I Thought We Were Eating Healthy

My family and I are very active – snow skiing, boating, golfing, swimming, bike riding – you name it, we do it. Eating fruits and vegetables has always been important to us, so I’ve always had a variety of foods around the house. I want my family to be as healthy as they can be. Consuming our vitamins through food, that’s what I’m aiming for. But who isn’t?


Well, like many people, I thought we were eating healthy.

I started learning more about the food I was giving to my children – and was horrified to find out how much pesticides, GMOs (genetically modified organisms), hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and preservatives, and the list goes on, that is actually in the foods we consume everyday… I became utterly sick. Instead of healthy food, I was filling our bodies with toxins? That’s when I became angry. (I can handle it if it was just me, but when it comes to my kids, I’m like a lioness.) Angry at our country for allowing the use of these poisons to be put into our food supplies. Sure, I understand the need to multi-produce, but at what expense? Or should I say whose expense? The rate of cancer is skyrocketing. Autism and other neurological disorders are at an all-time high. Don’t get me started on ADHD! Now I understand why.

That’s when I started putting two and two together.

There has to be some link between food and diseases.

I had to make a choice. Choosing an organic and all-natural lifestyle was something I had to do – for my family.  We started about three years ago with the birth of our third child. It helped that my friends were sharing their stories about organic living, especially where to find the best and cheapest places to buy. If you watch sales, use coupons and shop around, you really can find good deals. Stores are always running sales on produce. Generally, the organic fruits and veggies do not last as long as conventional foods, therefore they need to sell faster. Most organic producers have online websites that promote coupons. Utilizing them can add up. As far as shopping around, in my area, there are several different stores that sell organic foods and products. Yes, it takes time to go into more than one store, but it saves me and my family money in the long run. I’m busy with a toddler and still do it.

I hear it all the time, “I can’t afford organic food.” Well, organic food is more expensive than conventional foods, but when you cut most of the junk food out like my family did, we found out that we really weren’t spending that much more. Before we changed to organic food, we bought fresh produce, but we also had our shopping cart filled with an assortment of junk food. Now my cart is filled with healthier options – mostly organic.

Not only did we change to organic food, we use environmentally safe, non-toxic house cleaning supplies, soaps and beauty supplies. I can feel good about what my children are exposed to day after day. There are other reasons for choosing organic, besides its health benefits. My skin is simply glowing (my secret, I use organic coconut oil as a moisturizer.) I used to have eczema on the back of my arms – it’s gone! My husband’s face used to break out with pimples, his skin is clear. I feel like I have more energy. I get over colds faster. My allergies are better. I could keep going….

Someone once said organic food doesn’t taste as good. The funny thing was this statement came from someone who didn’t eat organic food. It’s true. Some of the ingredients in certain products do taste different – unrefined, unprocessed, fresher – but better. I assure you, your taste buds will adjust to the missing aftertaste of MSG and fake sweeteners.

I’m not selling a weight loss program, but losing weight is just one benefit to eating organic. It makes sense. Without all the hydrogenated junk and Trans fats, your body will be able to process foods naturally, and get rid of the unnecessary fats that it doesn’t need.

Only health nuts buy organic, right? If I’m considered a health nut, then I’m flattered.  I’m not saying that my family and I don’t splurge here and there, or that we don’t go out to a restaurant from time to time, we just try to make sure the majority of our food consumption is organic.

A little warning to you: There is one downfall to using and consuming organic products, you will never want to go back to conventional. The fresh taste, among the health benefits, can’t be replaced with anything else.

My article can be found at http://www.insidelooknetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=169:i-thought-we-were-eating-healthy&catid=34:il-articles&Itemid=67