Is Organic Skin Care Really Better For You?
February 27, 2010
In this day and age we are becoming more and more obsessed with organic products. Organic food is all the rage, and now organic beauty products are also taking a center stage. So just how good are these products for us? Are they really that much different from ordinary products?
The Benefits of Organic Skin Care
With so many chemicals in ordinary skin care products, it is shocking to think that we plaster our skin with creams and lotions every single day, yet we do not know what is in them. We have an amazing sense of trust in the manufacturers of skin care products, yet it seems that we are really being let down in a big way!
Ordinary products contain chemicals such as alcohol and lead. Alcohol is extremely drying on the skin and it can cause all kinds of problems, yet we spread it onto the skin without much thought. However, some people are seeing the light and more and more of us are turning to the benefits of natural products. Below are a few benefits of using organic products over ordinary, chemical-packed ones:
Gentle Enough For Even Sensitive Skin
As organic products are made form natural ingredients, they are often really good for people who suffer from sensitive skin. However, there are some natural chemicals included in organic products so you should always see if you are allergic to any of the ingredients before trying them.
What You See is What You Get
With organic products you know exactly what you are getting. There are no hidden downsides and you can rest assured that you are using the best ingredients for your skin.
They Do Not Always Have to be More Expensive
Although organic products are generally more expensive than ordinary ones, as they mainly use natural ingredients, it is possible to create some of your own recipes. This is not really expensive, and you are getting the bets of both worlds as you get to try out natural products, and you know exactly what is going into them.
Homemade Organic Skin Care
All you sometimes need to make your own organic skin care products is to open your kitchen cupboard. There are plenty of ingredients there which can help to give you beautiful, glowing skin the natural way!
For example, baking soda is great rubbed onto the skin once a week whilst you are in the shower. It can also be good to remove blackheads. If you have oily skin, fresh tomatoes are great for treating the oily areas of your face. However, some people may be allergic to the tomato juice, so always test on your arm before trying it on the face.
Vinegar is also another one of natures miracles. Apparently it works wonders on smelly armpits and feet. All you do is mix 50% of vinegar and 50% water, and use instead of your ordinary deodorant. Vinegar is also good for athletes foot and if you give your feet a vinegar bath every day for a week, the condition usually clears up pretty well.
If you fancy making your own face mask, mixing egg yolk with honey often makes a good one. Simply leave it on the skin for 20 minutes and then rinse it off. This is great for people with sensitive skin, though the honey can cause a tingling sensation. If this happens to you it is possible to use only the egg yolk.
Overall, home made organic skin care products may be a little messier sometimes and they may not smell as nice as ordinary products, but at least you know what you are getting. Your skin really will love you for it, and your purse will too!
Louise Forrest
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/is-organic-skin-care-really-better-for-you-126607.html
Organic farming on college campus to cut costs?
February 27, 2010
So, I’m writing a research proposal for English.
We’re supposed to go along the lines of finding ways to promote environmentally friendly living our college campus.
My idea is that our college should devote some of the land (where they’re bulldozing eight dorms) to grow houses and farm land. Organic farming could help promote healthier living, If they develop a class to teach the students about hands-on organic farming, then the university could utilize what is grown for their own use. Not only would students be educated about organic foods and farming, but the university could use these foods and hopefully promote the local economy by buying from our area.
Does this sound decent? Any tips? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Organic farm land will benefit both students and local community. The aim towards the benefit of both school and community is great. On the other hand, it may be costing schools rather than saving money since organic farming takes a lot of effort to maintain.
So, how about these ideas;
1. Renting farm land out to local organic farmers and associate with them, so that they can assist agriculture classes and provide study materials.
2. Hire local organic farmers to maintain the farm. Students can get hands on experiences and study the farm. Distribute the harvested vegetables to local community. Community can donate to the school to keep the service.
3. Get funded to build a research facility to develop future organic farming methods. Something like this. http://marukuwato.multiply.com/journal/item/171
Does buying organic food really make a difference?
February 27, 2010
Is shopping organic enough to help make a difference in the way people treat animals, the earth and its resources– specifically when it comes to our food and beverage supply–? What else can I do to live earth friendly and encourage more earth healthy (and people healthy) lifestyles?
And I have a follow up question…I have read that part of the reason that organic foods are more expensive is because chemically altered or supported foods receive government subsidies–so we pay less at the cashier but overall we are paying just as much through taxes etc. True? Any comments or thoughts on this would be appreciated too!
There are a number of reasons why organic foods are more expensive. Other than damage to crops from insects and disease, there is also the simple cost of having the government certify that your food is organic. That is the number one complaint I hear from those who grow organically for the market.
Is it healthier? Bestonnet_00 pointed out some problems with the government’s labeling of “organic”. One example I can think of is that some stock men simply open up the door to the barn and label their animals “free range”, even though the animals never leave the barn. You have to know the source. A powerful lobbyist with money can easily change government definitions to their liking. (This is the number two complaint I hear from those who attempt to grow organically for the market.)
However, scientific studies have shown that truly free range meat, eggs, and milk products are healthier for you as they are lower in bad cholesterol and higher in the good types…just as humans can lower their own bad cholesterol by getting out and getting some exercise.
Studies have also shown that children who are around a lot of pesticides (i.e. those who grow up on “factory” farms) have lower IQ’s, and men exposed to the same have lower rates of fertility, Many people have discovered that some food chemicals (added to cover up the poor taste of industrial food) may be linked to common childhood disorders (ADD, ADHD, rage disorder) and some forms of autism, and may be linked to cancers and other disease-like disorders.
But more than that, there is taste. Free range animal products (those that are actually free-range) simply taste better, as does home-grown food. This past year, my family and I ate primarily out of our own garden, in which we use almost no pesticides and use mostly natural fertilizers, and we ate mostly animal products from nearby farms where we could see how the animals were raised. The main reason for us having a garden and cooking from scratch is simply because it tastes better than the crap one buys in the grocery store, even over stuff labeled “organic”. However, we did notice something extraordinary…we did get sick less often. Was there a link? I don’t know. But I sure enjoy eating a nice buffalo burger (that was raised not too far from where we live) topped with sweet, garden-fresh tomatoes that I had just picked that morning.
What are the Benefits of the Acai Berry?
February 12, 2010
For thousands of years the benefits of the acai berry where hidden to the world outside of the Amazon rainforest. The Acai grows wild in the Amazon where the locals have being using for centuries. They have thought the Acai berry cured their most feared diseases and used to help improve their health.
The Acai berry is high in protein and dietary fiber and includes a large amount of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. The omega acids help protect the heart and the cardiovascular system. The Acai berry also is believed to help lower cholesterol. It has lately been going around that the acai berry is the new anti-aging super food and has even made an appearance on Opera. The acai berry has a high level of antioxidant vitamins from the fruit and a high level of anthocranins. The acai berry contains ten times more anthocranins than grapes and twice the amount of blueberries.
The anthocranins are the same ingredient that makes a glass of red wine a day helpful. Of course the benefit of the berry is that it contains other helpful ingredients and does not have the negative affects of alcohol. These anthocranins help boost the anti-aging affects of the berry.
So one might ask why as the acai berry been a mystery up to know, one of the major reasons is that its helpfulness lessens quickly after harvest. The key to preserving the acai berries helpful nature is to immediately freeze the fruit after harvest and then transport it for use. This is key to look for when purchase a product that includes the acai berry. Once the acai berry is made into a concentrated drink it is able to hold up because of the other items in the drink. Many stores now are starting to sell the acai berry in their raw form. Both methods can be used affectively.
Also the acai berry is helpful on the digestive track that helps your body loss weight. When your body is able digest correctly it breaks down food more affectively giving you more energy and allowing yourself to process food more affective. The acai berry will help you in many ways. While it is not a cure all that many wish it to be it is a safe and helpful additive to your diet.
Fred Mitchell
http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/what-are-the-benefits-of-the-acai-berry-749945.html
Is a large scale shift to organic farming the BEST way to increase the world’s food supply?
February 11, 2010
I am doing research on this topic for one of my courses. I have to argue that it will not increase food supply but I am confuse because all of the literature that I have came across supports organic farming. Also, they are saying that organic farm produce either higher or about the same yield as other farming. What do you all think about that?
The reason why its confusing is that the comparative yields of organic farming vary greatly depending on the region and food type. For arable production, in Northern Europe, Australia and some other regions, organic farming yields alot less, say 40% less. The differences for ruminant livestock production (beef and sheep) are much less only 15% lower yields. However, in major agricultural regions, like the US, organic farming has very similar yields to non-organic farming, only a few percent less per hectare. This is important as the US is a major global supplier of food (unlike Northern Europe). And for horticultural production (vegetables), there is really little or no difference in per hectare yields between organic and non-organic farming (I’ve recently been checking some of the research on this). Other issues are also relevant to this question, not just normal per hectare yields.
Then, in the developing world, organic farming produces much higher yields (50% to 150% more) than current systems (by raising soil fertility and increasing the diversity of crop types grown in ways that compliment each other). Agrochemical-based practices can also raise yields considerably in developing country regions but they have a couple of major weakness, firstly that they impose costs on poor people and secondly that the yields drop off considerably in drought periods, while organic farming is much more resilient to drought (as the soil has more organic matter and holds more water). This is a key consideration for these regions. So, overall, as shown by research, organic farming would greatly increase yields in these areas (and produce as much or slightly more than agro-chemical based systems) and importantly, it ensures a more continuous food supply and so better food security.
One other major point in favour of organic farming is that it can turn back the trend of desertification. Alot of food production is in sem-arid regions where the soil has very low levels of organic matter and is degrading through erosion and on the brink of desertification. Introducing organic farming raises the soil organic matter levels and soil moisture levels and protects the land from desertifying. This way, organic farming can prevent the loss of valuable agricultural land.
So, putting all this together, it is likely that widespread organic farming would produce as much food as current systems overall, crucially would increase yields where they are most needed (developing world) and in addition would improve food security by reducing the regional impacts of drought and loss of farmland by desertification. (The lower yields with organic farming in Northern Europe can be addressed by reducing food wastage, reducing white meat consumption and by using the very large areas of farmland that are now under-used in the ex-Soviet bloc.)
