Why Organic?

Interestingly enough, we used to think organic just meant spending more money and not getting anything different. As you all hopefully know, we were very wrong. The first eye opener was when I could no longer eat fruit and vegetables. I had been put on a very strict no grain, no sugar, no gluten diet by my health practitioner. I could not eat many fruits and hardly any vegetables without having a minor to severe reaction. I went to my doctor in tears, begging for help on what to eat. I truly was starving because my options were so limited. I ate eggs for almost every meal for several weeks.

My doctors answer was very simple, "try eating organic produce!" This seemed silly to my simple mind. I though he was nuts until he explained why. He said eating organic produce is different because it is grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizer, in soil that is also clean and pure. I may be reacting to the chemicals, not the actual food!

I headed to the store on my way home and spend what I felt was a sickening amount on this 'new to me' kind of food. However, think of my shock as I ate all these fruits and vegetables and had no reaction at all. My world was changed forever!

In a 2008 Harvard study done by Chensheng Lu, associate professor of environmental exposure biology at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), they monitored pesticide levels in children who normally ate non-organic fruits and vegetables but who were given only organic over a five-day period. “During that five-day period, most of the pesticides [in the children’s urine] disappeared,” Lu said. “We believe the most vulnerable population would be small infants and children, because of their small body weight.” Possible negative health effects from pesticides include impaired mental development or problems with motor skills.

From my own experience and the studies cited below, I've found that organic food is worth all the extra cost!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2290988/#b7-ehp0116-000537

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/organic-food/art-20043880?pg=1

http://www.ewg.org/release/more-scientific-evidence-organic-food-more-nutritious

https://www.organic-center.org/news/nutritional-benefits-of-organic-2/