Why Eat Organic? The question should be, why not? I have been eating organic food for about three years now though I do cheat on occasion. I chose to switch after reading two books. The first was by Kevin Trudeau and the second by Jordan Rubin. Many of you have seen Trudeau on television promoting his books and may see him simply as a businessperson trying to make money. There are many skeptics who think that his Natural Cures book is a sham. I'm not going to lie when I state that I was slightly frustrated that the book was more of a reference tool. The book itself made me want to eat healthier but it referred to Internet websites and other books to answer many of my questions. I was discouraged when I visited Trudeau's website to find that I would need to become a member to receive more information. I'm sure this is a great system for Trudeau to make millions and this might make him seem unreliable, not to mention, he certainly doesn't have a background in health care. One thing I can say about Trudeau is that the concept of eating healthy and staying healthy simply by eating an organic version of all the food I eat now certainly sparked my interest. I was also pleased with the fact that he wasn't afraid to tell the general public why the government benefits from offering us trash food like McDonald's and Burger King. I was certainly convinced that eating organic was the way to go when I read Jordan Rubin's story. He was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and cured himself after many unsuccessful bouts of hospital visits in and out of the U.S.
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I decided to put what I learned to good use and started shopping at the neighborhood "health food store". I dropped those extra pounds like nothing once I switched to organic food, mind you; this was after many months of diet attempts. There were times when I would just have salads only and the weight just seemed impossible to get rid of! What I didn't know when I was gobbling down my salads is the fact that I was also gobbling down pesticides.
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Plenty of people are aware that there are pesticides found in much of the produce at the grocery store but we don't hear about anyone getting sick or dying from it, so we eat it. What some people do not know (like myself at the time) is that when you consume foods like these, the toxins in your stomach start to build up and prevent your body from releasing waste, in turn making us gain unnecessary weight. I was beginning to cleanse my body and began to feel better than ever. I was happy that I was at my normal weight again and I noticed that once this weight was achieved, I stopped losing. I can maintain my weight even when I splurge on organic chocolate or other treats because they're not stuffed with chemicals.
I tried to convince people to get onboard the organic wagon many times and was slightly unsuccessful. I continue to try to convince my mom but it isn't taking. There is a huge misconception out there that organic food is like rabbit food but this is completely false! I'm on my way to convincing my best friend, but her husband is not interested and dinnertime can be a challenge when you need to make two separate meals. It can sometimes be difficult as a guest at someone's home when they notice that you are eating very little food. Some may choose to poke fun at you simply because they don't understand. For example I've attended gatherings where a friend or family member will say something like, "We made this food for the party, but you can't eat it because only eat organic". Sometimes I feel like a rebel when all I've been doing is making healthy food choices for my family and myself. I have officially decided to just keep it to myself for the most part, but no one can stop me from sharing my discovery with a general audience. I don't intend to preach to anyone about what they should or shouldn't do because I have been known to stray occasionally. My point is to let you know that you can look and feel great by simply switching to organic food and I want to spread the word because the differences I've seen in myself are so remarkable I hope that everyone can have the same experience.
I am no longer "lactose intolerant". I couldn't even look at a piece of cheese or glass of milk three years ago without getting sick and wasn't interested in taking over-priced Lactaid pills every day to enjoy the foods I love. I basically stopped eating cheese and drinking milk- not a great idea. These stomachaches did not just happen when I consumed these products. I was a teacher working with children of special needs and was under a decent amount of stress so I attributed this as the reason for having an upset stomach every single day. It would start right after lunch and would last for at least a half hour, if not, for the whole afternoon. I would have an upset stomach when traveling because I was paranoid that my everyday stomachache would come back and I'd be trapped in the car or even worse- public transportation. The stomachaches got worse and I skipped many meals just to avoid being sick for the rest of the day. Little did I realize all I had to do is eat food that wasn't toxic and eat more of it!
Even though I still looked decent, I noticed that certain things just weren't the same. My nails were thin and brittle. My chin was constantly breaking out. My hair started to thin and my doctor tested me for malnourishment. The doctor said I need to eat more and take Lactaid and she fluffed me off with a bag full of sample packets of fiber and calcium supplements and sent me on my way. Thinking back now, I find it a little funny that the supplements contained propylene glycol, an agent used to clean antifreeze off the floors of garages.
After many stomachaches, new diets and much research, I finally switched to raw organic cheese and fresh raw milk found at a farm in Massachusetts and my lactose nightmare was over. Raw milk and cheese contain the necessary live enzymes needed to help our stomach break down lactose and digest easier. Pasteurization and homogenization destroy these live enzymes along with most of the vitamins. Why drink milk and eat cheese when they practically have no benefit to your health because they've been stripped of everything that makes them good in the first place? Not to mention, wash it down with some Lactaid and water as well as a few unwanted chemicals I'm sure? My nails and skin became much healthier as a result of drinking raw milk and I can now enjoy both milk and cheese without the agonizing pain that would normally follow.
Many people think that raw milk is dangerous. I did plenty of research before deciding to drink it and even more research before I gave it to my daughter. It is safe when you buy the raw milk from a local farm that is certified organic because the milk is constantly tested for bacteria counts and the farm receives many unscheduled visits for random testing. The farm is not allowed to sell the milk if the bacteria count is above a certain level and will lose their license until it meets the appropriate standards. The cows are fed hay and alfalfa during the winter and roam freely through the pastures. They are stress free and are not forced to eat corn that takes a toll on their system- even with four stomachs!
Raw milk and cheese coupled with organic food has changed my health for the better. I also drink Goji berry juice for extended health benefits as well as Noni juice on occasion. They each cost about .99 per bottle so I drink them when I can and alternate between the two simply to maintain my budget. Speaking of budgeting, you're probably wondering how in the world I manage healthy eating with the economy the way it is while practically living paycheck to paycheck. First and foremost, I admitted to myself that I would probably need to make a few sacrifices here and there to free up part of my budget for more expensive food. What I realized down the road is that I was actually spending around the same amount of money, slightly more on occasion. Why? Because when you eat organic, you eat less since the food actually makes you full. I made it my part-time job to visit as many stores in my area as possible to take a tally of what foods and drinks they carry and compared the prices. I found which stores carry the foods I eat on a regular basis and which stores I would visit on occasion for items like Goji and Noni juice. Even though it didn't take as much of a toll on my pocketbook as I expected, we all still need to cut corners and find the best bargains for our hard-earned money.
Eating organic and saving money can go hand-in-hand if you do it right and make it important enough to dedicate some time to each week. I may not have a foolproof method, but for now, I shop at a wide variety of stores at different times depending on what I want to buy. I have officially freed myself from the over-priced neighborhood "health food store". It was convenient to get everything I need in one place, but it was costing me an arm and a leg. I may shop at one or four of these stores on the weekend: Trader Joe's, Price Chopper, Stop & Shop, Market Basket, a local fish market, a small nutrition store in the next town and a local co-op. I stopped shopping at Shaw's once I bought my third item of expired organic food. The only thing I travel for is my raw organic milk and it's worth every mile for milk that tastes just like thinned vanilla ice cream!
I'm going to leave you with a list of some of the items I buy, from where, and an idea of what each cost so you can see that it is possible to eat healthy on a budget- as long as you don't mind doing a little extra work and of course a little cooking! Keep this in mind when you are the one trying to convince someone to switch to organic and they think it's ridiculous. Give them this example, If you were at work and you had a splitting headache that was making you sick but had no medicine and your coworker offered you a new over-the-counter pain reliever and told you it works better than any other, would you question them, or would you say thank you and take the pill? Why wouldn't you question a chemical that is about to enter your body yet you will question why you should eat pure food?
Here's my list:
Local Fish Market, "Mekong":
Haddock (Not farm-raised!) .99/lb.
Salmon (Not farm-raised!) .99/lb.
Grocery stores are running out of fresh fish and are turning to unhealthy farm-raised fish, not to mention fresh wild-caught fish from your local fish market is cheaper!
Local Food Co-Op: (This store is approximately 12' by 12'. It is a little treasure that I would never know about without doing research online. Everything listed here is organic. This is great for folks who have very little money to spend because you can volunteer your time and work there to receive discounts on your purchases! Most items are in bins so you bring your own bags and weigh them.):
Black beans
Kidney Beans
Pinto Beans
(Basically, any beans)
Split Peas (All organic legumes run from $.99-1.75/lb.)
Rolled Oats about .00/lb.
Hazelnut chocolate bar I can't find anywhere else! .99
Celtic sea salt about .50 will fill a saltshaker (This is a huge savings!)
The Nutrition Source: (This is another little treasure that I discovered in the town next door and they are very similar to the most popular nutrition store in the city at about half the cost. They also throw in free samples when they get new products. This is priceless- literally. You must find a store like this.)
I buy my organic legumes, oatmeal and sea salt here when I don't go to the co-op because they are close to the same price but have a smaller selection with pre-made bags.
Raw organic honey small jar .99
Organic spinach pasta about .49 per box
Organic raisins about .50/lb
Goji berry juice 1 liter usually .99 but has been on sale at .99 for months (This never happens anywhere else.)
Noni juice 1 liter about .99 per bottle (The Goji and Noni will last 2-4 weeks)
Organic coconut oil about .99 for a jar that will last 1 month
Natural hair gel about .99 for a bottle that lasts my husband 1 month
Jason's natural whitening toothpaste about .99
I need to be careful in this little store because I can easily drop 0.00 simply because of the deals and fun new items. Don't forget stay focused when shopping!
Misty Brook Farm: (This one's the doozie. This is where I don't cut corners and spend the most amount of money on a consistent basis. I travel 45 minutes away to this nearest farm to purchase my delicious raw organic milk. The farm offers a meat as well as a limited variety of products according to season but every one is 100% fresh and most are organic.)
One 1/2 Gallon raw organic milk in the canning jar (Almost straight from the cow!) .50 plus deposit (I usually buy four but it's never enough. Read more about the benefits of raw "organic" milk and believe me everything good you read is true.)
Organic Potatoes .99/lb. Straight from the ground!
Organic free range chicken and duck eggs .00/dozen
Meat is very expensive but delicious and the cleanest meat in the market.
Trader Joe's: (This place is tricky because very few of the products that read organic are 80% organic or more. They could just be 50% or more and this leaves room for 1/2 of the product to contain junk.):
Stoneyfield Farm Yogurt large container is .00 cheaper than at the grocery store
Organic Bananas 3/.00
Organic apples .99/5 lb. Bag
Organic oranges .99/ 5lb. bag
Hummus about .00 cheaper than the grocery store
Organic russet/red potatoes .99/bag
Organic cereal .00-2.00 cheaper than grocery store
Organic pasta sauce .00 cheaper than grocery store
Eggs .99/dozen (Average price but better "grocery store" eggs)
Organic Fruit strips for snacks $.49 ea.
Natural oatmeal/almond soap- huge bar .99
Tip: Don't buy the bread because it is extremely dry.
Here's the easy part:
I shop at the grocery stores for pretty much everything else because it is convenient. You really must be careful not to stray when you're at the grocery store and you want to be sure that you're not buying something that is "natural" because it means nothing. I usually purchase products that normally have a long shelf life from the grocery store. Products that need to be fresh like fish, eggs and milk need to be purchased elsewhere.
Do research online and look up organic food to find stores local to you. Do some window-shopping for the items you purchase the most and find the best places to shop to stock up on necessities. Get great recipes on line as well. Certainly check out Jordan Rubin's website and his books to have an understanding of how much you can change your life by eating organic food. Read about the benefits of organic coconut oil, Goji and Noni juice and raw milk.
You will realize that there is very little you need to change. You'll most likely just be buying a healthier version of the foods you already eat and may discover a few new things that you like. If you look hard enough, you'll find that there is and organic version of almost everything out there. Making the switch can be as simple as beginning to buy only organic foods at your grocery store until you get the urge to explore even more. Enjoy!
Eating Organic - Why and How to Start
Food Chopper
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