goji berries juice - Resources and Info Info-Zone: More Great Holistic Healing Resources.<BR><BR>

Saturday, November 29, 2008

More Great Holistic Healing Resources.

himalayan goji berriesWhat's So Special About Cinnamon?

I don't know about you, but just the smell of cinnamon makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over.

My favorite cookies to make is Snickerdoodles because I just LOVE the smell of them baking. There's just something warm and delicious about it.

The sense of smell is powerful - and when my kids smell Cinnamon, they are going to feel warm and fuzzy all over because of the fun we've had in the kitchen.

But, you might be surprised to know that the history of Cinnamon goes waaaay back - it was one of the first trade spices.

In fact, cinnamon is mentioned in the Bible - it was used in the combination of ingredients used to make a holy anointing oil for the tabernacle:

Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses saying,

Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,

And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin:

And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.

Exodus 30:22-25 NKJV

The ointment or oil was used to anoint the tabernacle of the congregation, the ark of the testimony, the table and all the vessels, the candlestick, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt-offering, etc.

I find two things interesting about this passage:

That cinnamon was an ingredient in this holy anointing oil

That is is called "an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary.

Does cinnamon have health benefits as well?

There are cinnamon pills for diabetes, cinnamon bark used medicinally by the Chinese for calming stomach acids, cinnamon bark being used in India for childbirth labor, and cinnamon increasing blood circulation and creating a warm feeling.

Well, didn't I start out by saying just the smell of cinnamon makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over?

About The Author

Laura Bankston is author of Internationally selling Cooking with Kids Curriculum: �Homeschool Cooking in a Box� and the �Homeschool Cookbook�. She currently home schools her three children, maintains home school support websites, and manages their family-owned service business. For information on her curriculum that includes lots of recipes with cinnamon, visit http://www.homeschoolcookbook.com

laura@cleanmyowncarpet.com

What is Fairtrade food?

This means that Fairtrade goods are often more expensive in the UK than those without the Fairtrade logo. Although people are now arguing that supermarkets are fuelling their excessive profits by adding large mark-ups to these products This premium that the producer charges covers the basic food, housing, health and education needs of the local communities in countries such as India and Brazil. The Foundation awards a consumer label, the Fairtrade Mark, to products which meet internationally recognised standards of Fairtrade. It is the only such certification in the UK.

Examples of Fairtrade products:

� Fairtrade coffee
� Fairtrade Tea
� Fairtrade Chocolate
� Fairtrade Bananas
� Fairtrade Honey
� Fairtrade Sugar
� Fairtrade Fruit Juice
� Fairtrade Wine and Snacks
� Fairtrade Babyfood

The list of goods certified Fairtrade is growing daily as is the range of products available. The co-op changed all their own brand chocolate to Fairtrade a few years ago and now all the other big supermarkets are beginning to move into the Fairtrade market. Nestle have just released a Fairtrade brand. There has been huge controversy over this as many people are asking how a company that is subject to a boycott can pertain to have Fairtrade and therefore ethical principles?

Why buy Fairtrade?

Millions of small farmers around the world cannot get enough money to feed their families, send their children to school or invest just a few pounds into their farm. This is because people want to buy the cheapest goods possible and don�t think about the people that working in poor condition and often receive less than �1 per day in wages.

Buying products that display the Fairtrade logo ensures that the producers of products such as tea, coffee and chocolate receive a decent income. Rather than being hit by the ever-changing price of their product on the world market, or being fleeced by a middleman who takes a chunky share of the profits, producers in a Fair Trade scheme are guaranteed a decent, stable price for their produce.

By buying Fair trade products that buy direct from farmers at better prices, consumers are improving the lives of producers all over the world. In Eithiopia, farmers can often get more then twice the price for their fair trade coffee then those that sell it on the open market. This extra money enables the farmers to educate their children and to break the cycle of poverty.

Many people struggle to find a reason not to support Fairtrade. Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers. Fair trade is not about charity, it is about settling the imbalance which exists.

How do I know its Fairtrade?

Look for the Fairtrade Mark when you shop and make the choice to support small farmers and workers in the developing world, and encourage your workplace to switch to Fairtrade tea and coffee.

Find Fairtrade products via GuideMeGreen�s fairtrade directory.

Davinos Greeno works with the Organic directory http://www.guidemegreen.com This growing green products directory lists 100s of Organic and Fairtrade food and drinks companies, jobs at http://www.jobs.guidemegreen.com

Tips for Packing School Lunches

Packing a healthy school lunch for your little one can be challenging - especially during those rushed mornings when everything seems to go wrong. If you give in and let them eat hot dogs and chocolate cake for a one day, you can look forward to endless days of begging for the same meal again. Preparation helps you stay strong in the face of time constraints and pleading eyes.

Prepare Ahead

Small plastic containers are ideal for school lunches. Fill them up, and they are all set to be frozen or stacked in the fridge, ready to grab at a moment's notice. Choose one day of the week to prepare lunches and snacks. Make enough for the next seven days. Stock them in the freezer.

Dice up fresh fruit, mix the fruit with plain or flavored yogurt and freeze for a healthy and delicious snack. Freeze portions of snow peas, sliced peppers, and baby carrots. Serve with ranch, Cesar, or Thousand Island dressing. Toss a few 100% juice boxes in the freezer to keep lunchboxes cool.

Make the Change

White bread is not healthy for growing children. Wheat bread is not much better. The label must indicate whole wheat, whole oats, rye, or barley as the first ingredient. Whole grain breads are best for little ones.

Replace high fat lunchmeats such as bologna with low-fat turkey, roast beef, or chicken breast. Leave the cheese off sandwiches unless you purchase low-fat dairy products as well.

Choose fresh fruit over canned for a healthier selection. Grapes, apples, cherry tomatoes, pineapple, bananas, raisins, dried cranberries, prunes, melon, pears, and cherries are all suitable for healthy school lunches. If you must use canned fruit, rinse off the sugary syrup before packing. Include dip as an incentive to get your little one to eat fresh fruit.

Switch to 1% or skim milk instead of 2% or whole milk to cut the fat from your child's diet. Check drink boxes and choose brands of 100% fruit juice instead of sugary, fruit-flavored drinks.

What to Avoid

Preservative- and sugar-laden snacks may taste good, but they are not healthy snack choices. A snack cake every once and awhile is okay. Do not pack cake every day. Instead, substitute banana bread, zucchini bread or pumpkin bread with cream cheese topping as a snack. Bake your loaves ahead of time and freeze for convenience. Homemade cookies are healthier than store-bought ones, since you control the ingredients. Homemade trail mix is easy to make and a favorite with children.

Prepackaged lunches often contain high fat and high calorie ingredients. Frozen pizzas, snack crackers and instant soups often include high concentrations of sugar and salt. Create your own snack crackers by spreading plain crackers with peanut butter, fruit preserves, or cream cheese.

Toss in a few individually packaged wet wipes to remind your child to wash hands before eating. Never reuse plastic or paper bags. Wipe down lunch pails daily to keep germs from contaminating foods.

Small, healthy changes in your child's lunch instill healthy eating habits that last a lifetime. Introduce these changes slowly, allowing your child to adjust to new flavors and textures. Eating healthy is a learned behavior. Be consistent and do not cave to the pleas of your child to purchase unhealthy snacks and packaged foods.

Find helpful and creative ideas for parents and grandparents while you shop our great selection of dependable kids furniture and classic toys. Visit http://www.TheMagicalRockingHorse.com today!