The number of vegetarian restaurants in the United States has doubled since the year 2000, and more than a dozen very upscale, gourmet vegan restaurants have opened (including my favorite, San Francisco's Millennium). The vegetarian and vegan restaurant revolution is being embraced even by non-vegetarian "foodies" and chefs!

NewScientist reports that "record levels of synthetic fragrances from everyday cleaning, deodorising and beauty products have been found in the breast milk of American women." The report is based on study conducted by Kurunthachalam Kannan of New York state's Department of Health. He found that levels of artificial chemicals called polycyclic musks, which may cause developmental and reproductive problems, are five times higher in American women today than levels in European women studied almost ten years ago. This high concentration is almost certainly the result of the widespread use of these chemicals in everyday household products.

How to say "No!" to "Greenwashing; safe cookware; the best tahini; what's wrong with salt; and the Vegetarian Organic Recipe of the Week -- all in the current issue of Vegetarian Organic Life!

"Team Vegan," a cycling team based in the San Francisco Bay Area and part of the nonprofit organization OrganicAthlete, is the nation's first all-vegan cycling team. Team member Bradley Saul (with microphone) says he wants the team to turn pro.

Bristol University researchers have found that high blood pressure, or hypertension, is triggered by problems in the brain, not the heart as previously believed. For researchers, their finding suggests new areas for drug research that would enable people to survive toxic diets longer. For you and me, nothing has changed: Avoid hypertension by eating well and exercising regularly.

A study in the UK has found that children with higher IQs are more likely to grow up to be vegetarians. They do not know if the link exists because smart people choose vegetarianism, or if other factors (such as childhood affluence and education) increases the chances of both intelligence and inclination to go veggie. Either way, vegetarianism is a smart choice!

Two new studies reveal a link between health problems and very low levels of exposure to toxic chemicals. One study found a link between exposure to Bisphenol-A, which is found in some plastic drinking bottles and food cans, can promote prostate cancer. Another study revealed tiny amounts of pesticides (found, of course, in non-organic foods) can trigger allergies, including asthma. Take action: Avoid drinking out of polycarbonate plastic "sports" bottles and avoid canned foods (fresh is better tasting, and better for you anyway). And choose organic whenever you can!

The USDA has enacted new rules that require all almonds grown in California to be pasteurized, either with heat or toxic chemicals, in order to prevent Salmonella outbreaks. Organic almond farmers fear the cost of the requirement may put them all out of business, as the use of poisonous chemicals is much more affordable than expensive roasting or steaming. It also means that, if all producers comply, you can have either raw or organic almonds, but not both. Also: The Almond Board of California plans to have almonds labeled "raw," even if they've been pasteurized at temperatures up to 158 degrees. All commercial American almond producers are in California, and the state produces some 80% of the world's almonds. In one single ruling, the USDA has jepardized the production of one of the world's healthiest foods. Is Salmonella what's killing us, or is it diets that favor foods like bacon cheeseburgers over foods like raw, organic almonds? The USDA must be nuts.