Many of my clients come to me to improve their health and well-being. A great start for most would be making the switch to eating whole unadulterated and organic foods. Many of my clients get the whole foods part but have a hard time understanding why they should pay more for organics. Eating organically is one way to optimize our nutrition, leaving us energized, healthy, and with a sense of wellbeing.

Reasons to Support the Organic Movement

1)   Stress Buster:

Most of us live in a fast paced and often stressful environment with very full lives. To handle the effects that this stress can place on our bodies, it’s important to include foods that contain high amounts of nutrients. Organic produce can help as they have been shown to contain higher levels of vitamins, and minerals, not to mention life-enhancing secondary nutrients such a antioxidants and other precious phytonutrients.

2)   Power Packed Protein from Happy Animals:

Choosing organic animal products can provide a higher quality protein as these animals have happy and healthy lives in comparison to the poorly treated factory farmed animals. When animals become stressed from living in confined and close quarters and consume food and antibiotics that the animals physiology is not equipped to process, just like humans they too begin to break down.  This leads to animal products that are low in quality protein and nutrients and higher in saturated and inflammatory fats.

3)   A Healthy Happy Planet: 

Much of the world’s soil has been stripped of its vitality due to the introduction of the Green revolution in the 1940’s.  This era promised to feed a starving world through the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides….you get the picture.   Theses chemicals deplete the soil, leaving us with less then optimal nutrient values in our produce erode our soils for future healthy crops and pollute our waterways. Organic farmers respect the soil and ensure its vitality without the use of chemicals.  Choosing organic foods can be a great way to contribute your part to healthy planet.

Optimizing Your Organic

1)   Enjoy a Day at the Market:

We have plenty of organic farmers markets in Ontario to explore.  By purchasing our food from hardworking local farmers we support their family and nourish our bodies.  Check out a farmers market near you.  And yes! These markets are open in the winter too.  www.farmersmarketsontario.com

2)   Become a Food Detective:

Not all organics are the same, as some are shipped from far away places.  These organics may look anything but vital.  Spend some time looking and feeling your produce, if it doesn’t measure up, you may want to skip it and select the next best thing… local fresh produce.  Additionally, spending time being aware of how our food makes us feel is a sure way to find out if organic food delivers.

3)   Where to Find Organics?: 

Finding organic food can sometimes be a challenge.  Here are some helpful tips.  When it comes to animal protein, Google “Organic Butchers” in your area.  If you live in Toronto, check out these go green butchers and grocery stores:

The Healthy Butcher:  www.thehealthybutcher.com/

Cumbreas:  www.cumbraes.com/

Marlons Meat: www.marlonsmeat.com/

Wholefoods Market:  www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

The Big Carrot:  www.thebigcarrot.ca/

If buying organic produce is a challenge you may want to spend some time purchasing organic items that are known to be the most heavily sprayed by pesticides. Check out the Environmental Working Groups Shopping Guide to Pesticides in Produce. http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

Choosing organic whole foods can go a long way in helping us deal with the stresses of every day life by maximizing our nutrition.  Choosing to nourish ourselves in this way will protect and enhance the sustainability of the planet for future generations.

Happy Eating!

Sarah Harris