Work in Progress: Raising health-conscious children (part 2)

I consider maintaining a healthy lifestyle an investment, on many levels. I've kind of swallowed the fact that eating healthy can cost bigger bucks, especially when you have children to feed. As I become more resourceful, I've learned that in some ways, it can also be a notion that is used to intimidate people into continuing to support unhealthier food venues and products. As the demand for healthier and natural products rise, the prices are slowly beginning to balance out with certain food items. Still, as I read more about the pesticides, chemical processing of produce, and the increasing use of genetically modified seeds, I have been more inclined to buy organic for the family. It is hard to even trust that everything that is labeled organic is authentically so, however, part of living well for me, is about intention.

If I had it, I would try to buy everything organic but, that is not possible at this point. The long term goal is to grow my own food, which would "weed out" the trust issues and it would be lighter on the pockets. In the meantime, I do what I can to decrease the amount of harmful chemicals that I eat and introduce to my children.

 A lot of people would shrug their shoulders at the issue of chemically grown and processed foods but, it sincerely matters. Our bodies are not equipped to handle the amount of chemicals that are ingested through our foods, body products, the air, household cleansers, etc. According to Lisa Marshall, a writer for the magazine Delicious Living, there are about “85,000 industrial chemicals now in use." This wreaks havoc on our lungs, kidneys, colon, lymph system, pancreas; our bodies in general cannot maintain the level of optimal functioning when they are working overtime to filter out harmful toxins. That, to me, is where the breakdown begins and we become more susceptible to illness and disease. It is easy to get overwhelmed and just throw the towel in but, there are great options for giving your body a boost and helping to decrease the ingestion of harmful chemicals.

I wanted to share this golden information that I use as a guide to select my priorities for what to purchase organic. There is a "Dirty Dozen List" that was created by the Environmental Working Group, to inform the public about which foods contain the most chemicals and are therefore, more toxic to consume regularly (based on studies conducted by the USDA and FDA). While most of the produce contains some sort of chemical component, they help to shed light on the ones that you may want to consider buying organic. The great thing about it is, if you can't afford to buy organic, the list also gives you suggestions on produce that may be safer.

The list changes as they continue to update their studies but, the general conclusion that I have come to is that produce with thinner skin or no protective layer (like green leafy vegetables) are at a greater risk for absorption of toxic chemicals. I also think that the ones that are in higher demand are more at risk. It is good to scrub the outer layer of your produce anyway but, for some, such as apples or peaches, it doesn't completely wash away the chemical residue. Bananas, eggplant, watermelon, and avocados are all examples of produce that are safer to eat because of their thicker protective layer. I purchase organic spinach, apples, celery, parsley, and carrots. Those are the foods I consume most often and I also use them when juicing.

Buying organic from a major grocery store is usually more expensive but, there is also the option of buying locally grown foods from fresh produce markets. You can inquire about how the food is grown and many small farmers like to maintain the integrity of their produce. Buying local is also great because much of our produce is imported and can travel 1500+ miles. This alone causes the nutritional value to decline before it even hits the produce stand. And the shipment boxes are sometimes laced with chemicals to preserve the freshness.

 Participating in community gardens and growing your own food are also great options, for many reasons. As I am researching more about gardening, there are many fruits and vegetables that are easy to grow and manage. And if you don’t have a back yard, there is produce that you can grow in pots!

For more information on the “Dirty Dozen List”, see the links below. I realize in my personal journey that change often times comes from access to valuable information. I hope that by sharing this list, it will provide another step towards creating a healthier and brighter future for our children. So, check it out and pass it on!

Happy Eating!

The New Dirty Dozen

The Dirty Dozen-12 Foods to Eat Organic