Growing Tomatoes - Little Known Secrets to Growing Ripe & Juicy Organic Tomatoes

No vegetable lover can resist a ripe, juicy tomato fresh from the garden.

I don't even need to make a case for how much of a difference tasty organic tomatoes make in dressing salads (or my personal favorite: BLT sandwiches!)

The tomato growing secrets I'm about to share with you are specific, easy steps you can take to grow and enjoy your own flavorful organic tomatoes this garden season.

Secret #1: Forget The Junk Chemical Fertilizers

It's a proven, undisputed fact that organically grown tomatoes taste much, much better than chemically grown tomatoes.

You see, food companies use chemicals because it makes their tomatoes grow quicker, which allows them to turn around crop faster so they can make more profit.

Remember, making money is not your goal here.. you want great tasting, mouth watering, juicy tomatoes that will amaze your family and guests!

Secret #2: Find a Sunny Patch Of Ground And DON'T Make This *Crucial* Mistake...

Every expert will say "make sure you find a nice patch of sunny ground" - that's common knowledge and you probably already knew it - but here's the thing lots of folks leave out and will destroy your garden if you don't do it: that patch absolutely needs to get at least 6 full hours of focused sunlight!

Feel free to use a garden bed, patch of land near your patio, etc. - just be sure about the 6 hour minimum sunlight requirement!

Helpful Tip: Place your garden near your watering source whenever possible.

People get so preoccupied with where to place their garden - and rightly so because it's important - but then water becomes a stressful chore because the watering source is far away.

How To Know What Type Of Tomato Will Grow The Best

There are plenty of different tomato varieties and depending on where you live, one type will grow better than others. (So many people falsely assume it doesn't matter and select the wrong type for their soil!)

So how do you find what tomato grows best in your garden? Call a local nursery expert.

I've found them to be an excellent resource.

They'll tell you exactly which tomatoes have proven track records for growing nicely in your climate!

Secret #3: Fertilizing Schedule And A 'Trick' That Makes Them Grow Healthier

You'll want to naturally fertilize your tomatoes every other week until you see fruit, and then fertilize again after each flush of fruit. A balanced organic fertilizer will work fine or if you're the do-it-yourself type, you can use fish emulsion in water.

Healthy Growing Tip: Use mulch in your tomato garden and put up tall stakes or wire cages) for them to grow. (Tomato plants can climb as high as 6 feet!)

Point is, don't let them grow along the ground - they'll get diseased and eaten by pests!

Secret #4: Keep Away Pests With These Easy Home Remedies

You definitely want to discourage pests from inviting themselves into your garden.

Here's how to do it: use hair to stop slugs in their tracks, dipel for hornworms and soapy water for aphids.

Secret #5: When To Harvest Your Tomatoes

Make sure you harvest your crop when they're at the "pink shoulders" stage - that's when they first start to ripen.

If you wait much longer you'll have birds and insects fighting you for them!

Discover more shockingly easy organic garden tips for your garden, including easy ways to keep your garden healthy and thriving at http://www.OrganicGardenTips.net

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Organic Gardening Principles

The reasons why you should learn organic gardening principles are many. It might be because you want to start a new garden, but you do not want to damage the environment. Maybe you want to transform your current garden. You may want to serve some delicious, organic fruits and vegetables to friends and family. Whatever your motivation maybe, you should always consider certain things when planning a garden.

Your goal as an organic gardener should be to produce high quality products while using no outside resources. Following organic principles, means you should not use any nutrients, fertilizers, or pesticides. Better yet you should avoid using water tap, instead you should use rain water. You should try using natural materials, it's a challenge, but it will worth your while.

You should start a compost heap instead of throwing away vegetables and other waste food. This is one of the best way to manufacture your own nutrients for your garden. You will discover that there is not really shortage of materials for you compost heap. When the lawn is mown, all of the grass should be put into the heap. All of your waste food should be added to the pile, and once it is ready you can spread it on your garden and watch the plants grow.

Some people use chickens as part of their organic gardening. The allow the chickens to roam their garden. Chickens are easy to sustain. The will spread there manure in your garden, and you probably will never have to buy them food. The use of maggots is popular. Everything that cannot go into the compost heap such as leaf over meat products and dead animals, could be place in the maggot bin, and in a couple of weeks it will be full of maggots that you can feed your chickens.

With these systems in place, almost none of your leftovers are put to waste. You simply have to start thinking along the lines of saving all of the nutrients you can, and converting them into energy that your garden can use to grow healthy, delicious fruits. It's a cheaper way to maintain a garden, it's healthier for the environment, and it creates better, more natural products.

With this system in place, none of your leftover go to waste. You should now be thinking along the lines of saving all the nutrients you can, and converting then into energy for use in your garden, so as to enable you to have a healthy garden. It's a cheaper way to maintain a garden, and it is healthier for the environment. It also produces a better product which is of course natural.

Juni Daniel is a freelance writer and the moderator of the website Organic Gardening Tips And Benefits

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Finding Organic Foods in Phoenix

When you are ready to purchase Phoenix, AZ real estate, you will be sure to go to a Phoenix real estate agent who will analyze every Phoenix real estate listing in order to help you find the perfect home. After you are all settled into your new home, you will have time to begin to explore the city and what it has to offer. People who are interested in maintaining a healthy lifestyle will find several opportunities to get outside for exercise, but part of your good health has to do with the food you eat. There are several ways for a new homeowner to find excellent organic foods sources in Phoenix.

Organic foods can come from no farther away than your own backyard. Homeowners who also love to cook understand the value of having the freshest produce grown to organic standards. You could endeavor to do this by installing a potager on your property. Potager is a French term for "kitchen garden," and as the name implies your garden is grown with the purpose of providing you with ingredients for your meals. During World War II in America, they were known as Victory gardens. Potagers are wonderful, because you control the growing conditions of each plant, and can ensure that no chemicals are used. You also have the ultimate choice of what to grow. You can grow unusual varieties of vegetables, fruits and herbs that are not available in stores because they do not hold up well in shipping. How about white 'Casper' eggplant, or 'Purple Haze' carrots? You also are allowed the pleasure of picking each food at its prime, so that your meals will be full of flavor. Certain vegetables can be grown along with flowers to make an interesting and unique garden, and because of the mild climate, homeowners in Phoenix can usually enjoy home-grown vegetables year round.

If you don't have time to grow your own, there are many wonderful options for finding organic foods. One is to attend a farmers' market. Foods are often locally grown and organic, and because they do not spend days in transit they taste better. You might try the Downtown Phoenix Public Market or Roadrunner Park Farmers' Market on Saturdays.

Another place where organic foods are offered is through a CSA, or community supported agriculture, farm. One such farm is Crooked Sky Farms, located in several spots around the Phoenix area. Subscribers to the farm pay a fee at the beginning of the growing season, which goes directly to the farmer, and then the farmer provides the subscriber with seasonal, fresh produce at regular intervals, usually once a week.

You will find Phoenix AZ homes for sale along with excellent sources for organically grown foods in Phoenix. Your good health will thank you for it.

Wayne Hemrick writes informative articles about Phoenix real estate aimed at people interested in finding out about Phoenix AZ real estate listings. A Phoenix real estate agent who is well versed in the market in and around Phoenix Arizona, Wayne Hemrick proves to be invaluable resource for anyone looking for a potential phoenix real estate investment.

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Organic Plant Nutrients Offer a Green Solution

Hydroponics is a method of gardening that uses no soil, but instead the plant's roots are immersed in a liquid solution of plant nutrients. Depending on the types of plants you wish to grow, you might want to select organic gardening supplies that would include organic hydroponic nutrients.

Why is it important to grow plants organically?

Plants absorb nutrients up through their roots. This is good when the nutrients include the minerals they need to grow and thrive. It becomes less attractive when you stop to consider that plant roots can also take up toxins. These toxins can be found in the soil, in the water used for adding moisture to the plant roots, and in fertilizers and pesticides used to promote plant growth and production.

If the plants you want to grow are vegetables and fruits, then you obviously do not wish to eat plants that contain toxins, because those toxins will then end up in your body and have the potential to cause health damage over time and repeated exposure. It is a safer choice, in terms of healthy options, for food crops to be grown organically. This means that no toxic chemicals will come into contact with the plants. Hydroponics offers one method of growing crops organically.

This can be a problem if you want to produce organic produce on land that has been exposed to toxic chemicals. Even if you do your part to keep your property chemical free, neighboring land can be host to toxins that can be released in water runoff that can end up on your land, contaminating it.

Plants growing indoors offer an alternative in this situation. Growing indoors allows for complete control of all environmental factors that can have an effect on the plants. When you garden using hydroponics you can choose integrated pest management techniques and use no chemical pesticides at all, yet still maintain a pest-free environment. Because the plants are grown without soil contact, you avoid all the soil-borne toxins as a matter of course.

So, too, you can use organic hydroponic nutrient solution to feed your plants, knowing that the all natural ingredients will not add toxins to the plants, and neither will there be harmful chemical residue running out of your storm water drains.

Although each different type of plant, be it a tree, flower, vegetable or shrub, will require a special hydroponics nutrient solution based on their specific needs, nevertheless all plants, regardless of where or how they are grown, require a few minimum nutrients for survival. The three major nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, followed by macronutrients and micronutrients in lesser amounts. Hydroponics allows you the greatest control over every aspect of plant growth, from chemical-free plant nutrients and pesticide-free pest prevention, so that the end result will be the freshest, healthiest vegetable and fruit crops for you to enjoy.

Susan Slobac discusses the different types of plant nutrients used when growing indoors, including organic plant nutrients, a popular choice in organic gardening supplies.

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3 Fruits For Diabetes - To Eat and Beat Diabetes

How will it be good to eat fruits for diabetes? Can it be a valid statement to claim "Eat and Beat Diabetes" in real sense? Of course, it looks somewhat foolish to some people. But it's true that there are fruits helping the diabetes to control blood sugar. Though fruits are usually bearing sweet taste, they have different medicinal effects. It's bad for diabetes if you eat fruits with high sugar. Otherwise, many of the fruits are serving good for diabetics with antioxidants to burn energy needed to the body. We select 3 fruits here to help diabetics.

Apple fruits

It is undeniable that eating apple fruit controls Diabetes type II. If you are not convinced, grab one big apple fruit and eat it as a whole for test. If you start monitoring blood sugar levels every half an hour for 12 hours, you will be surprised to notice a go-down process in your blood sugar level. Anyone should expect an increase in sugar level after eating apple. But it will be different and you will raise your eyelids that a fruit containing good amount of sugar (glucose) derails from its action track and brings down the sugar within half an hour by about 40dl/ml. What should be there more than this to make you believe that eating apples is good for diabetes?

Grape fruits

Grape fruits are of two varieties. Here I would like to place before you the red grapes. Black grapes are tasty but are not serving the purpose in reducing blood sugar. Red grapes are good antioxidants, and are themselves a WONDER CURE for diabetes. Cardiovascular disease is the major cause following blood sugar. Many researches have proven that the grape fruits can reduce the risks of heart attacks with high blood sugar. The effect of this fruits is higher than that of dietary fibers. Thus the combined effect of red grapes with dietary antioxidants and organic fiber works well in reducing blood sugar.

Guava and pomegranates

These two fruits are cheap and best for diabetes. Guavas are high in antioxidants and are good sources of Vitamins A and Vitamin C. Pomegranates should be eaten fresh to get the maximum benefits to lower blood sugar levels and beat diabetes. Since earliest times the pomegranate has found a prominent place as grapes, and it is equally good for diabetes.

Are you sure that you are convinced that fruits are good for diabetes? If so, speed up your way to fruit stall to get any of these fruits to overcome diabetes.

Controlling blood sugar is really an art. If you want to be an expert and hundred percent safe, you should know the description of foods to eat AND foods to avoid.

Varadharajan R is the author of this article. This article can be used for reprint on your website provided all the links in the article should be complete and active.

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Organic Milk Vs Regular Milk

There are many arguments for and against different types of milk. One example is organic milk vs regular milk. Many people wonder what are the differences, which one is healthier and why is one more expensive than the other. These questions are easily answered.

Organic milk is defined as being received from cows that have not been fed grain with pesticides in it. In addition, the cow has not been exposed to bovine growth hormones or antibiotics. If the cow has received antibiotics, then it has been kept away from the rest of the herd for a year.

In regards to regular milk the opposite is true. The cows receive a bovine growth hormone that assists them with increasing their milk production. The grain and hay they receive most likely has been treated with insecticides. If the cow becomes injured or sick, it will be treated with antibiotics.

Even though the cows do receive the hormone and the antibiotics according to USDA Standards the cow's milk cannot have antibiotics in it and the milk tanks at diary farms are routinely checked to make sure they are antibiotic free.

In regards to increased amounts of CLA a professor at the university of wisconsin has stated that merely drinking organic milk will not increase the amounts of CLAs in your body but you need to eat more fruits and vegetables as well. The study also shows the amount of grass the cows eat does not substantially increase the amount of CLAs in the cow.

There are many differences between the two types of milk. The differences can trickle down into the cost of the milk. Prices of milk do vary by region. On the average, a gallon of organic costs approximately $5.00 and a gallon of regular milk costs about $3.50. The cost of the product is increased for organic milk as it takes more resources to grow healthy organic feed and hay for the cows. There is also an increased amount of care given to the animals, as they cannot utilize antibiotics.

There are many differences between organic and regular milk. The health benefits of organic milk outweigh the regular milk. Organic milk has no pesticides, chemicals or preservatives in it. It is a healthier alternative to regular milk. The bovine growth hormone has been linked to different adverse health conditions. It is definitely healthier to drink organic and pay the extra price than consume the regular type of milk.

Organic milk today has become very popular and is gaining market share rapidly. There are many good reasons to drink organic milk. If you can afford it then I would do it.

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Some Interesting Fruit Nutrition Facts

This is a collection of some interesting fruit nutrition facts. Fruits and berries are like nature's candy. Most of them are loaded with unique antioxidants. So, it's a good idea to eat a variety of them. The ones mentioned here are some of the best choices.

Kiwi

A 3.5 ounce serving of kiwi has twice the vitamin C content found in a 3.5 ounce serving of oranges. It is also one of the few vegan sources of omega-3 fatty acids, because of the edible seeds in each slice. Ounce per ounce, kiwi seeds have more omega-3s than flax and are much more fun to eat.

Black Raspberry

Black raspberries also contain edible seeds that are high in omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, they are a source of anthocyanins, a unique group of antioxidants that may provide numerous health benefits, when consumed on a regular basis. Scientific evidence indicates that anthocyanins may provide protection against cancer, inflammation, diabetes, bacterial infections and numerous age-related diseases. Other sources of anthocyanins include acai, eggplant, red grapes and blueberries. The typical fruit nutrition facts do not list anthocyanins. So, you have to do a little research if you want to find out how much your favorite fruits contain.

Apples

Apples contain a variety of nutrients, but the highest concentration is found in the multi-colored peel. A food manufacturer would list the average content and include the amount found in the peel, whether or not the peel is used in the product. So, you can only use the manufacturers' findings as a guide. It might not be entirely accurate. Research suggests that eating apples may reduce a person's risk of colon, prostate and lung cancer. The benefits to the colon may be due to the dietary fiber, most of which is in the peel.

If you read the fruit nutrition facts for apples provided by the USDA, you might not be very impressed. It is not rich in basic vitamins or minerals. But, what are not on the list are unique antioxidants called proanthocyanidins. The Red delicious and Granny Smith varieties contain the highest average amount per serving.

If you need to lose weight, eating more fruits and berries can help. They are nutrient dense, rather than calorie dense foods. There is reason to believe that the reason we tend to overeat is because we choose foods that provide calories, but do not provide the nutrients needed by the body. So, we are still hungry. Hope you found these fruit nutrition facts as interesting as I did. If you don't see your favorite fruits here, keep looking. This is just a small sample of what nature's candy has to offer.

Patsy Hamilton was a health care professional for over twenty years before becoming a health writer. Currently she is writing a series of articles about heart health. Read more at http://www.total-health-and-fitness.net.

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Top 10 Organic Foods to Help You Lose Weight

Organic Foods are more than fruits and vegetables. Choose organic meats, fish, and dairy products for greater satisfaction, food safety, and weight loss. Not only will you lose weight, but you will increase your chances for optimum health, and long life.

Top 10 Organic Foods to Help You Lose Weight

1. beefsteak
2. butter
3. cheeses, full fat
4. chicken
5. coconut oil
6. cream
7. eggs
8. olive oil
9. salmon
10. shellfish

Weight loss is often tied to low carb diets, calorie restriction, or a vast array of diet plans from Atkins to South Beach to the Zone. But only The Silver Cloud Diet points to cutting edge science regarding the use of organic foods and all natural organic saturated fats to increase weight loss, satiety, and health.

Surprised? You thought this top ten list was going to be vegetables and fruits? Organic protein selections are grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, or genetically modified grains. Pasture raised animals require no antibiotics. Their health is optimum and they pass these benefits on to the people who choose them.
A diet rich in natural, organic saturated fats will help you lose weight, improve your blood pressure, lower your cholesterol and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

How is this possible? "Saturated fats are satisfying,"according to Dr. John Salerno, internationally acclaimed internist and diet doctor, "so you eat less. Your calorie consumption will go down quite naturally while your satisfaction goes up. This natural calorie restriction not only helps you lose weight but live longer and healthier".

And at a deep, cellular level, according to Mary Enig, PhD of The Weston A Price Foundation, who has studied dietary fats forty years or more, "the diet should contain a minimum of 25% saturated fats." Enig says, in her article, "The Importance of Fats for Biological Function", that only saturated fats can protect the body from the ravages of age and from the incursion of tumors, commonly called cancer.

"Many people recognize that saturated fats are needed for energy, hormone production, cellular membranes and for organ padding. You may be surprised to learn that certain saturated fatty acids are also needed for important signaling and stabilization processes in the body" says Enig.

Dr. John Salerno, New York internist explains. "Saturated fats in the diet, although long considered by mainstream medicine and the press, to be unhealthy, actually have the complete opposite effect. In my patients, I see better weight loss and weight control management among patients who include saturated fats in their diet. And a healthy body is a young body."

Dr. Salerno begins his weight loss patients on a program he calls "The Full Fat Fast", which is a two week regimen that precludes carbohydrates, and focuses on organic protein and saturated fats. "I tell my patients to choose organic foods, including dairy, meats, fish, and oils. This will rest the body from the ravages of the Western Diet, and jump start their diet."

"Organic foods aren't just fruits and vegetables. The Western diet has become so degraded with the onslaught of industrial farming, my patients and I have learned that only an organic diet will help them achieve their weight loss goals as well as improve their health and chances for a long and healthy life."

Dr. John Salerno is a board certified family practice physician in New York City. He has satellite practices in Japan, Brazil, and Florida. He has helped many patients lose weight and improve their health using the Silver Cloud Diet protocols.

Dr. Salerno's new diet, The Silver Cloud Diet e-book, is available at http://www.thesilverclouddiet.com.

Linda West Eckhardt is an award winning journalist and cookbook author, holder of the prestigious James Beard and Julia Child awards for cookbooks.

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Organic Fruits and Vegetables - Now More Affordable and Nutritious For Everyone

Organic foods are now more affordable than ever. But are you really getting more nutritional value when you choose organic over conventionally produced foods? It depends on which foods you look at.

Organic sounds more appealing because these fruits and vegetables are grown without any pesticides or chemical fertilizers. But millions of people eat conventionally grown food every day and do not become ill. So how do we know which is better?

Many people suffer from allergies and do become violently ill when they eat food that has been grown using pesticides. These people account for less than ten percent of the population of North America and they definitely do benefit from eating only organically produced foods.

There are now extensive studies surrounding the nutrient content of organic crops and those produced with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. These studies look at the individual nutrients in each food being studies to see which has a higher nutrient content. It turns out that organic carrots have a higher content of zinc, and organic broccoli has a higher Vitamin C content. The results seem to show that organic fruits and vegetables have a higher level of nutrients than non-organic about 50 to 80 percent of the time. The rates are slightly higher for Vitamin C and protein. Organic fruits and vegetables also have a significantly lower level of carcinogenic nitrates. This fact alone may be a good reason to choose organic, especially if you already have a history of cancer.

The animals that have been fed organic feed also appear to be in better health. This is an area that will need to be researched further to get more definite results.

Connie Ragen Green looks at healthy eating at [http://www.healthFitnessLongLife.com] Sign up and receive healthy eating and diet tips.

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Food Safety Bill HR 2749 Threat to Organic Farming

The Food Safety Bill HR 2749 is less about food safety and more about giving the Federal Government, through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the power to control food from production to point of sale. The one size to fit all regulatory system will mean that small family farms and homesteaders will be at a major disadvantage when competing with the large industrial food production companies.

Opponents of the Bill say that if this Bill becomes law then most family farms, including organic farms, and homesteaders will be forced to go out of business. Which will mean the end of buying locally grown food and in particular organic food from organic food stores.

Some of the provisions in HR 2749 are -

The establishment of a food and ingredient tracking system. Which will track all edible raw materials from the land, or industry complex, to the retail outlets. How this will be accomplished is to be left to the FDA to create. The fear is that this tracking system will not only be complicated but that the FDA will pass the cost onto the food business facilities in the form of extra taxation.

The FDA will have the legal authority to turn up at a food facility's place of business without a warrant and conduct a search of the business records without any justification, i.e. the food facility need not necessarily have committed any offense or be suspected of having committed any offence.

If you owned a farm, or a shop, where you did all the work yourself. If the FDA were to turn up at your premises unannounced and conduct a search of all of your business records which could take all day, or several days, how much work would you get done? Would you consider the intrusion a major setback in the running of your business? Do you consider it would not happen to you?

Here are just three examples, as listed on Mike Adams web site, of the many armed raids carried out by the FDA on independent businesses.

1. During October 2007 the FDA conducted a raid on the premises of FulLife Natural Options, Inc, based in Florida. The FDA took away 71,000 dollars worth of herbal supplements. FulLife's crime was to state on their web site that the herbal supplements could lower blood sugar levels.

2. In 1990 FDA agents, without a search warrant, raided the pet food store of 57 year old Sissy Harrington-McGill, confiscating products and literature. Her crime was to say that vitamins could help keep pets healthy.

3. In 1992, in Texas, the FDA conducted raids on 12 health food stores. Stock was confiscated and never returned to the owners. No reason was given for the raids and no charges were filed. According to Mike Adams "The raids were simply a campaign of terror designed to destroy the inventory and disrupt business operations of stores selling natural health products".

The FDA will have the power to stop the movement of all food in an area regardless of the fact that the food may or may not be involved in a contamination scare. In theory this could result in some retail outlets in the designated area, such as farmers markets, running out of food.

The FDA will have the power to instruct farmers how to grow their crops. This could result in organic farms being forced to use chemical pesticides and fertilizers, thus reduce or obliterate organic standards.

All food facilities who produce, store, process or sell food will be required to pay an annual mandatory registration fee the 500 dollars. If you ever sell your surplus food to your neighbor then this also includes you.

Any individual person who violates any regulation set by the FDA will face criminal charges with a maximum fine of up to 100,000 dollars per violation and up to ten years in prison.

The legal power to be given to the FDA is horrific by any reasonable person's standards. Which is why the organic farming organisation "The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund" is so strongly opposed to HR 2749. If this Bill should become law then it is more than likely that in the near future the only food available to buy will be processed food either frozen, in a packet or can. Fresh food will become a rarity.

One last point. Even if fruit and vegetables in their natural state are still available there is a high probability that they will not be fresh. The FDA is well known for its support for the irradiation of food. If the FDA get full control of the food supply it is highly likely that they will regulate that all natural unprocessed food is to be irradiated. Their excuse for the irradiation of fresh food - food safety.

Organic Farming and Growing Your Own Food http://www.healthforyou.org.

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Organic Gardening Container - A Primer

Organic container gardening is not really a very difficult task. Obeying mother natures laws when you grow your own herb plants, house plants or flower bulbs is really very simple. The most difficult part is starting off with organically sound materials. A lot of the herbs, vegetables or fruits you might want to grow organically are already infected with pesticides and or toxins. What you can do is grow directly from and organic seed. That way you know exactly what happens to your protégés in your containers. This way of tending an organic container garden is one of the best ways to really grow biological. Here are some tips I can offer you to start growing your own healthy ecological sound plants as a window box garden, or as outside patio containers. There are many suppliers of organic seeds on the market.

Getting it together and setting the Priorities

Containers them selves are not the problem. It's possible to use just about anything that can hold soil or water as a gardening container. Just make sure it doesn't contain toxic's. Your first priority therefore is the soil. This is the basis for your organic container garden. It is the foundation on which you build. Make sure you start out with a high quality organic and rich soil with an open structure. If you are into composting or even better have your own composter you should have no problems with creating a great soil where all your plants will flourish. In such environment your plants or flowers will get enough nutrients from the compost to make additional chemical nutrients unnecessary. Composting is a great way of recycling your kitchen waste, you can visit our site for more information on the subject.

Chances are that you are not in the position to do your own composting, don't worry there are perfect alternatives available in most organically oriented nurseries. They have all the mulches and composts available you will need. One thing to watch out for is a possible contamination with unwanted weeds or pests.

Selecting your seedlings

Since you are growing from seed you can pick out the best and most strong seedlings yourself. Healthy strong plants are the best for to start with organic container gardening. Strong plants make good crop, strong herbs a tasteful addition to your organically grown vegetables. Don't try to grow different types of plants in one container. Sometimes its possible but more often than not the competition of the different species will make them both weaker. Spending their energy struggling for the nutrients and space in your container.

Be on guard for unwanted pests and other impurities. They are the constant threats to your organic container gardening project. Perhaps your herb and flower seeds are of great quality the soil is perfect but if insects, or snails get a hold of your carefully grown flower box garden you have a problem. A problem that can even get completely out of control when insects lay their eggs in your window box garden.

Pests, nasty insects and how to deal with them

If in spite of all your precautions you become a victim to such a pest organic pesticides can sometimes help. But even more important is your imagination. Try to mimic nature. So you can also put foil collars around your pots in order to keep the worms out. And be very friendly to ladybugs. These creatures will eat away a lot of nasty insects that come near your plants. An other option is sticky traps to defend your small garden against flying insects. If you look around you will find many more possibilities to successfully ward these attacks off.

Enjoy the journey and discover more about natures complex workings

Organic container gardening is not difficult, and when you follow the basics you will enjoy a flourishing little garden. Time and experience will help you with more difficult projects and the development of green fingers.

Barbara is writer at http://www.gardening-guides.com there you can find more information about composting and biological gardening

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Organic Grocery Stores Online

For consumers in small suburbs, it may be difficult to find organic food stores. Farms markets are an option for some people, but they don't always offer organic diary and meat products and most are not open year-round. Shopping for organic food online can be an alternative for those who do not have an organic market in their area or can't find the time to get to one.

The GreenPeople directory which is hosted and funded by the Organic Consumer Association is a good starting point for finding affordable organic foods online. They've earned the title of world's largest directory of eco-friendly and holistic health products. To make shopping easy, the site allows you to search for products by keyword or brand name. Not only do they offer a long list of products available for purchase such as fruits, vegetables, diary products, snacks and baby foods, but they also offer a list of other organic food directories for those who can't find what they're looking for right away. And for those organic food eaters with green friends, there is an automatic email feature that allows the visitor to invite his or her friends to shop for their organic foods online too.

The Organic Kitchen does not sell organic food products directly, but serves as a hub to many other organic cyber stores. The lists can be displayed in alphabetical order by products sold or store name. So, if you know you need organic baby food, click on the "B", for baby food and then choose a store among the many listed selling organic baby food online. The website also offers a list of organic restaurants, places to find recipes and a list of vineyards that offer organic wines.

When cost is not an issue, Diamond Organics offers some of the best organic grocery shopping the web has to offer. They have been in the business of organic food retailing for more than eighteen years and only offer high quality products and produce. There website is easy to navigate and almost all products are available with nationwide overnight home delivery. All Diamond Organic food products are grown in Monterey County which is located on California's central coast.

Buying organic food online can be convenient, but depending on your reasons for eating organic, it's not always practical. Ordering organic food online allows you to reap all the same health benefits as if you had bought the food at a local market, but having it shipped can contribute to your carbon footprint. Most deliveries are made by truck or plane, adding harmful emissions to the environment. If you're worried about your carbon footprint, look for organic food stores that offset there carbon emissions by investing in clean energy or donating to a green cause.

Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about organic grocery stores online [http://www.myorganicgroceries.info/organic-grocery-store-online], please visit My Organic Groceries [http://www.myorganicgroceries.info] for current articles and discussions.

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7 Benefits of Eating Organic Produce - Organic Fruits and Vegetables

The link between your health and food is not just a conclusion. How many times have you heard the phrase, that you are what you eat. You know how important and vital part of your diet are the fruits and vegetables. They provide more than 50% of your everyday intake of food. Fruits and vegetables provide many vitamins and minerals, which your body need to function properly. They are also very low in fat and reduce the risk of many illnesses and chronic diseases like high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, Crohn's disease, some cancers.

But what if you knew that some of the fruits and vegetables that you buy are full with chemicals. What if you knew that all the goodness of the fruit or the vegetable is drastically reduced by the way somebody has added artificial fertilizers to their produce. You can always change that. The first thing you can do is start buying organic. The other option you have is to start growing your own organic fruit and vegetables.

There are so many great reasons to go organic. But I have the benefits for your health are worth all the effort. After all it is always better to prevent the disease than to try to find the cure.

1. Organic fruits and vegetables do not contain chemical pesticides. Studies show that they cause a long term health damages such as respiratory problems, dermatological conditions, neurological deficits, some cancers, birth defects. Organic farming is using crop rotation in order to keep the soil in the good shape.

2. Organic fruits and vegetables have higher levels of minerals and vitamins. They are vitamins A, C, D, B group and minerals like zinc and calcium. All these micro nutrients take major role in your health. The other part of this benefit is that your body absorbs the natural vitamins and minerals a lot better and easier as if you like to take them as an supplement.

3. Organic fruits and vegetables are produced with environmentally friendly methods and are free from GM. That means that the produce does not depend on the success of the method, that has been used. And it means that you will taste the produces own flavour.

4. Organic fruits and vegetables allow you to get a great mixture of season produce. In that way you will always know what to choose and your body will benefit from the quality. This will also allow you to buy mainly locally and not break your bank.

5. Organic fruits and vegetables will help you on getting your daily amount of vitamins and minerals easy. There is a good old saying"One apple a day-doctor go away. Eating organic means, that you are looking after your body. This also will put your mood levels up, which will benefit your overall health

6. Organic fruits and vegetables are very easy to grow. All you need is some space and desire to have your own organic garden. You will be using the mother nature goodness-sun, rain and season. It is a great hobby, which will protect your health.

7. Organic fruits and vegetables are really tasty. The benefit for you is that you will enjoy eating your fresh produce-cooked or fresh. There is nothing that can replace the taste of a nice organic fruit salad. Don't forget its tasty, healthy and really natural.

We all live in a world full with choices. At any moment of our lives you need to make small or a big decision. Sometimes the choice is really easy when you have to choose between organic and non-organic food. And the choice is even easier when you know what will bring benefits for your health and well being.

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Three More Organic Pest Control Tips For Your Garden

For the health of you, your family and pets who visit and eat from your beautiful garden the best pest control is with the help of Mother Nature. With this in mind here are three more ways to naturally rid your garden of unwanted or bad-bugs:

First of all you can personally hand pick the larvae, eggs and worms. I suggest looking for them whenever you go to your garden or at the very least once a week during growing and harvesting season.

Secondly this technique is used in the fall, while it's still cold outside you can expose the pupae to good-bugs, frogs and birds by tilling the surrounding soil. That way Mother Nature's helpers can more easily do their jobs.

Thirdly, if you need more immediate results perhaps this recipe for Homemade Organic Insecticidal Soap for garden veggie bad-bugs will help. But keep in mind this organic, environmentally safe soap can also kill the good bugs so only use it when absolutely necessary...

Homemade Organic Insecticidal Soap for Garden Recipe: You will need...

The following items:
Gallon container or bottle to mix and store
A Spray bottle

The following ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Organic soap (I like Dr. Bronner's Organic soap it is so safe you can brush your teeth with)
2 Tablespoon Organic oil (I use organic cold pressed olive oil)
1 Clove of Organic Garlic
1 tsp. Organic Cayenne Pepper
1 Gallon Water (city water users I suggest using filtered or Mountain Spring)

(FYI: You can even buy a gallon jug of purified or mountain spring water at most supermarkets and this gives you the container with the filtered or purified water ready for the above ingredients)

Simple Steps:

Fill the Gallon container about halfway with water.
Add the above ingredients to this Gallon container.
Then fill the Gallon container with the rest of the water, put the lid on securely and shake it up until it is well mixed.
Pour well mixed liquid into your spray bottle.
You can and should put the lid back on the Gallon container and save the remaining mixture to refill the spray bottle when needed. This will have even more garlic properties in it. Be sure to store it in a cool preferably dark place.

Congratulations! You have just made your own safer, better for you and your family natural and organic insecticidal soap at a fraction on the cost of caustic dangerous chemical insecticides usually purchased at the store.

As you can see the best pest control for your garden is with the help of Mother Nature and your personal touch. There are so many more gardening tips for you, so read or watch gardening 'how to's', videos and free tips at: http://VictoryGardenTips.com and learn natural sustainability for you and your family.

Author: Doreen Whitelock, Be Well and Do Great

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Acai Berry - Brazilian Acai Berry Diet and Weight Loss

The Brazilian acai berry is very beneficial for your health for many reasons: This little berry is jam packed with antioxidants, nutrients, fibers, and minerals that your bodies needs to stay healthy and well balanced. Adding the Brazilian acai berry as a part of your diet gives you the ability to boost your metabolism, give you more energy, aid in your cardiovascular and digestive systems, and helps you with weight loss.

Acai Berry for Weight Loss

You can buy acai berries in the form of juice, smoothies, juice, pills, and powders. Each offers their own benefits for weight loss:

- Acai Berries: If you are trying to lose weight, then replacing one meal a day, and eating the berries as snacks is an excellent idea. Not only will your body have more natural energy to spare, but you will be providing your body exactly what it needs to get rid of that old, stubborn fat. Higher antioxidants levels are better.

- Acai Smoothies and Juices: Smoothies and juices are often made from the pulp of the acai berry which is the most beneficial part of the fruit. Both are rather thick, and absolutely wonderful to drink. For those trying to lose weight, they make an excellent filler and desert option. Keep the portions a fair amount, and do not overdue these. Both offer a natural amount of sugars and energy your body needs.

- Powders: Used mainly in the weight loss supplement and body cleanse and wrap methods, the powder is a very good source of natural antioxidants. For weight-loss, they offer a wonderful benefit for the 'on-the-go' weight loss person: Simply take a few teaspoons of the powder, place it in some milk, or water, and shake, then drink. Short, simple, healthy and sweet.

Tip to remember: do research to make sure that you are purchasing the Brazilian acai berry in its purest form. There are many products out there that are diluted or have sugars and additives added that degrade the nutritional value of the Brazilian acai berry and its potency.

Due to the high levels of antioxidants in acai products, they are a great aid in weight loss. By ridding the bowels and colon of backed up fecal matter, mucus, and other toxins which can slow down your digestive system and hinder its effectiveness, the Brazilian acai berry is a great addition to any diet.

Here is an important point to note when looking for online merchants to purchase your next acai berry product. Look for those web sites that are certified merchants of InsureShip since they offer a 100% customer satisfaction Guarantee. You can feel confident and secure when ordering from such a site.

As always, talk to your family physician about the use of these berries before you go on a diet or health change. While they are safe to change, you want to make sure your system can handle the increase in antioxidants. They contain so much more than blueberries, strawberries, even pomegranates. So, they can be a bit strong for some.

Whether you want to boost your immune system, strengthen your heart, eat a healthier diet, or lose weight, the super-food known as the Brazilian acai berry, could be your answer. Delicious, powerful and simply one of the best health food items to date, you will enjoy this great berry!

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Organic Fruits and Vegetables - The Real Health Benefits

More and more, we are told of the benefits of eating organic food as opposed to chemically altered GM food. While some researches show that there is little or no difference in the health content of genetically modified food and organic food. We all know for a fact this is not the whole true.

If you look at the main differences between organic and genetically modified, basic common sense will be all you need to understand that there is a lot more benefit to be gained from eating organic food as opposed to its inferior counterpart.

To begin with, the issue of enhancing food with chemicals produces crops that are not only covered with pesticides but are bulked with water. This gives an unnatural growth rate and an artificial appearance that is not natural. Take time to observe all the hundreds of perfect veg in your local supermarket and you will know it is unlikely. If you have ever been on the continent, you will no doubt have seen all the wonderful misshaped fruit and veg. More to the point, non GM vegetables have what is known as increased "dry matter" this means it is composed of more food substance and less water. This will help towards making up more of your daily allowance of minerals and nutrients.

Another advantage for consuming non GM Veg is the higher amount of phytonutrients. These are life enhancing antioxidants that are an integral part of the plants make up, acting as a defence against harmful chemicals and pesticides while it is growing. It it comes as no surprise that a plant allowed to grow without pesticides and chemicals will have a lot more of its natural defences (pyhtonutrients) intact, these of course will be passed on to you as you consume them. The more common phytonutrients are; lycopene (abundant in tomatoes), polyphenols (found in potatoes) and flavenols (to be found in apples).

Start eating organic fruits and vegetables and reap the real health benefits, right from your very first meal.

Learn to grow your own organic garden food. Visit http://www.squidoo.com/organicfoodgarden

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When Pineapple is Not a Fruit - Pineapple Sage

Pineapple Sage

This is a very interesting herb to have in your garden, not only for the culinary reasons, but also as a showpiece flowering plant for the fall. Pineapple sage leaves can be used to add to salads, or as an add in to tea for the hint of pineapple flavor and the very noticeable fragrance of fresh pineapples but that is not its strength for the Herbanite.

In zone 7 it is known for the absolute brilliant red flowers it produces in the fall for sure, and also during the summer season sporadically. Once it starts flowering there is no doubt what is and where is Pineapple sage. The plant stands out due to the flowers and can become a centerpiece for your visual delight. The flowers are also more noticeable than the other surrounding plants simply because the height of its flowering season is when other plants, especially most known solely for the beauty of the flowers, is preparing to go dormant for the winter. That is the time Pineapple sage is reaching its glory days.

Many people are not aware that the flower is actually an edible, or shall we say, a digestible!! Chefs and other at home innovative cooks like to top a white icing cake with the brilliant red flowers of pineapple sage bringing the flowers into the edible flower menu. Another innovative approach is to prepare a fruit type punch, or even a mojito, and sprinkle a few sage flowers into the glass or punch bowl to create a visually appealing drink. Some even place a few slightly crushed leaves into or around the serving piece for the fragrance of pineapple to enhance the aromatic properties of a "born at home herbal delight" drink freshly prepared and visually appealing.

In zone 7 pineapple sage is a "tender perennial" which means best to do prior to hard winter is cut back to about 1-2"s from ground, mulch over with good top set of old leaves and insure a 60-70% chance of new growth the following spring. Pineapple sage loves a direct hot sun for the best growing environment.

Bob Johnson is co-founder of the HerbFest, http://www.herbfest.net, a 10 day herb festival held annually in Wake Forest, N.C. The lifestyle festival highlights ways to incorporate herbs into everyday living.

Herbal tips on herb uses, culinary, crafting,, recipes, aromatherapy are sent free weekly to subscribers to the Herbal Lore & Legend series: http://bit.ly/herbalLoreLegend

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To Buy Or Not to Buy Organic

TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY ORGANIC?

FRUITS-

Berries; Buy organic strawberries & raspberries.

Blueberries & blackberries are good choices for nonorganic berries.

Stone Fruits; Buy organic stone fruits whenever possible. Avoid conventionally grown peaches.

Apples and Pears; Buy organic or minimally treated apples and pears. Buy organic apple juice and applesauce.

Citrus Fruits; Oranges and grapefruits-Do not eat the peel. Tangerines and grapefruits present the lowest amount of residue for citrus fruits.

Vine Fruits and Melons- It's OK to eat non-organic melons in season. However, melons imported from Mexico, especially Mexican cantaloupes (which are typically sold in winter months) frequently test positive for pesticide residues and should be avoided.

Grapes and Raisins- Buy organic when possible, or buy only non-imported conventionally grown grapes from May through late September.

Tropical Fruits- Bananas, pineapples, avocado, mango and papaya are consistently among the non-organic fruits least likely to contain pesticide residue.

VEGETABLES-

Leafy vegetables-choose organic leafy vegetables when ever possible. Bagged organic salad greens and baby spinach are available year round in many grocery stores.

Underground Vegetables- Buy only organic Potatoes, Carrots and Radishes. They must come from certified organic farms that have been farmed organically for at least three years. Non-organic sweet potatoes and beets are an acceptable choice.

Onions and Garlic- Non-organic onions and garlic are fine choices. Organic green onions are better than the conventional version.

Cruciferous Vegetables- Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli are fine non-organic choices with low pesticide residues. Remove and discard the outer leaves of cabbages.

Green Beans and Dried Beans- Organic green beans are the best choice unless you know that your farmer does not spray pesticides or herbicides. Packaged dried beans may or may not have pesticides or fungicide residues, but there is no evidence either way.

Tomatoes- When you can't grow your own, choose locally grown tomatoes in season. Organic tomatoes do contain up to five times higher levels of the cancer-fighting carotenoid lycopene, the chemical that gives tomatoes their red color. Choose organic Ketchup and canned tomato products whenever possible for the additional lycopene benefits of organic tomatoes.

Cucumbers- Buy organic. Nonorganic cucmbers are highly likely to contain pesticide residues and should always be avoided.

Winter Squash (including Pumpkins)- Organic un-waxed squash is better for food; non-organic is fine for ornamental. If you buy non-organic squash, avoid eating the skin.

MEATS-

BEEF - seek out a source for grass-fed or grass-finished organic beef. Organic beef means that no hormones or antibiotics were given to the cattle, that the cattle had access to the organic fields for grazing, and any feed was organically produced and free of animal by-products.

CHICKEN- Organic chickens are raised without arsenic-supplemented feed, without antibiotics, and without hormones. Buy organic chicken buy Rosie or Rocky Natural Chickens. Trader Joe's or Whole Foods carry organic chicken meat.

PORK- organic pigs are rare.

DAIRY PRODUCTS-

MILK - Buy organic milk exclusively. Choosing organic milk is the best way to avoid ingesting undesirable growth hormones through milk.

BUTTER and CHEESE- Buy organic, so you can avoid potential toxins concentrated in the fat.

EGGS- Pastured eggs are well worth seeking out if you can find them. Otherwise choose "Organic" eggs to avoid potential residues from arsenic feed, antibiotics and pesticides. "Cage-free organic" eggs are laid by hens that have some access to the outdoors, but because they are not allowed to have antibiotics, outdoor roaming is really not encouraged. Chickens that lay cage-free organic eggs and organic eggs lead nearly identical lives, so if there is any difference between them it is minimal. "Free-range" eggs come from hens that are fed conventional feed but are housed in sheds instead of cages and given roam to roam in adjoining yards. Shell color is determined by the breed of chicken. Brown eggs mostly come from Rhode Island Red hens, which are often favored by organic farmers. White eggs come from White Leghorn chickens.

SEAFOOD- Buy wild seafood. Avoid farm-raised fish and prawns, and avoid fish labeled organic, as it is likely farm-raised fish.

NUTS, SEEDS AND SPICES- Organic peanuts and peanut butter are highly recommended. If you eat almonds frequently or if you are eating them for health reasons (for example, to increase HDL levels) you should find a source for organic almonds.

Edible Oils- It's a toss-up. Organic peanut and canola oils are better for the environment, but health benefits are negligible. If you buy imported olive oil, it's unlikely to have been sprayed with pesticides. Organic olive oils are easy to find at most organic grocers and food co-ops. Do avoid all partially hydrogenated fats such as shortening or margarine, even from organic sources, as these fats are unhealthy in any form.

Grains- Buy organic rice whenever possible or buy imported rice. For other grains, buy organic if you eat the entire grain, feed it to children, or eat it every day-oatmeal is a food that comes to mind. Organic flour probably has no significant health benefit over non-organic flour, but if there is little difference in price, organic is better for the environment and does not support the farm subsidy system.

Snacks and Processed Foods- Read the ingredients list to see exactly what ingredients are organic, and buy processed food organics only when cost is no object. However, if the food is something that children eat a lot of, whether it's boxed instant noodles, breakfast bars, dry cereals, or cookies, it's wise to buy organic.

http://www.thehealthyeatingguide.com/organiceating.html

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Why Eat Organic Produce?

Why eat organic? Isn't that just a scam? Isn't it too expensive? Why should I spend the extra money?

These are the common objections to eating organic versus conventional foods that come up time and time again.

While it may be true that organic eating can be more expensive than eating conventional foods in the short term, the cost difference pails in comparison to the long term costs of a non-organic diet.

This article is intended to encourage you to think about your diet differently if you currently don't see the use in an organic diet.

There are many considerations surrounding the conventional versus organic debate. This article will focus on the quality of produce and the general effects on your health.

Poisons and Toxins
Many people believe there is no difference between organic and conventionally grown foods. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Conventionally grown foods are typically sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals designed to keep pests and weeds at bay, ie, kill them with poison.

This is done to ensure that crop harvests are as high and profitable as possible.

But if that poison kills insects, rodents, and plants...and they are living beings, what is the long term effect on humans? I am personally not prepared to assume that if certain chemicals are poisonous enough to kill a variety of living things that they won't have some detrimental effect on my own body.

While eating a single potato that has been treated with chemicals won't kill you, a lifetime of ingesting foods that are treated with these harsh chemicals adds up to severe doses of harmful chemicals.

Fertilizers - Why Are They Even Necessary?

Conventional farming also allows for various synthetic fertilizers. This is to make up for the inherent nutrient deficiency in the soil. And it is the nutrient content of the soil that dictates the nutrient content of the food being grown.

Synthetic fertilizers allow produce to grow in the absence of the nutrients that nature intended for those plants to have. The result is nutrient deficient food that had been forced to grow by the will of toxic fertilizers.

Is That A Peach Or A Tennis Ball?

The moment at which this became abundantly clear to me happened several years ago. I had been eating an organic diet for several months.

In an effort to "save money" I bought conventional peaches one day. When I bit into one, I immediately experienced with my taste buds the difference between organic and conventional produce. It was like biting into a soft tennis ball. Dry, sort of furry, nearly tasteless, and likely nutrient deficient.

Each kind of produce contains tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of different nutrients. Many of these nutrients are what give a piece of fruit their color, taste, smell, and other distinguishing qualities. When those nutrients are absent or reduced, so are their associated properties. Hence the nearly tasteless peach that I bit into.

Reality Check

Of course not all conventionally grown produce is as drastically deficient as what I just described. But when you add up the reduction in their nutrient density, plus the addition of toxins, you end up with a problem that compounds upon itself.

And with a lifetime of eating nutrient deficient food that is effectively poisonous over the long run, it is no wonder that so many people in America are riddled with a seemingly infinite litany of health problems.

There are other factors that contribute to the state of health and wellness. But one can not ignore the fact that organic produce by its very nature is cleaner and more nutrient dense than conventionally grown produce.

Nick Brown is a Certified Nutrition Specialist and write for Chakra 4 Vegetarian Restaurant in Phoenix, AZ. Visit our website to sign up for our newsletter and get FREE tips on vegetarian lifestyle, organic living, and natural healing. Click here Phoenix Vegetarian Restaurant Newsletter

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Best Organic Foods For Your Family

We have all heard that organic food is the healthiest choice for kids because of their growing bodies. Making the complete switch to Organic may seem very costly, but there are a few items that are actually worth the higher price. Especially in today's economy, providing healthy food for your family is a huge expense, to say the least. Before you think that I have lost my mind, listen up. Read on to find more about which organic foods to put on your next grocery list.

Most organic produce does not make much of a difference. Broccoli, asparagus, onions, peeled fruits - avocados, bananas, oranges, all have a low level of pesticides compared to others. People who buy organic milk do so because of the antibiotics, artificial hormones, and pesticides used in the commercial dairy industry. Potatoes make up about 30% of Americans overall vegetable diet. A recent study found that they contain one of the highest pesticide contents of all 43 fruits and vegetables tested.

Peanut butter is another child favorite used to garnish all sorts of fruits. The ugly truth is that 99% of all peanut farms use fungicide to treat mold, a very common problem. By buying organic peanut butter, you will steer clear of digesting any of that! You don't have to go to an organic supermarket; most conventional stores now carry it. Ketchup is also a staple in many families. 75% of all tomato consumption is thru paste, juice, processed tomatoes, and ketchup. Research shows that organic ketchup has double the antioxidants of conventional ketchup. Apples are the 2nd most commonly consumed fruit after bananas and they are the most pesticide contaminated fruit.

My generation certainly was not given the choice to "go organic." I had never even heard of the term organic until I started babysitting for some family friends. I noticed the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator were always filled with foods with very different packaging than I was accustomed to. It would be interesting to do a side by side comparison between kids who grow up on organic food and those who don't.

Lyla Feldman writes about health and fitness. Some of her favorite passions include writing about energy drinks and natural sleep aids.

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Organic Botanicals - 5 of the Best Plant Oils to Nourish Your Skin

Most of us have battled skin irritations or dry skin at one point or another. In fact, the past 20 years have seen an increase in skin allergies. One reason may be that makeup, bath and body products today contain significant amounts of chemicals that can cause reactions to occur on our bodies. With so many skin care products out there today, what makes choosing organic botanicals a better choice?

Many plants have healing properties that sooth and nourish the skin. Oils are extracted from seeds or fruits of these plants. Some oils however, outperform others in moisturizing and healing dry skin.

Shea Butter - This oil is extracted from the seed of the Karite tree in Africa. Unrefined shea butter has higher healing properties and nourishes the skin with vitamins C and E. African women have collected the nuts and turned them into shea butter for centuries. They use this butter to help their bodies endure the harsh, dry climate.

Cocoa Butter - Cocoa butter is the natural fat extracted from the cacao bean. It is an emollient to soften the skin and has natural antioxidants due to tocopherols that supress free radicals and soothe the skin.

Coconut Oil - This oil is extracted from the kernel of matured coconuts of the coconut palm. Coconut oil is an excellent skin moisturizer and softens dry skin. It helps with skin elasticity with its antioxidant qualities.

Sweet Almond Oil - This pale yellow oil is derived from sweet almonds. It is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B5, D and E. This nourishing oil easily absorbs into the skin to soothe and soften the skin.

Avocado Oil - This oil is extracted from the pulp, not the seed. Vitamins A, B1, B2, acids and fatty acid make this oil antioxidant rich. It is an excellent source to keep skin hydrated.

Many skin care products contain a lengthy list of ingredients that are largely synthetic, artificially colored, and can have toxic effects to your skin and body. The benefits of organic botanicals will provide your skin with healthy, hydrating oils to reduce skin irritations and dry skin without the use of harmful chemicals.

As a breast cancer survivor, I have done extensive research on ingredients in skin care. I founded Head To Toe Organics to educate people about chemicals in body care and provide them with pure, clean products for a healthier lifestyle.

Visit for skin care products that are chemical free and certified organic.
For more skin care information: http://blog.headtotoeorganics.com

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Fruits and Vegetables May Contain Hidden Dangers

Apples, cherries and green peppers - what do they have in common?

They are all part of the list health experts know as The Dirty Dozen. The Dirty Dozen is not just a movie any more! It is also a list of the fruits and vegetables that have so many pesticides applied to them during the growth and care process that we are advised not to eat them unless we can purchase these fruits and veggies in the organic form.

It is not unusual for fruits and vegetables to be sprayed with pesticides ten to fifteen times between planting and consumption. As we know, these pesticides are used to kill the little bugs that eat fruits and vegetables. If they are capable of killing the little bugs, what are these pesticides doing to us when we eat them every day on every fruit and vegetable for seventy or eighty years? Research shows that there are 426 chemicals used in the manufacturing of pesticides, of the many diseases and illnesses caused by these pesticides, the most common illness caused is cancer.

The current Dirty Dozen list from Andrew Weil, well known health advocate and author, includes: strawberries, bell peppers (both red and green), spinach, cherries, peaches, Mexican cantaloupe, celery, apples, apricots, green beans, Chilean grapes and cucumbers. Consumer Reports' list contains most of these and adds: pears, potatoes and red raspberries.

It's a long list and tough to memorize so when you are at the store, just try to remember that basically if you are eating the skin of the fruit or veggie, you should be buying organic - particularly if you eat it often!

Have a healthy week!

Written by Kathy Loidolt, author of Shopper's Guide to Healthy Living. This beginner's guide to eating and living healthy takes only four hours to read, contains five phases, tear-out shopping lists, great recipes, product favorite shopping ideas and forbidden ingredients lists. Order yours today, it just may save your live! Available at [http://www.ShoppersGuidetoHealthyLiving.com] - Click on this website to be added free to the Healthy Hint of the Week distribution list.

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How Organic Control Methods Get Rid of Weeds Effectively

Weeds aggressively grows in lawns, gardens and natural areas. These unwanted plants block sunlight and get the important nutrients needed by growing plants. Determining the two weed life cycles such as annual or perennial is important in exhibiting control methods.

One of the best methods is the Organic Weed Control. This method is cheaper and simpler to manage. Mulching and the use of gardening tools are good practices for getting rid of weeds.

Mulch
Garden mulch is a protective layer on top of the soil that suppresses weeds. It is used for protection from threading, compaction and erosion. This method can act as an aid to plant culture. It conditions and retains warmth in the soil. The best time to mulch is during autumn and spring.

Mulch can be categorized in three methods:
1. Sheet Mulch - This is the best method of suppressing perennial weeds. It is easy to cut into shape, relocate, plant and store. Sheet mulch can avoid damages onto vegetables and roots of fruits. It can also improve the use of its top covering of bark or chippings.

Types of Mulch can be identified as:
o Geotextile - This is a woven or non woven permeable sheet and needle punch made from polypropylene and polyester. This can be used as a barrier between the soil and loose mulch in order to diminish perennial weeds.
o Black (White) Plastic Sheet - These are black plastic sheets (400-600 gauge of silage sheeting) that warms the soil. It keeps its moist.
o Fibre Sheets - This is a bio-degradable bonded wood developed for garden applications such as tree and flower seeded mats.
o Newspapers - These are whole 8 sheet thick papers that go together with weed-tops, including straws that hold and compost in order to suppress weeds on vegetable plots. This becomes a paper mash that can be forked and added as organic matter for the soil.
o Cardboard - A brown cardboard is more effective when it breaks down and encourages earthworms. This material allows air flow and even penetrates water.

2. Ornamental mulch - This enhances the landscape along pathways and the entire yard. It blends with house colors and decors. Using permeable barrier membranes, wood chip and gravel, this will prevent the sinkage of the soil.

3. Organic Mulch - This is widely used mulch meant for fruit bushes and flowers. It conditions and feeds the soil. It also protects it against drought in the summer and even improves drainage. Some of its properties are as follows:
o Easy to apply with a reasonable price.
o Freely drains and permits good aeration.
o Not too low Nitrogen content.
o Water will not become saturated.

Organic mulch can act as a leaf mold It can be used as a base for composting seeds. By gathering fall leaves inside a bag and leaving it to rot will eventually help add nutrients to the soil. Pine needles and lawn cuttings can retain soil moisture. For "no dig gardening", farmyard manure is best applied in roses, pumpkins and cucumber among others, especially during the spring or late winter seasons. Other types used include straw, hay, weeds, green tops, and garden composts.

The use of the right gardening tools will satisfy the implementation of organic weed control methods. This will help gardeners maintain and remove weeds with no hassle. Fork tools can also remove underground stems of perennial weeds, without slicing the roots of plants or even damaging crops. While garden claws act as a cultivator of small gardens in order to loosen weeds, the claw can easily use top dressings or fertilizers for repetitive action. For tap roots and disturbed weeds, you can use a Dutch hoe, spade and shovel.

For successful usage of the organic control method, one must aim for a 100% soil coverage and clear off open ground. Regular inspection or an immediate spotting of weeds while young is necessary. Regular mowing is also sufficient. Nothing is safer than using organic method for removing weeds.

For more information on Weed control advice and Electric Weed Eaters please visit our website.

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Getting More Minerals From Your Fruits and Vegetables

Before the thirties, people knew the importance of mineral. Their soil was rich in minerals and they ate plenty of vegetable grown in these soils. When vitamins were discovered during this time, people began to forget about the important of minerals and started their fascination with vitamins.

Today because the soil is highly depleted of minerals, our vegetables are lacking in these life-giving nutrients. It is now necessary to consider how you can get more minerals in your body the natural way. Here are some things you can do to get more minerals:

* buy organic farm products
* eat fruits and vegetable without peeling them
* eat fruits and vegetable raw
* cook fruits and vegetable with a minimum of water and temperature

Organic Farm Products

There are some major grocery markets that now sell organic vegetables.

However, these vegetables are much higher in price, so that it discourages most people from buying, even though these vegetables are better for them.

By going to farmers markets, you will find many organic fruits and vegetables. The prices here will be almost the same as what you pay for non-organic food at a regular market. When buying produce at a farmers market, ask the vendor if his produce is pesticide sprayed, if he doesn't have an "Organically Grown" certification sign.

When buying dried fruit, like apricots, make sure that you buy those are prepared with no or little sulphur. There is clinical evidence that sulfate-reducing bacteria, which exists in our colon can contribute to colon diseases - IBS, colitis, or Chron's disease. The sulfate that reaches our colon comes from eating an excess of meat and eating and drinking food products that have sulfur and sulfur dioxide - dried fruits, jams, sodas, and many other products. Look for sulfur compounds and sulfur dioxide on the food label, and then avoid eating these products.

Peeling Fruits and Vegetables

Most vitamins and minerals in many fruits and vegetables lie right underneath the outer peel. For this reason it is best not to peel certain fruits or vegetables to gain the most benefit of that produce. But make sure the produce that you don't peel is organic. Don't peel apples, carrots, cucumbers, squash, broccoli stocks, celery, pears, nectarines, or tomatoes.

Eating Raw Produce

Eat most of your produce raw. This is the healthiest way to eat produce. Eating plenty and I mean plenty of raw vegetable is the way to better health and longer life. You get plenty of fiber, minerals, vitamins and enzymes, if the produce has been recently pick.

Cooking Produce

If you need or want to cook fruits and vegetable do it with just a little bit of water at the bottom of the pan. Many fruits and vegetables contain minerals that are volatile such as organic sulfur. Because of this you are probably deficient in organic sulfur. This is one reason why MSM .has become quite popular. Organic sulfur is not the same as the sulfur that is produced in the body when meat is eaten or when foods with sulfur or sulfur dioxide are eaten. Both sulfur and sulfur dioxide are used as food preservatives and are considered dead sulfur. Organic sulfur obtained from fruits and vegetables is considered live sulfur.

When food is cooked at temperature greater than 45-50 degree C, food enzymes are destroyed. This results delayed digestion of these foods in the stomach. Food enzymes help to start the digestive process while your body creates the enzymes necessary to complete the digestion process. Delayed digestion often creates stomach gas and belching.

Rudy Silva gives you more free constipation information. Go get his free "Constipation Secrets 10 Week Course" to discover how to get rid of Constipation: More Minerals Go here for more free tips: Constipation

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More Fruit Constipation Remedies - Part II

Here are some more constipation remedies using fruits. Try to get your organic fruits and eat them as soon as possible. The longer you keep fruits, without using them, the less enzymes and nutrients they have.

Apricots

Apricots are one of most nutritious fruits since they are high in fiber, vitamin A, C, potassium, and have many other minerals. One apricot has around 1000 IU of vitamin A. This vitamin is mainly in the form of the precursor beta-carotene.

Apricots have a laxative effect and are usually available during the summer. Dried apricots are also good and are much higher in vitamin A and in minerals.

Use dried apricots that have not been dried with sulfur dioxide. Some people are allergic to sulfur dioxide and it is considered a pollutant that is found in our air. This chemical is a preservative that prevents apricots from turning brown.

If you have an ulcer, eating apricots with sulfur dioxide can increase your stomach acid and aggravate it.

Avocado with Apple Cider Vinegar and Lemon

Here's a recipe that will make you go to the bathroom in a couple of hours.

Peel 1-2 avocados
Add a little sea salt
3-4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (to taste)
1-2 tablespoons of lemon (to taste)
Mix all together and spread on your favorite crackers
Have a good time eating

Yes, avocados are high in fat but they contain fat that is good for you, monounsaturated. In 4 oz., half of an avocado contains 500mg of potassium and folate.

Bananas

Bananas are rich in potassium. They assist in healing open wounds in the interior body membranes. They are helpful in stopping diarrhea and at the same time in promoting bowel movements.

Eat two bananas on an empty stomach followed by a glass of distilled water. After your constipation is cleared, eat only one banana each day.

Blueberries

Blue berries can act as a laxative for some people despite its use to stop diarrhea. These berries have chemicals, anthocyanosides that can kill bacteria and viruses

Blueberries are also good for reducing inflammation. This makes them good for inflammations that occur all along the gastrointestinal tract.

Boysenberries

Boysenberry juice has a gentle natural laxative action on your bowel. When your constipation is not extra serious this juice will help move things in your colon.

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe is one of best fruits you can eat. It contains many minerals and has Vitamin A and C. It is high in potassium. It has plenty of fiber and is useful for constipation.

Cherries

Cherries are high in potassium, fiber, and many other minerals, which are effective in neutralizing body acid. They contain vitamins B-1, B-2, folic acid and niacin.

Cherries have a laxative effect and can start peristaltic action.

Eat fresh cherries throughout the day or drink 3 glasses, 8 oz, of cherry juice during the day. Buy cherry juice in glass container. Eating and drinking cherries like this has kept me from having constipation. Cherries are usually only available during the summer, but you can buy cherry juice anytime.

Dried cherries can also be used except the can be expensive.
Use these fruits mention as constipation remedies and at the same time gain the benefits of their nutritional value.

Rudy Silva gives you more free constipation information. Go get his free "Constipation Secrets 10 Week Course" to discover how to get rid of Constipation: Constipation Remedies Go here for more free tips: Constipation

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Organic Gardening - How to Control Stink Bugs on Tomatoes

The stink bug is a common pest with tomato plants and other plants in the garden. I North America alone there are 250 species and worldwide there have been over 4,700 species described in almost 900 genera. They live throughout the world in our fields, meadows and yards and can be controlled by a few different methods in organic gardening.

It is the member of the bug family pentatomidae and easily recognize with having a shield like body. There life cycle like all hemipterans undergo simple metamorphosis with three stages that are the egg, nymph and adult. Eggs are laid in groups on plant stems and the underside of leaves. The nymph look very similar to the adult but have a rounder rather than shield shape body. The nymphs go through 5 instars before becoming an adult and this all happens in a 4 - 5 week period. A major problem in gardens is that the adult stink bug will overwinter in the garden under debris, boards, logs or even leaf litter. There are some species that the nymph will do the same.

A stink bugs diet in a garden can be devastating. They use there piercing mouth part to suck sap from the leaves, stems and fruit of plants and can cause injury to them. The stink bug actually begins it's life as a herbivores and then becomes a predator. As a predator it will overpower caterpillars and beetle larva and keep pest insects in check.

The defense system against other predators is it's smell. They expel a foul smelling compound from there thoracic gland when threatened. This smell sends a chemical message to other stink bugs that there is danger in the area and it can also suppress the attack of harmful microorganisms. This scent also plays a role in the attraction of mates.

There are organic methods to aid in the control of the stink bug. These methods include companion planting, trap planting, washing and spraying.

Companion planting is one of the best methods to prevent the stink bug from getting into your garden. This is simply done by planting herbs and other natural deterrent plants with your crop that will repel stink bugs, like marigolds, chrysanthemums, garlic, lavender, mints and thyme.

Another method that will keep the stink bug off your plants and deter them from your garden is to simply wash the plants with straight water daily for about a week.

There are sprays that can also be made by mixing either vegetable oil, olive oil or even lavender oil with 1/2 water and spray your tomatoes.

Trap planting is a method that attracts the stink bug to a location away from your garden. The stink bugs is know to like the color yellow. Crops other that your common crops you plant in your garden like sunflowers, buckwheat, triticale, sorghum and millet are plants that will attract the stink bug to a location that you can deal with them.

Fall cleanup of the garden is very important in pest control in an organic garden. Leaving debris in the garden give them the perfect environment to overwinter.

A environment friendly and healthy way of gardening. Organic Gardening is away of gardening in harmony with nature. Growing a healthy and productive crop in a way that is healthier for both you and the environment.

John Yazo

http://www.organicheirloomgardening.com

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Is Organic Fruit and Vegetables Healthier?

A study last year (2009) claimed that organic fruit and vegetables are no better for you than when grown conventionally. The study looked at a range of nutrients to see if there was any great difference depending on how fruit and vegetables were grown, but surprisingly to many, they found no significant difference. There was a small difference but it was not considered enough to lead to health benefits.

The study led to headlines stating that organic fruit and vegetables have no health benefits, but this is something of a flawed conclusion. A crucial point that the study pointed out, but many news stories did not, is that the effects of pesticides and herbicides on non-organic fruit and veg were not taken into consideration. Many believe that this is the most important factor in the potential health benefits of organic, so without this being considered it means that the study cannot give a complete picture of the health merits of organic fruit and veg.

This brings into question how important the study really is. It does tell us that there is no nutritional value is eating organic but does not tell us whether there is any damage caused by the chemicals used to grow fruit and vegetables conventionally.

A non-health related benefit that some may point to is taste, with many believing organic has an advantage taste wise. This comes down to personal preference; some believe it does taste better while others see no difference.

Organic fruit and veg, as well as other foods, does in the main cost more than non-organic. But from last year's study, can we say whether or not it is worth this extra cost? Well the nutritional value, that some previously believed significant, is almost redundant. So for those who choose organic for this reason alone the answer is no, it is not worth the extra cost. There are three more factors that some will take into consideration, three things that people will have to make up their own minds about. Are pesticides and herbicides in non-organic produce potentially harmful? Some say that common sense tells you that chemicals are unlikely to be healthy and could be a health risk. Others though, would point to the fact that there doesn't appear to have been any damage from them in food in the past. Then there is taste, something that comes completely down to personal preference. And finally there is the environmental effect, and there is some evidence that chemical used to grown fruit and vegetables are harmful to the environment. How harmful and what effect it has is hard to judge, and another thing that people have to make up their own minds about. This is an area that is important to some but not to others.

So overall this study has told us about one area (nutrition) that is not affected by whether or not fruit and veg are produced organically, but it doesn't give us an overall picture. Make up your own minds...

Andrew Marshall (c)

Longulf are an international procurement company who assist Food Producers and Steel Manufacturers amongst other businesses.

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