Organic Foods: Remedy for Unwanted Body Chemicals

Real organic foods are grown in nutrient rich soil…

Did you know eating organically grown foods is the surest way to free your body from unwanted chemicals? And, an organic lifestyle may help you improve overall health, improve your memory and vigor, and save you money?

All this from food?

Yes!

Food is not only for appeasing hunger but influences every aspect of our well-being both physical and emotional. Food can heal, cure, elevate mood, improve memory, provide us with potent energy and fill us with vigor.

Organic foods are cultivated or processed without the use of any type of chemicals. Why is this important?

Our body doesn’t always know what to do with the chemicals and toxins from fertilizers, insecticides, artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, preservatives and chemical additives used in commercial food production. When our bodies cannot use it or dispose of it, it will store it. And it’s those stored chemicals which cause all sorts of unintended health challenges.

However, our body does know how to process foods grown and processed as close to nature as possible…naturally!

Real organic foods are grown in mineral-rich soil. This soil is composted to contain natural and abundant minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. All this goodness ends up in the foods grown from that nutrient-rich soil.

What are the challenges of choosing organic food?

The two biggest challenges of eating organic are lack of supply (in some areas) and a higher price tag. However, constant demand of organic products will bring about increase in supply and likewise, a drop in prices.

Another challenge is re-training ourselves to cook with whole foods more often rather than quickly reaching for fast and processed foods when we are pressed for time.

These challenges can be met and overcome with some planning and new lifestyle habits.

What are the health benefits of organic products?

Higher Quality Nutrients than Non-Organic

Organic products contain more nutritional properties than other conventionally grown products, because while organic products are grown in mineral rich soil, other products are grown in depleted soil.

Organic products absorb all the natural manure which enables them to have better nutrients. The richness of the soil makes organically grown products tastier than conventional foods; there is a remarkable difference in flavor and taste, because they are fresher.

Slowing down of the aging process

Organic foods are chemical free. They maximize antioxidants and reduce free radicals in the body. A selection of chemical-free grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables in your organic diet will help reduce toxins in the body. It will also protect the immune and cardiovascular system from damages and slow down the aging process. Increased organic food intake will boost disease-fighting essential nutrients, reinforce the body’s healing powers, increase resistance to disease and prolong your healthy years.

Reduction of body toxins

Organic foods are free from toxic pesticides and chemicals which are found in other conventional foods. As we learn more and more about toxins in the body and overall body inflammation, there seems to be a connection between this and preventable chronic illness. By adding more organic, whole foods into your diet, you may be able reduce inflammation, relieve the body of stress, improve the taste of food, and your increase your quality of life.

Preservation of land and animals

Producing foods organically preserves the land from pollution and maintains the richness of the soil. It can also prevent erosion from washing away the nutrients in the soil. It allows both humans and animals to avoid pesticides that are harmful to health.

Free from Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

Organic products are free from Genetically Modified Organisms. The GMO debate is a controversial issue because it puts the growers against the consumers in the quest to produce enough quality food on a consistent year-round schedule. One of the health concerns is that GMO’s may cause damage to our vital organs. Eating organic may protect you from the unknown as the debate continues.

Where can I get Organic Food?

Food stores and supermarkets

USDA passed a federal standard regulation saying health food stores and supermarkets should clearly label all organically produced food on their shelves, both fresh and processed, for easy identification by shoppers.

Some areas have so many food stores you can visit any time to buy healthy organic fruits, vegetables and grains. However, if you live in an area where eating organic is not a primary concern, stores are less likely to carry a good supply of organic foods. If that is the case, you have a few options.

You can talk with the store owner and ask them to make an order for you on a weekly or monthly basis for the organic products you eat the most. This may prompt others to purchase those same products or trigger the store owner to the needs of his customers.

You can travel to a nearby city where organic foods are plentiful. With a little planning, you can get everything you need and even save time because you’re making bulk purchases just a few times each month.

You can order your favorites online. Places like Amazon and other large online retailers recognize our need for good, healthy food that’s convenient to get. Watch for more and more retailers to get into the race to the top for food delivery services and then choose which one works best for you.

Consumer Co-operatives and Farmer-Direct

There may be a group of people with a common interest in eating organic. This group can work together and achieve their set objective for healthier living. Often, co-ops source organic products at a cheaper rate by connecting directly with farmers and buying in bulk. For example, when a crop of blueberries is in season and there are 6 members in the co-op, they go to the farmers to negotiate how they can get supplies of naturally grown farm products for the entire group, rather than a single individual. In essence, you become your own wholesale buyer!

The key to winning with organic is planning

In a world where we are used to getting the food we want, when we want it, it’s hard to imagine that every food has a cycle. There was a time not so long ago when, for example, if oranges were not in season, you didn’t drink orange juice. Food science and improvements in transportation have changed all of that, for better or worse.

This year-round accessibility to food can come at a cost. It may be a loss of flavor or freshness as the foods make a transcontinental journey to reach our plates. Or, it can be the addition of chemicals and preservatives. The goal with planning is to get the best tasting food with the least amount of negative nutritional and health consequences.

Locally sources, organic products may not be available year-round in your area. They grow with the season and are available only during the season. Plan for how you can get your favorites at the peak of freshness and how to keep stock of them. You can go online to find the growing schedule for your area.

Perhaps you buy several flats of blueberries from the local farm and then freeze them for later use. Or you pick up several bushels of peaches from the farmer’s market which were picked that morning, then take them home to can, freeze, preserve, prepare and store to enjoy later. When tomatoes are overflowing from the vine, why not cook up several batches of your favorite pasta sauce and can them in mason jars to use throughout the year.

It takes time up front, but you will reap months and months of fresh organic goodness right in your pantry.

For processed foods you love and use often, buy in bulk. Rather than pick up one carton, why not pick up a dozen? Know your prices and when your favorites go on sale, stock up. Often these can last for a few months so watch the dates on the packages.

Finally, when you start eating foods that are rich in nutrition and void of chemicals, you may discover that you become fuller faster. The food just seems more satisfying, so you get more bang for your buck. A little goes a long way.

Many people have the belief that organic foods are expensive but looking at this critically, you will discover the quantity you consume of conventionally grown products is often more than what you consume of organic foods. If you weigh the quantity consumed per time of both against the prices, you will realize that eating organically grown foods is healthier and not as expensive as originally imagined.

In any case, good health is of utmost importance and eating organic foods can help us achieve optimum health.