March 23, 2008

How To Reduce Your Risk of Cantaloupe Salmonella Poisoning

The FDA today announced a risk of salmonella poisoning in cantaloupe imported from Honduras. The risk is highest in small children and older adults with weak or compromised immune symptoms. Even if you’ve eaten contaminated fruit, most with uncompromised immune systems will not feel the effects.

The recommendation is More on How To Reduce Your Risk of Cantaloupe Salmonella Poisoning

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November 17, 2007

It’s Official: Organic Is Better

The largest study on the differences between conventional and organically grown produce has reported that organically grown fruits and vegetables are more nutritious and can extend a person’s lifetime.

The findings also showed that fruits and vegetables grown organically have up to 40% more antioxidants which they believe can reduce the risk of disease and increase lifespan. They also found they had higher mineral content, including iron and zinc.

The $25 million study conducted in England also found that milk produced organically had up to 90% more antioxidants than conventional. The differences were so dramatic in all cases they studied the researchers indicated that even if some didn’t meet the required daily ‘five a day’, referring to 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, if they ate organic, they would satisfy the requirement with just 4 servings a day due to the increased nutritional content.

Read more about the study at the Times of London.

Of course, common sense will tell us that if you grow food in mineral depleted soil and spray it with chemicals it will have lower nutritional value. This is the first large study that confirms the difference.

However, be careful where you buy your organic produce. Because of the dramatic growth in the organic business, retailers like Walmart are sourcing many organic foods overseas from countries like China and Brazil and carrying organic milk from farms that have been criticized for not keeping the the established organic standards. Organic may not always be organic as the demand for products has tested the organic standards as conventional producers want to get into the business.

In addition to looking for fresh produce grown mainly in the states, look for locally grown produce. Most local farms today practice more natural farming methods, and don’t hesitate to ask how they grow. It’s you’re health! You can find a list of farmers markets at LocalHarvest.org

And finally, in my opinion, organic produce just plain tastes better. After you switch to organic over conventional, within a short period of time the natural tastes will come alive and you’ll notice the difference.

To your best health!

Learn more about the natural, delicious and organic convenient foods available. Great way to switch to organic for lunch, snacks (kids love them), soups and more including natural and organic personal care products. My family and I use and highly recommend them.

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