Do I Need to Go Organic?

How does one avoid these processed food ingredients?

Whole foods and/or try organic.

"Do I have to?"
This is the single most common question I get asked each week.  Let me preface this by saying that there will be opposition to my opinion and I expect it. After all, we're talking the livelihood of many in the conventional farming industry.  But this is my opinion - you feel free to make yours.

We have to rewind a little bit to get the full picture.      

Since the 1940's, farming has drastically changed. During this time the agriculture industry has been authorized to use man-made products to assist their crops and give animals a boost in their growth and production. Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, growth hormones, steroids, and antibiotics are all routinely used on crops and with farm animals. What's the big deal, right?  Well......not so fast. 

Many people assume that, since they are legal, these products must be "safe." Unfortunately, there's lack of research on how these things affect our health, and the toxicity levels that do exist is not adequately communicated to consumers. Just because it has a label from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not mean it is safe. 

Case in point: When my school district sprays the playground with any sort of chemical, they are required by law to inform me.  Why?  Because it's safe?  Noooo......  Listen, would you allow your child eat their PB & J in a field after it's been sprayed?  I would hope not.  It's common sense. THESE CHEMICALS WERE MEANT TO KILL....weeds, fungus, pests. What makes us think they don't do damage to the human body?

On to the crud injected into animals......seriously.....EEK!  Growth hormones and antibiotics in our meat means hormones and antibiotics in our BODIES.  No coincidence that a number of hormone-related illness and disease are on the rise!!! We wonder why our young girls are starting to menstruate as early as the 4th grade!? We wonder why we have antibiotic resistance!? We wonder why our infertility problems have skyrocketed!? We wonder why so many people have Thyroid Disorder? We wonder why we have estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA imbalances?  Can anyone say PMS? Menopause nightmares?  Hormone-related cancers of all kinds???? 
Let us not be ignorant.
It just makes sense, doesn't it?  The timeline, for me, definitely indicates a correlation between the systematic changes in our food production and the rise of human illness and disease. It might not be the sole cause, but seriously..............just spend 15 minutes on Google if this didn't raise your eyebrows.

Consumer consumption of these harmful products promotes disharmony within our bodies.  Disharmony is a breeding ground for illness and disease.  We mess with the God-given design of our foods and we have opened up a whole lotta health issues.  And looking at the big 'ol picture has me pretty convinced there's a strong connection with the toxins in our foods and environment and the poor quality of our health and wellness.

You will hear arguments on the other side of this opinion. I respect that.  However,

I.will.err.on.the.side.of.caution.whenever.I.am.able.

unless and until an unbiased study is done to tell me that ingesting these things causes NO damage.

Don't take the stance, "What I don't know won't hurt me." In this case, it sure might. 
Why not be safer than sorry?

Please don't be misled - we cannot control getting certain illnesses or diseases, or even colds and flu's, all of the time.  Bad things happen even to people with the best of intentions. But should we be that person who is unfortunately diagnosed with a bummer of a problem, don't we want our bodies to be prepared to fight it?  Should we not give our immune systems the opportunity to reach their full potential? I just heard of an acquaintance who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Do you know who one of her very first appointments was with after her diagnosis?  A NUTRITIONIST.  Yup. Okay, NOW they're telling her how to help her body with food - - - -whaddaya know?? And then guess what they said............yes........."make sure you're exercising."  No way, really?  Wonderful advice and I am so happy to hear they credit these things with helping a body in distress, but we need to take note and help it  BEFORE we are diagnosed, or it could be too late.