9 reasons to go organic

I received my April 2010 edition of Women's Health Magazine today and to my surprise there is a feature of the book Organic Manifesto written by Maria Rodale. I just heard of this book the other day and really want to read it. So I was thrilled when Women's Health Magazine did a 2 page spread about it. I decided to share all the great info from the magazine and book for those not able to get either of them.
Organic Manefesto is a new book that details why buying organically grown food might be the best thing you can do for your body and the planet. This will be the next book I read. WH Magazine has 9 things you should know about The Organic Solution.

#1
Agricultural chemicals destroy the soil's natural ability to store and process carbon.  Mycorrhizal fungi are our greatest alley in the fight for our survival on this planet: They're fungi that grow on the roots of plants and contribute to taking greenhouse gases out of the air.  They are the hidden heroes beneath us.  Chemicals kill these hidden heroes.

#2
Chemicals poison the air, water and soil.  The manufacturing, transportation, and use of chemicals for agriculture are energy intensive and poisonous to all things that come in contact with them.  Most chemicals don't biodegrade within a few months. Like nuclear waste, some toxins last forever, and many of the impacts are known to be horrible.  Already, dead zones in the ocean are starting to spread, wells are contaminated, and we suffer increasingly from infections and diseases such as asthma, diabetes, MRSA, Parkinson's, and cancers that are connected to these chemicals.

#3
Smaller doses of chemicals can be just as dangerous as large doses.  Most of the government regulations on chemicals are based on estimated safe amounts of exposure.  Doctors and scientist are finding, however, that small doses, and cumulative small doses, can be just as toxic as large doses.  There really are no safe limits.

#4
Chemicals are not necessary to grow food.  Synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are substitute for thinking, understanding, and effort.  They are necessary only to generate large profits for businesses and for disposing of our toxic industrial wastes.  Virtually every food in the world has been sucessfully grown and made organically in modern, productive, and regenerative ways-from fine wine to white flour, apples, cherries, the most delicious gourmet beef, and olive oil.

#5
Organic foods are healthier and safer.  Studies have shown that some organic foods are higher in antioxidants and powerful cancer-fighting nutrients such as conjugated linoleic acid.  They're safer because they are produced without dangerous chemicals, antiviotics, and risky (to say nothing of disgusting) and cheap practices like feeding dead cows to living cows, or putting contaminated sewage sludge onto farm fields.  Certified organic products are the only foods available that have a government-backed guarantee that no chemicals, antibiotics, sewage sludge, or GMOs were used in growing or processing.

#6
Eating organic is easier than ever.  Choosing to eat organic food does not condemn you to a diet of nuts, berries, and tofu.  Today, you can find organic versions of the most popular foods, including such favorites as Hidden Valley ranch dressing and Heinz ketchup.  It is possible to produce any food organically, even Cap'n Crunch cereal and American Cheese.

#7
Government subsidies are the primary reason for the low prices of chemical foods.  Without government subsidies, chemical food would not be less expensive, but rather much much more expensive.  Organic foods have no hidden cost.

#8
Organic farming increases and protects the planet's natural biodiversity.  If you are an animal lover of any kind, organic is for you.  A recent report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature documents the "life on earth is under serious threat."  The report found that one-third of amphibians, at least one in eight birds, and a quarter of mammals are on the verge of extinction.  Half of all plant groups are threatened.  The toxic effects of chemicals have reduced all species abilities to survive and reproduce.

#9
It's not too late to change and get healthier and happier!  People who eat organic foods reduce their pesticide intake by as much as 90 percent, according to the study from the University of Washington.  Further, research at the University of Colorado has found that certain strains of soil-borne bacteria not only stimulate the human immune system, but also boost serotonin levels in mice.  Low levels of serotonin are tied to depression, and drugs that inhavit its reuptake in the brain are used as antidepressants.  If we all farmed and gardened the organic way, we may not need all the antidepressant drugs that are ending up in our water supply.

Want an even greener garden? Find out why you should stop using chemicals on your grass and in your back yard.  Chemical lawn fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides used at home are just as dangerous, toxic, and threatening to our health and the environment as chemicals used on farms.  The choice to eliminate chemicals from your home and life is a powerful and important act that will benefit your family's heath immediately.  To get started, look to the many free resources on the internet, like Rodale.com .

Organic Manifesto by Maria Rodale is available in any book store and even online.

While your out pick up a Womens Health Magazine. It's full of great way's to lose weight, simple exercises and super yummy recipe's. Or wait till you get a free subscription like I did. Don't worry, I will tell you when it comes around again!

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