Health Hotline Magazine | April 2024

8 Some say organic and regenerative agriculture can’t feed the world. We say the research tells a different story. Well-designed regenerative organic systems have been shown to outcompete conventional yields for almost all food crops when actual yields were considered

6 Some say to eat less meat to save the p anet. We say pasture and and range and need grazing animals to thrive. They aerate the soil with their hooves and fertilize it with their waste, stimu ating p ant growth, promoting biodiversity, and increasing soil carbon sequestration, as they did for centuries before we confined them to feedlots and crowded barns. With proper grazing management, cattle and other ruminant livestock can “more than offset their greenhouse gas emissions” through increased soil carbon sequestration, and research has shown reduced methane emissions from cattle in regenerative systems. 7 Regenerative agriculture doesn’t incorporate one or two regenerative practices into an anti-regenerative system and call it a day. It’s critical to understand that regenerative systems are rooted in interdependent practices, adapted to each farm’s context, that build soil organic matter, restore biodiversity, increase carbon drawdown, improve water cycles, climate resilience, and so much more. Increase your acumen as a conscious eater—know the difference between regenerative and anti-regenerative practices. PRODUCT SWAPS ALTER ECO CHOCOLATE

instead of clustered averages. Rodale Institute’s Farming Systems Trial has shown no statistical difference in organic and conventional yields over a 40-year period, but organic yields were 30% to 100% higher than conventional during drought years. Building climate-resilient soil is critical for stabilizing our food supply as extreme weather increases. As Project Drawdown says—”Evidence points to a new wisdom: The world cannot be fed unless the soil is fed.” We say—eat for the soil.

An estimated one-third of forest loss in the biggest cocoa producing countries, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, comes from growing the beans that make choco ate. Alter Eco Choco ate supports the forest ecosystem by sourcing cocoa grown with regenerative agroforestry—44% of its cocoa (to date) comes from regenerative systems. And the Alter Eco Foundation helps cocoa farmers and others transition to regenerative systems worldwide—work that sequestered an estimated 19,789 tons of CO2 in 2022! It’s the p anet-loving way to chocaholic!

BE A REGENERATIVE PIONEER WITH YOUR FOOD CHOICES! THOUSAND HILLS GROUND BEEF

NATURAL GROCERS ® BRAND REGENERATIVE ORGANIC PASTURE-RAISED EGGS The size of U.S. egg-producing operations has grown by almost 75% since 1997. These overcrowded facilities pollute waterways, habitats, and air with toxic gases and vo atile organic compounds. Natural Grocers Brand Regenerative Organic Pasture-Raised Eggs ware pioneering new norms as the first private- abel brand from a national grocery chain* to offer Regenerative-Certified eggs. Every hen enjoys acres of range and for engaging in their natural behaviors, and the Regeneratively Grown Verification uses a scientifically rigorous process to track soil health and the effectiveness of farm practices. We like our eggs to have a positive impact—how do you like yours?

ALEXANDRE FAMILY FARMS MILK Meat and dairy production in the U.S. have more than doubled since the 1950s, but the number of operations producing

In 2019, almost 8.7 billion food-producing animals in the U.S. were inhumanely raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), generating tons of waste and polluting ecosystems and communities. Thousand Hills™ Regeneratively Raised™, Lifetime Grazed ® Beef is produced on U.S. family farms where cattle graze on nutrient-dense grasses, producing healthier soil and beef with fewer calories, more nutrients, and more optimal omega-fatty acid ratios. So far, Thousand Hills ranchers have positively impacted 600,000 acres of and and counting. Join these “Regenerative Renegades” on their mission of restoration!

these foods has fallen by 80 %! Alexandre Family Farms™ is “America’s First Certified Regenerative Dairy. Alexandre cows spend their lives grazing on pasture grasses, producing healthier, more nutrient-dense milk. And through rigorous pasture management and other regenerative practices, soil organic matter in Alexandre fields has increased from 1% and 2% to levels ranging from 8% to 15% over the ast decade—a little more than half of that is carbon! Drink to climate solutions with Alexandre Organic Milk!

MARY’S HEIRLOOM CHICKEN A modern broiler chicken can grow to 2.5 times the s aughter weight it was in 1925—in 58% less time! Consequently, conventional broilers often suffer health issues caused by

FORCE OF NATURE A reported 75%-plus of bison meat is grain finished on a feedlot. But bison, being ruminants, are designed to eat grass. Force of Nature Bison is 100% Grass Fed & Finished, Pasture Raised, and Regeneratively Sourced from ranchers practicing the 5 Principles of Soil Health. Their hooves nurture the soil, their waste fertilizes it, and

their unnatural weight and confinement in crowded barns without outdoor access. Mary’s Heirloom Chicken is Animal Welfare and Better Chicken Commitment Certified, Pasture Raised, and Non-GMO Project Verified. These slow-growth birds are free to range on pasture, indulging their natural behaviors and promoting healthier ecosystems. Look for Mary’s new Heirloom Ground Chicken and Heirloom Ancestral Blend at your nearest Natural Grocers. Mary’s Heirloom—it’s a better way to eat America’s most popu ar meat!

their grass-fed nutrition benefits you. Studies have shown that grass-fed and finished bison contains higher levels of selenium, beta carotene, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and has a healthier omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio. Join the “regenerative revolution” with Force of Nature Bison selections!

*to our knowledge

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