Summers coming and we all want to put our best faces forward. It can be challenging to find vegan skincare products without dairy-derived ingredients, and some touting vegan ingredients may not necessarily be cruelty-free. On top of that, many companies that promise cruelty-free and vegan options have parent companies that still test on animals. Licensed Esthetician and owner of Sauveur Skin Care Sabrina Ewing says, Its always been a struggle finding effective skincare products that are completely vegan. She lists the most commonly used animal-derived ingredients to watch for: yogurt, biotin, beeswax, glycerin, omegas, lactic acid and urea. PETA offers an extensive list, too.

We slathered and lathered in our home testing and came up with these winners. Bonus learning that each of these companies is eco-friendly and independently owned. And knowing no one was harmed in the making of these skincare products makes them feel even better going on.

1. Epicuren

Epicuren's an independent company based in Southern California and a pioneer in the cruelty free skincare industry. Their Perfecting Sunscreen SPF 27 is mineral-based and fragrance-free, which is good for sensitive skin as well as photo-friendly for those beach selfies (unlike many sunscreens). Despite being zinc-based, it's both light and effective. Their Moisture Surge contains non-animal-derived hyaluronic acid, increasing moisturizing and healing properties for sun-damaged skin. The Eye Serum contains oils and other soothing ingredients good for dealing with allergies, dehydration and dark circles. And for anyone with oily/congested or cystic acne-prone skin, the Clarify Blemish Eraser, an item rarely found in vegan form, is a face-saver. While the brand itself is not entirely vegan, Epicuren clearly labels each of their many vegan offerings.

2. No-Tox Life

No-Tox Life is a new company started by an allergy-prone mother-daughter team creating handmade toxin-free vegan body care. Their aluminum-free natural deodorants are lightly scented and use natural enzymes to control odor as opposed to synthetic ingredients, which often irritate the skin. Their vegan lip butter is cocoa butter based, which goes on smooth and can be better for those with shea (natural latex) hypersensitivities. For those interested in the charcoal skin craze, they also offer facial bars specific to skin types that will help clear stubborn blackheads.

3. Youth to the People

Family-owned Youth to the People promises 100% vegan products using cold pressed extracts, gentle preservatives, custom formulations and earth-friendly packaging. Even better, all products are formulated without soap, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrance or added color. The Spirulina + Microalgae Kale Spinach superfood mask and Kale & Aloe Sunflower Oil eye cream are full of restorative antioxidants and phytonutrients. Both smell so delicious, skin will eat them up. Both are extremely calming to the skin and reduce redness and irritation while giving a natural glow.

4. Eminence

On the anti-aging spectrum, Hungary-based brand Eminence has been focused on organic and cruelty free skin care since the 1950s. If you have spent too much time in the sun over the years and are seeing signs of damage now, their entire Brightening line uses an organic and plant-based alternative to brighten dark spots from sun damage, without the redness or peeling often accompanied by the more commonly used hydroquinone.

5. Sunday Riley

Sunday Riley (available at Sephora) is a relatively new cruelty-free line started by a Texas-based chemist who has created plant-based products that promise the results of doctor-backed brands, which are often filled with animal-derived ingredients. The price point is a bit higher due to the high concentration of active ingredients unique to dermatologist and chemist-run brands known as cosmeceuticals. Her Luna Sleeping oil is an advanced retinol formula buffered with oils to assist in calming the skin's strong collagen boosting properties. Retinol is a vitamin A derivative that can cause redness and peeling, especially in the summer months, so this product gives you all of the pros of retinol with non of the cons.

6. Los Angeles Shaving Soap Company

For hairy faces and extremities, the Los Angeles Shaving Soap Company offers and an array of woodsy and herb-scented lathers, as well as an adorable wet-shaving starter kitsynthetic shaving brush included. The Apricot Scrub by Epicuren preps the skin for a shave by gently exfoliating and opening up the pores, which prevents ingrown hairs. Pacific Shaving Company also offers a great shaving cream that contains caffeine, which stimulates the hair follicles for a deep and clean shave.

7. Dr. Bronner's

Finally, we cant forget the O.G. natural soapmaker, Dr. Bronners, who have been churning out the Castile soaps since the 1960s. Faves for the summer are the tea tree- based products whose natural anti bacterial oil help control body odor and prevent conditions like athletes foot and acne. You cant beat their multi-use efficiency (great for cleaning your makeup brushes!) and their stance as an activist company that financially supports regenerative agriculture, fair trade, animal advocacy, industrial hemp and drug policy reform, and living wages among others. As the label reminds us, All one! Always rub toward the heart.

Shawna Kenney is a lizard-skinned writer living in Los Angeles. Beth Martinez is a professional make-up artist.

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The Best Vegan Skincare Products for Summer - Paste Magazine

Anne Viricel, the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestras executive director, has a gift suggestion for Mom.

What better way is there than to spend a Mothers Day afternoon with the family, doing nothing but relaxing and enjoying beautiful classical music, she said, referring to ensembles performance at 3 p.m. Sunday. Taking Mom to the concert will be a truly special way to treat her.

Most season-finale concerts are programmed for a Saturday night, to be celebrated with champagne and balloons. The schedule at the California Theatre of the Performing Arts in San Bernardino didnt allow for that, but opened the door to the notion of creating a special Mothers Day event.

Besides, this is a really beautiful concert, Viricel added. The music is absolutely wonderful.

The program includes Franz Schuberts Symphony No. 6 in C Major, Beethovens Symphony No. 1 in C Major, and Jacques Francois Antoine Iberts Flute Concerto, to be performed by the orchestras principal flutist, Patricia Cloud.

First on the program will be the Schubert symphony.

We believe audience members of all ages will love hearing this piece, said Frank Paul Fetta, conductor. Each instrument is beautifully highlighted to be easily identified and showcased.

Although Schubert died at age 31, his work was discovered and championed by 19th-century greats Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms. Today, he is ranked among the outstanding composers of the late Classical and early Romantic musical eras.

We titled the entire season A Season of Firsts, Viricel said. The programmed work had to be a work this orchestra would perform for the first time, or a first composition by a particular composer. For this concert, we will perform Beethovens first symphony.

Still under the heavy influence of the Classical composers including his teacher Joseph Haydn, Beethoven premiered this symphony in 1800. According to Fetta, the work still bears many of the composers unique and identifiable characteristics, especially the frequent use of sudden, strong musical emphases.

Nestled between the two very familiar works, the Ibert concerto fits into the first category, as the orchestra will be performing it for the first time.

This is a modern piece, Viricel said. Ibert composed this in 1934, but its beautiful, full of gorgeous melodies. Its so difficult for the soloist, and its really long. The audience will really appreciate the artistry which Patricia Cloud brings to the work.

Musicians of Patricias caliber are rare, but San Bernardino is incredibly fortunate to have an orchestra full of some of the finest musicians in the country, said Fetta in a press release.

Cloud is a native Southern California performer and teacher, and has played with Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony and Mozart Orchestra, as well as serving as principal flute for the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra.

Our mission, in short, is to present accessible music that is fun and good, Viricel said. This concert is well-established classical music fare, and for a good reason. Simply put, it is beautiful music that has proven itself over the centuries to endure and still attract audiences, whether they are aficionados or new to the scene. Thats why we believe this is a marvelous Mothers Day gift.

As a bonus, every mother at the concert will receive a flower.

San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra When: 3 p.m. Sunday, May 14 Where: California Theatre of the Performing Arts, 562 W. Fourth Street, San Bernardino Tickets: $25-$60; students and military with ID are $10 Information: 909-381-5388, http://www.sanbernardinosymphony.org

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San Bernardino Symphony presents a musical treat for Mother's Day - Press-Enterprise

Despite counting the likes of Winston Churchill and Bill Clinton among its advocates, napping has a bad rep, with most people preferring to push through drowsy daytime spells rather than catching 40 winks, but taking an afternoon power nap can improve heart health, according to the Journal Of Psychophysiology. And the key to a mid-afternoon mini-snooze is a well-timed cup of coffee, says Yann Le Meur, a sports scientist at the French Institute of Sport. Use his tips to make 40 winks work for you.

Turn off your mobile phone and any other potential distractions, says Le Meur. If background noise is unavoidable, put on headphones with relaxing music. Wearing an eye mask to simulate darkness is his final prep tip.

The idea is that the caffeine kicks in just as youre aiming to wake up again about 20-odd minutes after you drift into slumber. A caffeine nap will not only improve your performance but itll also lessen how sleepy you feel when you wake, says Le Meur.

Factor in the five or so minutes that its likely to take you to fall asleep, then add about 20 minutes to that time. If you have a habit of pressing the snooze button and going right back to sleep, put your alarm on the other side of the room, says Le Meur.

The power naps done time to harness that power. Le Meur suggests a few sets of star jumps and press-ups to get your blood flowing. Bright light and splashing water on your face will also help to get you alert and back in the game.

RECOMMENDED:Try This Instead Of Coffee To Beat The Afternoon Slump

To learn about nappings benefits, Coach spoke to Nick Littlehales, elite sport sleep coach for the likes of Manchester United and Team Sky, and author of new book Sleep. His first bit of advice was to ditch the word nap

Nap is a bad word. Napping is pipe and slippers, its for old people in front of their televisions, Littlehales tells Coach. We talk about controlled recovery periods [CRP] in sport. Taking naps, or indeed CRP, is especially vital given the unusual and physically demanding schedules of sportspeople, but Littlehales says everyone can benefit from adopting the polyphasic sleep approach where you sleep multiple times a day, rather than just at night he recommends to clients.

We used to use three natural sleep periods every day, explains Littlehales. We would sleep a shorter period at night, but also either at midday or in the early evening. It was only when the light bulb was invented that most of the world started sleeping just at night.

Most people dont have the luxury of a flexible schedule that allows nap breaks in the afternoon. However, taking a 30-minute break, even if you dont actually sleep, at lunchtime is only likely to make you more productive.

Just after lunch is a corporate graveyard slot in business, adds Littlehales. People fall asleep in meetings. If you go just semi-conscious for a while, you can raise alertness around 54%. That figure comes from a 1995 NASA study on long-haul pilots that found that a 26-minute nap improved performance 34% and alertness 54%.

The good news is you dont have to make it a big deal. No special sleep pods or soothing whale noises required. It just takes 30-minutes of zoning out, whether its at your desk with headphones on, or sitting on a park bench. The most important thing is not to put yourself under pressure, just start the process. This is not something new. Its not something a guru has created. Its absolutely natural and designed to help us.

Between 1-3pm in the afternoon, and in the late afternoon/early evening (5-7pm), are the ideal times to schedule 30 minutes of shut-eye. You should be able to get 20-25 minutes of mental recovery, even if you dont actually sleep. To avoid any post-nap grogginess, drink a shot of espresso just before the break. The caffeine should kick in just as your nap finishes.

Nicks book Sleep, published by Penguin Life, 9.99, is available from October 27. Buy on amazon.co.uk.

More:

How To Power Nap At Work And Why - Coach

Why is it so hard to find organic products from your favorite local store?

The simplest answer is scale. If every Walmart decided to sell a wide variety of certified organic foods, there would be a severe shortage on the shelves. Organic products are growing by leaps and bounds in quantity and availability, but theres still a long way to go. In many areas of the country, you simply cant get certain products.

The best alternative is to buy your organic and natural products online. Especially if you have no nearby organic grocer, or if they charge exorbitant sums (often the case), the best option is often to use the internet and just order from home. Let the mailman deliver your groceries and get what you really want. Buying online has the advantages of convenience, variety, and cost savings.

Vitacost

Vitacost is known for its extensive vitamins and supplement line, though they also carry specialty food selection and assorted organic foods. They have the top organic brands Lundberg Farms, Marys Gone Crackers, Theo Chocolate, Bobs Red Mill, Big Tree Farms, Natures Path, Braggs, Eden Foods and much more.

Amazon

At Amazon, you have access to a wide selection of organic foods at very good prices. You can also save more by subscribing to the save features when on offer. Amazon doesnt carry everything, but they are the leader in online retailing for a reason.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market can be described as an online warehouse of natural food, like Costco but carrying only natural and organic products. With a low annual fee of $59.95, a large family can benefit from their program because you will be ordering more, and therefore gaining the most from the great prices. They add new products every month to widen the selection for everybody. Any order from $49 get free shipping, and you can order anytime you want. They also have a variety of house products that they produce and cannot be found elsewhere. We found a great comparison of these first three options here.

SunFood

At SunFood, you will find premier health foods including organic, raw and non-GMO superfoods. Some examples include: sweeteners, spices, sea vegetables, olives, nuts and seeds, fruit powders, dried fruits, chocolates, coconut oil and cacao butter.

Boxed

This is the definition of eating organic with help from the web. You can buy some wholesale items at members store prices even without being a member. They dont require you to place a certain amount of order annually, and you also get free shipping on orders above $50. Boxed has a limited line of organic items but are excellent at what they have.

Azure Standard

This is not your usual online store. You can ONLY place large orders. They dont get shipped to your door; they are shipped to the nearest drop off center for you to pick at a given time. This may seem like an inconvenience, but compared to not being able to get your organic food around, this is ok. You can also visit them if you live near, the prices will amaze you.

Tropical Traditions

This is an umbrella of 4 sites that offer organic food, organic skin care products and organic cleaners. They have good prices and a referral program.

For the Gourmet

This shop caters for chefs and restaurants since they sell organic foods in bulk. It is a great place to find anything you want in case you want to cook some amazing delicacy. Purchasing by the case can also save you a lot of money compared to buying small quantities at other online stores. They stock flours, nuts, rice, beans, and lentils among other selections. They also have cheeses, chocolates, seafood, exotic fruits, and meats.

Greensbury Market

The Greensbury Market is the place for carnivores to get the best organic meats at the best prices for that category. The beef is 100% grass-fed. Buy ground beef, roast, tenderloin, skirt steak, flank, filet mignon, New York strips and others. Their pork comes from heirloom variety raised in the Midwest with no antibiotics or hormones.

Cultures for Health

For those who want to start making yogurt, cheese, kombucha and tofu among other fermented foods, this is the place to find all that you need. Even though not all their products are organic, you will find organic vegetables, organic sprouting seeds, organic bone broth, and organic rice koji among many more products, told and equipment related to the organic movement. Visit Cultures for Health.

3 Bears Organic

This Portland-based online store deals in organic and natural food. You will find most of the major organic brands here. They only sell by the case, which is a good thing for those with large families and wants to save. They carry hundreds of products including sauces, pasta, beans, rice, vinegar, spices, nut butter, jams, olives, vegetables, canned fruits and flours among much more.

Now you have no excuse to get exactly the foods you need to eat a super clean diet. Everyone can get their preferred organic food and ingredients easily from online shops no matter where they are located. So start surfing around to find what you need today!

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Seeking Organic Foods Get Help from the Web - South Florida Reporter

Should we only buy organic produce? There is not a definite yes or no answer to this question. There may be important time periods at which people are more vulnerable to the potential harm of pesticide residues on our food: just prior to conception, during pregnancy, and during early childhood.

There is evidence that organophosphate pesticide exposure during these time periods is associated with deficits in cognitive and behavioral development in children.

There are some clear environmental benefits to buying organic produce. However, it is unclear whether there are health risks to consumers from ingesting pesticides from conventional produce.

Each year the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases their Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists. Using pesticide residue data from the USDA, the EWG ranks the highest and lowest pesticide fruits and vegetables.

The 2017 Dirty Dozen list contains strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, peaches, pears, cherries, grapes, celery, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, and potatoes. The 2017 Clean Fifteen list contains sweet corn, avocados, pineapples, cabbage, onions, sweet peas, papayas, asparagus, mangoes, eggplant, honeydew, kiwi, cantaloupe, cauliflower, and grapefruit.

EWG recommends buying the organic versions of the fruits and vegetables on the Dirty Dozen list to minimize exposure to synthetic pesticides.

Organic agriculture utilizes crop rotation, compost and manure as fertilizers, soil and water conservation practices, natural methods for managing pests, and no synthetic pesticides. Some of the goals of organic agriculture, according to the USDAs organic program, are to promote ecological balance and conserve biodiversity.

Pesticide exposure: The Environmental Protection Agency sets limits for safe consumption of pesticides; they estimate an exposure level called the chronic reference dose, the amount of a chemical a person could be exposed to daily throughout life without any harmful effects.

A 2011 study estimated typical amounts of exposure to synthetic pesticides based on the USDAs pesticide residue data for fruits and vegetables on the Dirty Dozen list. They found that most pesticides were present at amounts one thousand times smaller than the chronic reference dose.

Even the highest pesticide residue detected was only 2 percent of the chronic reference dose. This puts the Dirty Dozen list in perspective: it means that even the highest pesticide conventional produce is very low in pesticides.

Is that small amount of synthetic pesticide any risk to consumers? Some scientists think that pesticide residues do not pose health risks, because humans and other animals are exposed to small amounts of naturally occurring toxins in every plant food we eat. The body regularly breaks down self-produced metabolic wastes and naturally occurring carcinogens in foods, as well as pesticides, and excretes these harmful substances.

Greater concentrations of urinary breakdown products of synthetic pesticides have been found in frequent consumers of conventional produce compared to frequent consumers of organic produce, and several short-term studies have shown that switching conventional foods for organic foods reduces urinary pesticide metabolites.

However, evidence is lacking whether the consumer gains any significant health benefit by eating organic instead of conventional produce.

What about people who work with pesticides in agriculture? Studies suggest a link between pesticide exposure and brain cancer, Parkinsons disease, multiple myeloma, leukemia, lymphoma, and cancers of the stomach and prostate.

A study comparing several markers of DNA damage in blood samples of conventional and organic farmers found evidence of greater DNA damage in conventional farmers. This suggests supporting organic agriculture can help to reduce the harmful effects of synthetic pesticide exposure for those who work in agriculture and are exposed to very high doses.

There are environmental advantages. Organic agriculture avoids conventional fertilizers, aiming to prevent harmful nitrogen runoff into waterways. Avoiding synthetic pesticides prevents pesticide contamination of groundwater.

Although organic pest management methods may not work as well as conventional in some cases, there is a great deal of evidence that organic crops bring better soil quality, less soil erosion, more plant diversity, and more diversity in insects, soil organisms, and birds.

Regarding nutritional differences, there appears to be a small increase in antioxidant content in organic fruits and vegetables compared to their conventional counterparts.

There is growing evidence that exposure to a mixture of synthetic pesticides is harmful to the bees we depend on as pollinators for many crops.

A shift toward organic agriculture could help to alleviate some of the stress on bee populations.

Note that the Dirty Dozen are not our major dietary source of exposure to harmful chemicals. Exposure to persistent organic pollutants such as organochlorine pesticides and PCBs occurs primarily via fatty animal foods like fish, dairy products, and meat.

Also, glyphosate, an herbicide linked to non-Hodgkin lymphoma in agricultural workers, is present primarily in processed foods.

By centering your diet on unrefined plant foods, you will automatically reduce your exposure to potentially dangerous chemicals. The large volume of studies performed on typical, pesticide-treated produce has demonstrated that consumption of produce, whether organic or not, protects against chronic diseases.

For your health, consuming a diet of vegetables, beans, fruit, nuts, and seeds is the most important action you can take. If you are able to buy organic vegetables and fruits, that is preferable, especially for our children, the environment and for farmers.

Dr. Fuhrman is a New York Times best-selling author and a board certified family physician specializing in lifestyle and nutritional medicine. The Eat To Live Cookbook offers over 200 unique disease-fighting delicious recipes and his newest book, The End of Heart Disease, offers a detailed plan to prevent and reverse heart disease using a nutrient-dense, plant-rich eating style. Visit his informative website at DrFuhrman.com. Submit your questions and comments about this column directly to [emailprotected]

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Kemmerer Gazette | Is buying organic produce always the way to go? - Kemmerer Gazette

Danes are voting through their wallets and sending a clear signal that they want a food production system more in harmony with nature and with fewer chemicals being used.

Figures just released from Danmarks Statistik show that sales of organic food increased by 15 percent during 2016. In other words, every Dane consumed organic food worth 2,000 kroner last year.

It is still items such as milk, cheese and eggs that are the most popular, but sales of organic vegetables increased by 26 percent.

READ ALSO: Arla to produce more organic milk

Now, organic foods count for 9.6 percent of total food sales in Denmark.

The figures show clearly that Danes are now ready for even more organic food. Supermarkets have been competing with each other to have the broadest range of organic foods, explained Kirsten Lund Jensen, the head of the organic section at the Danish Agriculture and Food Council.

In total, 334,900 tonnes of organic foodstuffs with a value of 8 billion kroner were sold in 2016. Of this, milk, cheese and eggs accounted for almost half.

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Danes increasingly acquiring a taste for organic food - The Copenhagen Post - Danish news in english

For brands in the $40 billion U.S. market for organic food and beverages, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Certified Organic seal is more than just another call-out for product packaging it defines their position in the retail landscape.

The integrity of the USDA Certified Organic seal is critical to the industry as a whole, and a reason why a recent article in The Washington Post is raising concerns from some members of the organic dairy community about how the practices of some large scale organic dairy operations may be affecting other brands and companies working within the space.

Nate Lewis, Farm Policy Director at the Organic Trade Association (OTA), told BevNET the group supports investigations into any allegations of wrongdoing across the supply chain, citing the need to assure the public trust in organic certified products.

The message were hearing from our members is sort of alleging that the whole system is broken because of the potential for or allegations of wrongdoing really does a disservice to the thousands of operations, inspectors and certifiers that are doing a really good job safeguarding the organic seal, he said.

The allegations Lewis refers to originated in a May 1 article by Post reporter Peter Whorisky, titled Why your organic milk may not be organic, which examined several large scale organic dairy operations and found critical weaknesses in the unorthodox inspection system used by the USDA.

The agencys guidelines for organic certification of dairy livestock requires for cows to be grazed on pasture during grazing season and to be kept in healthy, low-stress environments, as well as other provisions. Any organic operation with sales in excess of $5,000 per year, as well as companies that wish to sell products to be used as organic ingredients, need to be certified by a USDA-accredited agent.

In its reporting, The Post visited a facility run by Aurora Organic Dairy in High Plains, Colo. over eight days last year. Reporters at no point observed more than 10 percent of the herd, or a few hundred cows, grazing on pasture. In addition, tests conducted for The Post by scientists at Virginia Tech showed that Auroras milk matched conventional milk rather than organic when examined for a key indicator of grass-feeding.

A spokesperson for Aurora denied the accusations, telling The Post: The requirements of the USDA National Organic Program allow for an extremely wide range of grazing practices that comply with the rule.

Discussions with people in the organic food and beverage community about the revelations detailed in The Post drew a range of responses.

In an e-mail to BevNET, Beth Unger, regulatory engagement manager at Organic Valley, an independent cooperative of organic farmers based in Wisconsin, echoed those feelings. If a producer isnt following the rules, there is a process for investigating and revoking their certificates, protecting those who are following the rules, she said.

A spokesperson for Horizon Organic, which partners with over 600 family farms in 23 states to supply the majority of its milk, said in an e-mail that the company was focused on promoting the benefits of organic by building solidarity and collaboration in the industry.

We rely on consumer confidence in the organic seal for its success in the marketplace, and this confidence is intrinsically linked to a rigorous system of audits, inspections, and monitoring of all certified operations to organics clear and strict standards, said the spokesperson.

In an interview with BevNET, Errol Schweizer, a former vice president of grocery for Whole Foods and a board member for several companies in the natural food space, emphasized that the issues discussed in the Post article did not reflect a larger concern across the organic industry and that the operations highlighted in the story are the exception rather than the rule. Yet he noted that mass scaling in organic, which has brought lower prices and broadened consumer access to such products, may have enabled a looser interpretation of standards.

I think theres a problem with the scale creating a race to the bottom in terms of quality, unless theres really strong check and balances in the system. Schweizer said. When youre able to sell organic products cheaply, I think its important as a retailer or a customer that you have to scrutinize your supply chain. We have to appreciate that it is accessible and available and theres many more people consuming organic, but I think there is some price to pay here because what you see probably doesnt meet the expectations of what most consumers would consider organic.

Expanding beyond individual operations, the Post story also detailed issues related to the organic certification process, in which USDA-accredited agents private companies and organizations hired by individual farmers make annual inspections. The USDA reviews the records of each inspector every 2.5 years.

In its review of Auroras practices, The Post found that staff from the Colorado Department of Agriculture, at an annual cost of $13,000, conducted an inspection after the conclusion of grazing season in November. The USDA requires all inspections to take place during grazing season, which typically runs from spring until the first frost. Sanctions can include financial penalties of up to $11,000 per violation and potential revocation of the farm of businesss organic certificate.

According to a list published on the USDAs website, the most recent U.S. accreditation firm to lose its accreditation was Organic National and International Certifiers in April 2014.

Im not a regulatory expert, but I do feel that theres probably a loose interpretation of the standards here and theres definitely some responsibility on the shoulder of the certifier, said Schweizer. I have a hard time understanding how these types of farms are passing the audit, and then that the USDA is continuing to allow these farms to pass an audit based on their production methods. So I see it mostly from the retail point of view, but my gut says theres something wrong there.

Exerting influence over regulatory bodies is one way in which brands and trade organizations are taking action to safeguard and improve organic standards. Lewis said that the OTA seeks to influence regulatory guidelines through its involvement with the National Organic Standards Board, the body which advises the USDA on organic guidelines.

I think our main objective [at OTA] in that real is to ensure that the organic standards are scale neutral and consistently applied across the board regardless of size or location of operation, he said, adding that the organization advocates for strong funding of the National Organic Program as well as the USDA. Having a level playing field for all types of producers is really the best way to ensure integrity, maintain public confidence and to allow all types of operations to succeed in the organic marketplace.

We are on record supporting stricter standards especially for animal health and welfare, such as the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices rule, said Unger, referring to a comprehensive set of federal standards for on-farm welfare currently being deliberated. We believe the standards should optimize animal health and maximize their opportunities to express their natural behaviors.

While pushing for gradual improvements on a regulatory level, Schweizer said that the most immediate way of addressing issues related to organic certification was for the industry to scrutinize itself more closely.

I just think that there needs to be an effort on the part of the organic community and that includes both producers, consumers and retailers to police their own, he said. I think democracy in the marketplace and transparency and making sure that folks are all playing by the rules is as important as the enforcement on the regulatory side from certifiers as well as agencies. I want to emphasize that there needs to be scrutiny from the organic community and the organic industry on folks that are playing loose and fast with the regulation that we all have to follow to maintain the integrity of the marketplace.

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Organic Dairy Industry Responds to WaPost Story on Certification Issues - BevNET.com

Benitolink: San Benito County News

Local meditation group seeks members Benitolink: San Benito County News Do you practice one of the many kinds of meditation there are available in the world? Or would you like to know what meditation is, or how you can begin to do it yourself? If so, you can find a weekly meeting in Hollister where you can join others of ...

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Local meditation group seeks members - Benitolink: San Benito County News

The key to a well-balanced life? According to Gisele Bndchen, it's meditation.

On Tuesday afternoon in New York City, Bndchen and other practitioners of the activity gathered at the inaugural Women of Vision Awards, hosted by the David Lynch Foundation, to benefit female survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. The nonprofit organization provides scholarships to classes on stress-reducing techniques. The luncheon raised enough money to provide free Transcendental Meditation sessions to 1,000 girls and women in N.Y.C.

The fundraiser, hosted by Rosanna Scotto of Good Day New York, also recognized Bndchen, Robin Roberts of Good Morning America, Alex and Ani CEO and founder Carolyn Rafaelian, and filmmaker Joni Kimberlin with Humanitarian Awards for their work with the charity, while veteran and sexual abuse survivor Latoya Mack received the Courage Award

"I have been meditating since my early 20s. Words cannot express enough the significance of its gifts in my life," said Bndchen, who wore a slinky white pantsuit featuring a knotted bow at the collar and wide legs and beige pointed-toe pumps to the luncheon. "I discovered meditation is a wonderful way to connect with our true essence. It can help us become more aware. It brings wisdom and healing."

"Meditation has brought me clarity and peace during my most challenging times," she added. "It has helped me know myself and to discover my purpose."

VIDEO: 4 Ways to Work Out Without Killing Your Wallet

RELATED: 7 Meditation Apps to Help Keep Your Zen

Head to davidlynchfoundation.org to find out more about the organization's work and how you can contribute to the cause.

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Gisele Bndchen Talks the Importance of Meditation and Finding Your Inner Peace - InStyle

iStock/PeopleImages

The benefits of mindfulness meditation are well-known, but one type of mindfulness meditation, loving-kindness meditation, works particularly well when it comes to sharpening your capacity for compassion and empathy. The beauty of this meditation is that it shows you that you can practice being loving and kind just as much as you can practice a headstand or your latest balance pose and you can become far better at it, too.

A UW-Madison studyfound proof of this when they took fMRI scans of the brains of Tibetan monks and meditators who had at least 10,000 hoursof practice meditating on loving-kindness. The scans showed that brain circuits used to detect others emotions and feelings were far stronger in those who had practiced loving-kindness meditation than in those who didnt. Whats more, the longer they had practiced, the stronger the connections were. Meditators displayed a heightened capacity for positive emotions (read: happiness!) as well.

In particular, the insula a region near the front part of the brain linked to bodily representations of emotion exhibited significant activity during loving-kindness meditation. The strength of its activity measured even higher in those who claimed to be meditating more intensely. The temporal parietal juncture linked to the perception of others mind states and emotions lit up as well. Both areas are linked to ones capacity for sharing emotions and empathizing with others.

So, what does this mean, exactly? According to Dr. Richard Davidson, psychiatry and psychology professor at UW-Madison and the director of the study, People are not just stuck at their respective set points. We can take advantage of our brains plasticity and train it to enhance these qualities. In other words, compassion can be learned. And who couldnt use a little more compassion?

What makes loving-kindness meditation so powerful is that it increases your capacity for wholly unconditional love. Often we reserve compassion and love for those closest to us family and friends but with loving-kindness meditation, that love extends much further to oneself, strangers, and the whole world. Perhaps most difficultly, this meditative practice requires you to extend love and compassion to those youre struggling with, too.

Heres how to do it, according to the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society.

May I be freefrom inner and outer harm and danger. May I be safe and protected.

May I be freeof mental suffering or distress.

May I be happy.

May I be freeof physical pain and suffering.

May I be healthy and strong.

May I be ableto live in this world happily, peacefully, joyfully, with ease.

As loving-kindness practitioner and Buddhist monkMatthieu Ricard said, Meditation is not just blissing out under a mango tree. It changes your brain and therefore changes what you are. With loving-kindness meditation, you have the power to hack into a more compassionate and happy life. Because this practice requires no special time, place, or tools, its easy to fit it into your daily routine. Next time youre sipping your morning tea, relaxing into savasana, or even zoning out driving down the highway, consider addingten to 30 minutes of loving-kindness to your day.

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Lauren Krouse is an autodidact, travel addict, amateur Buddhist philosopher, and proud black lab mama. She believes in sounding her barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world Whitman-style and is frequently found writing in the woods perched on a log or reading on the coast with her belly in the sand.

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This is How Loving-Kindness Meditation Transforms Your Brain - Organic Authority