Category Archives: Healthy Eating

Interview with Nell Newman of Newman Organics in Eucalyptus Magazine

Nell Newman of Newman Organics

Google News is one of the ways that I search for the latest organic products information.  Today I found a press release about this terrific interview.  Here is the first paragraph and a link to the original article.  The Newman products and their company philosophy have such a benefit to all of us.  So glad she’s on this path!

Nell Newman, founder of Newman’s Own Organics, grew up tomboy-style in the Connecticut woods, fishing and hiking and exploring the natural world. Soon after graduating from college, where she earned a degree in human ecology, she worked to re-establish the bald eagle in Central California. Now in her late 40s, Newman is an avid Santa Cruz surfer and angler who occasionally reels in her own salmon for dinner. As photogenic as her famous parents, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, and as business-savvy as most Harvard MBAs, Nell Newman has been a major force in the organic food business. She welcomed us into her Aptos office to talk about her career.

Click HERE to read the full interview.

Hope you enjoy it!

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Family Line: How to make organics fit your food budget

Found this today in the Green Bay Press Gazette.

Hope you enjoy it!  Oranges on the tree.

Today’s shoppers can choose from an increasing array of foods labeled organic. But while organic foods continue to grow in popularity, they often seem to come with a higher price tag.

Organic food production is strictly regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers cannot use synthetic pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, genetic engineering, chemical fertilizers or waste products in the growing process. And organic foods must come from farms that have been certified organic by the USDA. All these requirements can boost the cost of producing foods with the organic label.  Read complete article here.

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Coupon lady: Organic foods can fit into modest budget

Carol Gunter, The Augusta Chronical special reporter

Carol Gunter

Found this article in The Augusta Chronicle written by Carol Gunter, Special Columnist, Thursday, June 16, 2011

Frugal is a term that invokes a lot of feelings for people. Buying organic foods is not a concept most people think can coexist with a frugal lifestyle.

But the truth is that with smart shopping and careful planning, organic foods can fit in a modest household budget.

The Environmental Working Group has published a list of what it calls the Dirty Dozen. These 12 foods have the highest concentrations of pesticides that remain in or on produce, based on data from USDA and EPA testing. If you have a limited budget, you should consider buying these products organic whenever possible. The Dirty Dozen consists of apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, imported nectarines, imported grapes, sweet bell peppers, potatoes, domestic blueberries, lettuce and kale and other types of collard greens.

The group also has published a list called the Clean Fifteen, a list of the 15 least pesticide-absorbent produce on the market. Buying these products organic does not have to be a priority because the differences between regular and organic are minimal. The Clean Fifteen are onions, sweet corn, pineapples, avocado, asparagus, sweet peas, mangoes, eggplant, domestic cantaloupe, kiwi, cabbage, watermelon, sweet potatoes, grapefruit and mushrooms. To print this list in a wallet-size reminder, go to www.ewg.org.

Follow this link to read the entire article:  Coupon Lady  She gives other good tips and website links.  Great Article!!

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You are what you eat!

Copyright © 2010 Katie Humphrey

“You are what you eat.” How many times have you heard that expression? It’s true, in my opinion, and it can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it.

If you’re in control of your diet – eating whole, healthy foods at least 80% of the time – the above statement should encourage you. The more healthily you eat, the better you will look. The occasional indulgence won’t hinder any progress you make. On the other hand, if your diet (or cravings) is out of control, you may be frustrated and discouraged to think the foods you eat show up on the outside.

Here are 5 steps to eating foods that will make you look and feel fabulous: Eat WHOLE foods. Celebrity personal trainer Jillian Michaels says, “If it grew from the ground or had a mother, it’s whole.” This includes lean meats, whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Eating these foods will help you lose weight, increase energy and balance hormones naturally.

Drink LOTS of water. Drinking water is often neglected by women and is a crucial component to weight loss. Water keeps the body hydrated, increases metabolism and reduces cravings. It helps to flush toxins and reduces bloating! Always keep a bottle of water on you and drink it until your urine is clear (that’s how you know you’re drinking enough!).

Combine protein and carbohydrates. Protein does not just mean “meat.” Vegetarian proteins are just as good as animal products. Combining protein with a carbohydrate guarantees blood sugar levels will remain steady so you don’t feel fatigued or experience any food cravings! If you’re unsure what protein or carbohydrates you should be eating, go to http://www.katiehumphrey.com and get my free report, “Permission to Eat Freely.” It outlines these foods in detail and how often you should be eating them.

Eat treats every once in a while. Treats include dessert, alcohol and junk foods. You don’t have to cut these foods out, but watch how much you consume them. I also suggest to clients to choose “healthier” versions of their favorite treats. I love making organic, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies instead of regular cookies. I never feel guilty when eating them, and I don’t “puff up” or get bloated. Eating these kinds of foods every so often will keep you from feeling deprived (hint: deprivation can lead to bingeing!).

Write out your personal meal plan. These four eating strategies will help you lose weight, keep it off and get your ideal body. I lost 30 pounds (even with PCOS) eating this way, so I know you can do it, too. The biggest step you have to take is actually implementing the information.

Take 5 minutes right now and map out what you are going to eat from now on. Make time to cook, make meals and pack them in a cooler. Write a grocery list of healthy items with which you need to stock your fridge. Following through with these tips is what will actually gets you results! Next week we will learn the mindset you need to stay committed to a healthy, effective meal plan!


If you enjoyed this article, you’ll love my FREE report, “Permission to Eat Freely: 4 Steps to Lasting Weight Loss (while eating dessert)!” Yours FREE (a $27 value) when you download it at http://www.katiehumphrey.com

Katie Humphrey, author of “Freedom from PCOS,” helps women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome naturally overcome their condition using an effective combination of exercise, nutrition and lifestyle coaching.

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Organic Milk: A Pint of the Right Stuff

Cows in organic field

Happy Organic Dairy Cows

This morning I read a terrific article in “The Independent” of UK.  It covers the pros and cons of switching to organic milk.  It’s such a terrific article, let me share some quotes.

If just 5 per cent of us switched to buying organic milk, says Humble, it would turn 52,000 acres – an area the size of Greater Birmingham – into organic land. For an extra pound a week we would get healthier milk, happier cows, more wildlife and a prettier countryside. Not a bad deal.

That translates into about an extra $2 per week for 5% of the UKs population to protect 52,000 acres of countryside for chemical pollution.  Just think what that could mean in the US!  It sends shivers up my spine to imagine it.  We vote with our dollars every day.  If we buy it, they will produce it.  Our family recently switched to organic milk and it tastes better!

Buying organic milk, says Kate Humble, is one of the easiest and cheapest ways of supporting farming with nature. “You will know it comes from well-managed farms, and you are doing something actively to protect and conserve the British countryside – and what an effortless way to do it.”

While this article was written in the UK, all of the principles are just as valid here in the US.  It’s a simple thing to do.  Just switch to buying organic products as much as you can and you will be changing the toxic load on our environment and ourselves.  Please think about it.  And comments are welcome.

Here’s a link to the full article:  http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/organic-milk-pint-of-the-right-stuff-1970459.html.

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Pesticides to Blame for Bee Colony Collapse Disorder

Colony collapse disorder: Scientists blame pesticides for honeybee decline

New research finds systemic pesticides in 60 percent of tested honeybees and their hives in U.S., Canada

 By Leah Zerbe

(This story is reposted by permission of Rodale.com, where it orginally appeared.)

What you can do
Vote with your dollar: Support organic agriculture that keeps harmful chemicals out of the environment—and our bodies (and the bees’).

 

Agricultural chemicals are wiping out bees that  pollinate our crops and flowers.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Bee fan or not, we all rely on the insects to pollinate the fruit, nut, and vegetable crops we enjoy every day. But in the last few years, the populations of our pollinators, particularly honeybees, have been plummeting. Dubbed colony collapse disorder, the cause of the devastation isn’t known. There are many theories, from mites and viruses to cellphone towers. One potential cause—pesticides—gained more credibility this week with the release of a new study by Pennsylvania State University. Researchers found “unprecedented levels” of pesticides in honeybees and hives in the United States.

THE DETAILS: Scientists tested wax, trapped pollen, and honeybee specimens for chemical pesticides and chemicals originating from those pesticides. Investigating pesticide residue in samples taken from beekeepers from 23 states and one Canadian province during the 2007 to 2008 growing season, researchers found 121 different pesticides and metabolites in the 887 wax, pollen, bee, and hive samples. Nearly 60 percent of the 259 wax and 350 pollen samples contained at least one systemic pesticide—a type of poison that doesn’t remain on the surface of plants, but is taken up inside the plant, too, where honeybees go to feed.
For complete article click HERE.

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Natural Herbal Remedies and Medicines and their History

Natural herbal remedies have been in use for medicinal purposes for more than 3,000 years. Today, more than 80% of the population uses them to treat illnesses of all kinds.

The concept is fairly simple. Find a natural element in the environment and ingest it. See what kind of affect – good or bad – it has on the ailment from which you suffer. Each and every part of the plant, from the seed to the flower, has been used throughout the history of herbal medicine. Natural remedies have been delivered in so many versions – raw, brewed in with tea, topical ointments, and pills. Originally, the uses for these plants were determined by superstitious cues, based upon the plants likeness to a particular body part or because it grew in a particular area. Over time, the practice became more refined. To the point that many prescription drugs available today actually contain extracts of the herbal medicines.

This fairly simple concept has evolved quite a bit over the years. Today, this complex practice effectively treats ailments from headaches to heart disease and the common cold to depression. The first practitioners of natural herbal remedies likely used marshmallow root, which is a grass that can be chewed to treat a sick stomach. Strangely enough, this is probably a practice learned from primates. Who says we come from apes? Similarly, these first users may have used hyacinth as a diuretic to purge the body of excess water.

Cultivating certain plants have become an important role in human society as the knowledge was gained as to which plants treated certain ailments. Eventually, these herbalists began to keep track of what was prescribed and to whom and this knowledge was passed on from generation to generation and to all subsequent forms of conquering societies. Herbal remedies were first systematized by the Egyptians; and then by the Greeks. We can thank the Greek culture for what amounts to the foundation of modern medicine today. They introduced the concept of not only prescribing these herbal remedies, but also recording both the prescription and the result of treatment.

Across the world, different societies took to the earth to seek out their own versions of these natural remedies. Medical concoctions were created by herbalists in India by combining the herbs with parts of animals. In the Americas, the hunt for herbal remedies was driven by spirituality and different tribes collected herbal remedies and passed the knowledge on to other tribes through oral tradition. And in China, where we find the first written record of herbal medicine, herbalist paired natural remedies with acupuncture to balance the ‘life force energies’.

From its beginning as a primate activity, herbal medicine has ridden the roller coaster of being acceptance and rejection by traditional medical field. The use of natural remedies has been documented for over 3,000 years, and in addition to the thousands of years of human testing, the practice has withstood intense scrutiny and real world testing. Though studies continue and remedies continue to alter, herbal medicine has stood the test of time as an effective means of helping humans stay healthy.


Johney Maron, a medical device salesman and active father of 2, is a believer in the power of natural herbal remedies and medicines. Pharmaca offers a large selection of nutritional health products including herbal vitamin supplements and wellness products from some of the most trusted brands in the industry.

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Mercury in Canned Tuna

In my update from Natural Food Merchandiser today, they highlighted their article titled “Canned tuna exceeds EPA’s safety levels for mercury.”  The information in the articles comes from testing done by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2006.  Nevertheless, it is interesting.  Read the full article at this LINK.  Here is an excerpt: 

More than half of canned tuna samples from three national brands exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s safety level for human consumption, according to a new study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Only 5 percent of the tuna studied contained more mercury than what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers safe.

A few things I noticed when I looked into the source a little further…

  1. The EPA guidelines for safe levels of mercury in human food is much lower than the levels set by the FDA.  Who to believe?
  2. While they note that one brand is worse than the other two, they don’t reveal the brand names.  Bummer!
  3. They noticed difference in mercury levels in different “types” of tuna.  Seems that “chunk light” was slightly less contaminated than “solid white” or “chunk white.”  Strange.

The conclusions drawn in the article and the study are that there is a need for a long-term monitoring program to ensure the safety of the tuna we consume.  I certainly agree with that!!  So what’s a body to do?

Of course, the answer to that depends on your situation and intention.  For children and pregnant women, the risks appear to be more dramatic.  It might be advisable to avoid tuna altogether.  Other adults might want to use it in moderation.  But there is an option for purchasing much safer tuna, but of course the cost is three to five times more than mainstream brands.  If you are like me, you will want to pay the extra price to be mercury free.

American Tuna LogoThe best mercury-free tuna I have found so far is American Tuna, a group of six fishing families in San Diego, California.  The 6 oz. cans run about $5 on their website market.  I would expect similar prices at the Whole Foods Market locations and other retailers on their list

Best regards to all of you.  Be safe, be healthy. [tweetmeme source=gsorganics only_single=false]

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Natural Foods Dietary Guidelines

The Weston A. Price Foundation is a non-profit organization “dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research and activism.”  It’s definitely one of the best nutritional websites I’ve come across to date.  One caveat for the vegans among us, this group does espouse the eating of animal products.  Below are the first two paragraphs from their “About” page and their “Dietary Guidelines.”  I was so impressed that I joined.  Check it out.Healthy Family

The Weston A. Price Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charity founded in 1999 to disseminate the research of nutrition pioneer Dr. Weston Price, whose studies of isolated nonindustrialized peoples established the parameters of human health and determined the optimum characteristics of human diets. Dr. Price’s research demonstrated that humans achieve perfect physical form and perfect health generation after generation only when they consume nutrient-dense whole foods and the vital fat-soluble activators found exclusively in animal fats.

The Foundation is dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research and activism. It supports a number of movements that contribute to this objective including accurate nutrition instruction, organic and biodynamic farming, pasture-feeding of livestock, community-supported farms, honest and informative labeling, prepared parenting and nurturing therapies. Specific goals include establishment of universal access to clean, certified raw milk and a ban on the use of soy formula for infants.

Dietary Guidelines

  1. Eat whole, natural foods.
  2. Eat only foods that will spoil, but eat them before they do.
  3. Eat naturally-raised meat including fish, seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, game, organ meats and eggs.
  4. Eat whole, naturally-produced milk products from pasture-fed cows, preferably raw and/or fermented, such as whole yogurt, cultured butter, whole cheeses and fresh and sour cream.
  5. Use only traditional fats and oils including butter and other animal fats, extra virgin olive oil, expeller expressed sesame and flax oil and the tropical oils—coconut and palm.
  6. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, in salads and soups, or lightly steamed.
  7. Use whole grains and nuts that have been prepared by soaking, sprouting or sour leavening to neutralize phytic acid and other anti-nutrients.
  8. Include enzyme-enhanced lacto-fermented vegetables, fruits, beverages and condiments in your diet on a regular basis.
  9. Prepare homemade meat stocks from the bones of chicken, beef, lamb or fish and use liberally in soups and sauces.
  10. Use herb teas and coffee substitutes in moderation.
  11. Use filtered water for cooking and drinking.
  12. Use unrefined Celtic seasalt and a variety of herbs and spices for food interest and appetite stimulation.
  13. Make your own salad dressing using raw vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and expeller expressed flax oil.
  14. Use natural sweeteners in moderation, such as raw honey, maple syrup, dehydrated cane sugar juice and stevia powder.
  15. Use only unpasteurized wine or beer in strict moderation with meals.
  16. Cook only in stainless steel, cast iron, glass or good quality enamel.
  17. Use only natural supplements.
  18. Get plenty of sleep, exercise and natural light.
  19. Think positive thoughts and minimize stress.
  20. Practice forgiveness.

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FREE MiEssence Product Drawing Monthly

Sometimes I think about the “why” of what I’m doing with my ONEgroup business.  Selling has never been something I aspired to do and I certainly didn’t show any aptitude for it.  My brother on the other hand has been an expert at selling since he was a teenager.  Because of him, I know that there is an actual science of selling.  He excels at it!

So why do I find myself at the age of 60 “selling” organic personal care products.  It certainly isn’t to get rich!  So why?  The truth of the matter is that in the summer of 2007, I was seaching the internet for products made from organically farmed ingredients.  I was aware that putting chemicals on our bodies and in our bodies and in the environment around us is very dangerous behavior.  It might even be considered somewhat suicidal.

I’ve always been partial to organic products, and in 2007, I was aware that most of the supposed natural personal care products in the stores where really no better than the brand name ones, from a chemical standpoint and from how well they work.   I had tried many different brands of natural skin care and personal care products, not to mention most of the expensive department store brands.   But I had never found a “stand-out” product.  Nothing that really made an improvement in my skin, or my teeth, or my hair, etc.

But then I found ONEgroup and the MiEssence brand.  As an oldster, I use the Rejuvenating line of skin care products, and right away my skin felt better, really better!  On top of that my friends and family started asking me what was I doing to make my skin look so good.  I was told that I looked 10 years younger, music to my old ears.

So suddenly these  certified organic products took on a special potential.  Something good for the Earth, somethng good for people, and something that actually works well on the human body.  Was I dreaming??  NO!

So, here I am.  I prefer not to think of it as sellling, but I guess it is.  Mostly I want to educate consumers on the power of their purchases to improve our health and our world.  And the contribution that buying and using organic products makes to the health, safety, and reduced chemical load on ourselves and our planet.

But really, I just want to give away the products to everyone.  If I were rich, that is exactly what I would do.  But until then, I will just give away one FREE MiEssence product each month.  Stop by the storefront and enter for your chance to win.  All the best!

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