TulsiPeople.com – An Organic India blog about organic farming, Tulsi (Holy Basil) and sustainability

In one of the most comprehensive and definitive studies of its kind to date, a team of researchers at the University of California, Davis have proven that organically grown kiwifruit contain more health-promoting factors than those grown under conventional conditions. The research is reported in the SCI’s magazine Chemistry & Industry. The debate over the relative health benefits of organic versus conventional food has raged for years, with UK environment secretary David Miliband declaring in January that buying organic is just a lifestyle choice. Read more (from ScienceDaily)…

The New York Times has a nice little story in their Home & Garden section about the Conlin-Beavan family. Mr. Beavan and Ms. Conlin and their 2-year-old daughter live together on Fifth Avenue, and are in the midst of a year-long lifestyle experiment called No Impact. This involves eating only food organically grown within a 250-mile radius of Manhattan; as little discretionary shopping as possible (but cheap birthday presents are OK); producing no trash other than compost; using no paper; and using no carbon-fueled transportation. Find out more on Mr. Beavan’s blog, where, thankfully, he readily admits he’s nothing more than a guilty liberal - but one who has taken action. Read more..

This spring Donna Legare (Tallahassee.com) will teach an herb workshop that requires preparing several herbal dishes for the participants to sample. She likes to use fresh, organically grown herbs.
Some of her reliable perennial herbs such as pineapple sage, lemon grass, Mexican tarragon and lemon verbena are dormant right now but will reliably sprout back as the weather warms. Basil is a warm-weather annual that must be replanted in April. Read More….

According to a study Consumer Reports, organic food for babies is a good option. Baby food is generally made from condensed vegetables and fruits. This indicates that the pesticide residue, sometimes, can also be concentrated. So you may get higher levels of pesticides than regular food.
In fact, studies have revealed that children who take organic food have low pesticides levels in their blood than children living on regular food. Pesticides can be far more dangerous for children than for grown-ups. Read more..

The myth in western medicine that nerves do not grow after a certain age is quickly crumbling as more evidence appears supporting the ayurvedic view that nerves can grow.

For instance researchers have found that Ashwagandha can grow both dendrites and axons, likely due to a class of molecules called the withanolides that are constituents of Ashwagandha.

It has long been known in ayurveda that Ashwagandha protects, nurtures and ‘rebuilds’ the nervous system, not only by growing the ends of nerves, the axons and dendrites, but also re-establishing the myelin sheath around the nerve in the case of MS and other degenerative diseases. To direct Ashwagandha toward the nerves it is best to take it with the omega oils like Hemp, Flax, Primrose or Borage as the vehicle.

Written by: prashanti
Source: Neuroreport 13 (14) : October 2002

EU researchers will discuss ways to improve the safety and processing of organic food and other “low-input” foods at an upcoming meeting in Stuttgart, Germany.
The research into processing methods for such foods could help manufacturers adjust their plant procedures to meet the demand for such products. Read more…

The government is on track to approve a new antibiotic to treat a pneumonia-like disease in cattle, despite warnings from health groups and a majority of the agency’s own expert advisers that the decision will be dangerous for people.
The drug, called cefquinome, belongs to a class of highly potent antibiotics that are among medicine’s last defenses against several serious human infections. No drug from that class has been approved in the United States for use in animals. Read more..

The verdict is in on hybrid cars: Americans love them. But just suppose, some environmentalists have been asking, you had a bigger battery pack in your hybrid and the ability to plug it into the wall. Wouldn’t that give you the ability to drive to work on electric power, with the small gas engine available in reserve for longer trips? This concept started out as an environmentalist’s dream, propelled by activists like Felix Kramer of Calcars.org and the utility-backed Plug-In Partners. But now it’s headed for the market. And other high-tech green cars are on their way, too. Read more..

As the U.S. Senate held its first global-warming hearing of the year - and as hundreds of scientists in Paris were finalizing a United Nations report on how climate change may affect sea levels—the London- and Los Angeles-based nonprofit Global Cool launched an international awareness effort. Among the highlights:Celebrities were on hand to lend their vocal support. Read more..

What does the term “organic” mean? Will eating organic foods boost your health?
The term “organic” denotes a method or philosophy of growing food that is sustainable and friendly to the environment. The general idea is to produce as much food as the local farm environment (or farm ecosystem) can support while at the same time not threatening the health or diversity of any plant or animal populations within that ecosystem. Read more…