Here is another reason to go organic. A new study has shown that a type of pesticides called organophosphates which is commonly used on fruits and vegetables has been shown to cause ADHD. The results of the study showed that children who had ADHD had a 20% higher concentration of these pesticides compared to children that did not. While scientists caution that this is not a definitive link between the two it is cause for concern. The study did not address where these pesticides came from, weather the ids actually ate treated produce or if they played in areas where there was known pesticide contamination.
Parents do not need to be particularly worried. But I think as a society, this is just one more piece of information that says we should limit everyone’s exposure to pesticides.
That is from Jerome Paulson, who works at the Mid-Atlantic Center for Children’s Health and the Environment. This should be taken as further proof that its a great idea for your family to buy organic. Make sure that the organic food is USDA certified organic. Just because you wash your food well wont stop it if the chemicals have leaked beyond the skin, deeper into the food itself.
Many organic food advocates are happy with Michelle Obama and the organic garden she is now tending to on the South Lawn of the White House. There are two reasons for the organic fruit and vegetable garden: Food, and public education. Local school children actually helped plant the garden and have returned throughout the year to harvest what they have grown.
The Garden on the South Lawn
The White House wants to put the local food movement on the forefront of peoples minds which lowers costs through reduce transportation needs and reduces the chemicals used because it need not last for it. The garden is the first in the white house since Eleanor Roosevelt’s victory garden decades ago. What effect is the garden having on peoples minds? Its hard to say but there is reason to believe that her actions will have an effect that lasts for generations. Here is a quote from Michelle
I’m a big believer in community gardens, both because of their beauty and for their access to providing fresh fruits and vegetables to so many communities across this nation and the world.
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Check out this video from the white house promoting their garden and the good they hope will come of it!
India plans to release a web based system that will help consumers track where the organic food comes from that they get on their plate. This is part of their ambitious plan to increase exports of organic food to $1 billion dollars annual over the next five years. This software called TraceNet is being developed by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority and will allow to people to look up products and see a detailed data set containing the farmers information that grew them as well as local science readings on the area to certify that the products are not being grown in an area known to be contaminated with pesticides.
This is a fantastic idea and i wish that we would put something similar in place in the US. Imagine the piece of mind knowing yourself that the food on your table is safe. We have talked before about the issues with organic certification and the confusion around it. There is a reason why there is saying about organic food. Know your Farmer, Know your food.
Two synthetic additives have been removed from the list allowed in infant formulas and baby foods certified as organic. These two chemicals omega-3 fatty acid DHA and omega-6 fatty acid ARA are present in most organic infant formulas, however these ingredients have not received the certification necessary to be used in organic foods. These chemicals are usually marketed as helping promote eye and brain development in a way that closely mimics breast milk.
These findings are not new as a report was released last July that investigations had concluded that the chemicals violated federal and state rules and should be barred from displaying any kind of organic certification. However at the time these findings were overruled by an employee in the USDA who was lobbied heavily by the formula industry.
“Today’s announcement will strengthen the National Organic Program by providing greater confidence for consumers and better information and procedures for producers,” Miles McEvoy, deputy administrator of the USDA program.
The chemicals are produced using something called hexane, a potential neurotoxin which is hardly a good thing. Advocates know that had the National Organic Standards Board formally took up the matter there is no way it would even be approved. The rulings do not take effect for 5 years giving the industry time to phase it out, however a company called Market Bio sciences (a producer of the chemicals) hopes to appeal the ruling as they are quoted saying:
“There is no organic alternative to these fatty acids and we firmly believe that DHA and ARA are important to health.”
Pesticides and herbicides are used on our foods constantly to improve yields and cut down on time at most industrial farms, but they can be VERY bad for your health no matter how much you wash them as these residues can seep into your foods. We have done a little bit of research and found the fruits and vegetables you should avoid unless you are sure that they come from an organic farm. Either excessive pesticides are being used or these fruits have a higher absorption rate then others and are harder to remove the residues that can cause poor health in you and your family.
THE RED ZONE . . . AVOID UNLESS ORGANIC!
SO-SO LEVELS . . . SO USE CAUTION!
BETTER . . . BUT NOT PERFECT!
AHH . . . BEST OF THE BUNCH !
Peaches
Spinach
Apple Sauce
Broccoli
Apples
Grapes
Raspberries
Orange Juice
Sweet Bell Peppers
Lettuce
Plums
Blueberries
Celery
Potatoes
Grapefruit
Papaya
Nectarines
Green Beans
Tangerine
Cabbage
Strawberries
Hot Peppers
Apple Juice
Bananas
Cherries
Cucumbers
Honeydew Melon
Kiwi
Carrots
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Canned Tomatoes
Pears
Cantaloupe
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet peas
Frozen Winter Squash
Oranges
Watermelon
Asparagus
Fresh Winter Squash
Cauliflower
Mango
Canned Pears
Pineapple
Sweet Corn
Avocado
Onions
Studies have shown that people who avoid the worst offenders can reduce their pesticide exposure by up to 90%. Remember that this list not only applies to fresh fruit and produce, but also to processed foods where even more toxins may be present. But like i always say, organic food is the way to go as you KNOW that there are no harmful additives in your food, and you can eat whatever you want without having to worry about getting sick!
Today is Earth Day, celebrated all over the world today to try and take back our planet. For about 100 years we have been treating the planet pretty badly and over the last 50 it has started to come back to hit us in many different ways and the biggest one is our food. Weather it be through the air, into the water or on the land the garbage we leave behind has a big impact on our food supply in many toxic ways.
For this reason we encourage all of you to consider switching to organic food. Organic foods are chemical and toxin free and are only allowed to be made with 100% organic ingredients. This means no chemicals that are present in most of the foods we grow conventionally. You can start out by simply picking the right foods at your local supermarket and once you see the difference it makes in taste and your lifestyle afterwards you wont go back! Our site is filled with organic recipe ideas you can start it all off with
You can go even further if you want and start your own organic garden. When your the one growing the food you don’t need to wonder what some far away factory farm has put into it. There are all kinds of tips on the Internet on ways to grow your own garden and it can be fun for the whole family. I have always found a personal feeling of accomplishment when you first sit down at the table with something that you put the time and energy to grow yourself.
Well I hope that you all have a good Earth Day and done your part to help the environment!
Organic meat, produce and dairy products are a fast (although tiny) growing industry within American Agriculture with approximately 3% of all foods being organic. One would expect this to be fairly un-news worthy however at a six speaker conference this week named “Organic food is marketing hype” took place, moderator John Donvan was surprised with the passion that was elicited from panel members.
Most people think nutrition when it comes to the benefits or organic food, however this may not always be the case. When you look at farming methods that organic farmers use, pesticides are still used, however just a different kind. Studies have also shown that a single cup of coffee contains more carcinogens then an average person takes in due to residues on commercially produced foods and vegetables take in a whole year.
Besides the pesticides another huge concern has been the wide range of antibiotics used on animals everyday when resistance to these antibiotics is a huge health problem recently. These animals are often also fed heavy metals and poisons like arsenic. These chemicals can then run off in animal waste and contaminate groundwater. Organic food production prohibits these and the animals must be fed a healthy, natural diet instead.
However the economics of organic food are still called into question. One speaker against organic foods said:
If you’ve ever driven through the Midwest on a summer evening, your windshield got covered by sticky gobs of insect guts. The bugs are corn borer moths, that cause corn to drop ears, corn stalks to fall over. The insecticide Bt produced by corn grown from genetically modified seed causes corn borers to swell like a balloon and to explode. I find this very satisfying, but using Bt corn disqualifies my crop as organic. Of course our farm lost our chance to be organic some 50 years ago. When commercial fertilizer became available, yields went up, costs went down, including environmental costs, as we used less resources to produce the same amount of food. When this happens in other industries, it’s generally seen as a good thing
Remember that its not just you and your families health that is at risk when using conventionally produced foods. Your pets can and should get in on the action too especially with the number of organic foods and cleaning supplies there are available now. Did you know that there is over 8 billion pounds of kitty litter sent to landfills each year? Besides the waste we should want our animals to be safe. Follow these simple tips to help your cat feel healthy and save the environment at the same time!
Use Natural and Organic Pet Food
Your pets should eat the same quality of food as you do and we hope that you area already bitten by the organic bug. There are many different types of organic, natural or holistic pet foods available and use protein sources that are raised naturally, without the addition of growth hormones. These foods also help your pet to create less waste to clean up later. Check the labels to be sure that the foods are nutrient and vitamin rich. Avoid any products that have any type of bio-engineered source.
Organic Cleaning and Grooming Products
Just because your pet isn’t eating it, doesn’t mean it wont cause their body any harm. Make sure you use organic cleaning products that are safe for your pets and the environment. Many cleaning supplies and pet shampoos now use plant-based cleansers and bio enhanced cultures to keep their coat shining and odor free. Products based on these cleansers are non-toxic and can even be used for flea removal.
Organic Pet Accessories
When we buy toys for our kids, one of the first things we do is check the label to make sure that it does not contain lead or other harmful products. Do the same for your pets. Lead is even more harmful to pets then it is to humans. Its often best to get creative and create toys from goods that you had planned to throw out already. There are also collars and blankets made from organic cotton that contains no pesticides or herbicides that your pet will thank you for!
All I seem to hear on the radio and TV no matter what channel is how our countries economy is going down hill. But according to The Natural Marketing Institute Organic Food sales are actually increasing and organic farmers and markets are seeing sales rise higher than ever. Why we ask are the more expensive organic foods being purchased in such hard times. Well many would argue the prices of the non organic foods are rising and most would say why not pay a little more and have the best. After all Organic does provide for a much healthier lifestyle. So now is a better time than any to start buying organic or make the switch from the mediocre to the best!
Mulch
“A thick layer of mulch keeps light from reaching weeds. “Without adequate light, the plants don’t produce enough chlorophyll to enable further growth. Most of these plants sicken and die before you even notice them,” writes Miranda Smith in Rodale’s Chemical Free Yard & Garden. “The few plants that do manage to stick their leaves into the light will be shallowly rooted and very easy to pull.”
Hoeing
Annual weeds die when you sever the stems from the roots just below the soil surface. With a sharp hoe, you cut the weeds easily. Forget about the square-headed traditional garden hoe for this job—go for an oscillating or a swan neck hoe instead.
Solarization
You can let the sun help you get rid of persistent weeds, if you’re willing to leave the bed fallow for six weeks in the summer. Get started in late spring or early summer by pulling, hoeing or raking out as many weeds as you can from the garden bed. Then, moisten the soil and cover it with clear plastic, weighting or burying the edges. Leave the plastic in place for 6 weeks. When you remove the plastic, the sun will have cooked weeds that would otherwise have sprouted.”
This info sure came in handy for me I hope you can use it as well. If you cant utilize these methods theres always the hand pulling way. Ughhhh it really tends to be back breaking….
