How urban farms in New York schools are raising food to fight inequality

“It’s the type of experience expected at a top-rated restaurant: Diners gaze at produce growing in a hydroponic garden next to the kitchen. Behind plexiglass, herbs are carefully plucked in anticipation of being added to every plate.

This high-tech take on farm-to-table, however, is being built for the cafeteria of a New York City public school in Manhattan.

As part of a nonprofit program called Teens for Food Justice, a handful of schools in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan have turned spare classrooms, unused science labs, and, in one case, an empty closet into urban hydroponic farms, an experiment in self-sufficiency, science education, and food equity.

It’s not unheard of to find produce grown within the five boroughs: supermarket chains like Whole Foods and companies such as Gotham Greens have helped pioneer and popularize large-scale commercial farming in New York City.”

READ THE FULL STORY AT: “Curbed.com“

How to Use Castor Oil Packs for Liver Support

Have you ever tried a castor oil pack?  I asked this question a few months ago on my Instagram page and got a lot of questions.  Most people had never heard of castor oil packs and expressed interest in learning more about how to use them for liver support. In this post, I am sharing why castor oil packs are so beneficial for the liver (can be used for other things, too!) and how to get started using them.

I recommend castor oil packs all the time to my clients. They can be really beneficial for a few things, but the most common reason I suggest them is for gentle liver detox. An overworked liver due to excessive toxins is not a good scenario for healthy hormones or digestion.  And since your hormones and gut are so connected, you can’t work on one without addressing the other.

You are always detoxing – not just when you do cleanses (which I am not a fan of, by the way). The best way to support detoxification is to avoid as many toxins as possible in the first place, eat a nutrient-dense diet including complete protein so the liver has what it needs to work well, and support the liver any way you can.

How can you avoid toxins? 

Clean up your beauty products. When you use chemical-filled products, toxins get absorbed through your skin and your liver has to work hard to eliminate them from your body.  Think shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, makeup, deodorant, and soap.  You could unknowingly be exposing your liver to hundreds of unnecessary chemicals every single day.

Next: eat real food.  This is one reason why I always recommend reading the ingredient list on your food labels vs. nutrition facts.  Ingredients you can’t pronounce or that don’t sound like food are often made in a lab by chemists.  These are essentially toxins that are added to food and create an extra burden on your liver.

How the castor oil pack works

Warm castor oil packs can be placed on many different areas of the body for healing.

Castor oil has a drawing power that clears the body of excess tissues and toxins.  The packs help by stimulating the lymphatic and circulatory system.  Lymphatic congestion is a major factor leading to inflammation and disease.

The lymphatic system removes toxins and waste from the area stimulated by the castor oil pack.  Lymphatic tissue also produces and stores lymphocytes which are your immune system’s disease-fighting cells.  When castor oil gets absorbed into your skin it can also improve you lymphocyte count which in turn can speed up the removal of toxins from your tissues.

Castor oil packs can also increase circulation, which brings in fresh oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to the area (in this case the liver).

How to do a castor oil pack

Supplies you will need:

• Castor Oil (hexane free always)
• Organic white cotton or flannel fabric
• Heating pad
• Piece of wax paper or old towel (NO PLASTIC)
• Glass container with a lid

You can do a castor oil pack initially every day for about 20 minutes for at least one month and then cut back to 3-4 times per week. I recently started adding Zendocrine detoxification blend from DoTerra, which is optional, for even more detox support.  I just dab a couple drops of the oil over my liver.  Then apply the pack directly to my liver (right side of your body under the rib cage).  I recommend NOT doing packs when you are on your period but the rest of the month is fair game.

Directions:

1. Fold the fabric so that it is large enough to cover your liver, about 1 foot by 1 foot.  Saturate the fabric with castor oil.  You don’t need it to be dripping with the oil but the fabric should be moist.
2. Apply the moist pack to your liver (right side of your body under your rib cage).  Note: the oil can stain so I don’t wear a bra and be sure any clothes I am wearing is away from the pack.  Consider wearing something you don’t mind getting stained and lay on a towel to keep your furniture clean.
3. Take a piece of wax paper or towel you don’t mind getting stained and cover the castor oil pack with it.  Please don’t use plastic wrap.
4. Cover that with an electric heating pad or hot water bottle and relax for the 20 minute process.
5. When done I use a towel to remove excess castor oil from my skin or you could also jump in the shower.
6. The pack can be kept and reused over and over for at least 3 months before you want to purchase a new fabric.  I keep mine in a glass container with a lid.  If it starts to dry out you can add more castor oil to it to re-hydrate.

Other Benefits

Today I focused on using castor oil packs for liver support, but they have many uses.  You can use them over uterine fibroids or breast cysts, make a smaller pack to use over your thyroid, or even put them over your abdomen to help with bloating or constipation.  They are helpful to alleviate pain, inflammation, and swelling, but also make sure you are working with a professional to get to the root cause of your symptoms!

Have you used castor oil packs? How do you use them? What benefits have you noticed? I’d love to hear!  Let me know in the comments.

References: Kennedy, DA & Keaton D.  Evidence for the Topical Application of Castor Oil.  Int Jrnl Nat Med. Apr 2012;5(1). Grady Harvey.  Immunomodulation through castor oil packs.  Journal of Naturopathic Medicine. Unknown; 7(1):84-89.

The post How to Use Castor Oil Packs for Liver Support appeared first on The Organic Dietitian.

Neighbors complain about Florida man doing yard work naked, police say it is legal

“WASHINGTON (Circa) — Neighbors in Stuart, Florida, are irritated with their fellow resident who has been doing yard work in the nude.

“I came out Sunday night to put the trash out, and I look over and he is bent over, winding up his hose, and I’m like that is my view of the neighborhood,” Melissa Ny, a neighbor, told WPBF-TV. “He works on his car, and he does it naked and everyone has called the police, he is just out there doing his yard work, whatever he needs to do outside, naked.”

Another neighbor believes the man should have some respect for children who live in the area.”

READ THE FULL STORY AT: “WearTV.com“

Fall Planting Schedule, Down To Your First Frost Date

 

 

Now is the time to start making solid plans for your fall and winter garden. Follow this simple planting schedule for a great start, or visit our online interactive planting calendar for a more detailed description of what you should be planting when based on your exact location and grow zone.  

12-14 Weeks Before Your First Frost Date

 

 

Direct Sow: Snap Beans, Cucumbers, Summer Squash, Parsnips, Rutabagas, Cilantro, Lettuce & Radishes. 

 

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10-12 Weeks Before Your First Frost Date

 

 

Set Out Starts: Broccoli, Brussels, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, Kohlrabi, Celery, Fennel and Parsley. 

 

 

 

Direct Sow: Beets, Carrots, Collards, Leeks, Scallions, Lettuce, Radish, Peas, and Potatoes. 

 

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8-10 Weeks Before Your First Frost Date

 

 

Direct Sow: Arugula, Cabbage, Lettuce, Turnips, Spinach, Mustard, Bok Choy & Radishes. 

 

 

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6-8 Weeks Before Your First Frost Date

 

 

Direct Sow: Spinach, Mache & Lettuce. 

 

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ON or AROUND Your First Frost Date

 

 

Direct Sow: Garlic, Shallots, & Onions. 

Try our Online Planting Calendar, HERE

Farm-to-School students make first visit to Urban Farm

“The Farm-to-School program entered another phase this week with visits to the Urban Farm.

The program, a partnership between the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture and Columbia Public Schools, targets third- and fifth-graders at Alpha Hart Lewis, Battle, Benton STEM, Blue Ridge, Derby Ridge, New Haven, West Boulevard and Parkade elementary schools. They were chosen because of the high number of students receiving free and reduced-price meals. CCUA has received a $41,784 grant from the Boone County Children’s Services Fund, with a match of $31,700 from the school district. It’s a two-year grant.

Charity Keith has started as the Farm-to-School coordinator for the program and already has made initial visits to the schools.

“It’s a very busy schedule,” Keith said about the field trips to the farm.”

Read the FULL STORY at: “ColumbiaTribune.com“

Sacramento Is Making Urban Agriculture a Way of Life

“As the food movement gains strength and farm-to-fork practices become increasingly popular, many cities across the United States are investing in urban agriculture, both to attract tourists and to improve community health. For example, in Detroit, which The Washington Post has dubbed a “food mecca,” advocates are using urban farms and community gardens to help ease food insecurity. And, in Boston, legislation to make urban farming easier has contributed to the city’s reputation as a “haven for organic food” and helped make local produce more available to low-income residents.

Yet few places have been more vocal in their efforts to expand urban agriculture as Sacramento, California. In fact, if you Google “farm to fork,” the top result will take you to a website about Sacramento’s initiatives to support local food.

“Farm-to-Fork isn’t a passing fad or a marketing slogan in the Sacramento region—it’s the way we live,” the website explains, noting that the area’s ideal climate, ability to grow food year-round, and 1.5 million acres of active farmland make it an agricultural leader nationally and globally.”

Read the FULL STORY at: “CivilEats.com“

Sustainable Missoula: Gardens help Missoula’s Native American population get healthy

“Sitting on top of a small asphalt parking lot at 830 W. Central Ave., you can find 12 cedar wood raised garden boxes.

The boxes are surrounded by a wooden post-and-cinder block fence to separate it from the rest of the parking lot.

During the summer, you will see most garden staples that tend to do well in Montana, such as onions, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, beets, kale and others, growing vibrantly.

This is the Missoula Urban Indian Health Center (MUIHC) Community Garden.”

View the Original Story at: “MissoulaCurrent.com“

4 Myths About Probiotics

Probiotics have become so popular, there’s certainly no shortage of probiotic supplements being sold in stores.  But do you really know what you are doing when it comes to taking probiotics?  First, you need to understand how probiotics really work.  Now I want to debunk 4 myths about probiotics and how to get the most of of them when you do decide to take one for yourself.

1. My doctor told me I need to start taking probiotics- I’ll just eat yogurt every day then, that should be good enough, right?

Wrong. Well, mostly. Yes, yogurt does in fact contain live bacteria- the bacteria that’s necessary to turn the initial milk product into the final yogurt product. However, this bacteria is typically not useful to human health, as the strains of bacteria used during this process are only useful for turning milk to yogurty goodness, and not so much for improving your gut health.

There are a few yogurts on the market that have actual therapeutic strains of bacteria added however: Nancy’s Organic Probiotic Greek Yogurt, for instance, has added Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 (plus Lactobacillus Acidophilus La5), which is clinically shown to be useful to treat chronic fatigue syndrome, traveler’s diarrhea, and intestinal dysbiosis, among many other conditions.

However, this is not the “rule” but the exception- the majority of yogurts on the market contain no useful bacteria inside, plus the addition of harmful added sugars and dyes. So overall, eating yogurt is not a good alternative to taking an excellent quality probiotic supplement.

2. I should take my probiotic supplement on an empty stomach to get the best benefit.

It is often times thought that taking a probiotic on an empty stomach should increase the potential of that bacteria surviving past the stomach (and stomach acid) to make their way healthy and happy into the intestine where they belong.

The thought behind this is that no food in the stomach suggests that there would be less stomach acid present too, and less of a possibility for the probiotic bacteria to be killed off before they can actually work to improve your health.

Turns out, this is actually furthest from the truth, as the highest number of bacteria to survive into the colon result from taking the non-enterically coated probiotic 30 minutes prior to or directly with a meal (Tompkins, Mainville, & Arcand, 2011).

Believe it or not, when you take a probiotic supplement with a meal vs. on an empty stomach, the added food helps to buffer the stomach acid, or neutralize it to an extent. Even more interesting, eating a meal that is higher in fat further increases the numbers of bacteria that survive their short stent in the stomach so that more good guys can make it to work in your small and large intestine.

Long story short: don’t take probiotics on an empty stomach. Pop ‘em with a meal, especially those that contain some good fats, to get the best results.

3. I can take any probiotic on the market and it’ll improve my digestion issues.

FALSE! Nothing could be furthest from the truth, actually. There have been decades of research demonstrating just how incredibly important not only specific Genus classifications of bacterium are (ie. Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, etc.), but even more importantly, how different Strains of bacterium within the same Genus and even Species (ie. Bifidobacterium lactis HN019, Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12) produce different benefits to human health.

Take a look at this quick chart showing just how diverse the benefits are for differing probiotic strains, and the importance of taking the right one for you.

Something else often misunderstood by most is that probiotics are also useful for many other chronic conditions not directly related to digestion symptoms. Take a look at these other probiotic super stars:

My main point is- I would never want to take a probiotic that’s been useful to improve constipation if I suffer from severe diarrhea, or one that’s been shown to improve Metabolic Syndrome when I really needed it to help decrease the duration of my Respiratory Tract Infection. Not all probiotics are made equal, and not all strains will be useful to you. Choose your probiotic wisely.

4. I can’t take a probiotic supplement while taking a prescribed antibiotic.

That’s where you’re wrong. An antibiotic is meant to kill bacteria in the body and a probiotic is meant to introduce bacteria into the body. The two shouldn’t seem to mix. But in reality, literature has BUSTED this widely believed myth wide open! With the wide use of antibiotics today come a typically unwelcome guest- antibiotic-induced diarrhea, typically caused by a opportunistic clostridium difficile (c. diff) infection, increasing the potential for death, and hiking health care costs and lengthening hospital stays.

With this being said, a meta-analysis of 63 randomized controlled trials was conducted to look at the effects of taking many different probiotic species with an array of antibiotics, both singularly and in combination with other pharmaceutical antibiotics, and not only found no significant decrease in risk (so the probiotics didn’t mess with the antibiotic’s ability to do it’s thing), but taking probiotics while taking a round of antibiotics has actually been shown to prevent and treat antibiotic-induced diarrhea (Rodgers, Kirley, & Mounsey, 2013). This means that taking a probiotic along with your prescribed antibiotic is actually better for your health than taking the antibiotic alone!

In all, there are so many things we have still yet to learn about the miracle of the gut, and the use and benefit of good quality probiotics. Just do me a few favors on your personal health journey: question everything, do your darn research, and find a practitioner to help you understand what’s really going on in that incredible body of yours.

SCHEDULE A COMPLIMENTARY, NO-OBLIGATION DISCOVERY CALL WITH SARA.  WE’LL USE THIS TIME TO MAKE SURE WE’RE THE RIGHT FIT BEFORE COMMITTING TO WORK TOGETHER.

Schedule Your FREE 30 Minute Discovery Call

Written by: Paula Cole, MD, NDTR

Master’s of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine

Health fanatic, paleo enthusiast, and lover of Functional Medicine

Sources:

Bennett, R. G., Gorbach, S. L., Goldin, B. R., Chang, T., Laughon, B. E., Greenough, W. B., & Bartlett, J. G. (1996). Treatment of Relapsing Clostridium difficile Diarrhea with Lactobacillus GG. Nutrition Today,31(Supplement 1). doi:10.1097/00017285-199611001-00011

Bernini, L. J., Simão, A. N., Alfieri, D. F., Lozovoy, M. A., Mari, N. L., Souza, C. H., . . . Costa, G. N. (2016). Beneficial effects of Bifidobacterium lactis on lipid profile and cytokines in patients with metabolic syndrome: A randomized trial. Effects of probiotics on metabolic syndrome. Nutrition,32(6), 716-719. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2015.11.001

Cox, A. J., Pyne, D. B., Saunders, P. U., & Fricker, P. A. (2010). Oral administration of the probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum VRI-003 and mucosal immunity in endurance athletes. British Journal of Sports Medicine,44(4), 222-226. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2007.044628

Eskesen, D., Jespersen, L., Michelsen, B., Whorwell, P. J., Müller-Lissner, S., & Morberg, C. M. (2015). Effect of the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium animalissubsp. lactis, BB-12®, on defecation frequency in healthy subjects with low defecation frequency and abdominal discomfort: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. The British Journal of Nutrition, 114(10), 1638–1646. https://ift.tt/2NyfiwQ

Hun, L. (2009). Original Research:Bacillus coagulansSignificantly Improved Abdominal Pain and Bloating in Patients with IBS. Postgraduate Medicine,121(2), 119-124. doi:10.3810/pgm.2009.03.1984

Ouwehand, A. C., Nermes, M., Collado, M. C., Rautonen, N., Salminen, S., & Isolauri, E. (2009). Specific probiotics alleviate allergic rhinitis during the birch pollen season. World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG, 15(26), 3261–3268. https://ift.tt/2O6pN7n

Rodgers, B., Kirley, K., & Mounsey, A. (2013). Prescribing an antibiotic? Pair it with probiotics. The Journal of Family Practice, 62(3), 148–150.

Tompkins, T., Mainville, I., & Arcand, Y. (2011). The impact of meals on a probiotic during transit through a model of the human upper gastrointestinal tract. Beneficial Microbes, 2(4), 295-303. doi:10.3920/bm2011.0022

The post 4 Myths About Probiotics appeared first on The Organic Dietitian.

Want to have a fall veggie garden? Start planting these now!

“Most of us think of spring as gardening season, but fall provides a terrific opportunity for another harvest. Squash, beans and even potatoes can be planted over the coming weeks, along with other vegetables.

Alas, it’s too late for tomatoes. They should have been planted back in July. (But I planted some in mid-September once and had the best fall harvest ever.) And it’s probably a little early for cool weather plants like lettuce.”

When to plant

“When to plant depends on where you live and your inclination. Some like to brave the hot end of summer, hoping for early harvests. Others are willing to risk waiting for cooler days and count on a late frost.”

Most Popular Seeds to Plant for a Fall/Winter Harvest:

Arugula: Arugula seeds Beans (Bush): Bean seeds Beets: Beet seeds Mustard Greens: Mustard seeds Broccoli: Broccoli seeds Cabbage: Cabbage seeds Cauliflower: Cauliflower seeds Chard: Chard seeds Chicory: Chicory seeds Cilantro: Cilantro seeds

Collards: Collard seeds Radish: Radish seeds Dill: Dill seeds Kale: Kale seeds Lettuce: Lettuce seeds Peas: Pea seeds Scallions: Scallion seeds Spinach: Spinach seeds Turnip: Turnip seeds

NEW PRODUCT!  All-in-One Fall/Winter Seed Bank

Read the FULL article at: “DallasNews.com”

Fall is time to convert to no-till gardening

“I often hear from vegetable or flower gardeners who are unhappy with their soil quality. They routinely incorporate organic matter in the soil each fall, but are still disappointed with their heavy soil. Why aren’t they developing beautiful crumbly dark brown soil that’s easy to plant and great for vegetable root crops?

Routinely tilling your garden soil each fall and spring could be the culprit.

USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service encourages building soil health and protecting soil organisms, through:

• keeping the soil covered as much as possible

• disturbing soil as little as possible

• keeping plants growing throughout the year to feed the soil, and

• diversifying plant material through crop rotation.

Learn more about converting to a “NO-TILL” garden at: “JournalStar.com”

RICHMOND, VA – “Toxic Air in Urban Veggie Gardens”

“Many city dwellers take nutrition matters into their own hands through Urban gardening. But is urban air good for our garden veggies? Of course, water, air and soil are key foundations of plant life. But what happens when metals in the form of gases and particulate matters are added ingredients? Ahkinyala Cobb-Abdullah, PhD would like to explore that topic with you over a sip of some sort at the next Science Pub RVA: Toxic Air in Urban Veggie Gardens. How is this subject studied and what does the research tell us? Learn about the interactions of urban air, plants, and the impact on the produce on our plates while hanging out with other curious minds on Monday, September 17th at The Hof.”

Get more information about this event at: “IdeaStations.org“