In the Habit of Smiling
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From my blogspot: 
Carrageenan: The Filler & Thickener in Your Commercial “Organic” Foods
http://inthehabitofsmiling.blogspot.com/2012/08/carrageenan-thickener-in-your.html
I hope you learn as much as I did! Also, please please take a look at The Cornucopia Institute’s paper on the FDA and hidden politics of the National Organic Standards Board !! 
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A review of several recent studies finds scant evidence of organic foods having more nutrients, fewer risky bacteria, or less pesticide residue than conventional foods. But researchers note that organic agriculture can bring environmental benefits, such as more diverse insect life in the field or less fertilizer runoff into neighboring streams.

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Why Organic Food May Not Be Healthier For You : The Salt (via npr)

ABC new did a segment on this study as well.

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Turmeric is anti-bacterial, freshens the skin, makes it nice and soft, reduces puffiness and when regularly used it’s even supposed to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. So it’s a real miracle worker for the skin. 
In pigmentation Turmeric can help even out your skin tone and colour. Simply apply a little turmeric mixed with cucumber juice or lemon to the affected area. Leave on for fifteen minutes or more, and wash off. Do this everyday, and gradually you will notice your skin colour returning to normal. 
Turmeric is a natural antiseptic, and applying turmeric on minor cuts and burns helps in faster healing of wounds.… 

Turmeric is a natural healer for skin conditions such as eczema, acne, dry skin and psoriasis. 
Turmeric is anti-bacterial, freshens the skin, makes it nice and soft, reduces puffiness and when regularly used it’s even supposed to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. So it’s a real miracle worker for the skin. 
Follow this link to Anam Saleem’s Blog, where she gives you recipes and step-by-step instructions on using turmeric for everything from pregnancy stretch marks to ance! 
http://anamsaleem.blogspot.com/2012/06/benefits-of-turmeric-for-skin-o-yes.html
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The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Tumeric has been used for over 2500 years in India, where it was most likely first used as a dye.
The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.
Here are 20 reasons to add turmeric to your diet:
1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.
2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.
3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.
4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.
5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.
6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.
7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.
8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.
9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.
10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.
11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.
12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.
13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.
14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.
16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.
17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.
18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.
19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.
20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.
Turmeric can be taken in powder or pill form. It is available in pill form in most health food stores, usually in 250-500mg capsules.
Once you start using turmeric on a regular basis, it’s fun to find new ways to use it in recipes. My favorite way to use it is to add a pinch of it to egg salad. It adds a nice flavor and gives the egg salad a rich yellow hue.
Because of all these properties, the root powder makes for an amazing face mask for problem skin!! check out my posting from Anam Saleem’s Blog!! 
Contraindications: Turmeric should not be used by people with gallstones or bile obstruction. Though turmeric is often used by pregnant women, it is important to consult with a doctor before doing so as turmeric can be a uterine stimulant.
Taken from HealthDairies.com, Turmeric
http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html
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