A little more than thirteen years back, A T.V. movie entitled: The Fire Next Time gave a chilling preview of what the world might be like in the year 2017, as a result of the consequences of global warming and severe depletion of the earth’s ozone layer. The movie, directed by Tom McLoughlin, depicted an environmental disaster in the United States, with much of the Continental 48 states in a disastrous situation due to severe drought, literally burning by raging forest fires, or plummeted constantly by hurricanes and similar severe storms. The film’s main characters, a Louisiana family engaged in a dwindling shrimp fishing business, have both their livelihood and their home literally destroyed by a monster hurricane similar to Hurricane Katrina which hit the city of New Orleans and much of the U.S. Gulf Coast in August, 2005.

Global warming and the so-called “greenhouse effect” are definitely issues being dealt with in our present time, 13 years after the above movie was first shown. Events happening in countries all over the world, give testimony to the present state of the earth’s environmental problems that appear to be getting worse as time goes on.

Numerous hurricanes have already created mayhem in the Caribbean. These events, combined with several typhoons and similar severe storms in Asia, have resulted in billions of dollars in property damages, economic loses, and hundreds of human lives. Huge forest and brush fires in California, Colorado, Arizona, and other western states, as well as in Australia and Southern Europe, have wrecked their havoc as well during the past few years.

Where is this all heading? Scientists and environmentalists have been warning us for some time that the continuous abuse of our environment by over use of petroleum based ‘fossil fuels’, including coal, fluorocarbons from aerosol cans, air conditioning systems and the like; would someday result in global warming, melting of glaciers and Artic/Antarctic ice caps, resulting in serious consequences to the inhabitants of this planet. Only recently, it was discovered that a huge Arctic ice shelf had broken loose off Alaska’s Northwestern coast after having been in place for more than 5,000 years. Polar animals, including whales, walruses, polar bears, and other artic creatures are now on the endangered list due to changes in their habit as a result of global warming.

This reality coincides with the recent documentary movie An Inconvenient Truth written and produced by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, in which the effects of global warming were graphically noted, and the dire warnings Mr. Gore is presenting are still being unheeded by many world governments, including his own. The movie must have effected many, however, as it received an Oscar at the 2007 Academy Award ceremonies in Hollywood California.

Alternative energy sources, such as hydrogen fuels, fuel cells, electricity produced by natural gas and hydro-electric generators, wind and solar power, just to name a few, will result in a much better environment and eventually reduce the damage created by over-use of fossil fuels. The technology exists, and at whatever the costs, it must be implemented before it is too late to reverse the present effects of global warming.

And if not, the consequences, as noted in The Fire Next Time, and An Inconvenient Truth will result in science fiction becoming a tragic reality, for you see, we are only looking at the world in ten years time. And you don’t believe this keep watching your TV’s to see what result might be in this year’s hurricane season. Many living in Florida and New Orleans, for example, are still picking up the pieces after previous bad storms, now attributed to the effects of global warming.

One of India’s most beneficial medicinal herbs is one called Ashwagandha, or “Winter Cherry”. An herb originating in the Indian Sub Continent and Africa, this biological member of the solonaceae plant family, has been used by practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine for over 4,000 years. A relative of the Chinese ginseng shrub, the Ashwagandha root has similar medicinal properties, and is said to aid in longevity, as well as aiding those with sexual related problems.

Among the herb’s other benefits are those including stimulating the nervous system and improving memory in older persons. Ayurveda holistic practitioners subscribe this herb for a variety of bodily ills, including anemia, cancer (especially during and after chemo-therapy), immune system problems, nervous exhaustion and fatigue, infertility and impotence, chronic and acute stress, and even ulcers. Those who are familiar with the science of Ayurvedic medical practice know that various parts of an herb, from its leaves to the roots, are useful for different types of medically related problems. The same is true for the Ashwagandha, as its leaves (which are very bitter) are used as an anthelmintic (ridding the body of intestinal worms), and also for the treatment of large boils or carbuncles.

The berries, or fruit, are used to improve kidney function as well as to coagulate milk, which is beneficial for those requiring a more strict vegetable based diet. The roots are used for treating problems of the nervous system, as well as for giving relief to physical weakness and muscle fatigue.

As a nutrient, the Ashwagandha root is recommended to give strength to pregnant women and old people. It also acts as an aphrodisiac, and is said to help restore sperm content in men. Those suffering from back or shoulder pains (lumbago) can also find relief from taking this herb.

Although no noted side effects have been reported, is it recommended not to take preparations of Ashwagandha herb if one is suffering from lung congestion. This is especially true in the case of small children or older persons.

EU-Eco-Regulation International Organic Certification has become widely accepted as the accepted standards used to various governmental bodies to insure that products claiming to be at least “95% Organic” live up to required organic standards. The two most widely accepted certification labels, The EU-Eco-Regulation and the USDA Organic, are noted as being in the forefront of international organic standard certifications; although many other countries, including Canada, the U.K., Australia, and Japan have their own organic certification labeling as well.

International concern regarding synthetic vitamin, medicinal, and growth hormone additives to meat and other agricultural produce has resulted in stricter attention being given by government bodies to the standards given to food and other products that are reputed to be derived from organic sources.

Both the EU-Eco-Regulation and USDA Organic certification symbols became law in the early 1990’s, meaning that farms involved in organic food production must comply with these regulations in order for their products to be certified with these labels. Notations as to whether the labeled is either 100% or 95% organic indicates that these products comply with the required governmental criteria regarding the farming and processing of their organic products. Everything used in the production of these products, including transportation and storage of the products must conform to the required criteria. The addition of chemicals into the products are either strictly limited or forbidden altogether.

Some countries, including Canada and Australia, still do not have set national laws concerning the standards placed on organically grown and produced products; and what national standards are in place are only used as ‘guidelines’. Australia, though having very strict quarantine standards for food items entering the country, has only a ‘de-facto’ standard for products being exported. The task of certifying exported food products, including beef, lamb and other meat products, is left to the task of at least seven individual certification organizations, the largest being the Australian Certified Organic organization.

A number of issues and problems still exist concerning the proper certification of bona-fide organic products. Vested interest lobbies try to ‘water down’ the organic content requirement of various products in order to save on production and transportation costs. A certain amount of miss-labeling of products is a still evident, with many being labeled as being “naturally grown”. These products must not be considered as having the same standards as the ones bearing either the EU-Eco or UDSA Organic symbols, as the latter have undergone strict governmental regulatory inspection and certification.

Organic labeling and certification for agricultural and other products is still relatively new in regards to state and national government regulatory bodies. California was one of the first U.S. states to incorporate an ‘organic law’ into its official statutes with the passing of the California Certified Organic Farm Certification Act in 1973. Other states soon followed suit, and as a result, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created the National Organic Production Act in 1990, resulting in the government body known as the National Organic Program (NOP). The NOP, through a network of national organic certification agents, regulations and policies has created a national standard for certified organic products: USDA Organic.

Agricultural products, in order to bear the USDA Organic certification label, must meet certain criteria in order to be considered as ‘100% organic‘. Regarding meat production, organic meat and meat products must come from animals and poultry that have been raised outdoors on natural feed sources. The term ‘range fed cattle’ and ‘free running poultry’ means exactly what the terms imply; i.e. not confined to cages or feed lots, and not fed vitamin or antibiotic enriched foods. Only pure natural food sources are allowed to be fed to these animals. Synthetic chemical additives such as growth enhancing hormones are also forbidden in organically grown animals.

Organic food products labeled as “100% Organic” by the USDA, must only contain organically produced ingredients. Another label, “95% Organic”, still allows the UDSA logo to be displayed, as most of the NOP’s organic requirements have been met. If a food product is noted to be “made with organic ingredients”, at least 70% of the product’s composition must come from organic sources. The UDSA Organic logo cannot be displayed on this food category, however.

Organic labeling is also becoming noted on soaps, shampoos and cosmetics, with the products ingredients clearly noted. Again, in order to be considered as coming from organic sources, the product must be at lest in the 70% category to be considered as “made from organic ingredients”.

Since the year 2000, more attention has been given to the subject of “green” or organic food and cosmetic production. European Union countries are still far ahead in their attention to this subject, and EU member governments even offer “green incentives” to farmers and food producers to meet strict organic standards. The benefit of this way of “green thinking” is obvious to everyone who is concerned about their overall health and well being.

The Dead Sea, the world’s lowest point on earth, contains a vast wealth of very beneficial minerals and other products. Known for years as being very beneficial for the healing of people with a number of skin diseases (especially psoriasis and seborrhea) the sea’s mineral rich waters is often a recommended part of the treatment for these diseases; and people come from all over the world to bathe in the heavily saline waters, with a salinity content of nearly 25%. The minerals extracted from large collection pools on the sea’s southern shores are made into a number of cosmetic products and marketed worldwide. The following chart shows some of the Dead Sea’s most beneficial minerals (21 minerals are found in the lake’s waters), and the role they play in improving peoples’ health:

Potassium-Sodium: Supplies energy to skin cells
Magnesium: Activates enzymes to accelerate cell regeneration
Bromide: Soothes and treats skin ailments
Chloride: Helps balance body’s minerals
Calcium: Strengthens cell membranes and eases pain

Source: www.deadsea-cosmetics.com

A wide range of cosmetics are made from these minerals, as well as from Dead Sea salts and mud, which people either bathe in or apply to liberally to their bodies at several spas and resorts located on the lake’s shore. One of the most prominent of these companies, Dead Sea Cosmetics Inc, markets its cosmetics under the world renown Ahava line. These cosmetics, which include not only soaps, shampoos, creams, and lotions, also include containers of the Dead Sea’s original medicinal salts and mud, enabling people to benefit from the lake’s healing qualities without actually visiting there. The cosmetic products, for both men and women, also include a special line of aromatic lotions and oils, which have a special soothing and moistening effect on the skin. Some of the aromatic bath salts, for example, allow the user to feel that he is actually lying in the Dead Sea’s mineral-rich waters, while giving a pleasant aromatic scent. Those who suffer from scalp conditions, such as severe dandruff, will find Dead Sea shampoos very beneficial in controlling these conditions.

Dead Sea cosmetics can be found in many drug stores and pharmacies in Europe, the Far East, and North America. They can also be ordered directly via the Internet.

For those who have experienced the pleasure and rejuvenation from being treated at a natural body care spa, it is now possible to have almost the same relaxing treatment in the privacy of one’s own home. By purchasing an ever increasing array of natural skin body, are hair care products, and together with creating an intimate atmosphere in either the bath or bedroom, you can give yourself the personal treatment that can cost hundreds of dollars at a weekend body care retreat.

For years now, many people have been abandoning commercial skin and body care products in favor or natural, organic based ones. These products, available either at health products stores, pharmacies, or via the internet, contain natural soaps, oils, herbs, and products derived from royal jelly – that mysterious substance derived from bees. For those who like to shop via the internet, a wide choice of natural body products manufacturers and suppliers are available by just clicking onto to a natural products website. If you are looking for special bath oils, soaps and shampoos, for example, you can find them on the web, with all the most natural and exotic ingredients imaginable. Shampoos containing soy extracts, rosemary and birch leaf oil, lavender, and natural vitamins and minerals will not only give your hair a much more natural feeling, but will help prevent hair loss and damage to the scalp.

Natural oils, including olive and palm oil, coca bean butter and oil, and jojoba bean oils, help restore your skin cells and even helps to prevent aging. Even products that Grandmothers used to swear by, such as eggs, natural herbs (rosemary, chamomile, thyme and nettle), as well as citrus seed extracts and citric acid all have their own skin and hair rejuvenating effects.

Whether or not you have a Jacuzzi or ‘hot tub’ in you home, you can still feel like you’ve received a royal spa care treatment, by just using these natural body care products in the intimacy of your own home.

Oh, by the way, don’t forget the aromatic candles and appropriate mood music.