Month: July 2016

Grow Your Own Chicken with SuperMeat

Do you remember the movie Back to the Future Part II? Grandma brings over a 3 inch Pizza Hut pizza, pops it into a Black & Decker hydrator, and poof, it grows into a full-size, extra-large pizza. Well, 2015 has come and gone, and while many of the movie’s technological predictions have come to pass, the Black & Decker hydrator and hoverboards that hover weren’t among them. But something new is in the works that would be worthy of any futuristic scenario. Imagine popping a piece of animal tissue into your  SuperMeat machine and growing a chicken breast. Restaurants will do it. Grocery stores will do it. And you will be able to do it at home, too!  It won’t be as fast as Grandma’s pizza, of course, but you won’t have to kill an animal to chow down on chicken tenders.

According to SuperMeat, a new Israeli start-up company, the benefits are profound. First of all, it will stop the slaughter and inhumane treatment of animals. If you don’t know what is going on in today’s industrialized meat production, we are raising sick animals in horrific inhumane and overcrowded conditions, feeding them GMO foods and antibiotics, and denying them any quality of life before butchering them, again, in inhumane ways.

Growing meat from tissue samples will have a tremendous environmental impact if it replaces current conventional practices. Compared to today’s meat industry, SuperMeat says this new technology will require:

  • 99% less land
  • 96% fewer greenhouse gases
  • 96% less water

Putting an end to conventional practices will greatly protect our water sources as well. Runoff waste from factory farming pollutes rivers, streams, and groundwater.

It will be so much cheaper to grow tissue than it is to raise and slaughter an animal, the lower costs alone will help solve world hunger. In addition, land currently used to grow crops to feed livestock can be used to feed people. It is often said that eliminating meat consumption would easily allow us to feed the world.

SuperMeat also claims their product will be healthier than conventional meat because we will have control over its production.

SuperMeat is in its initial start-up phase. They are currently seeking investors. CEO and Co-Founder, Koby Barak expects their meat growing device will reach the marketplace within five years.

Sources:

Improve Your Pet’s Health with Massage Therapy

pure breed golden color dog laying relaxed on a massage table isolated on white background

Celebrities enjoy lavishing their pets with some rather extraordinary treatments and considerations through dog studios and pet spas. One popular treatment offered by cat and canine spa retreats is massage. With all the outlandish pet pampering of the rich and famous, it comes across as a ridiculous trendy hype, but this method of special treatment wasn’t conjured up as some Hollywood pet money-making scheme. Actually, animal massage began pushing its way into the mainstream back in the 70s when a massage therapist named Jack Meager used his skills to massage race horses. People laughed back then, but over the years the visible benefits of therapeutic touch have become clear, and the idea has produced scientific studies, college classes, and even animal massage schools. If you’re not massaging your furry friend, there are clear reasons for you to start today.

Circulation

If you’ve had a professional massage, you’re surely familiar with how a good massage puts you into a coma-like state. We simply dub this effect as “relaxation,” but massage is about much more than loosening up muscles – for humans or dogs. Therapeutic touch literally calms the body by lowering blood pressure. In addition to this benefit, it also increases blood flow to joints and tissues. This is an enormous benefit because the stimulation of movement within stiff and stagnant points in the body will allow fresh and revitalizing fluids to make their way back in so that they can do important repairs. Thus the pains of inflammation are eased, and the circulation improves, enabling proper physical and cellular function.

Physical Health

Given the help offered to circulation, massage obviously benefits sore and tired muscles. But the pros go even deeper into the tissues. Proper circulation ensures that the blood can effectively transport oxygen and nutrients, and that contributes to immunity, digestion, metabolism, and energy as much as healing and repair. When it comes down to it, massage is as much a tool for healing and repair as it is an anti-aging treatment — and it can both slow and ease degenerative and inflammatory diseases. Maybe even prevent them all together.

Prevention

The hard thing about maintaining your pet’s health lies in knowing what isn’t right with them. A healthy diet combined with regular exercise is imperative in making this happen. Issues can still flare up though, and that’s where massage steps in. Massaging your pet gets you familiar with their body, so you’re able to recognize swelling and injury that might otherwise escape your attention. It may not seem like much, but detecting abnormalities early allows for interventions that can reduce the issue or resolve it entirely. The longer a health problem goes, the more serious it becomes. Early detection means everything when it comes to avoiding fixable pains and potentially-disastrous health conditions. In fact, health experts like Dr. Mercola argue that many diseases simply couldn’t exist without inflammation. So, massage may be a means of prevention in and of itself.

Mental Health & Well-Being

Therapeutic touch does great things for the body, and affectionate touch does amazing things for both the mind and soul. Massage produces a state of bliss and relaxation which can promote trust as much as appreciation. A good kneading session will only deepen the animal-human bond you have with your pet. Such a connection has a powerful effect on how we cope with anxiety, stress, and our emotions. Thus, the benefits apply to both you and your favorite animal.

How

If you’re interested in massaging your pet, it only requires basic massage techniques and as little as 5-10 minutes of your time. Older or injured animals will be in need of extra care, and will certainly benefit from therapeutic touch. Consult with your vet for special considerations and then research the modifications that can maximize the health affects of your massage efforts. You can start by taking a look at the resources listed below.

Further Reading:
Sources:

Vegan Cucumber & Artichoke Salad Dressing

When I made the decision to embrace a vegan diet, I knew what I would miss the most – feta cheese in my salads.

You see, we eat salads – nice big ones- every single day. Raw vegetables are the basis of a healthy diet, so we go all out. Our salads are filled with a large variety of vegetables. Typically they include the following: spinach, kale, collard greens, beet tops, chard, red cabbage, red peppers, onions, leeks, and garlic, along with shredded carrots, beets, zucchini, and daikon radishes. Meat, eggs, and beans are optional.

We top our salads with nuts and seeds, olives, raisins, feta cheese,  avocado, turmeric, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. The combination of textures and flavors is to die for.  They are so good, these salads never get boring, even if they are the same day after day. It’s not at all like eating those old lettuce based salads. But when I cut out the cheese, my salads didn’t taste right. Suddenly they were bland and boring.

I took out the raisins and added cucumber and tomatoes, but it still wasn’t working for me. I knew I needed to create a new salad dressing. Before I’m done, I will probably create a few. This was the first.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium size cucumbers
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1/2 jar of marinated artichokes with 1/2 the liquid.
  • 2 heaping TBLS of vegan mayo (Just Mayo is what I used)
  • 2 TBLS dried parsley
  • 1 teas frrsh cracked pepper
  • 1 teas salt

Instructions

  • Cut the ends off the cucumbers. Leave the peels on.
  • Peel the onion and garlic. Chop or slice the cucumbers, onion, and garlic.
  • Throw them in the blender and add the other ingredients. Blend until the ingredients are liquefied.
  • Store in a jar in the refrigerator.

Salads are wonderful again. Who needs cheese?

To learn more about a healthy diet and how to heal your gut, check out the articles below.

Further Reading:

How Much and When Should You Water Your Trees?

SONY DSC

A large giant is lurking around your home, just waiting for a little attention. And chances are you rarely think about its needs.

While an arborist spends his days thinking carefully about the future of the forests around him, it’s something homeowners rarely do. After all, we have to-do lists a mile long. If something isn’t causing a problem, why worry about it?

Unless you’ve recently dug a hole, visited a nursery, selected a new tree, and planted it in the ground, watering probably hasn’t entered into your mind. Most of your trees were a part of  your landscaping before you purchased your home.They’re just there. They grow. Why worry about them?

But think for a moment about all they go through. Relentless rainstorms and huge shifts in climate: fall, winter, and spring. Inch after inch of rain soaking into their root systems. Winds that cause the boughs of trees to sway back and forth. And finally, the heat of the summer, where the sun shines down day after day, sometimes breaking records with heatwaves that quickly bring ninety degree days over and over again. It’s only natural that we assume trees can handle life on their own. After all, they’ve lived here on earth a lot longer than we have. And they’ll be here long after we’re gone.

A tree in the wild is different than one we keep in our landscaping. When we choose to make a tree a part of our décor, it takes more than Mother Nature to keep it alive and in peak condition. Tree watering is an important aspect of that process. It’s important to understand when a tree needs a little extra help.

Newly Planted Trees

This is the point in time where we spend the most amount of time caring for a tree. When you plant it, you understand that it needs a little extra attention. So you watch over it, giving it extra care along the way.

For most of us, we plant a new tree when the weather is at its best. Spring, summer, and fall are the perfect times to change things up in the garden and bring in a new tree to add to the view.

Select the final spot carefully, making sure it has plenty of room to grow in the coming years. Dig the hole deep enough to cover the root system, with plenty of space to spread out. Then add water to the hole as you fill it up. Be sure to give it a thorough soaking after the process is complete.

Then continue to water your new tree in the coming weeks.  A new tree can begin wilting long before it shows up its leaves. An extra soaking every few days will help it take root and give it strength as it takes hold.

The First Two Years

Trees are most vulnerable the first two years after planting. This is when they do the most expanding. This is when substantial growth takes place. Its root system is spreading out, taking place deep within the soil.

During the first few months, it will have trouble dealing with heat and drought. If you plant in the summer, make sure you give your new tree extra water during dry spells or days of intense heat.

Don’t forget to track moisture throughout the first two years as well. Some years we get more than our fair share of moisture. Other years, we can go weeks at a time with hardly a drop of rain in sight. Keep track of the rainfall. If we experience more than a couple of weeks without significant moisture, add extra water.

You can also help keep the ground wet my adding wood-chip mulch around the base of the tree. This helps the water move deep into the soil, and stay moist for longer periods of time.

Is There Such a Thing As Too Much?

Just like not enough water can harm a tree, too much of a good thing can cause its own set of problems.

Overwatering a tree is a common mistake, especially in a newer tree. Keeping the ground moist is different than allowing it to become soggy. Moist soil that is allowed to dry out for short periods of time will allow oxygen to penetrate the ground and feed the root system.

As a general rule of thumb, thirty seconds of a steady water flow around the base of the tree will provide adequate water to the roots. And if you’ve added mulch around the base, it will keep the moisture where it belongs.

If you aren’t sure if the ground is moist enough, there’s an easy way to check. Using a garden tool, dig about two inched into the ground, making a small trench for you to access. Place your finger to touch the soil and determine its water content. If it’s moist, it doesn’t need additional water.

Trees Over Two Years Old

Once a tree has been on the ground for more than two years, it has been established into the ground. This means it can handle a wider variety of conditions with ease. It has the proper root structure in place to handle heat and drought in an easier manner.

However, you can still base watering needs on conditions. When we set records for most days over ninety degrees or most days without rain showers, reach out to your trees and provide them with a little extra nourishment. An extra drink of water will help keep them strong.

Planning for the Future

Whether you are planting trees in a new home in a new community or are simply ensuring success with trees that have been in your yard for years, taking action now can ensure their health for years to come.

If you’ve experienced droughts in the past, plant drought-tolerant species whenever you plant new trees. That will give you an advantage in the years to come if conditions continue.

Beautiful Skin from the Inside Out with Vitamin C

Who doesn’t want radiant, clear skin? Unfortunately, as we age, that healthy glow isn’t always so easy to attain. As our skin ages, it becomes thinner and more fragile. Fine lines begin to show.

While a “less perfect” appearance of skin is completely normal and a healthy part of aging, it’s important to note that we do have the ability to greatly influence our skin’s appearance and health through the food and beverage choices we make. One starring role in creating healthy, beautiful skin is the ever present and often abundant vitamin C.

Understanding Skin Damage

Skin damage happens because of stressors such as age, pollution, and UV radiation due to a process called oxidization. Oxidization occurs when a molecule that has been exposed to a stressor such as tobacco smoke becomes unstable. This molecule then seeks to steal an electron from a healthy cell in order to become stable. This is where vitamin C steps in.

Vitamin C is an Antioxidant

According to Gabriella Weisbom, Certified Nutritional Practitioner (CNP) at Elements Wellness Centre in Vancouver, Canada, antioxidants are our body’s natural mechanism to help neutralize free radicals. Weisbom explains that free radicals are reactive and unstable atoms that can damage cells throughout the body and that vitamin C and other antioxidants help prevent that damage. “Antioxidants protect skin by limiting the production of free radicals which reduces damage to the skin cells,” Weisbom says.

Basically, an antioxidant donates an electron to a free radical to prevent oxidization from occurring, so that a free radical becomes stable and leaves the healthy cells alone.

Vitamin C Helps to Synthesize Collagen

Collagen is an important part of our skin’s health. It’s a protein that creates our skin’s firmness, and as we age, we produce less of it. However, increasing your vitamin C intake helps collagen production because “Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen, which is a structural component of skin,” according to Weisbom.

One thing to keep in mind: vitamin C is water soluble — meaning it’s not stored in our bodies — and needs to be replenished daily.  “If you don’t get the proper amount of vitamin C, collagen production will slow, making skin more susceptible to wrinkles and aging,” states Weisbom. Therefore, increasing your intake of vitamin C, will greatly help the production of collagen in your skin, as well as neutralize the harmful effects of antioxidants.

What are the best sources to get vitamin C? The grocery store is a great place to start. Weisbom mentions that oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, papaya, strawberries, pineapple, kiwifruit, and cantaloupe are all excellent sources of vitamin C. Vegetables like bell peppers, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, squash, and green beans also provide vitamin C, according to Weisbom.

Because vitamin C is heat sensitive, “…it’s best if you consume these foods raw to get the most benefit! If you prefer them cooked, I suggest cooking them at a low heat without exposing them to too much water,” says Weisbom.

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is a great starting point for many who wish to up their intake of vitamin C; however, what if someone isn’t able to eat enough of these regularly? Is the average vitamin C tablet a good option?

Vitamin C Tablet

Weisbom strongly suggests that consumers do their own research on tablets as a form of vitamin C supplementation. Along with double checking the vitamin C tablet’s ingredients, to make sure you’re not allergic or that other medications (you may be on) won’t negatively impact you, “You also want to be certain there are no filler chemicals added as binding agents,” says Weisbom. In order to figure out which tablet is best for you, always talk to your health care professional or nutritional store staff.

Traditional oral supplements don’t always provide the best vitamin C absorption because the vitamin is held in a capsule that is rapidly disintegrated by the acids in your stomach. This poses a threat to your body’s ability to absorb vitamin C, according to natural health’s website DrMercola.com.

There’s an alternative to tablets called liposomal vitamin C, which, because of its make-up, presents bioavailability advantages over traditional oral C supplements. It is more easily and fully absorbed by your body, explains Weisbom. In addition, with high levels of traditional oral vitamin C, gastrointestinal distress can occur, and liposomal technology reduces this.

With all of this in mind, how can the average person fit more vitamin C into their life? Weisbom suggests these three strategies:

  1. Be prepared. Always have fruit high in vitamin C on hand for snacking. Fruit such as oranges, grapefruits, and kiwis are a hand held one stop shop for increasing your intake of vitamin C.
  2. Supercharge your breakfast with vitamin C.  Add fresh or frozen berries to your smoothies.
  3. Get cultural. Eat fermented vegetables (such as kimchi and sauerkraut) because they are an excellent source of vitamin C.

What should you expect if you increase your intake of vitamin C? According to Weisbom, “Tighter, smoother and glowing skin.”

Recommended Reading:
Related Products:
Sources: