A summary
of positive health news around the world 2007
From the
www.globalgoodnews.com
news site, including Ayurveda news, national health
news, Transcendental Meditation research news and news
of global health trends, including organic agriculture,
traditional medicine and natural health care.
Science has
discovered that our emotional
responses are from the brain,
not the heart, as most people
might imagine. Scientists have
found that the brain's response
to stress and negative emotions
has a direct impact on the
heart, and heart disease in
particular. Scientists and
doctors are now looking at their
patient's emotional state and
preventative techniques, such as
Transcendental Meditation, which
improve heart health by
improving the brain's response
to stress.
more
There
are more beneficial nutrients in
organic food and milk than in
conventional nonorganic
products, reports a European
Union study. The study found
that there are up to 40 per cent
more beneficial compounds in
organic vegetables, and up to 90
per cent more in milk.
more
Dr John
Fagan, recently discussed the
four tier laboratory programme
which is being established to
provide a sound scientific basis
for assuring food purity.
more
French
President Nicolas Sarkozy said
on Thursday he would suspend the
planting of genetically modified
(GMO) pest-resistant crops until
the results of an appraisal of
the issue later this year or
early in 2008. Several European
Union countries have dug in
their heels on whether their
farmers may grow MON 810 maize,
one of Europe's oldest GMO
crops.
more
Referring
to a recent article in The
Lancet, a leading medical
journal, Dr Robert Schneider
spoke recently about the effects
of stress on cardiovascular
health, and how modern science
is reaching a more comprehensive
understanding of the connection
between mental health and
physical health.
more
According
to the Organic Farm and Fibre
Report 2007, organic cotton
sales rose 53 per cent in a
two-year period, driven by
demand from the clothing, home
product, and personal care
industries.
more
Dr John
Fagan, a food purity and safety
specialist, recently discussed
the importance of pure food and
the establishment of Maharishi
Invincibility Laboratories to
provide a sound scientific basis
for assuring food purity.
more
During a
recent Global Family Chat,
broadcast by global satellite
and over the Internet by the
Maharishi Channel, Dr Istvan
Dienes, Founder of Invincibility
for Hamsa, reported on
presentations and conferences
held in Hamsa.
more
People with
higher vitamin D levels are less
likely to die of colorectal
cancer, researchers said on
Tuesday.
more
Eating
whole grain cereals has already
shown promise for lowering blood
pressure and warding off heart
attacks, but it may also
significantly reduce the risk of
heart failure, US researchers
said on Monday.
more
The US
National Center for Chronic
Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion said schools are
showing some encouraging
progress in positive health
policy changes. As a result,
French fries and other fatty and
sugary foods and drinks are
becoming harder to find in US
schools, a government report
showed on Friday.
more
Siding with
activists who urged action
against 'toxic toys', California
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
signed a bill on Sunday banning
chemicals called phthalates in
children's products. Phthalates
have been linked to cancer and
reproductive defects, according
to the Governor's office.
more
Good news
on the cancer front: Death rates
are dropping faster than ever,
thanks to better pre-emptive
measures for colon, breast, and
lung cancer. A turning point
came in 2002, scientists
conclude Monday in the annual
'Report to the Nation' on
cancer. Between 2002 and 2004,
death rates dropped by an
average of 2.1 per cent a year.
more
The
European Union's environment
chief is proposing that two
types of genetically modified
(GMO) maize not be authorized
for cultivation in the bloc.
Environment Commissioner Stavros
Dimas's draft decisions cite too
much uncertainty that growing
the crops would hurt the
environment.
more
Almost 100
sugar and ethanol mills in
Brazil's main sugar cane state
Sao Paulo have agreed to stop
the practice of burning cane
fields by 2017, well before the
2031 target mandated by a state
law. Cane burning facilitates
manual harvesting, but causes
clouds of smoke and endangers
public health in nearby
communities. Mechanized
harvesting does not require
burning.
more
Project
Administrator, Dr Paul Potter
recently described the beginning
of excavation for four Peace
Palace buildings, progress on
the Goshen farm, and plans for
other sites around New York
City.
more
Dr Kent
Boyum, who coordinates local
organic lands with a federal
agency, recently reported on
Maharishi Vedic Organic
agriculture in Maharishi Vedic
City.
more
Top of Page
A new distribution centre for Maharishi Ayurveda
Products has been opened in Antrim, New Hampshire and three distribution
centres are now open for specialized medicinal herbs in Lancaster
Massachusetts, Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa and California.
more
The BioFach America Organic Products Expo 2007 will highlight Indian
organic food, which traces its origins to the Vedic period in India.
more
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday delayed approval of a new
toxic fumigant for use by fruit and vegetable farmers. The EPA received a
letter this week from 54 scientists, including six Nobel Prize winners, who
said they were astonished EPA was considering approving such a toxic
chemical for agricultural use.
more
French Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo has hinted that the country
could freeze approvals for the sale of genetically modified seeds, a leading
newspaper said.
more
As part of his bid to get across his message about sustainability and
responsibility, Prince Charles has co-authored a book on organic gardening
with writer Stephanie Donaldson. The Prince said he has spent 26 years
honing organic gardening practices at Highgrove, the family home in
Gloucestershire, as well as in his gardens at Birkhall in the Scottish
Highlands, and Clarence House in central London.
more
Organic farming is taking over in Kerala, India as farmers are receiving
premium prices for both domestic and international sales.
more
A new certification program would allow farmers to use the 'Certified
Naturally Grown' label and gives smaller producers a way to reassure
consumers about their growing practices, even if they can't use the word
'organic'. Alternative labeling gives something back to farmers who found
themselves unable to use the word 'organic' after the USDA regulations came
in.
more
Dozens of upper-crust prep schools have revived agricultural programmes,
driven by the trends toward chemical-free and locally grown produce. Faculty
at some schools that haven't focused on agriculture in decades, if ever, now
count farmers in their ranks, and the title 'sustainability coordinator' is
becoming common at schools that scrapped Future Farmers of America clubs
long ago, if they ever had them at all.
more
The government of Kerala, India would like to restore organic farming
practices and is not in favour of introducing genetically modified seeds,
pesticides, and other unproven agricultural techniques, which are being
touted by the multinational seed companies.
more
1 September 2007 - The Soil Association, which certifies more than 70 per
cent of the organic produce sold in Britain, estimated that organic sales of
food and beverages topped 2 billion pounds for the first time last year, up
22 per cent from a year earlier. There was a sharp rise in direct sales via
mail order schemes and other direct routes. Direct sales saw a staggering 53
per cent growth, more than double that experienced by the major
supermarkets.
more
A study released Thursday credits New York's 2003 Clean Indoor Air Act with
an 8 per cent drop in heart attacks state wide because of reduced exposure to
second-hand smoke. The report found that hospitals admitted 3,813 fewer
patients for heart attacks in 2004 than would be expected in New York
without the indoor smoking ban. Studies elsewhere have reached similar
conclusions. In one case, the rate of admissions for heart attacks returned
to normal after the ban was lifted.
more
American shoe manufacturer Nike on Tuesday unveiled what it said is the
first shoe designed specifically for American Indians, an effort aiming at
promoting physical fitness in a population with high obesity rates. It will
be distributed solely to American Indians. Tribal wellness programmes and
tribal schools nationwide will be able to purchase the shoe at wholesale
price and then pass it along to individuals, often at no cost. All profits
from the sale of the shoe will be reinvested in health programmes for tribal
lands.
more
Acai, a dark purple Brazilian berry, is growing in popularity due to its
many health benefits. Acai's nutritional profile says it is high in healthy
fats like omega fatty acids and phytochemicals like antioxidants, and low in
sodium, cholesterol, and natural sugars. It also contains soluble and
insoluble fibre, and essential amino acids.
more
Koreans are making increasing use of Sanhujoriwons, modern post-natal care
centre run on centuries-old principles aimed at giving babies the best start
in life, and helping mothers get their full strength back.
more
American shoe manufacturer Nike on Tuesday unveiled what it said is the
first shoe designed specifically for American Indians, an effort aiming at
promoting physical fitness in a population with high obesity rates. It will
be distributed solely to American Indians. Tribal wellness programmes and
tribal schools nationwide will be able to purchase the shoe at wholesale
price and then pass it along to individuals, often at no cost. All profits
from the sale of the shoe will be reinvested in health programmes for tribal
lands.
more
Delegates from almost 200 countries agreed late on Friday to eliminate
ozone-depleting substances faster than originally planned, the United
Nations said. The ozone layer protects the Earth from ultraviolet radiation.
Holes in the ozone layer are blamed for increased risk of cancer and
cataracts in humans.
more
Regular exercise may work as well as medication in improving symptoms of
major depression, researchers have found. In a study of 202 depressed
adults, investigators found that those who went through group-based exercise
therapy did as well as those treated with an antidepressant drug. A third
group that performed home-based exercise also improved, though to a slightly
lesser degree.
more
A survey released Thursday reaffirmed previous studies that found teenagers
who ate dinner with their families five or more times a week are less likely
to use drugs, smoke, or drink alcohol than peers who ate with their families
two times or less a week. Contrary to many parents' expectations, most
teenagers actually wanted to eat with their families. The teens that ate
regularly with their families also got better grades, with 64 per cent
reporting mostly As and Bs compared to 49 per cent of other teens.
more
Mexico was named on Thursday as the best place in the world to retire by an
annual retirement index, replacing last year's winner Panama. Mexico also
won praise for its health care, diverse climate, and affordable real estate.
Following Mexico were Ecuador, Italy, Panama, Australia, Malta, Spain, South
Africa, Malaysia, France, and Thailand. The ranking is done by International
Living magazine.
more
Millers making flour the traditional way, powered by wind, ground by stone,
say business has never been so good, as demand for goods produced
sustainably and free of additives or preservatives keeps growing.
more
Weight training works just as well as using a treadmill or biking to help
the most important symptom of type-2 diabetes -- long-term control of blood
sugar -- Canadian researchers said on Monday. The volunteers liked the
exercise and stuck with it, Dr Ronald Sigal of University of Calgary said.
more
The Raj Maharishi Ayurveda Health Center, and the preventive methods of
Ayurveda, India's ancient healing system, are featured in the September
issue of Alternative Medicine magazine.
more
Dr John Hagelin, Minister of Science and Technology of the Global Country of
World Peace, spoke recently at a Global Press Conference on Unified
Field-Based Health Care--one of the programmes of the Global Financial
Capital of New York--about the principles of immortality found in Nature and
in our human physiology, and their source in the Unified Field of Natural
Law.
more
Dr John Hagelin, Minister of Science and Technology of the Global Country of
World Peace, spoke recently at a Global Press Conference on Unified
Field-Based Health Care--one of the programmes of the Global Financial
Capital of New York--about the principles of immortality found in Nature and
in our human physiology, and their source in the Unified Field of Natural
Law.
more
Top of Page
Dr Rainer Picha, Minister of Health of the Global Country of World Peace,
commended the recent inauguration of 58 Maharishi Hospitals and Colleges of
Vedic Medicine around the world, saying that these institutions would
elevate health everywhere to the level of perfection--the health of the
Unified Field, and 'create a world free of all problems and suffering: Raam
Raj dukh kahu na vyapa--''In the reign of Raam, suffering belonged to no
one.''
more
During the inauguration of the Maharishi Hospitals and Colleges of Vedic
Medicine throughout the world, Dr Walther Molk, Deputy Minister of Health of
the Global Country of World Peace, explained how each hospital will provide
the different kinds of therapy available.
more
China will start building the country's first eco-city in the new year and
plans four other radical new urban developments as it seeks to tackle
pollution. The development will be on an island outside Shanghai, where all
energy will be renewable, no gasoline-fuelled cars will be permitted, and
farms will grow organic vegetables for local consumption.
more
On the auspicious day of the global celebration of Krishna Janmashtami, 4
September 2007, Dr Walter Molk, Deputy Minister of Health of the Global
Country of World Peace, inaugurated 58 Maharishi Hospitals and Maharishi
Colleges of Vedic Medicine around the world.
more
Ireland's rate of heart attacks fell by around a tenth in the year following
the introduction of the world's first nationwide ban on workplace smoking,
boosting the case for more similar bans, doctors said.
more
The Aborigines have built a 'place of healing' in a remote outback camp
where they will treat the ill using traditional bush medicines. Bush healing
is a part of the Yolngu aboriginal culture, remedies from the ancient
Dreamtime stories have been handed down through the generations for more
than 40,000 years. Many doctors who work in outback Australia welcome
aboriginal medicines. 'I think that you can have two healing systems working
together side-by-side', Dr Oscar Whitehead told local radio.
more
A study of nearly 30,000 men found that those who ate more than a serving of
broccoli or cauliflower each week had roughly half the risk of developing
advanced-stage prostate cancer compared with their peers who ate these
vegetables less than once a month. Men who ate broccoli more than once a
week had a 45 per cent lower risk, while those eating cauliflower this often
cut the risk by 52 per cent.
more
Moderate exercise might help older adults' blood vessels relax, a study has
found, pointing to one reason why exercise lowers the risk of heart attacks
and strokes.
more
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel
announced on Wednesday a global health campaign to target aid more
effectively at the basic needs of poor countries.
more
Eating foods prepared with olive oils that are rich in phenols, substances
though to have beneficial effects on the heart, may help ward off harmful
blood clots in people with high cholesterol, Spanish researchers report.
'Although this study deals with the microcomponents of virgin olive oil, we
should still think in terms of evaluating the biological properties of
complete foods,' the researches said.
more
India's government is asking schools to ban junk food. The National
Commission for Protection of Child Rights, an Indian government advisory
body, has drawn up healthy eating guidelines for both government and
privately run schools to follow.
more
Women who get plenty of whole grains in their diet may lower their risk of
developing high blood pressure, a large study suggests. The fibre and other
nutrients in whole grains may help lower cholesterol, blood sugar, and
insulin levels, as well as improve blood vessel functioning and reduce
inflammation in the circulatory system. Women who consumed the most whole
grains had an 11 per cent lower risk of high blood pressure.
more
New cases of stomach cancer will likely fall 25 per cent over the next 10
years in Western countries because of better living conditions, Dutch
researchers said on Tuesday.
more
Two of the United Kingdom's organic producers said they will ignore the new
0.9 per cent allowable genetically modified content for organic food and
keep their food free of genetically modified contamination.
more
The government of Croatia is supporting efforts to meet with organic
standards of other European countries. It reports that organic agricultural
production is increasing, as is domestic demand for organic products.
more
Research done in 2003 and again in 2006 by Iowa State University found that
farmers profit when they switch to organic. The study revealed that organic
corn and soybean farmers made more money per acre than conventional farmers,
and in some cases, organic soybean farmers made five times as much profit
per acre. However, there is still a shortage, with the result that the US
and Canada are importing organic soybeans from overseas.
more
The demand for organic milk in Denmark has
encouraged dairy farmers to increase production as not only are local sales
increasing but the desire for nature's natural health drink is increasing in
international markets as well.
more
Top of Page
Travellers visiting the 2008
Summer Olympics to be held in
Beijing, China will be able to
take advantage of the healing
benefits of Ayur-Veda health
treatments.
more
In a bid
to alleviate the problem of
perennial water scarcity among
poor residents of rural
Djibouti, aid donors, the
government, and a United Nations
agency are backing a project to
provide clean drinking water to
an estimated 25,000 people in 45
villages. The project will boost
the capacity of the country's 61
diesel-powered pumps with 25 new
solar-power pumps.
more
A
Maharishi Vedic Organic
Agriculture programme has been
organized on 830 acres of land
about one hour outside of New
York City, USA.
more
Danish
youth are developing healthier
habits, such as regular
exercise. Also, a recent study
by the National Board of Health
showed that the percentage of
youth who smoke and drink has
decreased.
more
Across
the continent south of the
Sahara, people maintain dental
hygiene with a small stick or
twig that they chew or use to
scrub their teeth. Dental
experts agree they seem to clean
teeth well, and several
documented studies suggest that
the cleaning sticks are at least
as effective as normal
toothbrushes and paste.
more
Following the Green Party's
historic agreement to form a
coalition government with Fianna
Fail, the two parties revealed
their agreed policy 'to
negotiate for the whole island
of Ireland to become a GMO-free
zone'. The announcement was
received with jubilation by
farmers and food producers on
both sides of the border who
have spent the last nine years
campaigning to achieve this
goal.
more
England
slammed the door on smoking in
workplaces and public buildings
on Sunday in what campaigners
hail as the biggest boost to
public health since the creation
of the National Health Service
in 1948.
more
1 July
was the start date of New York
City's first-in-the-nation ban
on trans fats at restaurants.
Many implemented it ahead of the
deadline. Some metropolitan
areas have followed with similar
measures. Several other states
and cities including California
and Chicago are also considering
trans fat prohibitions.
more
A new
study revealed that yoga
practitioners, who combine yoga
postures, breathing techniques,
and meditation, had less
depression and anxiety due to an
increase of the neurotransmitter
gamma-aminobutyric (GABA), which
was elevated immediately after a
one-hour yoga session.
more
Organic
products are grown without
pesticides, fertilizer,
hormones, or antibiotics. They
make up only a small slice,
about 3 per cent, of the
nation's food market, but
increasing demand is pushing
more crop farmers to make the
switch in hopes of higher
returns. The crops are needed to
feed cows with the huge increase
in organic dairy farms in the
US.
more
Ayur-Veda's curative abilities
are the reason the ancient form
of health care is expanding in
India, says official.
more
Eating
foods with calcium is a better
source of the vitamin than
supplements, according to a
study by researchers at
Washington University School of
Medicine. Ladies getting calcium
from foods also had more
estrogen in their bodies; the
hormone is needed to maintain
bone mineral density.
more
Corporate America is trying to
increase productivity and
control insurance costs by
helping its employees get
healthy and shed pounds.
more
Eating
plenty of whole grains can help
keep your arteries healthy,
potentially warding off heart
disease and stroke, a new study
shows. It was clear the whole
grains themselves -- not some
individual component -- were
responsible for the good
effects. ' There's a lot going
on there...the whole is greater
than the sum of the parts,' the
study's lead author Dr Philip B
Mellen said.
more
Moscow
next week introduces a city-wide
label to identify foods free of
genetically modified (GM)
elements, a move ecologists hail
as ground-breaking. This is the
first large-scale political
effort to introduce such a
system.
more
Aggressive efforts to curb
smoking led to a sharp drop in
the number of smokers in New
York City in the past few years,
US health experts said. New
York's success comes amid a wave
of efforts across the United
States to create smoke-free
environments. So far, 23 states
-- plus Puerto Rico and
Washington, DC -- have enacted
smoke-free laws that protect the
health of millions of workers
and patrons.
more
Adding
some cinnamon to your dessert
may temper the blood sugar surge
that follows a sweet treat, a
new study suggests. The
findings, published in the
American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, add to evidence from
past studies that cinnamon may
aid in blood sugar control.
more
The
Indian Health Minister, Ms
Panabaaka Lakshmi, was hosted by
the Maharishi Ayurveda-Clinic in
Bad Ems.
more
To
restore heart health, the Total
Heart Health Program uses simple
techniques to restore balance at
the subtle level where the
imbalance began. This results in
a comprehensive, natural return
to health in the whole body,
including the heart.
more
For
effective heart health, the
Total Heart Health Program
restores balance in mind, body,
and environment, by
re-establishing the connection
with their inner intelligence.
more
A list
of countries throughout the
world that have banned smoking
in public places starting from
2006.
more
The
Chinese government will support
the development of
environmentally friendly farming
practices, like growing organic
produce, to help raise food
safety standards, the
agriculture ministry said on
Monday.
more
Top of Page
Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation is giving $105
million to the University of
Washington (USA) to open a new
research centre to assess the
performance of global health
programmes.
more
The Total Heart Health programme
offers three approaches to heart
health: the Mind Approach, the
Body Approach, the Environment
Approach. Each has distinct
benefits, and using several or
all of the approaches together
creates a synergy that
multiplies the benefits.
more
The
world's poor nations will become
wealthier, and the wealthy
nations will become healthier,
as a new 'Unified Field'-based
approach to organic agriculture
is adopted throughout the world.
more
Whole Foods Market Inc.,
America's most successful
organic supermarket chain, opens
its massive flagship London
store next week. Like Whole
Foods stores across the United
States, the focus is on fresh,
organic, natural food. There
will be no artificial flavours,
colours, sweeteners,
preservatives, or hydrogenated
fats.
more
Organic
honey beekeepers across America
report that their colonies do
not seem susceptible to Colony
Collapse Disorder (CCD), which
causes bee populations to
decline and will have a major
impact on humans because honey
bees pollinate food crops.
more
The first scientific tests by
American researchers of the
popular alternative medicine
products ginseng and flaxseed
show they may help with health
problems.
more
The Province of Saskatchewan --
Canada's leading exporter of
organic products -- is getting a
$1 million boost with the
expansion of a successful
financing programme for organic
exporters.
more
One company is launching a
campaign to come up with a
national standard to define
'natural' as a category of
cosmetics. The cosmetics
industry is largely a
self-policing business that
allows individual companies to
decide what goes in their
products and how they will be
labelled. With an ever-growing
awareness of health and
environmental concerns, though,
more and more beauty products
now come with claims they are
'natural'. But no one agrees on
what that means.
more
Lighting up in bars and
restaurants throughout the heavy
smoking country of Venezuela
will be permitted only in
limited spaces equipped with
ventilators, Health Minister
Erick Rodriguez told the
government's news agency. The
smoking ban was first announced
earlier this month.
more
The US dairy industry is
expecting a 40 per cent growth
spurt in the organic milk supply
this year, creating an abundant
supply, and cause for market
expansion into more organic
milk-based products.
more
The business hub of Shanghai
will soon employ mobile testing
units that officials say can
check the safety of most food
within 30 minutes, as fears grow
at home and abroad over
contaminated Chinese products
ranging from cough syrup to pet
food. The report Wednesday
followed the announcement of a
nationwide crackdown on
contaminated and unsafe food and
drugs.
more
Having found that a thick layer
of honey promotes healing in
diabetic ulcers and helps those
patients avoid amputation, a US
doctor has launched a controlled
trial to prove her findings and
promote the use of honey
therapy.
more
Organic farming the answer to food
security.
Organic farming is receiving the
attention of the government of
Trinidad and Tobago as a way to
ensure food security.
more
Top of Page
Researchers have found that the herbal
preparation triphala, which is used in the traditional Indian system of medicine
known as Ayur-Veda, offers hope for slowing the growth of human pancreatic
tumours -- the sixth most common cause of cancer death in the
United Kingdom.
more
African government leaders based in
Geneva,
Switzerland
have been invited to participate in Maharishi's programmes to create peace,
affluence, and better health in their countries.
more
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi announced recently that under the inspiration of Maharaja
Nader Raam, the Health Ministry of the Global Country of World Peace, with all
its physicians and Vaidyas (experts in Ayurvedic health care), is
creating an Exhibition of Perfect Health, based on the Vedic knowledge of
Ashtanga Ayurveda (the 8-fold classification of health care).
more
A study published in the journal Ethnicity and Disease showed that
Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation programme is beneficial for those
suffering from congestive heart failure.
more
Researchers told a United Nations conference Saturday that a large-scale shift
to organic agriculture could help fight world hunger while improving the
environment. A University
of Michigan study found
that a global shift to organic agriculture would yield at least 2,641
kilocalories per person per day, just under the world's current production of
2,786.
more
An oncology professor encouraged comprehensive clinical studies on traditional
Eastern medicine at a medical forum. Tony Mok Shu Kam, a professor at the Chinese University
of Hong Kong, said 'We cannot discredit
traditional medicines, because they are so old and they are still here, so there
must be some virtue. But we must do something in a scientific fashion to prove
it better.'
more
Cuba's President Fidel Castro
may be ailing, but he's a living example of something Cubans take pride in -- an
average life expectancy roughly similar to that of the United States.
Cuba's average life
expectancy is 77.08 years making it the second highest in Latin America after Puerto Rico, and more than 11 years above the world
average.
more
The town of Biggar in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, with a population around
2,000, hopes to set an example for the rest of the country by becoming the first
'carbon neutral' town in Scotland.
more
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has imposed a ban on alcohol sales during Holy
Week in an attempt to reduce accidents and crimes. The decree prohibits alcohol
sales on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday next week.
more
South African fruit farmers are increasingly going organic as pesticide use has
failed to produce, and selling organic fruits has become economically feasible
due to high demand both locally and abroad.
more
There is a growing consciousness among Senegalese about the importance of
growing and eating food that is free of pesticides or harmful chemicals.
more
After years of cajoling by nongovernmental organizations and Swaziland's ministry of agriculture
to plant drought-resistant crops and diversify from maize, the staple food,
small-scale farmers are finally heeding the message.
more
So many more Americans are buying organic food these days that United States
farmers are having difficulty supplying the demand. The organic farmers want
monetary help from the US
government for crop research and market development to expand the industry and
to meet consumers' desires.
more
By strengthening -- or, as some farmers say, returning to -- their commitment to
local products, Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods and Boulder-based Wild Oats
Markets Inc. are fending off big chains like Wal-Mart Stores Inc, Kroger Co.,
and Safeway Inc., which have expanded their own organic offerings and put
pressure on the smaller 'natural' grocers.
more
Top of Page
Thousands of farmers in India have rediscovered the
wealth and potential of traditional agriculture with
help from the Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems
(CIKS).
more
The founder of Invincibility for Algeria, Dr Atmane
Kouider, recently reported on a special project in that
nation - the manufacture and distribution of pure
essential oils. This project was started five years ago
under the inspiration of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and is
blossoming into a beautiful and successful undertaking.
more
Biophysics researchers at the Neils Bohr Institute of
the University of Copenhagen are discarding the
currently accepted view that nerves transmit electrical
impulses for a new theory that says nerves transmit
sound. This new theory would help to explain the view
that specially selected Vedic sounds can have a
balancing effect on the nervous system.
more
As part of revised regulations on the management of
public health, China plans to approve regulations to
limit smoking in public places, including hospitals,
schools, and restaurants, the head of China's Center for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.
more
Claiming that the regulations currently in place are
inadequate to keep commercial rice free from
contamination by genetically modified rice, the
California Rice Commission has called for an end to the
planting of all genetically modified rice.
more
A hospital in the United Kingdom is now routinely using
honey from bees found only in Queensland, Australia as
an antibiotic against an infection that is resistant to
conventional antibiotics.
more
Malaysian authorities may ban fast food advertisements
on children's television to help curb obesity and
diet-linked diseases, the health minister stated Monday.
The move is part of an effort to raise public awareness
about the importance of eating nutritious food instead
of relying on fast food.
more
The Chhattisgarh province in India is working on an
ambitious plan to promote 'Ayur Vedic and herbal
medicinal facilities' through tourist sites in the
state. The idea behind the move is to propagate India's
ancient system of natural medicines, which has vast
potential in terms of marketing, and generating
employment.
more
Consumer groups are applauding a major dairy
cooperative's decision to dissuade its farmers from
using a synthetic hormone to coax more milk from cows, a
move some insiders say could have a ripple effect across
the dairy industry.
more
Australia is pleased to announce the establishment of
one area in Maharishi's six-point programme to create a
healthy, happy, and peaceful world -
Vedic Organic Agriculture -
more
Maharishi Vedic Organic Agriculture is becoming more
and more lively in Serbia, with the current promotion of
its first organic products--cider and wheat vinegar--and
a third product under preparation.
more
Top of Page
National television station SABC 1, recently aired a
half-hour programme on Ayur-Veda, the world's oldest and
most comprehensive system of natural medicine. The
programme featured Maharishi Ayur-Veda and
Transcendental Meditation.
more
Late last year the first ten tonnes of Vedic Organic
Rice, produced by the Shimane Peace Government, were
harvested in Japan. The beautifully packaged Satowa
Organic Rice is very popular amongst meditators and
those desiring the purest possible, life-supporting
food.
more
In the global News Conference, preventative cardiologist
Dr Robert Schneider presented the latest scientific
study on Transcendental Meditation and congestive heart
failure, which has just been announced by the University
of Pennsylvania in the publication
Ethnicity and Disease, a leading journal on
the heart health of African Americans.
more
The Board of
Directors of the
Financial Capital of Canada
recently passed a
resolution to implement a
six-point programme
that will create an
Invincible Canada and favour all aspects of life in
the nation. Steps are now being taken to create high
level medical colleges.
more
A new Vastu housing development in Lima for 20,000
people and a major Maharishi Vedic Organic Agriculture
project of 15 million hectares are two of the many
inspiring new developments that have begun in Peru since
the establishment of several Maharishi Invincibility
Schools in the nation.
more
On the basis of their increase in organic food sales in
2006, mainstream German supermarkets are hugely
expanding their sales of organic food in 2007.
more
The results of this year's study titled 'The World of
Organic Agriculture: Statistics and Emerging Trends
2007', shows that nearly 31 million hectares (about 76
million acres) of farmland are currently certified
according to organic standards.
more
The Oprah Winfrey Show featured 11 women who are defying
the stereotypes of ageing and living active, youthful
lives. One guest credited her years of practice of the
Transcendental Meditation Technique for her energy,
radiant looks, and bliss at the age of 70.
more
Malaysian authorities may ban fast food advertisements
on children's television to help curb obesity and
diet-linked diseases, the health minister stated Monday.
The move is part of an effort to raise public awareness
about the importance of eating nutritious food instead
of relying on fast food.
more
A 'functional' MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) study
suggests that Transcendental Meditation may offer a
prescription-free way to reduce pain.
more
A smoking ban in public areas such as restaurants went
into effect in Puerto Rico Friday. The new ban also
prohibits smoking in private cars with children under 13
inside.
more
Less fat, less sugar, less salt: Even the mostly svelte
French are cracking down. Beginning Thursday, the
government ordered food ads to carry cautions telling
the French to stop snacking, exercise, and eat more
fruits and vegetables. Other European countries have
already taken measures along the lines of France.
more
Milk from cloned cows is not welcome at the nation's
biggest milk company. Dean Foods Company of Dallas,
Texas said Thursday that its customers and consumers
don't want milk from cloned animals. 'Numerous surveys
have shown that Americans are not interested in buying
dairy products that contain milk from cloned cows and
Dean Foods is responding to the needs of our consumers,'
the company said in a statement.
more
A new study of Spanish honey varieties revealed that
honey contains antioxidants, which help eliminate
cancer-causing free radicals.
more
Life expectancy in China should jump sharply over the
next several decades, hitting 85 years by 2050 as
overall living standards improve.
more
Across the country, university cafeterias are trying to
serve up less processed and lower-salt items, and more
organic products.
more
Maharishi's Vedic Approach to Health offers time-tested
programmes, free from harmful side-effects, to prevent
disease, restore health, and promote longevity by
enlivening the body's inner intelligence. Ongoing
scientific research is bringing to light more and more
knowledge about the power and purity of its herbal
formulas and their ability to create health on an
individual and national level.
more
Since 2005, almost a quarter of all agricultural land in
Bulgaria has been farmed organically, and the government
is encouraging more farmers to take up organic farming.
Primary organic products include both cultivated and
wild fruits, nuts, herbs, and dairy, as well as honey,
and oils obtained from roses and lavender.
more
The West is looking toward India for forms of
alternative medicine, according to cardiologist B M
Hegde. Thus, he emphasized that Ayur-Veda should be
added to India's medical school curriculum.
more
Major retailers like Target, Wal-Mart, and Nike are now
producing organic clothes for every price range. Global
organic cotton sales increased 119 per cent, from $245
million to $583 million between 2001 and 2005. Sales are
expected to reach more than $2 billion by the end of
2008.
more
In the largest study to date on the health effects of
napping, researchers tracked 23,681 healthy Greek adults
for an average of about six years. Those who napped at
least three times weekly for about half an hour had a 37
per cent lower risk of dying from heart attacks or other
heart problems than those who did not nap.
more
In Maharishi Sthapatya Veda, the ancient Vedic science
of architecture and city planning in harmony with
Natural Law, a new angle has recently come to light: the
issue of electricity.
more
Designing homes and workplaces according to Maharishi
Sthapatya Veda--Vedic architecture in accord with
Natural Law--ensures that one is always in the most
uplifting possible place, in a Vastu home or
building. Therefore one should never allow any impure
influence or interference, however subtle, into this
sanctuary.
more
Organic farming is gaining momentum in the agricultural
state of Arunachal Pradesh, India, as more farmers are
adopting organic farming and new policies are being
created.
more
29 January 2007 - The explosion of immigrant populations
in the United States is fuelling the growth of locally
grown, ethnic vegetables like cilantro and bok choy,
giving farmers new, and potentially more profitable,
revenue streams to add to their American staples of
corn, sweet peppers, and tomatoes.
more
Life expectancy in China should jump sharply over the
next several decades, hitting 85 years by 2050 as
overall living standards improve.
more
Maine, a state notorious for its cold weather and short
growing season, is showing it can expand agricultural
production by adopting technology that could signal a
new direction for farming, while creating new jobs at
the same time by using greenhouses.
more
Top of Page
The UK Soil Association President, Jonathan Dimbleby,
explained in an interview several reasons why organic
farming is here to stay.
more
A Maharishi Vedic Spa was opened recently in Zurich near
the university.
more
For the first time in the nation's history, more than
half of Americans live in a city or state with laws
mandating that workplaces, restaurants, and other public
places be smoke-free.
more
A young girl from a small Indian village has managed to
create a business from just one box of bees, and in the
process became an inspiration for her entire village, as
well as a UNICEF poster child for the multimedia 'girl
stars' campaign.
more
The National Ayurveda Institute at Jaipur, India is
building a large library to hold its collection of
almost 50,000 books -- including rare manuscripts so
ancient they are written on tree leaves -- on the
holistic and traditional medicine of Ayurveda.
more
Among the dozens of spas that offer some form of
Ayurvedic treatments, the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Spa
is the 'real deal' for those who want authentic and
comprehensive spa treatments.
more
Scientists examining the mysteries of human
consciousness and behaviour have revealed in a new brain
study that the maxim 'Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you' turns out to be scientifically valid.
more
It is the most
powerful Rasayana—ancient formula of herbs and fruits to
create perfect health—containing over two dozen rare
ingredients; 250 steps are taken in its careful
production. Maharishi Amrit Kalash is good for the heart
and brain and for the entire physiology.
more
The School Nutrition Association's annual survey given
to food service directors around the country shows that
children are making healthier choices at school, since
more states have enacted nutrition standards to ensure
healthy food and beverage options are available to
students.
more
The government of Uganda, which has recently officially
given its support to the country's honey sector, has
issued the new 2007 Apiculture Export Sector Performance
Strategy to promote the exports of apiculture products.
more
A silver dollar-sized spot deep in the brain called the
insula appears to be where the brain turns physical
reactions into feelings, such as feeling anxious when
your heart speeds up. When those reactions are caused by
a particular substance, the insula may act like sort of
a headquarters for cravings.
more
Scientists and doctors are recognizing that honey has
numerous healing properties and are encouraging people
to consume even a small amount of raw honey each day to
support good health.
more
A weeklong event offering free medical care has begun
and is open to anyone from the greater New Orleans area,
but is specifically aimed at those who no longer have
insurance, are unemployed, or who otherwise cannot pay
for regular health care. By the end of the week, 10,000
patients are expected to be seen.
more
The new 2006 figures compiled for the UN showed a big
reduction in disaster-related deaths around the world
last year from the previous year. Asia saw a 10 per cent
decrease in 2006 compared with the five-year average.
The group compiling the figures says that aside from the
2004 tsunami and 2005 Pakistan earthquake, there has
been a trend toward reduction in the past five years.
more
The Canadian Honey Council (CHC) will receive a $440,000
grant to help it revitalize Canada's honey industry.
Honeybees contribute over $1 billion annually to
agriculture in Canada according to the CHC, in part by
their critical role of pollinating plants.
more
Due to tight emissions controls, better fuel, and the
cash to buy new cars with catalytic converters and fuel
injection systems, the smog in Mexico City -- once
considered the worst in the world -- has improved.
more
Marriott International Inc. said Thursday it will
eliminate trans fats from the cooking oil used by its
restaurants at more than 2,300 hotels in the United
States and Canada. Marriott is the world's largest hotel
company by revenue. Separately on Thursday, Omni Hotels
also said it will cut trans fat by 1 March.
more
A chemistry professor, who developed an inexpensive,
easy-to-make system for filtering arsenic from well
water, has won a $1 million engineering prize -- and he
plans to use most of the money to distribute the filters
to needy communities around the world. His invention is
already in use today, preventing serious health problems
in residents of the professor's native Bangladesh.
more
Top of Page
The government of Jamaica stated it invested $11.5
million in 2006, to improve production in the honey
industry. The investment seems to have paid off, as
honey production in the country has grown from 3.2
gallons to 7.5 gallons per hive.
more
Thailand's new Sufficiency Economy Training Centre for
organic farming is trying to keep up with orders by
health conscious consumers who are rushing to buy their
vegetables and flowers grown using bio fertiliser and
herbal pesticides.
more
Maharishi Ayurveda Products International (MAPI)
www.mapi.com aims to increase its distribution in the
United States 1,000-fold to create a healthy, happy,
enlightened America through ancient time-tested products
from the Land of the Veda, India.
more
A government hospital in Andhra Pradesh will be
renovated according to Vastu [architectural principles
of proper orientation and construction of buildings]
after Vastu experts informed health authorities that the
poor recovery rate of the child patients has a lot to do
with the wrong Vastu.
more
Drunken-driving deaths declined slightly across the
United States in 2005, and the rate of drunken-driving
deaths fell in 23 states last year, transportation
officials said Friday.
more
People who are optimistic in their youth have a greater
chance of living to old age than their pessimistic
peers, a study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings
medical journal has found. The lead researcher mentioned
meditation as a means for pessimists to promote a more
positive temperament.
more
The Philippines government is promoting organic farming,
encouraging farmers to grow more produce, and working on
legislation to support the industry.
more
Since banning smoking in public places in 2003, the
number of smoking related deaths has fallen
significantly in the United States city of New York.
more
An abundance of vitamin D seems to help prevent multiple
sclerosis, according to a study in more than 7 million
people that offers some of the strongest evidence yet of
the power of the 'sunshine vitamin' against MS. The
study appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American
Medical Association.
more
Thirty years ago the Organically Grown Cooperative of
organic farmers was selling to farmer's markets and
small natural food stores. Now they are the biggest
organic produce distributor in the US northwest, and
rapidly expanding as demand for organic produce has gone
mainstream.
more
Asia's demand for healthier, organic food is rapidly
increasing with some countries, such as Malaysia,
Singapore, and Taiwan, showing as much as a 30 to 40 per
cent annual growth rate. To help supply the organic
trend, more land is being certified organic with China,
India, and Thailand leading the way.
more
19 December 2006 - A report by the UN Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE) says a decline in
industry-produced sulphur dioxide is helping Europe have
cleaner air.
more
An environmental group released a comprehensive 'climate
change roadmap' to reduce pollution linked to global
warming by 75 per cent in the north-eastern United
States and eastern Canada.
more
European Union environment ministers rejected an appeal
Monday to force Austria to lift a ban on two biotech
crop products, which the European Commission says
violates international trade rules.
more
Medical experts Michael F Roizen, MD and Mehmet C Oz, MD
put Transcendental Meditation on their list as one of
the common sense solutions for preventing colds and flu
this winter.
more
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