Tethys:Himalayan Crystal Salt

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This Salt Is Over 250 Million Years Old !!

Salt is essential for life -- you cannot live without it. However, most people simply don't realize that there are enormous differences between the standard, refined table and cooking salt most of you are accustomed to using and natural health-promoting salt.

These differences can have a major impact on your staying healthy.

If you want your body to function properly, you need holistic salt complete with all-natural elements. Today's common table salt has nothing in common with natural salt.

Your table salt is actually 97.5% sodium chloride and 2.5% chemicals such as moisture absorbents, and iodine. Dried at over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, the excessive heat alters the natural chemical structure of the salt.

Containing all of the 84 elements found in your body, the benefits of natural Himalayan Crystal Salt include:

Regulating the water content throughout your body.
Promoting a healthy pH balance in your cells, particularly your brain cells.
Promoting blood sugar health and helping to reduce the signs of aging.
Assisting in the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in your body.
Absorption of food particles through your intestinal tract.
Supporting respiratory health.
Promoting sinus health.
Prevention of muscle cramps.
Promoting bone strength.
Regulating your sleep -- it naturally promotes sleep.
Supporting your libido.
Promoting vascular health.
In conjunction with water it is actually essential for the regulation of your blood pressure.

The Typical Table And Cooking Salt In Your
Grocery Store Has Been "Chemically Cleaned"
What remains after typical salt is "chemically cleaned" is sodium chloride -- an unnatural chemical form of salt that your body recognizes as something completely foreign. This form of salt is in almost every preserved product that you eat. Therefore, when you add more salt to your already salted food, your body receives more salt than it can dispose of.


This is important as over 90% of the money that people spend on food is for processed food.

Typical table salt crystals are totally isolated from each other. In order for your body to try to metabolize table salt crystals, it must sacrifice tremendous amounts of energy.

Inorganic sodium chloride can keep you from an ideal fluid balance and can overburden your elimination systems.

When your body tries to isolate the excess salt you typically expose it to, water molecules must surround the sodium chloride to break them up into sodium and chloride ions in order to help your body neutralize them. To accomplish this, water is taken from your cells in order to neutralize the unnatural sodium chloride.

This results in a less-than-ideal fluid balance in the cells.

Get Salt as Nature Intended It -- Pure Himalayan Crystal Salt


With chemical dumping and toxic oil spills polluting the oceans at an alarming rate, most of today's sea salt is not nearly as pure as it used to be. Himalayan Crystal Salt is pure salt that is mined and washed by hand -- with zero environmental pollutants.
Today's table and cooking salt is void of the vital trace minerals that make this Himalayan crystal salt so precious. Crystal salt has spent over 250 million years maturing under extreme tectonic pressure, far away from exposure to impurities.

The salt's unique structure also stores vibrational energy. All of the crystal salt's inherent minerals and trace elements are available in colloidal form -- meaning they are so small your cells can readily absorb them.

The Crystal Salt from the Himalayas does not burden your body as other salts do. It is very difficult for your body to absorb too much crystal salt since there are powerful and effective feedback loops that regulate this process. Natural crystal salt always promotes a healthy balance and does not contribute to high blood pressure like typical table salt.

Crystal Salt's array of elements forms a compound in which each molecule is inter-connected. The connectedness allows the vibrational component of the 84 trace elements present in the salt to be in harmony with each other and adds to the ability to promote a healthy balance. When it comes to the power of natural salt, nothing compares to Himalayan Crystal Salt. Here's why:

It is the highest grade of natural salt.

Under an electron microscope, crystal salt has a perfect crystalline structure.

It is mined by hand and hand-washed.

Crystal salt is immune to electromagnetic fields

Crystal Salt contains no environmental pollutants.

There is no limited shelf life and no need for silica packets to prevent clumping.

Key Minerals in Himalayan Crystal Salt Promote a Healthy Balance in Your Body

Himalayan Crystal Salt is salt in its native form, with all its vibrational energy intact and it helps promote a healthy balance in your body. Promoting balanced electrolytes helps to keep your body in homeostasis -- the balance of chemicals that is conducive to the body's function.

"The renowned Frezenius Institute in Europe analyzed the Himalayan Crystal Salt and proved that it has an amazing array of important trace minerals and elements including potassium, calcium and magnesium that help promote a healthy balance by maintaining fluids and replenishing your supply of electrolytes whenever you sweat heavily. (This salt does not supply iodide, a necessary nutrient.)"

Himalayan Salt vs. Sea Salt and Rock Salt: A Crystal Comparison

Many people believe sea salt is a healthy alternative to table salt, but this is no longer the case. The oceans are being used as dumping grounds for harmful toxic poisons like mercury, PCBs and dioxin. Reports of oil spills polluting the sea are becoming more frequent. With some 89% of all the sea salt producers now refining their salt, today's sea salt simply isn't as healthy as it used to be.


If you were to look into a microscope at sea salt (pictured left) you would see it has irregular and isolated crystalline structures disconnected from the natural elements surrounding them. Thus, however many vital minerals it may contain, they cannot be absorbed by your body unless the body expends tremendous energy to vitalize them. Your body's net gain is small compared to the great loss of energy.

Because the crystalline structure of crystal salt is balanced (pictured right), it is not isolated from the 84 inherent mineral elements, but is connected to them in a harmonious state. This means the energy content in the form of minerals can be easily metabolized by your body. When you use this salt it has a vital energetic effect. Your body gets an ample net gain with little energy loss.


Mined salt, or rock salt, is also a poor substitute for Himalayan Crystal Salt. While natural rock salt comes close to being intact and is more valuable than industrial table salt, from a biophysical as well as bio-chemical perspective, it holds little value.

The elements contained in rock salt lack sufficient compression to be included in the crystal web, but are only attached to the surface and in the gaps of the crystalline structure. It is the considerable pressure that brings the elements to a colloidal state - where your cells can readily absorb them. The valuable elements found in rock salt are useless because your body cannot absorb and metabolize them.

Kokum: The Xangosteen from Goa!

From childhood i have enjoyed the solkadi that  my mom made, as i grew up i remeber drinking Kokum sarbat during summerThe more i research into the goodness of this wild fruit from my native state, the more i am amazed by its versatile health benifits.According to the Resource Book on Kokum, published by the Western Ghats Kokum Foundation this, inexplicably, is indeed one of the most underexploited trees in India. Different regions know it by different names: Bindin, Biran, Bhinda, Kokum, Katambi, Ratamba or Amsol.  In English it is called mangosteen, wild mangosteen, or red mango.  However, there differences in tastes.  Mangosteen, especially grown in Southeast Asia and Central and South America have more richly luscious pulp.  They are also sweeter.  Most kokum, although they have the same health benefits, are on the sour side.  Therefore traditionally, in the cuisine of the Konkan or Indian west coast, the inner segments of fruit flesh have been discarded and only the dried peel is used.  However, one can use the actual fruit as well.  One just needs to make adjustments so that the sour taste does not become overwhelming.   

The fruit can be used in so many different ways: in cooking, as juice, in medicine and in cosmetics, to name just a few of the known areas of benefit.  Although a native of, yet commercially underexploited in India, kokum or mangosteen is far more appreciated in – the USA, or in Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia where branded kokum products on such XanGo, Thai-Go, Mangosteen-Plus, or Mango-Xan have become household names, at least among circles interested in organic food and integrative health.  In India nothing of this sort has been tried, yet.  Here, it is mostly the locals along the Arabian Sea coast that know and make use of how good and versatile a fruit kokum really is.

http://osoda.webs.com/

In the USA kokum went mainstream, about ten years ago. A company and product named XanGo, created waves after 2002 when it became the fastest growing network marketing company at the time:  Their research claimed that the powerful phyto-nutrients contained in the rind of the kokum fruit, and thus their preparations have manifold health benefits.  It was said that they help:

·      Maintain intestinal health

·      Support the immune system

·      Neutralize free radicals

·      Support cartilage and joint function

·      Promote a healthy seasonal respiratory system

South Asian as well as South East Asian folk medicine confirms the claim.  According to Southeast Asian folklore, kokum rind was used to make a tea for problems such as diarrhea, bladder infections and gonorrhea.  Here in South India, kokum juice has also been around forever.  When compared to commercial bottled drinks it is a healthier and far more refreshing option.  It acts as an appetite stimulant and also has anti-helmintic properties (i.e. it eliminates worms). 

Traditional Ayurvedic medicine uses preparations from the fruit externally and in infusions to treat skin ailments, rashes, burns, chaffed skin and scalds.  It is also applied to provide relief from sunstroke, tackle dysentery, and mucus diarrhea.  Traditional Chinese Medicine likewise makes use of preparations from the mangosteen fruit, for example in the treatment of dysentery.

All of these traditional uses, again, have in turn been verified by modern laboratory studies.  Modern day tests corroborated that the compounds contained in the kokum rind, namely alpha-mangosteen, beta-mangosteen, garcinone B, and garcinone E (collectively labeled as xanthones) have anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties.  Furthermore test tube experiments have revealed that, as powerful anti-oxidants, xanthones may actually help in the fight against cancer; they have shown to be carcinogenic for some cancer cells, at least in vitro.

A major test recognized as the industry standard for measuring anti-oxidant activity is known as “Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC)”.  USDA researchers at Tufts University developed it.  Total ORAC value measures total antioxidant strength of any substance.  It is therefor a valuable tool in establishing the medicinal value in a food.  A high ORAC value corresponds to high antioxidant strength.  In this context it comes as noteworthy piece of news that the antioxidant power of the whole mangosteen fruit juice has an ORAC value of 17,000 per gram. In comparison, whole blueberries, a rich source of antioxidants, has an ORAC value of 61 units per gram, while pomegranates has an ORAC value of 105 units per gram.  Kokum or mangosteen must indeed be considered as the fruit highest in anti-oxidant value and action.

But even with this the list of the kokum benefits has not come to an end just yet.  We need to add at least one more: kokum as a slimming agent:  Hydroxycitric (HCA) acid is one of its known ingredients.  It has recently been patented as hypocholesterolaemic agent.  In lay-man's words, HCA combats obesity.  It suppresses fatty acid synthesis and lipogensis.  How so, you may ask?

According to www.kokumbenefits.com, “HCA suppresses the enzymes that convert excess calories from food into body fat.  Besides thwarting the production of fat, this action causes excess calories to be converted into glycogen, which is stored in skeletal muscles and the liver.  When glycogen levels rise in the body, gluco-receptors in the liver are stimulated.  These receptors send signals to the brain, which act to suppress appetite.  In the meantime, as stored fat is burned by the body’s normal metabolic processes, it is not replaced.  This combined effect of fat depletion, inhibited fat storage, and reduced food consumption makes kokum a very potent weight loss agent.”

A great way to refresh yourself is by sipping onto Kokumade, I love it!!

Kokam:The Wild Mangosteen from Goa is a rich source of Xanthones!!

Since childhood I loved the Solkadi (kokum and coconut milk curry)that my mom made at home , and i also remember  enjoying  kokum sarbat during summers, i loved the taste but was oblivious to the health benefits this wild fruit growing in our neighborhood had to offer.


The more I research into this wonder fruit, the more I am amazed with its health beneficial properties.

According to the Resource Book on Kokum, published by the Western Ghats Kokum Foundation this, inexplicably, is indeed one of the most underexploited trees in India. Different regions know it by different names: Bindin, Biran, Bhinda, Kokum, Katambi, Ratamba or Amsol. In English it is called mangosteen, wild mangosteen, or red mango. However, there differences in tastes. Mangosteen, especially grown in Southeast Asia and Central and South America have more richly luscious pulp. They are also sweeter. Most kokum, although they have the same health benefits, are on the sour side. Therefore traditionally, in the cuisine of the Konkan or Indian west coast, the inner segments of fruit flesh have been discarded and only the dried peel is used. However, one can use the actual fruit as well. One just needs to make adjustments so that the sour taste does not become overwhelming.

The fruit can be used in so many different ways: in cooking, as juice, in medicine and in cosmetics, to name just a few of the known areas of benefit. Although a native of, yet commercially underexploited in India, kokum or mangosteen is far more appreciated in – the USA, or in Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia where branded kokum products on such XanGo, Thai-Go, Mangosteen-Plus, or Mango-Xan have become household names, at least among circles interested in organic food and integrative health. In India nothing of this sort has been tried, yet. Here, it is mostly the locals along the Arabian Sea coast that know and make use of how good and versatile a fruit kokum really is.


In the USA kokum went mainstream, about ten years ago. A company and product named XanGo, created waves after 2002 when it became the fastest growing network marketing company at the time: Their research claimed that the powerful phyto-nutrients contained in the rind of the kokum fruit, and thus their preparations have manifold health benefits. It was said that they help:

· Maintain intestinal health
· Support the immune system
· Neutralize free radicals
· Support cartilage and joint function
· Promote a healthy seasonal respiratory system
South Asian as well as South East Asian folk medicine confirms the claim. According to Southeast Asian folklore, kokum rind was used to make a tea for problems such as diarrhea, bladder infections and gonorrhea. Here in South India, kokum juice has also been around forever. When compared to commercial bottled drinks it is a healthier and far more refreshing option. It acts as an appetite stimulant and also has anti-helmintic properties (i.e. it eliminates worms).

Traditional Ayurvedic medicine uses preparations from the fruit externally and in infusions to treat skin ailments, rashes, burns, chaffed skin and scalds. It is also applied to provide relief from sunstroke, tackle dysentery, and mucus diarrhea. Traditional Chinese Medicine likewise makes use of preparations from the mangosteen fruit, for example in the treatment of dysentery.

All of these traditional uses, again, have in turn been verified by modern laboratory studies. Modern day tests corroborated that the compounds contained in the kokum rind, namely alpha-mangosteen, beta-mangosteen, garcinone B, and garcinone E (collectively labeled as xanthones) have anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties. Furthermore test tube experiments have revealed that, as powerful anti-oxidants, xanthones may actually help in the fight against cancer; they have shown to be carcinogenic for some cancer cells, at least in vitro.

A major test recognized as the industry standard for measuring anti-oxidant activity is known as “Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC)”. USDA researchers at Tufts University developed it. Total ORAC value measures total antioxidant strength of any substance. It is therefor a valuable tool in establishing the medicinal value in a food. A high ORAC value corresponds to high antioxidant strength. In this context it comes as noteworthy piece of news that the antioxidant power of the whole mangosteen fruit juice has an ORAC value of 17,000 per gram. In comparison, whole blueberries, a rich source of antioxidants, has an ORAC value of 61 units per gram, while pomegranates has an ORAC value of 105 units per gram. Kokum or mangosteen must indeed be considered as the fruit highest in anti-oxidant value and action.

But even with this the list of the kokum benefits has not come to an end just yet. We need to add at least one more: kokum as a slimming agent: Hydroxycitric (HCA) acid is one of its known ingredients. It has recently been patented as hypocholesterolaemic agent. In lay-man's words, HCA combats obesity. It suppresses fatty acid synthesis and lipogensis. How so, you may ask?

According to www.kokumbenefits.com, “HCA suppresses the enzymes that convert excess calories from food into body fat. Besides thwarting the production of fat, this action causes excess calories to be converted into glycogen, which is stored in skeletal muscles and the liver. When glycogen levels rise in the body, gluco-receptors in the liver are stimulated. These receptors send signals to the brain, which act to suppress appetite. In the meantime, as stored fat is burned by the body’s normal metabolic processes, it is not replaced. This combined effect of fat depletion, inhibited fat storage, and reduced food consumption makes kokum a very potent weight loss agent.”

A great healthy way to refresh yourself is by sipping onto a glass of Sparkling Kokam, its tasty, its healthy and a great option to avoid the regular soft drinks!!
I love it!!http://osoda.webs.com/
http://osoda.webs.com/

Sparkling Kokum:Refreshingly Healthy!!!

Kokum juice is a healthier and far more refreshing option as compared to commercial bottled drinks!

1) Kokum fruits contains antioxidant which helps to prevent oxidative damage to body cells. According to some Research, garcinol has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and hence it can inhibit intestinal cancer cell growth. This garcinol is present in kokum fruit.

2) It promotes cell regeneration and repair.

3) Regenerates fat metabolism.

4) It contains Hydroxy Acetic Acid (HCA) that helps to decrease the rate of conversion of excessive carbohydrate into fats.

5) It also helps in suppression of fatty acid synthesis and lypogenesis and thus, bringing about weight loss.

6) It is known to fight cholesterol strengthens the cardio-vascular system and stabilizes liver function.

7) Kokum aids to weight loss. The active ingredient Hydroxy Acetic Acid (HCA) has been found to be a good anti-obesity agent as it suppresses lipogenesis and converts excess calories into glycogen thus bringing about weight loss.

8) Kokum juice improves the digestion and appetite. It is also used to treat piles and dysentery.

9) It helps to reduce fever and allergic reactions.

10) It can relieve you from gastric problems like acidity, flatulence, constipation and indigestion.

11) It has anthelmintic and anti-ulcer properties.

12) It is low in calories and contains no saturated fats or cholesterol and is rich in dietary fibre.

13) Fresh kokum fruit is a rich source of B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, niacin and folates. 

14) Kokum juice improves the digestion and appetite. It is also used to treat piles and dysentery.

15) Kokum juice is very popular in India especially during hot  summer. It is delicious and has a cooling effect on the body. It is very refreshing drink. It not only quenches your thirst, but also helps to prevents dehydration and sunstroke due to heat. 

Healthy Berry: Kokum

Kokum is a purple berry whose seeds, rind, bark, root, juice, pulp; all have a myriad of health benefits. Read on to know more about these wonder berries…

Native of the Western ghats and Konkan region, this tangy berry is little spoken about. Kokum is a purple berry whose seeds, rind, bark, root, juice, pulp; all have a myriad of health benefits. Kokum, which belongs to the mangosteen family, is a no-fuss crop, which is rain fed, disease free, and is almost a “zero-attention” crop says a research done by the Goa University. Read on to know more about these wonder berries…

Nutrition Profile
Kokum is low in calories, contains no saturated fats or cholesterol and is rich in dietary fibre

http://osoda.webs.com/It is rich in vitamin C which is a powerful anti-oxidant

Fresh Kokum fruit is a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, niacin and folates. These vitamins are co-factors in many of the biochemical reactions and they also have other important roles to play in the system

Kokum is a den to minerals like potassium, manganese and magnesium. Potassium helps control heart rate and blood pressure; thus offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases

Health benefits
Digestion: Kokum is normally used to combat digestive problems like flatulence, acidity and constipation. It is also used in the treatment of piles and anal fissures. It is also used to stimulate the appetite and has anti-helmintic properties (removes worms like ascaris from the stomach).

Healing wounds: Kokum infusions are used to treat rashes, chaffing, burns and scalds. Kokum paste and oil are often applied to open wounds to fasten the healing process.

Reduces body heat: Kokum has long been known as a cool refreshing drink in the scorching summer heat. It reduces sunstrokes and prevents dehydration. It is a great thirst quencher and is also known to reduce fever.

Skin care: Kokum butter is gaining rapid popularity. It is an intensive skin moisturizer. Its effects are miraculous on dry, chapped, sensitive or irritated skin.

Cardio-care: Kokum rind contains hydroxycitric acid, which is used to lower cholesterol. The anti-inflammatory properties of kokum prevent the onset of heart diseases.

Fights obesity: Kokum is a strong anti-obesity agent as it suppresses lipogenesis - synthesis of fatty acids and food consumption. By doing these activities, kokum brings about weight loss. Reducing inflammation in obese people is a treatment goal and kokum does this wonderfully well.

Anti-cancer: According to the Journal of Oncology and Haemotology, Garcinol, present in kokum, can inhibit intestinal cancer cell growth without affecting normal cells. Garcinol also has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce the cancer causing reactive oxygen species.

Selection
Kokum is available fresh during summer. Fully matured deep purple coloured fruits are picked up either by hand or by means of hooking to prevent damage. Injury to outer skin results in percolation of bitter latex into the edible flesh which makes the whole fruit bitter and inedible. While buying, look for fresh fruits that feel heavy in hand with firm green calyx at the stem end and bright purple colour skin as they indicate freshness. Avoid those appearing dry and blotched skin as they indicate old stock.

Dried Kokum is easily available in most of the groceries and supermarkets. The rinds may be soaked in hot water for a few hours to extract the juice similar to tamarind. Alternatively, you could add a few pieces of the dried rind to curries and gravies to give that subtle flavour change.

Culinary uses
Kokum fruit is an ideal snack by itself. Adding a little salt and chilly powder can make it yummier.

Seasoning: the rind and the pulp are often dried and then pulverized into a powder. This sweet and sour combo is a great addition to a number of dishes, both hot and cold. It is mostly used in curry dishes, especially fish. Sometimes it is added to vegetables to give a different flavour and taste. Kokum powder can also be added to juices and sodas, to give a tangy kick.

Canning: The heat resistant nature of kokum makes it an ideal canning agent. Pickles, chutneys and relishes often contain a dash of kokum, providing a little extra bite to the flavour of the canned item. Kokum is also added to prevent spoilage.

Food colour: The anthocyanins present in the rind provide a dark purple colour. Its use in the area of food coloration is being explored.

Reetha : Eco Detergent that grows on trees!

Household Uses of Soap Nuts ( Sapindus Mukkorossi)

More Than Detergent

The primary use of soap nuts remains as a laundry detergent. However, given its impressive cleaning properties, it's no wonder why they've also been identified for other purposes -- including shampoo, a spot treatment, and jewelry cleaner.

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A 100% natural product, soap nuts are available in dried-fruit form, as well as in powders and liquids. From the dried fruit shells, you can create your own powder and liquid versions from scratch.

Featured in The New York Times* in a piece done on "green and clean" laundry, soap nuts are today recognized the world over for their natural, eco-friendly ability to clean clothes. Yet did you know that with the same solution, you could clean practically everything in your home? It's true. How many commercial detergents can ascribe to that? Answer: None.

To get you started on your soap-nuts cleaning, here is the liquid recipe and a few ideas to ponder and experiment with:

How to make Soap Nut Liquid

Boil 10-12 soap nuts in 6 cups of water for 30 minutes until it is boiled down to 4 cups. Put 1/4 cup liquid into the laundry. Tip: its best to make smaller batches as it can spoil without preservatives.

All purpose cleaner: Boil soap nuts and separate the pulp from liquid with a strainer. Add the solution to a spray bottle and use for cleaning surfaces, windows, mirrors, and stovetops.

Steam-cleaning spot treatment: Add your soap-nuts solution to a portable steam cleaner. Though soap nuts have no fragrance, they can help remove odors from fabrics, such as curtains and upholstery.

Liquid hand soap: A water basin of warm water and a few soaked soap nuts can serve as a wash for your hands and face. For more foam though, add the solution to a portable foaming pump-bottle and use is anywhere.

Shampoo: Though soap nuts do not lather as much as commercial shampoos do, they do clean well and are safe for both humans and pets.

CAUTION: if the liquid gets into the eyes of it will sting, please be careful.

Jewelry cleaner: Regular dishwashing liquid has long been used as a convenient jewelry cleaner; soap nuts can be used in the same way. Soak jewelry in a solution of soap nuts and warm water and use a soft-bristle toothbrush to loosen any dirt.

Dishwasher soap: Add vinegar to the load as a rinsing agent and wash dishes as you normally would.

Vegetable wash: Being a fruit and 100% natural, you won't need to fear washing your vegetables with chemicals when using soap nuts.

Pest repellant: Works on various pests, such as mosquitoes. Soak the soap nuts, strain the liquid, and add to a spray bottle. Apply to arms and legs before going outdoors.Also works to get rid of pests on house and garden plants.

Unlike Other Cleaners

Unlike other cleaners, soap nuts do not rely on lab-created chemicals to do the job. Rather, the naturally-occurring saponin in their shells is all that's needed. Also, since soap nuts do not lather as much as commercial detergents, less water is needed to rinse their suds away. Using soap nuts enables you to reduce, reuse, and recycle -- the three R's of the environment.

For those with allergies, soap nuts are also ideal. As a hypoallergenic product, they can be used for most any purpose, from laundry to cleaning the windows. The residue left behind won't trigger common allergies, nor agitate sensitive skin. For babies and people with skin conditions, such as psoriasis, soap nuts can quell any and all concerns.

As a household cleaner, the nuts can be used in every room. And in the end, once you've used and reused your shells, you can simply return them to the Earth. If you already have a compost pile for your garden, soap nuts are a perfect addition. Biodegradable, the shells are far from being waste.

A Final Household Tip

As noted, soap-nut shells can be crushed into powder or boiled and strained into liquid. However, another approach is to freeze the liquid into cubes. For laundry, take a few cubes and toss them in your muslin bag. Since the saponin of the nuts has already been released, you can use the cubes in cold, warm, or hot washes. For spot cleaning, simply melt the cubes, add them to a spray bottle, and start spritzing.

"Its Good for you , your family and the environment."

Why choose Organic Foods and Natural Cosmetics?

Organic, un-adulterated foods have formed the basis of our human diet through the ages. It is only in recent times that we have been subjected to countless man-made chemicals found in our food and in the environment. Chemical farming inputs and "factory farming" became popular in the middle of the last century as a way to maximize crop yields. Today, our world pays a large price for these practices, which have resulted in environmental and economic imbalances. What happens to the health of the animals, plants, micro-organisms, soil, oceans, and atmosphere, also affects human beings. There is no one who is immune to the effects of an unhealthy environment, no matter how much technology or wealth they may possess.

“A growing body of research shows that pesticides and other contaminants are more prevalent in the foods we eat, in our bodies, and in the environment than we thought. And studies show that by eating organic foods, you can reduce your exposure to the potential health risks associated with those chemicals." Consumer Reports (Feb. 2006)

In an increasingly polluted urban environment, where our water, air and food are contaminated, keeping healthy has become something of a challenge. Our exploding urban population is starting to show signs of the damage being done by rapidly changing lifestyles, poor diet and lack of exercise. When the food we eat is polluted, we carry that pollution in our bodies, some of it remains there, accumulates and eventually causes diseases. Obesity, diabetes and heart disease are on the rise.

Our children are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of agricultural toxins as they consume a higher percentage in relation to their size. The average child receives four times more exposure to at least eight widely used cancer causing pesticides found in food than the average adult does.

The foundation for healthy plants and animals is healthy soil. Organic farming practices help protect water quality, prevent soil erosion, maintain and enhance seed, crop and ecological biodiversity. Organic food is free from the highly toxic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and growth hormones used in intensive farming and they are also free of artificial colourings, flavourings, additives, sweeteners and the thousands of other unwanted and unnecessary chemicals used in food.

A study published by the Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry found that organic produce contains higher levels of disease-fighting antioxidants than conventional produce. They are safer and more nutritious because of the higher vitamin and mineral concentrations. Organic food is free from artificial additives that can cause osteoporosis, heart disease and hyperactivity. There is in fact, only food in organic food.

Why use Natural Cosmetics

For most of us the use of cosmetic and personal care products is an every day affair. We use creams, shampoos, lotions, happily unaware that they may contain a cocktail of chemicals and preservatives. Your skin is the largest eliminatory organ in the body and has the remarkable ability to absorb applied products, partially or completely, into the bloodstream. Up to 60% of what we put onto our skin may be absorbed into the bloodstream. This is good news if all the skin care products you are using are beneficial and free from chemicals and preservatives. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

According to "The Environmental Working Group":

· More than one-third of all personal care products contain
at least one ingredient linked to cancer.

· 57 percent contain "penetration enhancer" chemicals that
can drive other ingredients faster and deeper into the skin
to the blood vessels below.

· 70 percent of all products contain ingredients that may
contain harmful impurities such as known carcinogens,
according to FDA or industry reviews.

So, the more cosmetics you use on your skin, the more chemicals you are likely to absorb.

As more information becomes available on the impact of long term effects of chemicals and pesticides in the quality of our lives, more and more people are becoming concerned about the quality of the food they eat, the teas they drink and the cosmetics they use, and they are waking up to the fact that there are healthier alternatives available.

Our range of food, herbal infusions and cosmetics are grown and processed without the use of any pesticides, chemicals and preservatives.

For many farmers and consumers, organic represents the values that are most important to them. When you choose organic, you’re not only protecting your family’s health and standard of living, but supporting sustainable agriculture, clean air and water for future generations as well.

Wake up to the Joy of living!!

"Perfection of character consists in this; living each day as if it were the last, and spending each moment in peace." —Marcus Aurelius

What would you do differently if you knew today was your last day to live? What if you knew you had only a week, a month, or a year of life left? Staring mortality in the face tends to focus the mind and change priorities. People who have had near-death experiences or who have been given terminal diagnoses often describe a transformation in which they comprehend the preciousness of everyday life. They re-order priorities with the recognition of what is truly important, and they want to squeeze the juice out of the remaining days of their life.

What a shame it is to wait for a life-threatening event to wake up to the joy of living. There is no reason to wait. Wake up now! Think about your life, what you do, what you say, what you haven't said. What if your life was cut short? What would you have hoped to do or say?

Moment to moment, be open to the experience of the Now. You've got to relax for this. You have to be still sometimes to see and hear the wonder around you. Notice the little things. There is joy to be had watching a robin seeking breakfast, or in observing the movement of leaves in the wind, or watching children at play. Look at the sky. There is the beauty of the blue sky and the ever-changing clouds. That airplane full of tourists flying over—tap into the excitement on board. Share their joy in their adventure.

You will not get all of your wishes, whether you die today or 100 years from now. That means you should enjoy what you've got. So many people have so much less than you do. Do you appreciate what you have? Have you got your health? Do you have some relationships that work or could be made to work? Do you get enough to eat? Do you have a place to sleep? If the answers are yes, you are fortunate. Living fully means being grateful for all that supports you in living.

From time to time, remember to be grateful. Every day, take time to cherish small moments. Breathe mindfully. Walk mindfully. Eat mindfully. Tell those that matter to you that they do. Use your gifts.