Sip, Savor and Swap

If you are avoiding common food allergens like wheat and diary, have dietary restrictions such as vegetarianism, or are following a popular eating plan such as the Paleo Diet, customized nutrition isn’t always as easy as just opening the refrigerator or wandering down the aisles of your local grocery store. Sometimes, you need to get creative when searching for food replacements to use in your recipes and cooking. Here are some suggestions to spark ideas on food replacements and substitutions when cooking for someone with a food allergy or a dietary restriction

Is your organic produce really pesticide-free?

The unimaginable success and sustained growth of the organic movement over the past many decades has LED to several positive changes for the overall food offer, that embrace the enhanced convenience of unpolluted food. however there's a standard misperception among several within the natural health community that every one organic food, and significantly all organic manufacture, is adult mistreatment fully no pesticides, herbicides, or different external inputs.

In truth, some organic foods square measure, indeed, adult with chemical inputs, which can return as a surprise to some. however the great news is that these inputs aren't constant because the inputs used on standard manufacture, and don't contain any artificial ingredients. In most cases, natural and organic pesticides square measure developed fully from plant and herb parts, and truly promote the health of each plants and soil.

Depending on the dimensions, scope, and focus of a specific organic farm, variable cultivations standards will be de jure utilized and still be thought-about organic. Small-scale, family-operated biodynamic organic farms, as an example, is also ready to with success grow all their manufacture mistreatment fully no chemical interventions any, whereas larger-scale organic farms may have to use bound chemical solutions to their crops in accordance with the official organic standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"Organically created fruits and vegetables square measure adult in an setting absent of artificial chemicals, yes, however the notion that they are adult while not chemicals in the slightest degree is fake," explains Doug Smith from ElephantJournal.com regarding the difficulty. "The reality is, most state laws enable organic farmers to spray an entire gamut of chemical sprays, powders and pellets on their organic crops. That is, if they're 'organic' or natural chemical sprays, powders and pellets."

Some organic inputs could have questionable safety records, say some
Are these approved-for-organic growing chemicals safe? affirmative, however presumably no, in step with some. because it seems, bound natural pesticides and pesticides like rotenone-pyrethrin, as an example, or Spinosad, is also probably harmful to humans. the previous was joined in a very 2011 study printed within the journal Environmental Health views to probably inflicting brain disease, whereas the latter is claimed to be extremely cyanogenetic to insects and fish.

Sure, not all organic crops square measure adult mistreatment these chemicals -- several organic growers, in fact, really do use solely all-natural cultivation ways that cause no risks to human health. however some organic crops, as well as some types of organic lettuce, have allegedly tested considerably higher certainly organic-approved pesticides and herbicides than their standard counterparts have for rather more harmful artificial pesticides and herbicides.

What will this mean for you and your family? whereas the goal here isn't to tarnish the organic label in any means -- organic certification is presently the most effective and most trustworthy system we've for regulation the assembly and sale of unpolluted, chemical-free food -- it's vital that readers bear in mind of the very fact that chemicals square measure still generally used on organic foods. Natural News readers can recall that we have a tendency to self-addressed this issue recently because it pertains to organic apples, a number of that square measure de jure sprayed with antibiotics to shield against leaf blight.

At constant time, organic growers WHO are within the business for years insist that even if bound organic growing chemicals is also used on some organic crops, the follow is safer and much superior to traditional growing ways. One organic farmer, commenting on Smith's assessment of the difficulty, states: "I've ne'er place something on my crops that i could not eat," and goes on to elucidate that his ways square measure a lot of safer for the earth and other people "than what I did before i used to be organic." and plenty of others within the field echo this sentiment.

Sources for this article include:
http://www.elephantjournal.com
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110214115442.htm
http://www.naturalnews.com

Bright colors, rich diet

12 Benefits of Olive Oil

Preserving Pears

By Amber Royer

Humans aren’t the only ones who think pears are delicious, so when the fruits start to come ripe, you may have to pick them all at once to stay ahead of the birds and the squirrels. But the wonderful thing about pears is the way they can take on so many different flavor profiles, making them equally likely candidates for a sweet preserve or a spicy chutney. Here are my three favorite ways to preserve them.

Remember when canning to observe strict sanitation rules to avoid any possibility of food-borne illness.  This includes sterilizing your jars and lids in boiling water just prior to filling.  Also, try to stick with established canning recipes, as you need to achieve a proper ph balance to create safe shelf stable foods.  If, even after you have followed a canning recipe to the letter, you suspect your finished product of spoilage, discard it immediately.

Spiced Pear Butter

To me, this pear butter tastes like winter in a jar.  I favor serving it on toast accompanied by Earl Gray tea.

4 lb. pears, stemmed cored and roughly chopped
1/2 c. dry white wine
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 ½  c. sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
4 orange slices
1 lemon slice
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, combine pears, wine and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and cover the pot.  Simmer the mixture until pears are soft, stirring occasionally (about 25 minutes).  Force the pears through a food mill or coarse sieve.  Return the milled pears to the saucepan.  Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla. Place the fruit slices, cloves, and cinnamon stick in a piece of cheesecloth and tie well.  Place the cheesecloth bundle into the saucepan.  Turn on low heat.  Stir the mixture constantly until sugar dissolves.  Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens enough to  mound in a spoon (about 50 minutes).  Discard the cheesecloth bundle and ladle the pear butter into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 " head space. Process  for 12 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Pear Chutney

This chunky concoction offers a rich blend of sweet and savory flavors.  Serve it as an accompaniment for Indian-style curries, as a condiment on a cheese and  crackers tray, or (slightly pureed) as a sandwich spread.

4 lbs.pears, stemmed cored and roughly chopped
3 lbs. onions, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. golden raisins
4 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. salt
6 c. apple cider vinegar
2 (5.5 oz.) cans tomato paste

Combine the pears, onions and garlic in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Stir constantly for 5 minutes, or until the mixture starts to become fragrant.  Add the cranberries, raisins, sugar, cumin, coriander, cayenne, cinnamon, salt, apple cider vinegar and tomato paste.  Combine well.  Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, until  the mixture thickens (about 50 minutes).   Ladle the pear butter into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 " head space. Process  for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Pear Chow Chow

Chow Chow (also known as Piccalilli) is a type of relish related to an Indian-style pickle.   As such, the recipes vary regionally.  This was my great-aunt's recipe, and was given to me by my Mom.   This pear version may be different from the more common cabbage-based ones, but it makes a delicious addition to chicken salad or potato salad, or as served as a condiment or side dish.  

12 c. pears, stemmed, peeled, cored and ground  
4 c. onion, ground
1 c. jalapeno peppers, ground
2 c. bell peppers, ground
5 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. turmeric
4 ½  cups sugar
2 ½  cups vinegar
2 ½ tbsp. pickling spice  
1 tbsp. celery seeds

Combine the ground vegetables in a large, non-reactive pot.  Sprinkle the turmeric and salt over the vegetables. Cover the pot and let stand overnight.  The next day, place the pickling spice in a square of cheesecloth and tie well.  Add the bundle to the vegetable mixture along with the sugar, vinegar and celery seeds.  Bring this mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn heat down to medium and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes.  Ladle the chow chow into hot, sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/4 " head space.  Process  for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Source: http://davesgarden.com

8 Reasons GMOs are Bad for You

Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are created when a gene from one species is transferred to another, creating something that would not be found in nature.

A large percentage of domestic crops (up to 85% of soybean yields) have DNA that was tweaked in a lab, yet it is nearly impossible to know which food items contain these genetically engineered ingredients. Thankfully new mobile phone apps are making it a bit easier for the consumer to know what she is eating, but this is not enough.

GMOs are bad for your body, bad for the community, bad for farmers and bad for the environment. This is why:

1. The health consequences of eating genetically modified organisms are largely unknown. Genetically engineered foods have not been shown to be safe to eat and may have unpredictable consequences. When trans-fats were first introduced, corporations battled to get them onto your grocery shelves – and it is only decades later that this once novel food has been proven to be extremely unhealthful. Many scientists are worried that the genetically altered foods, once consumed, may pass on their mutant genes to bacterium in the digestive system, just like the canola plants on the roadsides of North Dakota. How these new strains of bacteria may affect our body systems’ balance is anybody’s guess.
2. Food items that contain GMOs are unlabeled in America. Why so sneaky? The European Union has banned GMOs, as have Australia, Japan, the UK and two dozen other countries that recognize that a lack of long term studies and testing may be hiding disastrous health defects.
3. Genetic engineering reduces genetic diversity. When genes are more diverse, they are more robust; this is why a pure bred dog tends to have greater health problems than the dear old mutt. Plants with reduced genetic diversity cannot handle drought, fungus invasions or insects nearly as well as natural plants, which could have dire consequences for farmers and communities dependent on GMO crops for survival.
4. Once the mutant genes are out of the bag, there is no going back. Genetically modified organisms contaminate existing seeds with their altered material, passing on modified traits to non-target species. This creates a new strain of plant that was never intended in the laboratory. In North Dakota, recent studies show that 80% of wild canola plants tested contained at least one transgene. In Japan, a modified bacteria created a new amino acid not found in nature; it was used in protein drinks and before it was recalled it cause severe mental and metabolic damage to hundreds as well as several deaths. Japan banned GMOs after this horrific experience. Monarch butterflies have also died after their favorite food, milkweed, was cross-pollinated from Bt corn which rendered it toxic to the endangered species.
5. GMOs are not the answer for global food security. Genetically engineered crops have shown no increase in yield and no decrease in pesticide use. In many cases other farm technology has proven much more successful, and even Monsanto agrees that its genetically engineered crops yield less than conventional farming.
6. Genetically engineered foods have not been proven to be safe, but the few studies conducted don’t look so hot. The organs of rats who ate genetically modified potatoes showed signs of chronic wasting, and female rates fed a diet of herbicide-resistant soybeans gave birth to stunted and sterile pups.
7. Big biotech firms have very sketchy track records, but then again what would you expect from organizations who want to patent the world’s food supply? These massive biotech companies have a history of toxic contamination, deceiving the public and suing small farmers when their patented seeds blew across the fence. Biotech firms sell sterile seeds to African farmers- meaning the seeds are only good for one season, because the plants that grow up will not be able to reproduce. Farmers must buy new seeds every year instead of growing from the previous year’s yield. GMOs are not the farmers’ friend.
8. GMOs require massive amounts of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. These things are poisons, and should not be eaten or allowed to run off into our water supply. But they are, every day, by companies who care far more about the bottom line than they do about your health, your environment or your children’s future.

The bottom line is that genetically modified organisms have not been proven in any way to be safe, and most of the studies are actually leaning the other direction, which is why many of the world’s countries have banned these items whose DNA has been genetically engineered. In America, they aren’t even labeled, much less banned, so the majority of the populace has no idea that they are eating lab-created DNA on a daily basis.

Now you do; your best defense is to purchase certified organic food, which cannot contain any GMOs, and to tell your friends and loved ones to do the same.

Sources:
http://www.purezing.com/
http://www.eathealthyfoods.ca/
http://www.saynotogmos.org/
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0220-09.htm
Article adopted from http://www.organicauthority.com For original article

Why GMOs are dangerous?

Genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) are a broad group of plants, animals, and bacteria that are engineered for a wide variety of applications ranging from agricultural production to scientific research. The types of potential hazards posed by GMO’s vary according to the type of organism being modified and its intended application. Most of the concern surrounding GMO’s relates to their potential for negative effects on the environment and human health. Because GMO’s that could directly effect human health are primarily products that can enter the human food supply, this website focuses on genetically modified food. To date, the only types of products that have been approved for human consumption in the U.S. are genetically modified plants (FDA website).

All genetically modified foods that have been approved are considered by the government to be as safe as their traditional counterparts and are generally unregulated (FDA website). However, there are several types of potential health effects that could result from the insertion of a novel gene into an organism. Health effects of primary concern to safety assessors are production of new allergens, increased toxicity, decreased nutrition, and antibiotic resistance (Bernstein et al., 2003).Food AllergyFood Allergy affects approximately 5% of children and 2% of adults in the U.S. and is a significant public health threat (Bakshi, 2003). Allergic reactions in humans occur when a normally harmless protein enters the body and stimulates an immune response (Bernstein et al., 2003). If the novel protein in a GM food comes from a source that is know to cause allergies in humans or a source that has never been consumed as human food, the concern that the protein could elicit an immune response in humans increases. Although no allergic reactions to GM food by consumers have been confirmed, in vitro evidence suggesting that some GM products could cause an allergic reaction has motivated biotechnology companies to discontinue their development (Bakshi, 2003).Increased ToxicityMost plants produce substances that are toxic to humans. Most of the plants that humans consume produce toxins at levels low enough that they do not produce any adverse health effects. There is concern that inserting an exotic gene into a plant could cause it to produce toxins at higher levels that could be dangerous to humans. This could happen through the process of inserting the gene into the plant. If other genes in the plant become damaged during the insertion process it could cause the plant to alter its production of toxins. Alternatively, the new gene could interfere with a metabolic pathway causing a stressed plant to produce more toxins in response. Although these effects have not been observed in GM plants, they have been observed through conventional breeding methods creating a safety concern for GM plants. For example, potatoes conventionally bred for increased diseased resistance have produced higher levels of glycoalkaloids (GEO-PIE website). Decreased Nutritional ValueA genetically modified plant could theoretically have lower nutritional quality than its traditional counterpart by making nutrients unavailable or indigestible to humans. For example, phytate is a compound common in seeds and grains that binds with minerals and makes them unavailable to humans. An inserted gene could cause a plant to produce higher levels of phytate decreasing the mineral nutritional value of the plant (GEO-PIE). Another example comes from a study showing that a strain of genetically modified soybean produced lower levels of phytoestrogen compounds, believed to protect against heart disease and cancer, than traditional soybeans (Bakshi, 2003). Antibiotic resistance In recent years health professionals have become alarmed by the increasing number of bacterial strains that are showing resistance to antibiotics. Bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics by creating antibiotic resistance genes through natural mutation. Biotechnologists use antibiotic resistance genes as selectable markers when inserting new genes into plants. In the early stages of the process scientists do not know if the target plant will incorporate the new gene into its genome. By attaching the desired gene to an antibiotic resistance gene the new GM plant can be tested by growing it in a solution containing the corresponding antibiotic. If the plant survives scientists know that it has taken up the antibiotic resistance gene along with the desired gene. There is concern that bacteria living in the guts of humans and animals could pick up an antibiotic resistance gene from a GM plant before the DNA becomes completely digested (GEO-PIE website).

It is not clear what sort of risk the possibility of conferring antibiotic resistance to bacteria presents. No one has ever observed bacteria incorporating new DNA from the digestive system under controlled laboratory conditions. The two types of antibiotic resistance genes used by biotechnologists are ones that already exist in bacteria in nature so the process would not introduce new antibiotic resistance to bacteria. Never the less it is a concern and the FDA is encouraging biotechnologists to phase out the practice of using antibiotic resistance genes (GEO-PIE website).

Source:http://enhs.umn.edu 

Non-edible Poisonous Flowers

This chart is a list of the most commonly-known poisonous plants and flowers to avoid while selecting edible flowers. It is not complete, so just because you do not see it listed here, do not assume it is safe to eat. Be sure you know exactly what you choose to consume.

Poisonous Plants and Flowers
Common Name	Botanical Name
Aconite (wolfsbane, monkhood)	Aconitum spp.
Anemone (windflower)	Anemone spp.
Anthurium	Anthurium spp.
Atamasco lily	Zephyranthes spp.
Autumn crocus	Colchicum autumnale
Azalea	Azalea spp. (Rhododendron spp.)
Baneberry	Actaea spp.
Black locust	Robinia pseudo-acacia
Bloodroot	Sanguinaria canadensis
Boxwood	Buxus spp.
Burning bush (strawberry bush, spindle tree, wahoo)	Euonymus spp
Buttercup	Ranunculus spp.
Butterfly weed	Asclepias spp.
Caladium	Caladium spp.
Calla (calla lily)	Calla palustris (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
Carolina jasmine (yellow jessamine)	Gelsemium sempervirens
Castor bean	Ricinus communis
Cherry laurel	Prunus caroliniana
Chinaberry (bead tree)	Melia azedarach
Christmas rose	Helleborus niger
Clematis	Clematis spp.
Daffodil	Narcissus spp.
Deadly nightshade (belladonna)	Atropoa belladona
Death cammas (black snakeroot)	Zigadenus spp.
Delphinium (larkspur)	Delphinium spp.
Dogbane	Apocynum androsaemifolium
Dumbcane	Dieffenbachia spp.
Elephant ears	Colocasia antiquorum
False hellebore	Veratrum viride
Four o'clock	Mirabills jalapa
Foxglove	Digitalis purpurea
Giant elephant ear	Alocasia spp.
Gloriosa lily	Glonosa superba
Golden chain tree (laburnum)	Labunum anagryroides
Goldenseal	Hydrastis canadensis
Heavenly bamboo (nandina)	Nandinaa domestica
Henbane (black henbane)	Hyoscyamus niger
Horse chestnut (Ohio buckeye)	Aesculus spp.
Horse nettle	Solanum spp.
Hyacinth	Hyacinthus orientalis
Hyacinth bean	Dolicbos lab lab
Hydrangea	Hydrangea spp.
Iris	Iris spp.
Ivy (English ivy)	Hedera helix
Jack-in-the-pulpit	Arisaemia triphyllum
Jerusalem cherry	Solanum pseudocapsicum
Jessamine (jasmine)	Cestrum spp.
Jetbead (jetberry)	Rhodotypos tetrapetala
Jimson weed	Datura spp (Brugmansia spp.)
Jonquil	Narcissus spp.
Kentucky coffee tree	Gymnocladus dioica
Lantana	Lantana camara
Leopard's bane	Arnica montana
Lily of the valley	Convallaria majalis
Lobelia (cardinal flower, Indian tobacco)	Lobelia spp.
Marsh marigold	Caltha palustris
May apple (mandrake)	Podophyllum peltatum
Mescal bean (Texas mountain laurel, frijo lillo)	Sophora secundiflora
Mistletoe	Phoradendron spp.
Morning glory	Ipomoea violacea
Mountain laurel	Kalmia latifolia
Nightshade	Solanum spp.
Oleander	Nerium oleander
Periwinkle (myrtle, vinca)	Vinca spp.
Philodendron	Philodendron spp. (Monstera spp.)
Pittosporum	Pittosporum spp.
Poison hemlock	Conium maculatum
Potato	Solanum tuberosum
Privet	Ligustrum spp.
Rhododendron	Rhododendron spp.
Rock poppy (celandyne)	Chelidonium majus
Schefflera	Schefflera spp.
Spring adonis	Adonis vernalis
Spurge	Euphorbia spp.
Star of Bethlehem	Ornithogalum umbellatum
Sweet pea	Lathyrus spp.
Tobacco	Nicotiana tabacum
Trumpet flower (chalice vine)	Solandra spp.
Water hemlock	Cicuta maculata
Wild cherry (black cherry)	Prunus serotina
Wisteria	Wisteria spp.
Yellow allamanda	Allamanda cathartica
Yellow oleander (tiger apple, be still tree, lucky nut)	Thevetia peruviana
Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow	Brunfelsia spp.