A recent study published in the American Journal of Infection Control has reported that washing hands is the first line of defense against catching and passing on germs and viruses. In fact, you’re less likely to catch anything from sharing a kiss than shaking hands.
Hand hygiene is quite important since we can quickly and easily spread germs by just going about our daily business. More on Give A Kiss, But Don’t Shake Hands
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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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Filed under natural farming methods, mineral content, localharvest, grow food, nutritional content, organic business, walmart, organic standards, organic produce, organic milk, five a day, farmers markets, chemicals, toxins, food, studies, organic, organically grown, conventional producers, antioxidants, organic foods, diet by admin
Scientists from the Rowett Research Institute have discovered that those on a low carb diet, a diet normally low on breads, pastas, fruits and vegetables, cause a 4-fold reduction in a cancer fighting fatty acid found in the stomach.
The fatty acid, called butyrate, is created by cancer fighting bacteria in the stomach. In the study, dieters that ate a low carb diet had a four-fold reduction in the bacteria and are at risk for colorectal cancer.
Read more at the BBC.
Low carb diets in general avoid the most important foods in our diet, fruits and vegetables. Not only do they provide the nutrients not found in most other foods, they also contain fiber, not found in meat or animal products, that is essential for good bowel function. It’s no surprise to me that the risk of colorectal cancer increases since it’s quite clear from other studies and good common sense that your body needs fiber to function properly, and that avoiding it will often cause cancer.
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Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University are reporting that American’s are eating fewer vegetables than in the past.
Out of two surveys taken since 1994, the percentage of those meeting the goal of three or more servings of vegetables a day dropped from 38% to 35% in the most recent study. Surprisingly, in this survey, french fries count as vegetables and the percentages still dropped. Fruit consumption remained steady, although only 28% met the recommended goal of at least 2 fruit servings a day. And overall, only 11% met both the fruit and vegetable recommendations.
Not surprisingly, this seems to reflect the increases in disease and death we read about daily.
How can you add more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet? Here are a few suggestions:
- Start your day with lots of fruit for breakfast
- Add fruit to your cereal
- Make an all fruit smoothie for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack
- Bring a bowl of fruit or whole melon for lunch
- Start dinner with a salad and veggies
- Have a large salad for dinner as your entree
- Snack on dried fruits and veggies (careful, organic and unprocessed only)
- Add fresh veggies to your pizza
- Keep fruit handy throughout the day for snacks (bananas, dates and apples are great snacks)
- Make a chocolate ’shake’ … frozen bananas, carob powder, dates and water
- Make a ‘green smoothie’ for lunch or snacks… greens (kale,romaine,spinach) and bananas, celery and bananas… delicious
- Always select fresh and preferably organic fruits and vegetables. Avoid canned and bottled, they are always processed and most often heated or pasteurized (which reduces most of the nutrients and kills the enzymes).
How about your children? They are developing and keeping them nourished with the right foods is especially critical. Here are additional suggestions to help them benefit from fruits and vegetables:
- Set a good example with your own diet.
- While shopping, let kids pick a new fruit or vegetable to try.
- Kids often like foods served separately, so don’t mix vegetables on their plate.
- Offer children a choice of fruits at lunch.
- Top kids’ cereal with berries or a smiley face made of sliced bananas for eyes, raisins for a nose, and an orange slice for a mouth.
- Use cut-up vegetables as part of afternoon snacks.
- Let kids decide on the dinner vegetables or what goes into salads.
- If children are old enough, let them help shop for, clean, peel, or cut up fruits and vegetables.
Read more at WebMD.
To your best health!
Mark
Your Health and Weight Loss Coach
http://www.Everyday-Weight-Loss.com
http://www.HealthyLivingTalk.com
Want convenience and health? Learn about the healthy, convenient, organic and delicious foods that you can take with you anywhere… and keep you smiling and satisfied. Guaranteed. Work, car, bag lunch, snack, kid’s lunch box… Learn more now.
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