Organic and Healthy on the Cheap

Do you want to purchase healthy and organic foods for you and your family but just don't feel like you can afford it? Well here are some tips to help you keep your fridge and pantry stocked with healthy, food-for-you foods.

1. Focus your organic purchases on things your family eats the most. The more your family eats of 1 food means that the more the chemicals in that 1 food matter.

2. Look for private label brands. Many times the price is lower on these products because money is not spend on things like advertising.

3. Look into doing a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) or going to a farmer's market.

4. Purchase products from farms that practice "ecoganic farming," farms that use organic farming methods, but skip the costly paperwork.

5. Shop Local. When you shop local, you can get to know your farmer better. You can look for farmers that use Integrated Pest Management (using chemical pesticides only when absolutely necessary) instead of the full blown pest management of conventional farming.

6. When shopping for products from animals, look for Certified Humane animal products. This requires that animals are hormone-free and antibiotic-free. It also means that the animals are treated humanely.

7. Look for packaging that says, "No hormones or antibiotics added."

8. Frozen conventional food has been found to have a lower level of pesticide residue than fresh conventional food. Washing and peeling takes away some of the chemicals and since the food doesn't need to be "pretty" when consumers pick it up, it is likely less pesticides are used to begin with.

9. Shop in bulk. Buy organic foods in bulk whenever possible to get the bulk discount. If you don't have the space to store the extra food, shop with a friend and split the cost!

10. Build your organic pantry slowly. Buy some pantry items 1 week and other pantry items another. Stock up on items you often use when there is a sale on them.

Hopefully, this with help you eat as much organic food and close-to-organic food as possible. Following these tips will keep you and your family healthy, but also won't break your budget.

Cheers,

Heather

Source: Kiwi Magazine

Do You Really Know What You Are Eating?

Here is a startling fact: Most of us- even those into natural food- eat foods that contain ingredients whose DNA had been altered in a science lab! There is a high chance that many of the foods that you and your family eat contain GMOs, or genetically modified organisms. Here is a brief look at GMOs and what you can do to keep your family safe.

GMOs change a plants DNA structure in such a way that doesn't occur in nature. Here is how it works: In a science lab, desirable genes (like the juiciness of a tomato) are inserted into a plant's cells, which make them a part of the plant's DNA. This results in a new version of the plant.

Today, 2 types of GMO crops exist: Bt-insect protected crops, and crops created to tolerated the herbicide Roundup (produced by the Agriculture and GMO giant, Monsanto). These crops were developed basically so that they would produce their own pesticides so the farmers would not be stuck with the less potent ones. After growing crops like this, of course a new species of resistant weeds emerged so the farmers needed to spray with even more chemicals.

These crops use chemicals and pesticides that make them potentially dangerous to people and the environment, but it is the changes in the plant's DNA that is of special concern. According to the Amercan Academy of Environmental Medicine, GMOs have been linked to health problems including intestine inflammation, changes to blood cells, livers, and kidneys, which researchers believe could be the onset to disease. Some are especially concerned with kids eating GMOs as experts believe there could be a connection between GMOs and food allergies, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism.  It is difficult to do much research on this topic since "the majority of the scientific evidence (supporting GMOs) has been generated by the biotech industry, which has restricted independent, peer-reviewed research" says Megan Westgate of the Non-GMO Project.

There are several things you can do to protect you family.

1. Know the big GMO Foods. The majority of soybeans, canola seeds, corn, and cotton (which can be used to make cottonseed oil) are genetically engineered. Small amounts of zucchini, squash, and Hawaiian papaya are also genetically engineered. This may not seem like many crops, but the reality of it is that these crops tend to end up in just about everything. Processed versions of soy, canola, and corn end up in 80% of packaged foods. Cows, pigs, and chickens are fed soy and corn feed and these animals are used to produce conventional meat products, milk, and eggs.

2. Choose safe alternatives. The United States does not require that GMO foods be labeled so it is important to choose foods that specifically indicate that they are GMO free, like those tested by the Non-GMO Project. Many natural and organic brands currently participate in the program (ask Dr. Dody for a full list). You can also check out the True Food Shopper's Guide, a comprehensive list of GMO brands and their non-GMO counterparts from the Center fro Food Safety (centerforfoodsafety.org). Certified organic is also a good option. The only downfall would be if the organic crops were planted in close proximity to GMO crops, there could be cross pollination. as far as food without packaging- most are safe except zucchini, squash, Hawaiian papaya, and sweet corn. For food without packaging, it is advised to buy organic.

3. Stand up for your health! The U.S. government will continue to approve and support GMO crops unless you take a stand for your health. You can support organizations like the Organic Consumer Association, who is working for mandatory labeling of foods containing GMOs. Their campaign is called Millions Against Monsanto (to find out how you can sign petitions and volunteer for the cause, visit millionsagainstmonsanto.org). The best way to show your support for organic food is to use your purchasing power. In Europe, rejection of GMOs was achieved because more people bought organic. We can do the same here in America.

The choice for what to feed your family is always yours. The more aware you are and the better knowledge you have of where your food comes from, the healthier you will be!

To Your Health,

Heather

Source: Kiwi Magazine

Heather interviews Julie and Jen from Mosaic Midwifery