Rebecca Smith A.S.K C.M.H. C.Hyp P.N.L.P
Systematic Kinesiologist, Hypnotherapist, Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming
7, Barclays Bank Chambers, High Street, Newport, Shropshire. TF10 7AU
Phone: 01952 813348 Mobile: 07976 819938 Web: www.newportcomplementaryhealthclinic.co.uk

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Go Organic

Who wants to live to a ripe old age, enjoying excellent health and wellbeing and living life to the full?  Most of us I’m sure!  But how do we do this?  By making the choice to take a really keen interest in how our bodies function, that’s how.  Most of us know that food plays a key role in our health, but looking at food in peoples shopping trolley makes me wonder.  For many years there has been much talk of organic food and why we should be eating it.  But has there been enough talk?

Hands up who eats organic?  Why are there not more of us?  I’m not certain but can make some guesses based on my client’s opinions.

Some frequent questions and my thoughts…

How can you be sure that it’s really 100% organic?

You can’t!  You have to accept that if you have a good supplier, strict rules and regulations have to be adhered to.  Do people question how the processed food they eat from well known fast food chains has been produced?  That due to it’s processing, the food looked and tasted so bad, that heaps of fat and sugar had to be added just to make it edible?  I don’t think so!  People are not suspicious of the foods they enjoy, only the foods they don’t.

Why is it so expensive?

It is more expensive due to the way the food is produced.  Organic food production is more labour intensive.  As harmful chemicals are not used, more labour has to be employed to produce the food.  Families 100 years ago placed a higher value on food, therefore spent a higher percentage of their household income on it.  Studies show that these days we spend much less of our money on good quality food, choosing leisure activities, holidays, cars and modern technology instead.  What are your priorities?

Is it really better for me?

There seem to be conflicting reports on this.  I’m suspicious of the companies who carry out the studies (often a processed food giant).  It has been reported that some chemicals used in modern food production are damaging to the body, so surely food that does not contain them must be better for us and besides, the taste is fantastic!

Eating food in the way nature intended is always the best option.  There is a thought that to mess with “Mother Nature” is a dangerous practice and maybe Mother Nature has not been respected for years, so is the penalty now increased heart disease and cancer etc? It’s just a thought.  Apply that thought to the science of genetically modified foods and cloned animals!  Is that natural?

The debate is huge and will continue.  Modern life has dictated change, not all bad, but where food is concerned, maybe so.  We have high statistics of death from heart attacks, 1 in 3 of us will get cancer, 1 in 9 women will get breast cancer, and diabetes is at an all time high.  The medical research companies may be looking in the wrong place for a cure.  Maybe there isn’t one, only treatment that is so chemically toxic to our bodies that we may not die from the disease being treated, but from the side effects of the drugs.  Drugs do have their place but maybe less would be needed if we were better educated in the ways of a healthy diet.

To be informed is a powerful thing.  For example, many of my diabetic clients have developed the illness after a lifetime of abusing sugar in their diets, which places a huge strain on the pancreas to produce insulin.  After years of this demand, the pancreas wears out and insulin is needed from outside the body, via injection.  Does this mean that if people were correctly educated on the dangers of sugar and processed food, that we would see a decrease in diabetes over the next 50 years?

We all have a choice.  Be a statistic or take a real interest in our health.  Going organic is a really great way to start with food looking and tasting better.  It goes off more quickly but that indicates the absence of chemicals.  Most good organic vegetables are un -washed, the soil helping to maintain freshness and if you’re really lucky, you may get a caterpillar or two in your cabbage!

Support your local growers, farm shops and organic veg box schemes that are dedicated to providing quality, real food.

So please don’t wait to be informed, inform yourself and enjoy a healthy life.

Rebecca Smith at Newport Complementary Health Clinic.