An organic diet can very well be the answer to many of life’s problems. At modern holistic health, we believe that to be the holy truth, and thus push our clients in the pursuit of leading a life saddled with a healthy amount of organic meals.
There have been proven studies that uncover the health benefits of an organic diet on both the mind and body. To pile onto those benefits, two recent studies are showing that eating organic can significantly lead to a reduction of pesticides in the body or lower pesticide exposure.
The Studies
According to an October 2019 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, a team of USC researchers selected 1288 children (aged 6-11) and 818 pregnant women from six European countries for the purpose of this study. The researchers took blood and urine samples from their subjects and tested them for levels of environmental toxins like heavy metals, parabens, phthalates, organophosphate pesticides, etc.
The urine and blood samples were then compared to the questionnaires related to their weekly diet. They found a positive correlation between eating conventional fruits and pesticide contamination of the blood and urine sample.
On the other hand, children who ate organic food at the very least once per week had significantly lower levels of heavy metals, parabens, phthalates, lead, etc. Based on this study, the authors of the study have concluded:
“supporting the choice of organically over conventionally grown fruits might be an effective way to increase the dietary quality of a population and the related beneficial health effects without increasing the possible risks related to pesticide exposure.”
The second study, which was conducted in January of 2019 and published in the journal Environmental Research, also showed substantial promise of organic foods dramatically decreasing pesticide exposure in its subjects.
In this study, the researchers studied 16 people coming from four demographically and geographically diverse families. They hailed from Baltimore, Atlanta, Oakland, and Minneapolis. They collected their urine samples and tested them to find over 14 different compounds of pesticides in their samples. This represents at least 40 different pesticides.
However, after six days on an organic diet, their overall pesticide levels dropped by a whopping 60.5 percent. The change was quite dramatic. The study further proved that an organic diet could reduce exposure to 4 classes of pesticides in just six days.
The Bottom Line
Both of these studies have proven how potent organic food can be when it comes to substantially reducing pesticides. Especially for children and pregnant women who are way more susceptible to its harmful effects than others. Out of all the pesticides tested, organophosphates reduced the most by 70%, which has been consistently linked to autism and reduced IQ in children.
The studies provide fundamental information to consumers who are seeking limited exposure to environmental toxins, which by an estimated can be hundreds and millions of pounds in one lifetime.
Tips to Go Organic
With so much produce in the market and information at our fingertips, the process of buying strictly organic produce can be overwhelming. Here a few tips to get you on the right track.
1. Buy in season – Buying in-season not only helps you save cash, but you also end up buying fruits and vegetables that are fresh and retain most of their nutritional value. These foods taste better and are way healthier than the ones bought off-season. You can do some quick research of your own and check which foods are in season.
2. Buy in Bulk – If you have the capacity to store and preserve food at home, than it is wise to buy food in bulk to last you the season, while also saving you some money.
3. Support Local Farmers – By purchasing from local farmers, you are not only ensured produce with integrity, but also helping support hardworking farmers and their families.
4. Selective Purchase – Try to buy organic varieties of fruits and vegetables from the grocery store.
Most produce in the market is heavily loaded with chemical pesticides. One way to ensure you are buying organic is to check the PLU (Price Look-Up) codes that help differentiate organic from conventional produce. If the produce is organic, the number will include 5 digits beginning with the number 9.
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Modern Holistic Health
3267 Bee Cave Rd, Ste. 107-187 Austin, TX 78746 - 512.550.7933 | (888) 260-3377
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