Buying Organic Cotton Fabric Wholesale

If you know several people that buy clothes from organic cotton fabrics because it is better for the environment and your skin, then you might want to consider buying organic cotton fabric wholesale. While many people want to wear organic cotton fabric, some find that clothes made from the material is more expensive than clothes that are made from material that is treated with harsh chemicals. This limits the amount of organic clothing that they can buy. It may even restrict some people from buying the clothes made from organic cotton fabric at all. By purchasing larger amounts of organic cotton fabric wholesale, though, everyone you know will be able to save money.

When you buy larger quantities of organic cotton fabric wholesale, you will be getting the fabric at a cheaper price than you could if you bought it in smaller amounts from a store. The more organic cotton fabric that you buy wholesale, the cheaper the price will be for each yard that you buy. While you might not be able to use large amounts of wholesale organic cotton fabric for your family, when you get together with other families that would like to buy organic cotton fabric wholesale, you might find that you can get the fabric at cheap prices and then divide it amongst those who have contributed money.

Organic

There are lots of things that you can make with the organic cotton fabrics that you buy wholesale. Anything that you use that is made out of cotton can be made with wholesale organic cotton fabric. You might find that your family could benefit from sleeping on bed sheets that are made from the organic cotton fabric that you buy wholesale. Because organic cotton fabric isn't made with the harsh pesticides, herbicides, and dyes that are used to make other cotton fabrics, you can help prevent the development of skin sensitivities and allergies by making your bed sheets out of organic cotton fabric.

Buying Organic Cotton Fabric Wholesale

When you buy organic cotton fabric wholesale, you will probably have enough to use for several different projects, even if you have divided the fabric amongst several people. If you have some fabric left over from making bed sheets, then you might be able to make clothes out of your wholesale organic cotton fabric. By making your family's active wear out of the organic cotton fabric that you buy wholesale, you can help ensure that their skin stays healthy. While the chemicals that are used to make most cotton fabric can affect your skin even when you're sitting still, if you are sweating those chemicals can have an even harsher effect.

Buy getting together with other people to purchase large quantities of organic cotton fabric wholesale, you will be saving everyone money and providing them with a fabric that is good for your skin and the environment. It will help reduce some of the cost that you normally have to spend on organic fabrics, and you will be able to complete more projects out of the fabric that you buy.

Also, some companies out there offer custom-weaving of organic cotton fabrics with minimums as low as 100 yards per pattern/color. They are the ones to look at.

Buying Organic Cotton Fabric Wholesale

Amit BUD (MBA, BBM) is a fabric expert and fabric sourcer / supplier / vendor whose company Atlantis Fabrics: Fabrics-textiles.com, offers fabrics like patchwork madras, organic cotton, bamboo fabric, madras, cotton prints, silk fabrics, linen, jute, knits and all kinds of fabrics, sourced directly from their own warehouse in India.Custom-manufacturing of any fabric carried out, plus ready stocks of millions of yards on all fabrics, and available right here online at:

http://store.fabrics-textiles.com/

and patchwork madras can be seen specifically at:

http://store.fabrics-textiles.com/index.php?cPath=42&osCsid=1e65f41a853e47955427287d2797cfe2

Organic Vegetable Gardening For Beginners

To be successful at organic vegetable gardening you must draw up detailed plans. The soil is your first consideration; how to make it rich and fertile, and how to prepare it so harmful pests won't attack your vegetable garden. The two ways that organic vegetable gardening differs from conventional gardens is the usage of fertilizer and how to keep pests under control. Phosphorous, nitrogen and potassium are the three components essential to your organic garden.

For lush, green foliage you must have nitrogen. For strong roots and stems phosphorus is needed. And for the important protection from disease and brief cold snaps, potassium is a must. Let's call them the big three. The big three are available in commercial fertilizers however they are synthetic. In organic vegetable gardening the big three are added in a much different way.

Organic

The best way of enriching your soil is by compost. Dig some pits in your back yard to start your compost from kitchen refuse. Use things like pine needles, corn stalks, leaves, carrot tops, fruits or vegetables that have spoiled, manure, egg shells and coffee grinds. Some organic gardeners use weeds in their compost but I do not recommend this for obvious reasons. As the compost materials decompose they release bacteria and fungi into the soil that you are preparing. The bacteria and fungi convert nutrients like nitrogen to ammonia and nitrates that will be usable for your vegetables. Use substances such as seaweed, potash salts, tobacco stems and wood ash to help make potassium in your compost. By making your own compost, you are controlling the mixture and balance to achieve the right combination for your organic vegetable garden.

Organic Vegetable Gardening For Beginners

To be absolutely sure that your compost has completely broken down and is now offering up the right balance, start working it into the soil at least two weeks before you plan on planting.

The pH in the soil must be right for healthy plants. Test your soil, if it has a ph of 0 it is very acidic, while a 14 is extreme alkaline. Of course a seven indicates neutral soil. To raise the pH of the soil inexpensively use ground limestone. An additional benefit of the limestone is that it contains magnesium something that most soils lack. If, on the other hand, you have extreme alkaline soil use sulpher to bring the pH down.

Pest control in organic vegetable gardening is also different that conventional gardening. In many conventional beds gardeners wish to eradicate all pests with pesticides. Many in organic gardening only wish to keep the pest population down so to have a balance in the garden. Obviously, whenever possible, plant pest resistant vegetables. In order for harmful organisms to grow, they need bright sunlight so keep thick mulch around the plants to deny the organisms that needed sunlight and to help hold moisture into the ground. If you find you have a heavy infestation here is a natural pest control formula:

In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.

Follow this tips and you are on your way to raising a healthy and plentiful organic vegetable garden.

Happy Gardening!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Organic Vegetable Gardening For Beginners

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at Gardening Landscaping Tips, Gardening Outside and Herb Gardening

The Health Benefits of Eating Organic Food

So, you've seen organic produce in the grocery store, organic labels on packaging, and heard about organic food on the news. What exactly does it mean to be USDA certified organic?

Organically certified foods are grown without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, GMOs, radiation, or growth hormones as well as free from other unnatural growth methods.

Organic

Alright, so does that mean organic foods are healthier?

The Health Benefits of Eating Organic Food

Yep.

Foods grown organically have a higher nutritional value than foods that are not. Organically grown fruits and vegetables potentially contain 40% more antioxidants and organic milk potentially contains 90% more antioxidants according to a Newcastle University study.

Not only do these foods have more nutrients, they also contain less chemicals. The chemicals often sprayed on crops are meant to kill other life forms, and while humans may not die from consuming them, these chemicals can still be very detrimental to our health.

Non-Organic foods that were grown using radiation methods can change the chemistry of the food itself, potentially even promoting cancer.

Foods that were not grown organically can be genetically modified, meaning that they are different than the food you are intending to buy. A genetically modified apple is structurally different than a non-genetically modified grown apple, and our bodies were not meant to process and run on genetically modified food.

Yes, organic foods generally are more expensive than other foods. This is because organic farmers do not receive subsidies and organic farming is more labor intensive and time-consuming.

Many people believe that organic foods taste better than other foods. I tend to agree, in part because non-organic foods can be grown with quantity and ship-ability in mind rather than taste.

Something else to consider when deliberating between organic or not is the cost to the environment. Growing food with toxic chemicals creates runoff that can damage nearby water sources. When chemicals are used to grow food, the land can be harmed to the point of the soil becoming infertile.

Not only produce can be labeled as organic. Animal products can gain the certification as well. Organic meat generally means that the animals were treated well, and ate higher quality feed in addition to being free to graze pastures.

Often times, organic produce can be less appealing the eye. But don't let appearance fool you...try eating them before discounting them. You may find that you feel better and that the food actually tastes better.

Investing in your health pays off in the short term and long term, and buying organically grown foods is a good way to do that.

The Health Benefits of Eating Organic Food

Ben Hirshberg

BenHirshberg.com

Organic, Natural, Sustainable - What's the Difference?

Current awareness of the importance of reducing our carbon footprint finds more consumers demanding Organic and Natural products. As a result, more designers and manufacturers are producing 'Green'. Manufacturers adhering to green practices are eliminating toxins from being introduced into the environment improving air quality; not contaminating our water and soil with post production runoff; and providing better quality products for our bodies and our health. Designers are searching for organic and natural materials to use in anything from clothing to home goods. Today's advertisements are laden with terms such as Organic, Natural and Sustainable. So what is the difference between each of these?

Organic pertains to something that is derived from living organisms. Grown with natural rather than synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, consuming less energy and less fuel and emitting less toxic gases, organic products actually have a lower carbon footprint. Organic and natural clothing and accessories are made using raw materials such as organic cotton and organic wool. Organic cotton then refers to cotton produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Production may include the use of fertilizers or pesticides that are plant or animal in origin. Organic wool must follow federal standards for organic livestock production. These standards include use of certified organic feeds, use of good management practices to maintain livestock health and adherence to the natural carrying capacity of grazing lands. Synthetic hormones, genetic engineering, synthetic pesticides, whether internal, external or on pastures, is prohibited.

Organic

Natural, as the opposite of artificial, means existing in or formed by nature. Lanolin, for example, is a greasy yellow natural substance found on wool. Natural lanolin serves as a base for cosmetic products such as ointments and hand creams. Recent trends show a boom in the natural cosmetic and personal care products industry. Consumers are finding the availability of more products made from natural ingredients such as citrus, honey, flowers, herbs, natural oils and so on. To keep a production process organic manufacturers are using natural dyes for color in fabrics. The majority of natural dyes are vegetable in nature made from plant sources such as roots, berries, bark, leaves and wood, but can also be derived from clays and minerals.

Organic, Natural, Sustainable - What's the Difference?

Sustainable refers to something that can maintain its own viability in a short amount of time allowing for its continual use. Hemp is a quick growing robust plant that grows in diverse soil conditions. As one of the fastest growing plants in the world Hemp also has a high yield ratio - about ten tons a year per acre - and it requires no herbicides or pesticides to grow. Hemp Clothing has become very popular especially with recent eco-friendly processes that soften the fibers. Another popular sustainable material is Bamboo. Bamboo is a highly renewable grass used for anything from clothing to furniture and kitchenware. Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant on the earth growing as much as 3 to 4 feet per day. Once planted and establish the intricate underground network of rhizomes keeps spreading making bamboo an extremely sustainable plant.

Do your part to reduce our carbon footprint by finding clothing made from Organic Cotton or Organic Wool, personal care products comprised of Natural ingredients like essential oils or plant extracts and home products made from Sustainable materials such as bamboo.

Organic, Natural, Sustainable - What's the Difference?

Stylishorganics.com is an e-commerce boutique that platforms 'one-stop-shopping' for fashionable organic and eco-friendly products for the entire family. Offered is the best collection of products made from organically grown cotton, bamboo, hemp, sustainable hardwoods and recycled materials. Products are representative of an environmentally friendly lifestyle and have been carefully selected from manufacturers who maintain green practices. Most products offered are made in the USA. Others are from organizations or manufacturers that globally support women. Furniture and home decor products range from chic home accessories to stylish furnishings constructed from organic or sustainable materials. Clothing includes fashions for men, women and children made from organic cotton, bamboo and hemp. Offered are personal care products without chemicals and preservatives, unique accessories, toys, gifts and pet products all made from organic, natural or recycled materials. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

For additional information visit http://www.stylishorganics.com.

Organic Gelatin? Yes!

Gelatin - what is it?

Gelatin is pretty much translucent, tasteless and odorless and is commonly used in foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The culinary gelatin is used mostly as a thickening or emulsifying agent and can be purchased in powder or sheet form. It can also be found in a host of prepared foods, from desserts, ice cream, jellies and yoghurt to cream cheese, marshmallows, gummy bears, aspic and margarine.

Organic

Gelatin is a high-grade protein derived from animal collagen by a process known as hydrolysis. Typically it is made from bovine or pork products, specifically skin or bones. Less common, but important for a kosher or halal diet, is gelatin made from fish.

Organic Gelatin? Yes!

For a vegetarian diet try agar-agar, pectin, carrageen or gum arabic as alternative gelling agents.

Nutritional Value & Health Benefits

Gelatin contains 18 amino acids, of which 9 are essential for humans. It is an especially good source of the essential amino acid Lysine. And though it would be incomplete as a single protein source, gelatin makes a nutritious addition to your everyday diet. It contains no fat, cholesterol or carbohydrates, is free of any additives and easy to digest.

An increasing number of studies suggest that gelatin not only promotes healthy hair and nails, but it may also improve bone and cartilage health. In particular 2 of the amino acids found in gelatin (Glycine and Proline) are needed to produce collagen, the primary component of connective tissues such as cartilage. Thanks to the Lysine, Gelatin also appears to be beneficial to athletes for muscle growth and metabolism.

Quality Concerns - Go Organic!

So, you are a conscious consumer, determined to avoid eggs from chicken factories and meats that are loaded with growth hormones and antibiotics; But what about the quality of the gelatin products on the market?

In fact the quality varies greatly and is influenced by the filtration and purification processes during production. But more importantly the quality is determined by the initial ingredients used for the gelatin production. To end up with a high quality product you have to start out with high quality ingredients, in this case healthy animals, raised in a pure environment. If you are trying to avoid meat from inhumane mass production factories, it only makes sense to set the same standards for all other animal products and by-products.

For a product such as gelatin to receive the organic certification, organic standards have to be followed from the start by the farm that raises the animals to the end of the production lines of the producer and packer.

Since the supply of organic meats has been growing steadily, one could easily assume that organic gelatin would also be readily available - which has been true for some parts of Europe, but not for Canada and the US. Amazingly, it was not commercially available in North America until recently.

It is very good news that this has changed: Certified Organic Gelatin is now commercially available under the brand name GoBIO!. You can purchase it online, at http://www.gobiofood.ca, but it is also starting to pop up in local health food stores and coops around Canada and hopefully soon in the US as well.

There have been some concerns about gelatin derived from cow collagen, due to BSE, also known as 'mad cow disease'. Though studies have demonstrated that the gelatin production process destroys most of the BSE that may be present in the raw material, some concerns remain. This issue can easily be avoided by using exclusively pork based gelatin, such as the GoBIO! brand.

Consumers, we now have a choice! We can feel good about jellin' away, reaping the health benefits while enjoying the characteristic jiggly consistency that only it has to offer.

Organic Gelatin? Yes!

To learn more about pork based Organic Gelatin go to http://www.gobiofood.com

Organic Vs Non-Organic

The inspiration to write this entry came from an article that was published in a local newspaper. The article and paper is not important-all that is important is that the article tried to present information proving that organic food was not any different nutritionally than non-organic. The research from the article came from other papers that had already been written, through which researchers found the benefits of organic food to be insignificant for the "general public". Does that mean the benefits of organic food ARE significant for other populations?

All in all, the article was trying to prove that organic food has no nutritional benefits over non-organic food. However, if you are eating organic food solely for increased nutritional benefit, you are missing the whole point of eating ORGANIC food! If you grow an apple organically, and you grow an apple "conventionally" - they will have roughly the same vitamin and mineral content, depending on when they were harvested. An apple, after all, is an apple. The entire purpose of eating organic is to support healthy practices and sustainable farming methods. The difference is that while the conventional apple is grown, the trees are sprayed with herbicides and pesticides to kill off any bug or bacteria that might hurt the tree or the apple, therefore jeopardizing the harvest. Once the apple starts growing, it is continually sprayed with pesticides so other animals do not eat the fruit. It is then picked before it completely ripens (read: before all of the nutrients and flavor fully develop) and sprayed with more preserving chemicals to deter ripening before the fruit gets to its final destination, which is many times thousands of miles from where it is grown. A significant amount of our environmental impact could be lessened if we all bought locally grown food. Finally, to make sure this chemicalized version of an apple looks good enough to eat, it is coated with wax to make it shine and to make sure the peel does not get any discoloration or blemishes. The wax holds the pesticides and herbicides even closer to the fruit and allows the full force of those chemicals to go into your body. Washing your produce can help with the amount of chemicals that you ingest, but can never remove them all.

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Here is a quick test. Take an apple that you bought at a supermarket and smell it, before you bite into it. Does it smell like an apple? Now buy an apple at a local farmers market and smell it before your first bite. You will be blown away at the wonderful fragrance the apple produces before the peel is even broken. Just imagine what your kitchen will smell like when you are cooking dinner with local organic produce!

Organic Vs Non-Organic

What was also surprising about this article was the fact that their research came from articles that were written over the last 50 years. Our food industry has undergone many changes in the past 50 years, most of which are just beginning to show their true effects with the increases in chronic diseases in our society. The developments for speed and efficiency of food production; pesticides to increase farm output; preservatives that are used to increase shelf life; all of these are taking a toll on the health of our nation. Our bodies are fantastic machines that can process and eliminate many toxins that invade our body, only if we are properly nourished and rested. However, when the body is put under constant "attack" by foreign contaminants, in addition to being malnourished and overworked, it can only maintain wellness for so long. Eventually, the foreign contaminants will overpower the bodies natural defenses and the body will become diseased.

We are only just beginning to see the effects of our damaging farming practices, so conducting research on articles written 50 years ago, is not going to produce useful research. Scientists should be conducting research on the long terms effects of present day chemicals used in conventional farming methods. That is the information that should be presented to the general public, and then let the general public decide for themselves whether or not organic food has significant benefits.

If this information about non-organic food is not frightening enough, much of our food supply has actually been tampered with on the molecular level so they become more resistant to bacteria. These foods are known as GMO or Genetically Modified Organisms, and rarely is this denoted on the label, in fact many of these foods do not even come with a label. For example, strawberries usually do not list the ingredients, so you would not see "made with GMO Strawberries" on the label. In these cases, from the seed, the food is starting off as something that is not natural, but rather man-made. We have invented amazing things in our history, but when it comes to replicating nature, we have fallen short, because nature is too complex.

The full force of these choices has yet to be fully investigated. With all of these foreign contaminants in our food supply on a daily basis, ones that are meant to fight off viruses and bacteria, our own immune systems are becoming inadequate. We are creating a serious situation where the microbial world will continue to evolve and strengthen, but our immune systems will continue to weaken. Our only defense will be antibiotics that man can develop, leaving us with a completely reactive, rather than preventive, line of defense. Imagine a war against a living organism that can morph and adapt. It is not a pretty picture.

Is it easy to eat all organic food? Absolutely not. In fact it is probably the most difficult practice that you could ever try to change, unless you live on your own farm. That, in and of itself, is part of our problem. Even if someone wants to improve their eating habits by going organic, they may not necessarily have the resources, due to availability and financial restraints. With the popularity of Whole Foods, eating organically has certainly become a lot easier and more accessible. However, the cost of organic grown produce versus McDonald's still hinders many from making the leap to an organic diet.

My suggestion is to find a local organic farmers market from which you can buy all of your seasonal produce. The price can be slightly higher, but you can rest assured knowing that your money is being put to good use supporting local farming, not to mention, the short travel time of the food will make for a much longer shelf life in your home. You will notice an incredible difference in the taste and smell of the local food you are eating, making your meals that much more delicious.

The lesson here is that one does not necessarily have to reject the "norm" and purposely go against the grain, but also does not have to accept everything as "fact". Not everything printed and reported in the news needs to be taken without question. If all you take away from this is permission to think and question what does not sit right with you, then this article will be considered a success. You have already heard to think before you speak, but also think before you act, cook and eat.

Organic Vs Non-Organic

Jan Michelle Filoso is an Holistic Health Counselor certified by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She also founded JanWellness, through which she provides one on one and group Holistic Health Counseling programs. Although Jan addresses many health and weight concerns within her practice, her main focus is on stress management and digestive disorders.

Jan Michelle is also a Level 2 Reiki Practitioner and Certified Personal Fitness Trainer. Her mission is to bring optimal health and wellness to her community, making our country's current health crisis a thing of the past. Jan Michelle serves the NYC and surrounding areas.

You can visit Jan Michelle's website at http://www.janwellness.com

Jan Michelle works for Sati Life promoting the intenSati practice as developed by Patricia Moreno. IntenSati is a practice for your body, heart and mind. It is a program that trains you inside and out to live a life you love in a body you love. Find out more at http://www.satilife.com

The Organic Food

If you'd really like to go organic, but are not too sure you can afford it on a consistent basis, you should look around for the best deals you can get on organic farm products. Organic food is not always a lot more expensive, you just need to look in the right places. With the growing number of people who buy organic food, options are also becoming more and more available.

Organic products are now available at several of the major grocery chains, even warehouse operations are starting to offer more organic produce. Look for the "USDA Organic" label for organic foods that are USDA standards compliant. Make sure it's the USDA Organic label, and not just the "USDA" label. While organic foods will always be more expensive, the price difference at places like Wal-Mart and Costco is not too staggering, and your food bill may still fit your budget.

Organic

While there are small local organic grocery stores, their prices for organic food are typically quite significantly more expensive. In some areas though, there are Trader Joe's or Whole Foods Market outlets that offer much better deals. Because they are organic chains, these stores offer endless organic options at great prices. At some Whole Foods Markets, you can even get bulk discounts.

The Organic Food

Another way to save money is by buying fruits and vegetables in season. The reason organic food is more expensive is that it is more difficult to grow. It is particularly difficult to grow out of season. Planning your monthly home menu around in season fruits and vegetables can save you a lot of money. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, never get more than you can consume in a few days. Another drawback of organic food, is that it doesn't keep as well; this is because no preservatives are used. When you find organic meat at a bargain price, you can stock up, just make sure you don't get more than you can fit into your freezer.

If you don't have a house full of finicky eaters, and you don't have a problem with learning how to cook many different dishes, you can get a Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) membership. It's a lot like getting a magazine subscription, for a certain amount, you will receive regular deliveries of in season fruits and vegetables. Like a magazine where you don't get to pick what articles you get, you won't get to pick the produce you get either.

Another great source of organic food is farmer's markets. The prices can be prohibitive, but if you wait till closing hours to do your marketing, you'll find that many farmers drop their prices significantly. You might also consider growing your own food, you can start with cherry tomatoes and herbs, then work your way up to more complex foods later. When it comes to getting affordable organic food, the key to success is being resourceful and patient. Going organic does entail certain sacrifices, and you should be prepared to make them.

The Organic Food

For more financial advice from Sally, please visit her blog.

What is Organic?

The term "organic" is used to describe how agricultural foods are produced. It also is used to describe the methods of processing. The goal of growing organic foods is to improve the health of people and animals, as well as the soil and plants. Growing organic foods and using organic methods for processing them is considered low impact to our environment, and helps balance agricultural practices with the needs of nature.

Farmers with certified organic land must never use chemicals that might pollute the air, water or food. Organic farmers use methods that respect the land and help nurture the animals who live on it. Instead of using chemicals to boost growth of plants and try to discourage pests from damaging crops, organic farmers use sustainable farming techniques including composting and crop rotation to improve the fertility of the soil, and non-toxic pest control methods like spraying vegetable oil on crops.

Organic

To maintain the "certified organic" standing, farmers must not use any synthetic fertizers or dangerous or toxic pesticides and chemicals on the land for at least three years before certification and for anytime thereafter. Pesticides can linger in the environment long after they were applied to the land, so simply purchasing organic foods doesn't completely guarantee that the foods are 100% pesticide-free - but studies by Consumer Reports in 1998 have shown that organic fruits and vegetables had much lower-level pesticide residues, or none at all, when compared to those produced with conventional methods.

What is Organic?

Organic farmers do not use antibiotics or growth hormones which improves the health of people who consume the foods. Where as the non-organic methods of processing food often requires preservatives or irradiation to keep it fresh and edible, the organic methods maintain the integrity of the food without the use of preservatives or irradiation.

Antibiotics lose their effectiveness for fighting disease and infection when used excessively or incorrectly. When farmers use antibiotics in healthy animals, and humans eat the animals or the milk cows produce for example, the effectiveness of those antibiotics in humans can actually be reduced. Organic farmers treat their animals' health without using hormones and antibiotics in order to improve human health through the food chain.

Farmers who grow organic crops are also committed to the humane treatment of the animals that live on their land. For example, farms that have cows for milk allow cows to make milk according to their natural schedules. They provide their animals with organic feed, plenty of fresh air and access to pastures to graze.

What is Organic?

Tisha Kulak Tolar is a writer for Fit4EverYoung.com, where she writes about bodybuilding, exercise, general health and fitness, nutrition and supplements.

A Guide to Fair Trade, Organic Chocolate Companies

Knowing Fair Trade and Certified Organic chocolate companies

Today, there are more fair trade chocolate companies and brands specializing in organic chocolate ingredients than ever. Whether you're looking for chocolate gifts for a special occasion or a quick snack for the road, your eco-shopping trip will be much less hassle today that it would have been even five years ago.

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So breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that you no longer have to struggle over where to buy earth friendly chocolate products. We've collected a long list of the highest quality, most ethically-sound, and most popular chocolate companies and organic chocolate brands. Give them a gander, share them with your friends, and above all, celebrate your choice to live a greener, more socially-aware life!

A Guide to Fair Trade, Organic Chocolate Companies

Alter Eco

Using only Certified Organic and Certified Fair Trade chocolate, as well as fair trade, organic sugar, nuts, raisins, and coffee beans, Alter Eco's chocolates are also free of artificial flavors, sweeteners, chemical additives, and emulsifiers.

Dagoba Organic

Dagoba Organic Chocolate's belief in chocolate as a sacred food (dagoba means temple in Sanskrit) is made from organic cocoa beans from a variety of countries, including Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Peru.

Divine Chocolate

Organized by farmers, the Divine Chocolate company works with small cocoa producers primarily in West Africa, to stimulate ethical trade practices. The company invests in building schools, sinking wells, providing mobile clinics, and fostering women's income generation projects.

Endangered Species

Endangered Species Chocolate stresses principles such as reverence for life and ethical trade. Their wrappers increase awareness of species that are currently threatened or endangered. Ten percent of all net profits are given to support species, habitat, and humanity.

Equal Exchange

Working with three different farmer cooperatives in the Dominican Republic, Equal Exchange organic chocolate products are both organic and fair trade. The company also produces teas, snacks, and coffee.

Green & Black's

Merging the "green" of organic chocolate production principles with the "black" of a decadent life, Green & Black's is both delicious and sustainable. They choose only organic and fairly traded chocolate ingredients.

Grenada Chocolate Company

For Granada Chocolate Company, it's not enough to purchase Certified Organic cocoa beans-they must grow the beans themselves. Working with organic farmers' cooperatives, they grow the beans and then use solar-powered machines to make the chocolate.

Ithaca Fine Chocolates

At Ithaca Fine Chocolates, the aim is to produce exquisite chocolate (using Swiss chocolatier methods) that's also Fair Trade Certified. They also only purchase USDA Certified Organic ingredients. Their wrappers, art cards, and display boxes are made from recycled paper as well.

Newman's Own Organics

A company founded by Paul Newman, Newman's Own Organics carries Signature Series Chocolate which is USDA Certified Organic and made from ingredients grown on Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.

Seeds of Change

Working to keep organic, open-pollinated seeds available for farmers and gardeners worldwide, Seeds of Change also produces some organic food and has recently developed a line of chocolate made from organically-grown cocoa, fruits, nuts, and spices from around the world.

Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates

Based in California, Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates are Certified Organic by the Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) organization.

Terra Nostra Organic

A Vancouver, Canada company, Terra Nostra Organic Chocolate is Certified Organic and known for its magnificent taste and luxuriant finish. The company is also a founding member of Equitable Trade which strives to encourage ethically traded and organic chocolate farming methods for their suppliers.

Vintage Plantations

With the Rainforest Alliance stamp of approval, Vintage Plantations chocolate is made from Ecuadorian cocoa so you know that it's both eco-friendly and ethically traded.

Knowing where to buy fair trade chocolate

Now that you know what fair trade chocolate brands and organic chocolate companies to look for, you may also need some help knowing where to buy organic and fair trade chocolates (some artisans and producers don't sell their wares online). To help you out, here are some tools to help you know where to buy eco-friendly and ethical chocolates:

• Global Exchange carries a wide range of Fair Trade Certified products, including chocolate, coffee, tea, crafts, clothing, jewelry, and more.
• TransFair USA maintains a list of national cafes, restaurants, and retailers carrying their Fair Trade Certified food products.
• The Chocolate Room carries some fair trade and organic chocolate bars.
• You can find Vintage Plantations fair trade chocolates at World Wide Chocolate online.

Choose Earth Friendly Chocolate for Gift Giving

Holidays throughout the year are popular occasions for buying chocolate as gifts. But this year, as you shop the isles or search online, keep earth friendly chocolate gifts in mind, especially when you come to the events here:

Valentine's

Treat your sweetheart to a box of chocolates that are Certified Organic or that have the Fair Trade Certification seal.

Christmas/Hanukkah

Stock up with Hanukkah Gelt that's Certified Organic and look for advent calendars and stocking stuffers for Christmas that are Fair Trade Certified.

Mother's Day

Surprise your Mom with a bouquet of chocolates that are healthier for her and that ensured women around the world were treated with dignity and respect. Fair Trade is the only way to go for this occasion.

Father's Day

If your Father has a sweet tooth, give him a real treat by purchasing organic chocolates that were produced using cocoa beans raised on farms that are pesticide and fertilizer-free. These will hit the spot without hurting the farmers.

Easter

Don't let the Easter bunny bring your children chocolates that were made using child slave labor! Choose Fair Trade Certified chocolates instead.

Halloween

Send trick-or-treaters home with sweets that won't create health problems for them later. Organic chocolates that are toxin-free are a great alternative to conventional treats.

Weddings

If it's your time to plan a spectacular day to celebrate your love, do so with favors that are ethical to add a green, socially-conscious flare to your day. Look for the fair trade and organic seals for your cake, too!

A Guide to Fair Trade, Organic Chocolate Companies

Lorna Li is a green online marketing professional specializing in the LOHAS Lifestyles of Health & Sustainability sector. She is the founder of Green Marketing TV a website featuring videos, news, tutorials, and information aimed at inspiring entrepreneurs to participate in the green economy. When not covering green news, she enjoys Organic, Fair Trade Chocolate [http://goodchocolatekarma.com] and raw cacao smoothies in her free time.

Organic Latex Mattress Vs Natural Latex Mattress - What's the Difference and Who Cares?

In this article I want to clear the air as to what constitutes "Certified Organic" vs. the all natural aka "botanically derived latex" used by manufacturers of latex foam mattresses. As of today there is only one truly USDA/EU Certified Organic Latex used for latex mattress cores and latex mattress toppers. The company that manufactures that product has very limited amounts available so there are only a handful of mattress factories in the United States that can even get their hands on it.

The company that has broken the "Certified Organic Latex" barrier is Latex Green located in Sri Lanka. This has taken years to accomplish. Latex Green had to isolate a large part of their rubber tree plantation and keep it free from any chemical pesticides and chemical fertilizers for years until it was finally awarded the organic certification in both the US and EU. In addition, a portion of the manufacturing plant had to also be isolated and kept sterile. This was a major undertaking and huge expense to pull this off but Latex Green's commitment to the earth and our environment has been nothing short of commendable and greatly appreciated by those of us who offer non-toxic sleep solutions.

Organic

Here's what Latexco, the only authorized distributor in the U.S., had to say about this long journey- "In order to meet the requirements for certification Latex Green segregated a section of the Plantation. The USDA requires that there be no chemical fertilizers or pesticides used on the trees or ground for a minimum of 4 years before any sap can be collected. After purging for 4 years the sap is collected and stored in a separate facility. It is then mixed, processed, poured, washed and packaged separately using separate equipment so as not to contaminate. You will notice that even the pincore pattern of the Organic is somewhat different from the regular (natural but not certified organic latex) Naturalux. That is because the newly commissioned molds used to produce the Organic are used solely for that purpose and never used to produce other products, assuring that there is no intermingling, residue or trace contamination. The material is also packaged in foil lined paper and stored separately in both the LG and our facility. This has been a long and costly process requiring years of commitment, diligence and investment but the results are the World's First Truly Organic Natural Latex". This video can explain it further Organic Latex Mattress

Organic Latex Mattress Vs Natural Latex Mattress - What's the Difference and Who Cares?

When Mithra from the R&D department at Latex Green was asked "How does the organic latex mattress cores differ from the natural latex cores?" the answer was as follows in regards to the harvesting of natural "botanically derived" latex. "According to our plantation comments, it is common that fertilizers are being used at the very early stages until the rubber tree is grown and ready for tapping. Once the tapping starts (approx in 06-07 years) and the trees become mature, the use of fertilizers is reduced gradually allowing the tree to sustain the growth on its own. The plantations that we collect latex from have trees that are over 20 years old and therefore the need to use fertilizers has become unimportant.

Secondly, we use 100% natural latex in our compounds with no fillers or synthetic latex added. Therefore, we also think that our products can be recognized as "Botanically Derived Latex products".

So the bottom line is that the only real difference is the use or non-use of fertilizers in the early stages of plant development. As explained above, even the natural latex, that is technically botanically derived, uses very little if any chemical fertilizers at its harvesting age. The follow up question I have asked is about the use of pesticides which will be the topic of a follow up article once I receive the reply but I expect a similar response.

The only remaining question would be one to ask of yourself, as organic latex mattresses are approximately 1/3 higher in price, and that is "how pure do you really need to go" when buying a natural latex mattress. As a side note, there has never been a reported case of a latex allergy associated with a latex mattress, latex mattress topper or latex pillow according to the FDA and that's because any residual chemicals that may have been present in the finished latex all get washed away during the 5 step rinsing process.

So to completely eliminate any possible chemical contamination the Certified Organic Latex would be the preferred choice. The likelihood that there are any dangers in natural botanically derived latex is extremely doubtful but not inconceivable. The remaining question is "is the difference in price worth the minimal risk"? My conclusion is this; there is no wrong choice here. Both solutions are head above heels better than any other sleep product on the market today. You simply cannot go wrong with either an organic latex mattress or a natural latex mattress.

Organic Latex Mattress Vs Natural Latex Mattress - What's the Difference and Who Cares?

Ken Hightower is a mattress industry veteran of over 35 years. There is a ton of information on his website Latex Mattress Company about organic latex and natural latex mattresses.

Benefits of Organic Green Tea

A main green tea benefit is that it contains powerful antioxidants that favor bacteria beneficial to the human body while killing those that are harmful. Organic green teas have a high rate of antioxidants which are really important to protect the cells from a natural process that prevents toxins that build up from unnecessary oxygen.

Organic tea is the more natural form of modern tea plants that are sprayed with pesticides and other artificial methods of growth. Many tea plantations are now converting to organic due to the harming effects of chemical fertilizers- this organic tea provides a fuller taste that heightens the green tea benefits. The process of green tea formation includes only the leaf bud and top two leaves of the tea plant. The leaves do not become oxidized as they are not fermented like black tea. This process helps to preserve the leaves without destroying the beneficial compounds in the plant. Organic tea benefits also include various nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium and the vitamins A, C, E and K.

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Consumption of organic tea help prevent diseases such as arthritis, improve bone density, reduce the risk of heart disease, and helps fight cataracts. Green organic tea is beneficial for almost every organ in the body as it helps prevent cancer by blocking compounds with poly phenols. Organic green tea helps control blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart attacks. Its daily consumption has shown results in preventing viral infections. It is a very soothing drink that can help you control stress and slow down the aging process. Many people have used green tea for aid in weight loss as well as it works wonders for your metabolism. Tea is also a wonderful alternative to coffee, with many varieties having just half of the caffeine.

Benefits of Organic Green Tea

Benefits of Organic Green Tea

I suggest that everyone should experience the flavors and benefits of tea in its organic form. For more information on organic teas and their benefits, visit Tea Noosh.

Why Buy Organic Tea?

Organic tea has been growing in popularity in recent years, as the organic movement as a whole has grown. Brands that specialize in organic tea, such as Rishi Tea, Choice Organic Teas, Organic India, and Numi Tea, have been growing in popularity, and even mainstream tea companies whose products are available in supermarkets have begun to add more organic offerings.

Why is buying organic tea important?

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The main two benefits of buying organic tea are avoiding toxic chemicals in your tea and protecting the environment in the areas where the tea is grown.

Why Buy Organic Tea?

Toxic Chemicals:

Many people are not aware of it, but the production of tea can involve harmful and toxic chemicals used as pesticides. Most tea is grown in countries like China and India that have lax environmental standards when compared to the standards of countries like the United States or countries in the European Union. When used carelessly, these chemicals can contaminate teas and pose health risks to people drinking the tea. Tea, especially green tea, is promoted for its cancer-preventing properties, but many of the chemicals used in its production are known toxins or carcinogens.

Even when the finished tea is safe for human consumption, the use of these chemicals can can cause health problems for people who apply the chemicals, and also for people who live in nearby areas that can become contaminated by chemicals. Buying tea produced in this manner can thus contribute to environmental contamination and health problems.

Nutrient Pollution from Fertilizer:

In addition to the problem of chemicals that are outright toxic, conventional agriculture can damage the environment through its over-use of fertilizer. Growing tea requires application of fertilizer because organic matter is constantly being taken away as tea leaves are harvested. But the application of synthetic fertilizers can acidify soils and contribute too much nitrogen to runoff, which can damage the ecosystems in streams, rivers, and bays downstream from the region where the tea is grown. Not only does this damage ecosystems, but it can harm the fishing industry as well.

Organic fertilizer does not completely solve this problem but it greatly reduces it.

What does organic certification mean?

Organic certification varies depending on the certifying organization, but in general, it requires that tea (or whatever product is being certified) is produced without using synthetic chemicals, including fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Organic certification prohibits the use of GMO's (genetically-modified organisms), and requires that the land has been maintained in a state free of synthetic chemicals for a number of years. The certification includes record keeping requirements to ensure that organic and non-organic materials are kept separate.

The USDA certifies products as organic in the U.S., and there are a number of other certifying agencies in other countries.

Organic agriculture is not perfect:

Organic agriculture is a move in the right direction but it is not an instant solution to all environmental problems. Some companies have falsely marketed their products as organic in order to sell them for a higher price, so it is important to verify the certification of teas you buy. Organic agriculture can still have negative impacts on the environment, and organic certification does not address the question of fair wages for workers as fair trade certification does.

Is organic tea more expensive?

Sometimes organic tea is more expensive, but the prices of teas are highly variable and many organic teas are comparable in price to non-organic teas. There is little reason not to buy organic tea nowadays. As more people shift to buying organic tea and organic products in general, we will be able to start addressing more environmental and public health issues as we clean up the earth's ecosystems and keep toxic chemicals out of our environment.

Why Buy Organic Tea?

Alex Zorach has an M.A. in statistics from Yale University, and is an avid tea drinker and the creator of RateTea, a website committed to sustainability, and the first online community where anyone can rate and review teas. RateTea also has a wealth of articles pertaining to tea, sustainability, and health. On this site, you can read more about organic tea, and browse and search listings of organic teas, as well as reading more about the environmental and health issues relating to how tea is produced.

Why Is Organic Farming Bad - If It Is?

Why is organic farming bad, if it is? We have been told that organic farming is good for our health. Proponents have trumpeted the message that organic farming is good for the environment. How could it possibly be bad?

It seems that, increasingly, life is being divided into traditional and alternative. Each side claims their methods to be better than the other's. Each tries to win people to their side. Traditional schooling fights alternative schooling. Conventional medicine fights alternative medicine. Mainstream culture fights alternative subcultures.

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Farming, too, is involved in a battle, conventional farming against organic farming. Environmentalists and those concerned with their health assure us that organic farming is preferable in many ways. But others argue that organic farming is bad.

Why Is Organic Farming Bad - If It Is?

Why is organic farming bad?

Research Results

In 2002, Swiss scientists at the Research Institute for Organic Agriculture published in "Scientist" a highly publicized study. Their study, which covered 21 years, compared four types of farming. Two of those types were organic farming. The other two types were conventional farming.

Reporters quickly stated that the study proved organic farming was more efficient. Organic farming's advocates said the study showed that organic farming uses 50% less energy. The facts?

1. Conventional farming is 20 percent more productive than organic farming.

2. Crop yields were significantly lower in organic farming.

3. The above two facts meant energy savings in organic farming were actually only about 19 percent per unit of crop produced, not 50 percent.

4. The study did not test organic farming against the most current methods of conventional farming. If it had, experts say, the 19 percent advantage of organic farming would disappear.

5. Current conventional farming matches organic farming when it comes to environmental advantages. Both have beneficial insects, produce less pesticide and fertilizer runoff, and reduce soil erosion.

6. Food quality was almost identical in conventional and organic farming. Advocates of organic farming had long claimed their food was far superior.

7. Current conventional farming methods produce the same or greater yields mentioned in number 1 above.

This research does not, of course, conclude that organic farming is bad. On the face of it, the conclusion is more that organic farming is not very different from current conventional farming. There most be other reasons for people believing organic farming is bad.

Organic Farming Can Kill

Many took from the Swiss study a realization that, as Cambridge chemist John Emsley said, "the greatest catastrophe the human race could face this century is not global warming, but a global conversion to 'organic farming'- [where] an estimated 2 billion people would perish."

Organic farming may supply food for small markets, but how can it feed starving nations? Its adversaries claim that current conventional farming is the only hope for these people. If we turn entirely to organic farming, they say, we will doom billions to die of starvation.

Challenging Organic Farming

Alex Avery, Director of Research and Education for the Hudson Institute's Center for Global Food Issues, recently published a new book, "The Truth About Organic Foods." (2006) In this book, Avery offers an unemotional look at the odd origins and unscientific basis for organic farming.

Nobel Peace Prize Winning Agricultural Scientist, Dr. Norman Borlaug, says about this book, "The Truth About Organic Foods gives consumers a thorough and straight-forward explanation of why organic foods offer no real health or safety benefits. More importantly, Avery communicates why organic farming's lower yields and reliance on scarce organic fertilizers represents a potential threat to the world's forests, wetlands and grasslands. The book offers scientifically sound evidence that more-affordable conventional foods are healthy for families and also good stewardship of nature."

Skimming Mr. Avery's book, one finds statements that indicate:

1. Organic farming started in the 1920s when a German mystic advised use of only animal manure because synthetic fertilizers had no cosmic energy.

2. Soon, the wealthy decided manure-fertilized produce was better.

3. J.I. Rodale first published his "Organic Gardening Magazine" in 1942, and the organic farming / organic gardening movement was named.

4. In 2007, organic farming advocates still have no credible science to support their beliefs.

5. Organic farming does not avoid pesticides. About 5 percent a vegetable's weight is natural pesticides, some of which are cancer-causing.

6. Foods from organic farming have more illness-causing bacteria. (The January 2007 issue of "Consumer Reports" showed that chicken from organic farming has 300% more Salmonella than that from conventional farming. University studies have found more bacteria in vegetables from organic farming than in vegetables from conventional farming.

7. If organic farming, which decries synthetic fertilizer, was chosen over conventional farming, we would have a choice. We could kill millions of people to reduce global food needs, or we could sacrifice wildlife habitat in the amount of millions of square miles so we could produce more manure.

Why is organic farming bad? Mr. Avery believes he has the answer.

Notwithstanding Mr. Avery's new book, I am not sure whether organic farming is bad or not. It is often difficult to sort through rhetoric and find fact. I do know that my forefathers had large organic farms. The produce was good and it was nourishing. Before I can turn my back completely on organic farming and organic gardening, I need clearer evidence. You probably want to do more research, too.

Why Is Organic Farming Bad - If It Is?

©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about organic farming on a small scale at http://www.organicspringtime.com. Anna is posting new articles regularly, each one dealing with some facet of organic gardening. If you want to know how to make your own organic fertilizer, you will want to read Anna’s article on the subject.

Organic Face Creams With Nano Lipobelle H-EQ10 and Cynergy TK

A high quality organic face cream seems to be what is on the minds of many people nowadays. They are hoping to find that antioxidant face cream organic ingredients will give them the healthy results that they have been looking for. Good luck finding one though.

Finding a high quality organic face cream can be much like looking for a needle in a haystack. The department stores rarely carry anything of the kind of quality that you are looking for in an all natural cream. Mostly what you will find in these stores will do you more harm than good.

Organic

In order to be effective your antioxidant face cream with organic ingredients should all be healthy for you to use. This is not often the case as far as the products that you will typically find on department store or pharmacy shelves. The majority of them are loaded with harmful chemical agents.

Organic Face Creams With Nano Lipobelle H-EQ10 and Cynergy TK

The major companies seem to believe that all that they have to do is put one or two natural ingredients into their organic face cream, and then they can fill out the rest of the product using whatever they want. Many of the chemicals that are regularly used can cause you great physical harm over time.

An antioxidant face cream with organic content should actually be something that you can use. Collagen is a naturally occurring substance, but it is not absorbable through the skin, so it is simply a wasted ingredient in any form of topical cream. The sources that they derive the collagen from make it incompatible with our own collagen.

An organic face cream should be composed of mainly vegetable or plant based ingredients. These oils are the closest in physical properties to the skin's own natural oil making them more easily absorbable by your skin than any of the petroleum based moisturizers so commonly used today.

The best antioxidant cream organic ingredients are without a doubt contained in Cynergy TK with Nano-Lipobelle H-EQ10. This is a mixture of nano emulsified CoenzymeQ10 and Natural vitamin E that is specially blended in order to maximize penetration. Cynergy TK uses just a single antioxidant molecule to wipe out millions of free radicals.

Cynergy TK is one of the features of an organic face cream line that was created by a company hailing out of New Zealand. They have created this formula for their anti aging skin care program, and have been receiving rave reviews for their products ability to stimulate the re-growth of collagen and elastin.

Their antioxidant face cream organic features only the finest natural ingredients such as active New Zealand Manuka honey, Phytessence Wakame Japanese brown sea kelp extract, Babassu palm oil, Maracuja passion fruit extract, and many more natural oils and waxes.

Their organic face cream is being touted as the absolute best anti aging cream available on today's market. Their products can only be ordered directly through them, so you will not see these fine creams and lotions in stores. Try their products today if you want products that are as effective as they are safe.

Organic Face Creams With Nano Lipobelle H-EQ10 and Cynergy TK

Valerie Rosenbaum has studied just about every anti-wrinkle skin firming cream on the market today. She recommends only products that use natural ingredients.

The holistic skin care products she recommends instantly reduce fine lines and wrinkles while nourishing the skin with Functional Keratin. To learn more about what she found visit her website http://www.DefendYourSkin.com

Organic Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil - 3 Tips For Finding the Best Quality Product

Organic unrefined virgin coconut oil is often said to be the best kind of coconut oil that you can eat.

Made from organically grown coconut and processed in the traditional way (without chemicals), it's a nutritious and delicious fat to add to your diet.

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High in MCTs (medium chain fatty acids) which have been shown to have antiviral and antibacterial properties and tend to be easier to digest than other fatty acids, coconut oil can be a miracle food for people who are suffering from immune related diseases, including AIDs.

Organic Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil - 3 Tips For Finding the Best Quality Product

But coconut oil is also beneficial for people who are not suffering from disease. MCTs are an essential part of a healthy diet.

3 Tips to Find the Best Quality Product

1. Certified Organic

There are many brands and varieties of coconut oil on the market today, some of them certified organic, some not. A certified organic label will only be meaningful if the organization who did the certification meets standards that you feel comfortable with. Find out the name of the certifier and look up the standards online if you are unsure.

2. Unrefined

Unrefined should mean that the oil hasn't been processed with chemicals or altered in other unnatural ways. It will retain the taste and smell of the food it's made from.

Although there are many healthy oils on the market that have been refined in traditional ways, not with dangerous chemicals, the label 'unrefined' should mean just that. Keep in mind that some unrefined oils must be heated to remove excess moisture and deactivate enzymes that can cause spoilage.

Unless you're going to make the oil yourself and eat it quite quickly, some processing is necessary for safety. Don't believe a coconut producer who claims that their oil contains lots of live enzymes. If it truly does, watch out, it hasn't been processed properly and will spoil quickly.

3. Virgin

With the exception of the classifications for olive oil, virgin is not a standardized description of the properties of other oils that has been minimally processed. But if the company that you're buying from seems reputable then there is good reason to think that the virgin label is true.

Fortunately there is a growing awareness that the decades-long scare about tropical oils was based on misinformation.

Most people don't realise that one of the key studies that was used to label tropical oils as a villain was based on feeding animals *hydrogenated* coconut oil. That oil was further refined to make it completely devoid of any essential fatty acids. It's not a surprise that the animals would have major health problems in a short period of time.

Fortunately natural coconut oil has not been found to pose the same problems. Instead, it's a delicious and nutritious addition to the human diet, as it has been for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Organic Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil - 3 Tips For Finding the Best Quality Product

What is the best Organic Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil that meets all of these standards above and more for a reasonable price? Find out at http://www.glutenfreeshoponline.com/gluten-free-casein-free-diet/where-to-buy-coconut-oil/

Organic Plant Food and Fertilizer - How to Make Organic Seaweed Fertilizer Extract - Granules

Why We Need Fertilizer

Plants do need a whole host of mineral nutrients to sustain healthy growth; most soils do contain a balance of minerals. A soil may be lacking in some of them, and adding fertilizer will enhance the plants growth and performance. Millions of people do live near the sea or go on vacation with a trailer to seaside locations and seaweed is the best Organic Fertilizer on the market. This is because it contains natural nitrogen minerals which are not found in very many other organic fertilizers.

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After working for several years for a seaweed manufacturer I am about to blow the lid and you can discover how easy it really is to make your own fertilizer.

Organic Plant Food and Fertilizer - How to Make Organic Seaweed Fertilizer Extract - Granules

How to Make Your Own Fertilizer

Equipment needed:

· 1 medium sized bin about 25 litres, 5 gallon.

· Food processor.

· Oven or grill (optional).

· Kitchen foil.

· Oven trays.

· Scraps of wood to fit into the inside of the bin.

· A cutting tool i.e. a saw.

· Something heavy in my case I use bricks.

Product needed:

· Seaweed bubbly type preferably (more extract/juice comes out) 7 Kg, 14 Lb

· Food preservative (optional)

OK you've got the equipment and product together

· Cut out a scrap of wood that will fit in the bin a quarter of the way up from the floor.

· Put in the bricks to support the wood and create a new floor for the bin.

· Make sure the wood is not a tight fit.

· Liquidize the seaweed about 1 Kg, 2.2 lb at a time in the food processor.

· Use blades that will give you a rough finish (you don't want it too smooth).

· Add minced up seaweed to your upgraded bin.

· Repeat this process until your bin is full.

· Clean out the food processor as the seaweed contains a high level of salt

· Cut another scrap of wood to fit inside the top of the bid (about 5" from each side of the bin).

· Put the bin outside and load the bricks on top.

· Leave for 2 days.

The top of the bin (oven)

· Unpack the bricks and transport the seaweed into an oven tray with kitchen foil on.

· Place in a pre heated oven at 200°C, 392 °F.

· Cook for half an hour or until really crispy but not burnt.

· Grind up (optional).

· Add water 40 grams diluted with water makes up to 20 litres of seaweed liquid feed.

· Or add straight to the soil.

The top of the bin (without oven)

· Unpack the bricks and transport the seaweed straight onto the soil and mix in.

The bottom of the bin

· This is where the liquid extract will be.

· Add Food preservative or can place in freezer or use within 4 weeks and store in fridge.

· Add water in a watering can up to an amazing 80 to 1 mix

I have searched the web for instructions on how to make my own seaweed extract and I think this is the first detail instructions on how to make organic fertilizer seaweed extract and seaweed powder/granules. Seaweed granules can also be used as animal feed, seaweed powder can be used alongside pet food just sprinkle some in and this increases there fertility rate as well as help smelly pet breath.

Organic Plant Food and Fertilizer - How to Make Organic Seaweed Fertilizer Extract - Granules

I think in this day and age techniques are lost on making your own products and everybody should have a chance to be organic seaweedproducts.co.uk Only when your night-shift do you realize at the end of the day, is start of the shift.and having the wrong tool for the right job is better than no tools at all

Natural & Organic Fruit Tree Sprays

Fruit trees should be sprayed in early spring before the bud opens in order to kill overwintering insects/insect eggs nestled in the crevices of your fruit trees. However, in order to safeguard your health and that of the environment, consider using one of the environmentally safe natural or organic fruit tree sprays which are every bit as capable of killing overwintering insects and insect larvae. Any of the following organic and natural fruit tree sprays will do the job: a lime sulfur/horticultural oil mixture, a horticultural oil/water mixture, and a homemade spray made up of natural ingredients.

Organic Fruit Tree Sprays

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The first type of organic fruit tree sprays, the lime sulfur/horticultural oil mixture, can sometimes be bought premixed, but you can also buy a kit and mix the two. The lime sulfur is a natural fungicide which kills dormant fungus spores or bacteria. The horticultural oil is used to smother all overwintering insects and/or the eggs.

Natural & Organic Fruit Tree Sprays

This combination spray must be used early in the spring before the buds swell and break open; otherwise you risk burning the new leaf. Also it can be sprayed only if the temperature remains between 0 degrees Celsius (32 F) and 20 degrees Celsius (about 70 F) for at least 24 hours because the oil part of the spray needs time to smother insects or their eggs. A cold night will break down the oil before it has a chance to be effective. However if it happens to freeze after the 24 hour period, there is no harm done.

Spray when there is very little or no wind, and no rain, snow, or sleet in the forecast. Read instructions carefully and cover yourself well because it can be a messy job when you spray your tree from the top down until it drips. In addition, the lime sulphur has a strong smell, so wear clothes you can wash.

A second type of organic fruit tree sprays, the horticultural oil/water mixture, can be used not only in early spring but also throughout the summer as long as the spraying is done early in the morning when the weather is cooler and the tree has cooled off. This mixture is far less messy than the first one.

Natural Fruit Tree Spray

You can always opt out of this messiness by making your own mixture with natural ingredients from your kitchen cupboard or bought at a gardening center. One spray mixture which is easy to make and which can be used in the spring or at any time during the summer months includes liquid seaweed (found in plant nurseries) blackstrap molasses (the kind you use for cooking), apple cider vinegar, and Murphy soap - all added to a gallon of water.

The seaweed and the molasses not only fight fungal disease in the garden but also feed the plant through the leaves (called foliar feeding) especially if you are spraying really early in the morning when the leaf pores are still open.

You needn't worry about the molasses attracting bugs. The plants absorb the molasses instantly. Boom it's gone! The fruit trees just love it!

The acidity of the vinegar helps kill black spot on roses, powdery mildew, brown patch, and other nasty fungi.

So instead of spraying your fruit trees with poisonous insecticides/pesticides, you may want to consider using the dormant spray combination of lime sulfur and horticultural oil, the dormant horticultural oil/water mixture, or a spray made up of natural ingredients, a spray which not only smothers the insects/insect eggs and fights fungal diseases but also feeds the tree.

Natural & Organic Fruit Tree Sprays

Bio: A gardener for years, Marcie has learned that getting rid of overwintering insects/fungal diseases in early spring is necessary. Find out more about Natural & Organic Fruit Tree Sprays

Organic Food History and Current Trends

Farming practices used before the 1900's are classed as organic. It was only after this that added chemicals such as urea and DDT were brought into farming - previous to this, farmers didn't have the knowledge and simply put, were happy enough with things as they were; as most of us today would be. After all, home grown food is often the nicest, most tasty food we put on our plates.

For some reason, during the 1960's and 1970's the concept of organic food became a separate entity to the 'normal' food we were then buying. Consumers had been effectively duped into believing that what they were buying, was food as nature intended, it not appreciating that the chemicals which were added during growth of the 'normal stuff' were what actually made the food abnormal in the first place.

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Rachel Carson, a prominent writer, biologist and ecologist established public awareness of these issues via 'Silent Spring', a book she wrote which basically brought about major controversy on the use of agricultural chemicals and synthetic pesticides in particular. As a direct result of this book, and the growing concern over the use of farm chemicals which consumers were suddenly more aware of, chemical regulation procedures were put into place, and when the demand for organically grown food rose, so did the need for further regulatory procedures to cut down on the ecologically destructive and toxic chemicals.

Organic Food History and Current Trends

Today, organic food is finally reaching an all time high of acceptance from consumers, so its demand is increasing - more 'organically acceptable' agricultural procedures are gaining momentum, and it seems even though it is more expensive than chemically treated foodstuffs, it is healthier, and it is that health factor which is winning the battle against chemically treated consumables.

A creation of a whole new set of ideas about organic standards which first came into debate in 1990, took over ten years to refine to relative perfection, and they will still evolve as new practices come into force. It is by these standards now that, organic food and other products such as wool in the USA is grown/gathered.

All of this though begs the questions - why can't farmers just grow food without chemicals at all, why does it need regulation, and why were chemicals introduced into grown food and other consumables in the first place; I think you already know the answer though, and that's money.

In this modern technological age where farmers are in direct competition between each other to gain the bigger contracts of the supermarkets and other food retailers, they have to be cheap. They simply can't grow the vegetables (for example) as fast as the grocery store can sell them, so they have to resort to other methods to keep up, or did do at least until the consumers voice began to ring out strong and true.

Organic food is no longer a small niche in the food desires of Americans; it is becoming what everyone wants. Everyone now wants and feels the need to eat in a more healthy fashion with the onset of so many new medical conditions which prove costly as it is; a little more expense to eat something grown without strong use of chemicals (which could 'theoretically' make it worse) might mean a saving health-wise instead.

The organic food trend of today is growing ever-stronger, and not just for vegetables even though at one point organic purchases totalled over 40% of all organic buys. Meat and fish which is organically produced is still at the lowest of all food purchases, but is moving up the chain too. Dairy, bread and grain, beverages and snacks are all becoming more and more popular.

Today there are more Organic supermarkets popping up everywhere, sometimes in certain areas more than others - almost as though people in one state are more 'organic' than others but on the whole it is more of a blanket change than just a few people trying to eat in a healthier way, the amount of people eating organically is far more substantial than most realize. Suddenly people have more choice, and this is obviously because the demand is there. The world is finally going organic, and with any luck the bigger grocery store chains will have to meet this demand, rather than flood the market with low-cost chemically treated alternatives.

Organic Food History and Current Trends

Carl Copeland is motivated to bringing information and resources to others regarding Food Storage, Food Safety, and Food Preparation and its benefits for everyday life. Save money by having your food last longer. More Info at http://www.Food-Storage-Info.com

Organic Hormone Replacement Therapy For Women - The Natural Alternative To Risky Hormone Treatments

Menopause is one of the most irritating and discomforting times of an adult women's life. If you were to ask any women they would gratefully accept any product that would bring relief to their hot flashes, mood swings, and trouble sleeping. The problem with this is that in their quest to bring balance to their lives women have subjected themselves to unnecessary risk. This is especially true after recent studies indicate an increased risk for women developing cancer after taking hormone replacement therapy that includes estrogen, progesterone and other steroid hormones.

Why Do Women Take HRT?

Organic

1. To help alleviate symptom of pre-and-post menopause which include:

Organic Hormone Replacement Therapy For Women - The Natural Alternative To Risky Hormone Treatments

• Hot Flashes
• Trouble sleeping
• To prevent calcium depletion and fractures (especially of the hip)

2. To boost mental and physical health overall

• To reduce and eliminate mood swings, irritability and emotional ups-and-downs
• To bring balance to the body by regulating hormones
• To increase energy levels and libido

Is There A Risk In Taking HRT?

Yes, if you are taking a hormone replacement therapy that includes the use of hormones like estrogen and progesterone. While it is noted that there is an advantage to taking HRT, above and beyond the benefits of reducing and eliminating hot flashes, such as a a decrease in hip fractures and rectal cancers, HRT treatment still poses a considerable risk for many women. For all the health risks that hormone replacement therapy warrants women are still undermining their health by taking hormone pills with estrogen and progesterone.

Are There Alternative Treatments Available for Women?

Yes there are alternative treatments for women; more specifically there are all-natural, organic alternative hormone treatments available. Any woman considering HRT should take a closer look at one of the all-natural hormone replacement products available such as Avlimil. Avlimil is an all-natural alternative for women to treat their menopause symptoms in the most organic way possible. These botanical ingredients work with your body to restore energy levels and bring balance to your bodies internal system. Avlimil does not contain any steroid hormone treatment including testosterone, progesterone and estrogen.

Organic Hormone Replacement Therapy For Women - The Natural Alternative To Risky Hormone Treatments

If you are looking for relief from night sweats and emotional ups-and downs and would like to see a reduction in your menopause symptoms without risking your health then take a more in-depth look at your all natural hormone replacement therapy options like Avlimil, visit www.libidounlimited.com today for more information on hormone supplements, libido supplements and female sexual enhancement creams.

http://www.libidounlimited.com

Honey - The Difference Between Organic and Conventional

This sweet glistening liquid is found in most Australian cupboards. Most people have often wondered what the difference is between conventional and organic honey. Here are a few facts that may open your eyes about this ancient commodity.

Conventional Honey
Short supply of honey in Australia means honey packaged under an Australian brand does not mean it has been produced here (and often not clear on the labelling). There is concern of the fact that imported honey is produced in genetically engineered crops (Argentina is a major producer of GE canola and other flowering GE crops). GE crops in Australia pose a threat to both conventional and organic honey production. Using antibiotics in bee keeping is common to treat disease and chemical bee repellents are used. Heat treating is also common in conventional honey production and there is no limit on the temperature to which honey can be exposed. Supermarket's do not like honey crystallising on the shelves although this a natural occurrence and a good sign that it's untainted, we often think when honey crystallises it has gone off. Heat treating keeps the honey clear and runny and destroys some of the delicate anti-oxidants and enzymes that are naturally present in honey.

Organic

Organic Honey
Certified Organic beekeepers are required to ensure their hives are a safe distance from anything that can contaminate the honey, such as garbage dumps, livestock watering troughs, urban areas, golf courses, conventional orchards and crops, and GE crops. Although bees don't require feeding, in bad conditions (particularly cold periods), some feeding using organic sugar or sugar syrup is used. No chemical bee repellents are used, but natural methods (such as burning leaf litter). Unlike conventional bees, organic bees are unable to be treated with antibiotics or other conventional veterinary methods. Heat treatment of organic honey cannot exceed 45 degrees C.

Honey - The Difference Between Organic and Conventional

Health Benefits
Apart from having a superior flavour, organic honey oozes a range of health benefits. A carbohydrate, it provides energy at a reasonable steady rate with a glycaemic index (GI) rating in the moderate range. Nutritionally superior to sugar, honey contains enzymes, vitamins, minerals and free radical antioxidants.

Honey - The Difference Between Organic and Conventional

Scott Butler
Owner of Organic Home Delivery Service Organic Angels
http://www.organicangels.com/blog