Holistic lifestyle for health and wellness - Fresh & Natural

Green Living- a sustainable lifestyle

4/20/2015

Here is a short video which shows how we can make very small changes in our lifestyle to live a more greener life. A life which is not only sustainable but also more in-sync with nature...

What is Green Living?
It is simply a way of life that means we make conscious decisions based on the role we have on this planet and how to appreciate and nurture it. While it may seem like it is a new ideal to become a “green” member of society, it is simply that more people are becoming aware that there is currently only one place, this Earth, that is suitable for us to live and it is important that we take care of it.

Why is Green Living important?
The reason it is so important to practice green living is because we all require the same fundamentals in order to survive: clean water, air, food and environment. Understanding green living means being aware of our resources (whether they are renewable or non-renewable), sustainability, recycling, food varieties and usable energy. In order to have resources we have to be able to conserve them, such as water, land and forests, as well as oil and natural gas.

Small steps towards a smaller "Carbon Footprint"...

There are plenty of ways that you can leave less of a “carbon footprint” or have less negative impact on the planet.

Recycling and re-using plastic bags from grocery stores is a great start. If possible, use cloth bags which are reusable and can decompose.
We can also limit or lessen our use of water by being more conscious about our usage.
Turn off or unplug appliances when not in use- this saves electricity.
Recycle and reuse products as much as possible.
Recycle your trash.
Try to car-pool as much as you can.
Be conscious of your food-choices- some production techniques take a toll on the environment. Support environmentally conscious companies.

#GreenLiving #SustainableLifestyle #EarthHour #Gaia #CleanFoods #CarbonFootPrint

What are some of the chemical treatments done on conventionally grown vegetables and fruits when brought into the market?

10/22/2013

It can be shocking to think that the food we see before us in grocery stores or markets has been altered in order to look that way. A number of produce that we see as fresh produce has actually been treated with various chemicals, coloring and other procedures in order to maintain its look and appeal. These treatments are detrimental to our health and can cause a variety of health issues including kidney failure, liver and stomach problems.

One of the common procedures to ensure our fruits and vegetables look fresh and appetizing is to treat them with artificial coloring, which is known to have traces of lead and mercury. Watermelons are one of the better-known color-dyed fruits. Sellers have been found to inject dye into the watermelon to increase its bright red hue. Other vegetables that are often altered include pumpkin, okra and beans.

A method of increasing growth speeds is to use a chemical concoction that has oxytocin and inject it into the produce. In order to ripen produce in time for selling, farmers or individual sellers are known to use chemicals such as calcium carbide and copper sulphate.

Watermelon also undergoes carbide treatment in order to speed up its growth and help it grow into a more appealing shape.

Vegetables and fruits can be given a wax treatment in order to maintain their look and prolong life on the shelf. The majority of wax used on fruits and vegetables tend to come from petroleum, which has traces of wood rosins and solvent deposits. Aside from the wax, ethanol or ethyl alcohol can be added to improve texture.

A different wax is used when it comes to organic fruits and vegetables. These waxes come from natural resources such as lac beetles, carnauba palm trees and beeswax.

Apples, cucumbers, eggplant, bell peppers, oranges, potatoes, limes and lemons are the most popularly waxed fruits and vegetables.

Other coatings that can be added to fruits and vegetables also serve the same purpose by improving shelf life by reducing the speed of aging. While the list of possible coatings is a very long one, the most commonly used materials are lipids, polysaccharides, resins and proteins.

Additional essences added to the mentioned materials include antioxidants, plasticizers, texturizers and antimicrobials.

The best way to ensure that you aren’t consuming fruits and vegetables that have been treated this way is to find an organic food source. Or at least a local food source where you can communicate with the farmers and sellers and find out their methods.

#organicliving #sustainability #saveourearth #wholisticlifestyle #naturalliving #fruitsandveggies #GreenLiving #OrganicFoods #CleanFoods

Organic Eggs: “Free-Range”, “Grain Fed” – What Do These Label Terms Mean?

10/21/2013

#GreenLiving #EatHealthyMeats #OrganicFoods #organiceggs #wholisticlifestyle

What are “Factory Farm Chickens?”

10/10/2013

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#greenliving #organicliving #FactoryFarmChicken #GreenLiving #EatWell #LiveWell

Why organically grown produce is an important part of Healthy, Green living?

10/8/2013

Organically grown produce is beneficial to our bodies and the environment because it encourages the use of natural farming techniques, natural products and does not leave a negative effect on the environment.

Aside from the farming itself, organically grown produce reflects on other areas such as protecting the environment, the welfare of animals, healthier options for us consumers as well as economical and sociological affects.

When you choose to eat organically grown produce you are encouraging the continuation of farming techniques that are beneficial to nature. Farmers who grow produce organically keep the soil fertile and have been found to increase and maintain naturally occurring resources.

The moderation of pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals used has a better impact on our air and water. Instead of using chemicals, organic farmers are encouraged to recycle and use natural methods of fertilizing and keeping pests and diseases at bay. Chemicals can contaminate our air and water through wind and rain and are linked to a number of diseases.

Organically grown produce helps converse nature by not having a negative impact of toxic traces and by encouraging a variety of crops to naturally occur.

This stimulates a system of ecology that is both sustainable and comprehensive. A controlled amount of weeds and pest is seen as a good thing in organic farming because it is a sign of healthy crops and is in fact beneficial to the farm as a whole because it is nature’s way of complementing produce.

Unlike large-scale farming, farms that grow organic produce tend to mimic nature as much as possible by using methods that are similar to natural occurrence.

Since farmers refrain from using chemicals, they tend to reuse and recycle organic compounds to use as compost or fertilizers. This is beneficial to the soil and is a wonderful way to reusing waste materials.

Organic grown produce tends to come from local resources and cuts back on pollution caused by transportation. It also means we will most likely have fresher fruits and vegetables than a commercial source.

Aside from purchasing organically grown produce, one can also implement these techniques and start a home garden. Even if you only have one or a few vegetables or fruits, this can help reduce waste in packaging, energy on transportation and cost as well. There are many do-it-yourself options that can teach you how to grow your own produce and enjoy sustainable living.

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#loseweight #weightloss #smartbreakfast #eatingsmart #eatinghealthy #healthysnacks #healthandwellness #healthfoods

What are ‘fair trade’ foods?

10/5/2013

#FairTradeFoods #FreshandNatural #FairAdvantage

Why “Community Gardening” is a very important part of Green Living?

10/2/2013

You can start a little Kitchen herb garden to get started. Read on to learn more...

#CommunityGardening #EatHealthy #GrowTogether

What are Organic Foods?

6/15/2013

Organic food has both a popular meaning, and in some countries, a legal definition. In everyday conversation, it usually refers to all "naturally produced" foods, or the product of organic farming.

As a legal and marketing term, it means certified organic. The distinction is important, as the two definitions can represent quite different products.

Types of Organic Food

Organic foods, like food in general, can be grouped into two categories, fresh and processed, based on production methods, availability and consumer perception.

Fresh food is seasonal and highly perishable. Fresh produce — vegetables and fruits — is the most available type of organic food, and closely associated with organic farming. It is often purchased directly from the growers, at farmers' markets, from on-farm stands, through specialty food stores, and through community-supported agriculture (CSA) projects.

Unprocessed animal products — organic meat, eggs, dairy — are less common. Prices are significantly higher than for conventional food, and availability is lower. They are still premium priced items.

For fresh food, "organic" usually means:

Produced without synthetic chemicals (eg: fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones)
free of genetically modified organisms
(often, but not necessarily) locally grown

Processed food accounts for most of the items in a supermarket. Little of it is organic, and organic prices are often high. In spite of this, organic processed products are now primarily purchased from supermarkets. The majority of processed organics comes from large food conglomerates, as producing and marketing products like canned goods, frozen vegetables, prepared dishes and other convenience foods is beyond the scope of small organic producers.

For processed organic food, the general definition is:

Contains only (or at least a certain specified percentage of) organic ingredients
Contains no artificial food additives
Processed without artificial methods, materials and conditions (eg: no chemical ripening, no food irradiation)

#organicfoods #greenliving #organicliving #cleanfoods

Why Organic Foods are considered better?

6/15/2013

Tastier: Organic advocates claim organic food tastes better because of the way it is produced, and because there is generally a greater variety to choose from. There is no body of scientific taste testing to consult.

More nutritious: Food produced under organic conditions are somehow structurally different from chemically-raised and processed products. This pro-organic claim is so far beyond the scope of modern science to prove or disprove. The complex make-up of food, the effect of growing and processing methods, and the internal interactions between people and their nutrients are largely unknown.

Measurements of some food components — protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals, and so on — only account for the most obvious factors that have been identified so far, and research is minimal. However, there are scientific indications that, by favoring certain aspects of a plant's development, other aspects may be retarded, resulting in less nutritious food.

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in 2004, entitled Changes in USDA Food Composition Data for 43 Garden Crops, 1950 to 1999, compared nutritional analysis of vegetables done in 1950 and in 1999, and found substantial decreases in six of 13 nutrients examined. Percentage reductions included 6% of protein and 38% of riboflavin.

Reductions in calcium, phosphorus, iron and ascorbic acid were also found. The study, conducted at the Biochemical Institute, University of Texas, concluded that the most likely cause was the breeding of crops to maximize yield. Although not on the surface a strictly organic issue, plant breeding objectives for commercial production is completely integrated with industrialized, chemical-based farming.

Non-toxic: Organic proponents point to potential problems with toxic residues from agricultural chemicals like pesticides. There is no argument that traces do not exist; however, it is widely held that: (a) they are well in "safe" limits (as established by government regulations); (b) washing and other recommended preparation methods eliminate any risk.

One potentially relevant new areas is the principle of hormesis, an emerging outlook on the extreme low level effects of substances, that might suggest that exposure to minute quantities of toxic residues on foods may have as specific effects on humans.

Better for the environment: By this argument, every food purchase supports the system that delivers it: if the large-scale chemical production methods are damaging to the environment, then people who buy these products are directly contributing to the problem.

A recent UK study concluded that local food is best for the environment, and recommended food produced within a few miles radius as being the most advantageious. Insofar as organic food is often imported from long distances, local organics would seem environmentally to be the better bet.

None of these claims are widely accepted as scientific fact although it seems to be difficult to make the argument that foods grown with chemicals/pesticides are better than those without.

There are research reports, expert opinions, and anecdotal evidence both supporting and rebutting them. Learning more about these debates leads to clearer understanding of organic food, and its potential value.

To the consumer looking for self-education, a basic awareness of recent food history provides a useful context. Chemical agriculture and mass production of supermarket food have only been big business for about 50 years.

During that period, radical changes in the way food is produced have been justified by quoting scientific studies and conducting large-scale advertising and publicity campaigns.

In recent years, the negative longer-term effects of many chemical agriculture practices have become increasingly hard to deny, however, the lack of balanced agricultural and food research is still overwhelming.

It is unlikely that anything near definitive scientific conclusions will be drawn for years, possibly decades. In the meantime, consumers have to either trust the existing standards and claims, or come to their own common sense conclusions.

#organicliving #organicfoods #cleanfoods