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About 2 months ago I watched a documentary called Food Inc. I was sideswiped with information about food! My other half and myself changed our diet to totally organic. After the adjustment and lots of research, going organic was a brand new way to look t the world! Are there any PTers that eat organic? What made you go organic?
Personally I think we are all organic lifeforms! The only other choice is inorganic, and that would leave us unable to think or post!
Most of my diet is organically grown.....there are times i can't find what i want grown organically, so a little is conventional. During the summer it is not too much of a problem with the farmer's markets.....winter can be more of a problem. Basically, I strive to eat organically.
Have you heard about the green polka dot box program? Look it up! It's pretty much an online organic food store that ships directly to your home.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lillycat
I've been buying only organic milk and some other products that Laura eats/drinks a lot of. I read about the hormones that are given to cows (to increase milk production), even in the US and it passes on into the milk. It was scary to read. In many countries the amount of hormones they inject is unregulated and they have children going through puberty at a very young age (elemetary school and younger). Fortunately we have regulations here even though you just can't be too careful.
.....thanks lute, yes i know there are a few "delivery" options out there.....we have green bean delivery here.....but it still is not fresh, fresh, i don't think unless in the summer time..and in the summer time i visit/utilize the local farmers markets......i do shop at Fresh Market, their delivery time from farm to store is not too bad.....surely much better than in many of the chain "big box" markets, so tend to shop there during the months when the local farms are not producing. This is for fruits/veggies. I don't eat meat, as a rule, so that is not a problem.
Beeniesmom, The hormones they inject in cows is just the tip of the ice burg. Check out Food Inc. and The Future of Food. They are very informative documentaries!
Lillycat, I applaud you for not eating meat! I am still having a very difficult time giving up meat. Although I eat grass-fed beef I still don't like the fact that it stays in your gut for so long and I'd like to stop. Any advice is greatly appreciated!:D
Do not believe everything you see. Even films that label themselves 'documentaries" have an agenda, and are rarely unbiased. Beef does not "stay in your gut" any more than any other food, that's just propaganda by folks who want to sell you something. Your digestive tract either works or it doesn't, and it does not contain any holding cells or waiting rooms.Quote:
Originally Posted by lute
+1Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
I grew up on a dairy farm. I LOL, HUGE at the "documentaries" about 'factory farms', etc.
I get wanting to eat healthy. We eat healthy. My wife has lost about 80 lbs, i have lost 40. We feel better than we ever have.... Not a lot of 'organic' labeled BS in our diet.... Eat 'organic' if you want to, but you are just paying more money for the same food.
Just because its on TV or the internet, does not make it true. I highly suggest everyone learn how to read actual books, from multiple sources before forming a life changing opinion.
Just my $.02
Google Alice Waters. Pioneer and a hero in my eyes. Buy local. Eat fresh and seasonal. Food Inc is an eye opener.
Eat fresh and seasonal makes a nice soundbite.
Easy to do in some areas, impossible in others, and completely needless.
Easy to complain about the current farming system, but do you see it beyond the books and "documentaries"?
Which is more environmentally friendly? Farm raised fish from Chile sold worldwide, or cod from George's bank in the Atlantic?
WOW! I'm shocked at all the negative here. This use to be such a happy place!
I don't only get my info from documentaries. That is just what I chose to talk about. I eat organic and have found a HUGE change in the way food tastes and my body is in better 'working order' than ever before. You may not be in the know about EVERYTHING, to totally bash me for my beliefs is just mean. Maybe you should eat organic, you might have a better mood.;)
Oh, I would choose a local fisherman's fish way before a fish farm!
Just because there are "regulations" on how much unnatural chemicals and whatnot they can put in food, doesn't make it ok. I have been to a factory farm in Texas. It was the saddest place I'd ever been. The cattle there were nothing like the cattle anywhere else. I've never seen so many animals wish they were dead.:(
If you were REALLY concerned about the environment, you'd take the farmed salmon over free caught cod for a number of reasons, first and foremost the damage to the ocean floor done by otter trawls.Quote:
Originally Posted by lute
I didn't see anyone bashed for their beliefs, I just saw several comments asking you to do a little more critical analysis of what you're basing your decisions on.
I spent quite a bit of time in Tx, all of the cattle I saw were free range. We frequently had to halt training due to cattle using the training areas for grazing.
The cattle across the street from my house seem quite content. The dairy herds around here seem fine as well. Frankly, I don't want a truly "naturally raised" cow or pig, I prefer modern amenities such as not worrying about trichinosis from badly raised or poorly prepared pork, to use one example.
Lute, I don't see any negativity here, just differing opinions!
I buy organic when its an option. At the very least I go with the most natural choice. I don't want foods that have man-made chemical "substitutes" rather than the real thing. Milk here used to be labled rbgh-free but I think the government banned that on the label because it suggests to people that its better than regular milk and the fda doesn't approve telling people its better.
You really do have to watch yourself with these extremist programs though. You can twist statistics to work for or against anything. Look logically at any program you come across, just like that meat staying in the belly thing that doesn't make any logical sense.
I notice your green dot program sells Spot's Stew dog food. ALready I see ingredients with alfalfa which is a nasty filler and shouldn't be fed to anything IMO. No animal naturally eats alfalfa as a main food product. Not cows, not rabbits, nothing. Plus all of those scientifically named ingredients in the end make up the by-product known as "animal digest". It poop! Enterococcous Faecium IS poop. They try to hide these things from people who don't read the ingredients.
As far as human food is concerned, why isn't this program concerned about xanthan gum? What do they do, pick and choose between questionable man-made ingredients?
If you actually looked up real information on soy, the next thing you know you'll be going soy-free too.
In my opinion, pesticides are pesticides, it doesn't matter if they are from an natural source or synthetic. Just because the pesticides used on organic produce are from nature doesn't make them any safer/better. There are lots of things in nature that are harmful to consume. Look at Rotenone. It was a popular organic pesticide for a long time, which has been recently banned due to it's health risks.
Also since Organic farmers don't use Genetically Modified Organisms they often have to use MORE pesticides than non-organic famers.
As far as milk goes, I don't think organic vs. non-organic makes a difference. I'm not against drinking milk, however I do think we consume too much of it. Someone mentioned the hormones given to some cows. But what about the hormones that are naturally there? The hormones that are meant to produce milk that will grow baby cows into big adult cows. We're not cows, we don't really need it. We're the only mammals who continue drink milk into adulthood. We're also the only mammals who drink the milk of another mammal. So if you're really worried about the hormones you should stop drinking milk all together.
I have always tried to buy certain things organic (like milk and eggs), but lately, since I've found a menu planning/grocery shopping website that only uses 20 ingredients a week (not counting basic pantry items, like spices and oils), I've actually been able to almost completely convert to organic everything, even chicken! I don't waste time, money or food following the plan, and it has made all the difference for us! I have a "Dirty Dozen" list that I try to live by, as far as fruits and veggies, buying almost exclusively organic items that made the list. ;)
I can't speak of the rest of your post . . . but to this statement, I have to say . . . I have seen firsthand kittens nursing from dogs and puppies nursing from cats, and heard of other such tales of animals drinking the milk of another species.Quote:
Originally Posted by KBlaix
As for adult mammals . . . I suppose the only source they could get milk from "on their own" or "naturally" would be directly from the lactating female, and I don't know personally of grown animals nursing past a young age.
But, given the option, I've never personally had a pet (including a rat) turn their nose up at milk. And, I know many species will drink cow's or goat's milk if they have the option.
My thing is just to try to consume basic simple food and drink. I will eventually grow at least half of my own produce, but for now, I do think it's a safer alternative to choose organic when I can. I don't freak if I can't, or judge those who can't or choose not to go organic.
I will probably never go completely vegetarian, so I can't really say I'm overly concerned with naturally occurring hormones in any animal source. One thing I can say for certain is that I LOVE the taste of organic milk and don't like non-organic milk at all. I just didn't drink milk until I started buying organic for Clara. ;)
I totally agree with everything you said finn's mom! I also think organic food tastes better. The milk in particular!
I've been thinking about it. I guess I need to try it!
.....Finns Mom.....where did you find the website utilizing 20 ingredients a week, etc., ?
Yes! I'm interested as well!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lillycat
I don't personally pay attention to non organic or organic. My bf once told me that the organic veggies at normal grocery stores come from the same source as the regular ones (he works in produce at a grocery store).
I try to eat healthy- avoid red meats, simple carbohydrates, saturated/trans fats, etc. I especially have gained a lot of weight since starting college over a year ago, and am taking nursing nutrition in school, so I've especially become aware of what goes in to my body!
I don't pay much attention to organic food because it's more expensive and my mom buys a lot of my food still (still living at home).
www.thefresh20.com :) It's $5 a month!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lillycat
.......I appreciated your doing that for me!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by dab_20
That store probably needs to be reported. Organic vs non organic is serious business to a lot of consumers.
I know the store I work at gets their organic produce from different producers than the non organic produce.