The Nutri Centre

Hello everyone!

This week, Webcast Wednesdays at The Nutri Centre Park Crescent presents Jill Swyers, Hippocratic Health Educator, informing us on 'Living Foods For Health'.

It's been a really enlightening speech on how the right diets can improve our health and energy, from one of the well-respected experts in this field.

Next week, Nutritional Therapist Graham Botfield will be with us at The Nutri Centre Park Crescent bookshop, with his presentation on 'Gut Dysbiosis'.

To watch next week's webcast live, just visit The Nutri Centre Webcasts Page at 7 pm GMT, next Wednesday, September 1st.

To view our future webcasts list, click here.

Have a happy and healthy week!

The Nutri Centre

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Next week, Jill Swyers will be with us to inform us on 'Living Foods', which can help us regain good health and improve our sense of wellbeing.

To watch next week's webcast live, just visit The Nutri Centre Webcasts Page at 7 pm GMT, next Wednesday, August 25th.

To view our future webcasts list, click here.

Have a healthy week!

The Nutri Centre

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Just as an orchestra’s sections create beautiful music by playing together, vitamins foster health in tandem with other nutrients.

Most people know that vitamins are, as the word suggests, nutrients vital to well-being. But what’s not as well known is that no vitamin is capable of supporting health all by itself. Vitamins can only function properly in the presence of other nutrients, whether they are macronutrients such as fat and protein (including protein building blocks called amino acids) or micronutrients, which include minerals and other vitamins. That’s one reason nutrition authorities encourage people to consume a diet that primarily consists of whole foods, which naturally contain vitamins and their required cofactors.

Vitamin A
Food Sources: Eggs, liver, milk; beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A: bell peppers, carrots, chard, collard greens, kale, spinach

What It Does: Supports immune health and low-light vision; required for normal cell growth and proper gene function

Works Best With: Healthy fats, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, protein, selenium, zinc, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, E

B1 (thiamine)
Food Sources: Asparagus, brussels sprouts, eggplant, mushrooms, peas, romaine lettuce, spinach, sunflower seeds, tuna

What It Does: Supports nervous system function; helps the body turn glucose into energy

Works Best With: Magnesium, other Bs, especially B1, B6, B12, folic acid

B2 (riboflavin)
Food Sources: Almonds, eggs, liver, milk, mushrooms, spinach
What It Does: Supports energy production; recycles glutathione, a crucial antioxidant
Works Best With: Folic acid, iron, magnesium, zinc, vitamins B1, B3, B6, B12

B3 (niacin)
Food Sources: Asparagus, chicken, halibut, tuna, salmon

What It Does: Helps the body process fats and regulate blood sugar; promotes proper cellular functioning

Works Best With: Tryptophan, vitamin B12

B5 (pantothenic acid)
Food Sources: Avocado, broccoli, cauliflower, liver, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, turnip greens, sweet potatoes, whole grains

What It Does: Promotes the release of energy; used in making coenzyme A, required for numerous bodily processes

Works Best With: Biotin, folic acid, vitamins B12, C

B6 (pyridoxine)
Food Sources: Bananas, bell peppers, poultry, spinach, turnip greens What It Does: Needed for amino acid and red blood cell creation; helps control homocysteine (linked with heart disease)
Works Best With: Folic acid, magnesium, vitamins B1, B3, B12

B12 (cobalamin)
Food Sources: Liver, sardines, salmon, shellfish, snapper

What It Does: Required for production of red blood cells; helps control homocysteine

Works Best With: B-complex, especially B6 & B12, vitamin E

Choline1
Food Sources: Eggs, liver, milk, peanuts

What It Does: Helps keep cell membranes healthy; required for fat metabolism and nerve impulse transmission

Works Best With: Folic acid, methionine, vitamins B3, B6, B12

Folic Acid2
Food Sources: Asparagus, beets, cauliflower, collard greens, lentils, parsley, romaine lettuce, spinach

What It Does: Supports cell formation and growth, especially red blood cells; helps control homocysteine

Works Best With: Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B123

Vitamin C
Food Sources: Bell pepper, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, lemons, oranges, parsley, strawberries

What It Does: Acts as an antioxidant; helps produce collagen, used in building skin, bone and connective tissue

Works Best With: Bioflavonoids, iron, magnesium, vitamin E

Vitamin D
Food Sources: Cod, eggs, mackerel, milk (enriched), salmon, sardines, shrimp; also created in skin exposed to sunlight

What It Does: Needed to build healthy bones; helps regulate blood pressure, immune function and glucose usage

Works Best With: Boron, calcium, lycopene, magnesium, selenium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E, K

Vitamin E
Food Sources: Almonds, chard, spinach, sunflower seeds, whole grains

What It Does: Acts as an antioxidant; supports cardiovascular health

Works Best With: Glutathione, magnesium, selenium, vitamins B3, C

Vitamin K
Food Sources: Asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, chard, green beans, kale, parsley, spinach

What It Does: Allows blood to clot properly; required for bone formation and healthy cell growth

Works Best With: Bioflavonoids, calcium, copper, vitamins B5 & D

1. Although technically not a B vitamin, choline is often classified as part of the B-complex because it works closely with other compounds in this class 2. A member of the B vitamin family 3. Folic acid supplementation can mask B12 deficiency; see a practitioner for appropriate testing before use

NOTE: Optimal dosages will vary from person to person; some people may need dosages higher than the Recommended Daily Allowance. Consult a nutritionally aware practitioner who can help you formulate an individualized supplementation plan.

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The former child star says women should embrace their inner child for health and happiness.

In “The Breakfast Club,” one of actress Molly Ringwald’s signature coming-of-age films, tough guy John Bender (Judd Nelson) confronts Ringwald’s high school princess character Claire.

Marriage and motherhood, Bender predicts in more colorful language, will surely make Claire obese. Fast-forward 25 years: If there are consequences to making predictions that fall flat, Bender ought to head back to detention. Not only is Ringwald (and Claire by extension) a slim and attractive redhead, the former Brat Packer is the mother of year-old twins Roman and Adele, and big sister Mathilda, 6.

A self-described ex-smoker who once drank too much coffee and ate too little, the star of the 1980s hits “Pretty in Pink” and “Sixteen Candles” is now doling out health tips. “I just try to be sensible and try to be moderate in my eating and in everything. I just aim to have a balance,” Ringwald, 42, tells us.

That may summarize Ringwald’s philosophy about wellness, but there is more to it than that. In Getting the Pretty Back: Friendship, Family, and Finding the Perfect Lipstick (It Books), Ringwald waxes poetic about eating good-tasting and good-for-you food—expertise she picked up after attending culinary school in France. It was in France where she also developed a taste for red wine, a boon to health for its resveratrol. Getting the Pretty Back is filled with bite-sized, palatable tips and lists, like the biggest mistakes home cooks make (fear of experimentation is No. 1) and the perfect dinner party (it’s key to keep the meal simple).

Beauty tips also abound, but as affirmed by Ringwald, who spoke to us from Los Angeles, where she lives with her writer husband Panio Gianopoulos and their children, beauty is indeed more than skin deep.

Energy Times: In your book, you write that “getting back in touch with the pretty girl that you once were might just make you realize that she really isn’t so far from the woman you are today.” “Pretty,” then, is a state of mind.

Molly Ringwald: Yes, absolutely. When I talk about “pretty” I’m really talking about a feeling that you have when you’re younger that’s easy to lose sight of. With life and your responsibilities and your children, you’re sort of giving to everyone else so it’s kind of getting back in touch with what was important to you. I just call it “pretty” but you can call it any number of things.

ET: You joke that the chapter on fitness is the shortest chapter in the book. Tell me about your philosophy about keeping fit.

MR: I am on a pretty strict gym routine even though I jokingly say at the beginning of the chapter that it’s going to be the shortest chapter. Exercise is really an important part of my life. As much as I say that it is drudgery, if I don’t do it for a couple of days, I feel it not just in my body but mentally as well. I’ve been moving this last week so I really haven’t been able to go to the gym. I need to be active, so I try to stay on a pretty strict routine. I work out with a trainer at least three times a week. I do strength training. If I’m doing upper body training, my trainer incorporates lower body in some way. It’s kind of a circuit. He keeps my heart rate up so I’m constantly moving from one thing to another. He switches up all the time so my body doesn’t get too used to it and I don’t get too bored. The times I’m not working out with him I either do yoga or run. I took up running at age 41. Who knew? All my life I thought I can’t be a runner. Then I took it up and I really love it.

ET: Why didn’t you think you could be a runner, and what prompted you to take it up?

MR: I didn’t think that I was ever in good enough shape. I didn’t really have the stamina for it. But I had already been working out for awhile when I took it up. I took it up because my husband likes to run so we started running together. I ran like 10 minutes the first time and that was really challenging and I moved up to 12 minutes, to 15 minutes, and I kind of kept going from there. Now I usually run about a half hour, which isn’t really long, but it’s enough for me. I have run on the treadmill but I prefer to run outside.

ET: Running is said to be tough on the knees. How do you deal with that?

MR: I just have a really good pair of shoes and I stretch before and after. That seems to help. Also rolling really helps.

ET: Rolling? MR: You have these Styrofoam cylinders that you lay down on and roll out the adhesions on your calves or on your quads and that really helps a lot. When you have adhesions in those areas it puts a lot of strain on your knees. I sort of learned that from my years of working with dancers on Broadway. Dancers roll all the time. Every time they go offstage they hit the floor and roll out their legs because that keeps their knees in shape.

ET: You attended culinary school in France so you have a highly discerning palate. Is there enough great-tasting, yet healthy, food to consistently satisfy someone who is looking for both great taste and nourishment?

MR: I think so. It definitely takes more planning. It’s really a lot easier to grab that pre-packaged item or do fast food. But I think that if you just plan a little bit, yes, it’s totally possible. My husband cooks a lot, too. We kind of switch off who does the cooking, and we cook together. It’s something I enjoy. I like French cooking more. My husband’s Greek, so he cooks Greek more. It’s not very complicated. We grill a lot, and I’ve recently gotten into grilling fish. On one of our date nights my husband arranged for a cooking class because I felt like I was always making the same thing with fish because I didn’t know as much about it. We’re eating a lot of fish in our household.

ET: Your bouillabaisse recipe has many healthy ingredients, such as garlic, herbs and tomato paste. Some of your tips for the perfect dinner party similarly seem geared towards moderate consumption and good health: Keep the meal simple, for instance, and avoid a buffet.

MR: I’ve had a friendly argument with my mom over the years. Instead of a sit-down dinner, she’s decided we’re going to have our holiday meal buffet style. I really hated that because I love delicious food but I also really love the social aspect of it—people sitting down, relaxing and enjoying conversation. When people go to a buffet it takes that away. I also think if you have to have a buffet then that usually means you’re serving too much food. If you keep the meal simple then you can really concentrate on what you’re doing and make it as great as you can. I would rather eat just a couple of things that are really well prepared than 10 things that are just so-so.

ET: Some of our readers who are mothers and grandmothers could probably appreciate the challenges you describe in getting kids to eat healthy. You cite a particular packaged baked puffed cheesy product that has little nutritional value even though the label reads “all natural” or “organic.” It seems that is kind of a warning to be aware that not everything branded as healthy really is.

MR: [That product] is a favorite of kids…but I don’t think there’s a whole lot of real health in it. Your child is not really benefiting from anything that they’re eating in that. It’s really like eating air, but, yes, it’s organic and they kind of promote it as being a healthy alternative. My child is the pickiest eater of all time. This is my oldest daughter. She would probably be a vegetarian if I had to do it over again. I would have listened to her more when she was a baby because she really never liked meat very much. But the problem is that there are only a few things that she will eat, so it’s a constant battle to make sure that she gets the healthy foods that she needs. The doctors that I’ve talked to say to continue introducing her to food. Just because she says, “No, I don’t like this,” you can introduce it to them five times, seven times and then finally the tenth time she might try it and like it. That’s actually been the case with us.

ET: Why do you caution against assuming that all children’s behavior is diet-related, for example when parents curb gluten if their child is hyperactive?

MR: I just think that some parents just go a little too far with assuming that everything that their child does, if they cry or have a temper tantrum, has to do with their diet. They end up restricting their kids’ diet in a way that I think is a little punitive and also counterproductive. You just need to have common sense with your kids. Obviously [you have to take steps] if your child is having a serious reaction to something. I’ve taken [my children] to an allergist because they were having different reactions, so I had them tested. I think a lot of parents do a lot of self-diagnosing on the Internet, and I just think there are limits to what you can do.

ET: You have thrived when other child actors have struggled through the years. What accounts for your healthy development?

MR: I have a really great family and a really strong survival instinct. I was always very curious about life and I’ve always been a big reader. I’ve never really been into nightclubs or anything like that. I always preferred to be around interesting, intelligent people or by myself with a book and learning about something. When you’re like that you just don’t want to waste time going down that other road of self-destruction. I think I instinctively knew that if I got involved in drugs and if I went that route it would just seem like self-destruction, and I was too curious about life. I have a really great family and loyal friends that have been my friends for years, so I’ve had safe places to go. That’s really important. A lot of these actresses who are in the press and who are just melting down it seems to me have families that are doing reality television shows. My family was always very private and very protective of me. I think that’s why I thrived as a human being and as an actress.

ET: How daunting was turning 40, and what did you learn from making the transition?

MR: I really felt that everything leading up to turning 40 was a lot more daunting then actually turning 40. My forties have been great thus far. It was really the idea that was the most frightening, and that’s just because of the societal stigma that is associated with turning 40. It’s sort of the moment when you feel like you no longer can call yourself an ingénue; you’re a real adult now. I was stressed out about it before, but once it happened it seemed like a non-issue. The best thing that came out of turning 40 was getting the idea to write the book and actually writing the book. That was huge for me because it always feels good to have an idea and actually follow it through to completion. Also, 40 today really is very different than what it was in my mother’s generation. My mom had her kids so much earlier then I did, and life expectancy is longer. I mean I really am more like my mom was when she was 30. It seems like kids are getting older faster, and older people are staying younger longer. My quality of life is great. I’m healthier now than I was in my 20s and 30s, but I think a lot of that has to do with really taking my health a lot more seriously. I don’t take it for granted. I feel like my life is just beginning in a way.

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There are plenty of strategies to help your kids embrace a balanced diet.
What can a parent do when one child craves sweets and the other aspires to be the next healthy-cooking Food Network star? Such was the situation at the Holzemer household. Six-year-old Hunter loved candy, making it nearly impossible for his mom to get him to eat vegetables. “The problem started because his preschool teachers rewarded the kids with candy,” says Liz Holzemer, a 43-year-old writer in Highland Ranch, Colorado.

Her 8-year-old daughter Hannah, on the other hand, ate anything and everything, including sushi and Mexican food. While her brother pushed away his vegetables, Hannah wanted to imitate the cooking stars she saw on TV. She asked her mom to let her help in the kitchen so she could practice techniques she’d seen on the Food Network. “She not only enjoyed cooking but was willing to try just about any food,” said Holzemer. “But I never wanted to force my kids to eat vegetables.” Hunter started looking on as his mother and sister whipped up tasty treats.

Soon, he wanted to be part of things, too. A breakthrough occurred the day he asked to help slice mushrooms. “I waited for him to express an interest first,” says Holzemer. “Now he even eats salmon.” Dangers of Junk Food It’s no secret that getting kids to eat healthily can be a challenge. It can be particularly challenging if they’ve become accustomed to junk food, says Sara Stein, MD, an obesity physician at Kasier Permanante and author of Obese from the Heart: A Fat Psychiatrist Discloses (Quantum Psych INK). “From a brain biology standpoint, we know junk food raises the dopamine in the brain,” Stein says, referring to the chemical associated with the pleasure centers.

“It alters metabolic signals, meaning you’re hungrier for up to three days longer after a single serving of junk food. Plus, the food you eat may make you full, but you’re not filling your tank with high-quality nutrients.” The result: A vicious cycle in which the brain keeps sending signals to eat more in order to get more essential vitamins and minerals. Weaning kids off junk food requires a process. “Identify what it is they crave,” says Stein.

“If they love corn chips, for example, do they crave the crunch, the salt or the corn?” Once you identify the specific element, look for healthier foods with similar properties. If it’s the corn flavor, try corn on the cob. If your kids love pizza, it may not be the cheese or the bread they like, but the tomato sauce. “Identify what they love and maximize it,” says Stein.

In addition, Stein says parents who hate the taste of certain foods should be careful not to withhold those foods from their children. “We transmit our unspoken bias without words,” she says. “If you hate something, your child will likely also reject it unless you recognize the food’s inherent goodness and offer it out of love.” Children typically like blander flavors.

But if they’ve become used to over-processed food, use these flavors on other foods to entice them. “If they like maple syrup, put some on broccoli,” says Stein. “It may not appeal to you, but it may be enough to get them to take a bite.” Gradually reduce the amount of syrup and then cut it off completely.

Ease into new foods. If you want your kids to try sushi, start with a piece of cooked fish and pick a flavor familiar to them. Make small, subtle changes until they become used to it. Use the same process when switching from processed food to healthier fare. Start with a vegetable and add a familiar flavor. For example, to switch them from crackers and cheese, try celery with peanut butter. “Think of the process like a see-saw,” says Stein. “You’re trying to bring up the nutrients while you lower the junk.”

Often kids shy away from raw or crunchy vegetables; try cooking them until tender or add small amounts to soup. “Some of their choices may originate from baby food,” says Stein. “But I’ve never seen a child who’s resistant to all vegetables.” The override is hunger: If the child’s hungry enough, he’ll eat it. Avoid banning foods or drastic cutbacks on foods they crave. “They’ll just run over to their friends’ houses to get at the cookies,” Stein warns.

Embrace Good Nutrition Early Parents need to embrace good nutrition before the baby is born, both to serve as role models as well as for their own health, says Dawn Weatherwax-Fall, RD, CSSD, author of The Official Snack Guide for Beleaguered Sports Parents (WellCentered Books). “Kids watch and mimic their parents,” she says. “If they see you sipping on soda all day, they’ll want to do the same.” In addition, mothers who regularly eat fruits and vegetables while breastfeeding give their kids a head start in accepting these foods, according to research from the Monnell Center in Pennsylvania (Pediatrics 12/07).

Infants ate more green beans and peaches when their moms ate them regularly than infants whose mothers ate these foods only sporadically. Moms often avoid salmon while breastfeeding due to fear of mercury poisoning, but the omega-3 fatty acids in fish such as salmon help brain development, says Weatherwax. “Omega-3 supplements provide the benefits without the mercury.” With toddlers, make food choices fun. “Have ‘freebie’ foods kids can have in moderation during the week,” suggests Weatherwax-Fall. “Ask them to decide if they want to ‘use’ this food as their freebie that day. You can make it their choice to choose seven foods a week or one ‘freebie’ food a day. This teaches them moderation, not deprivation.”

Rather than label foods “bad,” use innocuous phrases: “These foods won’t help you get stronger.” And don’t force kids to eat something, but tell them they need to take a taste. “Treat it as a ‘no, thank-you’ portion, meaning they can politely refuse a portion but still must try at least a small bite. It could take a child 20 or 30 times to try something before they decide they like it,” says Weatherwax-Fall. “And make sure you eat it yourself.”

The texture of certain foods may be unappealing, so try variations. Instead of raw or sliced tomatoes, try including salsa or tomato sauce in meals. “Kids often like purees of foods like sweet potatoes, beets, carrots or even V8 Fusion drinks,” says Weatherwax-Fall. “Watch portions on juices, though, because of the sugar.” Choose water or milk instead and limit juice servings to between 1/4 and 1/2 cup. Have trouble saying no? Then consider the benefits of establishing good habits at this age. “If you knew your child was destined to have heart disease if they didn’t change their diet now, would you be more willing to make the necessary changes?” says Weatherwax-Fall.

“Of course you would.” It takes planning and extra time, initially, but the new, healthier habits quickly become second nature. Keep a food bag or cooler in the car for trips or between soccer games or while running errands. Fill it with trail mixes and other healthy snacks for when you don’t have time to stop. Give Kids Responsibility Allowing your child to prepare meals can be fun and teach good nutrition by getting them involved.

“When your kids come home from school, instruct them to make their school lunch for the next day,” says Weatherwax-Fall. “Even 10-year-olds enjoy making their own lunch.” Have a drawer with fruit, another section of the pantry for bread, and so on. They can choose one from each category. “Just limit their options and provide guidelines,” says Weatherwax-Fall. Or once a week let them take charge of a meal for the family. Teach simple cooking techniques, like boiling an egg, and nutrition pointers, such as the difference between healthy oils and unhealthy solid fats.

The Holzemers found that cooking healthier becomes easier when the entire family takes part. They spend most Sundays in the kitchen. “It creates an opportunity to be together,” says Liz Holzemer. “We’d rather cook together than go out.” Simple grilled chicken and pasta with vegetables and herbs from a farmers market have become family favorites. And both kids have free rein to try new dishes. “What’s the worst that can happen?” says Holzemer. “I let them learn from their own mistakes. I ask, ‘What would a Food Network chef do?’”

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Everyone seems to like the “organic” label when it comes to raisins and lettuce, but the mere mention of a well-balanced organic wine can silence even the most vociferous vinophile. Suspicious of the sweet taste and short shelf life of wines from the 1980s and 90s, the stigma associated with early organic wine still lingers, despite award-winning vintages routinely produced by environmentally friendly vintners.

“Things change slowly. Early perceptions don’t die quickly, especially the old hippie syndrome,” recalls Scott Smith, founder and winemaker at Four Chimneys Organic Winery in Himrod, New York. “As the author of some of the early organic wines, I would say they were often ready to drink at bottling and be consumed within the first year. We didn’t have an aging program and an extensive barrel program that are typical today.” Wines mellow and become softer as they age, so barrels—which impart flavors such as vanilla and butter—have a profound effect on the resulting wine, affecting color, flavor, texture and tannin profile.

With two different certifications in the United States, wine labeled “Made From Organic Grapes” still contains small amounts of sulfur to help stabilize the wine and prevent it from oxidizing. An Organic label, according to the USDA’s National Organic Program rules, contains no added sulfites, which can trigger headaches and other allergic reactions. “The original problem came in when wineries wanted to be sure their wines didn’t lose character sitting on a retail shelf somewhere,” explains Smith. “To call a wine ‘organic wine’ it must not contain any detectable sulfites. Some reds I have tried have been quite good without sulfur dioxide added.”

Healthful and Red Red wines come from an assortment of 50 grape varietals ranging from reddish to deep purple, and even blue on the color scale. During the fermentation process, the grape skins determine the hue of the wine. The skins also help create the “body-type,” which refers to the mouth-feel and tannin structure of the wine; the higher the tannin level, the more “pucker power,” as in a medium-bodied Merlot or a full-bodied Cabernet Franc. Higher-tannin wines also contain higher levels of resveratrol and polyphenols, antioxidants with myriad health benefits.

In addition to raising good (HDL) cholesterol levels, studies indicate that moderate amounts of wine prevent rogue molecules known as free radicals from causing damage on a cellular level. This helps improve cardiovascular health, reduce tumor incidence and aid in the formation of nerve cells, which may be helpful in the treatment of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

A growing body of worldwide research on the benefits of wine have prompted the World Health Organization, the US government and the American Heart Association to issue statements highlighting scientific findings that associate health benefits with moderate alcohol consumption, particularly red wine.

Compared with their conventionally grown counterparts, organic red wines have been found to have up to 30% higher levels of polyphenols, resveratrol and antioxidant activity. Contamination with mycotoxin, a toxin produced by a fungus, was up to three times higher in conventional varieties compared with organic wine, since the lower levels of nitrogen and higher levels of antioxidants in organic grapes tend to reduce fungal growth and protect fruit from mycotoxin-forming fungi (Journal of Wine Research 12/03).

When it comes to red wine, researchers at the University of California at Davis have concluded that the flavonoid favorite—a type of polyphenol—is Cabernet Sauvignon, followed closely by Petit Syrah and Pinot Noir. Sipped from an oval-shaped glass with adequate surface area for allowing the wine to breathe, one four-ounce glass of red wine a day for women and two glasses for men, served at room temperature, is a good bet for an overall health boost. (Research has shown that excessive alcohol consumption, including that of wine, may contribute to cancer; the American Cancer Society does not endorse alcohol intake and notes that anyone who has or had cancer should not drink.)

Pesticide-Free Whites It’s one of the most vexing problems facing connoisseurs of food and drink: Which white wine to serve with what meat? Since food and wine pairing is a highly subjective process, forget the old rules—red wine with red meat and white wine with fish and poultry. Instead, consider the complexities of today’s multi-ethnic foods and opt for a white wine that enhances the flavor of the meal without overpowering it. And, since grapes are among the most pesticide-laden produce, an organic white wine is simply a healthier choice.

White wine lovers have an array of full-flavored varietals to choose from, including Gewurztraminer, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Chablis and Sauvignon Blanc, although Chardonnay remains far and away the leading varietal wine in the US for the last decade, reports the Wine Institute (www.wineinstitute.org). Though it lacks resveratrol, white wine may be just as health-promoting as its red counterpart, offering similar cardio-protective benefits via its own strong antioxidants, tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol (also found in olive oil, a strong component of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet). Moreover, a study from the University at Buffalo showed that regular consumption of white wine resulted in better lung health (American Thoracic Society, 2002).

As more people choose to protect themselves and the environment from pesticide exposure through increased organic purchases, organic wine sales exceeded $161 million in 2009, a 7.5% jump from 2008 sales. “During these economic times, people may not eat out as much, but more people are preparing meals at home featuring organic wine and other organic ingredients,” says Barbara Haumann, spokesperson for the Organic Trade Association (OTA), a business association for the North American organic industry (www.ota.com).

Beyond Organic Some wine producers take their farming process a step beyond organics, opting for a practice known as biodynamic farming, a set of techniques popular in Europe, notably France, for decades. Working with lunar and other natural cycles, biodynamic farmers use natural predators instead of pesticides, use compost for fertilizer, save seeds and study the soil to determine which varietals will best express the vineyards. In contrast to organic wines, which can contain only 10 parts per million of naturally occurring sulfites, biodynamic wines may include added sulfites of up to 100 ppm.

“Biodynamics is not that far removed from organics. What matters more than anything is the ethical commitment to farming ecologically,” says Mike Biltonen, vice president of farm operations at Red Jacket Orchards in Geneva, New York. Trained in transitioning farming towards greater sustainability, Biltonen holds a masters degree in pomology, the study of fruit trees, from Cornell University. “Organics is better for the planet, it’s better for the people who grow it. There’s an amazing amount of evidence that it’s more nutritious. That is based on the fact that when you apply chemicals, the plant doesn’t have to rely on its natural defenses.”

In tastings, organic wines consistently fare better than non-organic, yet organic wines are often overlooked on store shelves, reports a wine study from UCLA (Business & Society March 2010). “A lot of vineyards are organic, but they choose not to call themselves organic because some wine consumers consider it not as good,” says Ronnie Cummins, international director of the Organic Consumer’s Association, a public interest organization (www.organicconsumers.org). Organic wine production, predicts Cummins, will continue to rise. “Made from organic grapes or straight organic wine is going to become the wave of the future.”

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As you know a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. The aim of this seminar is to discuss the techniques you can use to strengthen your immune system, and specifically focus the techniques onto the weakest link in your immune system. For example, you may eat well but deep down have a negative psychology that undermines your immune system, or vice versa.

Your immune system may be let down by: poor diet (either lack of good foods or inclusion of bad foods), poor psychology, poor lymph drainage, poor bowel function, under-active thyroid, stored toxins etc.

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Healing Power of Clay Detoxification in a Toxic World
with Marijke Vogel, Naturopath

In this lecture Marijke will look at some of the many issues we face at the beginning of the 21st century, such as modern farming techniques (a big contributor to global warming), mineral depletion, and environmental toxins. She will show us the importance of good bowel health, acid/alkaline balance, positive emotional states and the healing power of green clay.

Marijke Vogel naturopath and author of "the Earth on Which we Live" has worked with the dust of the earth for many years and has seen transformations take place whilst using these miraculous substances, that will awaken our inherent strengths and vital forces.

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