If you are juicing non-organic fruits and vegetables always peel them first. Non-organic produce is often sprayed with toxic pesticides, which can have harmful effects on the human body if ingested in large quantities. By peeling produce before juicing, you eliminate the chance of consuming any residual pesticides left on the produce after washing.

A great juicing tip that can help you save time is to start eyeballing the amount of foods you’ll need to make the amount of juice you want. A pound of raw produce for instance, will typically make at least one whole cup of juice. Knowing these tricks can help you save time.

Make sure to let your juicer rest and clean out extra pulp if you are making a large batch of juice, especially when you are using harder fruits. Juicers tend to be expensive, and you do not want to burn your juicer out by overworking it or clogging the juicer.

For heavy and dark vegetable juices, use apple and carrots as the sweetener and avoid other fruits. Other fruits do not go along with dark greens very well. Carrots contain a lot of sugar and apple juice will complement the vegetables instead of clashing with them. Apples and carrots are the perfect base for mixed fruit and vegetable juices also.

Research the nutrients you need to be taking in to choose which vegetables, fruit, and plants you should be consuming. You don’t have to have every single one every single day, instead spread your nutrient consumption out over a week. For example, if you need beta carotene you can have carrots every other day.

If you’re very deficient in a vitamin like B12 and can’t find it in the fruit and vegetables you’re juicing with, add in some powder! Grind up your recommended dose and put it into your juice, making it easier to swallow and digest. Be careful with which medicines you’re putting in as some will react to various fruit, like grapefruit, and you could end up with a dose that is too potent.

Getting kids to eat their vegetables is never easy. Juicing the vegetables with fruits is a great way to get kids to ingest the vitamins and minerals that they need, without having to fight with them about the taste. The tips that have been provided are easy to follow and can make a real difference in the way your family eats.

Homemade organic face masks are also better for the environment than chemical beauty products. Many of the ingredients needed for simple, natural face masks are available from your local supermarket. Many fruits and vegetables and everyday foods, such as avocados, oats, honey, yoghurt, strawberries and cucumber, can be used for natural facial masks.

How to Make a Nourishing Avocado Mask

Mash half of a ripe avocado to make a simple, nourishing and moisturizing facial treatment. Avocados contain vitamins A and E and they are especially good for dry skin. Avocado masks can be used whenever you feel that the skin needs some extra nourishment.

Oats, Honey and Yoghurt

Oats (porridge oats) are exfoliating and cleansing. They can be used as a gentle face and body scrub, or they can be mixed with natural live yoghurt and honey for a mask that is especially suitable for combination skin. Honey acts as a binding ingredient and is also softening and antiseptic. Unsweetened live yoghurt softens and balances your skin and is recommended for oily skin.

Strawberries for Oily Skin

Strawberries are astringent, which makes them helpful for oily skin or any skin with large pores. Mashed fresh strawberries are a simple and affordable way to treat your skin especially in the summer, when strawberries are in season and widely available. An

Easy, Cooling Cucumber Facial Treatment

The easiest of all homemade facial masks is the cucumber mask. Cut thin slices from a fresh cucumber and place them on your face. You can even place cucumber slices over your closed eyes.

Whether you use avocados, strawberries or oats, the procedure is the same. Prepare the mask using fresh, natural ingredients, apply the mix on a cleansed face and leave it on for around ten minutes. If your skin is sensitive, you may want to try new ingredients for just a few minutes first to see if your skin reacts to the mask. Don’t apply the product too close to your eyes, except in the case of the cucumber slices: they can be placed over closed eyelids. Remove the mask carefully and finish the treatment with a toner and a moisturizer.

Most people are aware of the health benefits of eating foods that are produced without chemical pesticides and are made without artificial additives, but eating organic meat and dairy products also helps animal welfare and protects the environment.

Organic Farming and Animal Welfare

Organic farms have strict regulations about animal welfare. Animals have more space to move around than on non-organic farms and they are allowed to be outside as much as possible. A farm that is certified organic must follow regulations about the size of the cubicles the animals are kept in when inside, and the comfort of their surroundings (for example clean bedding).

The animals are fed natural food, and their feed does not contain genetically modified products or foods that are derived from other animals. Organic farmers do not feed their cows too much protein to encourage them to produce more milk (a practice that is acceptable on non-organic farms) and the animals are not fed growth hormones or unnecessary antibiotics. Farmers may sometimes use herbal medicines or use homeopathic treatments, and antibiotics or vaccinations are used only when they are absolutely necessary.

How Organic Farms Benefit the Environment

Organic farmers use natural pesticides instead of the chemical ones that are commonly used in farming. Some pesticides can be harmful to the environment and the wildlife around the farm, and there has been concern about the amount of pesticide residues and other harmful chemicals that ends up in food. Traces of chemical insecticides can also end up in the water that eventually ends up as drinking water.

Organic farms also encourage biodiversity. This means that instead of intensely farming just one crop or a limited amount of crops, an organic farm grows several different types of crops and rotates them. The field is allowed to recover between the different crops, a method that creates a healthy and balanced soil. Many farmers also use certain plants that enrich the soil and put nutrients back into the earth: red clover is one of these beneficial plants. Because less harmful pesticides are used, there is also more wildlife on organic than non-organic farms, including birds and butterflies.

Where to Get Organic Food Online

If you live in Britain you have a really wide range of choices. Ocado and Waitrose have a reasonable selection of organic products mixed in with all of their other groceries. They are pricy but the range is good. There are also cheaper options from Tesco and Sainsbury’s. If you want a dedicated organic store then look for an organic delivery box.  We use Abel and Cole and have for some years. They are probably the best known out there. Their boxes are great and they have a really good assortment. You can also choose your likes and dislikes on the website so if you hate cabbage, for instance, then they will know never to send you any.  There are many so try another if the one you with isn’t any good.

Some other organic veg-box companies:

Riverford Organic which started in Devon but now delivers nearly 50% boxes a week

Earth Natural Foods – does deliveries in North West London

Vegbox2U has deliveries in Bristol and North Somerset

You can also find a more complete list of Veg-Box schemes at vegbox-recipes.co.uk, which has a search function that can find local delivery companies.

Organic Boxes in the United States

Because the US is so big it is hard to give recommendations on what might be good in your area. In New York City you could try the Organic Fruit and Veggie Club or Urban Organic.

What is a vegan and raw diet?

There are many variations of the raw/vegan diet, but generally it includes raw vegetables, fruits, sprouts, seeds, nuts, cold-pressed vegetable oils such as olive oil, fresh herbs and sea vegetables. Many raw foodists eat some processed foods (as long as they are not cooked) such as nut butters, nut milks, dried fruits, vinegars and fermented products such as miso. Sometimes the term “raw diet” is used to describe any diet that contains a minimum of 80 % raw foods.

Some of the reported health benefits of a diet that uses uncooked and mainly vegan foods include weight loss, increased energy levels, better skin, better digestion and a general feeling of well-being.

Online vegan raw recipes

The Vegan Society (vegansociety.com) has been promoting vegan and raw foods years before they became trendy. The society’s website has a lot of information about the health benefits of avoiding animal products, and tips for getting all the necessary nutrients from vegan ingredients. Its recipe section contains a range of recipes that have been arranged under different themes, from main meals to desserts. Although all recipes are vegan, not every recipe is completely raw, but you can easily browse through the different categories to find the most suitable recipes.

Vegan Raw Diet (veganrawdiet.com) offers tips and information about vegan and raw cooking and its health benefits. Gone Raw (goneraw.com) promotes the whole lifestyle and its health benefits, and has recipes from different parts of the world.

Veg Peace (vegpeace.org) celebrates “raw peasant cuisine”, and the recipes on this site are easy and quick to prepare. They also use ingredients that do not cost a lot of money. If you have previously thought that healthy eating requires a lot of money and a lot of time in the kitchen, this website proves that it is possible to stay healthy on a low budget. The site includes tips for saving money when cooking and when shopping for cooking equipment, and it also contains facts about nutrition and health. It has a wide range of information about different foods and about the main ingredients in raw food recipes, including where to find them and how to prepare them. Some great soup and smoothie recipies here.

Happy cows make tastier cheese

Organic food has become a part of many people’s daily diet, and organic cheese and milk are now available in most grocery stores and supermarkets. One of the main reasons for their popularity is that organic dairy products are often thought to be safer and more beneficial to health than their non-organic counterparts.

What makes organic food safer?

Cows on organic farms are fed a natural diet that contains a lot of fresh grass and other natural foods, such as red clover. The feed is grown without chemical pesticides and other artificial and potentially harmful substances that are used on non-organic farms and that are also used to produce non-organic cattle feed. Residues of insecticides, herbicides and fungicides may end up in milk and meat, but organic milk is free from these dangerous chemicals.

Another popular option is organic goats’ cheese. Some people who have trouble digesting normal dairy products find that they tolerate goat milk a lot better. The taste of goat cheese takes a bit of getting used to as it is quite pungent, but now that I’m used to it I love it.

And you need not worry about cheese being unhealthy (unless you have an allergy or are sensitive to lactose, the main sugar in milk). Most people worry about the fat in cheese, but that is probably not what one should be worried about.  Nora Gedgaudas, who wrote Primal Body, Primal Mind, a book on healthy eating, notes in the book that the French eat a diet that is very high in fat and also includes lots of butter, cheese and cream. Yet their rates of heart disease are low and among men are half the rates of heart disease in America. It is also worth noting that Europe is strict about the chemicals and hormones that farmers are allowed to use on cows and in dairies. Even milk that is not organic is a lot lower in growth hormones and other additives than regular milk in many other parts of the world.

The safety of organic meat

Organically reared cattle are not fed growth or fertility hormones, antibiotics and other medications that are common on normal farms, and genetically modified cattle feed is banned. This means that the milk does not contain any remains of genetically modified substances that could be harmful to human health.

One of the main reasons for the safe reputation of organically produced meat is that the cattle is not fed antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. On many non-organic cattle farms antibiotics are frequently given to the animals even when they are not ill. Residues from the antibiotics can then end up in the cow’s meat or milk, and there has been concern about the widespread use of antibiotics in dairy farming and its possible link to antibiotic resistance in humans, especially after the appearance of so-called superbugs that are resistant to all known antibiotic treatments.

There is also no risk of BSE (mad cow disease) on organic dairy farms, as the animals are never fed food that contains parts of other animals or animal derivatives (thought to be one of the main causes of the BSE scares).

Health benefits of organically grown foods

More and more research has also been conducted to the health benefits of organic foods, and there is increasing evidence that organic products contain more healthy, beneficial nutrients than non-organic products. For example, research into the amount of essential fatty acids in milk has indicated that there is more Alpha Linolenic Acid (a type of a Omega 3 essential fatty acid) in organic than in normal milk. Other beneficial nutrients include vitamins A and E, and antioxidants: all important to everyday health and well-being.

The Benefits of Organically Grown Wines

Organic certified wine is made with grapes that are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Instead of using chemicals to protect their grapes from insects and plant diseases, organic vineyards choose natural, plant-based products. Many farmers now also believe that when grapes grow without chemicals, they also develop a better resistance to the diseases that usually trouble plants.

Biodiversity is encouraged by growing different types of plants together. Certain plants may be grown next to each other because one plant can attract insects that are beneficial to the other. For example, plum trees are planted on some vineyards between the individual rows of grapes, because plum trees attract a certain type of a wasp that eats vine leafhoppers – insects that could easily destroy a good crop of grapes.

What are Biodynamic Wines?

Biodynamic farming means organic farming that has been taken to the next level. Based on the philosophy of the founder of anthroposophic medicine, Rudolf Steiner, biodynamics uses nature’s cycles and earth’s rhythms (such as the cycles of the moon) to plan the best times to plant or to harvest the crops. Biodynamic farmers also use homeopathic or herbal products instead of synthetic fertilizers or fungicides.

Sulfite-Free Wines

Another important wine trend is the increase in sulfite-free wines. Sulfites occur naturally in grapes (and in many other plants) and their job is to protect the plant from microbes and other organisms. They are also added to wine to protect it from oxygen damage and to preserve the flavor. These substances have been used in wine-making for hundreds of years. Unfortunately they can also cause allergic reactions. A common allergic symptom is a severe headache.

White wine generally contains more sulfites than red. In sulfite-free wines other methods are used to protect and preserve the wine, but they do not usually last as long compared to normal wines. Some people suffer from a mild sensitivity and can drink normal wine that does not contain any added sulfite (but still contains what is naturally found in the grapes), and others have turned to organic and biodynamic red and white wines to avoid any chemicals that may cause allergies.

The words sunblock and sunscreen are often used together, but there are differences between the two. Many sun care products on the market today contain both. But what is the difference and which is better for you: sunblock vs sunscreen?

What is the Difference?

Sunblock (like the name suggests) blocks the ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. It forms a protective barrier between the sun’s rays and your skin, and protects against both types of ultraviolet radiation: UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are believed to be more harmful as they penetrate into the skin’s deeper layers and can cause skin damage and premature aging. UVB rays affect the top layers.

The main ingredients in sun blocks are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Sunblocks are usually thicker than sunscreens, and form a visible layer on the skin’s surface, although there are some new products on the market that are not as messy and are almost invisible when applied on the body.

Both sunscreens and –blocks protect you from burning, but instead of blocking the UV radiation, sunscreen absorbs some of the UV rays. It is lighter and less visible when applied on the skin, or sometimes nearly invisible when compared with sunblock. Sunscreen, on the other hand, may contain different active ingredients, such as octyl salicylate, oxybenzone and octyl methoxycinnamate. Sunscreens usually also need to be reapplied every few hours because the ingredients break down after some time in the sunlight.

Most sun protection products found in shops today contain both sunblock and sunscreen. If you are looking for a product that contains blocking ingredients, look for titanium oxide sunblock or zink sunscreen.

Biodegradable and Organic Sun Lotions

More and more people are turning to organic sun protectors as a safer alternative to traditional chemical-filled products. People with sensitive skin, who have had allergic reactions to some of the ingredients in normal sun lotions, are choosing organic skincare that avoids some of the most typical chemicals used in beauty products.
Traditional chemical sun lotions can also damage the environment. Biodegradable sunscreen is a new innovation that does not contain environmentally harmful ingredients. On many tourist beaches around the world the sunscreens and sunblocks that tourists use end up in the sea people swim in, and the chemicals they contain can be harmful to marine life, including the world’s fragile coral reefs. Biodegradable sun lotions are made with ingredients that are less harmful to the ecosystem and are better for the skin, too.There is also a good range of products if you are looking for organic sunscreen for kids.

The final decision on whether to apply sunscreen vs sunblock will often boil down to the intensity of the UV rays that you are expecting and the time of exposure. If you are going to be skiing or spending all day on the water then you probably need total protection whereas if you will be in the shade for part of the day, some sort of organic sunscreen should suffice.

What is the best organic sunscreen for kids?

A lot of parents are considering organic sunscreen for kids.

Anything you ingest or put on your skin can be absorbed by the body. These include toxic and harmful chemicals used for conventional sun blocks. Organic sunscreen for kids is safer and healthier for our children and babies because they don’t contain any synthetic ingredients.

Organic foods, beverages and cosmetic products have to follow certain standards set by the USDA National Organic Program to be able to legally bear the U.S.D.A. Certified Organic label.  The guidelines and restrictions are listed below. Any product that cannot comply with each criterion cannot claim to be USDA approved.

1. Synthetic ingredients must be manufactured or processed without the use of synthetic materials.
2. All ingredients must be free from radiation. Products must not use ionizing radiation or be irradiated during production.
3. Each finished product should contain at least 95% organic ingredients.

When looking for kids’ organic sunscreen it is also important to look into each and every ingredient contained in a bottle. This is to avoid any allergic reaction or contraindication for your children or infants. Although the ingredients are supposedly all-natural, some kids can be allergic to natural substances. Most organic sunscreen for kids contain the following ingredients.

1. Oxybenzone is a natural chemical compound that prevents ultra violet rays from entering the body. It blocks the invisible harmful rays from penetrating skin.
2. PABA or para amino benzoic acid is a non-toxic ingredient that is also responsible for filtering UVB rays from damaging our skin. It’s an effective ingredient that blocks the sun’s harmful rays but is also known to cause rashes and allergic reaction on sensitive skin. Kids often have delicate skin and might have adverse reactions to PABA. Check with your paediatrician before using organic sunscreen for kids that contain PABA.
3. Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound but is an essential ingredient for sun blocks. USDA Standards dictate that a product needs to be 95% organic and natural making a little zinc oxide allowable. Zinc oxide isn’t absorbed by the skin which makes it quite safe for children.

Some popular organic sunscreen for kids are Sunbrella’s JASON, All Natural Baby, Soleo Sunscreen, Alba Botanical, and Doctor Robin for kids. They all contain SPF 30 except for JASON which is SPF 46.

It is important to consult with your child’s paediatrician before using any sunscreen product whether organic or inorganic. Always check the label for ingredients that can possibly cause allergic reactions or contraindications. If your child is experiencing any medical treatment or illness, it is better to consult with a doctor first before applying the sunscreen.

What are the dangers of sunscreen?

Most commercial suscreens and sunblocks contain chemicals that can act as hormone disrupters. BreastCancer.Org warns that:

Research strongly suggests that at certain exposure levels, some of the chemicals in some sunscreen products may cause cancer in people.

It suggests that you avoid sunscreen or sunblock entirely and simply rely on using a wide-brimmed hat and long-sleeved shirts. There is also compelling evidence to suggest that Vitamin D acts as a protective agent against certain sorts of cancer including breast cancer. One of the best ways of getting vitamin D is to allow your body to produce it from moderate exposure to sunlight. Using sunscreen or sunblock will stop the production of Vitamin D in your skin and can contribute to deficiencies of this essential vitamin.

What are the safest sunscreens?

If you plan to use sunscreen then try to find a safer one. The Environmental Working Group has found the European regulations are ahead of those in America as there is a wider range of approved sun protection ingredients that offer higher levels of protection than those available in America.

It suggests that consumers choose “mineral sunscreens” containing zinc and titanium, which do not penetrate the skin, in preference to chemical sunscreens that do penetrate.

The organisation also suggests that consumers steer clear of two common ingredients in sunscreen. These are oxybenzone and vitamin A.

Their recommendation is:

After reviewing the evidence, EWG determined that mineral sunscreens have the best safety profile of today’s choices. They are stable in sunlight and do not appear to penetrate the skin. They offer UVA protection, which is sorely lacking in most of today’s sunscreen products. Mexoryl SX (ecamsule) is another good option, but it’s sold in very few formulations. Tinosorb S and M could be great solutions but are not yet available in the U.S. For consumers who don’t like mineral products, we recommend sunscreens with avobenzone (3 percent for the best UVA protection) and without the notorious hormone disruptors oxybenzone or 4-MBC. Scientists have called for parents to avoid using oxybenzone on children due to penetration and toxicity concerns.

They also propose a variety of brands that they have tested for various hazards. You can access the full calculator here.

Some of the best organic sunscreen brands in their assessment are:

• Hara Body Care Sport
• Burnout Kids
• Aubrey Organics Natural Sun
• Adorable Baby
• Loving Naturals
• Avene
• Badger
• Calafornia Baby
• Coola Baby
• Eco Skincare
• Elemental Herbs
• Kiss My Face

Their database has many more, sunscreens listed with a  simple hazard score. It is worth looking at as even different varieties made by the same company may score differently.

There are local stores where you can buy organic products such as Trader Joe’s, Fruitful Yield, Wild Oats and Whole Foods outlets. You will find a lot of healthy and natural products in these stores including organic sunscreen. If you have a particular brand in mind and can’t find it at a local health store, you can probably find it online. You can purchase it online too and have them delivered straight to your door step.

My favourite organic toothpaste brands are Toms of Maine’s, Green People and Kingfisher. All these companies manufacture organic or natural toothpastes that use ingredients from the nature, and avoid harmful chemicals that could irritate the inside of the mouth.

Natural and herbal toothpaste is made with natural, sometimes certified organic ingredients. Some of the most common ingredients are baking soda, essential oils, different herbal extracts, aloe vera and myrrh. More and more people are turning to herbal toothpastes because these do not contain potentially harmful and skin irritant chemicals that are often used in normal toothpastes. Regular toothpaste also often contains synthetic flavors and other artificial substances, such as coloring agents.

Tom’s of Main

This is a great range of organic toothpaste that comes in enough flavors and with enough different options that most people will find what they are looking for here. You can get ones with or without fluoride and they are clearly marked. Tom’s of Main also has a range of children’s organic toothpastes with or without fluoride. They are really clear in their labels so you know exactly what you are getting and why.  They generally use natural oils and herbs to give a great flavor and real mouth-fresh feeling. They also use natural-source SLS, which I don’t like. I’ve used them quite a bit and love the taste but not the SLS so now I generally use Green People organic.

Tom’s toothpastes contain myrrh and propolis, both natural substances that have healing properties and are especially good for sensitive skin. If you like a fresh minty flavor, the Cool Mint and the Spearmint flavors are both good choices.

Green People

This is a British brand so is easy to get in Europe, where I live. Their toothpaste is really fresh tasting and are free of many skin irritants such as SLS, mainly because one of the founders started the company after her 2-year-old daughter was suffering from eczema and other allergies that seemed to be triggered by preservatives in common skin-care products. Their toothpaste has no preservatives, sweetener or other artificial flavor and uses herbs such as Myrrh to kill germs naturally. It is also good for healing gum infections and mouth ulcers. The toothpastes also contain vitamin C, and they are free of fluoride, artificial sweeteners and sodium lauryl or laureth sulfates.

Green People produces a range of natural skin care and body care products, and its toothpastes are suitable for adults and children.

Kiss My Face Triple Action Organic Aloe Vera Toothpaste, Cool Mint Freshness, 3.4 fl oz (96 g) (Pack of 6) Average Rating: 18 total customer reviews...

Jason Natural Cosmetics - Kids Only Strawberry Tootpaste, 4.2 oz paste Average Rating: 5 total customer reviews...

Tom's of Maine Anticavity Children'stoothpaste, Silly Strawberry, 4.2-Ounce (Pack of 3) Average Rating: 16 total customer reviews...

Tom's of Maine Natural Care Toothpaste, Antiplaque, Tartar Control & Whitening, Peppermint, 6 oz (170 g) (Pack of 6) Average Rating: 35 total customer reviews...

Kingfisher is a long-standing herbal toothpaste manufacturer that has had its toothpaste approved by the British Dental Health Foundation, and its products are available around the world as well as online. The Fluoride Free Mint and the Fluoride Free Fennel pastes are part of a range of products that also includes a Baking Soda paste and a Tea Tree toothpaste. Kingfisher’s products are not tested on animals, and they are also free of genetically modified ingredients.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Free Toothpaste

An increasing number of customers are now turning to herbal toothpastes and especially SLS free products, after several concerns about the safety of sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). Commonly used in many body care products, shampoos, soaps and shower gels, this ingredient is responsible for the lathering effect, but it is a harsh chemical that may irritate the skin and may also have other harmful properties. Natural, organic and herbal toothpastes are available from natural health stores and many large supermarkets, and they can also be easily ordered online.

Organic Milk Guidelines

The United Stated Department of Agriculture states that in order for milk to be labeled “USDA Organic” it must meet certain guidelines. The cows which produce organic milk must graze on ground where no harmful fertilizers or pesticides are used. The animals must also be free of bovine growth hormones—hormones frequently used to increase the milk production of cows. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the USDA have approved these hormones in the United States and claim they cause no harm, such hormones have been banned in many countries throughout the world including Japan, Canada and Europe. This may lead consumers to wonder if such hormones are considered unsafe in so many parts of the world, why they are not seen as a hazard in the United States.

The last criteria organic milk must adhere to concerns antibiotics. No antibiotics are given to cows used for the production of organic milk. If a cow must be treated with such medication it cannot be returned to the herd for a minimum of twelve months in order to ensure the drug is entirely eliminated from its system. This particular topic comes up frequently in conversations among health care professionals. The overuse of antibiotics has resulted in many individuals becoming immune to the benefits of such drugs. Drinking milk containing antibiotic residues only adds to this problem, especially for those who drink milk on a daily basis. Consuming even a small amount of antibiotics every day results in one becoming immune to such drugs, therefore rendering them ineffective when they are needed for the treatment of illness or infection.

Is Organic Milk Better?

The vast array of organic milk benefits have been proved through various scientific studies such as one published by Newcastle University in 2009 which states that organic milk is by far the healthier choice for those who drink milk on a regular basis. The study proved that dairy cows that are handled through the aforementioned organic guidelines produce milk that contains considerably higher amounts of essential fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants than cows that are not handled according to these guidelines.

Using organic milk is undoubtedly a wise decision where one’s health is concerned, and those making this transition may wish to consider brands such as Horizon Organic, Organic Valley and Whole Foods Markets, Inc. Many of these companies also make organic dairy products such as yogurt, cheese and cream. For more information about organic milk and the guidelines organic dairy farmers must follow one can visit the United States Department of Agriculture’s website.

In her book, Primal Body, Primal Mind, Nora Gedgaudas notes that:

Some traditional societies that raised grass-fed sheep, goats, and cattle were shown to have thrived on raw, whole-fat, unpasteurized, organic, grass-fed, hormone-free, antibiotic-free and pesticide-free, unhomogenized milk, cream, cheese, and nutrient-rich butter. Such dairy products are commercially unavailable at this time in most public markets, with the exception of some imported raw-milk cheeses (delicious!), but there are some online quality raw-dairy sources (see www.organicpastures.com). A list of states in which certified raw-milk products are legal can be found by contacting A Campaign for Real Milk (www.RealMilk.com) or at www.eatwild.com. (Nationwide sources of grass-fed meats can also be found on the latter website.)

Strong, dark and healthy

The rich mineral content of dark chocolate has made it a wholesome and delicious way to improve overall health. In addition to proving beneficial in lowering blood pressure, dark chocolate also contains a high amount of anti-oxidants, which work to protect cells, as well as fight against premature aging. The flavonoid compounds that are found in chocolate actually boost the immune system, while the serotonin level has been shown to be a natural and effective anti-depressant. The general rule is that the darker the chocolate, the more effective the health benefits, as the higher content of cocoa increases the potency of the mineral compounds.

Is organic chocolate better?

Organically manufactured dark chocolate increases its health benefits by avoiding the use of refined sugars and artificial chemicals. Organic chocolate also uses only cocoa beans that have been grown without the use of pesticides or other chemicals, and organic chocolates that include emulsifiers only use only soy-based products, rather than the artificial emulsifiers that can be detrimental to health. A higher content of cocoa butter is often used in place of an emulsifier, although this natural fat can dilute the flavor of the chocolate.

The number of organic chocolate brands is growing, with Green & Blacks being one of the most easily available brands on the market. The intense flavor of Green & Blacks dark chocolate has led to its popularity, and this Cadbury treat can be found both online and at many health food and department stores. Dagoba is a Hershey line of dark chocolate that includes organic fruit and nuts in the recipes, which creates unique tastes such as their Lavendar-Blueberry chocolate, and the vanilla and nutmeg flavors that are found in the Dagoba Xocolatl. Chocolove also creates a number of distinct organic flavors, such as peppermint, orange peel, and raspberry, as well as a truly unique Crystallized Ginger.

Askinoise is a more high-end organic chocolate manufacturer, offering hand-blended dark chocolate from their Springfield, Missouri location. The most unique feature of Askinoise chocolate is that it is made from ingredients purchased only from farmers that have been met personally by the company founders. Askinoise chocolate is considerably more expensive, however, with availability primarily found online.

Dark chocolate is one of the guilty pleasures that eliminate the guilt, making it a sweet and delicious way to add to a healthy lifestyle.