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WEST HARTFORD -- "I was really trapped in that cycle of depression," saidCyndi Roberts of West Hartford who also battled anxiety. She was even misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder. She was given medication and also abused drugs and alcohol.

"I was suicidal, just really run down, fatigued. I had gained 80 pounds from the medication," she explained candidly. "I had to make a choice - if I wanted to fight or keep going with this life."

She chose yoga and meditation, two practices that helped her kick the bad habits and get in touch with her mind and body. After getting certified, Roberts started teaching group classes but found that one-on-one sessions - of restorative, therapeutic yoga - were more fulfilling to her and her clients.

"I could make yoga work for them, specifically. So I had people who wanted to lose weight, people with injuries," she said.

Now, the mother of a two year old, Roberts wrote a book called "Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby," a guide to prenatal yoga which will be available in July. She co-owns Zen: Body and Mind Holistic Healing where she often works with moms.

"Its giving my clients a mantra to practice while theyre washing the dishes or a mindfulness exercise to practice while theyre sweeping or picking up toys because those are the moments in our life when we need yoga the most," she said. "Take a breath when you feel like life is out of control and you cant breathe. Take that beat, that pause, recharge yourself, its ok. Putting yourself first is not selfish, its necessary and then we can be better for our families."

Roberts is proud of her journey back to health and peace. She hopes to inspire others to take control of their lives and futures.

"I am absolutely a different person," she says. "I have such clarity and a lust for life that I didnt have before. Im in love with every day of my life."

Click here to learn more about Cyndi Roberts Yoga and an upcoming therapeutic crystal workshop.

41.762084 -72.742015

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West Hartford mom shares inspiring story of healing through yoga and meditation - FOX 61

Weve all heard about the benefits of meditation ad nauseam. Those disciplined enough to practice regularly are rewarded with increased control over the brainwaves known as alpha rhythms, which leads to better focus and may help ease pain. In addition to calming the mind and body, meditation can also reduce the markers of stress in people with anxiety disorders. Rigorous studies have backed health claims such as these to convince therapists, physicians, and corporate gurus to embrace meditations potential.

What contemporary and ancient meditators have always known, however, is that while the hype may be warranted, the practice is not all peace, love, and blissful glimpses of unreality. Sitting zazen, gazing at their third eye, a person can encounter extremely unpleasant emotions and physical or mental disturbances.

Zen Buddhism has a word for the warped perceptions that can arise during meditation: makyo, which combines the Japanese words for devil and objective world. Philip Kapleau, the late American Zen master, once described confronting makyo as a dredging and cleansing process that releases stressful experiences in deep layers of the mind.

This demanding and sometimes intensely distressing side of meditation is rarely mentioned in scientific literature.However, this demanding and sometimes intensely distressing side of meditation is rarely mentioned in scientific literature, says Jared Lindahl, a visiting professor of religious studies at Brown University, who has an interest in neuroscience and Buddhism. Along with Willoughby Britton, a psychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry at Brown, the two mediators have co-authored a study that documents and creates a taxonomy for the variant phenomenology of meditation. The paper, published in Plos One, is the beginning of an ongoing series of studies. Just because something is positive and beneficial doesnt mean we shouldnt be aware of the broader range of possible effects it might have, Lindahl says.

To conduct their research, the pair interviewed 60 Western Buddhist meditation practitioners who had all experienced challenging issues during their practice. They included both rookies and meditation teachers, many of whom had accumulated more than 10,000 hours of meditation experience in their lifetime. All belonged to either Theravda, Zen, or Tibetan traditions.

The researchers identified 59 kinds of unexpected or unwanted experiences, which they classified into seven domains: cognitive, perceptual, affective (related to moods), somatic, conative (related to motivation), sense of self, and social. Among the experiences described to them were feelings of anxiety and fear, involuntary twitching, insomnia, a sense of complete detachment from ones emotions, hypersensitivity to light or sound, distortion in time and space, nausea, hallucinations, irritability, and the re-experiencing of past traumas. The associated levels of distress and impairment ranged from mild and transient to severe and lasting, according to the study. Most would not imagine that these side-effects could be hiding behind the lotus-print curtains of your local meditation center.

However, the survey respondents didnt necessarily perceive every non-euphoric event as negative. In fact, says Britton, she and Lindahl deliberately avoided the word adverse in their study for this reason. Instead, they chose challenging, which better captured the meditators varied interpretations of their experiences. For instance, a person who came away from a retreat feeling very expanded and very unified with other people in the world might have found their oneness with the universe distracting once they returned home. (Thats challenging, not tragic.)

The goal of the study was to look for patterns in the common accounts of unwanted reactions. Who runs into the unexpected hurdles? What are the unique set of factors involved? In which ways do teachers assist students who are struggling? (And do they blame inner demons for the upsets, or maybe something you ate at lunch?) The answers, which still require future research, may one day be relevant to the ways meditation is used as therapy.

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There's a dark side to meditation that no one talks about - Quartz

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So youresitting down to meditate, ready to find your Zen withyour favorite app,a mindful group, or maybe even with the help ofa hammock thats floating in midairand suddenly, keeping your body still is about as easy as walking past an avocado-themed restaurant without even peeking at the menu (AKA impossible).

Hey, it happenssometimes,being busy 24/7 becomesso ingrained that stayingmotionlessand focusing on yourbreath is just not. gonna. happen.

Thats whena mindful walk can be a perfect alternative. Consider it an ideal opportunityto experiencethepositive effects of living in the momentwhile boosting your step count for the day.

You can still practice being presentand awarewhile incorporating movement.

[A walk] can have the same effect as regular meditating, says Jamie Price, wellness expert and co-founder of theStop, Breathe, and Thinkapp. It gets you out of your head and works as a great excuse to get you outside, which itself has a rejuvenating effect on your brain. (Seriously: Science proves that getting outdoors has a positive impact on your mental health).

Unlike seated methods, which can getyou worrying about breathing correctly or your foot falling asleep, walking letsyou focus on the sensationsthat accompanyeach step you take. You can still practice being presentand awarewhile incorporating movement, says Price.

And ifyour thoughts start to wander, simply bring your attention back to your body in motionwhich, for some people, can bemuch easier than pure stillness.

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The simplestplace to begin: Try connecting your mind to your movements. Really pay attention to how every part of your body feels with each step, says Price. For example, notice your foot touching the ground and your thigh muscles moving forward.

She notes that usually, it doesnt take long to get lost in thought (of course), but its also easy enough to hit reset. Get back to whats happening in your body, Price says. Use your next step as an opportunity to start over.

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Another optionis to make a point of enjoying everything you see around you: adorable pups, blooming flowers or your fave smoothie truck on the corner, for example. Really pay attention to your surroundings and observe details without thinking too much about them, she says. Just take it all in without any judgment.

Price says that its key to add a layer of appreciation for what your senses observe. The idea is to [be] open and curious, she explains. I focus on sights and sounds and spend a moment feeling gratitude for how beautiful it is. Cultivate a joyful appreciation.

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Whether youre near greenery or in a concrete jungle, Price notes that this practice travelsanywhereas long as its done outside. Those senses youre experiencing might be triggered differently in a nature setting versus a city, she says, but the conceptof focus and sensory awareness works in any place. So, next time youset out for a stroll,you can always choose to take it up a (mindful) notchwhether youre walking a scenic waterfront path on vacay, getting some forest bathing in, or pounding the pavement during your workweek.

You can also try this outdoor meditation as a genius de-stressing tool. And heres what to do when meditation just doesnt work for you.

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How to take mindfulness on the road, with a walking meditation - Well+Good

1. PATIENCE Practicing meditation is a great way to learn patience! When you force yourself to sit still for a few minutes every day, while focusing on your breath and simply observing the thoughts in your mind without judgment, you will be able to tolerate waiting for your slow friends or siblings without getting stressed out. In fact, you can meditate any time you are waiting for someone or something!

2. JUDGMENT In meditation we train ourselves to simply observe our thoughts without judging them as good or bad. They are just thoughts. Actions on the other hand can have positive or negative impacts on our lives. By learning mindfulness we give ourselves that split second where we observe what we are thinking before deciding what action we are going to take, this is called good judgment! When we see our friends doing things that are going to hurt them or others we can be compassionate for them, because maybe they dont know how to be mindful and are just acting on their thoughts without seeing what the consequences are going to be.

3. ACCEPTANCE In meditation we learn to see our thoughts without judgment. We simply accept ourselves as we are with all our wishes fears dreams strengths and weaknesses. We understand that we are simply doing our best in every moment. Practicing mindfulness gives us a tool to help us see what our best action is in any moment. We can be accepting of people like our friends, family, teachers and coaches who may not have this skill.

4. SELF AWARENESS Being self aware simply means being aware of what you are thinking, how you are feeling and paying attention to what you are actually doing. When we practice Mindfulness we learn to pay attention to what we are thinking, and how those thoughts make us feel. As we go through our days after our morning meditation we will start to notice how people places and things make us feel. Does one friend always bring you down? Does eating junk food at lunch make you too tired to go to your team practice after school? By becoming self aware we can learn to make decisions that will help us get to our goals and avoid situations that are taking us away from where we want to be.

5. PEER PRESSURE Our friends can be a source of guidance help and inspiration, or sometimes not. By becoming self aware we can begin to pay attention to how we feel, our feelings are a pretty good indicator of what we should or should not be doing. If a friend suggests that you do something and you feel your stomach getting upset at the thought of it, that is a good indicator that you are being pressured to do something stupid. We are often afraid that if we dont conform we will lose our friends and that is very scary, but we all have different people in our life. Learn to be mindful of how you feel around certain people and choose to spend time with the ones who want to do cool stuff, stuff you would be proud to tell your Grandmother you did.

6. APPROVAL SEEKING this is the other side of peer pressure, doing things to get attention, to get likes on a post or shares of an instagram. Now, this is important, doing things that are good for others out of the kindness of your heart is the goal, sometimes that can get confused with other motivations. By learning to be mindful we can start to notice when we are doing things just to get attention versus when we are being genuine honest loving in our actions.

7. PLEASURE SEEKING Have you ever had a bad day at school or got in an argument with your mom and just wanted to run to your room and eat a whole tub of ice cream? This is typical pleasure seeking behavior. Often times, we dont want to feel our feelings when the feeling is bad. As we learn and practice mindfulness through our daily seated meditation practice first we learn to just observe and accept our thoughts, then we can begin to observe and accept our feelings as well, as they are often linked. When we learn to accept our thoughts and feelings we wont be as tempted to do things that we later regret just to make the pain go away.

8. PAIN AVOIDANCE Have you ever made a big mistake that you were sure you would get in trouble for? Then hid the evidence, blamed someone else or somehow not taken responsibility because you were afraid you would get in trouble, this behavior is called pain avoidance. It makes sense at first glance but as we have seen, when we meditate we build a safe place inside us where our thoughts and feelings dont have a powerful a hold on us. So you can admit what you did wrong and then simply observe how the authority figure is reacting and you can simply accept what is going on without judgment. Yes you may still get in trouble but you will be in WAY LESS trouble if you admit your faults than if you hide them and get caught later.

9. RESPONSIBILITY As we learn and practice Mindfulness through our daily seated practice we realize that our thoughts come and go and we dont have much control over them, but when we insert that layer of mindfulness into our lives we realize that we do have control over our actions. Thoughts come in and we can choose to dwell on them or let them go and consciously think about something else that makes us feel good, and just like that we can do the same with our actions. When we make this HUGE realization we no longer can blame our friends or our parents for stuff that we clearly chose to do. This is very empowering because it shows us that anything we want in life we have to work towards, this makes us very powerful because we will start to choose our actions more carefully rather than just blaming everything that goes wrong on someone else.

10. COMPASSION As you can see, the practice of Mindfulness Meditation can totally change our lives for the better. As you grow and change you will likely start to notice that you have less and less in common with some friends and you might want to start to find some new friends who also practice meditation! Think of the quality of life you can have when you are all taking responsibility for your own actions and outcomes! Now the flip side of that is having compassion for people who dont have this skill. When you see someone freaking out, sad, crying, sick or suffering you can understand that they probably have no idea how to separate themselves from their thoughts. You can think back to how that used to make you feel. You have developed an amazing skill that helps you literally create the life you want to live, without it, life can be very challenging. So as you go through your day, look around you and be choose to be grateful for what you have and have some compassion for people around you who clearly do not have this gift in their lives.

Maybe you will even want to teach others how to meditate?

Have you meditated before? What do you do to reduce stress? Comment below!

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10 Ways Meditation Can Help You Deal With Your Friends and Family - Kidzworld

Memorial Dayis a time for reflection, a day we come together to collectively honor those who have sacrificed in service to our great nation. A day we openly show our deepest appreciation to those men and women in uniform who gave their last full measure of devotion for the freedom we all share.

That reflection resonates from our heart and soul, shown through the tears and the bonding we as veterans and the families of veterans share when we give thought to those warriors now gone. I give thought to my high school classmates whogave their lives before they were of legal age to share a toast. I give thought to those who survived combat but were never able to deal with the trauma of war and succumbed to an untimely death at their own hand. Then there are those of us who carry the emotions from the battlefield quietly in our souls and just live out our lives and thoughts that we may carry for a lifetime.

A generation of warriors has stood proud since the early days of America's Revolution and we reflect through our history to those whohave served. Our World War I generation is now gone. The last living veteran of that war died February 2011, at 110 years old, and was buried with honors at Arlington. It is a historical timeline worthy of reflection.

Raymond Haerry, a survivor of Pearl Harbor, was serving on the USS Arizona that fateful day of Dec. 7, 1941. Haerry died this past month at the age of 94 and his wish was to be reunited with his shipmates who went down with the sinking of the Arizona during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The attack killed 1,177 of the ship's 1,511-member crew, including the more than 1,000 crew members whose remains were not recovered from the ship. The average age of the crew members on the USS Arizona at the time of the attack was 19. Haerry noted before his death that he carried the suffering in his heart for his shipmates for all those years and thought it only appropriate that he share their sacrifice by joining them for eternity. May his soul now rest in peace.

The battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War (sometimes referred to as the "forgotten war") pitted 15,000 allied ground troops against 120,000 Chinese infantrymen. When it was over, more than 3,000 of our troops had died and 6,000 wounded a sacrifice that should not to be forgotten this Memorial Day.

The sacrifice of my generation from Vietnam is in the 58,000 names etched on a simple black granite wall in Washington, D.C. The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq over the past 16 years has cost the lives of nearly 7,000 U.S. service members. The sacrifice of war seems to be never-ending and the scars of battle are painful and everlasting.

My wife and I recently traveled the Pacific Coast Highway in our RV from Southern California to Washingtonstate. Along the way we noticed many roadside signs honoring the sacrifices of the fallen. Tributes honoring hometown heroes were noted along highways and byways, in city parks and rest stops. They are much the same honors we share in Alaska, such as the Byers Lake Veterans Memorial, James Bondsteel Bridge of Honor over the Knik River, and Medal of Honor Recipient Archie Van Winkle Memorial in Juneau. Tributes sponsored by the local VFW, Boy Scout troops and the Rotary or chamber of commerce. Every sign we saw along the way paid homage to the valued service of our military by reflecting on the same sacrifices that have been shared from generation to generation.

(Photo courtesy Laddie Shaw)

I, like many others, pass these signs on a regular basis with an acknowledging glance at their existence, but many times only give a moment of thought to the honor these signs represent. One sign we passed outside Arcata, California, honored Kevin Ebbert, a heroic Navy SEAL killed in action in November 2012, in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom. I served with his father, Jeff Ebbert, in the same SEAL community in 1975 and, tragically, Jeff left us too soon. I gave pause to the reverence of this highway sign as we passed. Two generations came together in my thoughts at that moment along a California highway, father and son, brothers-in-arms, teammates, a bond held strong by service and sacrifice.

It is our sacred duty to preserve the legacy of these brave Americans. It remains our charge to work for peace, freedom and security.Let us always strive to uphold the founding principles our service members died defending, let their legacy continue to inspire our nation and let this solemn lesson of service and sacrifice be honored.

Laddie Shaw is a U.S. Navy veteran of the Vietnam War who served with SEAL Team One. He also served as director of the Alaska Division of Veterans Affairs.

The views expressed here are the writer's and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, emailcommentary@alaskadispatch.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words toletters@alaskadispatch.com.

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Memorial Day is meditation and remembrance - Alaska Dispatch News

Forbes

This Mumbai Analyst Quit His Job To Move To An Ashram -- And He's Back To Teach How To Invest Compassionately Forbes Inspired by his experiences living in an ashram for four years, the financier once dubbed 'The Analyst Who Sold His Ferrari" is back in town and he's brought with him a whole new way of looking at wealth creation. Siddharth Sthalekar is something of ...

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This Mumbai Analyst Quit His Job To Move To An Ashram -- And He's Back To Teach How To Invest Compassionately - Forbes

Outdoor dining and drinks at Water's Edge Lighthouse Restaurant in Glenville.

Yes, the ocean is only four hours away. But this summer, why not get your water therapy close to home, on a lake or a river?

The Waters Edge Lighthouse Restaurant 2 Freemans Bridge Road, Glenville 370-5300, thewatersedgelighthouse.com, Facebook

Less than two miles from downtown Schenectady, Waters Edge is a popular urban oasis overlooking the Mohawk River. For the past 12 years, until Rivers Casino came to town, it was the areas only place for waterfront fine-dining.

From its spacious, two-level patio, diners can watch boats of all sizes travel the Mohawk. Theres also a courtesy dock for boaters who want to stop for dinner or cocktails.

People absolutely love our patio. Our patio won a national contest when we opened it. We have a tiki bar right on the water, we have a 9/11 memorial, says Pat Popolizio, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife Karen.

The entire indoor restaurant menu is available outdoors and the tiki bar has its own menu of selected items.

Dukes Chophouse Rivers Casino & Resort, Schenectady 579-8850, riverscasinoandresort.com, Facebook

Schenectadys three-month-old Rivers Casino & Resort is making its waterfront dining debut this spring.

Dukes Chophouse, a high-end steak restaurant, is already serving dinner al fresco on a patio thats only a few feet from the Mohawk River, and a summer menu will be rolling out soon. Right now, there are 24 seats where you can watch the sunset and more tables will be added as the summer heats up. On chilly nights, overhead heat lamps will warm up customers.

Rivers Casino & Resorts position on the Mohawk River makes for an unmatched outdoor dining experience, and with the arrival of warm weather, we know our guests will enjoy Dukes Chophouse in an entirely new way. Were looking forward to announcing new outdoor programming, promotions and summer menu items in the coming days, says General Manager Mary Cheeks.

On Thursday, (June 1) the casino will open another waterfront patio area, with live music, parties anddrink specials. On June 2, Druthers Brewing will launch Friday Night Flights, which will runs on Fridays through Aug. 18.

River's Edge in Amsterdam.

Rivers Edge Riverlink Park, Amsterdam 320-4868, Facebook

What could be more relaxing than dining in a park along the water?

Now in its third season, Rivers Edge, a waterfront restaurant on the north side of the mighty Mohawk, is open in Riverlink Park.

Its so quiet and peaceful, you really dont know youre in Amsterdam, New York, says Dan Nelli, the 36-year-old Amsterdam native who owns the family-friendly restaurant.

The restaurant has 120 seats on the deck, a 500-gallon koi fish pond and a courtesy dock for boaters.

Music lovers stop in after the free concerts in Riverlink Park.

You are about 50 feet from the band shell, Nelli says.

Parking is available at the RiverFront Center. Or park on the south side of the river and take a stroll on the Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook Pedestrian Bridge.

Also on the south side, at River Kayak Rentals, you can sign up for a guided 45-minute kayak tour.

Sport Island Pub in Northville.

Sport Island Pub & Restaurant 108 Riverside Boulevard, Northville 863-2003, sportislandpub.com, Facebook

The Great Sacandaga is the southern Adirondacks water sports playground with its powerboats, jet skis and sailboats.

Sport Island, at the northern end, is one of three lakeside restaurants run by the Lanzi family.

At the back of the restaurant, a big wooden deck with 25 umbrella-topped tables offers a stunning panorama of the lake and mountains.

Its a beautiful view. You get the lake breezes. Its kind of an overlooked region of the Adirondacks, says Anthony Lanzi, one of five brothers who co-own the restaurants.

On Sunday afternoons, theres live music on the deck, usually a duo or a guitarist. Theres a big beach right in front of the deck and courtesy docks for boaters.

Kids can play on the beach until the dinner arrives, says Lanzi.

Lake Local in Saratoga Springs.

Lake Local 550 Union Ave., Saratoga Springs 886-1373, lakelocalsaratoga.com, Facebook

Coming up on its third summer season, Lake Local is the fun-in-the-sun spot on the northern end of Saratoga Lake.

You are welcome to arrive by water, by kayak, canoe or boat. If you drive or walk, youll find this popular outdoor restaurant and bar on the eastern tip of Union Avenue, just before the 9P bridge.

People come for the view and atmosphere. Its mostly outdoor seating, says John Vallo, one of the managers. There are also Adirondack chairs on the lawn, where servers will bring you a drink.

A satellite of The Local Pub and Teahouse in the citys Beekman Street Arts District, Lake Locals menu is similar but with more seafood. A food truck also operates on the grounds from Thursday to Sunday.

Next door, at the 550 Board Shop, you can rent a SUP or kayak.

The Rusty Anchor 1 Selkie Drive, Watervliet 273-2920, therustyanchorbar.com, Facebook

At the Rusty Anchor, youre not just near the water, youre on the water.

This warm-weather restaurant sits atop a 200-foot-long barge and to come aboard, diners walk a gangway.

Across the river, theres a view of the Troy skyline.

At night, its really nice. They light up the bridges, says owner Kevin Shufelt.

There are 36 tables with umbrellas, a main outdoor bar and a tiki bar with a big blue swordfish mounted on the wall.

Rusty Anchor has a nautical theme and the menu has a seafood focus.

Live music and game nights of trivia and Family Feud are part of the fun on this party barge.

Theres dock space for boaters, too.

The Rusty Anchor is just past Hudson Shores Park, near the 23rd Street exit of the 787.

Up River Cafe 29 Main St., Lake Luzerne 696-3667, Facebook

The Hudson River runs wild in Lake Luzerne. This is where tourists and locals come to tube and raft the waves. Hadley Mountain, a popular hiking destination is nearby, too.

At Up River Caf, you can see the rushing water and hear its sound as you dine at one of 15 tables on the back porch of a charming Adirondack cottage. There are 10 more tables inside.

Its soothing, relaxing. Youre looking out over the river. The woods are all around you, says Andy Van Bourgondien, the chef who owns the restaurant with his artist wife, Betsy Brandt.

The former site of Papas Ice Cream Parlor, Up River specializes in desserts, such as cheesecake and crme brulee, created by Van Bourgondien, who was trained as a pastry chef and worked at Erlowest and Sagamore.

Outdoors, in front of the caf, visitors love to pose with a six-foot-tall statue of Elsie the cow, one of the original Borden mascots.

At Easter time, she wore a bonnet. This month, shes wearing a spring dress.

Shes all over the world with her picture, says Van Bourgondien.

And here are a few more places: Dinosaur BBQ, Troy; Espressohuis, Schuylerville; Riverfront Bar and Grill, Albany; Lanzis on the Lake, Mayfield; I Go Inn, Northville; Lakeside Tavern and Marina, Gloversville; Jumpin Jacks, Scotia; Harvest & Hearth, Saratoga Springs; Dock Browns Restaurant, Saratoga Springs; Villago, Ballston Lake; Tinneys Tavern, Middle Grove; Mariaville Lakeside Country Store, Mariaville.

The village of Lake George and Cooperstown, on Glimmerglass Lake, are also known for their waterside restaurants.

Did we forget your favorite place? Send us an email at features@dailygazette.net.

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Down by the water: Eat, drink, relax on lake or river | The Daily Gazette - The Daily Gazette

Fans follow their favorite bands to Idaho's wild waters Charlotte Observer The couple had followed group all over the West - from Portland to Denver. They'd considered taking a rafting trip in the past and the band sealed their decision. "It was very, very fun and relaxing," Parker said. "The sheer joy of playing music ... and more »

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Fans follow their favorite bands to Idaho's wild waters - Charlotte Observer

Americans are buying more organic food and household products than ever, according to a new survey published last week.

The research, conducted by the Organic Trade Association, the nations leading organic industry group, offers a glimpse into where there is the greatest demand for organic products and where such demand might be the weakest.

Sales of organic food and goods crested $47 billion in 2016, an increase of more than 8 percent over the previous year. And while there is a growing number of organic personal care and household products on the market, organic food still accounts for the vast majority of all organic sales with $43 billion last year. Organic food now boasts more than 5 percent of the nations total food sales.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are most consumers gateway purchase into organic. It is easier for most people to understand the potential benefits of buying raw produce that was grown using organic methods than it is to grasp how organic standards translate into a processed or packaged food.

Meat and poultry is another segment showing strong consumer demand for organic. Sales of organic meat and poultry grew more than 17 percent to $991 million last year, marking the categorys biggest yearly gain.

All segments included, organic food sales grew 8.4 percent last year compared with the overall food markets nearly flat growth rate of 0.6 percent. This year-over-year growth has been consistent for more than a decade. In fact, the segment has more than doubled since 2007, when organic sales were just below $20 billion.

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Survey finds Americans are eating more organic food than ever - Grand Island Independent

Includes unlimited pours of beer, wine, and cider

May 26, 2017 Steffi Victorioso Drinking, Food

The seventh annual Eat Drink Vegan is the beer and food fest that we can all get excited for, both vegans and non-vegans alike. This Saturday May 27 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena more than 100 food vendors will be serving up vegan food good enough to flip a non-vegan. To wash it down, there will be unlimited pours of beer, wine, cider, kombucha, cold brew, craft sodas, and tea.

You can purchase tickets here. General admission is $60, and entry is at 2 p.m. VIP tickets are $120 and will get you early entrance at noon and access to a shaded VIP lounge area, which has some exclusive pours and food vendors. Last pour is 7:30 p.m.

RELATED: This Sandwich Will Completely Change How You Feel About Vegan Food

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Eat Drink Vegan Is Saturday, Because Big Meat Has Dominated Memorial Day Weekend for Far Too Long - LA Magazine (blog)