Going Organic

I don't know about you, but I am lost when it comes to going organic. Not only are there confusing and loose definitions about labeling the product, but there is the price. I waver between an all organic, all raw and vegan lifestyle as the only way to stay healthy to, oh heck there was lead paint on cribs a few years back, and this is all a bunch of nonsense go ahead and snort that bacon fat:). Needless to say, I in reality do neither. I think what always made sense, still does. Eat a lot of veggies, exercise, get sleep and stay healthy. I do have a few concerns that the traditional wisdom didn't have to consider. 1) The agricultural innovation over the years, and what are the long term affect of those chemicals and practices. 2) The processing of convenience foods and what is lost nutritionally. Lastly, what are these changes doing to the precarious balance of our environment.

No, I don't have answers to these questions, but I recently received a link from a friend that helped me sort some of this out. (see below for link) I really like the perspective on organic foods and why and how you should choose them. This site lists 11 foods in order of importance and why they are an important addition to your diet. This site is written for all personalities and budgets. The number one food recommended is organic milk. The reason stated is a well thought out one. Milk is a major source for nutrition for children and organic milk supports a large population of organic farmers. Patronizing organic producers helps reduce the cost. Organic milk requires organic: cows, their food, and packaging. The site goes on to say that you get the most for your dollar with milk because its effects will trickle down though many industries. Reduced costs and environmentally friendly agriculture is going to benefit everyone. When I went to the grocery store (I always go to Publix), I was comparing the difference between the Publix milk I usually buy and the Publix Organic milk. The difference was only a few cents a portion. It added up to less than a dollar a gallon.

I don't have the budget to have every item of food in my house be organic, so I like having some priorities as to where I should spend the money if I want to. I just look around my son's school and see fifth graders taller than myself and the concerns about bovine growth hormones rear their ugly heads. We do eat meat, but try to limit the red meats, but in the milk we drink, we could be consuming just as much as if we had steak every night. I now buy organic milk. These are the reasons I really liked this site and the information it gave. If you are interested, I highly recommend checking it out even if you end up not purchasing any of the products.
http://www.drgreene.com/555560.html