Abundance Of Wellness

There is so much truth in the saying ‘we are what we eat’. Eating a well balanced, nutritious diet that incorporates fruit and vegetables is certainly conducive to good health.  Great, I hear you say, I eat my fruit and vegetables every day! Are you aware however that, if you are eating conventionally grown produce, you may also be consuming a myriad of chemicals that could be compromising your immune system?

Reasons Why You Should Eat Organic Food

Outlined is a list of reasons why you should consider eating organic food:

• Chemical and pesticide free. Food that is grown organically is done so without the use of synthetic chemicals and pesticides.

 

• Protect your family, and future generations. Children are far more vulnerable to harmful toxins than adults. Organic food contains no harmful chemicals, which means that you can rest easy when giving it to your loved ones. Although the ingestion of chemicals from conventionally grown produce may be small, this intake builds up in the body over time. This in turn, means more work for your immune system.

• Avoid Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). These are foods that have had their genetic makeup deliberately altered. This is done to make them more resistant to disease and pests, and therefore enabling the production of larger crops. As yet, the risks to our health and the environment are not well documented. Choose products that are marked as certified organic, in order to guarantee that you are avoiding these artificially produced foods.

• Protects our waterways and air quality. Chemicals and pesticides used in non organic farming practices contaminate the soil. These toxins in turn contaminate ground water, the residue from which gets washed into our waterways, and our water supplies. These toxins also become airborne.

• Promotes Biodiversity. Conventional farmers are looking to produce a large amount of the same crop. This practice continues year after year, and results in the depletion of essential nutrients from the soil. This in turn increases their need for chemical fertilizers. The advantage of organic farming is that it involves crop rotation, composting, and natural pest control. This assists in sustaining the health of the soil, and has less impact on natural eco systems.

• Prevents Soil Erosion. Research suggests that top soil is being eroded by non organic farming methods, faster than it can build up naturally. Soil is a foundation of the natural food chain, and as such is nurtured through organic farming methods.

• Full of flavor. Plain and simple, once you start eating organic food, you will notice that it tastes better! This means that you can do away with the need for additional seasoning, such as salt. Also, non organic food is often picked before it is fully ripe, allowing time to get it to the shops in ‘good condition’, which means that it doesn’t have the time to develop that beautiful sweetness or fullness of flavor.

In summary, eating organic food is a healthier, more environmentally friendly, and a more ethical approach to living a life of wellness.

Does organic food cost more?

You may pay a little more for organic food, however the long term benefits of eating organic food certainly outweigh the extra cost.  My advice is to look out for your local farmers market.  They are well worth a visit, and smart shoppers can make significant savings at these markets.  Certainly, the more people that support organically grown produce, the more this will help to bring prices down.

Ultimately, the question we need to ask ourselves is: what price are we willing to pay for our health?

Hilary
Abundance Of Wellness Advocate.

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