Back in the era of the late 70's, some of us "fringe folks" gravitated toward natural foods and what is now called "greener" lifestyles. We started food co-ops, delivered our babies with midwives, made our own baby foods from fresh produce and sent away for wooden toys and clothing for our kids, The whole concept of "organic" was just starting out and not exactly popular....actually we were considered pretty weird by the not so progressive mainstream thinkers of the time. None the less, we persisted and if truth be told we were a little self righteous about our alternative lifestyle . Now of course it's hip to buy organic and products and information on how to switch over to the green side abounds.

But even in this enlightened age, I think the questions still persists......is it worth it to invest in organic food for my family? Should I really buy an organic mattress for my child's crib?   I don't want to give up my Tide detergent. Are regular cleaning products really that bad? Well with 87,000 chemicals in our food, air, water and vaccines, 1 in 6 kids being diagnosed with a behavioral, developmental or neurological disorder, 1 in 100 diagnosed with autism, 11 million with ADHD, Asthma cases more than doubled since the 80's and the big one.....childhood cancers are now the leading cause of deatth in children........the answer is an unequivical YES!

You don't have to be wealthy to go organic....just smart.   Cook in batches, buy in bulk, get coupons from EarthFare.com and WholeFoods.com, join a co-op, buy a share in a CSA farm where the farmer only grows according to how many people purchase shares, grow herbs in pots on your windowsill or start a small garden and save tons. Get the kids out there in the garden picking the produce and cooking up the tomato sauce. Believe me I wasn't Martha Stewart when it comes to all this and you don't have to be either.....just know that anything you do to move in this direction will help your health, the health of your kids. and the health of the planet!

And just think.....it's not weird going the natural route any more....it's actually the hip thing to do!

Here's an article sent to me today that you might find helpful....
Good health to you and yours
Maureen
Maureen H. McDonnell, RN
Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet www.SOKHOP.com

Why Buy Local and Organic?

March 2nd, 2010

Does buying local, organic food really make a difference? Absolutely! Here are just a few reasons why you should try to buy local and organically grown food whenever possible. If you need help trying to locate local growers and organic markets, try using websites like www.localharvest.org to search for nearby sources of organic food.

Location

In your grocery market you may notice one set of produce marked “organic”. Do these foods support sustainability and eco-friendly practices? Not necessarily. If the “organic” produce was grown in a distant farm and shipped through supply chains to your store, then it has probably consumed more energy and helped spread more emissions than any locally grown food, even if it comes without pesticides. Try for the winning match of both organic and locally grown!

Health

Of course organic foods are healthier! They come naturally grown and without any dangerous hormone treatments or unhealthy pesticides. There is no genetic modifications that can cause unwanted side effects or threaten local ecologies. It is also much easier to ensure that local produce meets true organic standards, too, so the label “organic” is generally more dependable on foods grown in your area. Plus, they hardly take any time at all to ship, so your food tends to be fresher and better-tasting.

This sign is the best of both worlds!

Economy

There’s nothing like supporting small local businesses, especially in these more trying economic times. Local producers work hard to grow their food organically, and they should be supported in their endeavors. Whatever money you spend buying local food will stay in your town or city, supporting local growth and development. Local farms also tend to spend your money in wiser and more eco-friendly ways than large suppliers.