World Environment Day June 5, 2007: Melting Ice, A Hot Topic?
It may not be Earth Day, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pay attention to the United Nation’s World Environment Day this June 5, given the message regarding our melting polar ice caps. Why? It’s not just that polar bears are set to enter the ranks of endangered species. Alaskan towns are literally paying the price for climate change as melting permafrost destabilizes houses and destroys property values.
Those hidden germs dos and don’ts
Today, all green grocery automatically goes into basins of water. That half-hour wait is a matter of routine. We know when we pay for fresh food, we get unsolicited freebies – could be pesticides, harmful bacteria and/or mould. Scrubbing our hands is no guard against many germs. No, we are not in danger of imminent collapse. But those inconvenient bellyaches, bouts of diarrhoea, even breathing problems are from crawlies we hadn’t thought existed. Read more..(from thehindu.com)
Organic milk sales have risen in the past year
ORGANIC milk sales have risen by more than a fifth in the past year, according to figures.
Organic cheese is also proving popular with sales also up by almost 20%, according to retail analysts TNS.
Health-conscious consumers are willing to pay around a third more for organic milk than the standard variety. At Tesco, a four-pint bottle of organic milk costs £1.46, compared with £1.11 for a standard four-pint bottle. Read more (from theherald.co.uk)…
Things You Don’t Know About Organics
It’s an organic world out there. After eating a meal of organic fruits, organic vegetables and organic pasta, you can wear organic jeans and roll around on organic carpet. With organic perfume, furniture and even pizza and beer, you might think there would be no surprises left for an entrepreneur hoping to make a statement in the organics industry. But you’d be wrong.
Read more..(from entrepreneur.com)
About Organic Farming in India
Organic farming was practiced in India since thousands of years. The great Indian civilization thrived on organic farming and was one of the most prosperous countries in the world, till the British ruled it. Read more..(from organicfacts.net)
A very important article from the NY TIMES
Here is a ‘Must Read’ article about the copyrighting of ancient wisdoms.
A Big Stretch By SUKETU MEHTA
Selective Killing of Cancer Cells by Leaf Extract of Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is regarded as a wonder shrub of India and is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine and health tonics that claim its variety of health-promoting effects. Surprisingly, these claims are not well supported by adequate studies, and the molecular mechanisms of its action remain largely unexplored to date.
A number of Japanese scientists undertook a study to identify and characterize the antitumor activity of the leaf extract of ashwagandha. The study provides the first molecular evidence that the leaf extract of ashwagandha selectively kills tumor cells and, thus, is a natural source for safe anticancer medicine. Read More
Successfully Branding & Packaging Natural Products
There’s no doubt about it-with consumers spending in excess of $25 billion on natural and organic food alone, the natural products industry is rapidly maturing. Once the mainstay of purists, hippies and back-to-nature people, educated consumers in multiple demographic groups now understand the health and lifestyle benefits that can be reaped by pursuing a diet of whole and organic foods, and they have increasingly demonstrated a desire to consume them. Read more…
As a practitioner and herbalist I am often asked whether it is best to take herbs as part of your meal or as a capsule. I am definitely in favor of using herbs and spices in food, for instance I seldom make anything without at least a little bit of Turmeric, but I also know that heating can destroy a lot of the constituents of herbs, especially the volatile essential oils.
As cited below, a study recently came out that actually tested this and found that just 10 minutes in a pressure cooker will remove about half the Curcumin out of Turmeric, 40% of the Capsaicin out of Red Pepper, and 30% of the Piperine out of Black Pepper; Curcumin, Capsaicin and Piperine being proved the main constituents that are responsible for a significant amount of the healing activity of the respective whole spice. And the loss was not significantly different whether or not there was other food in the pressure cooker.
This just confirms the need, given the choice for most herbs, to take them as whole, fresh and as raw as possible, and this will mean capsules for most people. Is it good to cook with Turmeric and other herbs and spices?
Absolutely. Is it good to also take whole Turmeric root in capsules on a daily basis? Absolutely, you want the Curcuminoids in your Turmeric. Just make sure your herbs are very potent and pure and are grown and processed in a responsible and fully sustainable context.
Prashanti
After studying Vedic Sciences in India for most of the 90’s, Prashanti is now on staff at the Rishikesh College of Ayurveda, ayurishi.com, the Ganesha Foundation in Petaluma, ganeshafoundation.org, and has been helping to direct a large ayurvedic organic herb project in India and the U.S. since 1993.
references: Suresh, et al., Effect of Heat Processing of Spices on the Concentrations of their Bioactive Principles. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 346-351.
U.S. has huge appetite for organic food
U.S. farmers are having a hard time keeping up with Americans’ voracious appetite for organic foods, say industry leaders, who want federal officials to boost spending on crop research and market development.
Organic food sales grow by as much as 20 percent a year and were forecast for $16 billion during 2006, or nearly 3 percent of all U.S. food spending, the Organic Trade Association said at a pair of congressional hearings.
Read more…(from CSRwire.com)
The time is ripe for planting: Here’s a roundup of tips for planning and preparing a bountiful organic garden.
You’ve perused catalogues full of luscious descriptions of plants throughout the winter, the farmer’s market is brimming with blooms, and now that spring is here, it’s time to plan and prepare your garden. Once soil temperatures warm up to between 65 and 70 degrees F or higher and the threat of frost has past, you’re set to transplant seedlings or sow seed directly in the garden. Read more…(from thegreenguide.com)
