Prep: Snip off tough outer leaves; cut off top quarter and trim off woody stem.
Grill: Halve artichokes, scoop out the choke if necessary, then toss with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Preheat grill. Place the artichokes over direct, medium-high heat and cook, turning once or twice, until tender, about 8 minutes.

Its that easy and delicious.

The Ojai Valley Inn and other spas across the country are cashing in on the craze for locally grown fruits and herbs by integrating them into skin treatments and massage therapies.

Customers say they like knowing they’re supporting small, local farms and appreciate the freshness of the items used.  Spa managers say guests are increasingly opting for such luxuries.

What this means to you and I is that these are the foods that we should seek out organics foods to avoid all the pesticides.

This year list in order from highest to lowest pesticides resides is:

1. Celery

2. Peaches

3. Strawberries

4. Apples -  We recommend peeling a fruit or vegetable like apples to strips away many of their beneficial nutrients.

5. Blueberries

6. Nectarines

7. Bell peppers -  Safer alternatives include green peas, broccoli, and cabbage.

8. Spinach – One of the most contaminated green leafy vegetable.

9. Kale

10. Cherries

11. Potatoes

12. Grapes – Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically.  No amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape’s thin skin.

It just goes to show you that what many think are perfectly healthy for you may not be the case do to how they are grown and the pesticides sprayed on them to bring them to the market place.

Salt intake has been associated with increased risk of hypertension, heart disease and stroke.

The Health and Human Services recommends that adults limit their daily salt intake to 2,300 milligrams: about 1 teaspoon. If you are over 40, are African-American or have high blood pressure, you shouldn’t have more than 1,500 mg a day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 70 percent of adults fall into one or more of these three categories.

The average American consumes far more, however, eating about 3,900 milligrams of sodium a day. In a study last month from Stanford University, researchers found that reducing the country’s salt intake by 9.5 percent could reduce nearly half a million strokes and heart attacks and save more than $32 billion in medical costs over the lifetime of adults.

Until standards are set to encourage the reduction of salt intake, it would be a good idea for every one to salt limiting salt intake on their own.

1.  Nuts.

Nuts like almonds, cashew and walnuts are high in fiber.  Fiber slows your digestive process, keeping hunger and unhealthy mid-afternoon snacks at bay.

2.  Greens

Greens like Swiss chard and kale are high in nutrients like folate and Vitanim C that can lower your risk of cancer.  They can also have prevent diabetes and high blood pressure.

3.  Yogurt.

Yogurt helps your digestive system.

4.  Onions.

Onions help reduce symptoms of asthma and the risk of stomach cancer.  The stronger the onion the greater the benefit.

5.  Whole Grains.

Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa and whole oats can help flatten your belly by reducing fat storage in your lower abdominal region.

First Organic Vitamins is a 100% organic Vitamin C Complex that provides the full complex of vitamin C from foods, and phytonutrients such as anthocyanins, sulforaphan, lutein, carotenoids and others.