What's the lowdown on buying organic? It's pretty hard to tell, with the mixed messages we are getting as consumers these days. The definitive study, though, tells us that not only is organic more nutritious, but it is better for the ground water and soil.

A few facts on organic foods:

• they contain up to 90% more antioxidants than conventionally grown food
• they've got higher levels of minerals
• as cancer-fighters, they win the race

Seems as though we should always buy organic, with those stats. Due to availability -- and our budgets! -- buying everything organic may not be an option, and if we're looking to do a real service to the environment, buying what's available locally is a better choice.

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It's not a secret that pollution isn't good for the planet or the many creatures that inhabit it, but still I find the results of the study reported on here are absolutely mind-blowing. According to a study conducted at Cornell University by a professor of ecology and agricultural sciences along with a team of graduate students, various forms of pollution can be blamed for up to 40% of deaths across the globe.

Numbers that large offer a pretty scary wake-up call. Water, soil and air pollution are the biggest killers, with air pollution alone being blamed for up to 3 million deaths a year. The piece points out that toxins in the environment can lead to a range of potentially deadly health problems including cancer, immune system defects, birth defects and more.

I think that this sort of news really brings home that fact that we all need to think more about not only what we put into our bodies but also what we're expelling into the environment, as eventally a lot of that junk will end up in our bodies anyway. What do you think?

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One of the great joys of cooking ultra-flavorful dishes these days (or reviving bland foods) is to add herbs. I add herbs to almost everything I eat except fruit. From whole-grain muffins to fresh broccoli, herbs make everything taste good and are quite a bit more healthy that loads of salt.

Wouldn't it be nice to grow your own herbs? Many people I know do this in windowsills and other lightful areas in their homes. I tell you what -- those folks never have a bland-tasting meal that I've ever seen.

Get a nice foot-tall terra cotta pot, some sunlight, water and soil and you're prepped for growing a small (but fruitful, heh) mini-herb garden right inside your home. Try that fresh dill on salmon and thyme on top of red potatoes. Oh my -- my stomach's already rumbling!

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Want to have the freshest best tasting organic tomatoes to put on your sandwiches, salads or to make your sauces? Tomatoes are full of vitamins and nutrients as well as being a lycopene rich food. You don't have to have a big plot of land to garden and grow these delectable vegetables. All you need is a 5 gallon bucket, a stake and some string, some garden soil, and one healthy tomato plant. Planting your own is a sure fire way to know you are eating organic. When purchasing tomato plants at your local garden center, select stocky, dark green plants. One plant per bucket will produce a lot of tomatoes. Planting tomatoes should be done before the end of June so hurry and get yours planted.

You can use the bucket method to plant tomatoes year round inside. Save your egg containers and use them as seed starters. Fill each cavity with potting soil and put one seed per cavity. Then as the sprouts get 4 inches tall, transfer them to their own bucket. Set plants into the soil up to their first true leaves.

Tomatoes need 6 hours of sunlight a day so if you are starting them inside, be sure to have them near a window that gets a lot of sunlight.