Eating organic vs non organic – what does that mean to you? More expensive? Difficult to find? Not worth the effort? There may be various reasons why you haven’t made the switch yet.
The more we learn about what is put ON and IN our NON-organic food we can then make educated and informed decisions to propel a change as to how we shop and what we eat.
The pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and chemical fertilisers are dangerous toxins harming our bodies and brains. MSG, additives, preservatives, colourings, sweeteners etc. have all shown to be contributory causes to some cancers, dementia, coronary heart disease, allergies, hyperactivity and learning difficulties in children. The list goes on.
So whether it's for health’s sake, to save the environment or because organically grown produce is just darn tastier and more nutritious – I advocate feeding yourself the best food you can afford. Why? Because, as the ad says, you’re worth it!
BACK TO BASICS
Organic food is about going back to basics – the good old days when fresh fruit and vegetables were free from toxins. Organic foods are shown to have higher levels of nutrients and essential minerals versus non-organic, and organic animals are not given antibiotics, growth hormones or harmful vaccines. I believe organic food is not a waste of time – the bottom line is, it’s safer. And I’m also of the opinion it's not necessarily more expensive, it’s just that junk food is so cheap!
Due to increased demand, organic produce is becoming easier to find nowadays and most good supermarkets stock a pretty full range. It can be less expensive here than local health food shops as the big boys have power to buy in bulk, although often in my experience, they don't always have the full range of vegetables and salads every week.
The brilliant thing about supporting your local health food shop is the food is not as processed, there’s less packaging than in the supermarkets and often there's more choice of unusual fruits and vegetables on sale. If you're a meat eater, remember to make a point of visiting your high street organic butcher too as they usually have a far greater range of meat.
Locally Grown
An interesting place to shop is the local farmers’ markets or if you have a garden or access to an allotment, grow your own. When my children were small, it was a delight for them (and me) to watch the vegetables and salads grow at the bottom of our garden and simply transfer to the plate.
“Teaching children from an early age about
what to eat stands them in good stead.
Obviously there may be times kids go to a fast food party or have ‘unhealthy’ snacks when out and I used to let this go. If you know your children's main diet is nourishing, then don't beat yourself up you're not being a good parent because they've eaten crisps and sweets at a friend's place!
Apply this to yourself too – if the bulk of your food is fresh, organic and replenishing, then don’t obsess when out with friends or at a restaurant eating a meal that's not totally wholesome.
If it’s daunting to go completely organic in one hit – then start first with replacing the fruits and vegetables on the 'Dirty Dozen' list below. This list is compiled annually by Environmental Working Group (EWG) to show which produce has the most pesticide residue.
dirty dozen
- Apples
- Celery
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Grapes
- Hot Peppers
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Sweet Bell Pepers
It’s also pretty easy and cheap to replace ‘regular’ condiments, and your herb and spice rack too, with an organic range . Items like peanut butter, chocolate, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tomato sauce, mayonnaise, chutneys, cheese, eggs and milk are all easy to find now (that’s if you haven’t got the time to home-make tomato sauce, mayo and chutney!)
And a way to stick to your budget – cook from scratch, buy in season, purchase in bulk and use the freezer!
it's also about what you put on your body
Remember it’s not just what you eat that keeps your body in tip top shape and your immune system bolstered, but what you also feed your skin. The skin is the body’s largest organ and smothering it in creams and lotions containing a load of parabens, perfumes and chemicals again is just filling the body with impurities.
There are now more organic product ranges on the market but always read the label. The advertisers have cottoned on to us consumers who would like more ‘pure’ and ‘natural’ products and these words on the bottle but can be misleading – double check the list of ingredients and the shorter the better!
Become more mindful about what you eat, notice how you shop and take the time to prepare your food and pamper your bodies with loving kindness. I say of course it's worth going organic – we naturally improve our wellbeing, increase our energy levels and enhance our longevity by doing so.
What's your opinion? Do you shop organic?
