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#the toxic Apple of Peru
amilst · 1 year
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Datura, Jimson Weed, Devil’s Trumpets. Datura is a member of the Nightshade family, a group of a thousand or so plants that contain the alkaloid Solanaceae. The family includes tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, egg plants, all obviously edible and safe for humans.
But it also includes Datura, sometimes called the most dangerous plant in the world.
Devil’s Trumpets are not to be confused with Angel’s Trumpets, which Josh and Annie had growing at their previous house. Angel’s Trumpets, called Brugmansia, are not as toxic and point downward while Devil’s Trumpets look to the sky. 
Virtually every part of the plant is dangerously toxic and hallucinogenic. Their effects on humans are summarized with this little ditty: “Blind as a bat, mad as a hatter, red as a beet, dry as a bone.”
The flowers are quite stunning. Like other Nightshade plants, they bloom at night, hence the name. In the morning they are the brightest white, nearly 5inches across. What I like are the little curly cues at the end of each petal section.
For centuries, Datura has been used as an effective poison. At the end of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter,” the Reverend Dimmesdale who had gotten Hester Prynne pregnant in an adulterous affair, poisons himself out of guilt with Datura, which Hawthorne calls “apple Peru.”
Despite its toxicity, Datura was the drug of choice for the Navaho and the Aztecs when they needed to commune with the spirit world. The most common method of using the plant is to smoke its leave but some have chosen to bathe in water containing a whole plant, one of the strangest ways to get high.
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Above you can see Georgia O’Keefe’s painting: “Jimson Weed, White Flower No. 1.” It sold at Sotheby’s in 2014 for $44.4 million, the highest price ever for a work by a woman artist.
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eco-ecuo-equal · 2 years
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EcoPlusEco By Eco Concepts 🎄🎁😃 Gift Set C x 3 eco mug versions + Premium Vegan Organic drinks & snacks… Great gift for those health conscious buddies 🧘🏻‍♀️🏄🏻‍♂️🚴🏻‍♂️👫👭👬🎄 EcoCanPlus 330ml. MUG FEATURES: ECO - Biodegradable & Compostable *under certain composting environment (ECO - 可生物降解和可堆肥 *在某些堆肥環境下) Made from plant with NO-plastic! 由植物製成,不含塑料! BPA-Free. Toxic-Free. Food safe grade. 不含 BPA。 無毒。 食品安全等級。 Heat resistant - Up to -120 degree celcius 耐熱 - 最高 -120 攝氏度 MIcrowave & Dishwasher Top-rack safe 微波爐和洗碗機 Spill proof防瀉 Swivel tab - Easy opening 旋轉蓋掩,易於喝水 Screw cap - Convenient for refilling beverage & cleaning 螺旋蓋 - 方便補充飲料和清潔 Design - Patented 專利設計 MUG HOLDER FEATURES 杯套特點 Insulated, perfect for both hot & cold beverages 保溫, 非常適合熱飲和冷飲 Super-light & foldable. 超輕且可折疊。 Water-resistant and hand-washable 防水和可手洗 Durable 耐用 Patented material by Dupont Chemicals (Dupont Chemicals 的專利材料) 100% Organic CamuCamu powder by MyRootSuperfood 100% 有機卡姆果粉 (便利裝) CamuCamu drink powder x 7 packs (5g (270mg of Vitamin C) 每包5克 (含270mg維他命C) Camu Camu, is called a “Miracle Fruit” in Peru. Extremely strong antioxidant 卡姆果被譽為『神奇之果』 強勁天然抗氧化劑 Rich in Vitamin C, 60times more than orange. Enhance the immune system & the absorption of Iron 豐富維他命C,橙的60倍. 強化免疫系統, 促進鐵質吸收. Premium Vegan Organic snacks by Foodism 高級有機素食小食 Foodloose Organic Vegan Fruit Gummy (AppleMango & AppleRaspberry) (35g each). 97.5% fruit. No added sugar. From certified organic-farming Foodloose 有機純素真果汁軟糖(蘋果芒果/蘋果覆盆子) 每包35克。97.5%的水果組成, 不含明膠、香味或添加糖。*來自於經認證的有機耕作。 Foodloose Organic Vegan Nut Butter Bites (Peanut Butter, chocolate & plain flavours) (35g each). Gluten-free Oats. From certified organic-farming Foodloose 有機純素堅果流心球. 每包35克。無麩質燕麥。*來自於經認證的有機耕作。 Foodloose Organic Vegan Nut Bar (Roasted almonds combined with apple. Cocoa Caramella). (35g each ) Organic, vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, no industrialsugar, exotic ingredients. Foodloose 有機純素堅果棒 (烤杏仁與蘋果、李子和肉桂 / 葵花寺與腰果、椰子肉片)。 有機, 純素,無麩質,無乳糖,特選材料 Origin: Germany 德國製造 #ecoconcepts #sustainablegifting #ecofriendly #plasticfree #coffeemugs #organic #camucamu #superdrink #vegansnacks #healthysnacks #xmasgiftideas #greengifts #socialenterprise https://www.instagram.com/p/CliuZtFPOVi/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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odivanvelasco · 2 years
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Fruto silvestre tóxico Nicandra Physaloides
Fruto silvestre tóxico Nicandra Physaloides
Fruto silvestre tóxico ou Juá-de-capote Nicandra physaloides, balãozinho tem uma espécie medicinal e outra, tóxica. Convém saber reconhecer. Você sabe? Fruto silvestre tóxico ou comestível? Olá. Eu Sou Odivan Velasco aqui apresentando mais uma planta do Cerrado, a planta e flor do Cerrado Physalis, e outra de nome Científico: Nicandra physalodes (L.) Gaertn.  Trata-se de uma planta originária da…
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When English Soldiers Got High in Bacon’s Rebellion
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Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium) is a plant in the nightshade family also known as the thorn apple, devil’s snare, or devil’s trumpet. It has psychoactive properties when consumed, but is also very toxic.
During Bacon’s Rebellion (1676-1677) English soldiers in Jamestown, Virginia consumed the plant and ended up having hallucinations and being in an altered mental state for 11 days. According to Robert Beverly Jr. in his 1705 book “The History and Present State of Virginia”:
“The James-Town Weed (which resembles the Thorny Apple of Peru, and I take to be the plant so call'd) is supposed to be one of the greatest coolers in the world. This being an early plant, was gather'd very young for a boil'd salad, by some of the soldiers sent thither to quell the rebellion of Bacon (1676); and some of them ate plentifully of it, the effect of which was a very pleasant comedy, for they turned natural fools upon it for several days: one would blow up a feather in the air; another would dart straws at it with much fury; and another, stark naked, was sitting up in a corner like a monkey, grinning and making mows [grimaces] at them; a fourth would fondly kiss and paw his companions, and sneer in their faces with a countenance more antic than any in a Dutch droll.
In this frantic condition they were confined, lest they should, in their folly, destroy themselves—though it was observed that all their actions were full of innocence and good nature. Indeed, they were not very cleanly; for they would have wallowed in their own excrements if they had not been prevented. A thousand such simple tricks they played, and after eleven days returned themselves again, not remembering anything that had passed.”
And thus the name “jimsonweed” derived from this incident in Jamestown. The plant has since spread around the world as an invasive species
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Jimsonweed seed pod
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Remains of the 1639 Jamestown Church that was destroyed during the Bacon’s Rebellion
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myzoocharliebailey · 4 years
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https://www.ravereviews.org/travel/50-best-zoos-and-their-weirdest-animals/
Native to Mexico, Blind Cave Fish find their way around by means of lateral lines running along the lengths their bodies. The lines are highly sensitive to fluctuating water pressure. However, not all forms of Cave Fish are truly blind: some have degenerated sight and some are totally blind, while still others have lost their eyes completely.
About 30 populations of Blind Cave Fish are known, dispersed over three geographically distinct areas of Mexico. At least three have full cave forms—blind and without pigment. Another eleven known species have cave, “normal,” and intermediate forms. At least one species has both cave and “normal” forms but no intermediates. Different forms can interbreed, making this species ideal for studying convergent and parallel evolution, regressive evolution in cave animals, and the genetic basis of regressive traits. This, combined with the ease of maintaining the species in captivity, has made it the most studied cavefish and likely also the most studied cave organism in the world.
Say it with me now: aposematic. It’s just a big word meaning that when it comes to the natural world, bright colors often signal danger. This is the case with the Poison Dart Frog. Native to tropical Central and South America, these species are diurnal with brightly coloured bodies. These mostly small amphibians are often called “dart frogs,” due to indigenous peoples’ use of their toxic secretions to poison the tips of blowdarts (though this practice is much rarer than popularly believed). Poison Dart Frogs are dedicated parents, raising their young in secluded, watery nurseries. They mate much like fish: Females deposit the eggs and the males fertilize them. While they’re occasionally seen clutching one another, these are usually territorial wrestling matches between 2 males.
If you’re anything like us, there’s nothing particularly common about a vampire bat. Found all over the Americas, the Common Vampire Bat is rare among bat species because it has maintained the ability to run on land and has relatively good eyesight. They have a unique, bounding gait when they do run. The forelimbs are used instead of the hindlimbs to propel forward, as the wings are much more powerful than the legs. Feeding mostly at night, Common Vampire Bats eat primarily mammalian blood. Their most common food sources are cattle and horses, but they’re also known to go after wild prey like the tapir. However, they do seem to prefer domesticated animals, favoring horses over cattle, and female animals over males (particularly those in estrus).
Also known as the Mexican Walking Fish, the Axolotl is actually a salamander. Native to Mexico, Axolotls are unusual among amphibians because instead of developing lungs and taking to the land, adults remain aquatic and gilled. Axolotls were sold as food in Mexican markets and were a staple in the Aztec diet. The coolest thing about Axolotls is their regenerative abilities. They are capable of regenerating lost appendages in a period of months. Some have even been found restoring less crucial parts of their own brain. They can also accept transplants from other Axolotls, including eyes and parts of the brain. Axolotls are used extensively in scientific research because of their unique healing abilities.
Matamatas inhabit slow-moving blackwater streams, stagnant pools, marshes, and swamps in northern Bolivia, eastern Peru, Ecuador, eastern Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern and central Brazil. Strictly aquatic, Matamata Turtles are large with an oversized triangular head. The unusual head also has distinctive flaps of skin and a horn on its long snout. A Matamata’s shell resembles a piece of bark, and its head mimics fallen leaves. As it lays motionless in the water, skin flaps enable the turtle to blend into the surrounding vegetation until a fish comes close. Then the Matamata thrusts open its large mouth as wide as possible, creating a low-pressure vacuum that sucks prey into its mouth. This is known as suction feeding. After snapping shut its mouth, water is slowly expelled, and the fish is swallowed whole. Matamatas cannot chew.
The Komodo Dragon, also known as the Komodo Monitor, is found in the islands of Indonesia. These predators truly look like relics from the age of dinosaurs. Komodos are the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of up to 10 feet. In rare cases, they can reach up to 150 lbs. A nightmare with scales! The unusually large size of the Komodo Dragon has been attributed to island gigantism, with little competition from any other carnivores. Komodo Dragons dominate their ecosystems. They’ve even been known to attack humans. They hunt by ambushing prey including invertebrates, birds, and mammals. They have glands in their lower jaw which secrete several toxic proteins, shown to contain anticoagulant properties. Komodo Dragons also hunt in groups, a rare behavior in the reptile world.
The Desert Ironclad Beetle, or Blue Death-Feigning Beetle, is native to the deserts of the southwestern United States. It has been known to feign death when threatened. They’re actually popular pets due to ease of care, hardiness, and longevity. The powdery blue coloring of these beetles comes from a wax secreted throughout their bodies that keeps them from losing moisture. They cannot climb on smooth surfaces (plastic or glass). As pets, these insects require little to no additional heat or humidity. They need dry sand, something to hide in, and not much else. They don’t drink water, sourcing hydration from foods such as apples. They can even eat dog and cat food.
Native to the islands of Indonesia, Babirusas were once used as gifts to royalty. Their preferred habitats are tropical rainforests along riverbanks. While related to pigs, Babirusas do not dig with their snout like other pigs do (except in mud and swampy grounds). The diet of the Babirusa includes leaves, roots, fruits, and animal material. The strong jaws of a Babirusa are capable of easily cracking hard nuts. Male Babirusas tend to live solitarily while adult females and their young are found in groups, which can number up to about 80 individuals. The tusks of adult males are used to fight: Upper tusks are for defense while the lower are offensive weapons. If the tusks aren’t ground down regularly, they can eventually grow so long that they penetrate the animal’s own skull.
The Legless Lizard, also commonly called Pallas’ Glass Lizard or the European Legless Lizard, is found from southern Europe to Central Asia. They can reach lengths of nearly 5 feet. They are tan colored, paler on the ventral surface and the head, with a segmented appearance that makes it look like a giant earthworm. They aren’t truly legless. Small rear legs are sometimes visible. Though the legs are barely discernible, the Legless Lizard can be quickly distinguished from a snake by its ears and eyelids.
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talvns-blog · 7 years
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let me just slide in here like I’m not hours late.. hey all I’m kenzie. she+her. I’ve got a bit about my boy talan below the cut
He was born and raised in southern calfiornia. he’s from new money.. his parents both built themselves up from the ground.
the apple fell very, very far from the tree with talan who is the poster boy for lazy rich boi
was living off his parents up until two years ago when they got sick of him not doing shit and cut him off. 
talan kinda brushed it off as a joke and continued living it up in Ibiza swiping and snorting off his amex black card until it was declined
he went back and really had it out with his dad, who ended up just cutting ties with him completely. talan is really care free and doesn’t talk about his family because it’s emotionally exhausting to him tbh even tho there’s not much to the story other than he’s a piece of shit and his parents cut him off lmfao
He tells people he CHOSE to leave behind the money because it was a toxic life lmfaoo and now he just floats around like a nomad, couch surfing from place to place until they too get sick of him
he’s your local drug seller - so if you want the goods hit him up. he’s got a shitty burner phone that he does business deals on and keeps his stash hidden under his bed in a crotchet bag he bought from peru.  
he was actually super smart growing up and was heavily into basketball but his team mates got him into that hollywood party scene and that was the end of his academic and sporting career.
he’s actually just your homeless druglord™. i should make that his new label
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mostajad · 5 years
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How is e-waste disposed and what is its harm to the environment?
How is e-waste disposed and what is its harm to the environment?
Smart devices have facilitated our lives to the extent that we cannot imagine them running smoothly without them, foremost among them are smart phones, but these modern technological devices have dark aspects, as most manufacturers hide from us the hideous truth behind the clean, evolving form of dangerous mining practices, chemicals and poor recycling. The excessive consumption of energy and resources driven by a business model depends on paying customers to buy a new phone every two years, which means that this industry is having a tremendous impact on our planet and our limited resources.
The issue of obtaining a new smartphone to facilitate life on an annual basis has become a mania in people regardless of the fact that the current phone is able to work for a longer period, for fear of losing the latest technology, and regardless of consumers, manufacturers are also responsible for a lot of waste of smartphones.
Most companies rely on a strategy centered on the impossibility of repairing or upgrading the product, which shortens its shelf life, and compels us to buy a new device, and electronic waste is a global problem, and the more sophisticated our devices, the more difficult it is to recycle, and any smart device includes a large collection of materials Value, and these treasures often stay inside these devices when disposed of.
Excessive and unnecessary waste
It has been more than ten years since Apple launched the first iPhone on the market, and more than seven billion smartphones have been sold worldwide since then, roughly equivalent to the number of people on this planet, but that did not pass without affecting our planet, According to market research firm Gartner estimates, more than 1.5 billion smartphones were sold in 2017, which means almost the same number is eliminated.
The problem is that not many phones and smart devices are recycled, and according to Greenpeace, an environmental group, only about 15 percent of e-waste is properly recycled.
The world currently produces approximately 50 million tons of e-waste annually, according to a United Nations report, which is equivalent in weight to all commercial aircraft ever built, and if we continue to consume at the current rate, the United Nations University expects an increase of To 120 million tons in the next 30 years.
Despite the huge numbers, only 20 percent of e-waste is officially recycled, and according to data from the World Economic Forum, millions of people around the world work in the informal e-waste sector, and given the toxins in e-waste, it is often This has negative health effects.
Experts say: A ton of e-waste contains up to 100 times more gold than a ton of raw gold, and the estimated physical value of current e-waste is over $ 62.5 billion annually, more than the gross domestic product of most countries.
Valuable and limited resources
Many smart device components consist of silicon wafers that require a lot of resources to produce, along with dozens of valuable and limited substances present on the planet, including rare earth elements and minerals, such as aluminum, gold, and cobalt that are associated with armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It consumes energy resources and climate change.
Recent estimates indicate the depletion of some rare earth elements during the next twenty to fifty years, and in addition to the plastic (derived from crude oil) found in the phone itself, most phone cases are also made of plastic, and screen protectors are made mostly of plastic, so , Each new phone creates an additional demand for more plastic.
Although smartphones are energy efficient, they require a lot of energy to manufacture due to their complexity, and the more intelligent our phone, the greater its impact on the environment, and due to the continued complexity of our devices, electronic manufacturing remains the most dense carbon stage.
A report issued by the British Royal Society of Chemistry indicated that the smartphone contains 30 different elements, while other estimates indicate that the number on some high-end models reaches 75, including copper, aluminum, lead, glass, plastic, tantalum, yttrium, gallium, indium, and arsenic, all of which are essential elements. It could run out of planet within 100 years.
Indium is an essential component of smart devices, and it is one of the rarest elements on earth, and we have to extract a whole kilogram of zinc in order to obtain a few milligrams of indium, and electronic waste contains many minerals and rare earth elements, the vast majority of which are found in China Russia and Australia, but their extraction pollutes water sources.
Cobalt, tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold mining are linked to child labor, conflict financing in Africa, and respiratory illness among miners, and it is now estimated that less than 1 percent of rare earths are recycled.
Destroy the ecosystem
Gold and tin are common in smartphones, but mining is responsible for environmental damage in the Amazon, Peru and tropical islands in Indonesia, and gold mining is a major reason for deforestation in the Amazon, and extracting it from the ground generates wastes rich in cyanide and mercury, which are highly toxic materials that can Pollution of drinking water and fish, with serious effects on human health.
While the seas surrounding the Indonesian island of Bangka and Belitung provide about a third of the world's supply of tin indium oxide, however, large-scale excavations of the sea floor in search of tin-rich sands have destroyed the coral ecosystem, while the deterioration of the fishing industry has led to economic and social problems.
How can we change things?
The abandonment of smartphones is sure to be excluded, but this deadly destruction of the planet and the overexploitation of poor countries must be stopped, support for excess waste, toxic pollution, resource depletion and armed conflict must be stopped, and if there is a need to purchase a new smartphone or other electronics, then You can check out the Greenener Electronics guide to choosing brands and see which ones make repairable and upgradeable products.
You should also honestly ask yourself if you really need a new phone before you rush to buy the latest models, as most smartphones work well for at least 5 years, and in case you really need to upgrade your phone even though your old phone is still working, you should Consider giving it to a friend or family member instead of recycling it, and you should make sure to recycle your old phone at the end of its life, either through the company or the e-waste recycling program in your city.
And choose a phone case free from plastic and biodegradable, such as that provided by the company Pela Case, which manufactures cases made of sustainable and 100% biodegradable, and you must choose a screen protector free of plastic and waste free such as Pela Canopy, which is a liquid that solidifies on the screen, which increases It has a strength of 500 times and comes in a reusable glass bottle.
Conclusion
You should learn more about how smartphones and smartphones are manufactured and where they end after disposal, so that waste and pollution will not stop unless everyone starts making smarter choices, and the continuous production of e-waste is one of the main problems that must be overcome, and the high costs of returning Recycling is the main obstacle to the so-called circular economy, where waste almost disappears and all resources are used efficiently.
It may seem cheaper to buy a new phone for both companies and consumers than to fix it from a short-term point of view, but it is time to start thinking about the future and the long-term interest of the planet.
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panchalpooja-blog · 5 years
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Isononanoic Acid Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2018 – 2026
Isononanoic acid is a type of fatty acid with nine carbon atoms. It is also called pelargonic acid. Its chemical formula is C9H18O2. Isononanoic acid is obtained by oxidation of isononyl aldehyde. The acid is a mixture of isomers with 3, 5, 5-trimethyl hexanoic acid with weight percentage of about 90. Isononanoic acid is a clear, colorless liquid with faint odor. It is miscible with organic solvents. Isononanoic acid is only sparingly soluble in water. The ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) classifies isononanoic acid as a dangerous material in CPA classifications, as it causes severe eye damage if exposed and causes skin irritation if swallowed. Isononanoic acid is primarily applied as a plasticizer in cosmetics and personal care products. It is used as a skin conditioning agent, cleansing agent, and emulsifying agent in surfactant formulations. It is also used as a herbicide to prevent growth of weeds, both indoors and outdoors, and as a blossom thinner for apple and pear trees. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the usage of isononanoic acid as a food additive and has added it to the list of synthetic flavoring. With this, it can now be added directly to food.
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Isononanoic Acid Market: Overview
Based on application, the isononanoic acid market can be segmented into cosmetics & personal care, food additives, and bio-pesticides. The cosmetics & personal care segment held the leading market share in 2017, due to extensive usage of isononanoic acid in household and industrial detergents, soaps, face washes, spray washes, hypochlorite detergents/sanitizers, and dish wash liquids. However, toxicity of isononanoic acid and regulations imposed by ECHA are hampering the segment. Oxea, a Germany-based manufacturer of isononanoic acid, announced on April 1, 2018 that prices of isononanoic acid in Europe are likely to increase by US$ 182.2 per ton (EUR 150 per ton) and will be followed by the end of the month.
Isononanoic Acid Market: Region-wise Outlook
Based on region, the global isononanoic acid market can be divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. In terms of consumption, Asia Pacific held a major share of the global isononanoic acid market in 2017 and the trend is likely to continue during the forecast period also. The market in Asia Pacific is projected to register a significant growth rate during the forecast period. Rise in consumption of cosmetics and personal care products and rising preference for beauty products by people, especially in South Korea, Japan, and China, are major factors anticipated to fuel the demand for isononanoic acid in Asia Pacific in the next few years. China and India are expected to hold a major share of the Asia Pacific market for isononanoic acid during the forecast period. Europe and North America are anticipated to follow Asia Pacific between 2018 and 2026. The market in other regions such as Latin America and Middle East & Africa is anticipated to witness sluggish growth during the forecast period.
Isononanoic Acid Market: Key Players
A large number of companies operate in the global isononanoic acid market. Several regional and local traders, distributors, and importers supply isononanoic acid to end-users. Prominent companies operating in the global isononanoic acid market are Nease Co, LLC, OXEA Chemicals, KH NeoChem, BOC Sciences, FiniPharma Limited, and BASF.
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The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.
The study is a source of reliable data on:
Market segments and sub-segments
Market trends and dynamics
Supply and demand
Market size
Current trends/opportunities/challenges
Competitive landscape
Technological breakthroughs
Value chain and stakeholder analysis
The regional analysis covers:
North America (U.S. and Canada)
Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)
Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)
Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)
Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)
Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)
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Health benefits of custard apple seeds - gain weight and increase metabolic rate
Health benefits of custard apple seeds - gain weight and increase metabolic rate
Custard apple is the popular name for Annona Squamosa. This is one of the most available fruits all around the world. Custard apple is a subtropical fruit. It grows on a small deciduous tree. The fruit is around eight centimeters in diameter. It is lopsided or in some cases it is heart shaped. This fruit is sweet in taste and it has many different local names. Custard apple has a creamy and granular textured flesh which is surrounded by seeds. The skin of custard apple is thin and tough and mostly it is green and black in color. Custard apple is native to Mexico, Peru, Central America and West Indies. The custard apple seeds have many health benefits. They are dark brown in color and they are found inside the pulp of the fruit. In each fruit there are multiple seeds. This fruit is very cold in nature so you should not consume it in excess amounts because it can make you sick. Custard apple seeds are toxic in nature and if you consume them, then it can cause abortion because they are mildly poisonous. You should keep away from your eyes the insecticides that are prepared from these seeds because they have the potency of even blinding a person temporarily.
Some health benefits of custard apple seeds:
Bio – gas production: It is known that Germany and other European nations are using the custard apple seeds for the commercial purposes of the production of bio – gas. The custard apple seeds have trapped fatty acids which are rich in methyl – ester which triggers the production of gas. Parkinson’s disease: Custard apple seeds can help to reduce the risk of getting Parkinson’s disease. Commercial farming pesticides: It is known that the seeds of custard apple are mixed with neem seeds to make another potent toxic pesticide which is used in the commercial farming. This pesticide made from custard apple seeds is natural and it is harmless to ecology. It is known that the use of pesticide that is made from custard apple seeds is very beneficial for the health of mankind. Dental health: These seeds are very effective in improving the dental health. It can reduce the risk of tooth and gum pain. Pharmaceutical usage: There are many pharmaceutical companies which are using the seeds of custard apples because it is medically verified the abortifacient properties. Also it is used to make medicines which are designed to induce abortion.
Health benefits of custard apple seeds
Weight gain: Those people who want to gain weight can use custard apple seeds for this purpose. Pesticide and weedicide: You can use custard apple seeds as pesticide for your home garden. You should mix some powdered custard apple seeds in water and let it stay there for a couple of days. You should sprinkle some of this mixture on the infested plant and do it on a regular basis in a period of ten to fifteen days because in this way you will remove the insects that are eating leaves. Increase metabolic rate: This fruit can increase the metabolic rate and the appetite levels. Insect repellent: You can use the custard apple seeds to rid of the insects and ants in your house. You can mix some powdered seeds in water and you should let them stay in a period of couple of days. This is a homemade insect repellent which you can use it. You should sprinkle this mixture everywhere around your house, especially in the infested areas. The result from the usage of this homemade insect repellent is outstanding and instantaneous. Boost immune system: It is rich in Vitamin C which can help to boost the immune system. Eradicates head lice: You should use the custard apple seeds if you are sick of scratching your head due to lice and nit. You should take some custard apple seeds, grind them into a powdered form and then mix it with a little water to make a paste. You should apply this paste on your head and let it stay there for ten minutes. You should wash it off using plain cold water. If you repeat this process two times per month, then you will have wonderful results and it will leave your head free from lice.
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paullassiterca · 6 years
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The Importance of Eating Organic
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30 Tips in 30 Days Designed to Help You Take Control of Your Health
This article is included in Dr. Mercola’s All-Time Top 30 Health Tips series. Every day during the month of January, a new tip will be added that will help you take control of your health.
Many want to lead a healthier lifestyle but cannot figure out where or how to start. In the realm of diet, more than half believe it’s easier to calculate their income taxes than figure out what to eat.1 While nutritional science is indeed a complex affair, there’s a way to make it really, really simple: Just eat organic.
“Let thy medicine be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.”
That famous quote by Hippocrates, who is often referred to as “the father of medicine,” is somewhere around 2,500 years old, and for a long time this sentiment was treated as fact.
Today, many scoff at this notion, thinking nutrition and medicine have very little in common, using food to quench hunger and little else, while turning to pharmaceutical drugs to treat illness. Turning our backs on the fundamental truth that “food is medicine” is no doubt at the very heart of our current disease epidemics.
Another quote by Hippocrates, which is part of the Hippocratic Oath still recited by modern doctors today, is “First, do no harm.” Unfortunately, the preoccupation with the idea that there must be “a pill for every ill” now greatly compromises this oath, because the practice of medicine is primarily focused on drugs that oftentimes to far more harm than good.
Meanwhile, modern doctors receive virtually no training in nutrition. The 2018 documentary, “Organic Food — Hype or Hope?” analyzes the benefits of organically grown foods.
How are they different from conventional and do they really live up to the promise of being healthier? Indeed, there’s compelling evidence that organic food is a vital aspect of vibrant health, and is a truly practical solution to many of our current health and environmental crises.2
Organic Food Significantly Lowers Your Toxic Burden
Pesticides, in particular, pose risks to human health, and not just from contaminated food but also from contaminated groundwater — an issue covered in the featured documentary.
While U.S. regulators insist that set limits on pesticide residues in conventional produce are enough to protect public health, a 2016 report3 commissioned by the European Parliament found negative health effects may occur in children even at current levels of exposure. A key message of the report was that public health could be protected by promoting organic agriculture.
In 2017, Hilal Elver, the United Nations’ special rapporteur on the right to food, and Baskut Tuncak, special rapporteur on toxics, took it a step further, calling for a global treaty to regulate pesticides, saying these chemicals have become a very troubling and pervasive food contaminant that threatens the health of children.4,5
“It is time to overturn the myth that pesticides are necessary to feed the world and create a global process to transition toward safer and healthier food and agricultural production,” they noted in their report. Organic farming has other benefits as well, including:
Mitigating climate change
Promoting animal welfare
Being more profitable for farmers6,7
Ensuring the food isn’t genetically engineered (GE) or contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This is true for animal products as well, as animals raised on organic farms are not permitted to be fed GE alfalfa or GE corn
Modern Agricultural Practices Have Led to Decline in Food Quality
Soil depletion is a direct result of modern agricultural practices and has led to crops containing fewer nutrients. Reductions in biodiversity and a narrowing of available foodstuffs has also resulted in a narrower range of nutrients in our diets.
Even the healthy foods you choose, such as an apple or lettuce, are likely not as nutritious as they once were, and wild plants widely foraged in the past provided an astounding level of phytonutrients that are largely absent from our modern cultivated fruits and veggies.
For instance, according to Jo Robinson, author of “Eating on the Wild Side,” purple potatoes native to Peru contain 28 times more anthocyanins than commonly consumed russet potatoes.8
Work by Dr. August Dunning, chief science officer and co-owner of Eco Organics, reveals that in order to receive the same amount of iron you used to get from one apple in 1950, by 1998 you had to eat 26 apples. Flavor has also fallen by the wayside, and this too is related to the deterioration of mineral content. The minerals actually form the compounds that give the fruit or vegetable its flavor.
Organic Foods Have Fewer Pesticides and Higher Antioxidant Content
Eating organic is one of the easiest ways to optimize your nutrition without supplementation (although certain supplements may still be necessary or advisable, depending on your condition and overall diet). Studies have repeatedly shown that organic foods: a) have much lower pesticide residues; and b) contain higher amounts of health-promoting nutrients.
Among them is a meta-analysis9 by Stanford University, published in 2012, which looked at 240 studies comparing organically and conventionally grown food. Organics were 23 to 37 percent less likely to contain detectable pesticide residues.
Considering the health dangers associated with pesticides, this is clear evidence that organics confer greater health benefits than conventional produce. Organically raised chicken was also up to 45 percent less likely to contain antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which will also help protect your health.
Following in Stanford University’s footsteps, a group of scientists at Newcastle University in the U.K. evaluated an even greater number of studies, 343 in all, published over several decades. Just like the Stanford study, this follow-up analysis,10 published in 2014, found that while conventional and organic vegetables oftentimes contain similar levels of many nutrients, the frequency of occurrence of pesticide residues was four times higher in conventional foods.
Conventional produce also had on average 48 percent higher levels of cadmium,11 a toxic metal and a known carcinogen. Moreover, while many nutrient levels were comparable, a key nutritional difference between conventional and organics was their antioxidant content.
In the Newcastle analysis, organic fruits and vegetables were found to contain anywhere from 18 to 69 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown varieties.
Antioxidants are a very important part of optimal health, as they influence how fast you age by fighting free radicals. So, the fact that organic foods contain far higher levels of them vouches for the stance that organic foods are healthier in terms of nutrition, in addition to being lower in pesticides.
Organic Grass Fed Milk and Meat Are Healthier Than Factory Farmed
Two 2016 studies12 — one on the compositional differences of organic and conventional meat,13 and one on milk14 — also found clear differences between the two. Said to be the largest studies of their kind, the researchers analyzed 196 and 67 studies on milk and meat respectively.
The largest difference in nutritional content of meat was its fatty acid composition, certain essential minerals and antioxidants. Coauthor Chris Seal, professor of food and human nutrition at Newcastle University, commented on the findings:15
“Omega-3s are linked to reductions in cardiovascular disease, improved neurological development and function, and better immune function. Western European diets are recognized as being too low in these fatty acids and the European Food Safety Authority recommends we should double our intake.
But getting enough in our diet is difficult. Our study suggests that switching to organic would go some way toward improving intakes of these important nutrients.”
According to the review on milk, half a liter of organic full fat milk will provide you with an estimated 39 milligrams (mg) or 16 percent of the reference daily intake (RDI) of very long-chain (VLC) omega-3 (EPA, DPA and DHA), whereas conventional milk will provide only 25 mg or 11 percent of the RDI of these important fats.
As noted in the milk study,16 VLC omega-3s have been linked to a number of health benefits, including “improved fetal brain development and function, delayed decline in cognitive function in elderly men and reduced risk of dementia (especially Alzheimer’s disease).”
Organic milk also contains lower levels of omega-6, providing a healthier ratio between these two fatty acids. Compared to conventional milk, organic milk was also found to contain:
Higher levels of vitamin E
Higher concentrations of iron
Higher levels of antioxidant carotenoids
40 percent more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has a wide array of important health benefits, from fighting cancer to decreasing insulin resistance and improving body composition
Other studies looking at grass fed beef,17 organic grass fed milk18 and organic free-range eggs19 have come to similar conclusions. A 2016 report20 by the European Parliament, “Human Health Implications of Organic Food and Organic Agriculture,” also reviewed the nutritional content of organics (among many other things), concluding that the clearest benefits of organics on human health were found to be related to lowered pesticide, antibiotic and cadmium exposure.
According to the authors, “As a consequence of reduced pesticide exposure, organic food consequently contributes to the avoidance of health effects and associated costs to society.”
Healthy Food Resources
Ultimately, choosing organic products for yourself and your family is one of the most proactive measures you can implement to take control of your health. If you must choose between which products to purchase organic, I recommend prioritizing organic animal foods and then using the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) “Dirty Dozen” list21 for produce.
The dirty dozen list shows which fruits and vegetables are most prone to heavy pesticide contamination and therefore the most important to buy organic.
Keep in mind that while many grocery stores now carry organic items, these are typically imported from other countries, which may or may not have stringent organic standards in place. Ideally, try to buy as much as you can directly from local farmers, whom you can ask directly about their agricultural practices. If you live in the U.S., the following organizations can help you locate farm-fresh foods:
Demeter USA — Demeter-USA.org provides a directory of certified Biodynamic farms and brands. This directory can also be found on BiodynamicFood.org.
American Grassfed Association (AGA) — The goal of the American Grassfed Association is to promote the grass fed industry through government relations, research, concept marketing and public education.
Their website also allows you to search for AGA approved producers certified according to strict standards that include being raised on a diet of 100 percent forage; raised on pasture and never confined to a feedlot; never treated with antibiotics or hormones; and born and raised on American family farms.
EatWild.com — EatWild.com provides lists of farmers known to produce raw dairy products as well as grass fed beef and other farm-fresh produce (although not all are certified organic). Here you can also find information about local farmers markets, as well as local stores and restaurants that sell grass fed products.
Weston A. Price Foundation — Weston A. Price has local chapters in most states, and many of them are connected with buying clubs in which you can easily purchase organic foods, including grass fed raw dairy products like milk and butter.
Grassfed Exchange — The Grassfed Exchange has a listing of producers selling organic and grass fed meats across the U.S.
Local Harvest — This website will help you find farmers markets, family farms and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce, grass fed meats and many other goodies.
Farmers Markets — A national listing of farmers markets.
Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals — The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns, hotels and online outlets in the United States and Canada.
Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) — CISA is dedicated to sustaining agriculture and promoting the products of small farms.
The Cornucopia Institute — The Cornucopia Institute maintains web-based tools rating all certified organic brands of eggs, dairy products and other commodities, based on their ethical sourcing and authentic farming practices separating CAFO “organic” production from authentic organic practices.
RealMilk.com — If you’re still unsure of where to find raw milk, check out Raw-Milk-Facts.com and RealMilk.com. They can tell you what the status is for legality in your state, and provide a listing of raw dairy farms in your area. The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund22 also provides a state-by-state review of raw milk laws.23 California residents can also find raw milk retailers using the store locator available at www.OrganicPastures.com.
Tip #4Top 8 Benefits of Squats
from Articles http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/01/05/importance-of-eating-organic.aspx source https://niapurenaturecom.tumblr.com/post/181730903641
0 notes
jerrytackettca · 6 years
Text
The Importance of Eating Organic
30 Tips in 30 Days Designed to Help You Take Control of Your Health
This article is included in Dr. Mercola's All-Time Top 30 Health Tips series. Every day during the month of January, a new tip will be added that will help you take control of your health.
Many want to lead a healthier lifestyle but cannot figure out where or how to start. In the realm of diet, more than half believe it's easier to calculate their income taxes than figure out what to eat.1 While nutritional science is indeed a complex affair, there's a way to make it really, really simple: Just eat organic.
"Let thy medicine be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food."
That famous quote by Hippocrates, who is often referred to as "the father of medicine," is somewhere around 2,500 years old, and for a long time this sentiment was treated as fact.
Today, many scoff at this notion, thinking nutrition and medicine have very little in common, using food to quench hunger and little else, while turning to pharmaceutical drugs to treat illness. Turning our backs on the fundamental truth that "food is medicine" is no doubt at the very heart of our current disease epidemics.
Another quote by Hippocrates, which is part of the Hippocratic Oath still recited by modern doctors today, is "First, do no harm." Unfortunately, the preoccupation with the idea that there must be "a pill for every ill" now greatly compromises this oath, because the practice of medicine is primarily focused on drugs that oftentimes to far more harm than good.
Meanwhile, modern doctors receive virtually no training in nutrition. The 2018 documentary, "Organic Food — Hype or Hope?" analyzes the benefits of organically grown foods.
How are they different from conventional and do they really live up to the promise of being healthier? Indeed, there's compelling evidence that organic food is a vital aspect of vibrant health, and is a truly practical solution to many of our current health and environmental crises.2
Organic Food Significantly Lowers Your Toxic Burden
Pesticides, in particular, pose risks to human health, and not just from contaminated food but also from contaminated groundwater — an issue covered in the featured documentary.
While U.S. regulators insist that set limits on pesticide residues in conventional produce are enough to protect public health, a 2016 report3 commissioned by the European Parliament found negative health effects may occur in children even at current levels of exposure. A key message of the report was that public health could be protected by promoting organic agriculture.
In 2017, Hilal Elver, the United Nations' special rapporteur on the right to food, and Baskut Tuncak, special rapporteur on toxics, took it a step further, calling for a global treaty to regulate pesticides, saying these chemicals have become a very troubling and pervasive food contaminant that threatens the health of children.4,5
"It is time to overturn the myth that pesticides are necessary to feed the world and create a global process to transition toward safer and healthier food and agricultural production," they noted in their report. Organic farming has other benefits as well, including:
Mitigating climate change
Promoting animal welfare
Being more profitable for farmers6,7
Ensuring the food isn't genetically engineered (GE) or contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This is true for animal products as well, as animals raised on organic farms are not permitted to be fed GE alfalfa or GE corn
Modern Agricultural Practices Have Led to Decline in Food Quality
Soil depletion is a direct result of modern agricultural practices and has led to crops containing fewer nutrients. Reductions in biodiversity and a narrowing of available foodstuffs has also resulted in a narrower range of nutrients in our diets.
Even the healthy foods you choose, such as an apple or lettuce, are likely not as nutritious as they once were, and wild plants widely foraged in the past provided an astounding level of phytonutrients that are largely absent from our modern cultivated fruits and veggies.
For instance, according to Jo Robinson, author of "Eating on the Wild Side," purple potatoes native to Peru contain 28 times more anthocyanins than commonly consumed russet potatoes.8
Work by Dr. August Dunning, chief science officer and co-owner of Eco Organics, reveals that in order to receive the same amount of iron you used to get from one apple in 1950, by 1998 you had to eat 26 apples. Flavor has also fallen by the wayside, and this too is related to the deterioration of mineral content. The minerals actually form the compounds that give the fruit or vegetable its flavor.
Organic Foods Have Fewer Pesticides and Higher Antioxidant Content
Eating organic is one of the easiest ways to optimize your nutrition without supplementation (although certain supplements may still be necessary or advisable, depending on your condition and overall diet). Studies have repeatedly shown that organic foods: a) have much lower pesticide residues; and b) contain higher amounts of health-promoting nutrients.
Among them is a meta-analysis9 by Stanford University, published in 2012, which looked at 240 studies comparing organically and conventionally grown food. Organics were 23 to 37 percent less likely to contain detectable pesticide residues.
Considering the health dangers associated with pesticides, this is clear evidence that organics confer greater health benefits than conventional produce. Organically raised chicken was also up to 45 percent less likely to contain antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which will also help protect your health.
Following in Stanford University's footsteps, a group of scientists at Newcastle University in the U.K. evaluated an even greater number of studies, 343 in all, published over several decades. Just like the Stanford study, this follow-up analysis,10 published in 2014, found that while conventional and organic vegetables oftentimes contain similar levels of many nutrients, the frequency of occurrence of pesticide residues was four times higher in conventional foods.
Conventional produce also had on average 48 percent higher levels of cadmium,11 a toxic metal and a known carcinogen. Moreover, while many nutrient levels were comparable, a key nutritional difference between conventional and organics was their antioxidant content.
In the Newcastle analysis, organic fruits and vegetables were found to contain anywhere from 18 to 69 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown varieties.
Antioxidants are a very important part of optimal health, as they influence how fast you age by fighting free radicals. So, the fact that organic foods contain far higher levels of them vouches for the stance that organic foods are healthier in terms of nutrition, in addition to being lower in pesticides.
Organic Grass Fed Milk and Meat Are Healthier Than Factory Farmed
Two 2016 studies12 — one on the compositional differences of organic and conventional meat,13 and one on milk14 — also found clear differences between the two. Said to be the largest studies of their kind, the researchers analyzed 196 and 67 studies on milk and meat respectively.
The largest difference in nutritional content of meat was its fatty acid composition, certain essential minerals and antioxidants. Coauthor Chris Seal, professor of food and human nutrition at Newcastle University, commented on the findings:15
"Omega-3s are linked to reductions in cardiovascular disease, improved neurological development and function, and better immune function. Western European diets are recognized as being too low in these fatty acids and the European Food Safety Authority recommends we should double our intake.
But getting enough in our diet is difficult. Our study suggests that switching to organic would go some way toward improving intakes of these important nutrients."
According to the review on milk, half a liter of organic full fat milk will provide you with an estimated 39 milligrams (mg) or 16 percent of the reference daily intake (RDI) of very long-chain (VLC) omega-3 (EPA, DPA and DHA), whereas conventional milk will provide only 25 mg or 11 percent of the RDI of these important fats.
As noted in the milk study,16 VLC omega-3s have been linked to a number of health benefits, including "improved fetal brain development and function, delayed decline in cognitive function in elderly men and reduced risk of dementia (especially Alzheimer's disease)."
Organic milk also contains lower levels of omega-6, providing a healthier ratio between these two fatty acids. Compared to conventional milk, organic milk was also found to contain:
Higher levels of vitamin E
Higher concentrations of iron
Higher levels of antioxidant carotenoids
40 percent more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has a wide array of important health benefits, from fighting cancer to decreasing insulin resistance and improving body composition
Other studies looking at grass fed beef,17 organic grass fed milk18 and organic free-range eggs19 have come to similar conclusions. A 2016 report20 by the European Parliament, "Human Health Implications of Organic Food and Organic Agriculture," also reviewed the nutritional content of organics (among many other things), concluding that the clearest benefits of organics on human health were found to be related to lowered pesticide, antibiotic and cadmium exposure.
According to the authors, "As a consequence of reduced pesticide exposure, organic food consequently contributes to the avoidance of health effects and associated costs to society."
Healthy Food Resources
Ultimately, choosing organic products for yourself and your family is one of the most proactive measures you can implement to take control of your health. If you must choose between which products to purchase organic, I recommend prioritizing organic animal foods and then using the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) "Dirty Dozen" list21 for produce.
The dirty dozen list shows which fruits and vegetables are most prone to heavy pesticide contamination and therefore the most important to buy organic.
Keep in mind that while many grocery stores now carry organic items, these are typically imported from other countries, which may or may not have stringent organic standards in place. Ideally, try to buy as much as you can directly from local farmers, whom you can ask directly about their agricultural practices. If you live in the U.S., the following organizations can help you locate farm-fresh foods:
Demeter USA — Demeter-USA.org provides a directory of certified Biodynamic farms and brands. This directory can also be found on BiodynamicFood.org.
American Grassfed Association (AGA) — The goal of the American Grassfed Association is to promote the grass fed industry through government relations, research, concept marketing and public education.
Their website also allows you to search for AGA approved producers certified according to strict standards that include being raised on a diet of 100 percent forage; raised on pasture and never confined to a feedlot; never treated with antibiotics or hormones; and born and raised on American family farms.
EatWild.com — EatWild.com provides lists of farmers known to produce raw dairy products as well as grass fed beef and other farm-fresh produce (although not all are certified organic). Here you can also find information about local farmers markets, as well as local stores and restaurants that sell grass fed products.
Weston A. Price Foundation — Weston A. Price has local chapters in most states, and many of them are connected with buying clubs in which you can easily purchase organic foods, including grass fed raw dairy products like milk and butter.
Grassfed Exchange — The Grassfed Exchange has a listing of producers selling organic and grass fed meats across the U.S.
Local Harvest — This website will help you find farmers markets, family farms and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce, grass fed meats and many other goodies.
Farmers Markets — A national listing of farmers markets.
Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals — The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns, hotels and online outlets in the United States and Canada.
Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) — CISA is dedicated to sustaining agriculture and promoting the products of small farms.
The Cornucopia Institute — The Cornucopia Institute maintains web-based tools rating all certified organic brands of eggs, dairy products and other commodities, based on their ethical sourcing and authentic farming practices separating CAFO "organic" production from authentic organic practices.
RealMilk.com — If you're still unsure of where to find raw milk, check out Raw-Milk-Facts.com and RealMilk.com. They can tell you what the status is for legality in your state, and provide a listing of raw dairy farms in your area. The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund22 also provides a state-by-state review of raw milk laws.23 California residents can also find raw milk retailers using the store locator available at www.OrganicPastures.com.
Tip #4Top 8 Benefits of Squats
from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/01/05/importance-of-eating-organic.aspx
source http://niapurenaturecom.weebly.com/blog/the-importance-of-eating-organic
0 notes
jakehglover · 6 years
Text
The Importance of Eating Organic
youtube
30 Tips in 30 Days Designed to Help You Take Control of Your Health
This article is included in Dr. Mercola's All-Time Top 30 Health Tips series. Every day during the month of January, a new tip will be added that will help you take control of your health.
Many want to lead a healthier lifestyle but cannot figure out where or how to start. In the realm of diet, more than half believe it's easier to calculate their income taxes than figure out what to eat.1 While nutritional science is indeed a complex affair, there's a way to make it really, really simple: Just eat organic.
"Let thy medicine be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food."
That famous quote by Hippocrates, who is often referred to as "the father of medicine," is somewhere around 2,500 years old, and for a long time this sentiment was treated as fact.
Today, many scoff at this notion, thinking nutrition and medicine have very little in common, using food to quench hunger and little else, while turning to pharmaceutical drugs to treat illness. Turning our backs on the fundamental truth that "food is medicine" is no doubt at the very heart of our current disease epidemics.
Another quote by Hippocrates, which is part of the Hippocratic Oath still recited by modern doctors today, is "First, do no harm." Unfortunately, the preoccupation with the idea that there must be "a pill for every ill" now greatly compromises this oath, because the practice of medicine is primarily focused on drugs that oftentimes to far more harm than good.
Meanwhile, modern doctors receive virtually no training in nutrition. The 2018 documentary, "Organic Food — Hype or Hope?" analyzes the benefits of organically grown foods.
How are they different from conventional and do they really live up to the promise of being healthier? Indeed, there's compelling evidence that organic food is a vital aspect of vibrant health, and is a truly practical solution to many of our current health and environmental crises.2
Organic Food Significantly Lowers Your Toxic Burden
Pesticides, in particular, pose risks to human health, and not just from contaminated food but also from contaminated groundwater — an issue covered in the featured documentary.
While U.S. regulators insist that set limits on pesticide residues in conventional produce are enough to protect public health, a 2016 report3 commissioned by the European Parliament found negative health effects may occur in children even at current levels of exposure. A key message of the report was that public health could be protected by promoting organic agriculture.
In 2017, Hilal Elver, the United Nations' special rapporteur on the right to food, and Baskut Tuncak, special rapporteur on toxics, took it a step further, calling for a global treaty to regulate pesticides, saying these chemicals have become a very troubling and pervasive food contaminant that threatens the health of children.4,5
"It is time to overturn the myth that pesticides are necessary to feed the world and create a global process to transition toward safer and healthier food and agricultural production," they noted in their report. Organic farming has other benefits as well, including:
Mitigating climate change
Promoting animal welfare
Being more profitable for farmers6,7
Ensuring the food isn't genetically engineered (GE) or contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This is true for animal products as well, as animals raised on organic farms are not permitted to be fed GE alfalfa or GE corn
Modern Agricultural Practices Have Led to Decline in Food Quality
Soil depletion is a direct result of modern agricultural practices and has led to crops containing fewer nutrients. Reductions in biodiversity and a narrowing of available foodstuffs has also resulted in a narrower range of nutrients in our diets.
Even the healthy foods you choose, such as an apple or lettuce, are likely not as nutritious as they once were, and wild plants widely foraged in the past provided an astounding level of phytonutrients that are largely absent from our modern cultivated fruits and veggies.
For instance, according to Jo Robinson, author of "Eating on the Wild Side," purple potatoes native to Peru contain 28 times more anthocyanins than commonly consumed russet potatoes.8
Work by Dr. August Dunning, chief science officer and co-owner of Eco Organics, reveals that in order to receive the same amount of iron you used to get from one apple in 1950, by 1998 you had to eat 26 apples. Flavor has also fallen by the wayside, and this too is related to the deterioration of mineral content. The minerals actually form the compounds that give the fruit or vegetable its flavor.
Organic Foods Have Fewer Pesticides and Higher Antioxidant Content
Eating organic is one of the easiest ways to optimize your nutrition without supplementation (although certain supplements may still be necessary or advisable, depending on your condition and overall diet). Studies have repeatedly shown that organic foods: a) have much lower pesticide residues; and b) contain higher amounts of health-promoting nutrients.
Among them is a meta-analysis9 by Stanford University, published in 2012, which looked at 240 studies comparing organically and conventionally grown food. Organics were 23 to 37 percent less likely to contain detectable pesticide residues.
Considering the health dangers associated with pesticides, this is clear evidence that organics confer greater health benefits than conventional produce. Organically raised chicken was also up to 45 percent less likely to contain antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which will also help protect your health.
Following in Stanford University's footsteps, a group of scientists at Newcastle University in the U.K. evaluated an even greater number of studies, 343 in all, published over several decades. Just like the Stanford study, this follow-up analysis,10 published in 2014, found that while conventional and organic vegetables oftentimes contain similar levels of many nutrients, the frequency of occurrence of pesticide residues was four times higher in conventional foods.
Conventional produce also had on average 48 percent higher levels of cadmium,11 a toxic metal and a known carcinogen. Moreover, while many nutrient levels were comparable, a key nutritional difference between conventional and organics was their antioxidant content.
In the Newcastle analysis, organic fruits and vegetables were found to contain anywhere from 18 to 69 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown varieties.
Antioxidants are a very important part of optimal health, as they influence how fast you age by fighting free radicals. So, the fact that organic foods contain far higher levels of them vouches for the stance that organic foods are healthier in terms of nutrition, in addition to being lower in pesticides.
Organic Grass Fed Milk and Meat Are Healthier Than Factory Farmed
Two 2016 studies12 — one on the compositional differences of organic and conventional meat,13 and one on milk14 — also found clear differences between the two. Said to be the largest studies of their kind, the researchers analyzed 196 and 67 studies on milk and meat respectively.
The largest difference in nutritional content of meat was its fatty acid composition, certain essential minerals and antioxidants. Coauthor Chris Seal, professor of food and human nutrition at Newcastle University, commented on the findings:15
"Omega-3s are linked to reductions in cardiovascular disease, improved neurological development and function, and better immune function. Western European diets are recognized as being too low in these fatty acids and the European Food Safety Authority recommends we should double our intake.
But getting enough in our diet is difficult. Our study suggests that switching to organic would go some way toward improving intakes of these important nutrients."
According to the review on milk, half a liter of organic full fat milk will provide you with an estimated 39 milligrams (mg) or 16 percent of the reference daily intake (RDI) of very long-chain (VLC) omega-3 (EPA, DPA and DHA), whereas conventional milk will provide only 25 mg or 11 percent of the RDI of these important fats.
As noted in the milk study,16 VLC omega-3s have been linked to a number of health benefits, including "improved fetal brain development and function, delayed decline in cognitive function in elderly men and reduced risk of dementia (especially Alzheimer's disease)."
Organic milk also contains lower levels of omega-6, providing a healthier ratio between these two fatty acids. Compared to conventional milk, organic milk was also found to contain:
Higher levels of vitamin E
Higher concentrations of iron
Higher levels of antioxidant carotenoids
40 percent more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has a wide array of important health benefits, from fighting cancer to decreasing insulin resistance and improving body composition
Other studies looking at grass fed beef,17 organic grass fed milk18 and organic free-range eggs19 have come to similar conclusions. A 2016 report20 by the European Parliament, "Human Health Implications of Organic Food and Organic Agriculture," also reviewed the nutritional content of organics (among many other things), concluding that the clearest benefits of organics on human health were found to be related to lowered pesticide, antibiotic and cadmium exposure.
According to the authors, "As a consequence of reduced pesticide exposure, organic food consequently contributes to the avoidance of health effects and associated costs to society."
Healthy Food Resources
Ultimately, choosing organic products for yourself and your family is one of the most proactive measures you can implement to take control of your health. If you must choose between which products to purchase organic, I recommend prioritizing organic animal foods and then using the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) "Dirty Dozen" list21 for produce.
The dirty dozen list shows which fruits and vegetables are most prone to heavy pesticide contamination and therefore the most important to buy organic.
Keep in mind that while many grocery stores now carry organic items, these are typically imported from other countries, which may or may not have stringent organic standards in place. Ideally, try to buy as much as you can directly from local farmers, whom you can ask directly about their agricultural practices. If you live in the U.S., the following organizations can help you locate farm-fresh foods:
Demeter USA — Demeter-USA.org provides a directory of certified Biodynamic farms and brands. This directory can also be found on BiodynamicFood.org.
American Grassfed Association (AGA) — The goal of the American Grassfed Association is to promote the grass fed industry through government relations, research, concept marketing and public education.
Their website also allows you to search for AGA approved producers certified according to strict standards that include being raised on a diet of 100 percent forage; raised on pasture and never confined to a feedlot; never treated with antibiotics or hormones; and born and raised on American family farms.
EatWild.com — EatWild.com provides lists of farmers known to produce raw dairy products as well as grass fed beef and other farm-fresh produce (although not all are certified organic). Here you can also find information about local farmers markets, as well as local stores and restaurants that sell grass fed products.
Weston A. Price Foundation — Weston A. Price has local chapters in most states, and many of them are connected with buying clubs in which you can easily purchase organic foods, including grass fed raw dairy products like milk and butter.
Grassfed Exchange — The Grassfed Exchange has a listing of producers selling organic and grass fed meats across the U.S.
Local Harvest — This website will help you find farmers markets, family farms and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce, grass fed meats and many other goodies.
Farmers Markets — A national listing of farmers markets.
Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals — The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns, hotels and online outlets in the United States and Canada.
Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) — CISA is dedicated to sustaining agriculture and promoting the products of small farms.
The Cornucopia Institute — The Cornucopia Institute maintains web-based tools rating all certified organic brands of eggs, dairy products and other commodities, based on their ethical sourcing and authentic farming practices separating CAFO "organic" production from authentic organic practices.
RealMilk.com — If you're still unsure of where to find raw milk, check out Raw-Milk-Facts.com and RealMilk.com. They can tell you what the status is for legality in your state, and provide a listing of raw dairy farms in your area. The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund22 also provides a state-by-state review of raw milk laws.23 California residents can also find raw milk retailers using the store locator available at www.OrganicPastures.com.
Tip #4Top 8 Benefits of Squats
from HealthyLife via Jake Glover on Inoreader http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/01/05/importance-of-eating-organic.aspx
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hashtagblogfan · 6 years
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6 Signs That Your Job Does Not Match You
The post Hashtag3r.Com - Psychology , Travel , Photography , Lifestyle , Health and Beauty 6 Signs That Your Job Does Not Match You appeared first on Hashtag3r.Com.
6 Signs That Your Job Does Not Match You
  When the Sunday doldrums become unbearable, when you come home at night with your back bent under the weight of dissatisfaction, when you feel isolated in your team, unable to determine if our work is good or not, no doubt : our job no longer suits us What can be done to reverse the trend?
  In the evening, you leave your job without being satisfied with your day We feel good in our job when he allows us to put all our skills to good use, to reveal our talents.
For Jo Rapley, manager at BPS World, this means “not only to be satisfied with your job,but also to be satisfied with the path taken by our career as a whole “.
“Feel full of energy each morning at the thought of the day ahead, work harder, contribute to the good atmosphere within the team …”
If this is not your case, it’s because your job is probably not for you.
  Your manager does not give you regular feedback on your progress Normally, a manager must constantly communicate his expectations and propose points to his teams to evaluate the work of each, recognize what the person is doing well and the points on which it can improve. This creates a climate of security and trust that allows the employee “to have confidence in the quality of their work and to feel capable of accomplishing missions and taking initiatives,” says Jo Rapley.
“Everything has to make you want to show your commitment to your business,” she adds.
  Work is an obligation for you Of course, working is an obligation for the majority of the human race, as long as you have to eat well.
But for Jody King, REED manager, it should not be that way. “If you consider that you are forced to work,it’s a sign that you’re not happy with your career, “she says.” It’s this dissatisfaction that makes you feel unhappy at work and locked in your role. “
  Your work environment seems toxic to you The social and emotional aspect of a job is as important as the job itself. Have good relations with colleagues , knowing that one can easily exchange with them, or even confide on a personal level if necessary,it is the key to job satisfaction.
  “We do not necessarily talk about becoming friends with colleagues and enjoying everything at home, but in any case to help each other and work well as a team,” says Jody King.
“A toxic environment, on the contrary, makes team members less and less motivated,productive and professional, which has a negative impact on the company. “
  Sunday blues begin to ruin your weekends Nothing is more normal than this dreaded Sunday night cockroach, which we suffer from school and who is not ready to leave us alone. On the other hand, where that soft spot becomes a warning signal is when it has a serious impact on our mental health.
As Jody King explains,“Life is too short to be unhappy, so if the Sunday blues ruin the end of your weekend, you have to change something.”
  You constantly complain about your work According to the Reed.co.uk website, one of the most telling signs of our dissatisfaction at work is our ability to spend energy to complain about our job over and over again.
“Everybody needs to express their frustrations from time to time,” admits Lauren Holden,word of the site. “But if you only talk about your cantankerous boss, your cowardly colleagues, and your miserable wages to the point where you get frantic raised eyebrows, that should alert you.”
  Identify the source of his dissatisfaction Jo Rapley, of BPS World, suggests at first to think about what makes us unhappy. Is it the fact of not being at a position that meets our abilities? Is it lack of training? Is it boredom? General dissatisfaction? “Identifying the cause of dissatisfaction at work helps to determine in what direction we can go next to try to solve the problem,” she advises.
“If it’s a general dissatisfaction, list the things you enjoy at work,” she says. Determine in which areas your skills are transferable and in what areas you would need training and / or practice.
  Engage the discussion “If you find that your abilities are not being exploited,” says Jo Rapley, “talk to your manager, do not be afraid to ask for feedback on your work, training to learn new skills is also a good way ‘evolve in your job �� or change it!’
  Jody King confirms,the most crucial step in reclaiming satisfactions at work is to discuss with your manager: “Tell him what’s bothering you, evaluate together what can be changed and what is not. your manager can not do anything for you, he will be aware of your state of mind and will be better able to support you if you decide to leave your job. “
Source : Cosmopolitan.com/uk
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rachelcarsoncenter · 6 years
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“The Cockchafer, Part 2” 
*(Featured image by dbgg1979 [CC By 2.0], via Flickr)
By Birgit Müller and Susanne Schmitt
We met Ernst-Gerhard Burmeister at the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology where he has dedicated most of his professional life to the amazing collection of over 25 million zoological specimens, one of the largest natural history collections in the world. The collection owns more than 100 000 of the approximately 500 000 species of beetles (Coleoptera) in the world. He has been an active defender of the zoological collection in political committees and has advised the region of Bavaria on issues of biodiversity. He has also traveled extensively, following mayfly swarms (Palingenia longicauda) in Hungary, and exploring the fauna of the Amazon at the border between Peru and Bolivia. When he spoke to us about his experience of insect loss, however, he returned to the calm of the sunny conference room…
The first time I experienced that sudden feeling of loss was about 20 years ago when I could not find any cockchafers in my garden in May. I used to collect them every year for my daughter’s birthday until she was 30 years old. She was born in May and it became a tradition between the two of us that she loved. When she was small, it had been absolutely no problem to find cockchafers in the garden; but then we began to see fewer and fewer of them until, finally, I had to collect them from somewhere else. Fifty years ago cockchafers belonged to spring. It was the creature that reminded us that nature was awakening. But people live so differently nowadays that they don’t even realize the loss. Who still goes for a walk on a calm May night and observes the cockchafers buzzing around the streetlights? Who realizes what the type of agriculture we are practicing does to insects?
A cockchafer in the grass. Photo: Max Pixel (Public domain)
Cockchafers mating. Photo courtesy of Ernst-Gerhard Burmeister.
The use of potent agro-chemical continues unabated. DDT, the chemical Rachel Carson campaigned against so vigorously in 1962, is still permitted in 21 countries in the world. In France, researchers studying the layers of sediment in Lake Saint André in Savoie found the greatest concentration of DDT in sediments dating from the 1990s—that’s 20 years after DDT was banned in France. Neonicotinoids, the world’s most used pesticides, are far more toxic than DDT and have a half-life of up to 20 years in the soil. This means half of all neonicotinoids in the soil are still there 20 years later—and since their use is not forbidden, they have only been accumulating. We see traces of them in wildflowers and future crops.
Neonicotinoids are particularly harmful to many insects and act as nerve agents. Eleven thousand bee swarms have already died from toxic exposure in the Rheinland. While toxicology studies last only two to three days, the consequences of pesticide use affect insects for years. They don’t just fall dead from a stem: they lose their orientation, don’t feed properly any more, lose their capacity to reproduce, and are less resistant to disease and parasites. But if you argue with the chemical industry or farmers, many just laugh their heads off when confronted with your observations of loss and the absence of insects. Only hard data counts. This is why it was so important that the entomologists in Krefeld documented the decrease in the biomass of insects over 25 years. In one site, the biomass of insects collected over one year in 1989 was 1,6 kilograms, compared to only 300 grams of insects left in 2013.
Our nature protection laws don’t do enough to shed light on the issue of insect loss. At most, they suggest that it is important not to disturb animals in their natural environment. While those who love and know nature—and in particular insects—try to interfere with nature as little as possible, other groups continue to do whatever they please: practicing chemical intensive agriculture, or paving over soil. In Bavaria, insect habitats continue to be destroyed. Bavaria is the only federal state in Germany where farmers are not expected to establish a protective agricultural border between farmland and bodies of water.
A strip of wild flowers along a farm track at Langley Park. Photo © Des Blenkinsopp, licensed for reuse (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Geograph.
Although farmers are encouraged to plant strips of meadow flowers between cornfields and the road—called “Akzeptanzstreifen” (acceptance strips) in German—their main purpose seems to be to make people more accepting of monocultures. These strips do not help insects much; most of them are mowed just when the insects have laid their eggs. It seems that the authorities are more interested in drawing attention to insects by growing and maintaining entomology collections in institutions, rather than by nurturing actual living insects. However, we can only speak with authority against the practices that kill insects if we are able to document what types of insects exist, and where and how they live. We need to learn to pay attention to insects again.
When I was a toddler I was fascinated by everything that crept and fluttered. My father was the son of a forest ranger and he understood my fascination with the natural world, that I needed to touch things in order to understand them. Contrary to other kids my age, and especially the kids today, I was allowed to keep bugs in boxes, dig up maggots, and play in forest swamps. I used all my senses, had to touch everything to examine it, test it and try it out. I liked bugs with stable chitinous armor that were not easily damaged by my handling them. When I became a biology student, I specialized in insects and became fascinated with their capacity to identify and follow smells. Did you know that ants can distinguish left-handed sugar molecules from right-handed ones? It took humans two hundred years to figure that out.
Goliath beetle. Photo by Skyscraper [CC BY 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons.
There is so much to discover. Parents and schoolteachers should let their kids get close to insects and share knowledge about them. If a child knows something, they lose their fear of it, their timidity. They constantly discover new things and learn from them: “Oh these butterfly wings have soft scales, I’d better not touch them.” It is our alienation from insects, being out of touch with them, that makes people in Germany not realize that insects are disappearing.
When I was in East Africa, in Irangi Kenya, the people had names for all kinds of insects and could distinguish them according to their use: as natural predators, as food. I would describe an insect to children there and they would fetch it for me. They knew what kinds of rotten fruit attracted them. Like me when I was small, they played with bugs. I remember they had a giant bug—we called it a Goliath beetle (Goliathus). They would tie it to a string and have it fly around them like a helicopter; and when it got tired, they would let it go.
Here in Germany people think they can lead a sterile life: everything has to be washable. Any apple with a worm in it gets rejected. Everything has to be flawless. They don’t want to share their habitat with small creatures, to feel revulsion because something else is living with them—especially if that something is a creature scuttling out of sight, like a silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) or cockroach (insect of the order Blattodea). If you switch on the light and see something disappear under the cupboard…Uhhh!
Silverfish belong in the bathroom. They are useful there. They eat the algae from the joints of bathroom tiles. Cockroaches rid the kitchen of discarded food where fungi and bacteria might otherwise settle. Kids are not by nature afraid of spiders. Although, even my grandchildren cry when they come to my house: “Uhhh there is a vibrating spider (Pholcida, or cellar spider) up there!” But at least they know it by name.
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Illustration of silverfish (Lepisma saccharinae) taken from Brehm et al., Brehms Tierleben : allgemeine Kunde des Tierreichs (Wien: Bibliographisches Institut, 1890), 696. Image via Flickr (Public domain).
We have a lot of work ahead of us to counter this tendency. Most of the initiatives to help insects are still limited and voluntary. It is generally private nature protection associations (Naturschutzverbände) that offer courses and excursions for those interested in rediscovering and reconnecting with insects, when the state and the official school system should really be the ones driving these actions. Nevertheless, such initiatives have been quite successful in encouraging the public to engage with their environment: In big supermarkets that sell gardening supplies, glyphosate has been taken off the shelves because of pressure exerted by the customers (although farmers do of course still use large amounts of it on their fields). Hobby gardeners have turned away from fragrance-free flowers and are asking for aromatic plants that will attract insects. Nature protection associations have also encouraged their members to abandon uniform mowed lawns. As a result, we’re now seeing some of the 540 species of solitary bees and bee colonies returning to pollinate flowers and blossoms. These are small beams of hope indeed.
    Reflections on Insect Loss “The Cockchafer, Part 2”  *(Featured image by dbgg1979 , via Flickr) By Birgit Müller and Susanne Schmitt…
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