The Organic View

The root of every major problem we deal with begins with the amount of stress we have and how we manage it. The Institute of HeartMath (http://www.heartmath.org)is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping people establish heart-based living and global coherence. So, what is meant by personal and global coherence? Personal coherence, also known as psychophysiological coherence, refers to the synchronization of our physical, mental and emotional systems. It can be measured by our heart-rhythm patterns: The more balanced and smooth they are, the more in sync, or coherent, we are. Stress levels recede, energy levels increase and our brain and what HeartMath calls the "heart brain" are working together. It is a state of optimal clarity, perception and performance. HeartMath tools and technology have been scientifically proven to help us achieve personal coherence. Global coherence refers to the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of the greater community of human beings, while acting in concert with their own hearts, each other and nation to nation in harmony with our living planet. HeartMath believes coherence on a grand scale is highly achievable when large numbers of people focus their heart intelligence on a common goal. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, Howard Martin, Executive VP, Strategic Development who is also the co-founder of HeartMath , will be my guest. Howard has been instrumental in assisting Doc Childre, founder of HeartMath, in the development and teaching of HeartMath's programs since its inception. Howard is also the co-author with Doc Childre of The HeartMath Solution, published by Harper San Francisco and also developed Nightingale-Conant's tape series, The HeartMath Method. He is the key spokesperson for HeartMath and has conducted hundreds of news media and documentary film interviews including CNN Headline News, ABC Good Morning America, and ABC World NewsTonight.

All wheat varieties belong to the genus Triticum. Within this genus, wheat can be divided based on its number of chromosomes in three groups. The first is Diploid wheat, (14 chromosomes) which is the oldest selection. Cultivated varieties are rare and uncommon in this group. The only known example of the cultivation is einkorn. Cultivated by the ancient Egyptians, it was found in 4000 year old tombs of pharaohs. "Kamut," not the name of a wheat variety, is a trademark, for the commercialization of a wheat variety guaranteeing the quality of the grain. In 1990, the Quinn family, registered the word "Kamut" as a trademark because of the exceptional qualities of the ancient Khorasan wheat they wished to preserve in addition to the high quality and nutritional benefits. Only through the use of a trademark did the Quinns feel that they could protect the buyer in order to guarantee that Kamut® Khorasan wheat products are made from the pure, ancient wheat variety Khorasan. Kamut, which has a nutty taste can be used in any recipe that requires wheat. It is 20-40% higher in protein than whole wheat and has a lighter texture than whole wheat. Often, people who are sensitive to wheat can tolerate Kamut. (It is always best to check with your doctor.) So, why did the Quinn family go to such an extreme to protect something like wheat? In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, Dr. Bob Quinn, President of Kamut® International, will be my guest. Bob has been involved in organic agriculture since the 1970s. He has promoted organic agriculture throughout his home state of Montana, encouraging other farmers—including U.S. Senator Jon Tester— to go organic. He works closely with Montana State University personnel on testing of new farming systems and new crops to provide farmers a substitute for the use of conventional fertilizer and pesticides. If you want to learn more about this amazing food and what it took to protect it, stay tuned!

Have you ever come home completely exhausted and couldn't wait to crash on the couch? Then, just as you are about to drift off to the Land of Nod, you hear a noise. It is a very familiar sound that simply won't stop. You wonder what exactly is making this annoying noise. Then, you realize that it's your cat or dog, busy grooming themselves! While you would normally ignore this sound, it's hard to ignore at this point. You tolerate it for and then, it becomes too annoying. You call out with a stern voice expecting it to stop. However, chances are it's not going to be effective because your animal companion appears to be involved in a bad habit that is obsessive and compulsive. Could this be a medical condition? Little do we realize the animal is trying to communicate with us as he or she continues to lick the fur excessively. Without the awareness that licking is a form of communication, most of us have no idea and assume it is some kind of topical issue. As we scour their bodies trying to find some invisible culprit, we often give up and take our companions to the vet. Popular solutions, can include a shot containing a steroid or perhaps a round of antibiotics. This doesn't work. A few days to a week later, you find that your pet is compulsively ?licking? again. Frustrated, we repeat this cycle until we either run out of money or the animal develops a serious condition as the result of all of the medication administered which now takes precedence over the licking. Is it natural for animals to compulsively lick themselves? Is there any explanation for this behavior? Is there anything that works permanently to stop the licking? If so, what is it and how do you find it? Is licking an indication of deeper emotional issues? In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, Laura Lassiter, animal and wildlife advocate, will share some very important information that will shed light onto this puzzling behavior.

Don't you just love big cats? They look so soft and cuddly, they make you just want to take one home with you! Well, that is not the smartest idea as many people have discovered because these creatures are, in fact, wild animals. They need a proper habitat and also need the freedom to do as nature intended. However, there are many people that feel they know everything and will buy these creatures only to dump them in a public park when they get to be too much to handle. Some will even ?drop them off? to what appears to be a private wildlife sanctuary only to have the animals caged and even sold for their hides and parts used for pet food. The zoos are no solution because once the cubs are no longer babies, they are not deemed valuable because the public only wants to see babies. So, what exactly happens to these creatures when they get big? There is very little legal protection for these animals. However, there is one organization that has been fighting to change the laws to help protect the animals and also to help protect people from having access to these animals! Did you know that there are more tigers in backyard cages in the U.S. than tigers that are left in the wild? In the U.S., there are more incidents of killings, maulings and escapes by big cats than the rest of the world! This is interesting because Americans only account for 4% of the global population. In this segment of The Organic View, Carole Baskin, Founder and CEO of Big Cat Rescue (http://www.bigcatrescue.org), will my guest to talk about the exploitation of these animals in America. Big Cat Rescue, is the world's largest accredited sanctuary that is devoted entirely to exotic cats, such as lions, tigers, leopards and bobcats. She will also talk about how Hollywood has been profiting from the heinous treatment of these creatures. If you want to find out what you can do to end this multi-million dollar trade that results in so much abuse and abandonment, stay tuned!

American degeneracy is quite a hot topic, especially if you are spewing theories that have no scientific proof. There have been many comparisons between Al Gore and Comte de Buffon, who was a leading French naturalist. In Buffon's Histoire Naturelle, he basically ripped apart America and said that because it was the last to emerge from the sea, it had weaker land, smaller animals and would never be strong. Interestingly enough, Thomas Jefferson defended our great country and pointed out that his theories do not fully explore all possibilities and just go so far. So, what have we learned from history? Why is or why was the study of plants so important? How did the debate over American Degeneracy affect American garden and landscape outlooks? How come Lincoln thought it important enough in the middle of the Civil War to establish the Department of Agriculture? In this segment of The Organic View, horticultural expert, John Peter Thompson, will be my guest to talk about this controversy and why we need to pay attention to the environment. If you want to hear the facts and understand what is going on with our environment as it pertains to Global Warming, stay tuned! We welcome our audience to participate and join the conversation! Call 917-932-1068 to speak to our featured guests or send us a tweet @TheOrganicView and if your question is selected, your name will be mentioned on LIVE radio!

Did you know that may people have rabbits as domestic pets? In fact, they are as common in the United States as cats and dogs. Interestingly enough, the rabbit is a commonly used animal when it comes to marketing. Hugh Hefner trademarked the rabbit for his Playboy Empire. Christians around the world think of rabbits as a sign of fertility and also associate it with Easter. Then you have good old Bugs Bunny, America's favorite cartoon. Well, one of mine, at any rate! Rabbits are either loved or adored, depending upon whether or not you find them to be invading your garden or find them to be such gentle, sweet, loving creatures. They are actually a vital part of the ecosystem and make wonderful pets! However, many people will buy or adopt these gentle creatures without a clue as to how to care for them. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, Inge Dehenin from RabbitMatch.org (http://www.rabbitmatch.org) will talk about the vast number of rabbit owners and the progress that her organization has made educating the public about adoption, care and overall rabbit well being. Stay tuned!

Most people think of guacamole when they think of the avocado. In fact, there are so many different ways you can utilize this fruit (yes, it is a fruit!) that the range varies. Avocados can be used as a topical for skin treatments to all sorts of appetizers, tapenades, oils, sauces and even desserts! Have you ever thought about eating deep fried organic avocados? What about organic avocado chocolate pie for dessert? Many people have begun to substitute them for eggs in recipes because it is great for binding ingredients! In this segment of The Organic View,two Organic Avocado Farmers from the Sunshine State, Mr. Murray Bass, from Twin Meadows LLC. and Mr. William Benjamin McLean, Jr. from Uncle Matt’s Organic (www.UncleMatts.com) will talk about the nutritional and health benefits of organic avocados, what it is like to grow organic avocados, and some of the struggles they have faced as farmers. Stay tuned!

Anyone who is a guardian of an animal companion has asked themselves, “What do I feed them?” Often our choices are made from “recommendations” by vets, friends, advertisements, coupons, and our budgets. But do we really know what we are feeding our companions? There is so much information and most of the time, it is conflicting regarding the nutritional requirements and needs of the animal in addition to the labeling of the food, which can be very confusing. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, Laura Lassiter, animal and wildlife advocate, will present information that will not be easy to accept. However, if you care for your animal companion, you will want to be informed about what is in most commercial pet food including the premium brands. We will explore why the pet food industry, which represents billions of dollars, is unregulated and expose what goes into these attractive cans and bags which are supposed to be “balanced and nutritional.” We will also discuss if the food we feed our animal companions is killing them? Does it affect their behavior? How can we determine if a particular food is nutritious or not? How do we read a label? How is the food made and would it surprise you that “road-kill” animals are processed into the food? Join us as we explore the organic connection which can turn the health of your animal companion from sickness to health.

Spring is certainly not the only time you should conduct a major cleansing of your home from top to bottom. However, many people typically will conduct semi-monthly to semi-annual cleaning of their home to not only get rid of excess but to keep things sparkling! Here in the northeastern part of the USA, we are experiencing the ?change of seasons.? People are preparing for colder weather and are packing away summer attire. Closets are being rearranged to make space for other warmer weather items and so the fall cleaning ritual begins! There are so many products to clean all sorts of surfaces on the market but are they really necessary? Which products are safe for pets? What if you have allergies? What do you do if the unscented detergents are still aggravating your sinuses? In this segment of The Organic View, Larry Plesent, the ?Organic Soapman? himself, who is subsequently the CEO of Vermont Soapworks (http://www.vtsoap.com), will my guest to talk about organic household cleaning. He will also be taking calls from our global audience to answer questions and help you to make your home environment cleaner! Larry Plesent is a well known authority in the organic soap making industry. Larry also developed the world's first certified organic pet shampoo, shower gel, nontoxic cleaner, and spray cleaner. He also is the founder of the Green Products Alliance. So, if you want to learn how to clean your home organically without breaking the bank, stay tuned!

More and more people are choosing to follow a vegan or vegetarian diet whether it's due to allergies or moral reasons. In this segment of The Organic View, we will discuss which foods to avoid, what foods to substitute and how to dine out! Stay tuned!

Most women have become so accustomed to buying a product to make their skin softer, accent cheekbones or deep condition their hair. As a society where time has become the most valued commodity, we have lost the art of making high quality products from scratch. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, Kayla Fioravanti, Chief Formulator, who is a registered aromatherapist and an Organic Trade Association member from Essential Wholesale Labs (www.essentialwholesale.com) will be my guest to talk about how you can make many of the things you buy at home. If you have had a hard time finding beauty products that don't irritate your skin, want to start your own business or are looking to make some really great holiday gifts, stay tuned!

Everyone is back to school and so begin the parent-teacher conferences. So, perhaps our audience would like to connect with me directly about organic! When I lecture, I am constantly asked some of the same questions over and over. Is organic just a marketing scam? Can anyone really tell the difference between organic and conventional? Why do they call food conventional when organic food is actually conventional? Why does the country of origin matter? Are there genetically modified organisms in organic food? Do pets need to eat organically? What other products should I be using that are organic? What is greenwashing? In this segment of The Organic View, June Stoyer, the host of the show, will be taking calls from our global audience to answer questions and go over some of the myths about organic. Stay tuned!

As the demand for certified organic increases, people are becoming more aware of the ingredients in their food, the country of origin and especially the process in which these products are grown or made. It has been a common practice in many 3rd world countries to utilize child labor as well as heinous working conditions in order to be able to produce enough products in order to meet these demands. The Fair Labor movement is trying to do something about it. Wages and labor conditions are measured and monitored at every point in the supply chain, not merely on the farm. In this way, social responsibility is promoted throughout the supply chain, providing a clear path for continuous improvement. This actually results in more productivity, less waste due to product recalls, less pollution and overall better for society as a whole. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, Bena Burda, President and CEO of Maggie's Functional Organics (http://www.maggiesorganics.com)will be my guest to talk about what this certification entails. She will also talk about why she chose to certify her entire line of products and how this certification will impact her business. If you own a business or are a consumer, it is important to educate yourself about exactly how our products are made and why this certification is becoming critical to protecting our environment. Stay tuned!

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (http://www.nbcam.org ) and is celebrating its 25 year anniversary! According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among women in the United States this year. An estimated 40,170 women are expected to die from the disease in 2009 alone. Today, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States. In this segment of The Organic View Radio Show, New York's very own Irene Virag (www.irenevirag.com) will be my guest to talk about her own journey through cancer and how it changed her as a gardener and as a writer. Irene is a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper reporter. She has been named a Great American Gardener by the American Horticultural Society and won the organization's national communication award for inspirational garden writing. For 14 years, Irene wrote New York Newsday's garden column and was honored with the Garden Writers Association's Gold Award for the nation's best newspaper column. Currently, she writes for magazines such as Country Gardens, Organic Gardening, Fine Gardening, Better Homes & Gardens and others. She was recently awarded the association's Gold Award for best magazine writing for her ?Backyard Biology? column in Nature's Garden magazine. Tune in to hear Irene's story which is one of hope, inspiration and survival!

In 1954-1957, there were 3.5 million dairy farmers. Today, there are only 47,000 dairy farmers in America. With the pressure increasing on dairy farmers as well as the heat from the big chemical companies like Monsanto closing in, they seem to be dropping like flies. The latest slam to the American Dairy farmers has to do with the ability to sell raw milk. In this segment of The Organic View, Joel Greeno, the President of the American Raw Milk Producers Pricing Association and the Vice-President of Family Farm Defenders will be my guest to talk about these pressures. Joel Greeno has been a Wisconsin Dairy Farmer for 15 years. As the current President of the American Raw Milk Producers Pricing Association, which is an organization of dairy farmers dedicated to establishing a raw milk price which returns to dairy producers their cost of production plus a profit, he advocates for dairy farmers across America. ARMPPA is a milk-marketing agency that holds no allegiance to any existing milk handler, cooperative or corporation. Through ARMPPA, small and moderate-sized dairy producers can survive as independent businesses and avoid vertical integration. So, is raw milk getting the raw deal? Why is it that a bottle of wine costs 3 times as much as one gallon of life giving sustenance? Even a bottle of water adds up to $8 a gallon if you do the math. However, milk remains very cheap but costs quite a lot to produce. Want to know why there is so much unfairness, injustice and harassment of the dairy farmers? Stay tuned!