Organic
Until we eat truly organic food, we are still exposing ourselves to agrochemicals. Eating organic also means we are getting more minerals and nutrients from our plants and vegetables.
As Maria Rodale writes in her Organic Manifesto, non-organic food is poisoning us:
“We are allowing a few major global corporations in collusion with our government to poison us along with the bugs, the fungi, the weeds, and the increasingly common crop diseases. What is wrong with us? Why do we seem to care so little about our own safety, our own health, and the future of our children? The most important point is that growing scientific evidence suggests that toxic chemicals we are using to grow food are destroying us.”
Just as we purify our minds, we must also purify our temples (the body) and our environment. We cannot purify the body if we continue to expose it to the toxins in our waters, cosmetics, sunscreens, shampoos, and other cleaning products. We need to do a complete overhaul of the products we consume.
If you don’t understand the ingredients list, then don’t purchase the product. we use coconut oil for everything body- and cooking-related, and vinegar for everything cleaning-related. We purchase only biodegradable products for laundry and soaps. we purchase handmade herbal products from Weaving Remedies and other herbal products from local women.
The Dirty Dozen
The Dirty Dozen is a list of the 12 most heavily pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables. This list is compiled every year by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization that advocates for public health and environmental protection.
The Dirty Dozen list is based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the amount of pesticides found in various fruits and vegetables. The list is intended to help consumers make informed decisions about which produce to buy organic and which are safe to buy conventionally.
The 2021 Dirty Dozen list includes the following fruits and vegetables in order of highest to lowest pesticide contamination:
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale, collard and mustard greens
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Cherries
Peaches
Pears
Bell and hot peppers
Celery
Tomatoes
According to the EWG, these fruits and vegetables contain the highest levels of pesticides even after they have been washed and peeled. In some cases, the pesticides found on these foods have been linked to cancer, reproductive harm, and developmental delays in children.
While the EWG recommends buying organic whenever possible, they acknowledge that it may not be feasible for everyone due to cost or availability. In these cases, they recommend washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly, and peeling when possible to reduce pesticide exposure.
It is important to note that the Dirty Dozen list is not meant to discourage people from eating fruits and vegetables altogether. The health benefits of consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables far outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. However, it is important to make informed choices and take steps to reduce exposure to harmful pesticides whenever possible.
Body Temple
Our body is our temple. What we feed it—pure water, food, information, and other products—is so important, as is the environment we live in. For me, going mostly plant-based is a lifestyle choice and ethic that we strive for. The research on plant-based and organic diets is compelling, but the real shift happened for me when we lived it.
Purifying the mind and body and feeding our temple in all ways are important parts of thriving. We mimic our environment. If we are sick, then the earth is too—and vice versa. We need to continually regenerate ourselves by taking care of our environment. We need to continually regenerate ourselves in order to take better care of our environment.
Meditation helps us to relax, decrease our stress levels, deal with anxiety, and sleep better. It’s not a surprise that this ancient practice is growing in popularity. Meditation roots us in the present moment, supporting our relaxation and our connection to nature. Fasting every year helps to restore our cells, while eating local, whole, plant-based, and organic foods is essential to keeping our life force vibrant and nourished.
As Maria Rodale of the Rodale Institute says in Organic Manifesto,
“Here is what we know: Plants, animals, and people have immune systems. When we are in the natural environment and take good care of ourselves—eat right, exercise, sleep well, use basic hygiene techniques, feel loved and cared for and actively take part in our communities—our immune systems are typically healthy and strong . . . . When we try to sterilize our environment (or the extreme, let it be truly dirty) or try to exterminate a weed, an insect, or a disease, nature fights back just as we would, launching even stronger attacks. The result is viruses, disease, and superpests that become resilient to pesticides. The more we try to isolate ourselves and control nature the weaker and more vulnerable we become.”
It’s all about the journey to getting in touch with yourself, your heart, and nature. It is not about immediate change. It’s about gently introducing yourself to a lifestyle that is healthier, more sustainable, and interconnected with all beings. It is about transitioning to living with more simplicity and health—for ourselves and the planet.