Why Organic and Ecological?
A lot has been said over the years both for and against organic/eco food and the organic/eco lifestyle. Supporters of all things ecological claim them to be the key to healthier living and boast about their many benefits while others complaint that it is all a hoax. The truth is that after all is said and done, there is scientific proof and testimony supporting that ecological products and the ecological lifestyle are in fact highly beneficial for you and can significantly improve your health and overall wellness.
So where is all this polemic coming from? Well, it is partly due to skepticism from those who are suspicious of any new trend but it also has to do with some misconceptions and myths that have spread as hard fact even among ecological food lovers.
To set the record straight, we’d have to start by clarifying what organic really means. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, organic products are the result of eco-friendly practices that ensure the “cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity." Organic products should be free of any synthetic additives including pesticides, engineered fertilizers, and all kinds of genetic manipulation.
Having an organic or ecological lifestyle extends beyond just what you eat. It includes making conscious, intelligent decisions about the products you use in every aspect of your life from cleaning, to personal hygiene, to what you drive, and of course your diet. But you’d also have to understand that choosing eco is about more than just your body, it’s about preserving your life source: this planet.
Eco products improve your health from the inside out but also from the outside in. By removing pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and other harmful additives from the process, you ensure that potentially damaging compounds like organophosphorus, a common chemical in most pesticides, don’t make it into your system. You’re also ensuring healthy soil which translates to more longevity for our planet and those in it, cleaner air, and a more self-sustaining, harmonious way of living.
Eco farming and production also increases the nutritional value of organic foods. There is scientific evidence to the fact that the antioxidants in eco foods are more effective than those in non-organic products. Incorporating products rich in antioxidants into your diet has a positive effect on preventing and treating conditions like cancer, heart disease, brain disease and other degenerative disorders related to cell damage.
One of the most attractive perks of having an eco lifestyle that will infuse your diet with higher, more effective doses of antioxidants is the effect it has on preventing premature aging. There’s not stopping time, that’s true, but there’s no reason why we should accelerate the aging process. The antioxidants in organic products stimulate cell regeneration maintaining our complexion and giving us that youthful, healthy look that reflects the way we are inside.
Consuming non-organic products, aside from having a lesser antioxidant effect, also contributes to pollution of our surroundings, creating more radiation for our skin and more toxic air for our lungs, all of which hits the pedal on the aging process.
There is also the benefit of avoiding risks associated with genetically engineered foods. Genetic manipulation of seeds and crops and its effect on long term health have not been thoroughly analyzed yet. There have been studies conducted with animal testing where genetically altered foods had a detrimental effect on the immune system’s response. Eco products, on the other hand, don’t impair your immune system at all. If anything, they boost it.
It is true that the door is open for a lot more research and speculation, but all in all, having an organic lifestyle and including organic products in your diet is worth the effort. On top of all the scientific evidence about the benefits of antioxidants and the absence of chemical additives in organic products, and even on top of all the personal testimonies from people whose health has been improved by taking to a more organic lifestyle, one thing is undeniable: organic living is healthier for our world. And that can only mean healthier for us and all generations to come.
