Balanced Living

Organic Week, 2011

Posted by Arja on October 20 in Nutrition

It’s organic week!  What does that mean for you?  Well, if you already choose organically produced food, then maybe it means that you help educate some of your family and friends about why you make the choices that you do.  If you aren’t already an organic consumer, then perhaps it’s time to find out more about why you should be choosing organic as much as possible.

Organic products, whether they be food or body care, have become quite fashionable over the last few years.  This is both good and bad.  Good because of the increased interest that many people are taking in avoiding chemicals in the food and body care products used by themselves and their families.  The bad side, however, is that there are a number of companies taking advantage of consumers who are trying to make better choices with sneaky marketing and “health washing”.  The way around this is to educate yourself.  Become a smart consumer and learn how to read labels and ingredients lists and choose to buy from companies with transparent buying practices. 

So, how does one start incorporating organic food and other products into their life?  Well, maybe you start looking at the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticide in Produce  and just switch to organic for those items on the Dirty Dozen list.  There are organic options available at many grocery stores these days, which is helpful, as well as many stores (like Whole Foods and Planet Organic) that specialize in organic and natural options.  I decided to get the majority of my food items, as well as some body care items, through a company that specializes in delivering local, organic products right to my door.  Throughout the spring and summer I can get produce that comes exclusively from organic farmers right here, in Ontario!  How great is that?  There are a number of companies that specialize in delivering organic produce, but I highly recommend the friendly folks at Front Door Organics.  They have completely transparent buying practices and do all that they can to support local and Canadian businesses. 

Many consumers claim that they cannot afford to buy organic food and body care products, but fail to account for the increased costs from health complications that can result from long-tem exposure to chemicals.  Take care of yourself now and save money in the long run.  Many of the chemicals used in pesticides and in body care products have been scientifically proven to be carcinogens, endocrine (hormone) disruptors, neurotoxins and just general irritants.

Are you tired?  Do you have skin and hair problems?  Problems with your health?  What you eat and put on your skin could be the culprit, or at the very least, a contributing factor.

Want to start making some changes?  Don’t feel overwhelmed!  There are some great resources available on the internet alone that can help you:

Environmental Working Group
Rodale Institute
Canadian Organic Growers
Front Door Organics

There are also many wonderful books available through your public library or bookstore.  Here are a few of my personal favourites:

“Better Basics for the Home” by Annie Berthold-Bond
“To Buy or Not to Buy Organic” by Cindy Burke
“There’s Lead in Your Lipstick” by Gill Deacon
“The Greet Beauty Guide” by Julie Gabriel
“Clean House, Clean Planet” by Karen Logan
“Living Beauty” by Lisa Petty
“Ecoholic” by Adria Vasil

This is in no way the best list out there, but it’s a great place to start!

So, why not celebrate Organic Week by choosing organic?  Send a message to businesses and our government that you won’t tolerate chemicals buy choosing to spend your hard-earned money on healthier options.