Monday, January 10, 2011
Gold Decoupling from US Dollar Offers New Opportunities
Decoupling of Gold
As the value of gold keeps increasing in tandem with the US dollar, this uptrend further strengthens the position of gold in an investor’s portfolio. Once gold can prove its independence from the greenback, it will open many opportunities for itself.
It is assumed that buying gold coins stand to benefit more when it can be decoupled from the US dollar; a complete decoupling is most likely to raise the gold price. Gold will prove to be a powerful investment tool for any investor who wishes to strengthen his investment portfolio as well as be hedged against any kind of economic crisis or inflation as gold is considered a safe asset.
Gold triumphs in economic crisis although it is otherwise for the greenback; however, certain crisis does favor the US dollar as in the recent European financial crisis. Hence, gold is the better choice where economic concerns only tend to push the value of gold up even when the dollar value is up.
With the generic thinking that most experts hold in that gold prices rise when the dollar value drops tend to increase the demand and popularity of the precious shiny metal.
US Dollar Value
Many are questioning the real impact of the European crisis on the US dollar. There is a growing concern whether the greenback will continue to strengthen itself in the midst of the European economic chaos until such a momentum that even gold cannot keep up with the increase. But this does not take into consideration the poor economic status of the US currently nor the quantitative easing that will come about.
Today, as gold seems to move towards a US dollar decoupling, more investors are considering a keener look on purchasing gold coins. There are many forms of gold offering to investors who are serious in making gold as part of their investment portfolio. There are physical gold, gold bullion and rare coins of gold for one’s taking.
All eyes are watching for a complete or total decoupling of gold from the greenback, which gives more reason to own a piece of the precious yellow metal because the price of gold will certainly rise. Even today’s poor economy pushes the gold prices forward.
Many people today prefer gold over any paper currency out of the fear of Europe’s and US’s increasing debt. They may not be vigilant over the significant resiliency of gold in the past 9 years but it may make it to 10 straight years if gold can hold its fort on its current prices.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Two types of Gold Coins
Numismatic gold coins and gold bullion coins are two of the most important classes of gold coins. Gold bullion coins are not collectable, so they are used only because of their metal value. The bullion coins are the most popular coins in the US, but there are more such bullion coins around the world.
The Gold Bullion Industry in the United States
The Gold American Eagle is the most famous gold bullion coin in the US and the producers sell millions of copies every year. In 2006, another gold bullion coin appeared on the market; it was called the American Buffalo. The purity of the gold used and the design of this coin make it different from the one minted in 1986. Regarding the production of gold bullion, there are also other countries that produce them: South Africa’s Krugerrand is the most important one to mention. Produced before the appearance of the ones in America, it was very famous among the other gold bullion until the American eagle appeared. Around the year 1970, a new gold bullion coin appeared: the Gold Canadian Maple Leaf. Other such bullion appeared on the market in countries like Australia or Austria, called the Kangaroo and the Vienna Philharmonic respectively, while in China the Government called it the Chinese Panda. The gold coins minted until 1933 and starting with the year 1795 are mostly coins belonging to the United States; they are considered a special feature of the American nation. The coins minted in this period that survived the passing of time are of real interest for both collectors and investors.
The Industry of Numismatics in the United States
Gold coins are a very profitable and are considered a safe haven, especially for those who can afford to buy them. As they have a special design, they have always been an attraction for art and history lovers. Nowadays, these coins with their amazing histories are a very interesting subject matter all over the world. At the end of 1933, the President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, gave the order to stop the minting of this type of coin and confiscated all gold bullion. The President ordered these coins to be melted, so this is how they became so rare and, at the same time, an attraction for coin collectors.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The Importance of Gold Market Archival Knowledge
Therefore this calls for a wide range of information explaining the structure, participants and operations in regard to the gold market. It is unprofessional to buy in a field about which you know nothing, have no idea as to how it functions or have no idea of its historical background to assure you that you are venturing into the right market. Sufficient information also helps a great deal in choosing the form of how to buy gold that suits and meets your needs.
There are documents readily available to investors which supply all the information they need, help them in exploring the impressive world of gold and help make it work to their advantage. Some of the information you are likely to find in your research includes supply and demand which deal with the flow of gold. Under this heading you will get all the explanation you need on the fundamentals of the gold market as well as its demand and supply structure.
It is essential to familiarize yourself with the liquidity value, advantages of gold and all the issues related to it as well as the gold market in general. Your research should be wide enough to be able to answer all your questions. You should make sure you get an explanation of all international gold prices and how they behave and why they behave as they do. Archives will help you understand all you need to and answer all critical questions you may have.
Buyers should make a point of getting all necessary information about trading in the gold market as well as the clearing and settlement processes involved while not forgetting gold market derivatives. Make sure that you understand all the jargon and terms relating to the gold market to ensure you understand the language of this type of trade.
It is incumbent upon you as an investor to get all the information and knowledge you need before plunging yourself into the world of any investment. If you take keen interest in the markets, you will be able to come up with an investment strategy that will work to your advantage.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Demand for Twenty Dollar Saint Gaudens if Growing
The Demand for Twenty Dollar Saint Gaudens if Growing
One key driving force that separates the $20 St. Gauden from gold bullion coins like the American Gold Eagle is that production has stopped for Saint Gauden gold coins. The finite number of these gold coins enhances their value beyond the pure gold content.
There are many factors contributing to the demand for rare gold coins like the Twenty Dollar St. Gauden. One major factor is the broad appeal as this gold coin is widely accepted for its value by gold coin collectors and gold buyers looking for a hedge against inflation. Though the $20 St. Gauden is a rare gold coin the supply is large enough to allow the market to buy and sell the coins on a frequent basis. Liquidity is an important factor that makes rare gold coins an attractive buying opportunity.
Besides the rarity factor the Twenty Dollar St. Gauden is also almost pure gold. The gold purity is 0.900 with gold itself having inherent value. The price of gold has never been zero which is not the case from some stocks that have dropped sharply in people's portfolios. Recent increases in the spot price of gold also affects the price of rare gold coins, too.
One major difference between the Twenty Dollar St. Gauden and the American Gold Eagle is that the sale and purchase of American Gold Eagles is recorded with the IRS while Twnety Dollar Saint Gaudens are considered a collection and not subject to these requirements. The owning of rare gold coins is considered a private position in gold.
Rare gold coins like gold bullion coins are seen as a way to preserve wealth. Many of the factors that cause forms of investments like stocks, bonds, and real estate to decrease in value cause gold coins to increase in value. Important to understand that past performance is not a guarantee of future gains though supports the greater understanding of the value of owning rare gold coins.
Friday, August 6, 2010
US Gold Coins: Grading and Value
US Gold Coins: Factors Affecting Grading
The primary factor affecting a US gold coin’s grading (and its value) is its design and other elements, such as the image/portrait and mint dates on the coins. The more clearly these are readable and identifiable, the better grading the coin has. Other key factors affecting the grading of US gold coins are:
• The surface: This is a highly sensitive part of a coin, vulnerable to scratches, dents and stains. Even a small nick on Lady Liberty can drastically lower the coin’s grade.
• The luster: This implies the shine of the coin; the better the shine, the higher the grade. Bear in mind that the more hands these coins pass through, the more likely they are to lose their luster and appear dull.
US Gold Coins: Grading Mechanism
US gold coins are typically graded on a 70-point scale by numismatists as well as certified coin grading services. This point system is known as the Sheldon Scale. Note that different descriptions and grading terms may be used by different grading companies. Typically, US gold coins are graded in the following categories:
Abbreviation Description Numerical Grade
P Poor 1
FR/FA Fair 2
AG About Good 3
G Good 4, 6
VG Very Good 8, 10
F Fine 12-15
VF Very Fine 20
XF/EF Extremely Fine 40-45
AU Almost Uncirculated/ About Uncirculated 50-58
UNC/MS Uncirculated/ Mint State 60-70
US gold coins may also be net graded. This form of grading is used for coins that have some issues. For instance, a coin may have an XF grade, but has been scratched or corroded over time. Such a coin may be given a "net" grade, let’s assume VF, to reflect the undesirable problems. Net grading implies that while the coin may technically have an XF grade, its market value is likely to be around the average of a VF graded coin. Net grading is applied on as much as 25 percent of the US gold coins in circulation today.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Sinking Economy and Bouncing Gold
Jason Toussaint from the World Gold Council believes, “Gold has a 5,000-year track record of preserving wealth. During times of market crisis there's a flight to safety, and gold makes a strong candidate for a long-term strategic asset.” Even after the dissolution of the Gold Standard worldwide, the demand for gold never receded. Economic prudence remains the most important driver of its prices. Professor Fred Foldvary, from the Economics Department of Santa Clara University insists that at any given point of time, the metal has a fixed international price and is used as virtual money. Although, technically gold is not a part of any barter trade, its set international value imparts it the character of money.
An ardent follower of gold, Foldvary sums up the relation between the Government policies, market forces, and the gold prices, over the last three decades. The oil (1973) and energy (1979) crises left a condition of stagflation in the US. The value erosion of the paper currency made gold and real estate investments, viable risk coverage strategies. The metal touched $850 per troy ounce. To contain the exorbitant price levels, the Federal Reserve sucked liquidity out of the market. This led to a severe recession between July 1981 and November 1982. Gold prices crashed when people had to sell off their gold holdings, held in the form of investment and even jewelry. The prices tumbled to the new lows of $250 per ounce. Since then, in the times of economic instability, gold has surged to record levels.
The analysts from almost all the quarters are betting on a further jump in gold prices in the coming time. UBS predicts that gold will be in the proximity of $1,500 per ounce by the year-end. US based financial planner, Beck believes that the growth story will continue in the time to come. “When we eventually get inflation, maybe in 2012, gold will continue to climb all the way into 2017. And then I'd look to sell,” she says.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Why are organic and eco-friendly toys better for our children?
One of the greatest gifts to mankind given by the creator is nature. Now it is our duty to protect this gift. If nature is not properly used and protected, we put ourselves and our next generation into peril. So use of nature and natural products should be made with wisdom. It is also true in the case of manufacture of toys.
Care of child:
It is the duty of every soul in this world to care for the child. He is our successor. The care of his health is of utmost importance. In order to make the child industrious, we provide him with many toys. Unfortunately many of these toys are made of materials like plastic, fibers, etc. which are chemical based products. These products are known to affect the tender skin of the baby. Attracted by the pleasing color of these toys, the toddler puts these products in his mouth and as a result he gets infected. These products are known to be storehouses of many serious diseases. So the child is laid down with serious ailments. His future is affected. Ultimately we have failed in taking proper care of the baby.
Remedy:
The remedy is to stop providing such toys which are manufactured using artificial materials like plastic, etc. Instead, replace these with organic and eco-friendly toys. They do not harm the child. These toys are manufactured using natural materials. They are as attractive as artificial toys. Advantages of organic toys:
As they are made of natural material without any artificial lining around them, they are totally safe for the child. Of course, they cost little more than their counterparts; artificial toys. But looking at the long range benefit, anyone will be willing to pay more. They are free from all sorts of toxic materials. They can be used for longer period of time. They can be repaired and reused. But in any form they are eco friendly. If there is a need to discard these toys, they can be put back on the road; nature will accept them. For example toys made of wood, cotton cloth, clay toys are all eco friendly; when they are discarded in the open, they in no way harm the nature or the neighborhood. But it is not so in case of artificial toys. There are many examples of many electronic gadgets yet to be disposed off because they cannot be thrown in the open for fear of causing environmental hazard.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Paper Bags or Plastic bags: Every Thing You Need to Know
You may not know that the question of paper or plastic is a far bigger question for eco friendly conscious people than you would think. The use of plastic bags is much more rampant in the market than paper bags because of many reasons and one such reason is that the cost of plastic bags is much less than the paper bags.
Manufacturing of Paper Bags:
The manufacturing of paper bags is a long and complicated process. These bags are made from the trees and they have their environmental cost as well. The use of trees for making these bags is not good for the environment and the forest habitat. This results into long run damage to the ecology. Also the cutting down of trees and carrying them to the manufacturing units requires the use of heavy machinery and the transportation then consumes much of the fuel. After these trees reach the desired place, there is a long process of drying the trees and extracting the pulp, then bleaching and washing of the pulp and adding the color, etc. This whole process requires a lot of resources which can be otherwise utilized for better reasons.
After Use of Paper bags:
There are different possibilities like either you can compost them or throw them or you can recycle these bags. The recycling is again a complicated and tricky process and requires the use of a lot of resources again.
Manufacturing of Plastic Bags:
Plastic bags are made completely differently from the paper bags. Plastic bags are the side products of oil and are produced by the refining process of oil. The big resource input which is used in the production of plastic bags is the energy in the form of electricity.
Recycling of the Plastic Bags:
Plastic bags are recycled but it is not an easy process and requires the melting and casting of the plastic again. This is also an energy consuming process and after the recycling, the quality of the plastic gets hard and this cannot be recycled again.
Which bag to use: Paper or Plastic?
The comparison between these two bags can be made by looking at the energy consumption, environment emissions and all other costs of recycling and production. According to some statistics, plastic bags are better as they consume less amount of energy and other air emissions while paper bags consume more resources than the plastic bags.
So to support the go green cause, the bags which consume less of the resources should be used.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Do 100% Organic Skin Care Products Exist?
Organic Products - The Present Scenario
"Going Organic" seems to be the new buzzword. Whether its Hollywood celebrities or The National Geographic, everyone is talking about how to go green and switch to organic products. So, while you are browsing the endless brands of lotions and creams on the supermarket shelf, you choose only the ones that say 'organic' or 'natural.' You go home in peace thinking you did your job, you choose right and you have nothing to worry about. Right? Well, we suggest, think again. Hundreds of organic skin care products are flooding the global skin care market every day. The credibility definitely becomes questionable.
The Organic Catch
Many of us become the target to the shrewd marketing gimmicks of skincare products manufacturing companies that mislead consumers by claiming to be organic, while the truth is harshly far from it. Most skin care products that declare themselves as being Organic, in reality may merely have a few organic ingredients blended with preservatives and chemical agents. Unfortunately, the loophole is in the system, since there is no rule what so ever, restricting companies from labeling their products as 'Natural' or 'Organic.'
Organic Skin Care Products - The Concept
The basic difference between an ordinary skincare product and an organic skincare product is that the organic products are made with organically grown ingredients. Therefore, unlike conventionally cultivated materials, which are exposed to harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides, organically grown materials are toxin free.
Organic Skin Care Products - Some Facts
When a skin care product is certified as 'Organic,' it generally contains 95% organic ingredients and 5% of inorganic materials, which belong to an approved National List.
When a product is certified as 'Made from Organic Ingredients,' it means it contains only 70% of organic ingredients and the other 30% contains inorganic materials from the approved National List.
Organic Purchase - The Pre-requisites
Taking into consideration all the facts it can be said that 100% pure organic products may not really exist. Still, we can definitely find the next best things for us. A few things to keep in mind before buying any organic products:
Read the Ingredients Carefully - If you cannot even pronounce a chemical's name, it maybe that it should not be there. If you are unsure about the ingredients, browse through the internet to find more information on them. Fact sheets on most chemicals can be found easily, online.
No Additives - True organic products should not contain any artificial colors, synthetic dyes, artificial fragrances, or preservatives.
Check Certification - Check for USDA (United States Departments of Agriculture) seal or ACO (Australian Certified Organic) logo on the products.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Going green - how do you know if a product is green?
If you want to help the environment and go green, here are some tips to get you started. Why go green at all? What exactly is green? How do you know which items to purchase? There are many people out there looking to cash in on the green fad. How to shop safely.
So, do you really want to do your part? Do you want to help the environment, the economy and future generations? Everyone is going green these days and it's a good thing. It shows that people are becoming more conscious of their impact on the world around them. There are so many things that our society wastes. We waste food, water, building materials such as wood from trees and many many more. It's disgusting when you think about all of that money wasted. Think of the time that's wasted too. If you don't change the way you live and shop - you will be leaving the world in a terrible state for future generations.
Do you want to go green? What exactly is going green? What exactly makes a product a green product? If you check the label or item description from the manufacturer - you should see no harmful chemical. All of the ingredients and materials should be easily found in the earth. They should be made using natural processes. Don't buy products that were made in a lab using all kinds of nasty substances. Going green means saying no to harmful toxins and unsafe chemicals in your home or workplace.
Green products must be made using methods that are environmentally friendly. There's more to going green than just leaving out toxic chemicals. We must use methods to produce our goods and services that are sustainable. Think about some of the factories you have seen. They produce a lot of items. They also produce a lot of waste material. It seems like madness when you really think about it. There is absolutely no reason to be spending more just to produce less. Don't let the big guys at the top play with your future, just so they can make a few quick dollars. Green products are products that are good for the earth, the economy and everyone on it. If this isn't true about a product that a manufacturer is offering - it's not green. Don't buy it!
Go green and do your part for our environment.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Do You have Symptoms of Fatigue, Shortness of Breath, or a Rapid Heart Beat?
Let me know if this sounds like you? You experience frequent bouts of quick onset of sweating, a sudden rapid heart rate, or all of a sudden a shortness of breath. You may think that you are having a heart attack, though the real cause may be something you didn't expect.
If this sounds like you do you skip breakfast often? Thus once you skip breakfast your day goes by with off on bouts of fatigue and sluggishness that you fix with either trips to Starbucks or the vending machine. Quickly after eating the high sugar of gourmet coffees or snacks in vending machines you feel better though it doesn't last and a few hours later you are crashing again.
What is happening is a lack of small meals during the day is throwing your hormones out of balance. Too much insulin in your blood stream from constant bouts of low and then high blood sugar is causing your symptoms mentioned earlier. This process starts many Americans on the path to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure. Who would have though it was all causes when you skipped breakfast?
Most Americans from not poor diet choices, but poor diet habits are living everyday with their hormones out of balance. What I mean by poor diet habits instead of poor diet choices is that most people may think they eat too much fast food or not enough vegetables, though it is the simple act not eating small meals throughout the day that causes the hormonal imbalances.
Your endocrine system (hormones) and your nervous system control your body's rhythm which allows you to prevent disease and live healthy. Most pharmaceutical drugs mast the symptoms people feel like depression or fatigue though the only way to make a cure is to get your hormones back into balance from your diet.
The key understanding how your hormone insulin works and what you can to get in back into balance.
1. Insulin is the key hormone that controls how much fat you store.
2. High insulin levels triggers your brain to crave high sugar foods.
3. Insulin puts stress on the brain which leads to type 3 diabetes or Alzheimer's.
4. Your body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin and that process is the cause of over half the cases of high blood pressure.
5. Insulin enhances the chance of cancer cells forming.
6. High levels of insulin have been linked to depression, panic attacks, anxiety, ADHD, and insomnia.
7. Insulin makes your blood clot faster which increases risk of heart attacks and strokes.
8. Insulin can lead to lower testosterone which causes infertility, acne, hair loss for both men and women, and sexual performance issues.
Top 10 Tips to Re balance Your Insulin
1. Eat a higher amount of whole foods that have not been processed like fruits, vegetables, beans, fish, chicken, and eggs.
2. Remove trans fats from your diet. There is no health benefit to any trans fats in your diet.
3. Eat more organic foods which don't use pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones.
4. Avoid high sugar foods.
5. Eat breakfast. If you are not in the habit; start with something. Just drinking coffee doesn't count for eating breakfast.
6. Eat 5 small meals during the day or every 2-3 hours.
7. Don't eat a large meal than go to bed. This is also solved by eating 5 small meals as you loose the ability to overeat.
8. Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Lack of sleep will limit the affects of any amount of health eating that you will do. You are not able to catch up on the weekends.
9. Get at least 3 bouts of exercise in during the week. Cardiovascular exercise has been shown to support stabilizing your blood sugar.
10. Ten a few minutes to relax every day. High stress releases cortisol into your blood stream which amplifies the effects of insulin.
When you embark on balancing your hormones remember it is a lifestyle not a 90 day plan. The goal is that every action you take is an action that you can add to your life that you can continue. Any solution that is short term typically only causes more problems or at least different problems.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Rank For Competitve Keywords in Google Organic Search Results with Videos
As more and more businesses and websites find their way online, search engine rankings have become the new Wall Street jungle. High placement on major keywords can be gold to businesses as the traffic they generate can mean millions.
For many websites the power larger websites hold with more resources and more money can be overwhelming. You have a weapon to get to the top of Google rankings for competitive keywords. The answer is videos and especially Youtube.
Youtube was bought my Google and shows up exceptionally high in Google organic rankings. Do a test. I bet you that for just about every major keyword there is a video showing up on the front page. If there isn't one than this is an opportunity I would jump on as if you don't someone else will?
Since, I have know sold you on the power of videos the following are three steps you can do to make high quality videos that will get you to the top of Google natural search rankings.
3 Tips to Making Videos for Search Engines and the Viewer
Interesting
Your video has to be interesting at some level. It won't do you any good to get it ranked if no one wants to watch your video. Figure out a way to make your video entertaining, demonstrate a helpful solution, or be funny. If you create a funny video that makes people want to send it to their friends it won't matter if you are an accounting firm since hundreds of thousands of people could potentially see it.
You only have to be interesting for 2-3 minutes. Any past 3 minutes and you will start to lose your audience's attention. If you have more to say or think you are that funny cut the video up into segments and now you have more videos to post.
Credibility
Take the time to do right. If you are nervous the first time you shoot; start over. Watch your video back for mumbling or parts that are hard to hear. Remember that this video will represent your brand you want to make it of quality.
Quality doesn't mean you have to hire a film crew. You know the difference between representing yourself well and something you are not proud of. Remember getting traffic is only half the battle.
Also, be honest with yourself. If you are little dry find someone who can articulate your points clearly and with energy. Think about the types of people that engage you and use those people as your spokesperson in your video.
Titles How you title your video is the most important. It won't matter how great it is if no one sees it. Your title has two purposes. First, it must be keyword driven. Keywords are what search engines are picking it and those keywords are the terms you want your video to rank for.
Keyword stuffing it won't work. Think about creating a new video for each keyword phrase that you want to rank for.
The second aspect is you have to capture the attention of the person to want to watch your video. Look at newspaper headlines as they are a prime example of how grab your attention.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Does Birth Control Pills Cause Acne
Causes of Acne
The following are the lead causes of pimples and acne:
Puberty and related changes (activation of sebaceous glands or the oil glands) Hormonal imbalance Dirt Skin types (oily skin is more prone to acne) Highly stressful lifestyle Vitamin and mineral deficiency Rare cases of heredity Cosmetics
Link between Birth Control Pills and Acne Demystified
Birth control pills are effective for acne treatment only in the cases where the main cause for acne is hormone related. Sometimes, an excess secretion of androgen from the ovaries is the leading cause of stubborn pimples and acne. Androgen has the property of activating the oil glands that leads to and increased occurrence of acne. Certain combination of birth control pills help by suppressing the level of androgen in the body. Testosterone (male hormone) is also associated with the increase in the activity of oil glands, thereby promoting acne. Oral contraceptives, especially those containing Estrogen and Progestin, reduce Testosterone in the body. Not all types of oral contraceptives are flatly effective on everyone. You need to decide upon the right combination suitable to your physiology. Of course, this has to be done under the guidance of a medical practitioner. In addition, other acne specific drugs, including antibiotics should be used as supplements to enhance the efficacy of the medication, for instance, benzoyl peroxide, alpha hydroxyl acids, and retinoids.
Preferred Combination and Commercially Available Products
Medicinal formulations containing the hormones Estrogen and Progestin (synthetically manufactured Progesterone) are usually beneficial in the therapy. Estrogen helps in maintaining the hormonal balance and regulates the level of Testosterone. Progestin is added to prevent any side effects caused by excess Estrogen. Lower Estrogen drugs such as Alesse should be preferred, as they do not have lesser repercussions related to the hormone. Ensure that the progestins in the medicine are anti-androgenic and not androgenic. Some of the commonly available brands are:
YAZ Ortho Tri-Cyclen Estrostep Yasmin
Birth Control Pills: Last Resort!
Oral contraceptives are resorted to only after exhausting all the other options, due to the reactions of hormone replacement therapy. If you do not intent to go in for contraception, use of birth control pills for acne treatment is a bad choice. The known side effects of oral contraceptive pills are:
Nausea Irregular menstrual cycles Cyst in the bust area Tendering of breasts Heart ailments Clotting of blood Cancer
While taking the risk of above side effects, you should be aware of the fact that oral contraceptive pills do not necessarily treat acne. Therefore, exercise a lot of prudence in adopting birth control pills for acne cure and try to keep it as last choice, rather than a preferred option.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
How Do I Know If My Product is Organic
What is organic food? The term is becoming more popular. In the United States for a product to claim that it is 100% organic is has to produced following legally regulated guidelines and be subject to strict testing. Typically to because of the detail involve to get the ultra healthy organic food it costs more than the fertilizer and pesticide rich alternatives.
The term organic means that the food was produced without the use of conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or sewage, and that no artificial additives to included in the process. When the term organic relates to animals like beef, the animals are free of antibiotics and growth hormones given typically to make the animals bigger.
In the beginning the only place to get organic food was from your local farmers market. Not any more. Now, family run farms are being over taken by commercial operations that produce still 100% organic food faster and meet the new demand for the products. The United States has grown by 17-20% in organic food sales in the last few years. You can now get organic products from online retailers to Wal-Mart.
In the United States, companies have to pass tough testing and regulations to call their products organic. The term certified organic means that the USDA has certified that the product in question is actually 100% organic. A farmer commercial or family run must apply for their certification. Not all organic food is certified. Food products can be organic and just not have gone through the approval process to be certified.
With the every increasing demand for organic products, more and more products are finding their way into becoming organic. Now, coffee, ice cream, and ketchup can all be found with organic labels and ingredients. There is now an overwhelming change from the overly processed foods that line our grocery stores to more all natural products.
The term all natural is not govern, so the only way to know a product is organic is to get it from a trusted source or grown it yourself. The ladder probably isn't going to happen for most of us. All natural products are not necessarily bad. They are just not going through the certification process to be considered 100% organic.
Looks for the organic label from your trusted places you buy your products. You will have to make the decision on the products that might be 70% or 35% organic. For some products that is as good as it gets for the time being. With the demand high more and more products will start becoming organic. They have to.
Natures Organic Market has low prices on organic baby clothes, organic protein bars, and more.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
What is Organic Coffee and how is it Grown
Organic is a new word used in the context of coffee, tea, cocoa and other food materials in recent times around local shops and super markets. Every year the word is being used by buying public more than the previous year and its use is growing year after year resulting in higher sale proportion of tea or coffee marked as 100% organically grown.
What is organically grown?
To simply put it, organic farming methods leave least or no harmful impact on the surrounding environment. Organic agricultural production systems are mostly traditional methods evolved through learning from nature. In the organic farming methods no synthetic chemical fertilizer or pesticide is used. So that organic production means natural, pure and healthy.
How coffee grows in nature
The coffee plant does not need much direct sun light and so it grows under the shade of large trees. The ground is never sprayed with any chemical insecticide or fertilizer and so the ground water remains pure and uncontaminated. From the canopy of trees leaves fall steadily and the ground is covered by fallen leaves layer on layer. The layers of fallen leaves work as a blanket and protect the moisture of the ground. The moisture in turn help the process of compost to turn the bottom layers of leaves into natural manure to nourish the land.
The thick foliage of shade trees over the coffee bushes house many varieties of birds and also attracts the migratory birds. The birds live on small insects and pests. So they work as natural pest controllers and keep the coffee plants healthy.
The coffee that grows in the shade of other local trees become original and pure in taste and flavor Organic Coffee.
The proposed plantation site is selected carefully. And if the site was being used to grow some other crop using chemical fertilizer or chemical insecticides, then a minimum period of three years are given as conversion years for the proposed site to get over the effects of the harmful chemicals.
After the conversion years coffee bushes are planted along with local shade trees. Care is given equally to the coffee bushes and shade trees and effort is put in to leave bird population to grow undisturbed.
The fallen leaves are left undisturbed to convert into manure to nourish the land and keep it fertile. The bird population effectively controls the pests and harmful insect and protects the coffee bushes. And finally for decaffeinating, approved processes are employed including the Swiss Water process. The coffee thus produced is organic coffee.
Organic vs. commercial production
Organic production methods along with producing coffee intend to protect environment. In this process of growing coffee, more and more trees are grown due to that local biodiversity is achieved. In this method, soil fertility and nutrients are sustained. No chemical pollution is created to harm the human health.
In contrast in commercial profit oriented method of growing coffee, the trees are felled and the cumulative effect is deforestation. Deforestation leads to soil erosion and severe depletion. The commercial grower cuts trees to allow direct sun light which increases production. As there are no birds to control pests and due to the absence of trees and its natural manure, farmers are forced to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides severely harming the environment.
Organic coffee - lifeline of future
Organic production process is eco friendly and helps to repair the environment spoilt by the greedy profit oriented approach of commercial growers of coffee through growing more and more shade trees.
Protecting environment locally helps to enhance the eco system. Rejuvenation and eco system alone can help the planet from disaster and help to sustain life on this planet.
Organic coffee is our responsibility, almost a human duty and life line to healthy future of mankind.
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