I have often asked myself if it is worth the extra expense to purchase organically grown meat. With the cost of living going up, and the price of my fortnightly shop ever increasing, purchasing cheaper meat is always appealing.
However some research into the benefits of organic meat keep on reminding me how important it is to eat organic food wherever possible.
A recent article I read about organic chicken affirms this. Non organic chicken farms contain much larger percentages of drug resistant enterococci, a kind of bacteria that can cause meningitis and other unpleasant sicknesses that become a lot harder to cure when the bacteria has spent time becoming resistant to modern medicine. Drug resistance is becoming a huge problem in modern society and can lead to deadly outbreaks.
The benefits to our health are clear when you choose to purchase organic meat. Organic farms are not permitted to feed their animals genetically modified crops, are free from groth hormones, antibiotics and drugs. Pesticides and synthetic fertilisers are not used on the land and animals are free-range therefore are raised in a more humane way.
It is a win - win situation. Your health benefits from it, and you are supporting ethical farming methods.
There are some great businesses in Perth that supply organic meat:
Today is all about a chemical we all know, Fluoride. I have started here because it is a chemical that is so commonly used by practically everyone. One trip to the bathroom and there it is, sitting in our tube of toothpaste. Turn the tap on, there it is again..... added to our tap water because it is good for our teeth (well that is what we are told anyway).
It all seems fairly harmless. Afterall, we only hear about how good fluoride is for us. It is meant to assist in strong healthy bones and cavity free teeth, but researchers are now starting to find cracks in these facts, and starting to find that fluoride is not all its cracked up to be.
My research on fluoride started when I read a book that I reference often, "Dangerous Beauty". "Fluoride is found in toothpaste and dental care products. Fluoride is a poison to humans when ingested over long periods, as it accumulates in our body tissues. Effects include convulsions, changes in the liver and kidneys and in respiratory function. Fluoride is a known carcinogen and teratogen, decreases fertility in women and is not approved by the FDA in the United States. Fluoride has been removed from various animal feeds because it was causing birth defects in the offspring. The growing scientific consensus is that flouride provides no benefit to teeth but does cause damage to the bones and organs."
Reading that information actually took my breath away, especially when I started adding up all the times I had brushed my teeth morning and night for the last 30 years. My anger has grown significantly after finding more and more compelling evidence that flouride is deadly and should not be ingested by humans at all.
And when you learn that the very same fluoride, that is added to our water and oral hygeine products, is actually an industrial byproduct of the fertiliser and aluminium industry, it really makes you wonder how a product like that can actally be good for us.
So all these arguments against fluoride are all good and well, but what can we actually do to minimise our own exposure to fluoride? We can not avoid it all together unfortunately, but there are steps we can take ourselves to minimise the damage this chemical can have on us.
My first and easiest suggestion is to replace your toothpaste with a non fluoridated brand. A trip down the toothpaste aisle in the local grocery shop will probably not be very helpful here. You will need to try a health food shop, an organic shop or try online. I use Miessence branded toothpaste. Sure it does not taste the same as your normal toothpaste brands, but after a week or so you get used to it. Visit this link for more info http://organicbamboobaby.mionegroup.com/en/category/3. I think the health benefits far outweigh the taste!
Another option is to have your water filtered. Unfortunately fluoride is one of the easiest chemicals to add to water but also the toughest chemicals to filter out of water, and normal water filters do not remove it. If you are looking for a filter you need to read the fine print on what exactly the filter removes. Again there are plenty of options online when it comes to finding a water filter that removes fluoride.
I encourage you to do your own research and make decisions based on your own findings, decisions that will hopefully lead to a happier and healthier lifestyle!
A common thing I often hear is what is the big deal about organic produce, and how can the average person benefit by choosing to use organic produce.
My main reason for choosing organic wherever possible is too simply reduce the massive amounts of chemicals we are exposed to everyday. Most often we are unwittingly exposed through food, water, skincare products and everyday household products.
The most worrying thing to me is the long term health effects. Small amounts of chemical exposure every single day of your life really adds up in the long run, and it has the capacity to effect our health in a negative way.
We always hear about the terrible chemicals in cigarettes, alcohol etc. But we never hear that some of the same chemicals are found in every day products. Cancer causing chemicals (carcinogenics) are present in commonly used items like toothpaste, mouthwash, deoderant, shampoo. I encourage you to have a look at the ingredients in some of your personal care products and do a simple google search. The results will shock you! I have recently read a book called "Dangerous Beauty" and it radically changed my view on using anything on my skin that contains chemicals. The book is available through this link - http://organicbamboobaby.mionegroup.com/en/product/18131
Another major contributor is the food we eat. Pesticides used on crops, and food fed to cattle all trickles through into what we eat. A seemingly fresh peice of fruit could contain a cocktail of chemicals all used to make sure that fruit looks "fresh and appealing" on the supermarket shelf. Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, chemical food additives, genetically modified organisms or industrial solvents. This results in food that is naturally better for you!
I have no choice but to choose organic and natural wherever possible. Sometimes things do cost more, but the benefit to my health and wellbeing far outweighs this. In future articles I will be looking in depth at some common chemicals that are used extensively in everyday products, exploring the negative impact on our health and offering some simple solutions to minimise our exposure.
Chai has become the latest thing in my household, and it boasts some pretty impressive statistics!
I no longer drink caffeine, so my morning and afternoon "coffee" is now a chai latte. I have also just recently started eating chai seeds with my breakfast, so I think it is very appropriate to look at exactly what is so great about Chai.
HISTORY OF CHAI Chai seeds are from a plant called Salvia Hispanica, a member of the Mint family. They were a substantial part of the Aztec and Mayan diet, but was banned in the 16th century due to being associated with Pagan religion. Over the past few decades production has resumed, and because insects hate chai, it is very easy to access organic chai.
Chai comes in black seeds and white seeds, but there are no known nutritional difference between the two types of seeds.
Chai seeds will last for a long time in the pantry, and can be added to any foods without the need for grinding or much preparation
HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHAI Chai seeds are now recognised as a "superfood" as they boast many health benefits. High in fibre, packed full of antioxidants, full of vitamins and minerals, and the highest plant source of omega-3.
More Omega-3 than Atlantic Salmon More Antioxidants than Blueberries More Fibre than Bran Flakes More Calcium than Milk More Protien, Fibre and Calcium than Flaxseeds / Linseeds
Here are some great reasons to add Chai to your diet today: - Chai seeds are nutritious - Chai seeds are energising - Chai seeds are low GI - Chai seeds are easy to digest - Chai seeds are easy to add to all sorts of foods.
HOW CAN I ADD CHAI TO MY DIET? Chai seeds have a slightly nutty flavour. I add them to my morning porridge and have not noticed much of a taste difference at all.
Chai seeds can easily be added to your diet. Try a few of these options:
Sprinkle on your morning cereal - oats, meusli, yoghurt etc Add to your baking - muffins, bread, pancakes Mix a teaspoon of chai through your favourite smoothie. Mix a teaspoon of chai through your favourite soup, or dip, or salsa.
Chai seeds are now readily available in major supermarkets and health food stores, so try some today!
Through this blog I hope to share a lot of information on natural and organic stuff, from news articles around the world, amazing organic and natural products, and my own experiences with all things natural and organic.
I really want this blog to be interactive, so I welcome your comments and suggestions. And of course if you would like your natural or organic product or service to be featured, please contact me!
I guess I have always had a tendency towards natural alternatives. I was brought up in a home where I barely saw a doctor, our most common practitioner was always the family chiropractor. And it never did me any harm, I have had a fairly uneventful medical history.
The organic and natural lifestyle however became very real to me about 8 months ago. It all just fell into place, if you want a healthy life it starts with what you subject your body to! I decided to clear out the fridge, freezer and pantry and radically change the food (energy) I was putting into my body. I started to focus on fresh, healthy, organic and free range foods. Within 6 months I had lost 10 kgs without too much effort! My body is certainly loving the change.
The next step was ridding my cupboards of any plastics that contain BPA, and then next on the chopping block was any skincare and cleaning agents that contained ingredients with names I could not pronounce! I have made a very conscious effort to rid my home of any chemicals and along the way have discovered some fabulous products that I will be sharing in future blog posts!
