Why Buy Organics?

The word "organic" seems to be popping up on many grocery food items these days, and many of you may question: 1) why buy organics, 2) what does organic mean, 3) can you trust the name "organic" to be real or to be as generic as the word "natural", and 4) why are organics more expensive. So here's some information that hopefully will help you make better decisions when it comes to shopping for foods.

There are many concerns in conventional methods of farming and producing foods, which can include the use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, as well as radiation, and the waxing and coating of produce. Chemical fertilizers are to the soil as refined sugar is to the body – they can only cause chemical reactions in the soil, but can not nourish and improve. Thus the soil and our produce are continually more and more depleted. However, one of the main concerns is the pesticides and the long-term health risks: cancer, birth defects, and acute intoxications of all sorts. These pesticides are found not only in our crops, but in many animal products as well. Here is a short list of those with greatest pesticide concerns, starting with the worst: tomatoes, beef, potatoes, oranges, lettuce, apples, peaches, pork, wheat, soybeans, beans, carrots, chicken, corn and grapes.¹

In 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture set up some standards for organic foods grown by farmers here in the U.S. as well as outside the U.S. The production of organic foods emphasize producing quality, nutritious foods by nourishing the soil, preserving the purity of water, and improving soil quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic foods are produced without using conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.

If you want to know whether an item is guaranteed to be organic, always look for the round USDA ORGANIC symbol on the foods you buy.

Here are some of the benefits of eating Organic Foods:

• You can reduce your exposure to health-robbing toxins. Conventionally grown foods have been raised with pesticides some of which have been recognized as carcinogenic. Others are noted to damage cellular membranes and trigger inflammation. Pesticide grown foods can also contain heavy metals (as lead and mercury), and solvents (as benzene and toluene) which can lower IQ and damage nerve function contributing to neurodegenerative diseases – Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and multiple sclerosis. Worse than that, the combination of foods being "commercially grown" and then "processed" can make their harmful effects in the human body magnified a thousandfold!
• You can increase your intake of healthy micronutrient foods. A number of studied show that organically raised foods have significantly higher amounts of vitamins and minerals. They have also been found to contain higher amounts of plant-protective compounds, such as flavonoids and carotenoids – important for our body’s defense system.
• You can safeguard your children's health. Reports from the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group have found that children's exposure to pesticides in foods surpass all levels of safety. Some of these harmful neurotoxins affect brain development and the nervous system, while others affect the development of children's sexual organs.
• You can safeguard the health of the environment. Residues of toxic chemicals from conventional farming practices not only can remain in the soil for years, but they leach into the groundwater polluting the water, which includes our drinking water. Chemical methods in agriculture not only adversely impact our soil and water, but also reduce the nutrient quality of our foods. And even though produce may look good and taste good, the loss of nutrients lessons the flavor of foods and leaves our food and produce deplete of vital nutrition.

Costs for farming organically are higher due to the fact that organic materials that nourish the soil (as well as our plants and produce) are more expensive. On the other hand, chemical fertilizers are easily produced and are much less expensive as are the pesticides used to preserve produce, in comparison to not using pesticides and losing a few crops. Looking at the difference of cost makes it sometimes hard to make good organic food choices, however, remember this:

• Organic foods that are higher in valuable nutrients and void of chemicals do provide us with better health in the long run – and can save many, many dollars in medical costs
• Growing children are affected greatly by the lack of nutrition in foods and unsafe chemicals in our foods
• Safeguarding the health of our environment is so important for future generations as well as our own
• Where your dollars go does tell our growers what you want
• If you can’t find a good farmers market close by, consider growing your own organic garden year around! It is possible in most climates to grow at least a portion of your foods at all times of the year. If you need a helpful guide, then check out this Successful Organic Gardening manual at http://livingahealthylifestyle.com/store.htm and enjoy the benefits of growing an organic garden.

Choose organics as much as possible! Your body will thank you!

¹ The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, Michael Murray, N.D.