Medicine Buddha and the philosophy of healing!
The Medicine Buddha and the enlightened way to health.
The Buddhist philosophy is that the body is a home or temple for the spirit and should be treated with great respect. Buddhist basic beliefs are that if people are spiritually focused and follow a faithful path of meditation, diet and exercise of body and breath, people would rarely become sick.
When illness does occur the medicine Buddha believes 70% of the time it can be cured with the mind, 20% of the time with herbs, food and nutrition and 10% of the time with modern medicine. It is a common belief of the medicine Buddha that if you expose the body to harsh natural elements it will strengthen the immune system. This age old belief is now finding the light in modern medicine, as cases of asthma has greatly increased in the children of affluent families.
When medical scientist have studied this phenomenon, they discovered that those raised in cleaner more sterile conditions had a great increase in the cases of asthma and allergies. But children who lived in less affluent families and consequently were exposed to less perfect conditions had fewer incidents of asthma and allergy conditions.
The medicine Buddha believes sickness often comes from laziness in faith or lifestyle. This is not seen, (as in some other religions), as a punishment of God, but rather a natural consequence of breaking away from the natural "Way" of life.
It is simply that the medicine Buddha believes that the health of all aspects of life are achieved in the daily actions of discipline. Meditation and prayer, good hygiene, healthy eating, stretching and exercise along with deep breathing are all seen as the path to a healthy and enlightened body, mind and spirit.
Any break in any area, (to what ever degree), leaves one susceptible to illness. But the medicine Buddha does not view illness as all bad. On the contrary, Buddhist see suffering and ecstasy as equally valuable. Ecstasy allows you to enjoy and value life; suffering gives you the opportunity to grow and become stronger.
Buddhist do accept modern medicine as being valuable in severe or emergency situations, but view it as only a temporary solution to stabilize a severe condition. Once stabilized, the medicine Buddha feels natural substances which include herbs, foods, plants, meditation, prayer, urine therapy , stones, magnets, gems, exercise and stretching should be used to bring a state of health. Buddhist avoid alcohol and other stimulants because they are seen as interfering with the clarity of mind. Many strict Buddhist follow a vegetarian lifestyle as on of their fundamental beliefs is that all life is valuable and they should never intentionally kill any living being.
As a side note....because of this most basic of Buddhist beliefs, it is the only major world religion which has "Never" had an act of war enacted or initiated in its name or because of any of its teachings. Many followers of Buddhism are less strict and therefore do eat fish and eggs and some even eat poultry and other fowl. Another key element to health in the traditions of the medical Buddha is abstinence of sex before marriage. In Buddhism sex is only condoned with-in marriage. This is not necessarily because of the moral issues often supported by other religions. However, Buddhist see this behavior as not only physically dangerous because of the physical health risk such as S.T.D.`s, but just as importantly, because of the health risk to emotional and spiritual damage.
A good and healthy sex life with-iin marriage is seen as greatly aiding in the health of all aspects of body, mind and spirit. Outside of marriage a sexual relationship is seen as dangerous and distracting.
Modern science has now shown that this age old belief in Buddhism and so many other world religions and spiritual faiths is absolutely true. A Yale University medical study of hundreds of participants over several years found the following: An intimate, sexually satisfying relationship with-in marriage reduces the risk of heart disease, depression, migraine, pre-menstrual syndrome (P.M.S.), and arthritis. It also boosts the immune system which aids the fight against age and other related illness`s. The study found that a central goal in healing was not orgasm, but connection with your spouse. It was found that even those in long term relationships, but outside of marriage greatly decreased the deep connection necessary to achieve healing benefits and those in uncommitted sexual relationships actually had increases in illness`s and there severity.
The Yale study went on to find that the healing sex with-in marriage brings a marked decline in bloodstream levels of adrenaline and cortisol. These stress hormones provoke anxiety and reduce immune function. In the study, women who were happily married had higher levels of natural killer cells and helper "T" cells than those in unmarried couples.... even those in "committed", long term relationships, but still outside marriage.
There seems to be clear evidence that there is some component to the life time commitment of marriage that is lacking in other kinds of relationships... even those that are long term, but outside marriage. The healing result long recognized by the medicine Buddha now has scientific data supporting that marital sex is also a potent antidote for social isolation, which has been linked to serious illness and premature death. The Yale study findings concluded that those without a loving spouse at home were twice as likely to die prematurely as those with a spouse.
The following are the fundamental beliefs taught by the medicine Buddha:
- Respect all life including yourself.
- Practice daily the discipline of meditation and prayer
- Your primary diet should consist of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds and those that choose can eat eggs, fish and fowl. Many medicine Buddha practitioners also recommend up to a quart or liter a day of urine therapy.
- If you do choose a vegan lifestyle, make sure to get the necessary nutrition, including vitamins B6 and B12 and protein which are often lacking in that diet.
- Good hygiene including a therapeutic bath everyday. Bathing should be therapeutic and therefore aroma therapy and essential oils should be used along with candles and pictures that aid in meditation and contemplation.
- Breath. Daily deep breathing exercises are essential in all aspects of health according to the medicine Buddha traditions. Shallow breathing makes the body believe it is in a state of emergency causing the production of certain hormones. While these are helpful in an emergency, if regularly produced they bring a large range of stress related illness.
When illness or other hardships, disappointments or adversity comes your way in life, practice staying calm. Medicine Buddha looks at any adversity as an opportunity to become stronger rather than as something thought to be negative or to be avoided.
- Abstain from sexual relationships outside of marriage is an important discipline taught by medicine Buddha traditions. With-in a marriage, work on obtaining "connection" rather than just physical pleasure from your sexual relationship.
- A key and fundamental belief with Buddha traditions is the idea of , "the compassionate acts for others", or "living for the sake of others".
- The most fundamental belief of medicine Buddha traditions for ultimate health is to Seek God as to know God is to Know Truth.
The translation for this mantra, as given by Lawrence Ellyard is: “Thus gone, healer, great healer King, accomplish healing, let it happen’.
The Medicine Buddha Mantra is an especially powerful mantra, even when used on its own without the added transmission of empowerment from a qualified Lama. However, it is recommended by qualified reiki therapists, including Lawrence Ellyard, that a Lama from a Mahayana or Vajrayana Buddhist center bless you and your use of the mantra before you begin to use it.
Basically, the Medicine Buddha healing ritual involves visualising the Blue Medicine Buddha above the head of the person who is receiving the healing. The Medicine Buddha is visualised facing in the same direction as the person receiving healing. If this is yourself, then you imagine the Buddha a tenth the size of yourself, sitting above your head, looking frontward, as you are. If you are giving healing to someone else, then you imagine the recipient with the Blue Buddha above the head of that person. If the recipient is facing you, then both the Buddha and the recipient will be looking towards you.
Whilst saying the mantra, one visualizes the healing energy coming down towards the recipient, as if a thousand tiny blue healing stars are falling down and being absorbed into the crown chakra of the recipient. From there, the powerful healing rays being eminated from the Blue Buddha continue down through the body to the heart chakra, where they are retained.
The heart chakra is considered the most vital chakra in Medicine Buddha philosophy, as the heart is at the core of our functioning and our emotions. It is important to nourish and develop a good heart if we want to develop spiritually and develop compassion.
Why is Medicine Buddha also known as the Blue Buddha? I have made my own assumptions here: It is easy to work out why Medicine Buddha is sometimes referred to as the Blue Buddha…………….
The Medicine Buddha is The Buddha of Healing. His other name, in Tibetan Buddhism, is ‘Sangye Mendela’, which is translated as ‘King of lapis lazuli radiance’.
Lapis lazuli, which is the color of Medicine Buddha, is a semi precious gemstone which has a distinctive, radiant, intense dark blue color.
Healing Gemstone: Lapis lazuli has always been regarded as a healing gem. It is used in India and in other parts of the world to aid healing and to invoke healing power. It is associated with the planet Uranus in some schools of color therapy and astrology.
Lapis Lazuli is thought to be helpful in enhancing and balancing the spiritual chakra of the body. This is the Crown Chakra, which is sensitive to the vibrations emanated from Lapis Lazuli. Visualizing the color of lapis lazuli in meditation is supposed to encourage higher thought and promote healing and spiritual aspirations. This perhaps explains why the Medicine Buddha is the color of Lapis lazuli, and why Medicine Buddha is sometimes referred to as the ‘Blue Buddha’.
Other Buddhist Mantras, some of which are given in the book called Reiki Healer are:
- OM MANI PADME HUNG. This is a powerful healing Mantra, as it evokes the Buddha of Compassion. In some texts which teach Thai Massage, this is written as OM MANI PADME HUM. This Mantra is still widely used today, especially in Tibetan Buddhist practice. It is also used as a healing prayer by some practitioners of Thai massage, and other healing modalities, to evoke the qualities of the Buddha of Compassion before beginning a healing. The Mantra originated in the Sanskrit language, in ancient India. Translated, it means, literally: “Om jewel of unfolding Hung’. A more beautiful translation, taken from the Thai usage, is: ‘May the jewel of the lotus flower send out a light of love and compassion to unite all existence as one’. This mantra is to the Buddha Avalokiteshvara. His Archetypal Deity is ‘Buddha of Loving Kindness and Compassion’.
- OM MANI PADME HUM: (in addition to the above) The OM sound is the universal vibration of all existence. MANI is the diamond, the jewel which represents clarity of mind and purpose, resulting in wisdom. PADME is the lotus flower, the symbol of beauty, purity and compassion. The Lotus flower is the miracle of light and wonder which blooms after arising out of the muddy depths of unclean water. This represents the evolvement of the human spirit. HUM is a heart open to all, one which unifies through love, kindness and compassion.
- OM AMI DEWA HRIH. Translated, this means: ‘Om Lord of Limitless Light Hrih’. This mantra is to the Buddha Amitabha. His Archetypal Deity is ‘Buddha of Limitless Light, Guardian of Dewachen (Pure Realm). This Mantra is recited to assist the journey of a deceased person to the realm of Dewachen. Prayers are offered within the first 30 minutes of death, on the third day, after seven days after the event of death, then on the same day of death each week, up to the seventh week, which is 49 days. The procedure is fully described by Lawrence Ellyard in his book Reiki Healer.
- OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA. Translated, this means: ‘Om Liberitous, Liberate now’. This mantra is to the Green Tara Buddha. This Archetypal Deity is ‘Buddha of Great Liberation’.
- OM BENZA SATO HUNG. Translated, this means: ‘Om Diamond Being Hung’. This mantra is to the Buddha Dorje Sempa. His Archetypal Deity is ‘Buddha of Purification (Diamond Mind).
- OM ARA PA CHA NA DHIH. There is no literal translation for this mantra in English, but the Mantra represents ‘Perfect Wisdom’ This Mantra is to the Buddha of Wisdom Archetypal Deity.
- OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SOHA. The translation for this is: ‘Om gone, gone, gone completely beyond, awakening, let it happen’. The Archetypal Deity is ‘Mother of all Buddhas. This Mantra is to the Buddha Prajinaparamita.
Benefits of Using Herbal Medicine
Herbs have been used for healing purposes and to promote wellness since from the ancient times. Nowadays, herbal medicines, and health and dietary supplements are flooding the markets today. People have begun to recognize the usage of herbal medicines and natural remedies because of the numerous advantages it has. The use of herbal medicine is widespread and growing. In fact, herbs are always the alternative medicine and primary source of health care for more people in the world.
People are greatly concerned about the efficacy and side effects of many synthetic drugs, and hence choose herbal medicines for providing a safe and natural alternative treatment for many health problems. Among the many benefits in using herbal medicines, some of them are as follows:
Herbal medicines are not categorized as medicines but are treated as food as they are natural products. Herbal medicines need not be tested to prove that they work well and are safe before they are sold. Herbal medicines are even more convenient to buy. You can buy herbal medicines without a prescription. Herbal medicines are much cheaper than synthetic drugs.
The use of herbal medicines in the right way provides effective and safe treatment for many ailments. The effectiveness of the herbal medicines is mostly subjective to the patient. The potency of the herbal medicines varies based on the genetic variation of the herbs, growing conditions of the herbs, timing and method of harvesting of the herbs, exposure of the herbs to air, light and moisture, and type of preservation of the herbs.
Herbal medicines can be used for healing purposes and to promote wellness. Herbal medicines are not addictive or habit forming, but are powerful nutritional agents that support the body naturally. Herbal medicines promote health and serve as excellent healing agents without side effects. Chinese herbs are taken as tonics to enhance physical and mental well-being. Herbal medicines are safe and effective for health, healing, weight loss/gain/maintenance, etc. Herbal medicine can nourish the body’s deepest and most basic elements.
Herbal medicines are great body balancers that help regulate body functions. Natural therapies such as herbal medicines can be used to support balance process of our body. Herbal medicines offer the nutrients that the body fails to receive due to poor diet or environmental deficiencies in the soil and air.
Herbal medicines can be used to treat many diseases such as asthma, eczema, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue, and irritable bowel syndrome, etc., and can be used for maintaining general health. Herbal preparations are the best when taken under the guidance of a trained professional. When used correctly, herbal medicines are considered safer than conventional medications.
Though herbal medicines have so many advantages, herbal medicines does not necessarily mean safe for you always. Many natural substances and herbal medicines can be harmful if taken in over doses or if used wrongly. More over, herbal medicines may not be pure sometimes. Unregulated, herbal products may be mislabeled and may contain undeclared additives and adulterants. They may also include other things such as plant pollen or contaminants that could make you sick. Hence, it is always wise to consult with your doctor first before taking your herbal medications. Testing and standardized manufacturing of herbal medicines and supplements is needed, in order to have the full benefits of herbal medicines. Researches reveal that all herbal medicines should be stopped 2 weeks before any surgery.
Going Organic! People around the globe are starting to be aware, and become more eco-friendly. With this new gained awareness, the organic clothing lines have began to catch the attention of its deserving attention.
What exactly are Organic Clothing?
These are clothes made out of materials which can be all-natural and non-synthetic. The materials come from plants that haven’t been genetically modified, radiated, or processed with chemical or even artificial pesticides. Every product that is labeled as organic, whatever they maybe, be it a shoe, t-shirt or an orange, should first completeImeet the nation’s criteria set-up by the United States Department of Agriculture.
What are the Textiles employed in Organic Clothing?
Some of the identified and traditionally used organic fabrics are cotton, wool, silk, and hemp. These types of fabric before being defined as organic must first meet the standards set by Organic Trade Association, standards regarding fiber processing, production, dyeing and non-toxic management.
The most used organic fabric by far is definitely the organic cotton, before being popular like a clothing fabric it has additionally been used for personal care items like sanitary items, baby diapers, cotton swabs, home goods like sheets, towels and in many cases as a stationery. Other popular organic fabric is hemp, it’s a highly tough natural fiber that will require no pesticides and little water to develop. It has become popular to its quantity, farmers don’t have a trouble in supplying hemp for they can grow hemp crops yearly. Hemp fibers are frequently applied to clothing, skin care products as well as paper.
The greatest target of generating clothes organic in nature is to be more eco-friendly as well as help in the activity of lessening air, soil as well as water pollution. Additionally it is to promote the use of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. Moreover, I think that clothes organic or not must always be recycled to additional aide in the eco friendly movement.
Question by Tiff B: Tampons-What makes organic tampons organic and do they work better than regular ones?
I’ve noticed in stores, more organic products. Well, I caught a glimps of a box that said organic tampons. What makes them organic and do they work better than regular tampax?
Are they bio-degradable and earth friendly?
If you use them, does it make you more green?
I’m all about being green and am even a vegitarian, do you recommend ways to become more green and natural?
Best answer:
Answer by ♥ ~Sigi~♥
Organic tampons mean they are made from organically grown cotton. I’m not sure if they are environmentally much better but they are more expensive. In this case I’m sceptical about the benefits.
They may be more healthy to use but I think it’s unlikely. Regular tampons are made out of rayon which is just paper in a textile form. I doubt that processed cellulose is somehow more hazardous than “natural” organically grown cotton that has been bailed and processed and transshipped.
I’m a vegetarian too and I try to live with less impact on the environment. 
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
organic? cage free? how do i choose?
Has your teenage daughter just gone vegetarian? Do you despair at ever getting your health-conscious son who now won’t eat meat to eat a proper breakfast that will keep him going until lunch time? Is your vegetarian niece coming to visit and you don’t know what to cook? Have you seen the soaring cost of meat in the supermarket these days and wondered how to get more for your money? Have you been told to cut down your red meat and are wondering whether there’s an alternative to boring porrige for ever more?
If so, then fear not, help is here in the form of my top 10 vegetarian cooked breakfast dishes. If you would like some help for Christmas cooking, see How to cope with a vegetarian at Christmas.
These are all dishes which I have personally tried and tested over the years. I’m a terrible cook, so all of these dishes are simple to make (at most 3/5 in terms of difficulty) and can be easily modified so they are fit for the whole family and not just any vegetarians – just pick and choose your favourites according to how hungry you are and how healthy you are feeling. You can make them be a bit healthier by using spray oil or leaving off the salt.
It’s a commonly held misconception that vegetarians like boring food and that vegetarian food must be bland and healthy and taste like cardboard. Not so! We like a good old unhealthy fry-up as much as the rest of you! You can make some fabulous breakfast items easily and cheaply – even cheaper when you remember that you don’t have to factor the expensive meat in. You will find no muesli recipes here, this is a proper cooked breakfast that will fill you up until mid-afternoon!
Before you start, get a few provisions for your store cupboard. You will need: butter or oil for frying (remember not to use lard as this is not vegetarian!), salt, pepper and various herbs and spices to improve the flavour. My top tip for flavoursome food is to find a good vegetarian brand of worcester sauce from a health food store for a bit of a peppery kick to spice the food up (NB: regular worcester sauce is made of anchovies and so ISN’T vegetarian). Other than that, most of these can be cooked in a frying pan or a heavy-based saucepan. Serve the dishes with your favourite ketchup, brown sauce, salsa or just a hint of mustard.
I have labelled with a (V) the dishes that can easily be made suitable for vegans (“pure vegetarians”) – be sure not to use any honey, milk or eggs!
Scrambled eggs
Cost: $ $
Unhealth rating: !!! (or !! if you make it with spray oil or in the microwave)
Taste: 5*
Cooking skill required: 2-3
I love lightly done flash-scrambled eggs. This is my recipe for doing eggs that I have tried and tested over the years – do substitute your own. Mine is specially done to be suitable for lactose intolerant people. NB: because the eggs are cooked only lightly, if there is a chance the eggs may contain salmonella then they may not be suitable for pregnant women or people with delicate immune systems.
Allow 1 – 2 eggs per person for a side dish or 2 – 3 if this is the main dish for breakfast. Beat together the eggs in a mixing bowl for 30 seconds and add salt, pepper and your favourite herbs (I use thyme). Heat a heavy bottomed pan with a sloosh (1-2 tbsp) oil and get it as hot as you can get it without it burning (peanut oil, canola oil and sunflower oil are all good as they have a high smoking point).
Take the pan off the heat, tilt it so the oil pools to one side and add the egg mixture. Whilst holding the pan at angle (minimises surface area) start stirring gently and make sure it does not stick. If you are only cooking for a few people, this dish will cook itself without further heating, but if you are cooking for 10, you may need to have keep it on a low heat.
The trick here is how to stir it:
I love the long silky strands of egg that form when it is flash-scrambled in this way. All it needs is a gentle stirring to lift up these strands as they form and allow more egg to reach the hot surfaces.
When you think that the egg is a little over half cooked, stop cooking. The eggs will carry on solidifying after you finish and they are best eaten when still slightly runny.
Tip: For the health-conscious, you can make this in the microwave with little to no added fat. Pregnant women should consider cooking their eggs thoroughly.
Sautéed mushrooms (V)
Cost: $ $
Unhealth rating:! if cooked in spray oil, !! if cooked with a tiny bit of oil
Taste: 4*
Cooking skill required: 2
Allow 3-4 medium mushrooms per person. Chestnut mushrooms have a particularly nice flavour, but closed cup and field mushrooms are fine as well.
Quarter the mushrooms and set to one side. Heat a pan up with a tiny bit of oil or some spray oil. The main aim here is to have just enough to stop it sticking – once you start cooking, the mushrooms will release lots of water. Add lots of freshly ground black pepper, some worcester sauce and cook the mushrooms until tender. At first, this will require a bit of careful stirring so that they do not stick, but the mushrooms will soon start to release their juices and then can be left for 10 minutes to simmer and reduce.
Tip 1: To turn this into a delicious dinner dish, double the quantities involved, add some crushed garlic and a good dollop of red wine and leave to simmer.
Tip 2: By the time they are cooked, the mushrooms have released a lot of juices. You can either carry on cooking until the water evaporates or you can drain off the mushroom juices and use it as a stock.
Cooked tomatoes (V)
Cost: $ $
Unhealth rating: ! for grilled/fried in spray oil – !!! for fried in butter
Taste: 3*
Cooking skill required: 1
Easy and quick to make and count as one of your five a day! Allow half to one tomato per person if you are having it as a side and 1-2 for a main dish.
Slice the tomatoes in half, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and grill or fry together with fresh basil leaves until golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately. It is very easy to overcook these so do be careful.
Tip: If you make this regularly, you can infuse the oil you cook it in with basil leaves to give it a nice taste with less hassle!
Baked beans (V)
Cost: $
Unhealth rating: !!
Taste: 3*
Cooking skill required: 1
Allow 1/4-1/2 tin per person if cooked as a side and 1/2-1 tin per person if cooked as a main meal. Follow the cooking instructions on the tin – should be ready in less than five minutes.
Tip: Add a dash of tabasco, mustard or vegetarian worcester sauce to give it a bit of a kick.
Eggy bread
Cost: $
Unhealth rating: !!!!!
Taste: 5*
Cooking skill required: 2
Allow 1-2 eggs per person and 2 slices of bread. Beat together all the eggs, add salt, pepper and herbs to taste. Heat a frying pan with oil until it is sizzling. Dip the slices of bread in the egg mixture and let the excess egg drip off. Fry the bread on both sides until it is a light, golden brown, then serve immediately whilst piping hot. Delicious!
Toast (V)
Cost: $
Unhealth rating: !
Taste: 5*
Cooking skill required: 1
If the eggy bread was a little bit too unhealthy for you, here’s a much healthier alternative. This has to be my all-time number one fallback for a hot breakfast item: toast. It is extremely cheap, filling and nutritious and can often be fed to vegans too (check your recipe for milk powder!).
Suggested vegetarian toppings: Butter!
Suggested vegan toppings: Peanut butter, marmite, jam
Hash browns (V)
Cost: $ $
Unhealth rating: !!!
Taste: 4*
Cooking skill required: 1-2 if from packet, 3 if made freshly
I’m usually far too lazy to make my own hash browns when they can be bought from the supermarket so easily and just need heating up! Unless you have a lot of spare potato left over from dinner or really like cooking these, I suggest you do the same! If I’m using up cooked potato from a meal I made the night before, I shred it, then mold it into patty cakes and fry them on both sides until brown. These are even nicer with shredded onion added!
Fried onions (V)
Cost: $ $
Unhealth rating: !!!
Taste: 4*
Cooking skill required: 2
Not really for the faint of heart first thing in the morning, but these add a tasty and cheap kick to your breakfast. Dice the onions and fry over a hot heat in a small amount of oil and soy sauce or balsamic vinegar until they are caramelised. Perfect for serving with vegetarian sausages!
Veggie sausages/nut cutlet/fake bacon (V)
Cost: $ $
Unhealth rating: !! if grilled, !!! if fried
Taste: 4*
Cooking skill required: 1 if you use ready-made veggie sausages, 3-4 if you make your own
As this is a meat replacement, this is a bit of a controversial choice. Not all vegetarians like food that looks like meat and many vegetarian meat replacements are designed look a bit like meat (though you can get plenty that are just blended vegetables).
If you are desperate for a sausage replacement so that it feels like a proper meal, then I suggest you find out in advance if the vegetarians you will be feeding have a brand they like or if they hate the idea, or you could just leave this out and make do with the other dishes. Personally, I have not yet found a brand of fake bacon that tastes better than the cardboard box it came in – if you find one, do
The concept of organic meats is pretty confusing for lots of users, despite the fact that organic farming presently enjoys broad acceptance and support. Not all the products sold as ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ are indeed organic meats, but consumers don’t know this. Unfortunately, there is total chaos in this field of labeling and certifying organic products, and the confusion only affects the credibility of organic farming in general.
Unlike vegetables, organic meats are more difficult to produce and provide because of the fact that there is more room for contamination. The highest danger with the meats grown in certain parts of the country is the use of the growth hormones. ‘Natural’ meats may be free of growth hormones, but they still may not be organic. There is a ‘certified organic’ sign that distinguishes really organic meats from the rest.
The food on which the animals are grown makes the meat organic or non-organic. In most cases, the producers who want to feed their livestock on organic food, will produce it on their own. This usually requires a huge investment in equipment from tractors and haying machines to grain combines, tillage and planting gear. Certified organic food can also be purchased from other farms.
Such farming challenges explain why the feed is such a hurdle and why the costs of producing organic meats is higher. There are also the challenges of keeping the animals healthy and treat parasites and disease naturally. Pasture management for instance becomes an efficient tool in the fight against worms.
We could say that the process of producing organic meats is not at all easy, and many farmers have to take shortcuts in order to avoid financial ruin for their family business. They will thus grow for the less restrictive regulations and guidelines that save them a lot of trouble. It has become a reality for many farmers that planting organic crops is more advantageous than raising livestock on organic farms.
Therefore, next time you go to an organic store to buy organic meats, you may not be that keen on what you get, because you can’t be 100% sure of any product despite certification. Yet, you are the one to experience the benefits of a product that at least contains fewer chemicals, if is not completely chemicals-free.
