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Life Force Diet: Choose Organic
In the third week of the Life Force Diet you are providing your body with the highest quality and most nutrient-rich food to help it restore you to great and vibrant health. Organic food is food in the state that nature intended it to be, and at least 75 studies prove it provides higher nutritional value than conventional produce. Consuming organic produce as much as possible on the Life Force Diet frees your body from attempting to detoxify pesticide residues or trying to deal with much of our food supply’s genetically modified DNA. Despite these benefits, some people argue that conventional foods are preferable to organic.
There have been two main arguments against buying and eating organic food. First, critics state that the nutritional difference between organic and conventional (using chemical herbicides, pesticides and/or fertilizers) fruits and vegetables is negligible. The second argument is that organic produce costs too much. There is no shortage of evidence demonstrating the value of organic foods from a health and nutritional perspective. I would also question whether the cost argument holds as much weight these days. Besides, on the Life Force Diet, you’ll be eliminating the costlier processed, prepared, and packaged foods, as well as reducing or eliminating meat, all of which will substantially reduce the final price of your grocery bill. Let’s explore the case for organic foods.
Virginia Worthington, Doctor of Science and a certified nutrition specialist at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Public Health, reviewed 41 published studies comparing the nutritional value of organically grown and conventionally grown fruits, vegetables, and grains. She concluded that there are significantly more of several nutrients in organic crops, 27 percent more vitamin C, 21.1 percent more iron, 29.3 percent more magnesium, and 13.6 percent more phosphorus. The research also indicated that organic products had 15.1 percent fewer nitrates than their conventional counterparts. Worthington also compared five servings of organic vegetables (lettuce, spinach, carrots, potatoes, and cabbage) with the equivalent serving of conventionally grown vegetables. She found that only the organic servings provided the recommended daily intake of vitamin C for men and women.
Research from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom reported that organically produced food had higher levels of specific antioxidants and lower levels of mycotoxin (a fungal infection that can affect food crops) than conventional samples. The same research found that grass-based organic cattle diets reduce the risk of E. coli contamination while grain-based conventional diets increase the risk.
An Italian study conducted by the Istituto nazionale di ricerca per gli alimenti e la nutrizione (National Institute of Food and Nutrition Research) reported that organic pears, peaches, and oranges had higher antioxidant levels than their conventional counterparts. This multi-year study found that organic pears contained more vitamin C and other antioxidants. Interestingly, the organic pears were more resistant to mildew and fung, an argument often used against organic food production, which is mistakenly viewed as more susceptible to pests. While the researchers did not report phytonutrient content, mildew and fungi resistance may also indicate higher phytonutrient content in the organic crops. I’d be curious to see this tested as well.
The second argument regarding cost will continue to lose steam as organic food returns to popularity and greater availability; however, almost everyone will find that by removing processed, prepared and packaged foods from your shopping list and replacing them with organic whole foods, your weekly shopping order will decrease in cost.
Your body deserves the most nutritional food available to build a healthier, happier you. And, that’s the best reason to choose organic when possible.
Ready to go organic? Post your health intent and find community support and content to help you achieve it!
Just joining the series? Click here to start the Life Force Diet from the beginning. Ready to get started on The Life Force Diet? Post your health intent and find community support and content to help you achieve it!
Michelle Schoffro Cook, DNM, DAc, CNC, is a six-time and best-selling book author whose works include: The Life Force Diet, The Ultimate pH Solution, and The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan. She is a doctor of natural medicine, holistic nutritionist, and holistic life coach. Visit www.TheLifeForceDiet.com to learn more.
Intent.com provides content and community for who you aspire to be–personally, socially and globally.
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11 comments
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thanks...you...
Kabin
Konteyner
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There is another good reason to buy organic: to support the use of organic farming methods. The more people buy organic, the lower the cost will become and the higher the acceptance will be of organic farming among farmers/sellers. For me, it is important to support healthy and humane farming practices, if not for our sake, then for the sake of the other living things who share the planet, and for the one who made it and entrusted it to us.
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I grow without fertilizers. I use compost, green sand ,and phosphate rock. I use alfalfa,cottenseed meal and cover cropping with legumes for nitrogen. No animal products used. This the "safest for the earth" way to do it. The plants thrive! I had sunflowers with stalks the size of a small tree, with many flowers to the one stalk. The stalk itself grew to be 10 feet tall! A rutabaga 10 inches in diameter. Compost is magical stuff.
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oh! and btw:
Most of the times it is better to use fertilizers which can be MEASURED, than cow manure. This is, because very often we can't calculate how much manure we need, and more nitrogen leaks to the water bodies, than it would, if added in other ways.
That is a fact.
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Eat organic. Critically.
I am a year long organic consumer, and was research fellow in an autonom institute for the research of the tropics. My greatgrandparents and grandparents lived from the land as well.
In my experience I learned not to mistify the value of either organic nor conventional products.
What is important for Gaia and for us?
To let the next generations and other species to enjoy of the natural and cultural treasures that we have. And this is going to be reached adapting an ALL sostainable livelihood.
We must see that, eating for instance, organic sugar is good to stop the pollution of the ecosystems. But it won't necessarily stop the extermination of forests needed for the sugar cane. The same thing goes for Palm Oil, which is soon going to drive the Oranghutans in their habitat to extintion.
What should we look besides eating organic products? That they are...
•Produced in the region / at least the same country
•Produced in season
•Not being a factor of extermination
•necessary (if u don't need them, don't get it!)
It's difficult for many of us living in northern countries, but... I rather get a belly from eating grains and dryed fruits during the winter, getting rid of it in the summer-autumn than participating in the problem, to get fresh veggies from the other side of the world.
This new organic movement is great, but we must go with our eyes open through all our actions, in order to let Gaia and it's crea
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About what Kathleen B. says, I googled it and found out a place for signing a petition against this HR 875 bill.
Here is an online petition you can sign to help stop HR 875: http://www.leavemyfoodalone.org
Spread the word!
I´m not from the U.S, but this thing worried me a lot, so check it out.
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The way I see it-"an ounce of prevention far outwieghs a pound of cure". Organic produce if grown properly in enriched organic soil has twice as many minerals and nutrients. It just plain tastes better. Especially if you grow it yourself. I would rather pay a little more now than pay big time for possible ill health in the future.
Something I noticed from growing my own fruit and veggies, was a euphoric inner feeling. I could not pinpoint it or prove that it was from the veggies I grew,but would be interested to know if anyone else had this experience?
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to save $ and eat healthy, I use the dirty dozen guidelines from the EWG. although I buy a lot of organics, I do believe that staying away from meats and processed foods does keep my grocery bill down, but even more important my family's future medical bills.
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The government wants us to eat cancer causing pesticides. So does all the retailers that jack the prices up sky high.
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