[Editors note:Bjorn Lomborgis director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center and avisiting professor atCopenhagen Business School.]

There are no health benefits from eating organic food. And it is likely worse for the environment.

Back in 2012, Stanford Universitys Center for Health Policy did the largest comparison of four decades worth of research comparing organic and regular food. They expected to find evidence that organics were nutritionally superior.Their conclusion: Despite the widespread perception that organically produced foods are more nutritious than conventional alternatives, we did not find robust evidence to support this perception.

A brandnew review this year shows the same thing: Results of scientific studies do not show that organic products are more nutritious and safer than conventional foods.

A big study in Europe found that to produce the same gallon of milk organically, you need 59% more land. To produce meat, you need 82% more land, and for crops, it is more than 200%.That adds up to a lot of forest and nature being turned into farms for people in Portland, Ore., or Providence, R.I., to feel better about their choices at the supermarket.

If U.S. agricultural production wereentirely organic, it would mean wedneed to convert an area biggerthan the size of Californiato farmland.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:Organic food is great business, but a bad investment: Bjorn Lomborg

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Video: Organic food is a great business but a bad environmental investment - Genetic Literacy Project

While the growth rate is cooling slightly from 2015, organic produce sales were up strongly in 2016.

Gaining 8.4% compared with the previous year, organic fruit and vegetable sales increased to $15.6 billion in 2016, according to the Organic Trade Associations 2017 Organic Industry Survey.

By way of comparison, organic fruit and vegetables sales in 2015 were $14.4 billion, up 10.5% from 2014, according to the 2016 OTA Organic Industry Survey.

The fruit and vegetable sector accounted to nearly 40% of all organic food sales in 2016, and the 8.4% growth rate compares with the overall 3.3% gain for total fruit and vegetable sales, according to a news release from the OTA.

While the OTA estimate includes both fresh and processed organic fruits and vegetables, the Organic Trade Association said in an e-mail that fresh produce has generally accounted for around 90% of the organic fruit and vegetable sales, with the remaining sales accounted by canned, frozen, or dried organic fruits and vegetables.

The survey, produced in February and March by Nutrition Business Journal for the Organic Trade Association, said that organic fruits and vegetables now make up almost 15% of the produce that Americans eat.

The organic industry continues to be a real bright spot in the food and ag economy both at the farm-gate and check-out counter, Organic Trade Association CEO and executive director Laura Batcha said in a news release.

Batcha said there are challenges to the categorys growth.

We need more organic farmers in this country to meet our growing organic demand, and the organic sector needs to have the necessary tools to grow and compete on a level playing field, she said. That means federal, state and local programs that help support organic research, and provide the organic farmer with a fully equipped tool kit to be successful.

Disparity in estimates

The survey numbers from the organic association differ widely from the United Fresh Produce Associations FreshFacts on Retail report, which pegged organic produce sales at retail (not including processing or foodservice outlet sales) at $4.46 billion in 2016, up 13.2% from 2015. Whats more, the United Fresh numbers from Nielsen Fresh said organic sales in 2016 accounted for 9% of all fresh produce sales. The 9% organic market share number from FreshFacts is 40% below the OTAs 15% estimate for organics share of the produce market.

According to The Packers 2017 Fresh Trends survey, about 28% of about 1,000 consumer polled said they typically buy some organic produce when they shop.

Catherine Greene, economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said 2014 estimates from the agency using IRI retail scan data put the market share of organic vegetables at about 7% and organic fruit at about 6%. The USDA estimates for organic penetration may be a little low, she said, considering rising imports of organic fruits and vegetables, the organic price premium at retail and climbing organic production in the U.S.

Greene said that the USDA relies on estimates from the Nutrition Business Journal to help shape their total estimate of the organic food market. Those annual estimates of retail organic food sales from the Nutrition Business Journal which are distinct from the OTA survey are typically about 8% lower than the estimates found in the annual Organic Trade Associations survey,

The Organic Trade Association survey polling 200 companies and various data sources is the most inclusive estimate for organic sales and the most accurate, the association claims. While the Nielsen Fresh estimate primarily looks at scan data from conventional supermarkets, the OTA survey includes mass market stores (which includes the conventional retail supermarket chains, mainstream grocery stores, big box stores, and warehouse clubs) as well as national organic/natural grocery chains and regional organic/natural/health food stores. The OTA estimate also includes farmers markets and online sales, according to the group.

The OTA survey, according to the association, has been finding for the past few years that over 50% of organic food sales are now through mass market retailers, around 40% through natural/specialty retailers and around 10% through farmers markets and other channels like online sales.

Link:

OTA: organic produce sales gain 8.4% in 2016 - The Packer

[Editors note: Hank Campbell is president of the American Council on Science and Health.]

I was at a meeting with an agriculture executive and he handed me a print-off from the Whole Foods website, their Organic landingpage. A few things were highlighted. Can that be right? he asked.

[B]elow is a copy, with the sentences I am going to discuss highlighted.

4.No toxic or persistent pesticides or herbicides

Dr. Steve Savage, writing on Science 2.0, cleared that up formy home state of California, the one place where every application of science has to be logged and that accounted for:

6. No GMOs (genetically modified organisms)

Genetic modification has been done throughout agricultural history. Without it, our corn would still be grass. Mules are artificial selection, they are not found in nature, and have existed for 3,000 years. Whole Foods has genetically modified crops, but they were createdusing techniques like mutagenesis, which existed before GMOs. Since CRISPR/Cas-9editing is not a GMO, will Whole Foods still block them out? Almost certainly. Activist groups have found a fundraising goldmine in being anti-GMO, they are not going to give that up, they will switch to being anti-CRISPR, the way Greenpeace switched from being against nuclear bombs to saving whales from fishing.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:9 Ways Whole Foods Is Lying To You

Originally posted here:

10 ways Whole Foods misleads consumers about organic food and farming - Genetic Literacy Project

Organic Foods are produced by comply the standards of organic farming. In other words, diets which promote well-being and health, prevent from diseases, helps in curing illness, and also protect the environment are termed as Organic foods.

Food Consumption patterns are changing all over the world. Growing awareness towards the consumption of healthy food and beverages is the factor for the same. Unhealthy food and its consequences such as heart diseases have aware consumers to adopt food which provides them nutrition. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an unhealthy diet is the key factor for Non-Communicable Diseases which includes heart diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and others. Many public health campaigns have organized many communication activities for spreading awareness for the same.

The market has been segmented on the basis of Product Type and Country. Based on Product Type, the market is segmented on the basis of Organic Foods and Organic Beverages. Organic Foods includes Organic dairy products, Organic fruits & vegetables, Organic meat, fish & poultry, Organic frozen and processed foods, and Others (Organic baby foods, organic groceries, and so on). Organic Beverages are further segmented into Organic coffee & tea, Organic beer & wine, Organic non-dairy beverages, and other organic beverages. Based on Country, the market has been segmented into Germany, U.K., France, Russia, Spain, Italy and Rest of Europe.

The key player operating the organic food & beverages market are Amys Kitchen Inc., General Mills Inc., Hain Celestial Group, Inc., Starbucks Corporation, The Kroger Co., United Natural Foods, Inc., The WhiteWave Foods Co., and Whole Foods Market, Inc.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Market Scope & Methodology

2. Executive Summary

3. Market Overview

4. Europe Organic Food & Beverages Market

5. Europe Organic Food & Beverages Market - By Country

6. Company Profiles

- Amys Kitchen Inc.

- The WhiteWave Foods Company

- General Mills Inc.

- Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

- Starbucks Corporation

- Whole Foods Market Inc.

- United Natural Foods, Inc.

- The Kroger Co.

For more information about this report visit

http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/w67p5r/europe_organic

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/europe-organic-food--beverages-market-report-2017---research-and-markets-300465393.html

SOURCE Research and Markets

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Europe Organic Food & Beverages Market Report 2017 - Research and Markets - PR Newswire (press release)

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Some people just dont get meditation. The devotion, the time commitment: Meditation asks a fair amount of youthough the payoffs in stress relief and improved health make it worthwhile. But if youre not the meditating type, dont lose hope: Hypnosis may offer an alternative. This mental techniquefocuses on the subconscious mind and can produce results in just one session, while meditation is a life-long practice that allows results to happen in a more spontaneous way. Put simply, meditation is deep relaxation and hypnosis is deep relaxation with added suggestion, says Orlando, Florida-based hypnotist Richard Barker.

Both practices treat a variety of conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression, chronic pain, and insomnia, but if you are looking for proven research, meditation has the upper hand. Numerous studies have shown that meditation has positive neurological effects. While hypnosis has a history that dates back to the 18th centurywhen German physician Franz Mesmer used hypnosis to treat patients in Vienna and Parisit hasnt been until recently that research has uncovered the areas of the brain affected by hypnosis. Psychology has a curriculum but hypnosis is not yet regulated in the Unites States, mostly because we do not understand it, says Barker.

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What is understood about hypnosis, however, are the results. Like meditation, hypnosis has been tapped by professional athletes to help with performance. Hypnosis is also used to eradicate certain phobias (such as fear of public speaking), to help people stop smoking, sleep better, and help those who are grieving. The number of sessions varies depending on the person, says Barker, but it usually takes just one. Once I find the root cause of whats making you do what you are doing, I can change the script, he says. Another option for people trying to manage emotional issues that cant be dealt with in one or two sessions is self-hypnosis, which shares many of the same characteristics as guided meditation.

Many of Mt. Vernon, Washington-based hypnotist Kelley Woods clients with long-term anxiety have tried meditation without success. She uses Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), a process that identifies the way we have been programmed to think, act, and feel, and then changes the behavior through hypnosis. In meditation the ultimate goal is to quiet the mind, in hypnosis, we use the ability of your thoughts to focus on what you would like to happen, and then we change the way you think about your challenges, says Woods. If you want to give hypnosis a try, you can find a certified hypnotherapist through the National Guild of Hypnotists, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the practice. While treatment varies based on each individuals condition, many conditions require just one session. A typical therapy session lasts about 90 minutes and can cost anywhere from $200 to $1,500.

More here:

Meditation vs Hypnosis: Which Is Better? | Reader's Digest - Reader's Digest

Meditation is widely considered a worthwhile practice, particularly as it relieves stress. But it can also cause stress, forcing practitioners to experience fear and even relive traumatic experiences, according to a new study.

To put a spotlight on the little-discussed side effects associated with the practice, researchers at Brown University interviewed 60 people who'd encountered difficulty in Theravada, Zen, or Tibetan Buddhist meditation, per Quartz and Live Science.

These meditators described 59 unexpected types of experiencessome good, some not so goodranging from feelings of unity with others and hypersensitivity to light to cardiac irregularity and hallucinations, while more than 40 percent said they had been forced to relive past trauma, per the study in PLoS One.

They also described experiencing insomnia, irritability, panic, fatigue, as well as a distortion in time and space and a loss of emotions, with the effects lasting a few days to more than a decade, reports Todaythough as the participants were chosen based on the challenges they'd faced, they aren't indicative of the larger meditation community.

Hesitant to try meditation anyway? Don't be. It's a "positive and beneficial" practice overall, a researcher tells Quartz. A meditation teacher tells Today that some meditators "may go through some degree of difficulty. But it's not everybody" and "the quality of instructor, the nature of the community, and the ongoing support system [make] a difference in how we handle the feelings that arise." (One Buddhist thinker claims meditation changes the brain.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: Meditation Has Drawbacks, Too

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Meditation can actually cause distress, study finds - Fox News

If you suffer from stress and anxiety, odds are someone in your life has mentioned meditation as a way to cope with it.Psychiatrists often recommendthis therapy, and for good reason research based on 19,000 meditation studiesfound mindful meditation can in fact ease psychological stress.

Despite that data, however, meditation isnt for everyone. And it may not serve some people who experience the most severe bouts of stress.

I have chronic generalized anxiety, which means Im always experiencing a level of tension or stress. For the most part I can manage it, but every now and then, itll hit hard without warning, and uproot my day completely.

In college, my therapist recommended I try meditation to curb my anxiety. At first, I was happy to oblige. I tried a variety of styles, from Zen meditation, which has you focus on breathing, to primordial sound mediation, which involves, well, making primordial sounds.

It didnt work. Id often find myself more anxious at the end of a 15-minute meditation session than I had been at the beginning.And Im not alone: In general, it can be more difficult for people with chronic anxiety to meditate, because they have more stress-ridden thoughts than the average person,according to clinical psychologist Mitch Abblett.

That said, there are plenty of ways to achieve the same level of relaxation without sitting cross-legged on the floor. Theyre all rooted in a technique called the distraction method.Its part ofDr. Albert EllisRational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, which works under the assumption that a persons way of thinking is intrinsically tied to their emotional functioning.

The method consists of doing basic activities can help you take a step back from your anxiety. Psychologist Anjhula Mya Singh Bais explains the distractions can help people to objectively view issues causing disturbances in a manner that is both pragmatic and helpful in a low intensity, low pressure and low stakes environment.

What she means is by doing something simple and functional, you may be able to relax, regroup and perhaps reexamine the issue that was causing your anxiety from a much more levelheaded place.

Here are six suggestions for activities that may calm your brain without meditation, based on expert opinions and my personal experience:

Working with your hands diverts energy into something productive, and often results in a cool or even beautiful creation.

Being artistic calms the nervous system because when were focused on creative activities, our attention moves away from constant worrying, New York therapist Kimberly Hershensonsays. This helps the nervous system regulate, allowing our brain to clear space to process difficult issues.

There are a multitude of benefits that come from practicing yoga, and a quieter mind is just one of them. Its basically active meditation, which is great for the anxiety-prone, because it allows you to focus on your breathing and body without getting stuck in your head.

Yoga helps build concentration and is a great way to improve overall focus, explainsSilvia Polivoy, clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Thevine Spiritual Center. In addition, it enhances memory and improves brain power.

If youre new to yoga, I highly recommend starting with Lesley Fightmasters online videos.

It may sound simple, but similar to yoga, walking outside (without your phone) allows you to refocus your anxious energy on a physical act and take in the world around you. Heres a great way to start, courtesy of psychotherapist Melissa Divaris Thompson:

The more you can get into nature the better. Walk with consciousness. Notice how your breath feels. Notice your feet walking on the surface with each step.

I often sing and whistle to bring myself back into the present. It automatically lightens my mood and regulates my breathing if Im hyperventilating. The best part is you dont have to be a good singer for it to work for you.

This ones especially great for people with anxiety that affects their sleep. David Ezell, the clinical director and CEO of therapy providerDarien Wellness, recommends writing with a pen and paper to get away from distracting screens.

The objective is to relieve the pressure of thoughts analogous to a water tank too full of H2O, he writes in an email. I tell my patients to see their arm as a pipe and the notebook the reservoir into which the water flows.

Cooking is filled with basic tasks that let you focus on all sorts of sights, smells, tastes and textures. Once youre done, you can practice mindfulness while you eat.

Your personal distraction method may not be on this list. But if you keep experimenting with different strategies, youll be sure to find it.

See the original post here:

6 Relaxation Hacks For People Who Hate Meditating - HuffPost

Pardes Mein Hai Mera Dil is gettinghuge success by its continuous turning story. This time is fun to see the way Naina is taking Raghavs deaths revenge from Khuaranaand also trapping Harjeet. Naina and Dadi now get the support of Harjeets mother in law and are now aimed to destroy their happiness. Well, this time Harjeet is feeling happy to know that the work she wants to do much before is done by Beeji.

As in the going episodes ofPardes Mein Hai Mera Dil, we are watching that Naina had tried to tell Khurana that she had not hurt him and this had made Khurana angry. Beeji also gets angry by Naina and says that she wants to send Naina to the ashram for her mental check up. This had made Harjeet really happy as she is thinking that she had to get free from Nainas torture. Harjeet is now thinking to make Beeji out of the house.

Read Also:Pardes Mein Hai Mera Dil 1st June 2017 Online Episode Updates: Dadi shakes hand with Pam!

Well, this all had to make Dadi shattered and audience little sad that why did Naina gets trapped once again. Well, the truth is something else. Nairas arrival to the ashram is a trap for Harjeet. In the coming episodes ofPardes Mein Hai Mera Dil, we are going to see that Naina had made a plan with NK and Dadi that when she will go to the ashram then they have to get Harjeets true face in front of Raghav.

Now Dadi and NK will get aimed in the same way and will try to make Khurana know that he had done wrong to trust on Harjeet. Harjeet will now scare NK and will tell her that she have to leave the house as she is not wanted by anyone. Dadi will try to make Khuranaknow about that all. Now this will be interesting to see that will Naina and Dadis plan gets successful or not. Stay tuned with us for more updates and gossips ofPardes Mein Hai Mera Dil like this.

Continued here:

Pardes Mein Hai Mera Dil Spoilers Alert: Naina's step out to ashram is a trap for Harjeet! - News Recorder

News > India

To commemorate 100 years of Sabarmati Ashram and Champaran Satyagrah, both closely linked with Mahatma Gandhi, the Railways will run a special train for tourists that will travel through cities of historical and religious importance.

The train, "Gandhi Darshan", will leave from Ahmedabad on June 17 and return on June 26 after a 10-day journey, an official of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) said.

Apart from connecting the two important places associated with Gandhiji, the train from Gujarat to Bihar would also take tourists to various religious places, said Deputy GM (Tourism), IRCTC, V N Shukla.

"June 17 marks 100 years of both Sabarmati Ashram in the city as well as of Champaran Satyagrah in Bihar. Thus, IRCTC has decided to run a train, officially called Astha Special Tourist Train or Gandhi Darshan Train, on June 17. It will be flagged off from Sabarmati station at 8 am," he said.

"The train, having only non-AC sleeper coaches, has capacity to accommodate 840 passengers. The fare, which will be inclusive of all, has been kept at Rs 8,720 per person. It will start from June 17 and come back here on June 26," he added.

The tourists will be taken to various places of historical as well as religious importance such as Wardha, Motihari, Gaya, Varanasi and Allahabad, said Shukla.

The IRCTC may think of operating the train on a regular basis if the inaugural run meets with desired success in terms of response from tourists, he added.

(Feature image source: Reuters)

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To Mark 100 Years Of Sabarmati Ashram, Railways To Run 'Gandhi Darshan' Train In Gujarat - ScoopWhoop

BRAYDEN LINDSAY

Last updated12:58, June 2 2017

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Brenna Turnbull, Zoe Harding and Caitlin Buckley starred at an aerobics competition in Balclutha recently.

It's been a dazzling start to aerobics for Zoe Harding, CaitlinBuckley and Brenna Turnbull.

The trio, who took up the sport in March at the South Canterbury Gymsports Club, dominated their first tournament in Balclutha last weekend.

They placed 1st in the trio and pair, Harding won the singles, while Turnbull finished third, with a tumble costing Buckley a podiumfinish.

TETSURO MITOMO/FAIRFAX NZ

Caitlin Buckley, Zoe Harding and Brenna Turnbull won their first Aerobics competition that they competed at in Balclutha recently.

Aerobics coach Sally Hart, who arrived in February to coach gymnastics, has an extensive background in aerobics and decided to start it up.

"I'm just blown away with how well the girls did.

"We just sent them down there to have a crack because they were coming alongwell in the five short months they had done the sport but we didn't have any expectations on them."

TETSURO MITOMO/FAIRFAX NZ

Caitlin Buckley practising her aerobics routine at the South Canterbury Gymsports Club.

Hart said seeing the girls do so well bodes well for aerobics in the future.

"I think it's going to be quite popular. We have 15 doing it now but I'm tipping there will be more."

She said the original aim was just to teach the girls aerobics this season.

"We weren't going to send them to any competition, this year was going to be about learning the sport with a view to competing next year.

"These girls just work so well together, they get on great."

Harding is still competing in gymnastics, while Buckley and Turnbull had given it away but were encouraged to give aerobics a go.

"It's great starting aerobics brings the 15-16 year olds back, who were the ones giving it away when they were 12-13," Hart said.

She's looking forward to see how the girls progress but also if they can earn qualification for the nationals in the next couple of months.

Turnbull, who attends Craighead Diocesan, said she didn'teven know you could compete in aerobics.

"I was doing it for fun really. I had no idea we could compete."

She said it was great doing well first up.

Buckley, enjoyed her first competition and was hoping for more.

"It was so much fun. I just enjoyed the competition side of it because I wasn't doing any sport."

Harding said aerobics was a lot of fun and something else to enjoy.

"I'm loving it. We all get on well and we hope to be able to make nationals in Auckland."

Their routine is about one minute 30 long.

They train twice a week and on weekend's in the lead up tocompetitions.

-Stuff

Read more:

Aerobics trio excites as sport starts to take off in South Canterbury - Timaru Herald