Himalayan Pink Salt – Health Benefits

Himalayan pink salt is also known as ‘white gold’ in the Himalayas. It is very precious since it contains the same 84 natural minerals and elements, which we have in our human bodies.

Himalayan pink salt is very pure and free of toxins, pollutants and chemicals, as it has been untouched – formed over 250 million years within the earth.

Some of its abundant health benefits are:

·         promotes a stable pH balance in the cells, especially in the brain

·         its Calcium content strengthens bones, and  reduces the risk rheumatism and arthritis

·         helps in balancing blood sugar

·         supports the respiratory system

·         increases nutrient absorption within intestinal tract

·         lessens muscle cramps

We are now selling Himalayan pink salt in our single ingredient store at
www.mannaorganicbakery.com/new_manna/ver.php/mod/catalogo/categoria/15/Single%20Ingredients – for 20% off!

We also use Himalayan pink salt for our newly launched Gluten Free breads.

To read more about the health benefits of Himalayan pink salt:

http://www.naturalnews.com/028724_Himalayan_salt_sea.html

HEALTHY HOSPITAL FOOD - FAUQUIER HOSPITAL

The Fauquier Hospital in Warrenton, Virginia, has a cafeteria called “Bistro on the Hill”, which attracts not only patients, but also lots of healthy seniors from the area, who come to dine there twice a week and enjoy the wonderful view & music along with the great food.

Fauquier Hospital is one of a dozen hospitals in the U.S. that applies ‘patient-centered care’ and pays great emphasis on the quality of food. These hospitals follow a new approach with strict standards, besides the medical needs of patients. I.e. they believe that food is nurturing and healing, too.

The hospital has a ‘culinary healing garden’ outside - with a view on Virginia’s beautiful countryside - where they grow greens, lettuce, herbs, tomatoes and strawberries – all organic and untreated. Produce, which they cannot grow in the garden, they aim at buying locally.

The chefs’ goal is to make wholesome food, which doesn’t cause any harm to the body. They don’t use any food additives or preservatives; all meals are cooked to order by patient; the bistro staff goes and takes orders from each patient in person. This helps in finding out daily what specific needs a patient has, and also supports patients psychologically.

Besides patients, a lot of seniors from the area come to dine frequently and enjoy the bistro’s ‘senior nights’. So it’s a win-win for many parties.

To read more see the following article:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/05/09/152355829/hospital-food-so-fresh-even-the-healthy-come-to-dine?sc=17&f=1001

0N THE FUTURE OF FOOD – SPEECH BY HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES

On May 4, 2011, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales gave the keynote speech to the ‘Future of Food Conference’ at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. His speech has been published as an essay by Rodale Books.

In his speech His Royal Highness Prince Charles analyzes elaborately the current state and future of agriculture and food production – discussing the many evident threats and challenges they are facing – and he also addresses the issue of reaching the maxim of sustainability.

Some of the challenges for food security he addresses in his speech are:
- Scarcity of land: We lose a lot of land to development every year. Prince Charles gives the example that in the USA “1 acre is lost to development every minute of every day”. Adding vast population growth in countries like India or China to the picture - in the future it will become a greater and greater challenge to find land which can be used for housing, as well as agriculture and livestock.

- Global Soil erosion: Every year 22 thousand square miles of land turns into desert; as an example, he states that in the USA soil is washed away 10 times faster than the Earth’s capacity of replenishing soil; the same is happening in India and China even much faster.

- Water depletion: in the USA alone, 1/5^th of grain production needs irrigation; 1lb of beef production uses up 2,000 gallons of water. Prince Charles mentions that the Ogallala Aquifer alone looses 1.3 trillion gallons of water, and that rainfall cannot keep up with replenishing it. He also says that only 5% of water in the world is fresh, and that nearly all of it – except for Lake Baikal - is used up by humans for agriculture. This is set against estimates that we will need 45% more water by 2030 than we need today.

 His Royal Highness Prince Charles points out that we need to reach a sustainable state of agriculture. He defines a sustainable food production system as “a form of agriculture that does not exceed the carrying capacity of its local ecosystem and which recognizes that the soil is planet’s most vital renewable resource.”

If you would like to read more of HRH Prince Charles’ speech, you can also find it here:

http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/speechesandarticles/a_speech_by_hrh_the_prince_of_wales_to_the_future_for_food_c_848967946.html

Or, you can buy the book from Rodale Books.

BENEFITS OF WHOLE GRAINS

As many of us may now, there are numerous health benefits of whole grains. Diets rich in whole grains are known for helping in weight loss as well. Whole grain foods comprise of the complete grain seed, including its bran and its germ.

Nutritional benefits: Whole grains are rich in antioxidants, which fight diseases, as well as vitamins, and minerals. Whole grains are high in fiber, thus, they support the regulation of our digestive system. Furthermore, they contain 10%-15% protein and phytochemicals.

Weight loss: Whole grains are more filling, consequently they help us eating less and can help lose weight. Studies show that people who regularly include whole grains in their diet have a lower risk of obesity as well as lower cholesterol levels.

Health benefits: Multiple research projects have also shown that consumption of whole grains reduces the risk of heart disease, strokes, and also the risks of diabetes and cancer, just to name a few.

Examples of whole grains are:

Whole wheat

Whole rye

Brown rice

Wild rice

Whole oats

Do you know that all our breads are made of organic whole grains (sprouted), or organic whole flour!

You can buy our products here:

http://mannaorganicbakery.com/ver.php?mod=categories_product_catalog

To read more about whole grains and weight loss:

http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/health-studies-on-whole-grains

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/5-easy-ways-to-lose-weight-and-improve-your-health?page=2

France Renewed Ban On Monsanto's GMO Maize

France is still concerned about the cultivation of MON810,  Monsanto's genetically modified maize crop, and started a new temporary ban on  MON810 maize - even though an earlier moratorium was anulled by France's highest court late last year.

The French governmet believes that GMOs pose "significant risks for the environment", which multiple recent scientific studies show. That's why it asked the European Commission last month to discontinue the authorization to sow genetically modified maize within the EU.


To read more check the following article:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/16/us-france-gmo-idUSBRE82F16I20120316

Alarming Report: Monsanto's Herbicide ‘Roundup’ Believed To Be Danger For Global Food Supply

According to a new research report, published in the journal Current Microbiology, the active ingredient glyphosate in Monsanto's infamous herbicide ‘Roundup’ is altering and destroying the micro biodiversity of the soil – thereby threatening the sustainability of the globe’s food supply. It compromises the health of the soil, on which all life depends.

More and more scientific evidence shows that glyphosate not only biodegrades slowly, but also goes down through the topsoil and accumulates in the groundwater, which is our source for drinking water. Glyphosate is also found in almost all air and rain samples collected in the US.

Microorganisms are known to be essential for the health of raw and fermented foods. But they are actually responsible for much more than that:  “Microorganisms participate quite literally at the root of the nitrogen, phosphate, oxygen and carbon cycles, and are therefore indispensable for the health of the entire biosphere. Astoundingly,…these soil microorganisms represent about 50 percent of the total biodiversity in terms of numbers of species.”

Using Roundup and compromising the health of fungi and the mycelium, in particular, is anticipated to cause severe harm to our planet: According to major mycologists,  mycelium are regarded to actually act as a 'network' within the biosphere, and all organisms on earth depend on this mechanism.

Despite all this scientific evidence, the USDA has not taken any action yet to stop this incredible threat posed on the ecological stability of our planet and food supply.

To Learn more read the following article: http://www.naturalnews.com/035221_Roundup_soil_health_food_supply.html#ixzz1pISzBYmk

Bread Cartoon on Sesame Street

Don't miss watching this very cute and memorable bread cartoon! Enjoy  :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx6aRfYj1PI

Happy weekend to everyone!

Your Manna Organics Team