Organic? what's all the fuss??

what should have been my first blog

okay -so i realized that this probably should have been my first blog- being as it defines my theme and will enlighten some on what Organic really means & why it is important =)

define Organic

"Organic foods are made according to certain production standards, meaning they are grown without the use of conventional pesticides and artificial fertilizers, free from contamination by human or industrial waste, and processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. if livestock are involved, they Must be reared WithOut the routine use of Antibiotics and WithOut the use of Growth Hormones, and generally fed a healthy diet.  in Most countries Organic produce may Not be genetically Modified. " let me stop right there.... 

what confuses some

some people are confused into thinking that it does Not matter if you eat a conventional (non-Organic) vegetable -fruit -etc. if you are peeling off the outer layer -because after all isn't that the layer that pesticides touch - or by washing off your food -all of the chemicals wash away.  Not True.  if you take a moment to look into the true growth of our foods the soil from which things begin is just as important.  when Fertilizers are sprayed - all bugs and or natural things of the earth are killed off ... now did you know that God created those bugs to preform their Natural duties for a reason?  those little pests actually help break down the soil and allow more nutrients to then go into the food on your plate (or not on your plate depending on what you buy).  did you know for instance that an Organic tomato has 10X more nutrients and 'good stuff' in it than a conventional tomato??  & speaking of....

gassing tomatoes...what?

something i learned thanks to one of our great YA-s from our group who attends church with a man who worked at a factory bringing in tomatoes by the truck load... that those tomatoes came in on the truck green ...then got 'gassed' and road out on the truck red!!!  seriously ... think about that for a moment... what part of that is Natural at all???  

so the next time

you are out at your favorite restaurant and select a salad from the menu ... don't necessarily think you are doing your body a great favor.  your body would Much More greatly benefit from a plate full of Organic veggies then a pile of iceberg lettuce with some 'gassed' tomatoes and cheese on top from the milk of cows that have been given growth hormones to create a faster milk production -then treated with antibiotics (this will be a later blog)!  SERIOUSLY ...when did we as people think that quantity really became more important than Quality?

SWEET potatoes & yams

not just for holidays

did you know how Good Sweet potatoes & yams are for you?  well let me enlighten you a bit

"these powerhouse foods contain higher amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin C than carrots, more protein than wheat and rice, and more fiber than oat bran.  sweet potatoes and yams also happen to be a rich source of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone).  this is a precursor hormone- a substance that remains latent until it converts into a hormone that the Body Needs.  DHEA can become Estrogen, Progesterone, or Testosterone, ALL essential for your body's ANTI-AGING defenses to work.  as one ages, however, the body's level of precursor hormones like DHEA drop precipitously.  EAT these vegetables Year-Round and celebrate a long life!"  

by Dr. Maoshing Ni in his book titled "Secrets of Longevity, hundreds of ways to live to be 100"

so why not bake a sweet potato instead os a plain potato next time you're in the mood!  i know my son LOVES sweet potatoes... we think that could be why he also LOVES the song..."song of the south.... Sweet Potato pie & i shut my mouth..."  *yeah that came out of the blue for us too*lol 

super-Avocado-bowl

super what??

Avocados- that's what! you may not like avocados or guacamole but after this little fact you may want to grab a tortilla and try some again! avocados contain phytochemicals that have been proven to help fight cancerous cells! the study used the most commonly sold avocado, the Hass variety, available in almost any grocery. so why not grab one next time your out shopping - you are definitely doing your body good! i told my boss this little tid-bit today because he LOVES avocados and has eaten plenty over his 61 years -needless to say he enjoyed hearing that fact on one of his favorite fruits! so how about making a great dip for your superbowl party on sunday - personally i like mixing avocado with my favorite salsa ("drew's organic salsa") adding in some black beans and digging in w/ a great big tortilla chip & for you cheese lovers - just melt some right on top and you've got a great healthy superbowl snack - one where you don't have to feel guilty about going back for seconds... or thirds!

2nd random fact...

okay one more for today....

did you know that grapes are one of the Most Pesticide laden crops in the world!  up to 240 different chemicals are involved in the making of conventional wines!  so if you do choose to have a glass of your favorite red wine with dinner... why not make it an Organic wine!  i'm Certain you'll taste a difference!

now in no way am i advocating drinking - actually quite the opposite!  but for those out there who believe a glass of grape juice won't do the heart as much good - at least i wanted to enlighten you on a new fact!

1st little random fact....

yes buying Organic junk food like chips and cookies is better for you.  why?  because these junk food items come from foods grown without pesticides & whose flavorings come from fat, salt, and cheese rather than chemical burdens on MSG & a host of other Synthetic Lab-Generated flavors!

-from "Green Babies Sage Moms"

so find a new box of cookies you like and eat up!

still learning...

a More Organic Sommer

so i have decided to create a blog page.  some think i've gone a bit too far in my research this past year on "going Organic" & my seeking out more Natural ways to help your body ward off pesky colds and the more serious health concerns of today so i've decided to stop annoying those around me with my latest findings and create this blog - that way - if you WANT to -you can read about my crazy but 'duh' findings IF and only IF you want to - no pressure! LoL

a little background

i guess this new pursuit for me began while i was pregnant with my son - well let me go back even a bit further....

As some already know - joe was diagnosed with chron's disease about 3 years ago.  I must stop and Thank God though that he doesn't possess any awful symptoms that a lot of people living with this disease do - and if you ask him - he would be sure to Thank the Lord too!  so when we were given that diagnosis we were given books - from loving and concerned family members.  joe was actually given the books but of course i was the one reading them! LoL  so wonderful wisdom packed books like the "Maker's Diet" -"the Great Physician" & "Patient Heal Thyself" just to name a few- are a blessed part of our little library.  *i highly recommend them to ANYONE*  little did i know at the time that God had begun placing the desire in ME to search and seek out a more healthy and natural way to live.

& baby will make 3

i learned an amazing 'duh' fact while i was pregnant.... what you put on your skin -even for as little as 10-20 seconds can affect you.  as most know - my skin has been far from perfect since the ol' puberty stage.  most of the time i can seemingly keep things under control by using cleansers and creams my dermatologist prescribes but while i was pregnant she immediately took me off of them and told me to use over-the-counter items.  well again i must pause and Thank God because while pregnant my skin was the best it's ever been!  but that got me to thinking - WOW - it's crazy that something i use for not even a minute at a time twice a day could seep into my blood stream and possibly affect my growing baby in some way ... thus began my new search into more Natural and Organic ways of life!

andrew James clark

our gift from God!  my little inspiration!  since i am giving a bit of a background on what's become an awaking to me i must give a small example in this brief bio as to a "YES there IS a difference" moment i had!  again -as a lot of you taking the time to read this already know - when drew began eating baby food we fed him from the great Organic brands out there & i must tell you they are worth every extra penny you spend.  & yes i did notice a difference!  1st may i suggest you taste test them for yourselves - that might just be proof enough without all the facts.  okay so the noticeable difference came when andrew and i joined my family on a trip to Cape May last summer.  while there i ran out of food for him so i ran down to the local grocery store -only to be disappointed b/c their organic stock of baby items was none -didn't exist.  so i bought him several jars of the food he had been eating just in the conventional form and fed that to him over the next couple days.  well that was a moment of proof to my family at least that there Must be a difference.  the poor little guys bowel habits became very un-normal (i will spare you details) - so i went on a hunt for another grocery store -switched him back to an Organic brand - and sure enough ... my little man was back on track!  now i know some of you may think -well i feed my baby food all the time that's not Organic and their fine - but the thing is -and that i learned - since andrew's body wasn't use to being filled with extra 'stuff' (chemicals in conventional baby food) on a normal basis -he was having a reaction to it.  so that was proof enough to me that my money was being well spent.

what to expect

so this new blog of mine is going to be devoted to little tid-bits i find here and there - facts that have been in existence since the beginning of time - if only we knew about them since the beginning of OUR time - we'd definitely be better off today - in some way shape or form!  all the info. to come will be based on the knowledge other's have gained and shared through the many books i seek out on various subjects.  i won't quote where my sources always come from - but i will gladly share if you ask.

what Not to expect

please do not be confused in thinking that i believe in any way to be better in raising my child - caring for myself or my family -then the next person out there.  goodness knows you could come into my home today and find TONS of things that would be considered "toxic" or "unsafe".  no - what i'd be happy for you to think is that i'm just a woman - a wife - a mom - a child of the King - who is in search of some of the answers out there today as to why we live in a world consumed by the ever growing number of diseases - and what on earth is there that i could do in even the smallest way to help my family out.

i hope

i hope you enjoy reading a few of the little facts - tips & tid-bits in my upcoming blogs.  please feel free to share any and All comments with me. whether they be nice or critical - i've got a more thick skin now - and definitely don't take things to heart.  after all - we're All different - God made No two of us alike - He's a Creator -not a duplicator- so i don't expect positive reactions from all my posts - i only just Pray that at least one makes you think "ah-ha" & "duh" every once in a while =)