Green Options

If I asked you to identify quinoa, kamut, spelt and amaranth, you’d probably reply — correctly — that each of those are a type of ancient grain.  But if I asked you to identify chia, you might be more likely to respond by pointing to a ceramic, grass-topped pet.

Navitas Naturals, a California-based organic and fair-trade food company, is working to change that image. Chia is actually an ancient seed with nutritional similarities to flax seed — and a higher quantity of omega fatty acids than salmon. Until recently, finding organic chia in the United States was nearly impossible. But recently, Navitas Naturals  released the United States’ first certified organic chia seed.

It is estimated that 3 to 7 percent of American children suffer form Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

That adds up to over 2 million kids, one in every class of 25.

Traditional treatments involve medications such as Ritlin and Adderall, as well as other prescription drugs.  Side effects linked to ADHD medication include depression, anxiety, loss of appetite, inability to fall or stay asleep, rapid heartbeat…the list goes on and on.

Research has shown that nutrient deficiencies can exacerbate ADHD symptoms.  For many children, proper nutrition may effectively work as an ADHD alternative treatment.  (If your child is currently taking prescription medication for ADHD, don’t stop the medication without discussing it with your physician first.)

Eco-activists often insist that vegetarianism is the only truly earth-friendly diet for humans.  On the other hand, there are many people, honestly trying to live as green as possible, who are not yet ready to take that step completely.  Others of us find that we are just not healthy without some animal protein in our diet, and that there is some logic to the argument than humans are biologically omnivorous.

If you are a meat-eater, whatever your personal reasons may be, the problem still remains — the beef industry is a nightmare.  From enormous factory farms raising animals in horrific conditions, to growth hormones interfering with our bodies, to mad cow disease resulting from herbivores being fed ground-up brains of their kin, to the ecological devastation…  We simply cannot allow ourselves to support this industry by buying its products.

So what is the conscientious carnivore to do?

Japan Airlines became the first airline to demonstrate camelina as a successful biofuel this week, as the fuel surpassed traditional 100% Jet-A fuel in efficiency according to pilots. The biofuel blend used, which was 84% camelina, 16% jatropha and less than 1% algae, brings optimism that the airline could be flying full passenger flights using only biofuels within 3-5 years.

The remarkable crop, camelina, has been eyed for years as an affordable biofuel that can be grown easily in rotation with traditional food crops like wheat. Used as biodiesel, camelina could also potentially power cars and trucks cheaper than its petroleum counterpart. But for all of its use as a biofuel, it might be most exceptional as a cooking oil. Loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, vegetable oils made from camelina are good for the heart and the brain, and could also be used as a cheap feed for fish and livestock.

Beautiful green and brown eggs are dwarfed by the huge goose eggs. Some farms also offer duck eggs for interested buyers.

Want some of the most beautifully colored eggs this Easter, but don’t have time to dye them? No problem, you can get eggs in all colors from soft, warm brown to light sage, blue-green and olive or even pink. The best part? The chickens do all the work.

Different breeds of chickens produce different egg colors. This shell color is a result of pigments that are secreted by the hen and deposited on the eggshell’s outer layers during formation in the chicken’s oviduct. Brown eggs are from the pigment protoporphyrin, a breakdown product of hemoglobin. Blue and green hues are caused by the pigment oocyanin, a by-product of bile formation.

I was a bit skeptical of some of the information I found from the Egg Nutrition Center. The Center reported that the color of the eggs a chicken lays is related to the species of the chicken and the color of the chicken’s earlobes. Chickens have earlobes? (Tips on buying eggs and what the labels mean after the jump).

My family has long been a fan of Nature’s Path Flax Plus Granola Cereal with Pumpkin Seeds, so we were excited to try the new Flax Plus flavor Red Berry Crunch. Flax is not only a great source of fiber, but it provides Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.

MC wrote about how Omega-3s are important for healthy winter skin, but they have also been found to decrease the risk of heart disease, discourage the growth of prostate and breast cancer, and support the immune function. Flax Plus Red Berry Crunch contains 800 mg of Omega-3s, the highest in the Flax Plus line. Flax seeds are an important source of Omega-3s in a vegetarian diet.

Flax Plus Red Berry Crunch ingredients:

Organic whole wheat meal, organic wheat bran, organic rolled oats, organic evaporated cane juice, organic flax, organic soy oil, organic brown rice flour, organic freeze dried raspberries, organic oat bran, organic barley malt extract, organic freeze dried strawberries, sea salt, natural strawberry flavor, organic oat syrup solids, tocopherols (natural vitamin E), organic molasses, organic rice bran extract, organic cinnamon.

Now that we are, for the most, part spending more and more of the day inside, dry skin is plaguing both adults and children. A recent article at Ask Dr. Sears, discusses what causes this dry skin and steps to take to combat it.

Best known as THE name in attachment parenting and author of a variety of parenting books, Dr. Sears provides tips for healthy families that often include natural healing and an eco friendly approach.

Since extensive exposure to central heating in homes can severely dry out skin Dr. Sears Tips include:

1. Vaporize the air. Put a vaporizer in your bedroom. Vaporizers have a double health benefit. They not only increase the humidity in the bedroom and help prevent winter skin from drying out, but the steam also acts like a heat source. …The more humid air allows you to turn the central heating down and save fuel costs.

In my first exploration of the issue of by-catch in commercial fishing, I looked at the devastating effects of fishing not simply for the "target" species, but on those animals who are unlucky enough to be caught in the lines, traps, hooks, and nets not meant for them. In this second part, I further explore this issue and take a look at how the dolphins, sea turtles, and seals - animals for whom

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In my 15+ years of animal and vegetarian/vegan advocacy, I have answered countless questions – some smart, some thoughtful, some antagonistic, some ridiculous, and some over and over and over. Some people seem to think that by virtue of being vegan you hold degrees in nutrition, philosophy, anthropology, animal husbandry, ecology, and the culinary arts and often proceed to cross-examine you on each of these topics. Every vegan or vegetarian has been on the

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