The Dirty Dozen – The Top 12 Foods to Buy Organic>>>

If you can afford for everything in your eco-friendly shopping bag to be organic, then I say “go for it.” But let’s face it, organic produce can be expensive, and in this economy money isn’t exactly growing on pesticide-free trees.

Buying organic doesn’t have to be an all or nothing experience. Recently, my friend and her husband were thrust into a “penny-pinching panic” when they noticed the price tags at the – “expensive” – Whole Foods Market. Instead of swapping out some of the organic food for non-organic items, they dumped their basket and ran.

Many people don’t know that while certain foods really should be organic – usually because they contain high levels of hormones or pesticide residue – you’re not sealing your fate if everything on your plate isn’t 100% naturally grown. Generally, the rule with fruit and veggies is “the thicker the skin, the less pesticides they let in.” But like all rules they are made to be broken, and there are always exceptions.

Take the panic out of shopping organic – download and print the wallet size “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides,” or download the new iPhone app. There is also a great slide show on The Daily Green that includes advice on buying organic meats, grains, and dairy (foods that can contain high levels of hormones and antibiotics).

If buying organic isn’t in your budget, then fudge it, and stick to purchasing items on the Clean 15 list. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), by avoiding the “Dirty Dozen,” and sticking to the produce listed on the “Clean 15,” you can reduce your pesticide exposure by 80%.

The Dirty Dozen (starting with the worst offender):

1. Peach

2. Apple

3. Bell Pepper

4. Celery

5. Nectarine

6. Strawberries

7. Cherries

8. Kale

9. Lettuce

10. Grapes (Imported)

11. Carrot

12. Pear

The Clean 15 (starting with the best):

1. Onion

2. Avocado

3. Sweet Corn

4. Pineapple

5. Mango

6. Asparagus

7. Sweet Peas

8. Kiwi

9. Cabbage

10. Eggplant

11. Papaya

12. Watermelon

13. Broccoli

14. Tomato

15. Sweet Potato

Wellness Everlasting!!!

On my Radar>>THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS TRAILER

Looking Different 'Helps Animals To Survive'

In the animal kingdom, everything is not as it seems. Individuals of the same species can look very different from each other – what biologists term ‘polymorphism.’

Sometimes the number of distinct visible forms – ‘exuberant polymorphisms’ – in a single animal population can reach double figures. But why? Scientists at the University of York have developed computer models that may help to explain how this level of variation arises and persists.

A prime example of an exuberant polymorphism is the Hawaiian Happy-face Spider, which has been studied by Dr Geoff Oxford and colleagues in the University’s Department of Biology. The variations range from a common plain yellow form to rare types sporting red, black or white marks, all of which are inherited. Dr Oxford said: “It has always been a real mystery why every population of this spider across different Hawaiian islands contains such high levels of variation. This was the starting point for our models.”

Previously scientists believed that ‘apostatic predation’ was the most likely explanation for polymorphisms. This process involves predators developing mental search images of the appearance of the most common prey, so they are more likely to overlook prey of a different appearance. A strange consequence is that looking different from others stops an individual from standing out. This results in evolutionary selection on the prey to look different from the most common form.

However, the York researchers found that apostatic selection could not explain the sheer number of distinct forms involved in the exuberant polymorphisms of some species, but that ‘dietary wariness’ could. Dietary wariness is a hesitancy of predators to consume a novel food item and a consequent reluctance to incorporate it into their regular diet. The new research suggests that a modest level of predator dietary wariness can, on its own, lead to the maintenance of large numbers distinct prey forms within a single species.

Dr Daniel Franks, of the University’s York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, said: “A mutant prey individual that looks different from its fellows has a survival advantage because it will be unfamiliar to predators that will be reluctant to change their diet to accommodate it. Some prey species have evolved polymorphisms to deter predators by presenting them with a large number of visually novel foods.”

Pharoah Sanders - Thembi

Recorded with two different ensembles, Thembi was a departure from the slowly developing, side-long, mantra-like grooves Pharoah Sanders had been pursuing for most of his solo career. It's musically all over the map but, even if it lacks the same consistency of mood as many of Sanders' previous albums, it does offer an intriguingly wide range of relatively concise ideas, making it something of an anomaly in Sanders' prime period. Over the six selections, Sanders romps through a tremendous variety of instruments, including tenor, soprano, alto flute, fifes, the African bailophone, assorted small percussion, and even a cow horn. Perhaps because he's preoccupied elsewhere, there's relatively little of his trademark tenor screaming, limited mostly to the thunderous cacophony of "Red, Black & Green" and portions of "Morning Prayer." The compositions, too, try all sorts of different things. Keyboardist/pianist Lonnie Liston Smith's "Astral Traveling" is a shimmering, pastoral piece centered around his electric piano textures; "Love" is an intense, five-minute bass solo by Cecil McBee; and "Morning Prayer" and "Bailophone Dance" (which are segued together) add an expanded percussion section devoted exclusively to African instruments. If there's a unifying factor, it's the classic title track, which combines the softer lyricism of Sanders' soprano and Michael White's violin with the polyrhythmic grooves of the most Africanized material (not to mention a catchy bass riff). Some fans may gripe that Thembi isn't conceptually unified or intense enough, but it's rare to have this many different sides of Sanders coexisting in one place, and that's what makes the album such an interesting listen. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Antipodes>>>

Though the hype over bottled water has chilled out in recent years, there are some brands that are still worth talking about. Antipodes is undoubtedly at the top of this short list. This Kiwi born and bred bottled water company prides itself on purity and simplicity, from its New Zealand-based source to its minimalist labels. And even if you can’t tell the difference in taste between one bottled water and the next, the design and concept behind Antipodes clearly stands out on the shelf — or table, as it were.

Offered exclusively in restaurants, Antipodes short, stout look was designed to cleanly reflect the purity of that which flowed insides. And since this plump bottle is most often gracing the tables of local hotspots, buyers can scour the companies website for exceptional restaurants and bars around the world where Antipodes is served. Who ever said bottled water was passé?

More HERE

Salute

Just shouting them out for a friend, a brother, a cousin.... The Sartorialists put in work. Influence, design, and trend watch....salute to the Sartorialist...Check them HERE

Just Some Pics for the Day.......

Delight in all your days....Bless

10 Reasons to Eat More Ginger>>

Ginger has been used as a natural remedy for many ailments for centuries. Now, science is catching up and researchers around the world are finding that ginger works wonders in the treatment of everything from cancer to migraines. Here are ten health benefits of this powerful herb:

Ovarian Cancer Treatment
Ginger may be powerful weapon in the treatment of ovarian cancer. A study conducted at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that ginger powder induces cell death in all ovarian cancer cells to which it was applied.

Colon Cancer Prevention
A study at the University of Minnesota found that ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells.

Morning Sickness
A review of several studies has concluded that ginger is just as effective as vitamin B6 in the treatment of morning sickness.

Motion Sickness Remedy
Ginger has been shown to be an effective remedy for the nausea associated with motion sickness.

Reduces Pain and Inflammation
One study showed that ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and is a powerful natural painkiller.

Heartburn Relief
Ginger has long been used as a natural heartburn remedy. It is most often taken in the form of tea for this purpose.

Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment
Ginger has long been used as a natural treatment for colds and the flu. Many people also find ginger to be helpful in the case of stomach flus or food poisoning, which is not surprising given the positive effects ginger has upon the digestive tract.

Migraine Relief
Research has shown that ginger may provide migraine relief due to its ability to stop prostaglandins from causing pain and inflammation in blood vessels.

Menstrual Cramp Relief
In Chinese medicine, ginger tea with brown sugar is used in the treatment of menstrual cramps.

Prevention of Diabetic Nephropathy
A study done on diabetic rats found that those rats given ginger had a reduced incidence of diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage).

Peter Jansen

Based on his ideas on transposition and movement the artist Peter Jansen uses shapes of the human body to create energetic spaces. In his earlier works he focused on open spaces, created almost free of matter and weight. In his recent sculptures he captures sequences of human movements in space and time, in a single frame.

Photographer Haran Kumar

Photographer Haran Kumar has a special affinity with the street kids he shoots in New Delhi — not so long ago, he was right there amongst them. After fleeing an unhappy family situation in 1994, Haran joined the throngs of homeless children who live in and around New Dehli railway station. Eventually he was plucked from the tracks by aid organisation Salaam Balak Trust and given another chance at school before becoming part of Dutch photography project Home/Live — providing cameras and instruction to homeless kids in 11 cities around the world.

A photographer was born, and seven years later, Haram has hosted exhibitions in Holland, the UK and South Africa while shooting for international newspapers and ad agencies. He continues to focus on the subject he knows all too well – Indian street life: ‘I wanted to portray the dreams, desires and aspirations of people who lived on the streets. It was a life I had led, a life that had made me tough. A life that changed my inner personality and my outer perspective’.

Bike Day>>

The OX from LifeInABox Productions on Vimeo.

Alpe d'Huez is one of the main climbs and has been a stage finish in the Tour de France almost every year since 1976. The first was in 1952, won by Fausto Coppi, at a time when most cyclists were riding Brooks Saddles. The pattern of the Alpe d’Huez impressed on this saddle has been designed by Dan Funderburgh, a wallpaper designer and artist in Brooklyn, NY. His patterns, prints and installations are varied in content but all demonstrate an unabashed love for decorative arts. With influences ranging from Moorish mosaic to American pop art, the work is a repudiation of the fabricated schism between art and decoration. Some of Dan’s work can be found in the collections of the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum and the Miami Museum of Modern Art. Dan loves bicycles and has created wallpaper patterns with bicycle parts.

Link Brooks Saddles HERE

2009 Raw Spirit Festival East

Bless...if you happen to be on the east coast and have an interest in raw and living foods, this might be something for you to get into. The Raw Spirit Festival is a 2 day affair happening August 29th-30th, it usually takes place more on the west coast but, this year they have added Upper Marlboro, Maryland to their repertoire. Its 2 days of music, educational sessions, yoga and meditation classes, raw and living food demos, speakers, and vendors far and wide sharing the newest innovations in living foods and products. Please check www.rawspirit.com for more details. Bless and Be well....

Blesssed Saturday: Mos Def: Umi Says:

I don't think I will ever grow tired of this song...Bless...Enjoy

Ayurvedic Healing: The Benefits of Sesame Seed Oil

Conventionally, sesame seed oil is used for high heat cooking, stir frying and in Asian cuisine, specifically. In Ayurveda, it is referred to as "The Queen of Oils" and has been used internally and topically for thousands of years. It is mentioned in the Vedas as "the golden serum" for humans. Sesame oil is naturally antibacterial for common skin pathogens, such as staphylococcus and streptococcus. It is antiviral and anti-inflammatory. Research proves that sesame oil is a potent antioxidant. In the tissues beneath the skin, this oil will neutralize oxygen radicals which, is beneficial for cancer patients receiving radiation treatment. It penetrates into the skin quickly and enters the blood stream through the capillaries. Molecules of sesame oil maintain good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL). It also acts as a cell growth regulator and slows down cell growth and replication. In both the small intestine and the colon, some cells are nourished by fats instead of sugar. The presence of sesame seed oil can provide those cells with essential nourishment.

In an experiment at the Maharishi International College in Iowa, students rinsed their mouths out with a sesame oil based rinse, resulting in an 85% reduction in bacteria which causes gingivitis.

As nose drops, if sniffed back into the sinuses, can cure chronic sinusitis. As a throat gargle, it kills strep and other common cold bacteria. It helps sufferers of psoriasis and dry skin ailments. It has been successfully used in the hair of children to kill lice infestations. It is also a natural UV protector.

Used after exposure to wind or sun, it will calm any burns incurred. Sesame oil nourishes and feeds the scalp to control dry scalp dandruff and kills any bacteria associated with it. On the skin, oil soluble toxins are attracted to sesame seed oil molecules, which can then be washed away with hot water and a clean mild soap. Internally, the oil molecules attract oil soluble toxins and carry them into the blood stream and then out of the body as waste. When prepared with warm water, it can also be used as a "womb washout" helping to control yeast infections in us ladies.

Sesame seed oil helps joints to remain agile. When using as a massage oil, stroke the long limbs up and down. Use circular motions over all the joints to stimulate the natural energy released from the oil into the joints. It keeps the skin supple and soft. It heals and protects areas of mild scrapes, cuts, and abrasions. It helps to tighten facial skin, particularly around the nose, controlling the usual enlargement of pores as the skin matures.

Folks in their teenage years dealing with acne have been told to avoid all oils at all costs. Heavy oils and toxic creams are not the best for facial skin. Sesame oil however, is the one oil that is actually excellent for young skin. It helps control eruptions and neutralizes the poisons which develop both on the surface and in the pores. Used on baby skin, particularly on their little bottoms, which is usually covered by a diaper, sesame seed oil will protect their tender skin against rashes caused by the acidity of bodily waste. In the nose and ears, it protects against common skin pathogens. For children going to school, who will be in the presence of other children with colds and sniffles, sesame oil swabbed in the nose can protect against air borne viruses and bacteria.

As always, we give you a mouth full. Its always good to know that the things we grew up knowing conventionally, have value in a different way, in the present. There is definitely a difference between the food grade oils and the oils that are used topically so, please read labels and try your best to always used cold-pressed oils in all of your preparations. Blessed movements throughout your weekend...Give thanks and Be Well....

The Truth is an Offense>>>