I'm a big proponent of organic foods and also grassfed beef. However, I'm very concerned with recent legislation that would relax restrictions on what can be called organic.
I would strongly suggest buying from well-established organic companies with long, unblemished reputations and look on the label for the words "certified organic".
If you do choose to eat organic foods that are kind of "new kids on the organic foods block", write the company and ask about their standards because organic doesn't mean what it used to mean.
If the power brokers in nutrition industry have their way, it won't mean anything at all before long so it's up to the person who is invested in healthy and ethical treatment of animals raised for food, to find and support those companies that do still know the meaning of words like organic, kosher and ethical.
....Why I Love Organic Foods
Profile in Health and Fitness: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss
Cost and Keep: Two Factors that could Prevent You from Eating Organic:
Organic foods cost more, it's true, but it's equally true that the cost is going down as more and more people go organic. I can see a drop in cost just since I began eating organic foods so I know that the more people choose organic, the less it will cost.
Organic foods don't hold up as long as other foods either, because they are not full of preservatives. This makes them less convenient to large families because you can only buy what you need for the short-term, to avoid spoilage.
Because they spoil quicker and cost more, a lot of people still opt for non-organic. I understand the money issue. I've dealt with it myself, plenty. However, once I made the move to mostly organic foods, I enjoyed my foods so much more and felt so much better eating them, that it was worth it. For me, they are definitely worth the price.
I'm thinking of that commercial with Sally Field, about Boniva, where she says she's just got this one life, one body. That's true for all of us so why fuel the only body we have to run the only life we have with junk?
Organic soups by Muir (love their split pea, chicken and rice and chicken noodle in particular)
Cracked Pepper and Garden Herb Crackers by Health Valley
All of Annie's organic pastas and macaroni and cheese choices
Organic toaster pastries from Nature's Path
Madhava raw, organic agave nectar (no aftertaste like most stevias I've tried - tastes great - low glycemic index)
GT's raw, organic kombucha (drink it every day)
Paul Newman's line of organic snacks and foods is quite good too.
100 percent certified organic whole food multivitamin! Askahealer-Recommended
I was so surprised and delighted when I got an email from the creator of the world's first all Organic Whole Food
Supplement (not sold in stores).
I read something that made a lot of sense on the website too, concerning common food allergies.
Apparently, the allergic reaction some people get to certain foods may not be due to the food itself but due to chemicals, pesticides and unhealthy additives in the mix. By creating a whole foods supplement totally free of unhealthy additives, using only certified organic fruits, vegetables and other ingredients, most allergic reactions to foods may disappear.
If you are eating non-organic foods, you may not realize that they typically contain herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and other chemicals that are harmful. The level of pesticides in food is truly alarming and there are certain foods that have more pesticides than other. One is a fruit most consider healthy and it would be except.....
An apple a day.... More pesticides and chemicals are used on apples than any other fruit so if you are only able to buy one organic fruit, I'd make it apples. Just remember that organic apples will not keep as long as non-organic so might wanta buy less at a time. I've noticed that gala or other tart apples last longer than the red delicious organic apples....maybe because there is less natural sugar.
If you are eating non-organic meats, you should know they were probably treated with antibiotics, given hormones and / or steriods. The way meats are raised and killed is also a factor so, in addition to seeking out organically grass fed meats, I look for words like "free range" and "humanely handled". Those companies at least recognize that this is an issue and so, I'm assuming, they take steps to be different.
The best of all options would be to actually know the person who grows your veggies and raises your meat. Ask directly how plants are protected from insects and fertilized. If there are pesticides in food that your farmer grows, you have a right to know which ones are present. To be able to physically see the farm and see where the animals are kept is a wonderful way to know for sure that the company you are dealing with is operating within the acceptable organic guidelines or not.
For example, just having the "free range" sticker on the pack of chicken meat does not mean the animals were truly raised in a comfortable free range environment. It might just mean they were not in cages but were still kept in cramped, tiny pens where they could not get adequate exercise. I'm all for contacting the CEO's of companies and asking for details, if you can't find a local farmer or person who raises cattle or chickens in your area.
Grass fed Beef - Is it Better?
Related Detox Resource: The 10-Step Detox Program by Dr. Janet Starr Hull
Health Care Disclaimer: The information contained in article on organic foods, pesticides in food and whole food organic alternatives to chemically treated foods is not presented as medical advice but as educational information. While eating healthier foods can assist your body in maintaining wellness, please consult with your chosen healthcare professional on matters relating to your health and well-being.Exploring Raw Foods for Health?
Read about the Raw Spirit Festival here:
I read something that made a lot of sense on the website too, concerning common food allergies.
Apparently, the allergic reaction some people get to certain foods may not be due to the food itself but due to chemicals, pesticides and unhealthy additives in the mix. By creating a whole foods supplement totally free of unhealthy additives, using only certified organic fruits, vegetables and other ingredients, most allergic reactions to foods may disappear.
If you are eating non-organic foods, you may not realize that they typically contain herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and other chemicals that are harmful. The level of pesticides in food is truly alarming and there are certain foods that have more pesticides than other. One is a fruit most consider healthy and it would be except.....
An apple a day.... More pesticides and chemicals are used on apples than any other fruit so if you are only able to buy one organic fruit, I'd make it apples. Just remember that organic apples will not keep as long as non-organic so might wanta buy less at a time. I've noticed that gala or other tart apples last longer than the red delicious organic apples....maybe because there is less natural sugar.
If you are eating non-organic meats, you should know they were probably treated with antibiotics, given hormones and / or steriods. The way meats are raised and killed is also a factor so, in addition to seeking out organically grass fed meats, I look for words like "free range" and "humanely handled". Those companies at least recognize that this is an issue and so, I'm assuming, they take steps to be different.
The best of all options would be to actually know the person who grows your veggies and raises your meat. Ask directly how plants are protected from insects and fertilized. If there are pesticides in food that your farmer grows, you have a right to know which ones are present. To be able to physically see the farm and see where the animals are kept is a wonderful way to know for sure that the company you are dealing with is operating within the acceptable organic guidelines or not.
For example, just having the "free range" sticker on the pack of chicken meat does not mean the animals were truly raised in a comfortable free range environment. It might just mean they were not in cages but were still kept in cramped, tiny pens where they could not get adequate exercise. I'm all for contacting the CEO's of companies and asking for details, if you can't find a local farmer or person who raises cattle or chickens in your area.
Grass fed Beef - Is it Better?
Related Detox Resource: The 10-Step Detox Program by Dr. Janet Starr Hull
Health Care Disclaimer: The information contained in article on organic foods, pesticides in food and whole food organic alternatives to chemically treated foods is not presented as medical advice but as educational information. While eating healthier foods can assist your body in maintaining wellness, please consult with your chosen healthcare professional on matters relating to your health and well-being.
Read about the Raw Spirit Festival here: