Podcast Summary
Understanding menopause symptoms' impact on riding: 25% of women experience serious menopause symptoms that can impact their riding enjoyment and potentially bone density. Burrows Furniture prioritizes customer needs with easy assembly, new colors, durable materials, and fast free shipping.
Understanding menopause symptoms and their impact on various aspects of life, such as riding, is crucial for women's overall well-being. Burrows Furniture, on the other hand, prioritizes customer needs by offering easy assembly, new colors, durable materials, and fast free shipping. For women experiencing menopause, lack of information on symptoms can negatively affect their enjoyment of activities like riding, potentially leading to giving up their passions. Around 25% of women experience serious menopause symptoms, and for many riders, who are predominantly female, this can impact their bone density due to the physical demands of the sport. Diane Dansiebrink, a menopause support advocate, emphasizes the importance of addressing this issue and encouraging open conversations about menopause. Burrows Furniture, meanwhile, ensures a seamless and considerate customer experience.
Menopause impacts mental health beyond hot flashes and night sweats: Seeking help and learning about menopause are crucial for managing its challenges on mental health. Unexpected challenges can arise in everyday life, emphasizing the importance of resilience and support.
Menopause can present with symptoms beyond the typical hot flashes and night sweats, and these less-discussed symptoms can significantly impact mental health. Diane, a former horse owner, shared her experience of dealing with anxiety, low mood, and feelings of worthlessness during menopause, which led her to the brink of suicide. Caroline Wilson, a dressage rider, spoke about her experience of memory issues during menopause, which affected her performance in competitions. Both women emphasized the importance of seeking help and learning about menopause to better navigate its challenges. Additionally, Alex Bell, the founder of an agricultural project in Kenya, shared her experience of dealing with a trapped giraffe on her property, highlighting the unexpected challenges that can arise in everyday life. Overall, the conversation underscores the importance of awareness, support, and resilience in managing the various aspects of midlife transitions.
Collaborating with wildlife services for conservation: Integrating wildlife protection into farming practices leads to a healthier ecosystem and benefits local farmers
Integrating conservation efforts into farming practices can lead to a more sustainable and holistic ecosystem. The speaker, who runs a wildlife sanctuary and organic farm in Kenya, shared an experience of discovering a giraffe with a snare, a common issue in the area due to illegal poaching and fishing. This incident underscores the importance of collaborating with local wildlife services and conservancies to protect wildlife and ensure their freedom to roam. The speaker's background includes an undergraduate degree in organic horticulture from Reading University and a master's degree in landscape architecture from the University of Georgia. After working as a landscape architect for 20 years, the speaker sought a change and bought a farm adjacent to their island at Lake Naivasha, where they began growing organic vegetables in 2015. Their unique approach to farming involves providing local farmers with land to grow crops and fostering a sense of belonging and responsibility. This approach not only benefits the farmers but also contributes to the overall health and sustainability of the ecosystem.
Community-focused farming with certification: Naibasha Farm prioritizes community involvement, employs local farmers, and maintains certification to ensure ecoscape integrity and build trust with customers.
The Naibasha Farm in Kenya prioritizes community involvement and certification in their farming practices. The farm currently employs local farmers to work on 1-acre blocks, providing them with seeds and support services. The next phase involves expanding the cooperative by buying or leasing land from neighbors and inviting farmers to join, while maintaining certification to ensure ecoscape integrity. Certification is important for Naibasha Farm as it ensures adherence to guidelines and protects consumers from potentially mislabeled or non-organic produce. Despite the cost, the farm believes that certification adds value and helps build trust with customers. The issue of pesticide use in Africa and East Africa specifically is significant, with Kenya's pesticide industry worth $1.5 billion. However, the farm emphasizes the importance of knowing your farmer and your food, as well as the potential risks of uncertified farmers fudging regulations and labeling.
Hazardous Pesticides in Kenya's Agriculture Industry: 32% of pesticide active ingredients in Kenya are banned globally, posing risks to human health and the environment. Consumers can reduce exposure by buying organic or locally grown produce, and being aware of the 'dirty dozen' list.
The use of hazardous pesticides in Kenya's agriculture industry is a significant concern, with 32% of pesticide active ingredients being banned in the rest of the world. These chemicals, many of which are absorbed by the plants and cannot be washed off, pose risks to human health and the environment. Some of these chemicals are even banned in Europe, leading to concerns about the offloading of banned chemicals in Africa. The produce exported to countries like the UK, Europe, and America is subject to regulations, but harmful chemicals can still be present. Fruits and vegetables like strawberries, nectarines, peaches, tomatoes, bell peppers, celeries, potatoes, and kale are known to be heavily sprayed. While washing can help with surface-applied chemicals, systemic chemicals that are absorbed by the plant cannot be removed. Consumers can minimize their exposure by buying organic or locally grown produce when possible, and being mindful of the "dirty dozen" list of heavily sprayed fruits and vegetables.
Promoting and Providing Organic Food: Despite health risks, companies offer organic alternatives, but awareness and education are crucial. Considering worker welfare is also essential. LinkedIn can help find talent to promote organic food and reduce pesticide use.
While the production and consumption of non-organic food can pose significant health risks to both consumers and workers, there is a silver lining. Individuals and businesses are taking steps towards promoting and providing organic alternatives. For instance, some companies have launched organic veg box schemes to deliver fresh, organic produce to customers' doors. However, the adoption of organic food has been slower than expected. It's crucial to continue raising awareness and educating people about the potential dangers of pesticides and the benefits of organic food. Additionally, it's essential to consider the welfare of those who work in agriculture and are exposed to these chemicals daily. The good news is that there are resources available, such as LinkedIn, to help businesses find top talent to join their mission of promoting organic food and reducing the use of harmful pesticides.
Pesticides Harm the Environment and Human Health: Eating organic produce supports individual health and a healthier environment by reducing exposure to harmful pesticides and supporting biodiversity.
The use of pesticides in farming not only harms the environment by killing beneficial bugs and pollinators, but it can also negatively impact human health. These chemicals, which cannot be washed off, can enter the food chain and potentially harm the gut microbiome, which is crucial for both mental and physical wellbeing. The use of genetically modified vegetables containing BT toxins and glyphosate can also contribute to gut health issues. The impact of these chemicals extends beyond individual farms, affecting the entire ecosystem and water sources. Choosing to eat organic produce is a step towards better health for individuals and a healthier environment. The variety of crops grown at the farm visited is impressive, with 160 different vegetables, fruits, and herbs being cultivated. Despite this, challenges such as unreliable seed supplies persist.
Sustainable farming for temperature-sensitive fruits: Using rootstocks and sustainable methods like drip irrigation, natural fertilizers, and cover crops help grow temperature-sensitive fruits in non-traditional regions while minimizing environmental harm.
Sustainable farming practices are essential for growing certain temperature-sensitive fruits like apples and avocados in non-traditional environments. For instance, apples can now be grown in warmer regions using rootstocks adapted to the climate. However, this comes with challenges, such as higher water consumption for crops like avocados. Sustainable farming methods, like drip irrigation and using natural fertilizers, help mitigate these challenges. For instance, Alex, who was discussed in the conversation, runs an eco-farm that uses drip irrigation, compost, and manure from cows and chickens. Another important crop, avocados, requires a large amount of water and can be harmful to the environment if not grown sustainably. Lucerne, a nitrogen-fixing cover crop, is used as the foundation for orchards to provide natural nitrogen to the fruit trees, reducing the need for additional inputs. Overall, sustainable farming practices are crucial for growing temperature-sensitive fruits in non-traditional regions while minimizing the impact on the environment.
Lucerne: A Nutritious Crop with Multiple Benefits: Lucerne enhances soil health through nitrogen fixation and mycorrhizal activity, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers, and farmers aim to expand production, go off-grid, and build sustainable infrastructure while promoting eco-friendly living.
Lucerne, a high-protein and nutritious crop, not only serves as food for livestock and fish but also enriches the soil through nitrogen fixation and mycorrhizal activity. This reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers and saves time and cost for farmers. Looking ahead, the farmers aim to expand their customer base, scale up production, and go off-grid by investing in solar, biogas, and water tower projects. Additionally, they plan to build a world-class garden center, sustainable houses, and community outreach programs to promote sustainable living and protect local forests. Overall, their vision is to create a self-sufficient and eco-friendly farm and community.
Discussing organic farming methods and alternative sources of income for fruit growers in Kenya: Organic farming methods like cover crops and natural fertilizers can help reduce reliance on expensive fertilizers and improve sustainability for fruit growers in Kenya. Exploring alternative income sources through growing multiple crops is also encouraged.
Organic farming methods, including the use of cover crops and natural fertilizers, can help fruit growers in Kenya reduce their reliance on expensive fertilizers and improve their overall sustainability. This was discussed during a meeting where growers expressed concerns about the unaffordability of fertilizers due to government subsidy cuts. The speaker, Alex, offered to host a workshop at EcoScapes to introduce these methods and encouraged the growers to explore alternative sources of income by growing multiple crops. Additionally, Alex shared her personal experience with menopause and the lack of resources and awareness in Kenya, expressing her support for the establishment of a menopause charity branch in the country. She emphasized the importance of accessible online resources and education for healthcare professionals to better address menopause-related issues.
The Dirty Dozen: Fruits and Vegetables with the Highest Pesticide Residues: Be aware of the 'Dirty Dozen' fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residues, and make a conscious effort to buy organic versions to reduce exposure and support sustainable farming practices.
Both Liz and Alex are passionate advocates for organic farming and reducing the use of pesticides, particularly in the context of the "dirty dozen" fruits and vegetables that have the highest levels of pesticide residues. These include strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes, and bell peppers. The term "dirty dozen" originated in the US and is compiled annually by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) based on USDA and FDA data. In the UK, the Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN) provides a similar list, which includes grapefruit, soft citrus, strawberries, oranges, dried fruits, herbs, prepackaged salads, grapes, lemons, pears, peaches, and spinach. By being aware of the dirty dozen and making a conscious effort to buy organic versions of these items, individuals can help reduce their exposure to harmful pesticides and support more sustainable farming practices.
Supporting local and seasonal produce reduces pesticide use: Buying local and seasonal produce helps protect human health, wildlife, soil, and bees by reducing pesticide use and transportation times.
Buying seasonal and local produce can help reduce the use of pesticides due to shorter transportation times and storage periods. This not only benefits human health but also helps protect wildlife, soil health, and bees. If you're in the UK, consider checking out farm shops or organic farm box schemes. For those in other locations, there are resources like the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) to learn more about organic and regenerative agriculture. Additionally, there are flexible insurance options like UnitedHealthcare Insurance Plans, and for special occasions like Mother's Day, consider shopping at Whole Foods Market for deals on premium gifts and unbeatable savings. Lastly, for your next trip, consider Quinn's for affordable, high-quality essentials made with safe and ethical manufacturing practices.
