(NaturalPapa – Derek Markham) For those of us who believe strongly in the benefits of eating organic foods (for both our own bodies and for the health of the soil and air and water), the Certified Organic label is a key indicator of foods make the cut for our grocery shopping.

But there’s a lot of confusion out there, because marketers and designers have been labeling food and personal care products with all sorts of meaningless language, including “natural”, “all-natural”, and “contains natural ingredients”, which don’t require meeting any standards to use.

And if a product fits the general description as a “natural” food item, it will probably end up on the shelves of a natural foods store, where many shoppers may be led to believe that either it’s an organically grown food product, or that it doesn’t contain GMO ingredients, or that it’s good for them, none of which may be the case.

After working for years in the natural and organic food industry, as well as being the main grocery buyer for my family during that time, I got to be a pretty keen label reader and a labeling skeptic, and have always tried to debunk label claims for friends and family (much to the dismay of those who found out their “natural” foods choices weren’t really any healthier than those found in mainstream grocery stores).

At a very basic level, in order to be labeled as such, organic foods are subject to stringent environment and animal welfare standards enforced by USDA, while the label of “natural” has no official definition, and little to no enforcement of its misuse.

A new public education campaign aims to clear up some of that confusion around organic foods and natural foods claims, and help consumers make an educated choice when it comes to the food they buy and eat. This isn’t just a little issue, either, as more than $20 billion of products with claims of being “natural” are sold every year, including many with GMOs, pesticide residues, synthetic food additives, and high fructose corn syrup.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/AftZshnP8fs
“Foods made with the use of toxic persistent pesticides and even genetically engineered ingredients are being labeled as natural. Only organic guarantees that food is produced without the use of toxic persistent pesticides, hormones, antibiotics or genetically engineered ingredients. Only organic gives you complete piece of mind.” – Gary Hirshberg, Chairman of Stonyfield Farm.

Find out more about the difference between organic foods and those that claim to be “natural” foods, at Only Organic.

(NaturalNews – Heidi Fagley) With summer in full bloom and more and more cases of Lyme disease being reported, many are searching for ways to repel ticks without having to resort to harsh chemicals. Luckily, there is one sweet-smelling alternative that is proving to be quite powerful in the fight against this growing concern.

It’s summer and time to experience the great outdoors, yet many are opting out in order to avoid the feared tick bite that could possibly lead to a host of health challenges. The good news is that something as simple and natural as rose geranium essential oil has been found to help ward off those pesky little parasites.

Ticks operate mostly by using their sense of smell. Ticks don’t jump or fall from trees; instead, they do something called “questing.” That is, they climb to the top of a blade of grass or plant and stick their front legs up in the air, waiting for the scent of a victim to walk by. If you find one on your head, then it crawled there. Their front pair of legs have what are called Haller’s organs, which detect smell, temperature, movement and carbon dioxide. This is how they know that you are coming. And since it is well known that they like warmth and moisture, they are waiting for a warm, moist environment to call their home. The best part about this is that, for some reason, they are not attracted to the scent of rose geranium essential oil.

There are two varieties of rose geranium oil. In order to get the most bang for your buck in repelling ticks, you want to find the one with the botanical name Pelargonium capitatum x radens. The more popular rose geranium oil under the name Pelargonium graveolens is from the same family, but not the same species.

Most essential oils need to be diluted, but rose geranium does not fall into that category if used in small doses. So, because all you need is a few drops to do the job, a little most definitely goes a long way. Simply placing one drop on each ankle and on the wrists, then a little behind the knees and one on the back of the neck is all you will need to do the trick. Since dogs are extremely sensitive to smell, you will want to go easy on the oil for your canine friends. One drop behind each shoulder blade and at the top of the base of the tail. Be careful to avoid the face and nose; their sensitive sniffers can’t handle anything anything too strong.

Other essential oils such as lavender, lemongrass, citronella, eucalyptus, and cedar wood have all been found to be helpful in repelling these unwanted guests as well. Please check specific directions before using to ensure safety for dilution purposes.

Whatever scent you use, take caution and remember to double-check yourself from head to toe after coming in from a summer stroll.

Note:

The essential oil of rose geranium is one single oil and not a mixture of rose and geranium oils.

Not all essential oils are recommended for animals, especially cats and horses. Consult your veterinary doctor before using any essential oil for pets.

Sources include:
http://insects.about.com

No Shampoo!

I am a clean freak as well as a water baby. A Cancer with Pisces rising and a Cancer moon, I always loved the water so much I should have been born a mermaid. For most of my life, I bathed or showered every morning and often at night as well.

A few years ago, my son presented me with a gift—a basket full of organic soaps. They were wonderful! I loved the shape, the smell, the texture. But the strangest thing happened—by using organic soaps I discovered that I no longer needed to use deodorant. Seriously. No body odor, not even on hot sweaty days.

I don’t know the science behind it, but my best guess is that antibacterial soap strips the body’s natural oils that protect the skin and kills off the good bacteria that keep the bad bacteria on our skin in check.

These days I refuse to use any soap that isn’t organic. I know my skin soaks up toxins and chemicals from anything I put on it, so I am organic all the way. Due to organic soap, I don’t need to bathe more than every other day to every three days. But I’ve always showered or bathed every morning just to wash my hair! If I washed it at night, it would still look good in the morning, but by the afternoon—yuck.

For years I’ve tried to train my hair to need less washing. Remember the good old days when women washed their hair once a week? It’s just a matter of discipline, right? I knew over-cleansing my hair, washing it once a day since I was thirteen, had screwed up the natural balance of oils. But I could never seem to go more than two days without washing, and day two had to be a stay-at-home day. So imagine my interest when I kept seeing articles from women who have stopped shampooing their hair and raved about the results. These “no-poo” gals say it takes up to six weeks of not shampooing for the scalp’s oil glands to readjust and start working properly again. They said the change after six weeks was remarkable, that their hair was healthier and more beautiful than ever before, that they would never use shampoo again!

So I thought about the similarity between the cause and effect of antibacterialsoap and body odor and the cause and effect of shampoos and excessive hair oil and decided I would take the challenge. From day two through day four I scraped my hair into a ponytail and suffered—until I couldn’t stand it anymore. On the fourth night I gave up and washed my hair.

A few weeks later, I decided to try again. On day six, my hair looked like it was full of gel. I could hold it up or out and it would stay put for a while. But instead of giving up again, I went back to the net and did more research.  I read one article about four women who committed to a six week trial. Two loved the results; two never adjusted. Then I found several articles where the successful “no-poo” gals talked about rinsing their hair with baking soda mixed in water as needed. They also recommended an additional rinse with water and apple cider vinegar if the hair was dry. Dry? With all this oil?

Well, I decided to give it a try. I used a tablespoon of baking soda in a cup of water and poured it through my hair, then rinsed with plain water. When my hair dried, it felt like silk. Each individual shaft of hair was coated in natural oil, not too much, not too little, just enough. My hair was full, shiny, and showing off its natural wave. It was beautiful! And it felt better than it has ever felt after any conditioner or oil treatment. And today? The day after? Perfect! It looks like I washed it and conditioned it this morning, only better. It shines and curls and is completely manageable. My fine hair has body and volume it never had before. I have officially joined the ranks of the “no-poo” gals. I don’t need another five weeks. I’m a convert!

Note: it has now been three months since I originally wrote this article and I am still a convert. My hair is wonderful. I rinse it with baking soda water once or twice a week and occasionally rinse it in between. A final rinse with apple cider vinegar and water closes the cuticle on the hair shaft. This helps prevent breakage. My hair is stronger, thicker, and easier to manage than ever before. To think I used to wash my hair every morning just to remove excess oil that was caused by my shampoo.

Recommended Reading:

• Hypothyroidism – Prevention and Natural Remedies
• The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them
• Reverse Gray Hair Naturally
• Natural Hair Loss Baldness Remedies and Cures