the crops.

 

So if organic food can feed the world, why are scientists creating GMO’s?  Put simply, because you can’t “own” nature.  No person or company can patent a plant.  However they can place a patent on the science used to create a GM plant and therefore “own” that plant.  It’s simply about control and, you guessed it, money.

 

According to several field trial and studies, organic farming is able to produce high yield of foods without synthetic pesticides and in a manor that protects our environment including our water quality and soil quality, among other things.

 

While writing this, I came across a fantastic piece explaining this in more detail, so check out this article written by Christos Vasilikiotis, Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley: Can organic farming “feed the world”?

 

The average yields of organic and non-organic produce are about the same in commercial settings, grown in the developed world.  However, in the developing world; where most food is needed, the yield ratios of organic compared to conventional range from about 1.6 to 4.0.

 

Check out this information: Scientists find organic farming can feed the world and more.

 

There is plenty of current information to support the fact that organic farming is the only way to protect our future.  Organic farming will give us a cleaner environment and offer nutritious foods as well as support smaller local farmers, keeping money in the pockets of those who need it rather than big corporations creating a biotechnology that we obviously do not need.

 

 It is time to put to rest the debate about whether or not organic agriculture can feed the world and start supporting our health, our environment and our small farmers by purchasing certified organic foods.

 

Buying organic don’t cost more.  What is the cost of our sustainability?  What is the cost of good quality, vitamin-rich foods?  Buying organic is your donation to this world you live in.

 

Get to know your food, appreciate what nature has provided, be less wasteful, support organics and feel good inside.

 

 

 

XO

 

 

Hello world! November 7, 2008

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!