Findings, made by Doctor Lu of Emory University in the US, show that children who consume an organic diet have less exposure to certain man-made chemicals. The children were tested for two common agricultural pesticides whilst eating a conventional diet, and then again 5 days after they started eating a mostly organic diet. The levels of the harmful chemicals (which have been linked to neurological disorders), fell dramatically within a number of days to a concentration six times lower than when the children were eating a conventional diet. The study concluded that children’s exposure to agricultural chemicals can be reduced through an organic diet, and also suggests that exposure to environmental agricultural chemicals would also be reduced with a switch to organic farming methods.

We are fortunate that there are so many different varieties of flowers available today that we can use in our floral designs.

There are tips and specialized treatment you can use for certain flowers so they will last longer and to show them to their best advantage in your flower arrangements.

Gerberas

Gerberas are large flat daisy like flowers that include shades of orange, pink, red, yellow and white.

There is also a mini gerbera which is not so common that is a much smaller variety.

Gerberas are very versatile and they can be used in many different styles of arrangements. Because of their large flower heads and bright colours they are perfect for modern floral designs.

Give gerberas a long drink before arranging them.

If the stems are soft, snip off the ends of the stems and place them in a bucket half filled with water.

It is safe to say that most people in the United States go to the doctor when they feel ill. The doctor will treat the illness by prescribing some type of medicine. We then take what he or she has given us and hopefully feel better. This is how modern medicine works, and what we, as a society, come to believe is the only way to receive treatment. If anyone were to suggest we think about alternative medicine, we would probably dismiss it as foolishness.

That was not always the case though. Before the introduction of man made medicines, people of all cultures had to rely on home remedies. Some cultures used herbal medicines, while others would have a village medicine man who local people would visit for treatment of whatever ailed them. He would then pass on his knowledge of the healing powers of herbs to his apprentices so that they could continue his work. Today this is what we call natural medicine.