Organic Gardening

Refresh Yourself with an Organic Detox

Article by Kathy Hughes

We all know our bodies contain toxins that are introduced from everywhere. It’s in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and on almost every surface with which we come in contact. These toxins can cause sickness and disease, although our bodies do their best to cleanse themselves. You can help your body get rid of these toxic substances by going on an organic detox.

The first method of organic detox is to change your diet. Organic fruits and vegetables are grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or herbicides. Non-organic fruits are treated with chemicals to hasten the ripening process and preservatives to add shelf life. Toxic metal such as lead and mercury can also be absorbed by the fruits and vegetables as they are growing from the soil in which they are planted.

Studies have shown that many organically produced plants contain more nutrients than the conventional non-organic food. They have also shown that antioxidants in organic produce were up to 600% higher in organic fruits and vegetables. These items are not just good for your organic detox, they provide healthier options in your day-to-day life.

Organic fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber are good choices during your organic detox. The fiber slows your body’s absorption of the sugar so you are unlikely to have the sudden surge in blood sugar that you would have from eating junk food. You may find that different organic detox diets recommend different ways of eating certain produce; some should be eaten whole, while others should be juiced. Some produce may require a combination of methods.

There are other methods of helping your body with the organic detox. Detox teas are popular in grocery stores, health food stores, and online. They contain actual ingredients that can help your body to cleanse itself of toxins when ingested a few times a day for several days.

Colon cleansing is also a popular method of organic detox. Organic colon cleansers can be gentler on your body than synthetic cleansing supplements like laxatives. Effective colon cleansers may include licorice root, dandelion root, psyllium husk, and acai berry. During a cleansing, these approaches help the stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, and colon to digest food more smoothly. Foods that are high in fiber will also help your body to achieve complete detoxification.

Eating healthier foods can help your body to be healthier between your periods of organic detox. This includes eliminating processed and fried foods, products that contain white flower and refined sugar, and drinking more pure water. Getting the proper amount of quality rest and sleep is also important. Exercise moderately, and consider meditating as a way to relax your body and mind. Some experts suggest foot reflexology to aid your body in detoxification as well.

An organic detox can be conducted a few times a year, or as often as you feel you need to feel better. Better lifestyle choices between these periods will make you even healthier!To learn more about simple detox approaches please visit http://www.authenticdiscovery.com.au.

About the Author

Author Kathy Hughes, counsellor and energy therapist, has a passion for studying the latest advanced natural health approaches. She advocates the importance of utilizing a holistic view in healing which also incorporates the wisdom of the ancients. Kathy has written several e-books to share vital information that many are now returning to in these changing times.

Food A Big Hit In Scotland

Article by Charles Gillespiie

**50% of Scottish Babies fed Organic Baby Food

According to the Scotsman, more than half of Scottish children under two are now fed an exclusively organic diet. In fact, organic baby food accounted for 43% of total baby food sales in 2004. That represented sales of more than 63 million GBP in 2004.

A survey of 805 mothers and pregnant women conducted by the polling company BMRB found that four out of five mothers chose organic food for weaning their young children off of milk (between 6 months and 1 year old). The reasons given were clearly related to additives and chemical spraying. Mothers in the survey cited “less risk of chemical pesticides” (87%), “no additives” (80%), and “no GM” (84%)

Intensive marketing campaigns by groups such as the Soil Association Scotland are getting the message across about the negative effects of pesticides. This is clearly having an impact on the buying preferences of parents, and also on changes in school menus.

Organic milk also has positive health characteristics. It can contain up to 71 per cent more omega 3 than non-organic milk and most organic milk has a better ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 than conventional milk. Companies such as Hipp are bringing new products to market — such as organic purees for weaning purposes — to take advantage of the demand.

But adults are not changing their own eating habits nearly as quickly. Asda, a Scottish supermarket chain owned by WalMart, says organic produce for adults accounts for only about 2% of total sales.

**Self-Serve Machines moving in on fast food restaurants

People fond of ridiculing low-paying fast food restaurant jobs will be pleased to hear that many of these jobs will soon be a thing of the past. At least if RoberServer has its way. The company has recently unveiled its new fast food self serve machines called the “Line Buster.”

According to RoberServer, the Line Buster will allow customers to place their own orders from a 15″ touch screen, and then pay for their order with the onboard credit card processor. Customers then pick up their order at the counter. Industry estimates show that self-serve technologies can cut customer waiting time by as much as 33%.

The company is targeting the 115,000 fast food restaurants in the U.S. Similar technology has already been deployed in ATMs and self-checkout grocery stores.

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**FDA says snack makers must show trans fats

The term “trans fats” has become a synonym for “unhealthy”. That’s because these ingredients hide in most mass produced snacks, cookies, and frozen french fries and then help to clog our arteries and contribute to our obesity.

As of January 1, 2006, the FDA is requiring the labels on packaged snacks and foods to list the amount of trans fats per serving.

Trans fats are an ingredient in nearly 40 percent of packaged foods, and they are suspected of contributing to diabetes, heart disease, strokes and many other unhealthy conditions.

Health researchers have found that trans fats raise the levels of unhealthy cholesterol and lower the levels of beneficial blood cholesterol. They say as little as 2 to 3 grams a day — less than is contained in a typical donut — can be detrimental.

Trans fats are common in processed foods because food manufacturers can use cheap liquid oils and turn them into solids by hydrogenation. Most experts agree it is better to use products that have been made with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats such as those found in canola and olive oils.

Simply avoiding processed foods and snacks accomplishes the same thing, since whole, unprocessed foods do not have trans fat additives.

About the Author

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