Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions and it's now one of the leading childhood health risks. Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult onset diabetes because it was most often seen in older, sedentary people. It took years of unhealthy diet and lack of exercise before these would finally take their toll. Pediatricians these days are seeing more and more children with Type 2 diabetes, almost unheard of a generation ago.
In fact, two thirds of U.S. teens have one or more "adult" medical conditions. Clearly, overweight, obese children with Type 2 diabetes (and/or metabolic syndrome) is among the most urgent health issue facing our country. Kids need healthy food and healthy lifestyles, including active play time, to build the foundation of a healthy life. Dr. Alan Greene, Clinical Professor at Stanford University, is a technical advisor to The Organic Center and firmly believes that organic food is a critical component in raising healthy children.
What's the connection between obesity, Type 2 diabetes and organic food? There are many and in this post and several to follow, we'll discuss the answers to this question.
Part I - Getting Children Off To A Good Start
For a woman contemplating preganancy, the six months prior to conception, the nine months of pregnancy and the first two years of a child's life are periods of heightened vulnerability to developmental abnormalities, some with significant and lifetime consequences. An expecting mother's diet during pregnancy provides the nutrients available to the developing fetus and also plays a major role in determining how many toxic chemicals are present in amniotic fluids. Toxic chemicals in amniotic fluid can block normal development. So, yes, eating food loaded with chemical and pesticides does impact a developing fetus while in the womb and for a lifetime afterward.
Eating a well-balanced diet full of organic fruits, vegetables, dairy and grains can eliminate dietary exposure to pesticides and harmful chemical food additives. An organic diet during early childhood can establish and sustain taste-based preferences for healthy (nutirient dense) foods for a lifetime of healthy eating. Children develop their taste preferences during early life and starting them off with nourishing, organic foods can help them develop a lifetime of healthy eating habits.
How can we get children off to a good start? Before, during and after pregnancy -
- Purchase more organic fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and dairy
- Plant an organic home or family garden or participate in organic community farming
- Consume a healthy breakfast every day
- Cook and eat healthy meals at home
- Try new recipes and quick meals using organic, raw and minimally processed foods
Beyond diet, engage your child in active play every day. Learn to play with your child and you'll benefit from a more active lifestyle as well. Walk in the neighborhood, dance to silly songs, play hide and seek or tag. Think of activities that are fun, engaging and active and build a family foundation of health and wellness.
Until next post, be well, be healthy, organically -
Now go out there and enjoy your day!
(Click here to download and read the full report entitled "That First Step" from The Organic Center now.)
Read more!
5.18.2009
5.14.2009
Ginger Beats Nausea for Chemo Patients
When you were a kid, chances are good your Mom gave you ginger ale when you had a tummy ache or upset stomach. Ginger has been known for years as both an effective "folk remedy" and more recently, in the natural food world as a natural stomach calmer. A study just released also found that it can be incredibly effective in reducing the nausea that is a common and often serious side effect of chemotherapy.
According to an article by the Associated Press, "The study involved 644 patients from cancer centers around the nation who had suffered nausea in a previous round of chemotherapy. Two-thirds had breast cancer and the rest, other forms of the disease. They were placed in four groups and given one of three doses of ginger (the equivalent of one-half, 1 or 1 1/2 grams of ginger per day) or dummy capsules in addition to standard anti-sickness medicines." "It is heartening that ginger may offer hope as a cheap and simple way to ease the burden of chemotherapy on patients and their families, said Dr. Durado Brooks of the Cancer Society." A word of caution - Ginger caused no side effects in the new study, but doctors say people should talk with their doctors before trying it because it can interfere with blood clotting, especially during cancer treatment or if taken with the blood thinner Coumadin or other commonly used medicines. It's also a risk for people having surgery, the American Cancer Society warns.
Still, real ginger offered the hope to chemo patients battling nausea and though the study points to a specific brand, I'd like to mention New Chapter's Gingerforce capsules. New Chapter's products are among the highest quality products on the market. If you're looking for an excellent ginger product to try, start with New Chapter's Gingerforce - available of course, at shopOrganic.com.
[Note: Nothing in this article should be construed as medical advice. Please talk to your care provider.] Read more!
According to an article by the Associated Press, "The study involved 644 patients from cancer centers around the nation who had suffered nausea in a previous round of chemotherapy. Two-thirds had breast cancer and the rest, other forms of the disease. They were placed in four groups and given one of three doses of ginger (the equivalent of one-half, 1 or 1 1/2 grams of ginger per day) or dummy capsules in addition to standard anti-sickness medicines." "It is heartening that ginger may offer hope as a cheap and simple way to ease the burden of chemotherapy on patients and their families, said Dr. Durado Brooks of the Cancer Society." A word of caution - Ginger caused no side effects in the new study, but doctors say people should talk with their doctors before trying it because it can interfere with blood clotting, especially during cancer treatment or if taken with the blood thinner Coumadin or other commonly used medicines. It's also a risk for people having surgery, the American Cancer Society warns.
Still, real ginger offered the hope to chemo patients battling nausea and though the study points to a specific brand, I'd like to mention New Chapter's Gingerforce capsules. New Chapter's products are among the highest quality products on the market. If you're looking for an excellent ginger product to try, start with New Chapter's Gingerforce - available of course, at shopOrganic.com.
[Note: Nothing in this article should be construed as medical advice. Please talk to your care provider.] Read more!
4.22.2009
Einstein on Earth Day
Einstein was an amazing man and was not only a brilliant scientist but an all around wise man.
He said "A human being is a part of the whole universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a prison, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
If that's not the essence of Earth Day, I don't know what is.
Now go out there and enjoy your day! Read more!
He said "A human being is a part of the whole universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a prison, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
If that's not the essence of Earth Day, I don't know what is.
Now go out there and enjoy your day! Read more!
4.20.2009
Celebrate A Sustainable Future This Earth Day
It's gotten incredibly hip to be green these days. So hip, in fact, that some folks might be put off by the pressure to be oh-so-cool while greening up and reducing, reusing and recycling. The hoopla surrounding Earth Day varies from one place to another, but it's easy to start to feel like it's become a big commercial venture....but wait, there's more! (keep reading, you'll be glad you did).
It's ironic really. In the not too distant past, Earth Day was celebrated by a small segment of the population often derisively termed "tree huggers". However, that small committed group of people had a huge impact. Now, we hear corporations clamoring to convince us how "green" they are and sponsoring, you guessed it, Earth Day celebrations. Pretty powerful result for mere "tree huggers" which just shows you what happens when a great idea meets persistence and good timing.
So, let's take a minute to remember what's at the core of Earth Day - respect for the world in which we live and the promise of brilliant innovation that can lead us toward a more sustainable future. Now aren't you glad you read the whole post? Join us in celebrating a sustainable future this Earth Day - join us on this incredible adventure on this beautiful blue spinning orb we call home. Read more!
It's ironic really. In the not too distant past, Earth Day was celebrated by a small segment of the population often derisively termed "tree huggers". However, that small committed group of people had a huge impact. Now, we hear corporations clamoring to convince us how "green" they are and sponsoring, you guessed it, Earth Day celebrations. Pretty powerful result for mere "tree huggers" which just shows you what happens when a great idea meets persistence and good timing.
So, let's take a minute to remember what's at the core of Earth Day - respect for the world in which we live and the promise of brilliant innovation that can lead us toward a more sustainable future. Now aren't you glad you read the whole post? Join us in celebrating a sustainable future this Earth Day - join us on this incredible adventure on this beautiful blue spinning orb we call home. Read more!
4.12.2009
The Audacity of Going Organic - Year One
My dear friend Gary sent an email over the weekend about some group that is up in arms because Michelle Obama planted an organic garden. The problem, it seems, is that this flies in the face of established convention. I find it puzzling (and a bit sad) that a garden planted and grown without chemical fertilizers or insecticides is seen as a bad thing [click here to read more on this topic], but enough about that crazy world, let's look at the world around us....
Last year, our small team started shopOrganic. Leveraging the experience and expertise of our tiny team, we boldly launched the site on May 8, 2008. At the time we launched, we had begun to see the softening of the real estate market and we assumed that the worst of it would be falling housing prices for a bit. Little did we know at the time that the coming year would be among the worst years (financially) in decades. We didn't see the banking crisis coming, we certainly didn't see the meltdown on Wall Street coming but BAM! there they were.
There were times in the past year that we thought the economy would collapse and take our little company with it. It's been quite a challenge - both professionally and personally. Having put all our time and a lot of our money into this company, there were many sleepless nights worrying that the company would not survive the cold economic winter. We worried that those seeds planted were locked in some frozen economic tundra never to be seen again.
Like Michelle Obama, we too rolled up our sleeves on a cold spring day... and planted the seeds of a new beginning. Like Michelle Obama, we may have planted our seeds a bit too soon - the cold days of early Spring can be harsh and can delay the appearance of those vibrant green shoots that indicate that winter is over and spring is in progress.
We've hung in there this year - sometimes by the barest of margins - because we believe powerfully in what we're doing. We believe that a world in which everyone has enough clean food and clean water is just the baseline, the barest minimum of an acceptable reality for us all. As we have said from the beginning, what we want for ourselves, we want for everyone - it's pretty simple.
We started shopOrganic because we believe in organic principles of sustainability and stewardship. We wanted to create a company that reflected our values of quality, honesty, integrity, cooperation and well, fun.
We have found building relationships with the small vendors we work with to be immensely rewarding. We have gotten to know the other small (sometimes tiny) business owners that are dedicated to the same sustainable and organic principles. As we have worked with them to help them find a market for their great products, we have benefited from being able to provide our customers with a wonderful variety of amazing new, small vendor products that you can't find anyplace else. We have had a great time sampling, testing and trying out products of all kinds.
We have enjoyed getting to know our customers, exchanging emails and phone calls. Perhaps more than anything, we have enjoyed providing the best customer service you'll ever receive. It may sound a bit dopey, but it really gives us immense pleasure to know that when a customer has a problem and it's within our power to resolve it, we just do.
People are often amazed that we answer emails within an hour or two (sometimes within minutes, even at night and on weekends) with a real response. People are often amazed that we take their word for it when they report a problem and we just fix it. People are often amazed when they place an order as a gift that we print out a small gift card with their message on it and pop it in the box - without being asked. We are often amazed that these simple acts amaze people. We love to delight our customers and sometimes just getting an order shipped out the same day it is placed is enough to make someone's day.
We hit a few important milestones in this past year in terms of sales and number of customers and number of orders - but the most important milestone we hit was that we are still here. We have survived to this point and we will be around to celebrate our first anniversary.
We are seeing those tender green shoots start to push through the damp earth. We are not yet fully formed but we are full of optimism and hope for the future. We have managed, somehow, through rolling up our sleeves and working hard, to plant our own organic garden and it is starting to grow.
We have been honored to be part of this new world that is emerging and we are honored to be a part of the lives of each of our customers. We thank you for your support over the past year and we look forward to growing bigger and stronger this year with your support and our hard work.
We took a leap of faith when we planted the seeds of this business last year and we're seeing that faith (and all that hard work) start to take hold. Join us on this adventure and let's see where this next year will take us!
Stop by and see us - shop with us if you're a new customer or a returning one - and see what a difference a small committed group of people can make - join us!
www.shopOrganic.com - For The Greater Goods
Now go out there and enjoy your day!
Read more!
Last year, our small team started shopOrganic. Leveraging the experience and expertise of our tiny team, we boldly launched the site on May 8, 2008. At the time we launched, we had begun to see the softening of the real estate market and we assumed that the worst of it would be falling housing prices for a bit. Little did we know at the time that the coming year would be among the worst years (financially) in decades. We didn't see the banking crisis coming, we certainly didn't see the meltdown on Wall Street coming but BAM! there they were.
There were times in the past year that we thought the economy would collapse and take our little company with it. It's been quite a challenge - both professionally and personally. Having put all our time and a lot of our money into this company, there were many sleepless nights worrying that the company would not survive the cold economic winter. We worried that those seeds planted were locked in some frozen economic tundra never to be seen again.
Like Michelle Obama, we too rolled up our sleeves on a cold spring day... and planted the seeds of a new beginning. Like Michelle Obama, we may have planted our seeds a bit too soon - the cold days of early Spring can be harsh and can delay the appearance of those vibrant green shoots that indicate that winter is over and spring is in progress.
We've hung in there this year - sometimes by the barest of margins - because we believe powerfully in what we're doing. We believe that a world in which everyone has enough clean food and clean water is just the baseline, the barest minimum of an acceptable reality for us all. As we have said from the beginning, what we want for ourselves, we want for everyone - it's pretty simple.
We started shopOrganic because we believe in organic principles of sustainability and stewardship. We wanted to create a company that reflected our values of quality, honesty, integrity, cooperation and well, fun.
We have found building relationships with the small vendors we work with to be immensely rewarding. We have gotten to know the other small (sometimes tiny) business owners that are dedicated to the same sustainable and organic principles. As we have worked with them to help them find a market for their great products, we have benefited from being able to provide our customers with a wonderful variety of amazing new, small vendor products that you can't find anyplace else. We have had a great time sampling, testing and trying out products of all kinds.
We have enjoyed getting to know our customers, exchanging emails and phone calls. Perhaps more than anything, we have enjoyed providing the best customer service you'll ever receive. It may sound a bit dopey, but it really gives us immense pleasure to know that when a customer has a problem and it's within our power to resolve it, we just do.
People are often amazed that we answer emails within an hour or two (sometimes within minutes, even at night and on weekends) with a real response. People are often amazed that we take their word for it when they report a problem and we just fix it. People are often amazed when they place an order as a gift that we print out a small gift card with their message on it and pop it in the box - without being asked. We are often amazed that these simple acts amaze people. We love to delight our customers and sometimes just getting an order shipped out the same day it is placed is enough to make someone's day.
We hit a few important milestones in this past year in terms of sales and number of customers and number of orders - but the most important milestone we hit was that we are still here. We have survived to this point and we will be around to celebrate our first anniversary.
We are seeing those tender green shoots start to push through the damp earth. We are not yet fully formed but we are full of optimism and hope for the future. We have managed, somehow, through rolling up our sleeves and working hard, to plant our own organic garden and it is starting to grow.
We have been honored to be part of this new world that is emerging and we are honored to be a part of the lives of each of our customers. We thank you for your support over the past year and we look forward to growing bigger and stronger this year with your support and our hard work.
We took a leap of faith when we planted the seeds of this business last year and we're seeing that faith (and all that hard work) start to take hold. Join us on this adventure and let's see where this next year will take us!
Stop by and see us - shop with us if you're a new customer or a returning one - and see what a difference a small committed group of people can make - join us!
www.shopOrganic.com - For The Greater Goods
Now go out there and enjoy your day!
Read more!
3.17.2009
Health Care vs. Sick Care
Americans spend twice as much on health care as European countries, but we are twice as sick due to high rates of chronic disease. Like other parts of our economy, it seems this 'disconnect' needs to be called into question and examined. Why are Americans suffering twice as much as Europeans from chronic disease? Is living in America inherently unhealthy? Probably not a geographic, but a psychographic problem - our behaviors and lifestyles put us at risk.
Well-known physician and author Dr. Andrew Weil suggests "Integrative Medicine can offer low-cost alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs and surgery for many conditions that now drain our health care resources." Dr. Weil directs a training program for medical students at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Their approach emphasizes "proven, low-risk, low cost interventions, progressing to high-cost interventions only when the severity of conditions demand them."
Of course, like most problems, those we deal with early are easier to fix. If you wait until the oil in your car has solidified, you're more likely to have a serious engine failure. On the other hand, if you change your oil at periodic intervals, you can keep your engine running cleaner and longer. The human body is no different.
It's clear that clean food, clean water and clean surroundings contribute to our health. When we ingest food filled with pesticides and chemicals fertilizers, our bodies have to filter that out. When we ingest food that is free of artificial chemicals and full of nutrients, our bodies can run like the well-tuned engines they were meant to be.
Yes, you can head to the doctor if you have a serious illness, but head to the cupboard if you want to avoid illness. Choose clean, organic food. Choose healthy oils. Choose whole foods. Choose natural cleaning products for your home and surroundings. Give your body a chance to be an amazingly healthy being with just a little help from you. Read more!
Well-known physician and author Dr. Andrew Weil suggests "Integrative Medicine can offer low-cost alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs and surgery for many conditions that now drain our health care resources." Dr. Weil directs a training program for medical students at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Their approach emphasizes "proven, low-risk, low cost interventions, progressing to high-cost interventions only when the severity of conditions demand them."
Of course, like most problems, those we deal with early are easier to fix. If you wait until the oil in your car has solidified, you're more likely to have a serious engine failure. On the other hand, if you change your oil at periodic intervals, you can keep your engine running cleaner and longer. The human body is no different.
It's clear that clean food, clean water and clean surroundings contribute to our health. When we ingest food filled with pesticides and chemicals fertilizers, our bodies have to filter that out. When we ingest food that is free of artificial chemicals and full of nutrients, our bodies can run like the well-tuned engines they were meant to be.
Yes, you can head to the doctor if you have a serious illness, but head to the cupboard if you want to avoid illness. Choose clean, organic food. Choose healthy oils. Choose whole foods. Choose natural cleaning products for your home and surroundings. Give your body a chance to be an amazingly healthy being with just a little help from you. Read more!
3.08.2009
Take A Risk - Remain Optimistic
The biggest risk you can take right now is not taking out a new mortgage or another limited time 0% interest credit card offer....it's risking optimism. Let's face it, it's a pretty bleak economic picture out there and people are losing jobs and homes and the very structure of their lives. Remaining optimistic that we can and will fix this, together, is probably the riskiest position to take, but in time, I think it will prove to be the wisest investment of all.
The economic models we've relied on for generations are crumbling. From my perspective, it was only a matter of time. I kept asking financial people I knew like accountants and financial analysts - "How is this sustainable? How can we keep spending ahead of our earnings and keep it going?" I'm not claiming to have seen this coming or to have been smarter than the average Joe. I just knew from my own personal finances that I had to reign in spending and debt accumulation so that I wouldn't tip over. I saw the same out in the world and wondered if there was anything about the model that I was missing....Nope. As it turns out, it wasn't sustainable. What made it take a crash landing, though, were the big boys in our political and financial institutions, but that's not the point here so I'll leave it at that.
So, here's the thing. We need to build sustainability into everything we do. No more wanton waste. No more mindlessness. Let's work together to create a sustainable world where we all have jobs and a roof over our heads, clean food and water. Sound crazy? I'm optimistic we can create that future together. As a species, humans are pretty clever. Let's take those brilliant minds who created Ponzi schemes and derivatives and set them to work on creating a brilliantly fair and sustainable economic model for the world.
In the meantime, I'm betting on the better side of human nature. Sure, we see the power struggle in our political system, but the days of "us and them" are over (though some have not yet recognized that new reality). It's time to work together to form a new economic model that rewards hard work, honest effort and the creation of sustainable value. Look for companies in your area that are already doing that - they exist. I, for one, am spending my hard earned dollars with companies that share those values so I can hopefully help them through this lean economic period. Over time, they'll become the very bones of the new economy - so get a head start and support them now.
Together, we can build a more sustainable economic model. So, take the biggest risk today and remain optimistic. Read more!
The economic models we've relied on for generations are crumbling. From my perspective, it was only a matter of time. I kept asking financial people I knew like accountants and financial analysts - "How is this sustainable? How can we keep spending ahead of our earnings and keep it going?" I'm not claiming to have seen this coming or to have been smarter than the average Joe. I just knew from my own personal finances that I had to reign in spending and debt accumulation so that I wouldn't tip over. I saw the same out in the world and wondered if there was anything about the model that I was missing....Nope. As it turns out, it wasn't sustainable. What made it take a crash landing, though, were the big boys in our political and financial institutions, but that's not the point here so I'll leave it at that.
So, here's the thing. We need to build sustainability into everything we do. No more wanton waste. No more mindlessness. Let's work together to create a sustainable world where we all have jobs and a roof over our heads, clean food and water. Sound crazy? I'm optimistic we can create that future together. As a species, humans are pretty clever. Let's take those brilliant minds who created Ponzi schemes and derivatives and set them to work on creating a brilliantly fair and sustainable economic model for the world.
In the meantime, I'm betting on the better side of human nature. Sure, we see the power struggle in our political system, but the days of "us and them" are over (though some have not yet recognized that new reality). It's time to work together to form a new economic model that rewards hard work, honest effort and the creation of sustainable value. Look for companies in your area that are already doing that - they exist. I, for one, am spending my hard earned dollars with companies that share those values so I can hopefully help them through this lean economic period. Over time, they'll become the very bones of the new economy - so get a head start and support them now.
Together, we can build a more sustainable economic model. So, take the biggest risk today and remain optimistic. Read more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
