Going all organic...

[Mike]

Now that I'm starting to really eat again without pain I was considering going all organic. Numerous "all organic" grocery stores have popped up in my state and more and more people are making the switch. Has anyone tried it and started feeling better than usual, maybe worse? Thanks

 

[pompeybird]

Ive not tried it but theres loads of places here where you can get organic stuff in fact most supermarkets do it now

if you do go for it good luck !!!! xxxx

 

[GoJohnnyGo]

My opinion is that unless you've grown it yourself, it's not guarranteed organic.

The item may be raised/grown in a pesticide-free farm/orchard, but what happens to it when it's transported/warehoused/retailed?

Having said that, organic foods do have their advantages. Often more care has gone into its production. No studies that I know of though say that it is healthier.

 

[Mike]

I was just thinking less chemicals and preservatives could make a difference. I know one guy at my Remicade treatment last week said artificial cream for coffee was a trigger food for him and it got me thinking.

 

[D Bergy]

It can't hurt anything, and that is the kind of indirect treatments I like.

Raising some of your own food can be fun, and one heck of a lot of work. At least the Deer get fed well out of our garden.

Dan

 

[GoJohnnyGo]

I was just thinking less chemicals and preservatives could make a difference. I know one guy at my Remicade treatment last week said artificial cream for coffee was a trigger food for him and it got me thinking.

True enough. The key is to avoid processed foods and eat fresh, unadulterated foods wherever possible.

For an example: Can of "Organic Peas" vs. fresh, commercially-farmed peas. Anything canned, bottled or preserved carrying the "Organic" imprint kinda defeats the purpose.

I do buy organic produce on a regular basis. To me, it's all about whatever looks fresher. But I don't have a hard and fast rule about it.

 

[Crohn's 35]

As a general rule, my theory is if your cupboard is more filled with food than your fridge, you are eating too many carbs and/or processed food.

I have read about organic foods may not be organic at all. I hate paying for more and getting ripped off. We do grow our own garden, and 5 apple trees, that is the only way I know it is 100% organic....

 

[glum chump]

Although I don't buy organic food (it's a bit too costly on my current budget), I do tend to buy organic or pesticide-free potatoes, carrots, and berries. Similar to what others are saying, I'm making sure that I don't eat processed foods. So I'm going the route of 'freshly prepared' food rather than 'organic' food as a way to control the amount of sugar, salt, nitrates, etc. in my diet. This means a lot more work (preparing soups, not buying sandwich meats but roasting my own meats, etc.), but I'm hoping will be better for me.

And agree with others---if you are able to have a veggie garden, then it would work best. We have lettuce, garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots, spinach, leeks, beets, tomatoes, peas, beans, kale all growing in the garden. It was a bit of work getting it all started, but are really appreciating it more right now. If only our summers were longer!

 

[Mike]

Thanks for the input. :thumright:

 

[Silvermoon]

My husband and I eat "organic" as much as we can. What this means to me is, we are lucky enough to live on a large piece of land where we grow our own veggies and meat...lol. No pesticides/herbicides are used, no "artificial foods" to make the cows and/or chickens fatter or anything like that. It's hard to guarantee that the seed we use to grow veggies and grow food for the animals is 100% organic, but we do the best we can.

So what we have found, for example with our meat, is it is less fatty, and it seems to be way easier for me to digest! If I buy meat out of the store now, 9 times out of 10 it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable and throws my bowel "routine" off a bit.

So, yeah, I believe there is something to be said for "natural" foods. Even to the point that, I use butter instead of margerine or oils most of the time, as it seems easier for me digest. If I use margerine, things just tend to slide right through! LOL!

(PS Before we were able to start "growing" our own meat, especially, we looked around for a farmer that would grow kind of what we were looking for. Again, we had awesome luck in finding a farmer who not only raised his animals exactly how we wanted, but was a very good and well known butcher in the area as well! It may take some investigating, but sometimes you can find such people: even if you have to purchase to cow and get it butchered seperately...it can be much cheaper than buying "organic" meat out of the grocery store. Sometimes it just isn't possible to find or do such things, but well worth it if you are up to the task!)

 

[Rebecca85]

I am on a limited budget, so I also go the 'freshly prepared' route. I usually make double and freeze half, then I have a selection of 'ready meals' if I need something in a hurry. Unfortunately we can't have a veggie garden as tiny garden + dog + veggie plants = 1 big mess! Besides I am on low residue at the moment.

 

[ThanksP]

I have been almost entirely organic for 4 years now. The prices have come down considerably in the past few years and it is MUCH easier to find. Even regular grocery stores have a large assortment. Here are a few things I have learned through the years. As far as organic produce, if you eat the peel go organic. If you remove the peel, don't bother paying for the organic. If you drink lowfat milk, don't bother with organic milk. The pesticides, etc are stored in a cows milkfat. They skim the fat off the milk for lowfat, so again, organic is useless. Organic chicken has a higher risk of salmonella, e-coli, etc. ALWAYS look for the USDA certified organic symbol on a label when buying food (won't be on produce; only canned, boxed, etc food). http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-201 That way you know it's organic. If I can't find something in its organic form, I try to find the non-organic with the fewest ingredients. The fewer ingredients, the closer it is to being natural. Another great thing about organic foods, is that you NEVER ingest high fructose, partially hydrogenated, or enriched crud. It's all natural.

It made a huge difference for me and could never go back to eating anything other than organic. When you start looking at the grocery store, you'll be amazed at how much you can find. Mac-n-cheese, pizza, soups, peanut butter and jelly, salsa, etc etc. I actually have fun grocery shopping now, it's like a treasure hunt LOL

 

[Mike]

Thanks for the info

I tried to "Google" it and did not find too much. Why does organic chicken have a higher risk of salmonella and e-coli? And does it have a higher risk of that crazy deadly 0157-h7 strain?

 

[Rebecca85]

Normally they vaccinate chickens against salmonella. I presume the vaccination doesn't meet organic standards so they can't vaccinate organic chickens. Or maybe the feed is more likely to harbour bacteria and infect the chickens.

 

[ThanksP]

The chickens arent fed antibiotics, vaccinated etc. Consumer Reports did a study on the different types of chicken a few years back, and found organic had a higher risk of illness. After reading that, I steer clear of it and just buy chicken labeled "all natural" instead.

 

[Mike]

Thanks, good to know.

 

[ameslouise]

We belong to a local CSA and get a good portion of our veggies there - it is certified organic, for as much as that means!

I think it's equally, if not more, important to eat less processed food and steer clear of GMOs. The further it is from how it is found in nature, the harder it is to digest. That's my theory anyway!

You can google to find a list of produce that are better to get organic and those you don't need to bother with organic because it doesn't much matter anyway.

Good luck! - Amy