Organic Food Australia – What to eat, what is good for you

When you buy foods marked or classed as organic then you can usually be assured these foods are free from chemicals, preservatives and other pesticides but this doesn’t always mean that non organic foods are all bad.

Here is a few organic & non organic foods sold at popular supermarkets and stores in Australia:

 Spinach Pasta – Pasta is a great source of carbs

Crackers – These don’t seem to have any artificial chemicals or preservatives which make a healthy snack food.

Organic Popcorn – Excellent snack food, make healthier than sweets and refrain from too make salt and coatings, use sea salt sparingly!

Fruit Juice should be consumed daily, I found this at a local Penshurst green grocer on Forest road at a cheap price and it tasted great.

I’m still shocked, fascinated and horrified all at the same time when I visit my local supermarket on the rare occasion. It literally is a toxic haven and I am angered and frustrated at the inability to find even a miniscule array of true organic products that will not harm me or my environment.

The extreme over consumers that we lovely humans have become accustomed and even a slave to is ridiculous and embarrassing. Let me ask you this… What do you intend to tell your children or your grand children when they cannot swim in the ocean or any water way for that matter because it is completely unsafe? When it is too hot to go outdoors without 60 plus sunscreen or the fear of a third degree burn? When the amount of weird and wonderful diseases that they will face cannot be explained (though could have been prevented and cured) due to overstuffing them with a cocktail of who knows what both internally and externally for a vast number of years?

Are you smirking at these remarks and thinking to yourself that this is an impossible notion. Is it really?

If you have read a newspaper or listened to the radio recently you would realise that this is not so impossible anymore. The chemicals in your skincare and your food are absorbed directly into your system and passed directly into your immediate environment. Have you ever heard the saying ‘Little Hinges Swing Big Doors’. It only takes small mistakes to cause catastrophic damage yet it only takes a small amount of effort and change to cause the opposite. So which side of the fence are you on?

Kevin Farrow in his latest book ‘Skin Deep’ talks about our society being the first to choose commerce over health. He seems to be right as we all knowingly poison ourselves everyday. He also discovers in detail the real truths about chemicals and their testing, the political arena surrounding this industry, the big companies and in detail, every chemical you should be scared of and need to take out of your daily regime. Kevin also mentions that there are now over 200 synthetic chemicals found in our bodies that weren’t even invented in 1900. For a list of toxic ingredients please visit my website.

So what I’m wondering is, do you actually know what the jargon is that is placed on the behind of your ‘beauty’ products? Are your truly aware of what you lovingly lather all over yourself everyday? More importantly, are you taking action and choosing sustainable products?

Whilst on the subject of chemical nasties and the under regulated big industry giants who line their pockets at the expense of your health… how is it that the Organic and Bio Dynamic Farming Industry who produce our goods naturally and how they once originally were have to pay large sums and undergo a lengthy test process to prove themselves to be ‘Organic’ when the companies producing products full of toxic chemicals, additives, fertilizers and antibiotics don’t pay a cent and don’t have to label their goods to any suitable standard? Why are we not all asking for the latter to label their products for exactly what they are…UNNATURAL, INORGANIC, DANGEROUS FOR YOUR HEALTH, NOT SUITABLE FOR EVERBODY. Where is the common sense?

What the real issue is here is changing our lazy ways and taking responsibility. I could moan about this for hours but I don’t. I trot off to my local Organic Farmers Market and buy my goods. I shop for my healthy whole foods, natural beauty products, fantastic eco friendly cleaning products and my medicinal herbs all at my local health food shop or my healthy supermarket. I can do this because I am lucky to have it available to me and I allow time to educate myself and make an effort.

Is it more expensive to shop this way… sometimes but generally not if you shop smart? Is it worth making the effort for my health, the taste, the feel and a clear conscience that I am doing what is best for my body, for future generations and my environment; ABOSLUTELY! In fact I quite enjoy it.

I won’t continue to lecture or enlighten you. All I am asking you to do is use your common sense and awareness and make an effort for the benefit of YOU and for a sustainable future for our planet. Its just little hinges….

For those of you who are not able to jump around the corner to grab your organic goodies, visit my website and find the best online selection of every Health, Wellness and Sustainable Product in Australia. Everything is reasonably priced and all of our suppliers deliver to your door so you will save loads of time and effort, we’ve done all of the hard work for you!

Happy & Smart Shopping!
Warm Regards
Heidi Shannon
www.healthspot.com.au

P.S I would also love to hear from you. Email me your thoughts and feedback at info@healthspot.com.au or simply go to my site for a peek at what can be easily delivered to your door.

About the Author
As the Author of health and wellness website Healthspot.com.au I am passionate about the health industry and the challenges we face. I can’t do enough to promote products and companies that care for the health of the individual and the future of our planet.

Many people are now becoming aware of the health benefits of emu oil. It’s use originated from the Aborigines in Australia hundreds of years ago. Did you know that emu oil is almost identical to the fatty acid makeup of your skin? This makes it one of the few natural skin products that actually nourishes and heals your skin.Due to the increasing popularity of this healthy oil, more and more people are looking for the best emu oil to buy. So how do you choose the best emu oil? What about quality and purity? How do you know you’re getting the highest quality emu oil for your skin? Since you’re most likely using emu oil as a topical preparation for your skin, using a good quality product is very important.

There are 3 main criteria for choosing the best emu oil:

1) Are you getting 100% pure, Fully-Refined emu oil?

2) Do you want emu oil from an organic farm – raised without antibiotics, steroids, and hormones? How do you know your emu oil is from an organic farm?

3) If you buy emu mixed into cosmetics, such as soaps and shampoos, how much actual emu oil are you getting in your products?

1. Always buy 100% pure, Fully-Refined emu oil!

Research studies have proven the effectiveness of 100% pure, Fully-Refined emu oil. Emu oils of lesser quality cannot guarantee the same effectiveness or quality. 100% pure, Fully-Refined emu oil assures you that the oil is free of bacteria, toxic metals, and other contaminants.

One organization that provides a certification program for 100% pure refined emu oil is the American Emu Association. It’s one of the largest organizations that provides leadership and guidelines for emu farming in North America. Members of this non-profit trade assocation practise humane and enviromentally-friendly farming.

AEA-Certified emu oil is 100% pure, Fully-Refined Emu Oil that:

- Hasn’t been mixed with other refined oils

- Has been tested and certified by the American Oil Chemist Society (AOCS)

The American Oil Chemist Society (AOCS) provides strict guidelines, rules and regulations for an oil to be classified as Fully-refined. A sample of each emu oil batch is held for further testing – should it’s purity be questioned.

Emu oil with the ranking of “Fully-Refined” is deemed appropriate for cosmetic, pharmaceutical and/or dietary supplement use. Fully-Refined emu oil has been processed at high temperatures to remove any contaminants. The AEA has researched the effects of high temperatures and found there was no damaging effects to the emu oil itself. Emu oil certified by the AEA is considered to be the highest quality for personal use.

2. Is your emu oil from a farm that practices humane and enviromentally friendly farming?

How do you know if the emu oil you’re using was from emu raised on steroids, antibiotics or growth hormones? One benefit of using AEA-certified emu oil is that all of its members practise safe and humane emu farming. They don’t use steroids or antibiotics on their emu and they believe in organic farming practises.

3. How much emu oil are you getting in emu soaps, emu shampoos and other cosmetics?

Many companies now offer emu oil in different preparations, such as emu oil shampoos, skin lotions, etc. One important thing to look for is the actual amount of emu oil in your product. A general rule of thumb is the higher up the ingredient is listed on the ingredient list – the higher amount of that ingredient mixed into the total product. If you buy emu oil soap and you see that emu oil is listed at the very end of the ingredient list, this tells you that you’re probably not getting too much emu oil in it.

Even better if the product lists the actual amount of emu oil in your cosmetic product…but this is rare. Again, it’s “Buyer Beware” – always look at the ingredient labels to see exactly what your getting…or not getting.

FAQ to Buying Emu Oils

1. Is there a difference between white emu oil and yellow emu oil?

The color differences in oil is most likely due to the diet of the emu. Research has shown there is no difference between different colors of emu oil for its intended effect.

2. Is Australian emu oil better than American emu oil?

Some people that sell Australian emu oil will try to convince you that Australian emu oil is a better product than American emu oil. Nothing could be further from the truth. The American Emu Assocation compared the fatty acid components of emu oils from 9 different countries, including USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia – They found no significant difference in quality.

3. How much should you pay for Fully Refined emu oil?

The cost of emu oil will vary with the amount you’re buying. You can get small 1 ounce bottles, up to large 1 liter jugs. My research found that the average cost of emu oil works out to about $5 – $10 per ounce. Buying larger quantities will usually get you a cheaper price per ounce since you’re buying in bulk.

4. Can you get a money-back guarantee when buying emu oil?

Some producers of emu oil may offer you a money back guarantee. This tells you that the emu farmer stands behind the purity of his/her product and is willing to offer you a refund if you’re not pleased with it. Most AEA-certified emu oil comes with a money-back guarantee.

5. Should you only buy AEA-certified emu oil?

This is your own decision. There are many emu farms that produce excellent products and are not members of the American Emu Assocation. The benefit of AEA-certified emu oil is that each batch is tested for purity – and a sample is held for analysis if there’s a question about its purity. You may not get this with non-certified emu oils.

Just like any buying any product, it pays to shop around, do some research and make your decision. Using emu oil is a wonderful, all-natural treatment for your skin. There are many documented studies on the healing powers of emu oil. As word gets out about this health-giving oil, more and more people will be eager to try this secret from the Australian outback.

About the Author

Kevin Lee is owner of http://www.healthy-oil-planet.com, a website devoted to benefits of healthy oils such as fish oils, flaxseed oil, emu oil, virgin coconut oil, tea tree oil and more.

There is a complex invisible world beneath your feet and it is necessary to make an effort to develop an appreciation of how the state of the soil affects plant growth.

Soil is a mixture of tiny rock particles, living organisms, chemicals and the remains of dead plants and animals. Spaces between the particles will also contain a certain amount of air and water depending on the type of soil.

Rocks near the earth’s surface are slowly broken down in nature by a process called weathering. Eventually small particles such as sand, silt and clay are formed. These particles create the environment for billions of mostly tiny organisms to live. Larger organisms such as earthworms and insects are also found in soil. A healthy soil is teeming with life.

The main aim as a hobby farmer is thus to try to improve soil health by good management. Poor management can lead to a loss of fertility and degradation of the soil. In extreme cases the valuable topsoil can also be blown or washed away. In the end poor soils lead to low quality crops lacking in nutrition.

Below are examples of some checks I plan to carry out on my farm with the aim of improving soil fertility.

1) Carry out a pH test in different places. This test will determine if the soil is acid, alkaline or neutral. Most plants prefer a pH level around 6.5. Should the pH level be too (below 6) corrections can be made by adding lime. Should the pH be too high (above 7) this can be lowered by adding plenty of organic matter and mulch. Extremely alkaline soils can be changed by adding ground sulphur.

2) Check the soil texture of the soil by rubbing some moist soil between your fingers. This will help to determine the type of soil present. Sandy soils will have a coarse feel. These soils dry quickly. Adding lots of organic matter will improve sandy soils. Very sandy soil can also be improved by adding clay. If the soil feels sticky when rubbed it contains too much clay. Clay soils drain slowly and are difficult to work when wet. Adding gypsum will help in most cases. Should the soil have a good balance of sand, silt and clay you will be blessed with a loamy soil. These soils are generally easy to manage and do not require treatments.

3) Check the level of organic matter in the soil. This can be done by shaking a handful of soil in a jar and seeing how much organic matter floats to the surface. If only a thin layer is present on the surface, lots of organic matter needs to be added. This means more microorganisms can be sustained, these in turn will release essential health giving chemicals needed by plants.

The above tests are simple to carry out and much information is available on these topics. Further tests require equipment or a soil testing company to analyse the soil. These include salinity, especially if bore water is used. Individual soil nutrient levels for Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium as well as trace element levels can also be measured. Other aspects such as fertilizer application and cultivation practices to maintain soil structure also need attention.

Soil care requires years of experience and looking to older gardeners will give you lots of essential tips. Also, experienced gardeners can often identify soil problems by looking at the general appearance of plants. Getting a spade and digging around will give you information about conditions such as waterlogging and excessive dryness.

Do all you can to look after your soil and allow your plants to carry out the magic task of turning fertilizers and compost into healthy and nutritious food.

Ben is a close associate of Alf, the proud owner of a hobby farm in Australia. Ben encourages Alf to share his wealth of knowledge and experiences on hobby farming by writing articles and books. Ben helps Alf to luanch the website www.farmforfun.com. Ben is also in the process of helping to help Alf to publish an eBook on his writings. This article is taken from Alf’s Hobby farm site at www.farmforfun.com/Soil.html.

About the Author
Ben is a close associate of Alf, the proud owner of a hobby farm in Australia. Ben encourages Alf to share his wealth of knowledge and experiences on hobby farming by writing articles and books. Ben helps Alf to luanch the website http://www.farmforfun.com Ben is also in the process of helping to help Alf to publish an eBook on his writings. This article is taken from Alf’s Hobby farm site at http://www.farmforfun.com/Soil.html

Having a bad hair day? Well a bad skin day can take a lot longer to fix I can tell you. Your skin is the largest and most visible organ you have since it covers the entire body. Having attractive, healthy skin starts from the inside and reflects on the outside. The first step towards taking proper care of your skin is to determine what type of skin you are in right now.

Looking both inside and outside our bodies it would seem common sense to reduce the cocktail of chemicals around us whenever possible. They are present in household cleaners, furniture, and pollution from cars. There seems to be no escape from damaging our skin so where do we start? The food that we eat is perhaps the most obvious start or reducing the number of chemicals and pesticides in our bodies. However, for those of us who use them, skin and body care products are another very direct point of contact between ourselves and the world of invasive chemicals.

If you have changed to organic eating habits, you might be wondering about an organic solution for skin care. The cosmetics, perfumes and cleansers that we use contain chemicals that are easily absorbed through skin, or through our lungs when we inhale the perfume. These chemicals then rapidly enter the bloodstream. Should this be a concern?

People choose organically produced foods because they believe these foods are safer. So if you treat your skin with chemically produced substances that have also been proven to affect lab animals in negative ways (even though testing cosmetics on animal labs seems to have reduced), the same negative effects will happen to your skin. Natural or Organic skin care is the care of the skin using ingredients such as herbs, roots, and flowers. They are combined with natural oils and waters. These ingredients do not include chemicals that may be harmful to your body or be the reason of certain unwanted side effects. The body shops founder realised these decades ago and built a multinational company that has recently been sold to L’Oreal.

Which types of food are good for our skin?

Avoid too much fat and grease. A diet full of variety is the most beneficial for our skin. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of vitamins and minerals responsible for maintaining skin integrity. Protein is also a key player. Some important nutrients are vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A deficiency can cause dry, scaly skin.

Look out for the labels!

Many labels have long lists of chemical names, some followed by the phrase derived from … (some natural substance). This is grossly misleading for consumers who are looking for genuine natural products.

However, the term certified organic is governed by a number of internationally recognised bodies. In Australia the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) is the largest and the Soil Association in the UK. Searching for products with the logo of a certifying body on the label is the only way you can guarantee the organic authenticity and integrity of every ingredient in the product. This can then truly be called a natural product.

About the Author
Davinos Greeno works for the organic and ethical directory that lists 100s of Organic and Ethical Companies and we also have Organic Articles for you to read.