Organic or not Organic

For the last twenty years, I have been studying nutrition and trying to figure out what is killing us and why we have all these diseases. Why are children born unhealthy? Why do some people lead unhealthy lifestyles and die really old, and some who eat healthily die young? All those questions always followed me everywhere I went. I have learned and grown a lot after working in the health and healing industry for the last 14 years. Arrogance is what's killing us, and ignorance is not bliss. 

I've eaten primarily organic and natural for the last 18 years.  I eat grass-fed beef and lamb.  I buy wild fish from the Pacific Ocean. Some companies will deliver to your door.  I eat eggs, fish, and whatever other protein I find clean.  So, should you eat organic?  The answer is not always and not necessarily.  It all depends on how the organic food is grown, how it looks and smells, how it is handled after harvesting, and where it is grown. I have talked to food inspectors in the organic industry, mostly meat, grain, and dairy.  They have told me that organic farmers can still use pesticides and fungicides.  Some of the rules for growing organic food can only be applied while it is still in the ground. Once they harvest it, some states can do whatever they want with it, like spraying it with chemicals to prevent moths and bugs from eating it. One of the inspectors told me that some of the most toxic grains she had tested were organic because they had to be sprayed after they were harvested to prevent deterioration.  So, to me, it's not the word ORGANIC that is important but the grower and its soil. The farmer might not be organic, but he has the integrity and consciousness to take care of the land, and that's what the most important thing is.

In the past, I have contacted non-organic growers and asked if they use lots of chemicals on their vegetables; some said yes, and some said no.  I have found that vegetables and berries grown in greenhouses do not use many herbicides and pesticides. Some don't use them at all.  If you want to know and are concerned, call them up, email them, or talk to them.  Find out.  If I am shopping and see rotten organic veggies or fruit, I know they have been grown in poor soil and lack minerals, molding too fast. I try to find those that look healthier. Dr. Reams discusses using a refractometer to determine if fruits and veggies are high in minerals. He has written a lot about how to remineralize the soil.  

When buying packaged food, the main thing is to watch out for all the additives, toxins, yeast extracts, colorings, and preservatives in your food. You can use apps like Yuka or Think Dirty to see how many dangerous additives are in your food. Cook daily from fresh ingredients to limit yourself to all the bad stuff.  There is plenty of corruption in the organic industry.  As a personal rule, I don't buy anything that is not organic from countries that don't have many regulations as far as chemicals and pesticides go.   

Let's remember that corruption sips into organic farming, too.  Organic farmers, too, want to make money, and the more, the better, and the easier way, the better.  You can only guarantee your food is natural by visiting the farm, calling the farm directly, or doing some research.  Regarding dairy, I use only small farmers who sell A2 milk.  One of the reasons you might have allergies to milk is because of what cow is fed, even organic, and what breed it is.  Always listen to your own body. My daughter, since she was little, has always had allergic reactions to chemicals.  If she eats non-organic strawberries from Chili, she gets red spots, but if she eats non-organic strawberries from California, she doesn't react.  I have read that California agricultural businesses are the most heavily regulated in the country, so even if produce is not organic, it has much fewer pesticides than other parts of America or elsewhere.  So I would say to eat in season, and if you are buying non-organic berries and fruits, buy them grown in California.  

For many of you, growing your own food is not an option.  Some just don't like gardening and have enough money to pay someone else to do the work.  If you can't afford organic food, you can follow simple rules by buying locally from a farmer's market or greenhouse-grown food to limit pesticide exposure. Buying from states that have stricter farming practices is better.  According to this article, only five states have adopted comprehensive chemical regulatory programs: California, Maine, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington.  https://www.labcorp.com/tsca-and-us-state-legislation-navigating-your-chemical-or-agrochemical-through-federal-and-state

As much as I try to avoid chemicals and pesticides and toxic substances and also would like others to do the same thing, the number one thing that's killing us is not even chemicals or food, but our attitude toward life.  The arrogance, the know-it-all attitude, I don't need to or want to change - is the behavior of a two-year-old.  Unwillingness to change our lifestyle, thoughts, beliefs, and negative attitude is in the way.  What would happen if we stopped resisting? How would life change if we find peace within ourselves and start living life with curiosity and awe? The problem is us, and only we can make changes, get rid of old beliefs, and begin again. 

Suppose you are constantly fretting and are afraid you will die from eating non-organic produce. In that case, you'll probably die faster than those who are happy and full of life but lack knowledge of eating organic.  It would be the best of two worlds if we could work simultaneously on our attitude, mind, and body.   Slowly, one step at a time.  Here a little and there a little while questioning everything.