Why You Must Eat Organic Starting Now!
One of your best health protection options is choosing certified organic foods. You should always thoroughly wash all raw vegetables and fruits (including those organically grown) to rid them of bacteria, but no method: washing, freezing, or cooking--will eradicate pesticide residue from conventionally grown produce.
A large percentage of pesticides currently in use are regarded as potential carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents.
Some of these chemicals attack the central nervous system, while others wreak havoc with hormones, cause birth defects, or irritate the respiratory system and eyes. Pregnant women, developing children, individuals with low immunity and the elderly are at greater risk.
A recent study by RMIT University, Australia, found that a single week of eating a diet of mainly organic foods rather than those grown using traditional pesticides and chemical fertilizers dramatically reduced levels of pesticides found in research subjects’ bodies as shown with urinalysis—by a whopping 89%. That’s a significant discovery considering the toxic effects of eating conventionally grown foods day after day, year after year. No wonder we aren’t winning the “war on cancer.”
Look for the USDA Certified Organic seal on foods you buy at the grocery store—fresh, frozen and canned. Many packaged foods—including organic—are processed with ingredients that are less than healthy. Stick to real unprocessed foods as much as possible. Eat raw fruits and vegetables or steam them lightly to retain maximum nutrients. Invest in a good cookbook or search out delicious healthy recipes on the Internet. Cooking at home saves money over eating out while ensuring you know exactly what ingredients you’re serving.
Check out local farmers markets and gardening co-ops to find locally-grown organic foods. Many markets even sell local organic honey, shelled nuts and other pesticide-free products. When you buy locally-grown, you’re also reducing your carbon footprint by not buying products shipped in from all over the world—a boon to the planet as well as your family’s health. Another bonus: food grown in your area and harvested only a day before you take it home tastes ever so much better than foodstuffs picked long before ripened and trucked across the country or shipped from a different continent.
Organic foods may cost more, but the price of eating toxic chemicals can be much steeper... and heartbreaking. Health-wise, organics are a bargain!
Related Keywords
