The benefits of red wine have been debated for several years. For the most part, the reports that you might read about red wine as it relates to our health are not conflicting. Through scientific research and clinical studies, it has come to be generally accepted that, when consumed in moderate amounts, red wine can offer us quite a few health benefits.

If you are a fan of red wine, such news is certainly cause for celebration!

How Much Red Wine Should I Drink?

The key, of course, is to exercise caution when consuming red wine. Just because red wine consumption possesses some health benefits, it does not mean that you should drink as much red wine as you possibly can. For women, 1-2 glasses of red wine per day is considered to be a moderate amount. For men, 3-4 glasses of red wine per day is more than sufficient.

The Benefits of Red Wine

One reason that red wine has been examined so closely by health professionals, is because of the “French Paradox.” There are areas of France where the overall consumption of saturated fats is much higher than the typical American diet.

Not only are the French diets higher in saturated fats, the French also typically drink several glasses of red wine on a daily basis. Despite this, there are significantly less instances of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease among the French. Why would that be so unless there is something about red wine that provides health benefits? This question led researchers to discover the antioxidant properties in red wine, particularly French red wines.

You may already know a few of the benefits of antioxidants for slowing the oxidation process in the body, which helps to deter many significantly harmful illnesses. The benefits of the antioxidants in some red wines may surprise you, too.

For example, did you know that red wine can help reduce the harmful effects of food poisoning? Red wine contains properties that help to rid the body of toxins, which can also be beneficial for reducing the effects of dysentery & diarrhea.

What Exactly is in Red Wine?

The primary antioxidant found in red wine is called resveratrol. Resveratrol is found in the seeds and skins of processed and fermented grapes. Because of the process that red wines are put through during processing, they have higher resveratrol levels than other wines. Resveratrol can also be found in peanuts, cranberries, and blueberries.

It has been suggested that drinking purple grape juice and non-alcoholic red wine offer similar or equal benefits as red wine consumption. Further research is required before a conclusive determination can be made regarding the resveratrol content (and health benefits) of purple grape juice.

Which Red Wines Offer You the Most Benefits?

According to researchers at the University of California-Davis, the highest concentrations of flavonoids (including resveratrol) can be found in Cabernet Sauvignon. Two other red wines offering high levels of these beneficial antioxidants are Petit Syrah and Pinot Noir.

Merlots & Red Sinfandels have significantly fewer flavonoids than these three red wines. White wines have even smaller amounts of them. A good rule of thumb to remember is the sweeter the wine, the fewer the flavonoids.

Red wine consumption is not appropriate for everyone. Health professionals only recommend that people with a clean bill of health drink red wine or any other type of alcohol. In fact, there are many health problems that can occur from the overuse of red wine & alcohol. Not to mention that certain medications can not mix with alcohol.

Put Yourself in My Shoes

You’ve worked really hard to prepare this meal. You shopped a week in advance, at least. You pressed the last of the napkins hot out of the dryer. You’re really pleased with your menu. Broiled fish, roasted chicken breasts with garlic cloves, bell pepper and onions and steamed broccoli, steamed asparagus, and corn you took off the cob just this afternoon. And by request, your special macaroni and cheese is also on the menu.

It’s time to get everything heated, so you’ve got the oven set to 200 up and the warming pots on the stove. The vegetables are steaming and all that’s left is the macaroni and cheese and the corn. Planned down to the minute, your family will be arriving in twenty minutes; the macaroni will be put into the microwave, straight from the fridge in your microwave-safe plastic ware. Your corn will go in right after that for three minutes.

Everyone is on time. You’re placing the last two items on the table as the guests are seated—it went like clockwork.

What Could Possibly be Wrong with This Picture?

The only problem is the microwave. You know how you learn something but it doesn’t stick because it’s so out of line with the rest of life? That was my problem with the truth and fallacy of microwave cooking.

Many, many years ago, when the microwave was banned in Germany, I can recall hearing about it. I was a child and I remember thinking, What an odd thing to ban. Those poor people are so oppressed. Little did I know.

The Problems with Microwaving Foods

Microwaving changes food on the molecular level, denaturing its nutrients and therein making foods empty, useless substances.

What are you left with?

• Carcinogens in your proteins in cereal and milk
• Radiolytics - stuff unknown in nature
• Destroyed meat proteins

As a result of eating this food, studies have recorded the following:

• Reduces blood hemoglobin count (indicator of anemic condition)
• Increases cholesterol and white blood count

In 1991, microwaving blood denatured it enough to kill a transfusion recipient who received that warmed blood.

Most nutritionists will warn parents away from warming baby milk and formula in microwaves for two reasons:

• It destroys the nutrients in the formula
• The formula is generally much hotter than the bottle indicates when removed from the microwave

It’s even been demonstrated to be unsafe for people to stand in front of microwaves. It’s actually causing cell destruction.

Why People Still Use Microwaves

I am going to guess that many people are a lot like me. I extend to the government a benefit of the doubt that they wouldn’t deliberately make me sick. (I don’t know why I extend the government this because obviously that very thing is the case. It makes me sick.)

I am all about the convenience of heating food quickly. I remember our first microwave. It meant and end to oven and stove reheating. No more steam burns—almost no more—hello, 4-minutes-to-a-complete-meal. Speed can’t mean a sacrifice of health. Who would allow that? Actually it was the same people who prosecuted a United States researcher, William Kopp, who went and collected the Russians’ and Germans’ research results.

So, What Does All This Mean to Me?

Instead of saying thank you to my family and friends for the excellent care they took of me after my surgery, I was giving them damaging garbage to eat with the rest of their meals.

The statistics on weight loss nutrition are grim. Research shows that almost 95% of repeat dieters fail in their efforts, and ultimately regain any weight that they initially lost. What about that successful 5%? What is their secret to weight loss nutrition?

Basically, people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off for years have made a few simple changes to their eating and exercise habits that have enabled them to live a healthier and lighter lifestyle. When asked to describe their eating habits, the top responses among this group usually involved weight loss nutrition that was low in fat and low in red meat. Here are some more secrets for success from those who have lost weight and kept it off for good.

Take Stock in Healthy Foods

Stock your kitchen with healthy organic foods so that you will always have the right things around to choose from. Weight loss nutrition includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dried beans, nonfat dairy and fish or lean poultry. Also, try to plan meals in advance in order to avoid making unhealthy selections just because you are hungry and rushed. And make a shopping list so that you’re more likely to choose healthy foods at the grocery store.

Eat Your Organic Fruits and Veggies

Dieters with long-term weight loss success also typically eat more fruits and vegetables than dieters who have failed in their efforts. For example, one recent Harvard study looked at the diets of 75,000 women over a ten-year period. Their results found that the more fruits and vegetables the women ate, the less likely they were to become obese.

Cut Calories

It’s a good idea to know how many calories you eat in a typical day. So if you don’t already know, make an effort to keep a food journal for a few weeks. Then you will be able to find the areas where your diet is weakest. You will also be able to identify the “hidden” calories such as high calories sodas or snacks that sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Once you know how many calories you typically eat, you can make a weight loss nutrition plan that gradually reduces your caloric intake. Make sure you still eat enough food to keep your energy levels high and your metabolism charged. But simply making an effort to limit your portion size will help you cut calories dramatically.

Get Support

Find some kind of support system to aid you in your weight loss efforts. Whether you join a weight loss group, work with a dietitian or simply enlist your family and friends, it is helpful to have someone with whom you can share your experiences. A support group can also be a source of new ideas and strategies for losing weight effectively.

Go Slow

Slow weight loss is critical to long-term weight loss nutrition. Aim to lose no more than one to two pounds a week. Quick weight loss is more apt to lead to the yo-yo dieting that has a negative impact on your long-term health.

It’s also a good idea to go slow while you are eating. Health experts say it takes about twenty minutes for your brain to realize it’s full. That means the amount of calories you take in before you feel full will vary depending on how quickly you eat. Go slow, savor your food, and enjoy every bite of your meal.

Stay Hydrated

Aim to drink at least 8-10 glasses of purified water each day. When the body isn’t adequately hydrated, the kidneys may compensate by conserving or “retaining” water. Drinking a lot of fluids also helps to stimulate the digestive system and makes the stomach feel fuller, so you don’t feel as hungry.

Get Physical

Physical activity is very important for losing weight, but you don’t have to workout to the point of exhaustion in order to see results. Try incorporating exercise into your normal activities. Walk to work, or take a stroll in the evenings with the kids.

The below two videos were produced as a WH-TV News Special. They cover the pro’s and con’s of organic farming and whether or not it can feed a nation on a long-term, large scale. They look to be a few years old, but nonetheless, they are very informative when describing how organic farming really works.

Organic Farming: Can It Feed Us (Part 1)

Organic Farming: Can It Feed Us (Part 2)

While these two videos are pretty long, and look to be a few years old. It’s clear that there are many health benefits to growing your own organic foods and organic farming. Consumers should definitely consider buying more organic foods while shopping at the grocery store. The more consumers buy organic foods, the cheaper organic foods will become over the upcoming years.

When you get sick, you go to the doctor. And the doctor will, of course, prescribe medicines. You will go and buy medicines. You take them, and hopefully, you get well. This is how the health profession goes on nowadays, a cycle of diagnosis and prescription.

If anyone were to give you herbs for medicine, you would probably say that that person was a quack.

But nowadays, studies are being conducted to see if there are really is any merit to what is called natural medicine.

Natural medicine is the use of natural methods, herbal medicines, and traditional practices to heal ailments. Every culture has a form of natural medicine. In ancient cultures, village medicine men served as the doctors of the community, passing on medical knowledge to the apprentices that followed them.

Many categories of the healing methods fall under natural medicine. Among these are traditional medicine, complementary medicine, and alternative medicine.

Usually, natural medicine refers to medical practices that were in place before the advent of modern medicine.

This includes herbal medicine, or phytotherapy, which is prevalent in Chinese, Ayurvedic (or Indian), and Greek medicine.

Upon the advent of modern medicine, many professionals discarded the use of herbs in favor of man-made medicine. The fact that these treatments are based on the healing properties of some herbs was forgotten.

For example, opium, digitalis, quinine, and aspirin all have their roots in traditional medicine.

Natural medicine can be considered as a lost art. This does not mean that it has lost efficacy over time. In some cases, natural therapy is actually better than modern medicine. This leads some doctors to seriously consider and study the possible uses of natural medicine

Before we continue, it is important to stress that not all the natural remedies are legitimate. It would help to only try those remedies which have been thoroughly studied and are relatively risk free.

Take herbal medicine for example. There are many well-documented and studied herbal remedies available. However, only those that deal with minor ailments such as cough, colds, fever, skin rashes, and the like are likely to be recommended by health professionals. These remedies are sometimes superior to synthetic medicine. This is because herbal medicines are less likely to cause negative side effects.

Currently there are numerous organizations that study the effects and advocacy of natural medicine among which is herbal medicine. Some governments and health agencies openly advocate the use of natural methods since they are inexpensive and relatively risk-free.

As their studies compile, more herbs and treatments are added to the list of accepted medicines. However, many herbs and treatments have been proven to be bogus medicine. This represents a challenge for both the user and the agencies because they have to ascertain that the treatments they either use or advocate are legitimate.

Today there are many alternative medical treatments that fall under natural medicine. However, not all of them have been proven to be effective. You could mention homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, and other alternative medical treatments. It would pay to consult the experts as to the legitimacy of these treatments.

Natural medicine should also be thought of as an accompanying medicine. Right now, the current collective medical thought suggests that natural medicine be used only to supplement accepted modern medical practices. In that case of minor ailments your expert we actually advise you to take natural therapies instead.

The practice of modern medicine revolves around diagnosing an illness and prescribing treatments for such. Natural medicine is helpful because it suggests that treatment be not necessarily given only when sick. Natural medicine strives to make each patient practice good health habits. These habits include good diet, healthy living, and the regular natural treatment.

It is this same line of thought that leads our parents to tell us to eat our vegetables. Yes, a healthy lifestyle and will do no harm to our well-being. And this is the foundation of natural medicine; may it be massage, herbal medicine, aromatherapy or others.

It is funny but true that science, in its quest for excellence, is studying the knowledge of sages past. This, surprisingly, leads us back to the remedies nature offers. The possibilities of finding remedies to everyday illnesses in natural medicine are encouraging. So staying tuned to studying these remedies is worthwhile until we can verify that these therapies are truly helpful to our health and our society.

What is the liver’s job?

The liver has several functions that play a major roll in maintaining health. It breaks down red blood cells, stores fat and glucose, filters toxins from the body and produces amino acids and bile. Its jobs provide energy and facilitate the digestion process.

The liver is the largest gland in the body, located at the beginning of the small intestine. An adult liver produces between 400 and 800 ml of bile each day which is stored in the gallbladder until needed.

The Liver Can Be Damaged

The liver is one of few internal human organs that can regenerate. It can do this with as little as 25% of its mass in tact.

Still, liver function can be impaired, which in turn can afflict other parts of the body. Two common liver diseases are hepatitis and cirrhosis. The liver like the gallbladder can develop stones. Alcohol and other pharmaceutical grade chemicals such as, acetaminophen, and isoniazid can affect the liver adversely.

You May Get Warnings that there’s Trouble Looming

Sometimes your liver functions can be sluggish. Some ailments that have been reported that point to this condition are: headaches, depression, constipation, chronic fatigue, chemical sensitivities and digestive difficulties.

Actions You Can Take

Be proactive when it comes to having good health. Let pharmaceutical drugs be your last resort. They can damage the liver and they put a heavy burden on your liver to filter them from your blood stream. Limit or eliminate alcohol consumption. Your body only needs purified water to live. Choose organically grown items whenever possible. Genetically modified foods add many unnecessary toxins to your diet. Eating a proper diet is a good plan of action.

Eating Habits You Want to Have

Remember the dietary stuff you learned in school? If you decided to ignore it in favor of fast food and steaks at your favorite steakhouse restaurant, consider returning to the healthy choices.

Good eating and drinking habits will save your liver the extra wear and tear of purging your system of all the toxins you regularly ingest. The following healthy dietary practices will nourish you, not overburden your liver, and should improve your energy overall.

• Make sure as much as 40% of your diet consist of live red, purple, orange and yellow fruit and vegetables, including dark green leafy organic vegetables
• Avocados and oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines promote liver health
• Many varieties of raw seeds such as flaxseed, sunflower, and alfalfa seeds are beneficial
• Eat balanced meals, not until you’re stuffed or overstuffed
• Avoid empty calories of fatty foods, and excessive carbohydrates
• Limit your vitamin A intake. Instead opt for emulsified vitamin A, the liquid form of the vitamin, which does not contain cholesterol or fat.
• Keep your sodium intake low
• Find out what your optimal protein intake is and don’t overdo it
• Certain oils (primrose, black currant seed, and cold-pressed olive oil to name a few) assist the liver as well.
• Always wash your food before eating and preparing it.

There are several healthful organic herbs that promote healthy liver functions. Some of these beneficial herbs are:

• Turmeric
• Greater Celandine
• Peppermint Leaf
• Dandelion Leaf
• Dandelion Root
• Chicory Root
• Yellow Dock Root
• Milk Thistle Seed
• Wildcrafted Chanca Piedra

More information about these herbs is provided in The Liver and Liver Stones and their related articles. There are many more healthy living practices you can incorporate into your routines including minimizing your environmental toxins, and exercising regularly.

Make it easy for your liver and other organs to do their parts. Eat healthy for an energized life.

10 Questions Come To Mind

When I hear in the news that 143 million pounds of beef gets recalled, after most had been distributed (business as usual during the investigative period) and subsequently consumed by an unknowing public, questions come to mind.

While the investigation was going on, the producers were able to continue selling. Subsequently most of their food when to schools; no one protected the children. As a result of the recall delay, 28 people fell ill.

10 Questions I Would Like Answered

1. What body will protect us from the recall of already-eaten, 143 million pounds of anything?
2. Who keeps the public from suffering from the business end of USDA?
3. When do we get the protection that is explicit and implicit in the formulation of government?
4. When will government put the health of people before the revenue of business?
5. How does one create a viable argument for health overruling practices so obviously rooted in commerce?
6. Why are non-organic substances allowed in organic foods?
7. When did we agree that the USDA could defile organic products with non-organic ingredients?
8. Why are producers allowed to label their products organic when in fact they aren’t?
9. How is it acceptable to call non-organic food organic when such a thing is fully unnecessary?
10. Should it really take an act of congress to say that organic needs to be organic?

There are many who take serious issue with the National List’s allowances. Two great articles are on The Daily Green. When “Organic” Doesn’t Really Mean Organic the first article, there is a detailed example of the implications related to the use of non-organic intestinal casings. And, in 38 Non-Organic Ingredients Found in ‘USDA Organic’ Foods the second article, you find a list of the non-organic substances and how they came to be on the list, (when the information was not restricted).

Just because “the people” want it and it is good for them, doesn’t mean that they can have it. It must be economically feasible. Some people decided that they wanted healthier diets for themselves and their families. Some farmers decided that they wanted to produce healthy, organic, fruit, vegetables and cattle. The USDA decided to step in and “regulate” to hell what is organic and how it should be done, and who gets to obfuscate the guidelines. In the face of all that goes on surrounding meat and product, the bonus question that I have is:

Are we any safer with government regulating than if it weren’t in charge of organic guidelines?

Digestive problems, including constipation, have occurred for centuries. The Native Americans relied on herbs and plants to cure their bathroom woes. Because their diets were limited to the foods they could readily find in the woods and on the prairies, they did not always consume enough fiber. While hunting, they might fore go eating for a day or two. What the Native Americans ate depended solely on what was available for hunting and foraging.

As you might suspect, this type of lifestyle led to troublesome constipation now and then. Native Americans learned quickly which plants acted as laxatives to safely ease their constipation and return their digestive systems to a state of normalcy.

Throughout history, people have relied on natural laxatives to ease their constipation. In fact, it is still common practice in Chinese medicine to ingest a mixture of rhubarb root, ginger root, and licorice root instead of over-the-counter medications. The most common Indian (Ayurvedic) natural laxative formula is a mixture of psyllium, flax, and chia seeds steeped in black cherry juice.

Here are some of the most common constipation cures throughout history:

Aloe Vera
For centuries, the beverage form of Aloe Vera has been used as a natural laxative for even the worst cases of constipation. The juice should be made from the powder of the ground up leaves.

Basil Leaves
Many people use basil in everyday cooking. Throughout history, basil leaves brewed as tea have been proven to help reduce gas, reduce stomach cramps, and relieve constipation.

Bottle Gentian
To prevent constipation, many Indian tribes relied on natural laxative plants to support proper digestion. Logically, if the body can digest food effectively, constipation can be avoided. Bottle Gentian was used as a juice to aid digestion and even suppress the appetite.
Buckthorn

Around 2 A.D., a Greek physician touted the use of Buckthorn for a number of ailments. One method of preparation involved using the bark to make a tea, and this natural laxative is still in use today. Also, the tea helps ease related symptoms of constipation as well.

Chamomile
While Chamomile cannot cure constipation or even relieve its symptoms, Chamomile can help reduce gas to aid in easy digestion. If your system is digesting food more effectively, constipation can be avoided before it starts. For best results, steep the chamomile flowers in hot water for at least three minutes.

Culver’s Root
When the Native Americans found themselves battling malaria, they would use Culver’s Root as a natural laxative for the bedridden. Culver’s Root can be toxic, so it’s definitely not a choice for the novice!

Dandelion
Dandelion leaves taste bitter, but many people enjoy adding them to salads or steeping them for tea. Dandelion contains properties acting as a mild natural laxative. While dandelion leaves may not suit everyone’s tastes, they are extremely nutritious and good for the body.

Flowering Spurge
The Mesquakies Indians discovered Flowering Spurge worked as a laxative when ingested as a tea. The root was infused with hot water and drank in the morning to help keep the tribes’ digestive systems regular.

New Jersey Tea
New Jersey Tea was made from the roots of Ceanothus Americanus and turned into a tea. Because tea was hard to come by during the Revolutionary War, New Jersey Tea became a common substitute. During the process, it was discovered this beverage worked as a mild natural laxative.

Peppermint
If your constipation is tied to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, studies show peppermint leaves steeped in tea can help relieve pain and discomfort. This can help the intestines and bowel to relax, which helps the eliminatory process in turn.

Tamarind
The ancient Egyptians believed massive amounts of garlic and Tamarind were best for curing constipation. They also relied on mint to aid with digestion as well as prevent constipation.

Wild Indigo
Native Americans used a mixture of buffalo lard and Wild Indigo to help diminish intestinal troubles. With a reduction of gas and intestinal pain, people were more likely to effectively eliminate waste.

What about over the counter laxatives?

Contrary to popular belief, using laxatives on a routine basis to obtain regular bowel movements can ultimately lead to laxative abuse or addiction. Once laxative abuse starts, many complications can occur and it can be difficult to get the digestive system back on track.

You may experience complications from prolonged or acute laxative abuse, including problems not directly related to the digestive system.

Potential complications include:

• Abdominal bloating, pain, or a sense of constant “fullness”
• Abnormalities in electrolytes
• Bleeding (which can lead to anemia)
• Dehydration
• Edema
• Esophagitis
• Gastric Bleeding
• Gastric Ulceration
• Gastritis
• Hemorrhoid irritation
• Inability to absorb nutrients properly (can lead to hypoproteinemia, calcium deficiency, or hypoalbuminemia)
• Inability to absorb medications
• Injury to the intestine
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Liver problems
• Melanosis Coli
• Metabolic disturbances
• Pancreatitis
• Perforations and lacerations of the esophagus (Mallory-Weiss Syndrome)
• Permanent impairment of bowel function
• Ulcerations in the bowels
• Weight loss

Is there an alternative to OTC laxatives?

The good news is YES! There is only one product that is both safe and highly effective against constipation…it is Oxy-Powder.

Oxy-Powder is actually an all natural colon cleanse product that uses oxygen to melt away compaction in your colon. Oxy-Powder has 3 natural ingredients: ozonated magnesium oxides, natural citric acid, and organic germanium-132. This product is by far the most safest alternative to laxatives your money can buy.

To learn more about Oxy-Powder go to:
http://www.oxypowder.com

It is an often-overlooked fact many healthful foods act as natural laxatives and provide an excellent alternative to their over-the-counter counterparts. With such a wide variety to choose from, you are sure to find something you like to help bring relief.

Increase Your Fluid Intake

The first thing to check when experiencing constipation is how much fluid you’ve been drinking. Not drinking enough liquids is a common cause of constipation, and simply adding fresh water and pure juices to your diet can really help.

Liquids increase the amount of ambient moisture within the colon. This promotes softer, bulkier bowel movements which are easier to pass. It’s important to note coffee, tea, and soft drinks do not help with alleviating constipation and can make the problem worse because caffeine acts as a diuretic. Fruit and vegetable juices remain good choices, but only pure water actually hydrates rather than dehydrates. Drinking a large glass of water every 10 minutes for an hour brings quick relief when needed.

Some juices that are particularly effective as natural laxatives include:

• Prune
• Apple-pear
• Grape
• Asparagus
• Wheatgrass
• Potato

High Fiber Foods

Fruit and prunes are well known natural laxatives due to their fiber content. Prunes help stimulate contractions in the intestines to eliminate waste. Prunes also attract water to the intestinal area to soften this material.

Other known natural laxatives include:

Exercise to Increase Regularity

One of the best natural laxatives is exercise. The modern lifestyle would seem to be a sedentary one and this leads to constipation. Regular exercise stimulates the colon and keeps you regular. Brisk 15 to 20 minute walks three or four times a week can do the trick.

Yoga is another excellent way to start exercising and it certainly can improve muscle tone on the inside as well as outside. Yoga is unique in that it offers modifications for difficult postures to beginners, so everyone can receive its benefits at their own level of fitness. Not surprisingly, owing to many thousands of years old Ayurvedic knowledge, many of the postures are geared specifically to promote colon health and natural digestive function.

Safer Alternative to Laxatives

A safe way to relieve constipation is by using Oxy-Powder®, available exclusively through Global Healing Center. Oxy-Powder® helps the colon remove impacted mucus, toxins, and waste and helps restore regularity and optimal bowel health. This product works gently, without any embarrassing or unpleasant side effects. Oxy-Powder® takes effect gradually over a 12-hour period, so you won’t experience any sense of urgency or loss of bowel control.

Oxy-Powder® uses Ozonated Magnesium Oxides, Natural Citric Acid, and Germanium-132 to effectively cleanse the colon without harming friendly intestinal bacteria. Colon cleansing permits better absorption of nutrients from the foods you eat and helps strengthen your immune system as well since you’re clearing out all that toxic sludge. You can experience an increase in energy, elevated mood, and a decrease in bad body and breath odors.

A laxative should provide effective, reliable, noticeable results without causing addiction, without causing you to lose bowel control, without diminishing your body’s natural digestive function, and especially without presenting any harmful side effects. It’s as simple as that, so conduct your own research and then choose the constipation reliever that’s right for you!

Problem with the National List Regulation

As far back as 2002, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ratified the recommendation of a list of 38 ingredients being added to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.

The government acted on criticisms that the regulation §205.606 was being too broadly interpreted. They decided to clarify the rule and reign in the wanton approval of non-organic substances. From the Federal Register, June 2007 issue:

Until recently, some producers, handlers and certifying agents have misinterpreted National List regulations §205.606 to mean that any non-organic agricultural product which was determined by an accredited certifying agent to be not commercially available in organic form could be used in organic products, without being individually listed pursuant to the National List procedures.

In January 2005, this gap was effectively closed when they stipulated that the approved items had to be present on the National List in order to be sanctioned for use as “organic.”

“Smooth Transition” Means Longer Time with Unapproved, Mislabeled Ingredients in Circulation

The ruling, further, made provision for the “smooth transition” to compliance with the more strict interpretation of regulation §205.606:

• Mislabeled products can remain so labeled, and on the market until June 2007
• At that time, there would be no new items accepted into the market
• All pre-existing supplies can be sold until stores depleted
• Once depleted, then they had to comply with the formulaic changes, change their labeling, or face fine

About the 38 Non-Organic Ingredients added to the National List

On the website, The Daily Green, Karen Berner has complied information about the 38 ingredients, from sources including the USDA, Organic Trade Association, and Organic Consumers Association. In her article she covers:

• Who supported inclusion of the 38 ingredients in the National List
• Why Organic Consumers Association is against their inclusion
• Where the ingredients come from and where they can be found

The Name is Changed, Only

The Federal government is allowing producers to sell non-organic food ingredients listing them as “organic.” Putting these non-organic materials in the “safe” organic categories, however, does not change the substance to something safe. It only serves business and confuses the consuming public. With this possibility of non-organic mixed with organic, a good rule of thumb would be to suspect anything that doesn’t say “100% Organic.”

For now, you can’t call just anything “organic.” It must appear on the National List as “organic.” The question remains, though, should there even be a list of pretend organic substances in the first place?