How Organic is your Organic Milk?

Where do the more commonly available (at least in Los Angeles) organic milk brands of Trader Joe's, Horizon, Whole Foods (365 Organics), Costco, and even Ben and Jerry's stand in terms of integrity in an independent survey? See for yourself!

A friend of mine hooked me on to a very useful site that rates organic milks. The scorecard was created by Cornucopia.org and they have a full report on the state of organic milk farms, industrialized milk farming, USDA enforcement, and consumer guidance on organic milk-buying, among other issues. The ratings alone can be found here but to fully understand their ratings I recommend you read the report.

As for me, I think I'll begin supporting 365 Organics and Straus more.

Acupressure Face Lift and Recipe to Beautify Yourself

For those of you who want to beautify naturally, here are couple tips from this month's Iyashi Wellness Newsletter.

To sign up for this free monthly e-newsletter, go to my website, Iyashiwellness.com.

Past newsletter subjects have included:

Smoking Cessation

Heart Health

Acupuncture and Headaches

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Acupuncture

Enjoy!

The 5-Minute Acupressure Face Lift

Here is a 5-Minute Acupressure Face Lift to smooth wrinkles and firm up the face.

To draining the lymph system and smooth the skin

• Begin at the center of the forehead using the thumbs, and stroke across the eyebrows. Repeat 3 times.

• With the pads of the thumb, move from the outside edge of the eyebrows to the hollow in front of the ear (Fig 1).

• Using 3 inner fingers of both hands to massage the back of the neck from middle towards outside for 30 seconds with circular motion.

To lift and tone the face, chin and neck

• Stroke upward in lines from the eyebrows into the hairline. Repeat 3 to 5 times (Fig 2).

• Press on DU20 (the point on the very top of the head) to bring energy upward. Repeat 3 to 5 times.

• Using the pads of the thumbs, stroke in a circular motion from the eyebrow to temple to jawline and to the points below the eye. Repeat 9 to 12 times (See Fig 3).

• For neck wrinkles: Stroke upward from the collar bone to the jawline. Repeat 3–5 times (See Fig 4).

Recipe for Nourishing Beauty - Sweet Rice Congee

Sweet black rice, when cooked with longan berries (euphoria longana) and Chinese dates, becomes a congee that nourishes blood and Qi.

In the Oriental medicine system of food cures, these three foods work together to enhance beauty and longevity.

• The sweet rice promotes the flow of liver Qi, which helps keep angry feelings at bay and leads to calmness.

• The Chinese dates (different from the Mediterranean variety) nourish blood and spleen, promoting restful sleep and mental clarity.

• Longan fruit, a blood enhancer, was used by the ancients to add luster to the skin. From a Western perspective, we know that longans contain large amounts of Vitamin C and phenolic compounds, which may help to detoxify and protect the liver.

Sweet Rice Congee
(Taken from Ancient Healing for Modern Women, by Dr. Xiolan Zhao, C.M.D.)

Ingredients:

6 cups water
1 cup black sweet rice (wash before using)
½ cup dried longan fruit
10 Chinese dates
2 tablespoons raw sugar
½ inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

Instructions:

In a large heavy saucepan, add 6 cups of water, black sweet rice, longan fruit, dates, and raw sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. Garnish with ginger. Makes four servings.

Note: All ingredients are available at most Asian grocery stores.

Author: Elizabeth G. Lynch