Organic Connections November 2007 by Natural Vitality

Organic

Connections NOVEMBER 2007

The magazine of Peter Gillhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Natural Vitality

Small-Town USA Trends in preventive healthcare Chromium Who needs it? Slow Food The antidote for homogenization

What the world needs now is a goodtasting (light organic fruit flavor) liquid multi- nutrient that provides both energy and stamina— without all of those pills, tablets and capsules to swallow. Introducing OLV—Organic Life Vitamins™—a liquid revolution in daily nutrition!

Food-based nutrition Liquid (for better absorption) Essential vitamins Organic ACTIValoe™ ConcenTrace® trace minerals Amino acid complex OptiMSM® Chromax® chromium picolinate Organic noni juice Antioxidants

Organic Life Vitamins is available through Peter Gillham’s Natural Vitality 800.446.7462 Visit www.petergillham.com for additional product information.

The times they are a-changing

ou know something is happening here but you don’t know what it is—do you, Dr. Jones? It’s just this: People want to be healthier. They want to avoid getting ill. They are seeking to avoid costly doctor visits and hospitalization. They are increasingly interested in the benefits of good nutrition and building a strong immune system. This changing view of health is more of a back-to-basics citizen revolt. Just as consumers are becoming increasingly discontented with the mass market processed foods offered in supermarkets, giving rise to an ever growing number of natural food markets, they are also seeking alternatives to what we call “traditional” medicine. Interestingly, the medical tradition Americans have grown up with doesn’t go that far back—only about one hundred years. It coincides with the industrialization of our household products (soap, laundry detergent) and of our food supply. Prior to that there were hundreds of medical schools teaching various fields of medicine. Today, American medicine is not so much a profession as it is an industry. Nowadays it’s all about lawyers, insurance companies, politics and—last but certainly not least—money. And like all industrial ventures, certain things are sacrificed for the sake of standardization and cost-effectiveness. The family doctor and his house calls got lost somewhere along the line and in his place we have an avalanche of television and print ads touting the latest versions of “better living through chemistry” put forth by drug companies so rich and powerful they are collectively known as “big pharma.” The lists of alarming side effects, such as warnings on cigarette packages to smokers, often go unheeded because when we’re sick we have been trained to rely on medical authority to tell us what to do. While modern medicine (called allopathy—using drugs that have opposite effects to symptoms being treated) has its place in the scheme of things (just like burgers and fries), there’s more to health than drugs, surgery and vaccinations. Just as Americans are seeking healthier and tastier food, they are increasingly seeking out healthcare alternatives that are less costly, less invasive and have fewer side effects.

In this issue

or•gan•ic |ôr ganʹik| denoting a relation between elements of something such that they fit together harmoniously as necessary parts of a whole: the organic unity of the integral work of art • characterized by continuous or natural development: companies expand as much by acquisition as by organic growth.

4 trends With the rising cost of healthcare, small-town residents are turning to their local health food store for answers.

5 chromium Who needs it? Find out why this essential trace mineral is important to your health.

6 slow food In the land of hot dogs, burgers and fries, a new movement is blossoming that focuses on natural, locally grown foods. These are more regenerative, sustainable and delicious. But it’s not only about the ingredients. It’s also about taking the time to slow down and enjoy the traditions of the table and celebrate the diversity of Earth’s bounty.

Ken Whitman publisher

Organic Connections is published by Peter Gillham’s Natural Vitality 2530 N. Ontario Street, Burbank, CA 91504-2512 National Office (800) 446-7462 www.petergillham.com • info@petergillham.com

A portion of the profits from the sale of

Natural Calm ® and Organic Life Vitamins™ goes to our Natural Revitalization environmental action initiative addressing global warming, which helps fund Conservation International (www.conservation.org) and Remineralize the Earth (www.remineralize.org).

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ll across America, a growing number of people have gone beyond simply being conscious of their own health and have taken a major step by opening up their own stores. Such natural retailers are havens for anyone seeking chemicalfree healthy food and supplements as solutions for a healthier quality of life. Recently we took a closer look at two such operations. Nature’s Way is a small health products store in Smyrna, Delaware, with few staff (all of two, including the owner) but with a mission as big as life. “Our

store carries supplements, organic foods, reports. “Many of them come in saying teas, all-natural personal products, essential that they know they don’t eat right, oils and even natural weight-loss products. being on the run all the time. This gives While in the medical field some years them energy they didn’t know they had, ago, Susie made the decision to pursue and they can really tell that they’ve been the study of natural health remedies and missing it. They’re all-around healthier.” has never looked back. “It is my vision to Health Choices also stocks Natural educate and assist people with a loving Calm and most other products from and holistic approach,” she says. Peter Gillham’s Natural Vitality. “With the rising cost of healthcare, For anyone who has never tried OLV, many people are looking for ways to Steve and Susie provide a sample and take care of themselves where possible a flyer explaining the nutritional value. rather than visit doctors,” says Steve. “We explain that OLV can save them time “These are the people who come through and money by providing everything in the doors of our store.” one bottle,” Steve says.

With the rising cost of healthcare, many people are looking for ways to take care of themselves where possible rather than visit doctors.

goal is to help people get back to wellness,” says store manager Cyndie Moody. “We strive to move people away from total dependence on doctors and toward a preventative, healthy lifestyle.” Nature’s Way has a small but expanding stock of healthy foods but mostly specializes in vitamins, herbs, minerals and beauty products. The store attempts to stay abreast of and address concerns and complaints of their customers. Lately those have included arthritis aches and pains, acid reflux, allergies, cholesterol and blood pressure. And it’s not just the aging population that has these problems. “I have people as young as early twenties come in here with high cholesterol and high blood pressure,” Moody says. “And they want help.” Elsewhere in another American small town, Susie Grimmett and her husband, Steve, mean business. But it’s a natural business, filled with organic solutions. Susie, an APP (Associate Polarity Practitioner) has learned many healing practices, which she offers from the couple’s Rock Hill, South Carolina, facility—an herbal remedy and health store called Health Choices. The + f i ^ X e ` Z Z f e e \ Z k ` f e j

Nature’s Way heartily recommends to customers Peter Gillham’s Natural Calm. “Natural Calm has a lot of uses,” store manager Cyndie Moody says. “We’ve recommended it to help with blood pressure problems, nervous problems, heart problems, difficulty sleeping and constipation, among others. It’s always the first thing I recommend for sleeping problems before I recommend melatonin or anything else.” At Health Choices, one of their top sellers is Peter Gillham’s Organic Life Vitamins, a multi-nutrient designed in liquid form for maximum bioavailability. “Our customers love it,” Steve Grimmett

Of course Steve and Susie and the other store employees tried OLV before stocking it, and they were sold—all of them take it regularly. “Our energy levels have improved greatly,” Steve says. “We love the fruity taste and have shared our experience with all of our customers.” The carrying of our products aside, Organic Connections salutes robust and dedicated islands of health such as Nature’s Way and Health Choices, helping people live happier, healthier lives.

Nutrition

Who needs chromium? You do!

hen most people hear “chromium” they might immediately think of shiny truck bumpers and motorcycle wheels. But we need chromium for our health. It is an essential nutrient, which means it is required for normal body functioning and cannot be synthesized by the body. Chromium must be obtained from a dietary source. Found in small amounts in a variety of foods, including grains, nuts, mushrooms, meats, brewer’s yeast and dairy, this trace mineral is not well absorbed by the body. Chromium is critical to proper insulin function. It is also necessary for glucose, carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. Additionally, a growing number of clinical studies have found that supplementation with chromium can improve insulin function and blood sugar control in people with insulin resistance, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes occurs when the body’s insulin is not properly processing sugars. While blood sugar serves as one of a body’s most important energy sources, used by the cells to provide energy for many essential functions, the human body tolerates blood sugar only in a very narrow range. When that range is exceeded, the pancreas releases insulin. And here’s the little-known fact:

while the body makes insulin naturally, the mineral chromium is required to enable insulin and blood sugar to optimally work together. If insulin isn’t performing as effectively as it should be, blood sugar that normally would have been burned by cells remains in the bloodstream, where it’s eventually stored in the body as fat. By enhancing insulin’s effects, chromium promotes healthy blood sugar and raises energy levels.

Chromium can also help to prevent sugar cravings and sudden drops in energy and promotes a healthy circulatory system. It has been used as a treatment for migraine headaches, psoriasis and acne, can prevent anxiety and fatigue, and is used extensively by athletes and dieters because it promotes fat loss and increases lean muscle tissue. One leading dietary supplement company, Nutrition 21, began their own research study in 1999 in an effort to develop

picolinate is better absorbed than other chromium forms.

Chromium is critical to proper insulin function and necessary for glucose, carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. a better understanding of chromium’s During the past decade, Chromax beneficial effects. The program uncovered chromium picolinate has distinguished what represented a fundamentally new itself as the most widely researched form appreciation of chromium—and other of chromium. Over 35 published clinical nutrients such as biotin—and their trials involving more than 2,300 patients interrelated roles in complex metabolic and support the ingredient’s safety and efficacy. biochemical pathways linking diabetes, The chromium picolinate in Chromax has cardiovascular health, obesity, depression demonstrated that it is significantly more and other health conditions. bioactive than other forms of chromium in Additionally, a recent study by Ohio State insulin resistant populations. University found that one type of chromium, The picolinate form of chromium is a unique molecule that combines chromium with picolinic acid, a compound found in breast milk, which helps the body better absorb and process minerals. The product is safe and easily incorporated into a wide range of functional food and supplement product forms. Chromax® chromium picolinate, is significantly For these reasons, Chromax is now better absorbed by the body than other included in Organic Life Vitamins (OLV) forms. The study compared absorption of from Peter Gillham’s Natural Vitality. A four different types of commercially available daily “multi-nutrient,” going far beyond nutritional chromium. Study subjects the multi-vitamin, Organic Life Vitamins absorbed noticeably more chromium from also includes organic ACTIValoe—a key chromium picolinate as compared with the food-based active ingredient—along with three other types. These findings validated vitamins, ConcenTrace trace minerals, similar results previously reported by the amino acids, antioxidants, OptiMSM and United States Department of Agriculture organic noni juice. (USDA) showing that, in humans, chromium organic connections 5

Slow Food

omogenization is a big word that means “making things the same.” As it applies to food production, it means standardizing foodstuffs for cost-effective growth, transportation and storage. Homogenization began after the Civil War, when patent medicines came on the scene. Led by Coca-Cola, hundreds of similar, semirespectable concoctions were launched into the marketplace. These products featured consistent quality and a standardized price. By the 1870s and ’80s, the first great period of branding began with “names you could trust”

The antidote for homogenization

make the point, when McDonald’s decided to open one of their restaurants right on the Spanish Steps in Rome in 1986, Carlo Petrini, a prominent Italian culinary author and personality, decided enough was enough. Rome has one of the richest heritages of culture, art and culinary achievement on the planet, and Petrini was not going to allow the event to pass unnoticed. Together with a number of his friends, Petrini set up tables across from the new McDonald’s, offering free pasta and other delicious local foods to anyone who refrained from entering and patronizing McDonald’s on that fateful day.

by Bruce Boyers

achieved in everyday life by slowing down, respecting the convivial traditions of the table and celebrating the diversity of the earth’s bounty. Slow Food’s Taste Education program seeks to reawaken and train the senses to rediscover the joys of eating. People learn to understand the importance of caring where their food comes from, who makes it and how it’s made. Local foods and producers are introduced to both members and non-members, while Taste Workshops offer guided tastings with food experts. Initiatives such as school gardens offer

“ We’re a non-profit educational organization that is trying to catalyze a cultural shift away from industrialized and commercialized food and toward something more regenerative, sustainable and delicious.” like Heinz, Proctor & Gamble, Kellogg’s and others. By 1911, Coke’s advertising budget was $1 million per year (which at that time was staggering). Thus began a headlong rush into industrial consumables, and with it came elements such as standardization of products and additives that would give foods and beverages a longer shelf life. The result of this movement is the supermarket with its huge inventory of processed, pesticide-laden and hormoneadded foods and its offspring—the fast-food “restaurant”—a meal-a-minute sustenance manufacturing station. Standardization also resulted in focusing on only those varieties of fruits, vegetables, foul and cattle that could be grown or bred the fastest and cheapest. As a result, many highly nutritious and tasty varieties of cuisine have all but disappeared. In addition to sacrificing nutrition and taste, homogenous food has endangered established regional food traditions. To 6 organic connections

And so was born a new movement, led by Petrini, called Slow Food. In 1989, the Constitution for the International Slow Food Movement was signed by over 20 visiting delegations from around the world. Today, the movement exists in over 50 countries—including the U.S.—and numbers over 80,000 members and supporters. “We’re a non-profit educational organization that is trying to catalyze a cultural shift away from industrialized and commercialized food and toward something more regenerative, sustainable and delicious,” says Jerusha Klemperer, assistant to the executive director of Slow Food USA. The organization’s member-supporters include many chefs, among them noted chef and author Alice Waters, who support small local growers and food producers. Through several different programs, the organization is promoting the pleasure and quality that can be

our youngest eaters hands-on learning experiences about the food they eat and grow themselves. Slow Food’s Defense of Biodiversity program has the mission to save the countless traditional grains, vegetables, fruits, animal breeds and food products that are disappearing due to the prevalence of convenience food and industrial agriculture. Through the Presidia project (supported by the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity) and Terra Madre, a world meeting of food communities, Slow Food seeks to protect our invaluable food heritage.

The Ark of Taste One of the key projects being undertaken by Slow Foods is called the Ark of Taste. The objective of this mission is to preserve local crops, cheeses, beverages and breeds

of foul and livestock that have fallen prey to industrial homogenization. An example is the Louisiana heritage varieties of strawberries. The Klondike, Daybreak, Headliner and Tangi are all strawberries that were traditionally cultivated in Louisiana. Developed throughout the twentieth century, these varieties have now “run out” (i.e., become susceptible to disease). Their flavor is superior to strawberries under cultivation today, such as the Driscoll and Chandler— developed for size and shipping resistance. The heritage varieties, by contrast, have a higher sugar content, a more balanced sugar-to-acid ratio and a more delicate flavor. Cultivation is still possible, though yields are much lower. Tangi strawberries are being cultivated once again by one farmer in Louisiana employing traditional methods of growing on mulch beds of locally gathered pine needles as opposed to black plastic. Another endangered food is the Pennsylvania marrowfat bean, a white bean that is excellent when used dried for soups and baked dishes. This rare bush bean was popular in the 1850s as a baking bean, is exceptional pureed, and has a unique and meaty quality and an unmatched creaminess. New Hampshire Chicken is a breed that has dwindled to a population of 5,000 breeding birds. A special selection of the Rhode Island Red, chosen for rapid growth, fast feathering, early maturity and vigor, this chicken is medium in weight and makes a plump roasting bird. While the Ark of Taste project documents and promotes forgotten and neglected foods, another arm of the project directly supports the needs of these foods and the small-scale farmers who produce them, through marketing, production and technical assistance.

Getting Slow Food into Your Life Of course, Klemperer—and the Slow Food organization—recommend slowing down

and enjoying eating these kinds of foods. ‘I’m going to cook a meal together with my Yes, we all live fast lives; so what can be family at least once this week.’ And I think done? “I think that part of it is about when you make that change in a small adjusting your priorities,” Klemperer way, you realize, ‘Oh! The time is there if says. “I’ve seen diet gurus and fitness I make it.’” gurus say, ‘You don’t think you have time for a workout, but you do! You just For more information on Slow Food USA, have to rearrange your day!’ I think that’s their programs and their movement, visit absolutely true for food. And it can start www.slowfoodusa.org. small with something like, ‘I’m not going to eat a meal in my car this week,’ or ‘I’m not going to eat a meal standing up,’ or

organic connections 7

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