Have you ever wondered if buying "organic" is really worth the extra cost? To answer this I'd like to start by posing a simple question: If you had to choose between drinking a glass of water or a glass of water with windex sprayed into it, which would you choose?
This is what you must ask yourself when choosing between conventionally grown and organically grown food. In other words, would you prefer to consume toxic chemicals, or not? ☠️ Conventional farming utilizes synthetically created chemicals that have been shown to be toxic to the body and can contribute to serious health issues including cancer, birth defects, obesity, autoimmune diseases, neurological & cognitive disorders, etc...
Here's a break down between the two:
Conventionally Grown:
Synthetically made chemical fertilizers can be used. They help to increase the size of the yields and speed up growing time.
Toxic pesticide sprays are used to stop bugs & critters from eating and destroying crops. These chemicals are absorbed into and remain on top of your food, eventually ending up into your body.
Genetically Modified crops (GMOs) can be planted which have been artificially altered in a lab to withstand poorer growing conditions and stronger pesticide application. Read more about GMOs HERE.
Chemical fertilizers allow for mono-cropping which contributes to poor soil health, less nutrients AND has devastating environmental impacts.
Consuming toxic chemicals (even if in very small amounts over time) has been shown to contribute to serious health issues including cancer, birth defects, autoimmune diseases, mood, neurological & cognitive disorders, obesity, etc...
Toxic chemicals are leached into the soil and water supply, impacting ecosystems, animals, bugs and communities for years to come.
Organically Grown:
Only naturally derived fertilizers & pesticide sprays are allowed.
Crops are rotated to promote soil health and increase nutrient density.
More nutrients = more flavor & health benefits.
No synthetic chemicals = less harmful toxins going into your body as well as less impact on the surrounding ecosystems, animals and environment.
When working with clients, one of the first actions that I insist they take is to start eating organic foods as much as possible. This is because consuming toxins activates your immune system as it must work to break down & eliminate the poisonous invaders. This puts your body in a state of inflammation. When inflammation is chronic (due to consuming non-organically grown foods, 3+ times per day) undesirable symptoms and illness are much more likely to arise.
And so the answer is enthusiastically "YES, EATING ORGANIC IS WORTH IT!"
⚠️ Avoiding over-exposure to toxic chemicals is a crucial step towards achieving and sustaining long-term health.
With all that said, I understand that it might not always be possible or affordable to eat everything organic. Thankfully the Environmental Working Group has created these helpful lists to make shopping a bit easier.
📲 Save to your photos so that you can refer to as needed.
Note: "Field corn" (vs sweet corn), as well as soy & wheat are some of the most GMO & pesticide ridden crops in the country. They SHOULD ALWAYS be eaten organic, or otherwise avoided.
Other important side notes:
There are many issues with the way that "organic certifications" are regulated and not all organic farms are equal in the quality of practices that they employ. Therefore it is always in your best interest to seek out small farms, especially those that are as local to you as possible and talk to them first-hand about their growing practices. Your local Farmers Market or Farm Box delivery company is a great place to start. Find one hear you HERE.
There are many farmers who are growing crops organically but haven't paid for the "organic certification" because it can be very expensive and cost prohibitive. You can always talk to them directly to ask if they are using chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
Labels can be VERY deceiving! I advise you to be a "Food Detective" and always read the actual ingredient labels on the back, not just the marketing tag lines, so that you can make the best food choices for you and your family. For example, when purchasing anything in a package always look out for:
"Natural" - doesn't actually mean anything. Anyone can put this on a label despite it being completely processed crap.
Junk oils: Soybean, Canola, Vegetable, Cottonseed, Safflower, Hydrogenated, Margarine - AVOID THESE!!
"Low Fat" - Fat is good, and delicious, as long as it's coming from quality sources. Low fat foods are often just processed to remove the fat and then sugar + other junk ingredients are added to make it taste good. Learn about fat HERE.
Choose foods that are at the very least Non-GMO, although organic is ideal.
Interested in learning more about how farming practices impact your health AND the environment? Here are a few of my favorite resources to check out:
Movies:
Podcasts:
Would you like to experience relief from chronic symptoms & optimize your health with Functional Nutrition? Schedule a Free Intro Call to see if we are a good fit to work together:
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