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Are Organic Foods Healthier?

Should you or shouldn’t you...go organic? Is there really a huge health difference between eating organic food grown pesticide and GMO-free and consuming the commonly available non-organic variety?
Organic foods do demand more from the wallet but perhaps the higher price points may pan out to be money well spent in the long run. To answer these questions, let us discuss what organic food really is.

The “Organic” Label

Foods qualified for the label “organic” are those that have been grown and processed following specific procedures. Organic vegetables and fruits are grown in soil uncontaminated by chemical, petroleum-based, or sewage sludge-based fertilizers and pesticides. These are not genetically modified produce and are naturally grown just as they were before chemicals and bio-engineering served agricultural purposes.
Organic meat come from livestock and poultry that have been given free range in the outdoors to graze or root for their food. Although they may be given organic feed, these animals are not given commercially manufactured feeds. Not a drop of antibiotics, growth hormones, or animal by-products touch their feeding troughs. In other words, nothing chemical or synthetic may be used to raise organic meat or produce.

Organic vs. Conventional Produce

Because organic farming advocates natural procedures and a total shift away from the unnatural...genetic modifications, synthetic additives, and the like…organic food is, healthwise, significantly superior to conventional foods

Higher Antioxidant Content in Organic Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains

A Standard University analysis of 240 studies on organically and conventionally grown food released that both food categories did not differ significantly when it came nutritional values. For instance, lettuce grown conventionally had about the same nutritional content as those that were grown naturally. There were however some exceptions such as organic milk and chicken showing higher Omega-3 fatty acid content than their conventionally produced counterparts.
The findings created a media controversy questioning the more expensive, less convenient production processes of organic farming which ultimately reflected in the higher price tags of organic produce. An international team however, led by Professor Carlo Leifert of Newcastle University collated more data to shed better light on these controversial findings. They analysed a total number of 343 studies done over the last several decades and discovered that organic fruits, vegetables, and cereals contain significantly higher antioxidant properties, some containing as much as 69% more than their conventionally grown equivalents.
Antioxidants are vital for optimal health. These molecules fight free radicals that speed up our aging, compromise our cardiovascular health, immune system, and other areas of the body with cell damage. When we are encouraged to eat more servings of fruit, vegetable, and whole grain, the idea behind this exhortation is to get a lot of antioxidants flowing in your system. Since organic produce provides notably more antioxidants, these are then a much wiser choice over regularly grown grain, fruit, and vegetables.
If antioxidant content in organic food are at much elevated levels, why not other nutritional values as well? Although some studies have revealed no difference in nutritional value between organic and modern commercial grown plant produce, there are also a number that refute this finding…

Higher Nutritional Values in Organic Produce

There are studies discovering that organic fruits or vegetables do contain much more nutrients than the non-organic variety. One such study was published in 2010 by PLOS ONE, a peer reviewed scientific journal, which revealed than organic strawberries had meaningfully higher nutritional content than non-organic strawberries. In 2007, a Newcastle University in the U.K. released findings that reported organically farmed fruits and vegetables had shown as much as 40% more content with certain nutrients, especially Vitamin C, iron, and zinc. A 2003 study published by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry likewise revealed that organic corn and berries contained 58% more polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that prevents cardiovascular disease, and 52% more Vitamin C than its non-organic equivalents.
Why should organic produce contain more nutrients and antioxidants? Alyson Mitchell, Ph.D., the lead author of the aforementioned 2003 study believes that organic farming methods renders the soil more fertile than conventional farming methods. Mitchell says, “With organic methods, the nitrogen present in composted soil is released slowly and therefore plants grow at a normal rate, with their nutrients in balance. Vegetables fertilized with conventional fertilizers grow very rapidly and allocate less energy to develop nutrients.” His findings are supported by the American Association for the Advancement of Science which in 2009 made a presentation on soil health and its relation to food quality. The presentation argues that healthy soil does indeed produce crops with high nutrient density. Healthy soil relies on good organic farming methods that do away with chemical herbicides, fertilizers, and other additives that simply kill vital microbial inhabitants of the soil, thereby
depleting it of its nutrients.
Hence on the average, organic plant-based foods are definitely more nutritious than the non-organics.

Significant Reduction of Exposure to Pesticides, GMOs, and Other Chemical Additives

Since organic farming does not the permit the use of pesticides, antibiotics in treating animals, genetic modification, and the like, eating organic food lowers anyone’s exposure to these unhealthy modern practices.
Glyphosate is one example of a pesticide used in conventional farming. Unfortunately, this chemical destroys soil fertility and promotes antibiotic resistance in humans.
GMO, “genetically modified organisms” or GE “genetically engineered foods” refer to produce or livestock that have had their genes manipulated or modified in order to breed plants resistant to certain pests, animals that are bigger in size, or other favoured unnatural improvisations to “improve” current stock of food sources. Corn, potatoes, and soybeans have been modified to synthesise their own insecticide called Bt toxin. Bio-engineers of crops producing Bt toxin claim that the toxin is broken down by the human digestive system. This claim however proved to be false when in 2011, Sherbrooke University Hospital in Canada found that 93% of pregnant women and 63% of non-pregnant women tested positive for Bt toxin presence. What’s more 80% of umbilical blood in babies had Bt toxin as well. Bt toxin has been the cause
of many immune system anomalies such as increased levels of antibodies associated with allergies and infections; high levels of cytokines usually found in people suffering from arthritis, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and other inflammatory disorders; and elevated levels of T cells associated with asthma and connective tissue disease.

We Are What We Farm

All these findings corroborate the fact that the way we farm definitely affects the quality of the food we eat. Organic farming emphasizes natural agriculture in which no artificial or synthetic means are employed to touch the food being raised.
Organic food is more expensive than regular, commercially grown food; but, in the long run, it will be worth its weight in your health. Spend a little more each time you shop; but, you up your chances of avoiding the large, hefty sums of hospital bills, medications, and invalid care in the next several years or decades. This makes organic food a wise investment especially if you take more care of your health with a good diet, regular exercise, and ample rest. Organic food should form part of that good diet.
So to answer our very first question: Should you or shouldn’t you? Yes, go organic. Definitely. It’s one of the wisest health investments you can make.

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What You Need To Know About Biotin

Biotin, also known as Vitamin B7 and Vitamin H (it’s a hair vitamin), is an important component in cell growth, fatty acid production, and the metabolism of fats, amino acids, and various other processes that involve carbon dioxide transfer. Biotin however is better known commercially as a supplement to strengthen nails and hair.

Sources of Biotin

As part of the B group of vitamins, biotin may be found in food rich in Vitamin B. Peanuts and tomatoes rank as excellent sources of biotin. Almonds, eggs, alfalfa, carrots, and onions also make good sources.

When food is cooked, the biotin content in them remains relatively stable. For instance, only 10% of this vitamin will be lost compared to others in the vitamin B roster.

It is interesting to note that although whole eggs are good biotin sources, consuming a lot of raw egg whites daily can cause a biotin deficiency. Egg whites contain avidin, a natural protein that binds so strongly to biotin that it restricts its availability in enzymatic reactions. Cooking the eggs however denatures avidin and considerably weakens its binding tendency. Cooked eggs do not restrict the body’s absorption of biotin.

What Biotin Does for You

Balances Blood Sugar

Biotin is important in the production of insulin, a hormone that plays a major metabolic role particularly in the regulation of blood sugar levels. Studies have also shown that biotin is vital for the proper reaction of insulin on the cells. A biotin deficiency can compromise one’s metabolism and cause diabetes and weight gain.

The good news is a lot of high fibre foods contain biotin. A research group from Spain reported that the addition of just an ounce of mixed nuts into a diet taken for three months significantly improved blood sugar regulation in a test group of people at high risk of developing diabetes.

People suffering from diabetes or metabolic problems may be prescribed a biotin supplement to help get the body’s metabolic processes back on track.

Improves Skin, Hair, and Nails

Although many say that more research needs to be done to conclusively say that biotin improves hair, skin, and nails, some medical professionals believe that biotin does increase the health of these parts. Lauren Graf, a dietician for the Montefiore-Einstein Cardiac Wellness Program says, "Low levels of biotin can lead to brittle nails and thinning hair. There is some evidence that biotin supplements can help prevent hair thinning, especially if you are deficient. Taking a biotin supplement is not likely to be harmful and may improve hair quality."

The Ablon Skin Institute Research Centre and University of California did a double-blind study that discovered that biotin supplementation promoted significant hair growth in women with temporary thinning hair.

Biotin can also be helpful in treating infant skin rashes or seborrheic dermatitis, also known as cradle cap.

What Biotin Deficiency Is Like

Biotin deficiency is a rare condition because the dietary requirements for this vitamin B7 is low and available in a wide variety of food. Our intestinal bacteria also produce small amounts of biotin.

In cases however where there is clearly a biotin deficiency, the symptoms manifest as:

• Alopecia or loss of hair
• Severe malnutrition
• Thin and brittle fingernails
• Neurological signs such as lethargy, depression, tingling of extremities, and numbness
• Dermatitis or rashes around the genital areas, eyes, nose, and mouth
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Muscle pain
• Swollen, magenta coloured tongue
• Cracking at the mouth corners
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia

Some people inherit a biotin deficiency disorder which impairs their immune system function and consequently makes them more susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections.

Pregnant women stand at a higher risk of biotin deficiency. Such a deficiency during pregnancy can cause the unborn child to develop congenital defects such as a cleft palate.

To correct deficiencies, biotin supplementation is usually the standard treatment.

Dietary Requirements

The adequate intake (AI) for adults 18 years old and above is 30 micrograms per day.

While one can be deficient in biotin, there is no known levels of having too much of the vitamin. In other words, one cannot overdose on biotin. The B vitamins are all water soluble so excesses are flushed out of the body, not stored.

The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one.-Erma Bombeck

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Why You Need Vitamin N

Ever heard of Vitamin N? Me neither. I thought I knew all the vitamins there were to know. So I googled this strange Vitamin N. Yes, it exists...in a sense. It isn’t a nutrient but a habitat. Vitamin N stands for Nature, our natural human environment.

Now why was an alternative term for nature coined as a vitamin? Whether we acknowledge this fact or not, our psyches are attuned to nature. Humans and nature have an intrinsic connection. Nature is nurture for our mental health and therefore physical health as well. In these terms, nature may be considered a vitamin, one we need to have a regular substantial dose of to maintain our overall well-being.

People are hardwired to live in natural surroundings yet we have gradually built lifestyles over the last century that have disengaged us further away from nature’s healing and calming forces. Our lifestyles have even destroyed ecosystems around us. Most of us today are so disconnected from our natural environment that we sometimes fear it, find it inconvenient, or do not even realize how much we need it.

When we look at gorgeous waterfalls and breathtaking canyons, it moves us emotionally. When we find a quiet spot surrounded by foliage, our mind clears and we get to think more peaceful and positive thoughts. We cannot deny that our very genes long to commune with the natural world, not the artificial one we have created, no matter how convenient. We still need nature,viitamin N, for our soul.

Why We Need Vitamin N

We need to imbibe as much vitamin N as much as we can for these reasons:

Nature Heals

According to a Pennsylvanian research, patients in hospital rooms with views of natural landscapes enjoyed shorter duration of hospital care, required less pain medication, and had less complaints than those patients whose windows opened to views of brick walls. The lucky patients who could see trees from their windows often seemed to recover four times faster.

Studies have shown that seeing nature de-stresses people and improves their overall sense of well-being. Physiological data suggests that natural scenery elicits a response from a part of the parasympathetic system that restores physical energy. Research by Moore in 1981 revealed that inmates in cells with window views of nature exhibited much less stress symptoms than those who did not. These prisoners had lesser incidences of digestive problems, headaches, and other illnesses.

Nature Promotes Psychological Well-Being

Workers who are privileged to have windows opening to natural landscapes often feel less stressed at their jobs and tend to have better overall job satisfaction over those whose sceneries present urban vistas.

Joggers seem to burn more calories and enjoy their runs more than those who sweat it out indoors on a treadmill. Nature just seems to lighten one’s mental load. A good dose of Vitamin N can do wonders for people experiencing stress, anxiety, and depression. As mental health often translates to physical health, we may deduce that communing with nature promotes physical health as well.

Nature Improves Cognitive Functions

Interacting with nature can improve memory and focus by as much as 20%. According to a psychology research by the University of Michigan, people who were asked to walk down a scenic route via the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum exhibited a 20% boost in short-term memory. When asked to walk through city streets however no such cognitive improvements were apparent.

Even pictures of nature provide positive mental stimulation. The same research included testing participants with nature and city scene photos inside a room. The results were the same. Participants who viewed photos of natural landscapes experienced the same 20% boost in memory and attention span. When shown pictures of urban landscapes, these same participants showed no such cognitive improvements.

Nature Revitalizes

A paper by Richard Ryan, professor of psychology, psychiatry, and education at the University of Rochester, states that 20 minutes a day outdoors can be all it takes to energize one for the day. Ryan says, “Research has shown that people with a greater sense of vitality don't just have more energy for things they want to do, they are also more resilient to physical illnesses. One of the pathways to health may be to spend more time in natural settings.”

Nature Builds Goodwill and Human Bonding

Nature simply makes one feel good so that the propensity to share this great feeling comes out in wanting to relate with others as well. The same author of the paper cited above also authored another paper that revealed the link between nature and an individual’s propensity to care. People who were exposed much more to natural environments tended to be be more social, value community and personal relationships, and even be generous with money.

Ryan’s co-author, Netta Weinstein, believes that incorporating nature into urban environments may help build community bonds between residents. In contrast, she says, disconnecting ourselves from nature may also lead to us disconnecting from each other. This may explain why most city dwellers show more social estrangement, reservation, and indifference than their rural counterparts.

Indeed, we owe it ourselves to get our healthy dose of Vitamin N everyday. Instead of driving, walk or cycle down the blocks. Take in the fresh air, the green grass, and the sounds of birds. Nature is free, abundant, and will do us a barrel of good. All we need is the presence of mind to appreciate it.

Regrets Can Be a Good Thing

Here’s a paradigm challenge outside the old box: regrets can be a good thing. Really, now? This goes against the grain of what we have chosen to believe in….”Live with no regrets;” “Life’s too short for regrets;” “Regrets and recriminations only hurt your soul;” and a lot more quotes that deplore feeling sorry for missed opportunities or past mistakes.
Like all things in this world, perhaps anything can be deemed to be either good or bad. It’s just a matter of perspective. Love can make one soar so high but it can also bring one crashing to the ground. Money can help save lives and it can also destroy them. So when regrets come your way, squeeze these lemons and make fantastic lemonade, just as the flippant saying goes. There’s wisdom in it.
Breathe some positivity into the negativity of “I should have...” by canning the wallowing in, the dwelling on, and the mea culpas from regret. True, embarrassment and guilt seem to cling to you like gum on a sole but perhaps it is time to view your regrettable errors from a different angle. And just like time, stress, and your household budget, why not learn to manage regrets?

Regrets as Life Lessons

As life lessons, regrets are valuable resources. Write down your regrets and beside each, enumerate what you can learn from them and what you can do differently. Keep these in a notebook, diary, or even as your online notes, where you can refer to them from time to time. History may repeat itself; but now, you are armed with experience and memory to do things differently next time.

Regrets as Indicators of Your Instincts

If you can feel regret, then you instinctively know you have done something inappropriate. This means your instincts are honed right. Without that sorry feeling, you may not be able to properly realize how much your actions have contributed poorly or have any empathy for the consequences. People who rarely experience regret may also lack the insight on how their actions have led to the damage or deterioration of their situation. In other words, regretful feelings indicate that your social and moral compasses are spot on.
If however you feel regret constantly and over the littlest of things, it is time for a reassessment of your personal rules and standards. Too strict and inflexible, perhaps? Then, time to relax a bit and bend your personal rules to a more pragmatic level.

Regrets as Signals for Change

Regrets are painful but they actually are good kicks-in-the butt that admonish for changes in your attitudes, thinking patterns, and manners of decision-making. As life lessons, regrets should be used to guide you where you did wrong and trigger you to improve your reactions, given similar situations. Our mistakes should also help us realize the consequences of our decisions, whether these be beneficial or damaging.

Regrets as Character Builders

Many times you cannot undo what has been done but you can pick yourself up and move forward, instead of choosing to wallow in your sin. Regrets can strengthen your abilities to focus on what you can control and work around what you can’t.
Training yourself to focus on the controllable rather than dwell miserably on what is past and possibly irreparable makes you stronger with a skill that allows you to make the most of a situation instead of falling headlong into a cycle of shame and self-recrimination. Sure, you grieve but life must go on, just better this time.
Regrets are a good thing. In this journey called life, our errors give us the opportunities to learn and grow. After all, we are in an adventure. The choice is ours to view our existence through the negativity of myopia or through a well-balanced perspective.
Change is not the only constant thing there is in life. Regrets at some point will be its inevitable companion so they are bound to crop up whether you do or don’t do. Nobody is perfect; no one, impervious to mistakes. Just remember for every regret, there is always a silver lining somewhere.
References:

• http://inspirationfeed.com/articles/self-development/regrets-will-eat-your-soul-learn-how-to-let-go/
• http://tinybuddha.com/blog/dealing-with-regret-8-ways-to-benefit-and-move-forward/
• http://alwayswellwithin.com/2013/10/23/benefits-of-regret/

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Habits that Hinder Your Productivity

Sometimes making it or breaking it may actually just boil down to habits. What makes people more productive than others are the behaviours they constantly keep. Sounds simple; but in reality, some of us may not know how some seemingly innocuous habits can take reduce our productive time.
So what can be wrong? You may, consciously or unconsciously, be guilty about some of these….

Not Having a System

Winging it everyday? Or do you go about a half-baked way of doing things? For recurring processes, you need a quick and reliable method to process tasks that you do everyday. A system does not need to be complicated. In fact, the simpler it is, the easier it is to get things done.
Use your online or organizer’s calendar to give a date and time on whom to call back, tasks to accomplish for the week, what emails to answer, etc. If you can even put a goal time for accomplishing tasks, so much the better.
Make organizing yourself a daily habit. Know what to prioritize for the day and in what order. Making the effort of disciplining yourself toward a more organized workday will pay off loads in increased productivity.

Constantly Chatting, Texting, or Checking Emails

A few minutes of personal chatting or texting now and then may seem to take only miniscule minutes away from your work time; but the reality is, people can actually accumulate a few good hours doing so. When at work, stifle that urge to answer every text, chat, or email notification that pings on your phone or desktop. To help yourself with this, change your status to “Away” or “Offline.” This may help reduce intrusive personal messages that can be handled later.

Mixing “Me” Time with “Work” Time

Just 15 minutes of Facebook checking won’t hurt, would it? Not if you spend 15 minutes tops for the day but yes, when you obliviously rack up “Holy @&%$! 45 minutes!” thrice daily. Indeed, it is pretty difficult to keep track of time when we are too absorbed with personal interests. Best to have an alarm for breaks and any “just-a-minute-for-me” activities to jolt you back on that productive wagon; although, it is easy to snooze that annoying ringing when you just need a wee bit more time. The better course of action --- don’t mix your leisure moments in with your work time. It almost never works, unless you can bring yourself to heel in a snap.

Relegating Sleep to the Bottom Rung of Priorities

Allowing work to grab some share of your sleeping hours may help you meet your deadline for the next day; but, making it a constant habit of doing so will cost you your productivity, big time. Sleep deprivation is cause for exhaustion, irritability, compromised cognitive abilities, and poor concentration. One short night is doable; two may already be one too many. Compromise your sleep for two weeks and see yourself making preventable errors and accomplishing next to nil.
It is vital for the human body to get much needed rest to repair and maintain itself at the cellular level; so, do not try to defy nature by cutting on your sleeping hours. We need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night to feel rested, rejuvenated, and ready to take on the world the next day.
In case you are thinking that coffee is all you need to prop up those peepers, think again. Well, perhaps a cup of java may do the work in the very short term but after that, caffeine may just contribute to stress-induced anxiety, totally counter-productive to work efficiency.

Multitasking All the Time

In the age of multimedia gadgets that promise to make life easier, hey, why not? In disagreement with naysayers on the multitasking issue, it does make sense to do two (or three) things at one time as long as one is smart about doing so. You can listen to a seminar lecture on a podcast while cooking dinner or learn a new language through your earbuds while walking the dog. Multitasking allows you to maximize time in being productive as long as one task is routine or mundane enough to require less focus.
What multitasking however does not do is allow you to concentrate on two important tasks at the same time. Faced with two jobs that need focus, doing them both at once can spell disaster or error after error. Firing off an important email while watching a how-to video may cause you to miss important things or make preventable mistakes.
Pick what work to include in your multitasking mix and what tasks you need to focus your undivided attention on.

Not Taking Breaks

You may want to impress your boss with your conscientiousness by forgoing the small talk at the coffee machine during breaks. That hard worker impression however may not last for long when your productivity takes a slide from being on work mode too long. Batteries don’t last forever and even you need a recharge. The purpose behind your company’s regulated breaks is to provide employees some time away from work in order to refresh and renew themselves before taking on their jobs again. In this regard, it is always wise to take advantage of these breaks.
Recognising what behaviour hinders your productivity and starting off some modifications on just one or two undesirable habits will definitely show you a significant difference. Tweak bad habits for the better to boost your productivity and working efficiency.

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