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Tuesday, August 12, 2008

To go Organic or not, that's the burning question!

I've been thinking a lot about this whole organic thing, is it just a hype, just a ploy to get us to buy more expensive things in the hopes that they are better for us, or is it really legistic?

Everything from produce, baby wipes, baby food, even towels and sheets, are claiming to be organic. Is it really worth the extra money to buy all natural? After all we've been eating this way for years, it's ok to keep on, right? I 've even wondered how many companies are slapping on the label "Organic and all Natural" just to make an extra buck, are they really being truthful when they say that their product doesn't have preservatives or hasn't been exposed to pesticides?

Ok, now my opinion on it all. It has taken my a while to sort through all of this. I am by no means going to throw out all of my family's bedding to go buy Organic sheets from Pottery Barn. Neither am I going to purchase my children Organic pajamas from The Company Store. What I am doing is taking baby, more realistic steps toward that all-natural way of living. I have started buying organic milk and just reducing the amount that my children drink so that we don't end up spending $12.00/weekly just in milk. My kids eat plenty of yogurt and cheese so I'm not concerned about their daily calcium intake. I have also started buying eggs from someone out of town, they raise their own chickens, those eggs are just about as fresh and organic as you can get! And at $1.50/dozen, I think I'm getting a pretty good deal. I plan to implement the all-natural way of living a little more and more as I find things that I truly believe will be healthier for us and will impact our daily life.

Now, I would love to hear from all of you out there! Have you gone or are thinking about going organic and why? Do you think it is beneficial?

5 comments:

Vonnie said...

I think that is a great idea! And taking small steps to change will help you be able to keep it up. When you make huge changes all of the sudden it makes it too hard to continue.

Martha C said...

I have been battling this question as well, for I truly believe what we put in/on our bodies will affect us years later. My sensitive skin (as well as that of my boys and Ethan's asthma) has caused me to do lots of research to find alternatives. The end result is that I hate chemicals and try to keep them out of my home. Here is what I have done:
1. I buy Melaleuca (all natural products) for our hygiene, dish care, household cleaners, and laundry soap. You can get similar things at stores, but I trust Melaleuca, and that is a big factor. I believe it works because I have not had any allergic reactions, and Ethan's asthma improved dramatically when I kicked the other junk out of the house.
2. I try to do research on the beef I buy. I will pay extra for Laura's Lean Beef because it doesn't have all the additives. That is a BIG deal to me. We eat less meat, but what we do eat is healthy. I have been fortunate to find a Christian book store that sells healthy beef at Walmart's price. What a blessing!
3. I also buy healthy eggs, and I would love to get them for $1.50 a dozen! :-)
4. I do the best I can with fruits and veggies but wash them with a special cleaner to rid of outside chemicals.
5. I avoid store bought bread since it doesn't mildew. If something that is supposed to be "fresh" is so full of chemicals that it won't grow mold, it worries me. :-)
I know there are things we buy that are not organic, but we cannot afford the whole lifestyle. Along with Melaleuca vitamins, I am pretty happy with just the small changes that have had a big difference on our health.

Martha C said...

I, um, sort of wrote a book, didn't I?! :-)

CALISTA said...

I would love to go organic - just looking at all that stuff makes me want to exercise, eat like a rabbit and wear tie-dyed tee shirts... but I can't afford it. Joe accidentally bought organic broccoli the other day, and I didn't use it quick enough (guess you have to stay on top of that organic stuff!) and it turned all brown in no time. We ate it anyway.. because that was the healthy thing to do - lol! =) Joe has also bought organic oatmeal and it seems like he's tried something else too, but I can't remember what it was. We don't have chicken farmers around here to buy fresh eggs, and we drink too much milk to go "green" on that. It took me a while to want to eat that yummy white butter bread that Joe buys - but I've finally adopted his philosophy - "You gotta die from something!"

Nancy said...

I thought I remembered you posting something about organic and thought about you this morning when I read this http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,432724,00.html
I suppose the best thing to do is grow our own, but how many of us do that? ;) I get my milk from a lady that I do chores for. She has an over abundance right now and gives it to me for free. We drink too much milk for me to pay $5.00/gallon. My kids drink it even though it is goat's milk. I also get eggs from her which are about the same price as the store. So paying the price for organic is an issue for me, and I have suspected like the article says that some of it may be a lot of hype. I guess do a little research and make your decision.