Part Three in a continuing series on the health benefits of organic food.
We've discussed the importance of clean, organic food and nutrient dense diets during pregnancy and while a infant is developing just after birth. As a child grows into adolescence, the importance of a healthy diet shifts a bit from building blocks to laying a foundation of lifelong health.
As we age into adolescence and on into adulthood, nutrient rich organic foods high in phytochemicals play an important role in weight management and preventing diabetes. They can also lessen or delay the complications linked to both issues.
Organic and nutrient dense food may play a role by increasing one's sense of satiety. The feeling of being satisfied after a meal comes not from quantity but from quality. Whole, organic foods are more likely to satisfy than a plateful of empty calories. Feeling full is not exactly the same as feeling satisfied with a meal. Satiety leads to fewer cravings for empty energy boosting calories (sugar, fat, salt) between meals.
Organic, nutrient dense foods also lessen or limit the cellular and genetic damage done by "free radicals" (also called reactive oxygen species). This potentially reduces the risk of diabetes and other diseases rooted in inflammation including arthritis and cardiovascular disease as well as rapid cell growth (cancer).
Finally, these foods may help slow or even reverse certain neurological aspects of the aging process, leading to better memory and more retention of cognitive skills as we age.
According to a report released by the Organic Center in March 2009, "In helping manage blood glucose levels and promoting cardiovascular health, organic food and farming delivers benefit in two important ways. It exposes people to fewer of the endocrine disrupting chemicals that can set off the disease process and trigger epigenetic changes, and second it delivers higher daily intakes of health-promoting phytochemicals that reinforce the body’s defense and repair mechanism."
To read the full report and learn more about how organic food provides the building blocks for lifelong health, click here to visit the Organic Center. To purchase authentic organic food online from a trusted source, visit shopOrganic.com today. Be well.
Read more!
7.14.2009
Parents the biggest health risk to kids?
A fascinating study just came out that shows that children of obese parents tend to become obese themselves. Specifically, the study showed that boys with obese fathers and girls with obese mothers are at higher risk of developing obesity than are children of parents within normal weight guidelines. These findings are important because they offset the long-held belief that obesity is simply genetic. Clearly, if genetics was the only factor then all children of obese parents would be at higher risk of becoming obese. However, the study shows that it is the same-sex parent that is most influential - so it can't all be genetics.
Obese moms are 10 times more likely to have obese daughters, according to new research, and obese dads are 6 times more likely to have obese sons, according to a British study of 226 families at Plymouth’s Peninsula Medical School and reported by the BBC.
How can this information be put to use? I've often heard people make significant and life-altering lifestyle changes for loved ones - or at least, that's the initial motivator. Parents often point to their attempts at quitting smoking or losing weight and say "I want to be around for my children." Well, now there are two powerful motivators packed into one. Not only will a healthy lifestyle improve your health and well-being, it can also lower the risk that your children will become obese. What you do today helps you and your entire family now and far into the future. And think about it - if you have children and you teach them healthy habits now, they may one day become parents who will role model a healthy lifestyle to their children. This is an endless cycle of improvement that begins with you and begins today. Small improvements add up to major change, so start with something today that's easy to achieve and build that into your life. That's the easiest way to make change and to model that for your children and loved ones.
Interestingly, organic food studies show that the risk of childhood obesity is reduced when children are fed diets high in organic food, whole foods and nutrient-dense food. So parents can model a healthy lifestyle by adopting a diet for themselves and their families by including organic foods as well.
It's amazing how adaptable children are and this data gives us even more reason to work toward living a healthy lifestyle for ourselves, our children and literally for generations to come. What a legacy to leave!
Read more!
Obese moms are 10 times more likely to have obese daughters, according to new research, and obese dads are 6 times more likely to have obese sons, according to a British study of 226 families at Plymouth’s Peninsula Medical School and reported by the BBC.
How can this information be put to use? I've often heard people make significant and life-altering lifestyle changes for loved ones - or at least, that's the initial motivator. Parents often point to their attempts at quitting smoking or losing weight and say "I want to be around for my children." Well, now there are two powerful motivators packed into one. Not only will a healthy lifestyle improve your health and well-being, it can also lower the risk that your children will become obese. What you do today helps you and your entire family now and far into the future. And think about it - if you have children and you teach them healthy habits now, they may one day become parents who will role model a healthy lifestyle to their children. This is an endless cycle of improvement that begins with you and begins today. Small improvements add up to major change, so start with something today that's easy to achieve and build that into your life. That's the easiest way to make change and to model that for your children and loved ones.
Interestingly, organic food studies show that the risk of childhood obesity is reduced when children are fed diets high in organic food, whole foods and nutrient-dense food. So parents can model a healthy lifestyle by adopting a diet for themselves and their families by including organic foods as well.
It's amazing how adaptable children are and this data gives us even more reason to work toward living a healthy lifestyle for ourselves, our children and literally for generations to come. What a legacy to leave!
Read more!
6.16.2009
GMO or Organic - You Decide
There's a lot of renewed interest in genetically modified organisms (aka GMO). Polls consistently show that American consumers want to know if their food contains GMOs. In fact, in a recent poll, 53% of consumers indicated they would not buy food that had been genetically modified. Despite this growing aversion to GMO products, industrial giants continue to push GMO. Thirty other countries around the world significantly restrict the use of GMOs because they are not proven safe. In the US, the FDA approved commercial production of GMOs based on studies conducted by the companies who created them and profit from their sale...the fox guarding the henhouse....
To be clear, organic standards prohibit the use of GMOs or GMO products in organic products (up to 0.1% can be from GMO according to the organic standards).
Proponents of GMO claim that by genetically altering food, the plants are more resistant to bugs, blight and disease; they also claim that the plants provide higher yields therefore increasing profit for farmers and providing more food for the planet.
Let's exam these statements one at a time.
1. More bug or disease resistent
There are numerous sustainable methods of managing bugs and disease. Yes, they take more thought, planning and are slower acting. However, bugs are good for the environment even if we see them as pests. They are part of a complex ecosystem that taken as a whole is sustainable and manageable. Spraying crops isn't great but genetically modifying plants is worse.
2. Higher yield - more profit
OK, farmers might be able to get more per acre out of their plants, but at what cost? Will it deplete the soil more rapidly? Will it cross pollinate with God-knows-what? More importantly, these seeds are PATENTED. Yup, one would think these belong to nature but no more. GMOs are products of their producers - in many cases companies like Monsanto. They own the seed technology - so you have to buy each seed from them. Many GMOs are designed to self-destruct rather than go to seed. No kidding. It's too strange for words, really. So, if a farmer has to buy seed and pay Monsanto every year, how does the farmer actually make more money? Maybe I'm missing something here but it seems like the farmer who gets sold this model is being sold a bill of goods.
3. Higher yield - feed the world
Guess what? A study released in the last couple of years by a University of Michigan researcher proved (mathematically) that if every arable acre of land on the planet (currently planted) was converted to organic, there would still be a surplus of kilocalories...translation: organic food can feed the world. So, higher yield is NOT the problem, distribution and other issues are what are leading to hunger in some parts of the planet.
Think about what we've learned about the human genome in the past decade. Now, think of all the things we still DON'T know. Odds are that monkeying with the genetic makeup of a species is a recipe for long-term disaster. History is chock full of lessons of "unintended consequences" and we are just at the infancy of knowing what these genetic mutations might do. There is growing scientific evidence that GMOs pose a health risk to animals - so clearly these are not bio-identical products but modified products that impact the animals that ingest them.
Let's talk about the butterfly effect. Perhaps you've heard of it. It's the mathematical notion that a small change at the origin can have a massive impact down the line.
Now, let's apply that to GMOs. GMO plants pollinate, the wind carries the GMO seeds to a neighboring farm. Now, the neighbor next door is growing GMO plants without his/her knowledge or permission. Companies like Monsanto modified seeds so they cannot be replicated - requiring the farmer to continue to buy seed from Monsanto. What happens to the farmer whose field is infiltrated by wind-borne GMO seeds? Must he or she now pay Monsanto? It's insane.
At shopOrganic.com, we work diligently to look at the source ingredients for all the products we carry. We make sure the products are certified organic and we look at source ingredients as well. We firmly and passionately believe that an organic model is sustainable and safe for generations to come. There was a time when science thought DDT was a great answer for crops - only to be banned years later as the cause of serious birth defects.
Don't get me wrong - I love science and technology - but the potential unintended consequences of GMOs are truly frightening. Rather than peddle fear, we'd like to suggest that we all look to creating a healthy, sustainable world for our kids and their kids and their kids. What do you think? Chime in, we love hearing from you.
Want to learn more? Visit the Non GMO Project
Want to buy GMO-free organic products? Head to shopOrganic.com
Read more!
To be clear, organic standards prohibit the use of GMOs or GMO products in organic products (up to 0.1% can be from GMO according to the organic standards).
Proponents of GMO claim that by genetically altering food, the plants are more resistant to bugs, blight and disease; they also claim that the plants provide higher yields therefore increasing profit for farmers and providing more food for the planet.
Let's exam these statements one at a time.
1. More bug or disease resistent
There are numerous sustainable methods of managing bugs and disease. Yes, they take more thought, planning and are slower acting. However, bugs are good for the environment even if we see them as pests. They are part of a complex ecosystem that taken as a whole is sustainable and manageable. Spraying crops isn't great but genetically modifying plants is worse.
2. Higher yield - more profit
OK, farmers might be able to get more per acre out of their plants, but at what cost? Will it deplete the soil more rapidly? Will it cross pollinate with God-knows-what? More importantly, these seeds are PATENTED. Yup, one would think these belong to nature but no more. GMOs are products of their producers - in many cases companies like Monsanto. They own the seed technology - so you have to buy each seed from them. Many GMOs are designed to self-destruct rather than go to seed. No kidding. It's too strange for words, really. So, if a farmer has to buy seed and pay Monsanto every year, how does the farmer actually make more money? Maybe I'm missing something here but it seems like the farmer who gets sold this model is being sold a bill of goods.
3. Higher yield - feed the world
Guess what? A study released in the last couple of years by a University of Michigan researcher proved (mathematically) that if every arable acre of land on the planet (currently planted) was converted to organic, there would still be a surplus of kilocalories...translation: organic food can feed the world. So, higher yield is NOT the problem, distribution and other issues are what are leading to hunger in some parts of the planet.
Think about what we've learned about the human genome in the past decade. Now, think of all the things we still DON'T know. Odds are that monkeying with the genetic makeup of a species is a recipe for long-term disaster. History is chock full of lessons of "unintended consequences" and we are just at the infancy of knowing what these genetic mutations might do. There is growing scientific evidence that GMOs pose a health risk to animals - so clearly these are not bio-identical products but modified products that impact the animals that ingest them.
Let's talk about the butterfly effect. Perhaps you've heard of it. It's the mathematical notion that a small change at the origin can have a massive impact down the line.
Now, let's apply that to GMOs. GMO plants pollinate, the wind carries the GMO seeds to a neighboring farm. Now, the neighbor next door is growing GMO plants without his/her knowledge or permission. Companies like Monsanto modified seeds so they cannot be replicated - requiring the farmer to continue to buy seed from Monsanto. What happens to the farmer whose field is infiltrated by wind-borne GMO seeds? Must he or she now pay Monsanto? It's insane.
At shopOrganic.com, we work diligently to look at the source ingredients for all the products we carry. We make sure the products are certified organic and we look at source ingredients as well. We firmly and passionately believe that an organic model is sustainable and safe for generations to come. There was a time when science thought DDT was a great answer for crops - only to be banned years later as the cause of serious birth defects.
Don't get me wrong - I love science and technology - but the potential unintended consequences of GMOs are truly frightening. Rather than peddle fear, we'd like to suggest that we all look to creating a healthy, sustainable world for our kids and their kids and their kids. What do you think? Chime in, we love hearing from you.
Want to learn more? Visit the Non GMO Project
Want to buy GMO-free organic products? Head to shopOrganic.com
Read more!
6.01.2009
The Skinny On Organic Food
This is part two in our series on the impact of organic food on children and health. The full article (listed at the end of this post) is from The Organic Center and is filled with impressive scientific data and studies showing a wide range of benefits of consuming organic food. This installment looks at how organic food can be a key element in helping children develop healthy weight and maintain that for a lifetime. Numerous studies show that the presence of a variety of pesticides in the mother's blood stream during pregnancy and the ingestion of these pesticides by young children had a significant impact on children's bodies and in particular, the hunger mechanism. Researchers are beginning to evaluate how exposure to other environmental toxins during pregnancy, such as pesticides, may increase a child’s body mass index during the early years, and possibly later in life (Verhultst
et al., 2009; Smink et al., 2008).
Exposure to multiple environmental toxins during pregnancy has been linked to a higher body mass index in off spring. For example, exposure to cigarette smoke and DDE 4 (DDE – the main metabolite of the pesticide DDT), were linked to a higher body mass index in toddlers (Verhultst et al., 2009). In another study, researchers found that children whose mothers were exposed to hexachlorobenzene (a fungicide) during
pregnancy had a higher risk of being overweight at 6 years of age (Smink et al., 2008). Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) also reported that brief exposure early in life to environmental endocrine (hormone) disrupting chemicals (especially diethylstilbestrol - DES) resulted in increases in body weight as mice aged (Newbold et al., 2007).
Enough with the science class - the gist of this, as you can clearly see, is that exposure to chemicals has been shown to increase body mass.
In addition, other studies show that the children of pregnant women and nursing mothers who ate healthy, nutrient dense fruits and vegetables were far more accepting of fruits and vegetables in their diets than were those whose mothers did not eat fruits and vegetables. Food's flavors apparently are found in both amniotic fluid and breast milk and children develop food preferences very early.
The bottom line - pregnant and nursing women should consume organic foods, especially nutrient dense foods including organic fruits and vegetables. They will help their children develop normal metabolisms and lower the risk of obesity in childhood and adulthood as well as foster a healthy appetite for healthy food.
More on this series in an upcoming blog post.
What do you think? Thoughts, comments, insights always welcome here!
You can read the full article from the Organic Center by following this link:
http://www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/That_First_Step_Full.pdf Read more!
et al., 2009; Smink et al., 2008).
Exposure to multiple environmental toxins during pregnancy has been linked to a higher body mass index in off spring. For example, exposure to cigarette smoke and DDE 4 (DDE – the main metabolite of the pesticide DDT), were linked to a higher body mass index in toddlers (Verhultst et al., 2009). In another study, researchers found that children whose mothers were exposed to hexachlorobenzene (a fungicide) during
pregnancy had a higher risk of being overweight at 6 years of age (Smink et al., 2008). Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) also reported that brief exposure early in life to environmental endocrine (hormone) disrupting chemicals (especially diethylstilbestrol - DES) resulted in increases in body weight as mice aged (Newbold et al., 2007).
Enough with the science class - the gist of this, as you can clearly see, is that exposure to chemicals has been shown to increase body mass.
In addition, other studies show that the children of pregnant women and nursing mothers who ate healthy, nutrient dense fruits and vegetables were far more accepting of fruits and vegetables in their diets than were those whose mothers did not eat fruits and vegetables. Food's flavors apparently are found in both amniotic fluid and breast milk and children develop food preferences very early.
The bottom line - pregnant and nursing women should consume organic foods, especially nutrient dense foods including organic fruits and vegetables. They will help their children develop normal metabolisms and lower the risk of obesity in childhood and adulthood as well as foster a healthy appetite for healthy food.
More on this series in an upcoming blog post.
What do you think? Thoughts, comments, insights always welcome here!
You can read the full article from the Organic Center by following this link:
http://www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/That_First_Step_Full.pdf Read more!
5.18.2009
Healthy Kids Begin Organically
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!
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!
5.14.2009
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!
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