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Nutrition Information |
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Choosing Organic for Health
We come from a society where growing organic and just growing produce and livestock for food Was once one of the same. Small, family farms still grow their own food using traditional methods passed down through the generations. As commercial farming became big-business, however, growers and farmers started to investigate methods of increasing crops and building bigger livestock in order to increase their profits. This led to increased use of pesticides and drugs to enhance yield. In this article, we will look at what is required in order to call a product organic, how choosing organic eating and farming impact the environment and our health, discuss the benefits of eating organic foods, and what research says about the nutritional benefits of organically-grown produce. Calling it Organic The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals, and people. The philosophy of organic production of livestock is to provide conditions that meet the health needs and natural behavior of the animal. Organic livestock must be given access to the outdoors, fresh air, water, sunshine, grass and pasture, and are fed 100 percent organic feed. They must not be given or fed hormones, antibiotics or other animal drugs in their feed. If an animal gets sick and needs antibiotics, they cannot be considered organic. Feeding of animal parts of any kind to ruminants that, by nature, eat a vegetarian diet, is also prohibited. Thus, no animal byproducts of any sort are incorporated in organic feed at any time. Because farmers must keep extensive records as part of their farming and handling plans in order to be certified organic, one is always able to trace the animal from birth to market of the meat. When meat is labeled as organic, this means that 100 percent of that product is organic. Although organic crops must be produced without the use of pesticides, it is estimated that between 10-25 percent of organic fruits and vegetables contain some residues of synthetic pesticides. This is because of the influence of rain, air and polluted water sources. In order to qualify as organic, crops must be grown on soil free of prohibited substances for three years before harvest. Until then, they cannot be called organic. When pests get out of balance and traditional organic methods do not work for pest control, farmers can request permission to use other products that are considered low risk by the National Organic Standards Board. The Environment What is the cost of conventional farming, today? The above-mentioned 15 -year study showed that conventional farming uses 50 percent more energy than organic farming. In one report, it was estimated that only 0.1 percent of applied pesticides actually reach the targets, leaving most of the pesticide, 99.9 percent, to impact the environment. Multiple investigations have shown that our water supplies, both in rivers and area tap waters, are showing high levels of pesticides and antibiotics used in farming practices. Water samples taken from the Ohio River as well as area tap water contained trace amounts of penicillin, tetracycline and vancomycin. Toxic chemicals are contaminating groundwater on every inhabited continent, endangering the world's most valuable supplies of freshwater, according to a Worldwatch paper, Deep Trouble: The Hidden Threat of Groundwater Pollution. Calling for a systemic overhaul of manufacturing and industrial agriculture, the paper notes that several water utilities in Germany now pay farmers to switch to organic operations because this costs less than removing farm chemicals from water supplies. What About our Health? A study conducted by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation reports that the number of people poisoned by drifting pesticides increased by 20 percent during 2000. A rise in interest and concern for the use of pesticides in food resulted in the passage of the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act, directing the US EPA to reassess the usage and impact of pesticides for food use. Particular attention was paid to the impact on children and infants, whose lower body weights and higher consumption of food per body weight present higher exposure to any risks associated with pesticide residues. Publishing an update to its 1999 report on food safety, the Consumers Union in May 2000 reiterated that pesticide residues in foods children eat every day often exceed safe levels. The update found high levels of pesticide residues on winter squash, peaches, apples, grapes, pears, green beans, spinach, strawberries, and cantaloupe. The Consumers Union urged consumers to consider buying organically grown varieties, particularly of these fruits and vegetables. The most common class of pesticide in the US is organophosphates (OPs). These are known as neurotoxins. An article published in 2002 examined the urine concentration of OP residues in 2-5 year olds. Researchers found, on average, that children eating conventionally grown food showed an 8.5 times higher amount of OP residue in their urine than those eating organic food. Studies have also shown harmful effects on fetal growth, as well. Pesticides are not the only threat, however. 70 percent of all antibiotics in the US are used to fatten up livestock, today. Farm animals receive 24.6 million pounds of antibiotics per year! Public health authorities now link low-level antibiotic use in livestock to greater numbers of people contracting infections that resist treatment with the same drugs. The American Medical Association adopted a resolution in June of 2001, opposing the use of sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics in agriculture and the World Health Organization, in its 2001 report, urged farmers to stop using antibiotics for growth promotion. Studies are finding the same antibiotic resistant bacteria in the intestines of consumers that develop in commercial meats and poultry. Is it More Nutritious? In 2001, nutrition specialist Virginia Worthington published her review of 41 published studies comparing the nutritional values of organic and conventionally grown fruits, vegetables and grains. What she found was that organically grown crops provided 17 percent more vitamin C, 21 percent more iron, 29 percent more magnesium, and 13.6 percent more phosphorus than conventionally grown products. She noted that five servings of organic vegetables provided the recommended daily intake of vitamin C for men and women, while their conventional counterparts did not. Today there are more studies that show the same results that Ms. Worthington concluded. Considering the health benefits of eating organic foods, along with the knowledge of how conventionally grown and raised food is impacting the planet should be enough to consider paying greater attention to eating organic, today. Since most people buy their food in local supermarkets, it's good news that more and more markets are providing natural and organic foods in their stores. Findings from a survey by Supermarket News showed that 61 percent of consumers now buy their organic foods in supermarkets. More communities and health agencies also are working to set up more farmer's markets for their communities, also, which brings more organic, locally grown foods to the consumer. The next time you go shopping, consider investigating organic choices to see if it's indeed worth the change! Marjorie Geiser is a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and life coach. Marjorie has been the owner of a successful small business, MEG Fitness, since 1996, and now helps other nutrition professionals start up their own private practice. To learn more about the services Margie offers, go to her website at http://www.megfit.com or email her at [email protected].
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MORE RESOURCES: Maui County’s vacation rentals at 49.3% occupancy in June, down double-digits from last year Maui Now Vacation rentals post statewide occupancy drop Honolulu Star-Advertiser Amid housing crisis, Maui commission votes to phase out thousands of short-term rentals Hawaii News Now Maui Moves Closer To Phasing Out Thousands Of Short-Term Rentals To Deal With Housing Crisis Honolulu Civil Beat Astoria weighs licenses for vacation rentals Daily Astorian Hidden cost of vacation rentals skyrockets property taxes for hundreds of local homeowners Yahoo! Voices A treehouse retreat is Kentucky’s most wish-listed Airbnb stay. Take a look inside Lexington Herald Leader Maui takes step toward crackdown on short-term rentals Travel Weekly Business Report: June vacation rentals Hawaii News Now The 8 Best Vrbo Vacation Rentals Next to USA National Parks Hotels Above Par Astoria weighs licenses for vacation rentals The Bulletin Vacation rentals to become a $100bn industry this year TravelDailyNews International 10 Vacation Rental Companies to Try If You’re Over Airbnb Hotels Above Par 7,000 West Maui vacation rentals may turn into long-term housing; Planning Commission deliberates Hawaii News Now Maui Planning Commission to take action on phasing out thousands of vacation rentals Hawaii News Now Prominent Hawaii economist apologizes for obscene gesture during short-term rentals hearing Hawaii News Now Hidden cost of vacation rentals skyrockets property taxes for hundreds of local homeowners ActionNewsJax.com Global Short Term Vacation Rentals Business Report GlobeNewswire Five Perfect Parisian Rentals for Your Olympics Vacation Elite Traveler San Diego’s short-term rental rules a year later: Is the city cracking down on scofflaws? The San Diego Union-Tribune How to Avoid Paying Vacation Rental Fees The New York Times The Rise Of Vacation Rentals: How Technology And Preferences Are Shaping The Market Travel And Tour World Vacation Home Openings This Time of Year on Oregon Coast? Yes, Even in Pacific City Oregon Coast Beach Connection How B2B startup Inhaven is reworking vacation rentals Digital Commerce 360 Emerald Coast by Owner (ECBYO) Unveils New Website With Expanded Coverage and Enhanced Features StreetInsider.com Cowboy Country: Rustic Airbnbs for the Cowboy in You TravelAwaits DeSantis vetoes short-term vacation rental bill Florida Phoenix Gov. DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill News 13 Orlando Florida Gov. DeSantis vetoes vacation rental bill that gave state more authority Tallahassee Democrat DeSantis vetoes bill over vacation rental regulation Tampa Bay Times A new vacation rental problem travelers need to know about The Seattle Times Maui County’s Move Against Vacation Rentals Likely To Bog Down In Court Honolulu Civil Beat FL lawmakers pass state regulations on short-term vacation rentals; how will it play out? Florida Phoenix AG Ashley Moody Warns Floridians About Vacation Rental Scams In Summer Scams Series Tampa Free Press Maui Council Budgets $300,000 To Study Impacts Of Eliminating 7,000 Vacation Rentals Honolulu Civil Beat Vacation Rentals: How to Shrink Your Carbon Footprint The New York Times It's Time to Plan Your Summer Vacation—Here Are 100+ Top Rentals Around the World Condé Nast Traveler Global Vacation Rental Market to Hit $100 Billion This Year eTurboNews | eTN Florida’s Vacation Rental Bill awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis' review. St. Augustine Record Vacation Rental Prices Come Down From Pandemic High The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News A Statewide Ban On Vacation Rentals? The Idea Is Gaining Steam After The Maui Fires Honolulu Civil Beat Tybee officially passes ban on vacation rentals. Here's what that means for the island WJCL News Savannah Counties differ in approach to regulating vacation rentals Hawaii Tribune-Herald Vrbo's Top Vacation Rentals for 2024 Include Homes in Cabo, the Caribbean, and Sedona Travel + Leisure Hawaii lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies Maui housing crisis The Associated Press Letter: Vacation rental vs. low to middle-class housing Newport News Times Buckingham Vacation Rentals Visit Lake Tahoe Governor signs measure giving counties authority to convert vacation rentals into housing Hawaii News Now Editorial: New limits on Marin vacation rentals make sense Marin Independent Journal Maui Mayor Richard Bissen announces bill to phase out vacation rentals in apartment districts Maui Now Galveston Central Appraisal district begins treating vacation rentals as businesses Galveston County Daily News One of Michigan's Hottest Resort Towns Are Sick of Tourists & Blame Them For All Their Troubles 1077 WRKR Short-Term Dwelling and Vacation Rental Licensing Boulder County (.gov) Hawaii governor pledges to sign vacation rental regulation bill Courthouse News Service Lee Cataluna: Phasing Out 7,000 Vacation Rentals On Maui Would Be A Sea Change - Honolulu Civil Beat Lee Cataluna: Phasing Out 7,000 Vacation Rentals On Maui Would Be A Sea Change Honolulu Civil Beat Short-term vacation rental bill barely passes Florida House Florida Phoenix Vacation rental bill divided lawmakers. Now it's drawing calls for DeSantis to veto it Tallahassee Democrat Ask Amy: Family friends poach vacation rental Chicago Tribune Senator wants uniform standards for short-term vacation rentals, but it seems to be a tough sell Florida Phoenix The effort to get the FL governor to veto short-term vacation rental bill accelerates Florida Phoenix Green Won’t Issue Vacation Rental Moratorium For Maui Honolulu Civil Beat |
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