No More Excuses: If You Want Organic Living, You Can Have It

We’ve covered a lot over the past month, that’s for sure. If you’re feeling any information overload or are concerned about the choices you’ll make from here, just keep this in mind…

Just one small step to more healthy living is an important one. And as you make each new step, the next one becomes even easier. You don’t have to have all the answers before you start because you’re going to learn as you go along. And besides, only you can decide what is right for you.

A small home vegetable garden. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whether you start a vegetable garden, decide to raise chickens or rework your budget so you can start eating more organic foods, these are all steps in the right direction.

Start by looking at local resources in your neighborhood. Look for farms, you-picks, seed banks and even educational opportunities available to improve your lifestyle. Some of the resources I’ve mentioned in the past few posts that might help you include:

- The EWG Dirty Dozen - find out which fruits and vegetables are most likely to have the highest and lowest use of pesticides.

- Find farmer’s markets, restaurants and grocery stores that sell organic food.

- Look for you-pick opportunities – just check if they’re organic.

The next step is up to you. I know you’ll be glad you took it.

And be sure to stay tuned to this blog every week for more tips, articles, and resources on healthy, holistic living!

Video - Choosing Supplements Wisely

This is a short but excellent video on the importance of choosing the right supplement for you, and how and why supplements can offer important benefits to your health. Her emphasis on getting your nutrition mostly from food is especially important, and if you do take supplements, a "whole food" form (such as Standard Process or Garden of Life) can be much more effective and impactful for your health.

Choosing Supplements Wisely
Americans spend about $14 billion each year on supplements in an effort to correct less than perfect diets, lose weight, or address specific health issues. H...


Examples of Whole Food Supplements: 
   

The Eternal Debate: Does Organic Living Require Supplements?

Welcome back! We hope you had a nice holiday weekend, and enjoyed the eco-friendly Easter tips we shared with  you last week. This week we're wrapping up with our "going organic" series with a couple more important topics for those wishing to live a healthier and greener lifestyle.

There’s an interesting trend happening in natural and organic living. People who tout the consumption of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, also seem to consume a lot of supplements. I’ve had many people ask me about this. If you’re living a healthy lifestyle, why do you need supplements?

Dietary supplements, such as the vitamin B supplement show above, are typically sold in pill form. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

And it’s a very good question.

Many people living an organic lifestyle cite depleting soils, premature picking, cooking, processing and other factors as decreasing the nutritional value of our food. But here’s my take on it. If you’re eating healthfully, exercising regularly and unless you have specific health issues, supplementation may not be necessary - but it may improve your overall health, just depending on your specific needs.

Supplements are big business. Whether they’re synthetic or they’re natural (if you do take them, go natural), it’s a business that must convince the consumer they need their product.  It’s a decision that each person needs to make for themselves and it’s important to remember that having too much of certain vitamins and minerals can actually be harmful.

And more importantly, supplements can be very expensive and you need to decide carefully if they need to be in your budget.

Many people claim they’ve never felt better when taking a specific natural supplement for a specific purpose. That’s absolutely wonderful and if you’re getting the results you are looking for, more power to you. Just realize that some supplements can create dependence and even though they’re natural, can harm you.

Recently Dr. Oz shared some tips for considering supplements:

- Choose single ingredient supplements and just take the ones you need
- Do your research thoroughly
- Beware of trendy supplements

And here’s how I approach it:

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

- Eat more raw food: The more raw fruits and vegetables you eat, the more nutritional value you can pack in. Cooking strips food of vitamins and minerals, so while you may still eat the same amount of cooked food, you’re reducing the benefit you receive. If you can grow your own, or get them fresh and locally grown, that's even better, as the vitamin content of most fruits and vegetables tends to decline rather rapidly once they're picked.

- When you cook, eat real food, not pre-made processed food. Cooking your own food ensures you can use more wholesome ingredients and use cooking methods that retain the most nutritional value possible.

- Stay active. A lot of your health depends on being active and getting plenty of exercise. You can take all the vitamin supplements in the world, but you still need to get moving. Exercising gives you more energy and can give the same type of boosts that supplements can, but exercise is truly natural. Check out http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html for some fun ways to exercise.

- Pay attention to your body. Eating and living healthy isn’t a foolproof way to stay healthy, unfortunately - it just improves your odds. So do pay attention to your body and seek medical advice, where needed.

- Sleep well. A lot of the reason many of us feel run down is because we simply don’t get enough sleep. Make it a priority and organize your day, giving yourself plenty of wind down time so you can get a proper night’s rest.

And finally, if you're concerned, you can get tested.  There are blood tests that you can get to ensure your body is getting enough vitamins and minerals. Go ahead and get one. You might be surprised that you’re as healthy as a horse. And if you’re not, then you'll know about it and you can take action on those findings. (Vitamin D is definitely one you'll want to ask about - the majority of people in the modern world are deficient in this vitamin, which is one of the most important for your health. The test for this is simple and inexpensive.)

Weird-Looking Heirloom Vegetables: Why They’re So Important

If you’ve ever been to a farmer’s market, no doubt you’ve come across vegetables labeled as “heirloom.”  Heirloom is such an elegant word and it refers to something valuable passed down from generation to generation.

Heirloom tomatoes are a popular choice for sustainable and organic gardeners. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But if heirloom vegetables are so valuable, why do they look so darned weird?

Simply put, heirloom vegetables are a specific variety vegetable that has been grown for many years and is open–pollinated. This is in contrast to hybrid and GM (genetically modified) vegetables. Heirlooms themselves are not necessarily organic, but when you grow them using organic techniques, they most definitely are.

Because they aren’t modified or cross-pollinated to produce new desirable traits, they may not look as pretty as the produce we’ve come to expect at the grocery store. But the good news is they are usually quite delicious - often much tastier than anything you could get at the grocery store! They are also often selected for their ability to withstand extreme weather and produce high yields.

To understand this a bit better, we need to look at 3 types of vegetables, or more specifically, 3 types of seeds. This information will help you in deciding what type of produce to buy and it will be highly useful if you are trying to grow your own produce as well.

- Heirloom Seeds: These are seed varieties that have been cultivated for many years, passed down from generation to generation, having fairly predictable results from crop to crop. There is no agreed upon age required for these seeds, but some suggest 50 years, while others say it should be 100. A lot of people agree upon a date of pre-1945 because that marks the end of World War 2 when growers started hybrid experimentation.

- Hybrid Seeds: Hybrids sometimes occur naturally, and other times intentionally to acquire specific characteristics, and hybrid seeds often produce high yields. It’s the cross-breeding of two species to produce a new plant. Hybrids can produce great results, but are problematic when home growers or small farmers want to use the seeds from their hybrid crop to create new crops. Seeds from a second generation hybrid plant simply do not produce predictable results. Thus, hybrid seeds are usually purchased again for each planting.

- GMO Seeds: Then we have the GMO seeds that are the intentionally genetically modified to produce very specific results. It’s the actual transfer of DNA from one organism (not necessarily other plants) to another to get those results. There are a number of debatable issues in regard to GMO ranging from ethics to ecology to economy.

Different potato varieties. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For the purposes of my posts here, we all need to be aware that GMOs threaten the existence of organic crops through cross-pollination. Add to that, when large GMO producers like Monsanto hold patents on their seeds, they readily bully and sue smaller farmers when their GMO seed has been found to cross-pollinate with the crops of these smaller farms. Many of these farms simply cannot afford to fight these legal battles and are forced to either shut down or comply with buying their seeds from the GMO producers.

Earlier in 2012 a lawsuit including nearly 300,000 American farmers was launched against Monstanto and its practices, but the suit has been denied. The lawyers representing the farmers issued an appeal in July to take Monstanto back to court. Where this goes, is unknown, but it makes the protection of heirloom seeds even more important.

So the next time you see that gnarled carrot or oddly shaped, strangely colored tomato at the farmer’s market, consider giving it a home. This is the type of produce we need to support if we want to sustain organic cultivation. And your taste buds will likely be pleasantly surprised by it's unique, rich depth of flavor!


Related Posts:
Hybrid vs. Open-Pollinated Seeds
Sustainable Gardening: Finding Non-Hybrid Seeds
Seed Diversity Graphic

Eight Reasons Why Eating Organic is Important

Guest Post by Grace Simpson.

It seems like everyone is talking about organic foods like it’s some kind of buzz word or status symbol. I suppose for some, it might be. But for many of us, it’s a way of life that takes us back to a more natural way of living and farming. One that has been destroyed by the machine food production has become today.

Now, I don’t mean to sound like one of those doom and gloom, anti-establishment types. I don’t disparage anyone for choosing the foods that they do. Sometimes it’s an economic necessity. Other times it’s simply not having enough information about what’s really going on with our food. Sometimes it’s just apathy.

“Science may have found a cure for most evils; but we have found no remedy for the worst of them all, the apathy of human beings.”
~ Helen Keller

I’m not sure what I can do about the apathetic, but for people like you who may have budgeting obstacles or are trying to find more information about what’s going into your bodies, I am here to help.

So the first natural question is…Why go organic?

Organic eating has a number of benefits and here are just a few of them:

Organic certification (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. Organic produce is free of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Even if you wash your produce, you cannot remove all these harmful chemicals that can affect your nervous system, cause cancer and more.  Also consider that conventional farming which uses harmful chemicals can contribute to the contamination of our water supply, so by supporting organic growers, you are also supporting a cleaner water supply for all.

2. While some people may not be quite as concerned, eating organic can help you avoid foods that have been irradiated. Government bodies tout the irradiation process as helpful in reducing harmful bacteria, preventing spoilage and increasing shelf life of foods. However, irradiation reduces the nutritional value of your foods and there is growing concern by researchers that the process may not be as safe as previously thought.

3. Avoidance of genetically modified foods or GMOs (genetically modified organisms). While huge biotechnology companies like Monstanto will have you believing that they are increasing the viability of crop growing, there are long-term dangers in GMOs that have caused them to be banned by much of Europe and Japan.

4. Organic livestock is fed its natural diet, rather than potentially contaminated grains, antibiotics and hormones. This is in contrast to conventionally-raised livestock that get hormones to help them grow faster and antibiotics are given en masse as a preventative measure to illness. The scary thing is that this preventative measure may be necessary given the poor hygienic conditions of the animals. Organically grown animals are raised more humanely and more naturally, eliminating the need for these potentially dangerous situations for both livestock and humans.

5. Organic growing contributes to improved soil quality. A lot of people don’t realize it, but our soils are so depleted that we no longer get the nutrients we did from our foods a few decades ago. In order to obtain the certified organic label from the USDA, soil must be free of prohibited chemicals for three years and the increased soil quality is a necessary goal for organic farmers. (To learn more about a variety of soil studies, check out http://www.ota.com/organic/benefits/soil.html )

6. Organic farming is more wildlife friendly. From animals to plant species, a more natural ecology is supported through organic methods. There are many studies supporting this including a study from the University of Oxford that found that there is increased biodiversity on organically farmed land.

Eco symbol used to promote organic, locally grown food (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

7. Buying organic allows you to support your local economy and farmers. This is good for you because you get fresher (and therefore more nutritious and tasty) foods, and it also reduces the pollution that results from food transport. (Here's a short video on why to eat local.)

There are so many reasons to go organic and this post touches on just a few of them. But here’s the most immediate one that just about everyone can really appreciate.

8. Organic foods simply taste better. This is real food, free of all unnecessary human interventions and inventions. It’s nature’s perfection and once you try it, you probably won’t want to go back to your other options. 

Of course, this still leaves the issue of cost and how organic food can seem unaffordable to many families today. Well, that is exactly what we’ll be talking about in my next post....


Related Resources:
 

Going Organic - Introducing Our Guest Post Series

I'm sure you've noticed the organic movement has really taken off over the past few years. Obviously we're big on the organic thing, as it's an integral part of avoiding and reducing toxins in your environment and in your body. So this month we're doing a little series on going organic, which I think you'll really enjoy.

The National Organic Program administers the Organic Seal to products that meet the requirements. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you’ve ever thought about going organic, you’ve probably had a few questions on your mind. What does organic really mean? How can it benefit you? And can it really be done on a budget? Well, I’ve enlisted a special guest to help shed some light on the topic for you this month, and her name is Grace Simpson. She’s very educated about organic food and the organic lifestyle in general, and is great at helping people get started with a more natural way of eating. Her philosophy is right in line with ours, so we're happy to have her!

Here is a brief intro to the series from Grace - I’ll let her introduce herself…

Hi, I’m Grace. I’ve been studying organic living since the USDA introduced national standards in 2002 and my family has been eating fully organic since about 2006. This subject means a lot to me because I want my family to have the healthiest meals possible.  A few other related subjects that I feel are important are our nation’s health, our wildlife and the sustainability of food production.

Even though certified organics have been around for a decade, I know there are still a lot of questions surrounding organic food. That’s why I am so happy to be here to talk about many of those concerns people have.

Here’s what you can expect in the next few posts:

- Why eating organic is important…to you and the world around you.
- How to introduce organics, even if you’re on a budget.
- What does organic really mean and are you really eating organic?
- We’ll also discuss issues surrounding meats and produce in more detail.
- Being your own source of organic foods.
- Do you need supplements?
We’re going to cover a lot, but remember, as you start consider the organic lifestyle; you don’t have to do this all at once. Just take it one step at a time adding healthier options slowly and keeping this great earth of ours in harmony.


Be sure to stay tuned for more in this series coming later this week!

Does it cost more to "go organic"?

Many people think that shopping for organic or natural products is going to cost them a bundle, so they don't even take a serious look at such products. However, eating and/or buying organic may not be as expensive as you think (or it doesn't have to be, if you go about it the right way). The article below discusses 12 tips for living cleaner and greener, while saving money at the same time.

(When it comes to food, we will also be discussing the real cost of eating organic and local food on our cooking from scratch blog later this week, so be sure to stop by and check it out! You may be surprised by the results.)

How to Be Organic on a Budget | Gaiam Life
Think you can't afford organic? Think again. Here's 12 expert tips for living the organic life for less. ... The cost of making products from them is about one-tenth that of their commercial equivalents. Add up what you spend every month on cleaning products — you might be surprised at how much money you can save here. 11. Get your lawn off drugs. ... Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Organic Living by Eliza Sarasohn with Sonia Weiss. ...
Publish Date: 04/16/2010 3:00
http://life.gaiam.com/article/12-ways-be-organic-budget


And remember to visit our holistic living website and get your copy of the free home checklist for reducing your toxic load! Many of the suggestions listed are free or low-cost, and we only recommend good quality, truly natural and/or organic products where applicable.