Health benefits of organic food and why it is important to buy it
Over the last 25 years I have been asked thousands upon thousands of fitness related questions. Invariably, the most prominent question is, hand stroking her belly, how do I lose this? My answer is the same every time. Eat less (serving size at each setting), eat more often with protein and carbohydrates combined, and eat less processed foods of higher quality.
Eating higher quality food on the surface seems easy. No junk food, right. That is no longer enough, we must have more information because the quality of the food we eat is at an all time low. The big food companies have laced everything with chemicals and preservatives to make it last longer so they can make more money. God did not intend all those altered substances to be in our body. Therefore, we are seeing many new diseases that seem to have no cause. I’ll tell you what the cause is; they are the artificial sweeteners, artificial fats, chemicals and preservatives that we put in our mouths. We are what we eat.
When you understand that your body is in a constant state of regeneration, then the term “you are what you eat” takes on a completely different meaning.
Please be patient if this is old information, but it is very important. Every cell in your body will be dead and will be gone in about a year. Your skin, your bones, your muscles, your organs, and even the atoms and cells that make up your DNA are in a constant state of degeneration and regeneration. Common sense will tell you that when we add higher quality nutrients, the byproduct will be higher quality regenerating cells.
It has even been shown that the cells that make up a diseased part of the body, such as a tumor or cancer, are totally dead and gone within 14 months. So if we can ingest very high quality nutrition, reduce our stress levels, and visualize healing, there is the potential to regenerate healthy cells to replace diseased cells. This is a very poignant topic, as I believe there is a time and a place for Western medicine that tends to use pharmaceuticals as a Band-Aid to cover up the symptoms of an illness or disease. But I think they should be used as a last resort only after more holistic approaches have been exhausted. If you find yourself at this crossroads, I suggest you consult a specialist like Deepak Chopra in Toronto (1.800.333.4453)
Is expensive organic food worth it? At first glance, it doesn’t seem like it’s worth the extra cost and inconvenience of buying more often (because quality organic food spoils faster). But I ask you how much it costs to have cancer, or to have a heart attack.
It totally amazes me that we are so motivated that we lose our health to make money and then turn around and spend all of our money trying to get our health back. It does not have to be this way.
Some of the latest groundbreaking medical information from some of the world’s leading holistic doctors is realizing that traditional Western medical professionals have totally missed the boat. And I strongly agree with this new information that has all kinds of evidence showing us that 95% of all diseases and illnesses are environmental. We cause it by lowering our immune system with an unhealthy lifestyle.
Even the American Cancer Society (ACS) finally admits that 60% of cancer is caused by the environment. Which means it’s our lifestyle. This is important because cancer has recently overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death in Americans under the age of 85.
This is surprising information considering that the ACS’s ties to the pharmaceutical industry run very deep. Obviously, there is more money in the treatment of cancer than in its prevention. But even the ACS cannot ignore the obvious.
Modern medicine is a platform for profit, not for health. I know I could get in trouble with this topic (and have in our local papers), but this is a topic close to my heart. I know there are a lot of well meaning doctors out there, but for the most part, their hands are tied. Corruption occurs much higher up.
Example: Diabetes is such a profitable business that doctors recommend diabetes medications to prediabetic patients, with only marginally high blood sugar, even before trying weight loss and exercise. As discussed in Chapter 1, type II diabetes in adults is one of the easiest diseases to cure when the individual receives the correct information.
The most recent news release from the American Cancer Institute (November 2007) reports clear evidence that excess body weight dramatically increases the risk of most cancers.
The report also found that there are certain lifestyle changes that will reduce the risk of getting cancer. Some of the health benefits of organic food are below:
o Be as thin as possible within the normal range of body weight
o Be physically active as part of everyday life.
o Limit your intake of “energy dense foods,” foods that are high in calories, fat, and sugar. Avoid sugary drinks
o Eat mostly plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
o Limit red meat and avoid ALL processed meat
o Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone, without dietary supplements.
Please read the last line again.
YES, ORGANIC FOOD IS WORTH IT! SEE IT AS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR VITALITY.
When you eat food that is not organic, what you are eating is loaded with poisons and chemicals. Companies that produce food for the masses have one thing in mind: quantity, not quality. They will do what they have to do to get as much food as possible from point A (the land that has been depleted) to point B (your mouth). They are trying to extend the shelf life of natural foods so you have a chance to buy them.
The longer the shelf life of the food you eat, the shorter its shelf life. If it came out of the ground and rots, it’s good for you!
These companies are loading there food with toxins and poisons, it has been sprayed with pesticides, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides. Most of the food on the shelves of a traditional grocery store has been injected with chemicals. The fertilizers your farmers use are all poisons and chemicals. The fertilizers enter the roots of the plants and end up inside the fruit, and the fruit itself cannot even bear fruit. Most fruit today is made from hybrid seeds that produce fruit that can’t even germinate and reproduce its own kind. It can’t even sustain itself, how is it going to sustain you in the long run? Simply put, when you eat the cheapest foods that are produced for the masses, it’s like eating an apple that’s been sprayed with Raid. And no, washing it doesn’t help because it’s inside the apple and on the skin. The chemicals and preservatives used by national food companies are 100 times more powerful than Raid.
IS ORGANIC FOOD REALLY BETTER?
Yes! I’m not going to bore you with the details of the latest tests that are coming (but are coming) showing that genuinely farmed organic foods have 50% more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than foods produced for the masses. You should buy organic food!
I realize that it may not be realistic to eat organic food 100% of the time. But at least now you have something to think about (J). My experience is that it is something you have to grow into. What has worked for my family is a commitment to organic food 25% of the time. Once you can prove to yourself that you can feel the difference, you’ll be able to grow up and eat organic food more often.
The organic food industry is now a $14 billion-a-year business in the United States, so big business is getting more involved. The quality and meaning of the organic label is in rapid decline. Companies like Wal-Mart are pushing the boundaries of what can be called organic and even trying to fool people with organic signs and stickers in their stores.
SHOP LOCAL! If you want the freshest, most nutrient-dense foods available, shop close to home. Farmers markets, community supported agricultural programs, food cooperatives are your best options. I suggest you google “high quality organic food/farmers market/your city and state” and visit these farms or markets. Some of these farmers may not be able to afford or want to become certified to sell organic products, but just because they are not certified does not mean that their products are not of the highest quality. With a little legwork, you’ll soon be able to find high-quality organic food close to home. Like I’ve done, you may be able to set up drop off points with a couple of farmers to add a bit of convenience.
Finding high-quality organic food close to home is not as difficult as it seems. The bottom line is to look for farmers who practice sound organic farming principles and produce small amounts of food.
