Buying Organic Produce: 6 Tips on How to Shop Wisely and Save Money

Writen by Lisa Barnes

Some say they don’t or can’t buy organic foods due to higher cost and less availability. Here are a few ways to make organics more affordable and easier to purchase for your family.

1. Do not always assume organic is more expensive. Look at the prices of conventional and organic products and compare. You may be surprised that on some items, there is little or no difference in price, depending on where and when you buy.

2. Buy in season. These items will be the lowest priced, whether you’re shopping at a specialty market or local farmer’s market.

3. Grow your own. Even a small window box can yield some organic herbs or tomatoes. Larger areas can accommodate lettuce, strawberries, broccoli, carrots and more. A garden is also a great classroom and hobby for children and adults alike.

4. Shop at one of the more than 2,500 farmers’ markets in the United States. The produce here is as fresh as possible, because the food is usually picked within 24 hours of your purchase. This is a great place to check prices with little effort. Becoming a regular shopper and getting to know growers personally, is a good way to get the best selection and price.

5. Join a food cooperative. A food co-op is kind of a buyers club for affordable, fresh, local organic and natural products. It is an actual store where members buy “shares” of the business to provide the capital necessary to run the store efficiently. You as a member directly influence the kind and variety of products and foods available, and also receive a discount in the store. Many co-ops allow you to “buy” shares by volunteering several hours per week or month.

6. Visit a farm and pick your own produce. Children love to experience something new, especially when it involves dirt and food. According to the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) “Parents had reported that their children started to eat more vegetables after visiting a farm on a school field trip, having experienced for the first time the process of gardening.”

Lisa Barnes is the owner of Petit Appetit, an educational service promoting healthy eating habits and good nutrition for infants and toddlers. She is also the author of The Petit Appetit Cookbook (Penguin March 2005). For information and to sign up for a free newsletter visit http://www.petitappetit.com

Forget the Diet – Learn How Weight Training Can Literally Shed the Pounds Off You!

Writen by Mike Leem

It’s a fact – In this day and age, more of us are overweight than underweight. Everyone seems to be on a diet or weight loss program. The problem with diets is most people see them as a temporary thing they need to do to get them where they want to be.

We constantly hear things like “Bob lost 20 pounds in one month on the Super-Spectacular diet”. Sounds great, but what happened to Bob when he went off the diet after that month. He went back to his old ways and put on 20 pounds. So he then went on the Fully-Fantastic diet plan and lost his 20 pounds again. What really needs to change is his lifestyle, not his diet.

Our diet is an important part of our life, and a change in diet can definitely help us lose unwanted weight. But what’s the point if our lifestyle involves nothing but watching TV, lying on the couch, sitting on our butts in our office job all day, and trying to remember what this new diet allows us to eat and when.

If you really want to lose weight then build muscle. Sounds contradictory doesn’t it. Most people know muscle is heavier than fat so why would you want to start getting heavier.

One of the greatest things about muscle is that it burns calories all day long, even when you’re lying on the couch. What this means is that the more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn during the day and the more you’ll be able to eat without gaining weight. This is great news for all of us who like eating.

By putting focused pressure on our bodies through weight training our bodies react by growing muscle to compensate. The big benefit is that it also chews up our fat cells faster than a diet resulting in a stronger, thinner and a better looking you.

By simply doing some basic weight training, we are also stimulating our metabolism more than any aerobic training such as cycling or walking. This means that you’ll continue to burn calories long AFTER you’ve completed your weight training session. The calorie-burning effect of aerobic training generally declines rapidly once you stop the exercise.

Weight training has many advantages over simply taking up a new diet. You will feel better, look better, and experience better results faster.

For more information on weight training and to meet others like you looking to make a difference to their physique, then head on over to http://muscle-body.com

You can find more great Muscle Building information at http://www.muscle-body.com

2006 Lung Cancer Stats for California – Good News or Bad?

Writen by GiGi Konwin

The California Cancer Registry and the American Cancer Society have just released a new booklet “California Cancer Facts and Figures, 2006″. For those of you living in California with any form of cancer, I urge you to get this informative booklet.

For this report, I will just be focusing on the stats for Lung Cancer in California. California is a leader in tobacco tax initiatives. Following the cancer trends in California will determine what measures the rest of the country must take to decrease the lung cancer rates overall.

Good News! – Basically

Basically, the news is very good. From the period of 1988 – 2002, all types of incidences of cancer in California went down by 12%. Cancer mortality declined by 19%. Thanks to Proposition 99 – the California tobacco control initiative passed in 1988, tobacco-related cancers sharply declined, much more than any other state. Tobacco-related cancers include cancers of the lung, larynx, mouth, pancreas, stomach and bladder. However, lung cancer still causes more deaths than any other cancer.

What About New Cases?

Out of all Californians alive today, about 15 million will eventually get some form of cancer, that is about two in five. Over the years, cancer will strike around three out of every four families. This year alone, there will be more than 15 new cases diagnosed every hour of every day. For men, of all the new cases diagnosed, 13% of them will have lung cancer. For women, that number is 12%.

Tobacco-Related Cancers

Presently, about 85% of lung cancer is caused by cigarette smoking. However, many other cancers are caused by tobacco as well. Overall, one of every three cancer deaths is due to tobacco. The incidence of lung cancer decreased by 26% in the time period mentioned above. Needless to say, for those smokers who have quit smoking, your chances of getting lung cancer decreases over time. After 15 years, the risk is only slightly higher than among people who have never smoked.

Secondhand Smoke

I think we all know by now that secondhand smoke has been determined to cause cancer in humans. But did you know that every year in the U.S., about 3,000 non-smoking adults die of lung cancer directly as a result of secondhand smoke? The most recent high-profile example is Dana Reeve, wife of Christopher Reeve. It is believed she may have contracted it from secondhand smoke as a result of her years as an entertainer in music clubs.

Secondhand smoke is particularly harmful to children. The good news is in 2004, more than 80% of California households with children younger than 5 completely stopped smoking in the home.

Alarming Smoking Trends

Given that lung cancer rates in California have dropped significantly, it would be logical to assume that the smoking rates have also dropped, wouldn’t it? And in fact they have, among most adults and teenagers. In 2004, 15% of California adults still smoked.

The alarming trend is the increase in 18-24 year old smokers. They are the fastest growing rate of smokers in California and the tobacco companies are targeting them as the “smokers of the future”. The smoking rate for 18-24 year olds was 18% in 2004.

What Can Be Done?

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in California. All cancers caused by tobacco and heavy use of alcohol can be prevented completely. In 2006, 18,000 Californians will die because of tobacco use.

Early diagnosis can save lives by identifying cancer when it is in the curable stage. The five year survival rate for most cancers is very good if it’s caught early. Unfortunately, the statistics for lung cancer are not so good, mostly because it is difficult to diagnose early enough.

The California tobacco control initiative has helped to put a dent in the lung cancer rate. Californians need to stay informed and aware. More cigarette tax legislation is on the way.

To get your copy of the California Facts & Figures 2006, go to: www.ccrcal.org.

If you or someone you know are suffering from lung cancer, visit the website below for the free booklet “Who Can Help Me When I Have Cancer?” Cancer Information Booklet

Combat Eczema Naturally

Writen by Stewart Hare

One in ten people are affected by the common inflammatory skin disease, eczema. Other skin diseases have similar symptoms to eczema, so it is wise to have a proper diagnosis from your doctor. Eczema commonly affects the hands, behind the knees and the elbows but it can also be found almost anywhere on the body. Eczema is extremely itchy and typical symptoms are thickening, scaly patches of skin that become red and fissured. Sometimes tiny blisters appear called vesicles that rapture, weep and eventually crust over.

There many different types of eczema which are allergic (contact dermatitis), asteatotic (affects the legs, manly in the elderly), atopic (affects the face, neck, elbows and knees), discoid (round lesions that affect the trunk and leg), lichen simplex (caused by irritation of the skin), photoallergic (caused by sunlight on sensitive skin), pompholyx (affects the fingers, hands and soles of the feet), seborrhoeic (affects the face and scalp) and statis (affects the lower leg).

Eczema has been linked to food allergies, so it would be wise to consult a nutritional therapist to discover which foods trigger the eczema. Typical trigger foods for eczema are diary products, wheat, soya, nuts and eggs also other chemicals additives in foods such as histamine, salicylates, benzoates and aromatic compounds found in spices can trigger eczema symptoms. In studies, when heavy coffee drinkers stopped drinking coffee their eczema symptoms improved, so coffee may well be another food allergy for eczema sufferers. Avoiding irritants such as hot water and soap can also be beneficial to eczema sufferers. Following a vegan type diet with plenty of seeds, leafy green vegetables, whole grains would be beneficial to the eczema sufferer.

The following supplements may help if you are suffering from Eczema.

Aloe Vera gel
Borage oil
Evening primrose oil
Fish Oil
Multivitamins and multiminerals
Probiotics
St John’s Wort
Vitamin C
Vitamin E

How to Remove Dye From Hair

Writen by Jenny Drake

How to remove dye from hair which is designed to … well, dye, change the color of, alter stuff. And it does it – very well.

Trouble comes when it gets on places you don’t want it – like your face, or clothes, or carpet.

Or you decide that the color ‘to die for’ just did.

There are some commercial products to remove dye from hair, and a few home potions and processes.

Color Fix by Jheri Redding is designed to remove unwanted permant hair color, and controlled usage allows color correction to specific areas, either full or slight color corrections.

Loreal Color Zap gently washes away all permanent haircolor. Ideal for color correction, removal of dark shades, muddy, uneven results or color build up. Leaves hair ready for immediate re-coloring. Loreal Effasol Color Remover washes away permanent haircolor, leaving hair ready for recoloring. Can be used with water or developer.

Jerome Rusell’s Punky Color Punk Off is an easy to use gel that will cleanse your skin from hair dye stains.

Roux Clean Touch is a gentle formula that removes haircolor from skin and scalp. Removes excess color from hair ends and assists in removing stains from clothing.

Home remedies include this one:

Hot Oil treatments, hairspray, shampooing and exposure to water will gradually fade hair dye.

To remove the last bit of residue or stain on the hair (or to get color out immediately) make up a small batch of bleach mixture and add it to 2 tablespoons or so of shampoo in a cup. Stir it up.

Shampoo your hair with this mixture, “kneading” the hair. Start at the roots and work your way down to the end, and then back up.

You should see the color disappear right before your eyes.

Black hair dye is a special case.

It’s very hard to remove black hair dye from your hair completely, especially if it’s permanent. Better to let it grow out and not bleach it. Bleaching with chemicals damages the hair it may make it so stretchy and thin that it comes out in your comb.

Likewise if black hair dye stains skin or fabric. The best way is to prevent it from staining in the first place by applying Vaseline around the hairline before dyeing.

If black hair dye stains fabric then using detergent and water quickly is a good idea – otherwise dry cleaning may be required.

Black hair dye stains can also be removed by rubbing cigarette ash over the stained skin, dipping milk in cotton balls and rubbing over the stained area, rubbing on WD-40 or even nail polish remover or hair spray.

Jenny Drake has a healthy interest in living life to the full. Her advice and writings are available for free download at her Beauty and Fitness web site

Autism and the Teenage Years

Writen by Rachel Evans

It is difficult for autistic children at any age, but the teenage years can be especially challenging. Autism is a disorder that manifests itself with the individual having trouble communicating and managing a variety of social situations. Coupled with this, there are the repetitive behaviors and difficulty with emotional control. The teen years are perhaps the most social time of our lives. It is a time where teenagers are learning about themselves, and are moving rapidly toward adulthood. This is an incredibly social time where what you say and how you act are very important in the eyes of your peers. This is also precisely the time where autistic teens face some of the most stressful situations of their young lives.

Like any teenager, they need help in dealing with their increasing sexuality. Some people find that as they reach their teenage years their behaviors improve. However, for others their behavior can worsen as a direct result of the tension and confusion associated with this difficult time

It can be at this age that most teenagers become aware how different they are from their peers. They may notice that they don’t have many or any friends and that they aren’t dating or planning for a career. For some, these feeling of not fitting in can motivate them to learn more social skills to better fit in, for others it means they retreat into themselves even more.

There are different levels of autism. Many people believe that the depiction of an autistic man by Dustin Hoffman in the movie “Rain Man” pretty much sums up all people with autism. There are cases of autism that are along the lines of Hoffman’s character in the film, but there are just as many, if not more, cases of high-functioning autistic people. High functioning autistic people can be difficult to detect at times. In many cases, unless you know them personally, you may not be able to tell that they have autism.

So what is life like for an autistic teen? This is a difficult question to answer. Again, it depends heavily on the severity of autism present in the teenager. High-functioning autistic teens attend regular and honors classes, are involved in school activities, and despite some social difficulties, are often difficult to distinguish from other kids their age. On the other hand, severely autistic teens have a much more difficult time. Many require special schooling and individual care. The vast majority of severely autistic teens are unable to take care of themselves and rely on others to meet their basic needs.

Since autism causes a problem in communication, most autistic teens do not learn how to behave according to sociological norms through experience. They need to be taught the proper way to behave. The inability to fit into proper social situations can be traumatic and lead to a tendency to disengage from a certain situation, whether it is related to play, school, or work, and simply leave the situation. This can make it difficult to raise an autistic teen, especially if they display severe symptoms.

There are tons of resources on the web and in libraries that can provide you with more information on autism and the teenage years. If you have an autistic teen living at home, you know what a challenge it is to deal with the tremendous problems in communication. Oftentimes, it may seem like your own child does not want to be close to you, but you need to realize that it is the result of their autism rather than a reflection on you as a parent.

Clearly, having autism as a teenager can be extremely difficult. If your child is either low or high functioning, there are a variety of resources available through your local school system. Schools are mandated to provide services for autistic and other developmentally challenged individuals. It is a good idea to discuss the routines and procedures you have in place with officials from school so that the transition between home and school goes as smoothly as possible to provide your teenage with as much help and support as possible during this time.

As an essential guide to autism, my ebook provides more details on managing autism and many treatment options. To find out more, please visit The Essential Guide to Autism.

Clear Your Acne – Naturally!

Writen by Ryan Bauer

Most people who suffer from acne go out and spend good money on common over-the-counter acne treatment products. The truth is, most of these products are full of chemicals that can actually slow down the healing of acne, and irritate your skin, causing farther breakouts.

When an acne product has 20 ingredients listed on it, it can be hard to know if one of those ingredients is actually stopping you from having success. It can be even harder when you can’t pronounce the ingredient, much less know what it is and how it is going to affect your skin. Most mainstream acne treatments are not only much more expensive than common household items, but they also don’t always work as well either. With that in mind, I will list some basic household items that can work wonders on clearing up your skin.

Baking soda – A very cheap cooking ingredient that most people have in their homes already, baking soda can be used as a great scrub. The purpose of a scrub is to exfoliate the skin, removing dead skin that can eventually clog pores and lead to acne spots. To start off, you’ll want to mix a small amount of baking soda with some water for form a paste. Baking soda is very effective as a scrub, so you want to be sure to be extra careful when applying it to your face. Gently massage the paste into your skin for ten to fifteen seconds. Then rinse the baking soda off, and pat your face dry with a clean towel.

Apple Cider Vinegar – Though most people that use vinegar to treat acne use the apple cider form of vinegar, you can also use plain old regular vinegar. Regardless of which type you use, vinegar can be very helpful with it comes to clearing up acne. It can kill off acne causing bacteria, balance your skin’s pH, and absorb extra oil on your skin.

Starting with clean, dry skin, apply diluted vinegar (eight parts water to one part vinegar) directly to your skin with a cotton ball, and leave it on. If you want, you can also use a stronger vinegar solution (say, 2 or 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar), and apply it directly to problem areas, rinsing it off after ten minutes.

Lemon or lime juice can also be substituted for vinegar. Both of these juices are rich in citric acid, and can exfoliate your skin very well, halting the growth of acne spots, as well as fading previous, non-active acne quicker.

Egg Whites – Rich in protein, egg whites can be used as a mask to heal and rebuild your skin. It can also help to absorb excess oil from your skin. To start off, crack an egg, removing the yolk so that just the egg whites are left behind. Beat these egg whites, and apply them directly to your face. Let it sit for fifteen minutes, and then rinse the egg off.

Oatmeal – As odd as it may seem, oatmeal can absorb unwanted oil and draw out impurities which reside deep in your skin. Cook some plain oatmeal like you would for consumption. Let it cool off, and rub it over your clean skin. Let it sit for a while, like you would a mask, and then rinse off. If you do this on a regular basis, you should begin to start noticing results soon.

Tea Tree Oil – TTO is a commonly used all-natural household antiseptic, which you can pick up at most drugstores or supermarkets. You can apply TTO directly to acne spots to kill bacteria, or, if you strongly dilute it with another oil (such as jojoba oil), over your entire face. Tea tree gel can be easier to apply than the oil, and many are made for applying over large areas of skin, so they aren’t quite as strong as straight TTO and do not need to be diluted.

Pantothenic Acid (Also known as Vit. B5) – Pantothenic acid can be taken in large quantities for the benefit of acne reduction. B5 works by helping your body to metabolize fats which would otherwise be later turned into sebum (oil) and excreted through the skin. Small amounts of B5 won’t help though, and it has to be taken several times a day.

To help with acne, you will need to take 2.5 grams of pantothenic acid (the powder form is much easier to take), 4 times per day, for a total of 10 grams per day.

Aloe Vera – Aloe Vera has been used for many years in kitchens for topical application to burns. Another benefit of aloe is that it can prevent scaring, fade marks and help heal acne spots.

You now have an idea of some basic household items you can use on your skin, that work better than many OTC acne products, and are much cheaper to use. Since we have only really covered basic acne treatments, you can always take this to another level and take all natural, internal acne treatments.

This sums up our basic list of natural alternatives for chemical based acne treatment products. You can take this a step farther by attacking your acne from the inside out. Acne has been shown numerous times to be very closely affected by the digestive system, so keeping your entire digestive system working as smooth as possible can help reduce acne. I will help give you a basic idea of some all natural products you can take to help clear up acne.

Cucumber, lemon and carrot juice, brewer’s yeast, and active charcoal pills are all capable of helping the digestive system function normally. Since the digestive system is closely related with the health of the skin, they should help reduce acne breakouts. Flax seed can also be wonderful for helping your skin heal faster.

Ryan Bauer is a former acne sufferer who writes health articles and runs his acne treatment website, Acne Elimination.

Being a Beautiful Bride

Writen by Mina Dimakis-Lev

Everybody wants to be a glowing beautiful bride on that special day. Taking care of your skin will make it appear more flawless when the makeup artist will apply the foundation.

Drink plenty of water, get facials and on the day of your wedding cleanse, tone, and moisturize.

If you have tired looking eyes try some cucumber eye cream. One word of caution: do not get a facial two weeks before your wedding day because as with any facial, skin might get irritated and you end up with either pimple or skin irritation.

Join a gym for you to excercise not only you will loose some extra pounds, but it will give your face a healthy glow.

When it comes to your makeup that special day, make sure you have a clear sense of what you want for your hair and makeup.

There are six basic cosmetic needs when it comes to your makeup: foundation, powder, lipstick, and concealer.

Having good communication with your hairstylist and makeup artist, you will accomplish your desired look.

Mina Dimakis-Lev is an expert in the field of skincare and makeup artistry. She has created countless of beautiful makeup for brides and models.

How Ozone Water Treatment Works

Writen by Everett B. Sizemore

What is Ozone in Relation to Water Purification?

Ozone – or O3 – is Mother Nature’s purifier and disinfectant. The 3 stands for the three oxygen atoms that compose Ozone. The normal Oxygen we breathe is called O2, and is made up of only two chemically linked Oxygen atoms.

You may have noticed that a sudden summer storm leaves behind a very distinct smell, sort of a “fresh scent” which lasts for about an hour. In this case, you smell Ozone, which has been creating from lighting bolts during the electrical storm. According to Guenter Modzio of http://www.biozone.com, Ozone is also created by the Sun’s ultra violet rays.

How Does Ozone Kill Germs and Bacteria to Purify Water?

As mentioned above, Ozone is made up of three Oxygen atoms. Once of these has a weak hold on the others, and is more than willing to transfer electrons with other organic substances, such as bacteria, and viruses. This single Oxygen atoms binds with the other substance, causing it to oxidize (turn into something else. Rust is an example of Iron oxidizing into Iron Oxide). The byproduct of Oxidation in this case is simply O – a single Oxygen atom.

How Do Ozonation Water Purifiers Make Ozone?

Ozonation water purification systems create Ozone with something called an Ozone Generator, which creates O3 in much the same way as the sun does. Inside ozone generator’s chamber is a high intensity Ultraviolet (UV) light. Compressed air is forced into the generator’s chamber, which then converts some of the oxygen in the air into Ozone. This process is part of the reason why the layer of Ozone in the Earth’s upper atmosphere protects us from most of the harmful UV rays emanating from our Sun.

The Ozone that has now been created inside the Ozone generator is then sent through a line into a diffuser, which creates ozone-saturated bubbles. Water is drawn in to mix with the bubbles, and then fed into the water purification tank. The weak Oxygen molecule in the Ozone attaches to other organic molecules in the water and oxidizing them. In effect – the Ozone “eat’s ‘em up” and Viola! Clean, fresh, purified drinking water.

This, of course, was the laymen’s version of Ozone Water Purification. To learn more about Ozonation, you might try doing a search on Google, checking out How Stuff Works, or reading this article about Ozone Drinking Water Treatment.

How To Get Fit And Slash Your Health Insurance Costs

Writen by Neil Stelling

Okay, before we start, let me explain the purpose of this article. I want you to get so healthy, you’ll never need to make a health insurance claim. You’ll save money by increased fitness. You’ll save money with a long no-claims insurance history. And you’ll look and feel much better.

There’s three sides to your maximum health and fitness. Diet, and Exercise. But that’s only two ! Let me split Exercise into Aerobic exercise and Aneorobic exercise.

Get all three right. Get the right balance. And you’ll get as fit and healthy as your body and genetics will allow.

Whole forests of paper have been filled with advice on each of these fitness factors. Just go into your local bookstore, and see shelves of diet advice. Shelves of exercise advice.

Funny how so much contradicts itself, especially for diet e.g right next to each other on the shelf, you’ll find a book advocating low carbs & low fat; another saying high fat is okay if you keep the carbs low. Yet another focuses on high protein, and says carbs don’t matter…

* Diet

Let me give you this simple diet advice. Stick to low fat, low carbs and high protein. Many medical and weight loss studies over the last 10-20 years prove this approach. Many other diet myths come from way back in time, and look just plain wrong when analyzed with modern methods.

* Aerobic Exercise

Couch potatoes don’t realize how easily they can start feeling fit and healthy. Just walk somewhere 3-4 times per week, for around 20 minutes each time.

Ideally, do some more demanding aerobic exercise. I do a lot of cycling, because it’s great low-impact exercise. And I get to see beautiful scenery while I ride.

Running provides even more intensive aerobic exercise, but careful of your joints. Maybe you prefer hiking, to see the local countryside ? Or take up a sport like rowing or tennis. You also get to meet new friends by taking up exercise as a sport.

* Anaerobic Exercise

Many people work on their diet. Many people take aerobic exercise. But many people ignore anaerobic exercise, or weight training.

What makes weight training so important ?

As you get older, muscle mass decreases. Muscle burns fat. So as you lose muscle, it gets harder to keep the fat off. Equally important, weight training can reshape your body.

No matter how much aerobic exercise you do, you’ll still be a pear shape (a smaller pear shape) if you started out a pear shape.

Using weights you can flatten your stomach, tone your thighs, bulk up your chest and shoulders, and reshape your body any way you want.

Weight training is incredibly beneficial to your general skeleton strength and conditioning. Older women can reduce the effects of osteoporosis, and older men can maintain their strength and agility.

This short article can do nothing more than provide an introduction to the three keys to your health. Follow these and you shouldn’t need to make a health insurance claim.

Slash your health insurance costs with a long no-claims bonus. Slash your health insurance costs with any insurer who rates your fitness.

Discover important health insurance facts and advice. Find out more about low carb foods, and how to lose weight quickly and easily. Go to ==> http://www.healthinsurance–quotes.com/ and ==> http://www.low-low-carb-foods.com/

About The Author

Neil Stelling BSc, MBA

© DigiLectual Inc. 2004

neil@healthinsurance–quotes.com