They May Look the Same, But They Aren't All Created Equal

I'm hoping the third time is the charm. As I mentioned in my last post, I think one of the struggles I had attempting to write this was trying to include too much information all at once. I was broadly glossing over things like food, body products, my own experiences and reasons why I believe using natural and organic products is so important. So I'm going back to the basics. The good news is, I'm the creator here, and the other good news is that these posts don't have a minimum or maximum word requirement. They can be as short or as long as I want.

One of the easiest places to start when moving over to organic, is your produce. Every year a list is published that has the dirty dozen (items you ALWAYS want to buy organic, if possible) and the clean fifteen. These items typically show up with the least amount of chemicals and pesticides, therefore it's ok if you can't get organic. One of my favorite places to check things is the Environmental Working Group (EWG). They have all kinds of resources, including a few handy reference 'cheat sheets' that can be found here and here. They also include the background of the report, and a full list of produce, starting with the items that contain the most pesticides and chemicals (apples), to the one with the least amount (avocados). Sometimes it has to do with the type of fruit or veggie it is. Some don't have many 'predators' and don't need much to grow, while others have many pests and insects in the area and require more chemicals to keep them away. Another thing to consider is the skin. This isn't always the best way to determine, but usually the thicker the skin on your fruit or veggies, the less likely chemicals are needed and/or will end up penetrating what you will eat.

I try to buy organic when it comes to the items listed on the Dirty Dozen, but it isn't always possible. Sometimes the items aren't available. Sometimes the price for the organic is outrageous, and I know that I do my best where and when I can. The EWG recommends that eating real food, in this case any fruits and/or vegetables, whether organic or not, is better than eating processed foods that contain artificial ingredients and additives. So do what you can. Maybe you pick a few off the Dirty Dozen to buy organic as often as possible, because you consume them the most. Maybe you buy organic one week, and regular the next. I think the main thing I want to emphasize, is that eating real food is important. The plainer and simpler the better. And each step you can take towards this will improve your quality of life. Even if you buy organic 25% of the time, that is still a significant pesticide reduction from prior consumption and exposure.

I tend to always buy organic apples. The variety I buy will vary depending on price, but I always get organic apples. Strawberries are another one that is important to me, as well as cucumbers because we eat those for snacks almost every day. Lettuce is also up there, as well as potatoes. I buy regular avocados, grapefruit, bananas, lemons, onions and hard winter squash (like acorn and spaghetti).

I want to get people thinking about what they spend their money on, and how that translates to the health of their family. Awareness is key, and then use your best judgement going forward to make the best choices you can.