There is a huge and growing interest in eating more of the foods that nourish and protect the mind, body, and soul. However, while many of us want to eat healthy, we don’t always know the best way to go about it. We may buy low-sugar foods with high salt content or low-fat foods that are high in sugar, in the mistaken belief that we are making healthy choices.

One of the first steps on the path to your own good health, and a healthy world, is choosing organic food. It is the cornerstone of organic living. Organic food is better for the planet, better for the farmer and his livestock, and almost certainly better for you, too. The basis of good nutrition is eating a varied and balanced diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. But by choosing organic foods, you get the extra benefit of avoiding the added colorings, flavorings, preservatives, antioxidants, emulsifiers, stabilizers, and artificial sweeteners that are found in processed foods, as well as the residues of agricultural pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics. As an added bonus, you may even be consuming higher levels of nutrients.

It is a matter of common sense that food grown in rich, naturally fertilized soil will offer the optimum levels of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and the beneficial phytonutrients (plant nutrients) that help to protect us against heart disease and cancer. Whether or not organic produce contains more nutrients, the benefits of not ingesting unwanted chemicals are clear.

It has never been easier to buy organic produce and meats. Many supermarkets stock them. There is a Whole Foods market in just about every major city across the country, along with other stores dedicated to selling organic foods. Personally, I find that organic fruits and vegetables simply taste better. I grow as much as I possibly can. Once you have tried them, there will be no going back.

Why eating organic helps
Even if you are making a real effort to stick to a balanced, healthy diet, the nutrient content of many non-organic foods is known to be less in practice than it is in theory. Produce that has been grown in poor soil, picked before it is ripe, and then kept in cold storage for long periods loses much of its nutritional value, as do highly processed, pre-packaged convenience foods.

It is my belief that you will increase your nutrient intake by switching to organic produce whenever possible. Fresh organic produce grown in good organic soil is likely to have higher vitamin and mineral content than its nonorganic counterpart, and so it will help build healthier bodies and stronger immune systems. By the same reasoning, there is every probability that eggs, dairy products, meat and poultry from animals reared on organic feed or pasture will be nutritionally richer.

These products are also known to be free of residues from antibiotics that conventional farmers routinely feed to animals, to promote growth. There is considerable concern that our consumption of animal antibiotics may lead to resistant strains of bacteria in people and consequently reduce the effectiveness of our bodies’ own defense mechanisms.

Grow as many organic fruits and vegetables as you possibly can. If you are limited on space, grow in containers. If you are lucky enough to own land, grow everything you consume, even raising your own meat if you are able. What you can’t grow, you can buy from a good organic market. Take care of your family and yourself. To live a long healthy life free of ailments, eat as much organic food as possible. We at Dr. Earth® will help you grow everything you desire while keeping your family and home free of harmful fertilizers and pesticides.

Live well, and remember that healthy soil produces healthy food for a healthy you!
Happy and healthy gardening,

Milo Lou Shammas
Founder and Formulator