With so much information out there, and all the labeling designed by creative marketing companies, the confusion can get to you. Let’s break it down, so we can heal together.

We will touch on farming methods, toxins used, what GMOs are, some research on how non-organic effects our bodies and the earth, and we will discuss viable options for how to transition to an organic FULL OF LIFE lifestyle!

The FULL OF LIFE method for eating, and living:

 

Farming Methods: Synergistically living in harmony with nature.

Organic farming practices are designed to encourage healthy soil, water conservation, and to reduce pollution. Organic farming doesn’t include harsh chemicals to fertilize or to control weeds, instead they apply crop rotation methods and spread mulch to keep the weeds down. They also practice companion planting, which simply means planting certain plants with other plants to reduce insects and weeds.

 

Toxin Free Food: Why pesticides and herbicides are bad.

Conventional farming, ie NOT ORGANIC, involves spraying crops with toxic chemicals. This is extremely harmful for the environment, and all animal life, including your own body. Glyphosate, or RoundUp, is one of the major toxic herbicides being sprayed on conventional and GMO food. Herbicides and insecticides like Glyphosate have also been found to be an endocrine disruptor as well, which causes reproductive problems, as well as diseases like breast or prostate cancer. The Bt toxin produced by the plant when sprayed with RoundUp is gut destroying and triggers immune responses, especially prevalent in children. Read this article on  how wheat is harvested.

 

Also, while neither method (conventional or organic) is strictly vegan, conventional farming also includes a variety of animal testing to supplement the chemical manufacturing of pesticides and fertilizers.

 

Organic means GMO-Free

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is made by forcing genes from one species, such as bacteria, viruses, animals, or humans, into the DNA of a food crop or animal in order to introduce a new trait. What this may mean, is that the these ‘frankenfoods’ may not be properly digested or even recognized as food, and we may not be able to extract the same nutritional value from it, or worse, it could promote the growth of unhealthy cells in our bodies, like cancer. GMOS are BANNED or at least LABELED in many places worldwide because they are not proven to be safe.

Organic means that it is never a Genetically Modified Organism or GMO. By choosing to eat and buy organic, you are voting with your dollar for food in its natural state, for public health and your safety, and for good farming practices. When you have the option to eat the way ALL PRODUCE USED TO BE PRODUCED, avoiding the potential health risks, the choice becomes simpler.

 

Also, Check out “The Organic Effect ” , the story of one Swedish family who changed their diets from conventional food to organic for just two weeks

 

What to do now that you want to make the change to organic only?

– Go online (try Local Harvest to get started) and search for local ORGANIC farmers. Local Farmers Markets are also a great way to start, usually in warm weather months. These steps will also keep you more involved in the process, seeing exactly where your food comes from, and meeting the people that helped to grow it.

– Sign up for CSAS (Community Supported Agriculture). This is an economical way to get a a LARGE amount of produce! Basically, the customer pays a flat rate, directly to the farm, and a variety of fresh produce is delivered weekly. Details vary between companies, some you get to choose the produce and sometimes you get a box of whatever produce is in season. Some deliver and some have a local pickup point for your community. Either way, this is a great way to eat with the seasons, and also put money directly back into your communities.

-Grow some at home!  Aside from money saving, gardening helps support a healthy ecology, and you get a daily stress-reducing activity, and possibly an activity that will bring your family or household together. Even in small spaces, there are tons of resources and free information on how to start apartment gardens or gardens indoor, or cramped spaces. If growing on your own is not an option, look for community gardens. Usually there are community gardens in every city, check with your city’s government webpage or check here to find out how to join or start your own.

Stay tuned for more information on how to start your own garden!

 

Want more resources?

Watch a movie-
GMO OMG, Genetic Roulette, Fed Up, In Organic We Trust

Read an article-
http://www.seedsofdeception.com
http://www.responsibletechnology.org
http://www.Nongmoshoppingguide.com
http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/ https://www.ota.com/organic-101/organic-and-gmos
Read a Book –
Genetic Roulette, The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Modified Foods by Jeffrey M. Smith
How Not To Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Michael Greger, M.D. and Gene Stone

Some Sources used in this article:
– https://aaemonline.org/gmo.php
– http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19539684
–http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17981626
–http://civileats.com/2015/02/05/new-science-confirms-if-you-eat-organic-youll-be-exposed-to-fewer-pesticides/
–https://www.ota.com/organic-101/organic-and-gmos
– http://nongmoshoppingguide.com/
– http://responsibletechnology.org/irtnew/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/institute-for-responsible-technology-americas-favorite-poison.pdf
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPirDWfxfKc&feature=youtu.be
–http://www.unacceptablelevels.com
–Genetic Roulette:The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Modified Foods

 

This will be the first of a multi-part article series on:
*understanding GMOS
*organic food and living
*urban farming