As I am also an organic farmer, and have been for over 20 years, I have often heard the refrain that "it's only for the rich, and we couldn't afford it." Well, whilst there are clearly some for whom this may be true, the broader question is about how do we prioritise our health and the diet we choose to maintain and fuel this wonderful creation, our bodies.
We have a fantastically powerful and finely honed machine gifted to us by our parents (or someone else?), and one which is undertaking millions of functions per second. With anything less than the best "fuel", it is compromising our performance, and ultimately our longevity.
Can we afford not to eat the best, to fuel ourselves with the best? Need it break the bank? Well, to me, one of the biggest fallacies is that organic is expensive. The label price may be higher, although if one shops wisely even that is not necessarily true, and not significantly.
If one looks in the fridge of many homes, there will be waste. Ditto in the bins – food bought but never eaten. Same goes for many when they eat out! They pay large sums for a meal and then leave some uneaten! Bizarre – not least as they may well be protesting they cannot afford to eat the best.
Next one could address how much one eats. Looking at the average girth suggests there may be room for compromise there too. Why over-eat, apart from the fact that much food is “empty” and thus short of required and essential nutrients. Therefore be selective about what you eat and where it is grown, and originates.
One of the easiest ways to cut down intake is simply to eat slower, and chew more thoroughly. Try it and be surprised! A further spin-off benefit will be that you will digest your food more easily, and with less strain on your digestion. Hooray, it will say! Another tip one often reads, drink a large glass of water half an hour before eating. Simple, cheap and effective.
So, the same question arises on such things as our wheatgrass and broccoli sprout juices. Its all about priorities, and choices. I’m not here to dictate what anyone should do, but simply outline that there are options, and for some the priority of top-class health comes ahead of some other things. They also want to know that what they eat has been grown with the maximum amount of nutrients provided to ensure the genetic potential of the plant is fulfilled, and thus offers us the best nutritional return from what we eat.
It is sad that not everyone has the option to make these choices, but it seems to me that many more do have the choice than perceive they do.
