Blue Mountains Organic Garden in Spring
I hold a strong belief that it’s our right to have access to clean water and clean food. Yet, ironically it’s often not the case due to the continual contamination of our water and food sources with toxic chemicals.
It may sound
as though I’m harping on this subject unnecessarily. Yet, this message is long
overdue and change is happening too slowly!
It was back
in 1972 that I became aware of the dangers of fluoride. I was working at the
Australian National University and a visiting professor from the United States
had undertaken a great deal of research on the subject. What he shared was
sufficient impetus for me to continue delving into research that wasn’t cited
in mainstream media.
Nowadays the
fluoride controversy continues, with very few towns choosing to have fluoride
free water. This does not mean that the issue is a non-event. In fact, the
latest issue of Nexus (www.nexusmagazine.com) contains a one page letter from Paul
Connett, Fluoride Action Network USA . He depicts a depressing situation here
in Australia due to bureaucratic decisions that are made without public
consultation. The Fluoride Action Network in the States can be found at www.fluoridealert.org. In Australia the website is www.fluoridealertaustralia.org.
I’m
mentioning fluoride because it’s only one of many chemicals that are found in
our water supply. A recent article in The Sun Herald (February 16th)
by Julia Medew states that “Chemicals affect children’s brains: study”. The
first paragraph of this news article reads:
“Leading
chemical experts are calling for a radical overhaul of chemical regulation to
protect children from everyday toxins that may be causing a global “silent
epidemic” of brain development disorders such as autism, dyslexia and
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.”
The research
article, published in The Lancet,
indicates that current regulations are inadequate to safeguard children from
potentially hazardous chemicals found in the environment. It goes on to list
the many hazardous chemicals and includes fluoride, a mineral found in water,
plants and toothpaste. According to everything I’ve read since 1972 fluoride is
added to the water supply – it is not naturally ‘found’ in water!
By the way,
as much as local authorities are keen to urge us to drink tap water I’ve found
that purchasing a water filter to be one way of reducing and minimizing
exposure to chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride. Not all water filters are
able to remove these toxins but if you search long and hard you will find a
water filtration system that works. And, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the
most expensive on the market!
The Organic Gardening Movement
It seems that
in recent years there’s been a dramatic increase in organic gardening. This is
indicative of a reversal from the mono-cropping agricultural system that’s been
adopted since the 1960s.
A new wave of
consumers is demonstrating an increased concern about the quality of their
food. They are flocking to organic garden centres to buy produce and to learn
how to grow their own food.
Urban
gardening and farming is one important step towards building a more sustainable
food system. Food grown and picked from your own garden is fresher, more
nutritious and certainly tastes much better than mass produced food that’s been
shipped long distances and stored for long periods of time.
I’ve noticed
there are now plenty of magazines and books on ‘how to’ grow vegetables, herbs
and even fruits in small spaces. It doesn’t matter if you have limited space,
just growing a few plants in large pots and ensuring they are kept watered and
get sufficient warmth and sunlight will produce a great crop.
As much as it
is easier to just go and buy what is needed from the local supermarket in the
long term it’s not healthier for you to rely on the convenience factor.
A recent
article published on www.naturalnews.com entitled “Battle for humanity nearly lost: global food supply deliberately
engineered to end life, not nourish it” depicts a very bleak picture. One
paragraph reads:
“GM
(genetically modified) corn is engineered to grow a deadly toxin inside each
and every grain of corn. This deadly toxin is then consumed by all the people
who unknowingly eat genetically engineered crops via breakfast cereals, corn
tortillas, corn snack chips, etc. This mass poisoning of the population is
clearly intentional, as it is deliberately engineered into the crops which are
grown for the sole purpose of human and animal consumption. This mass poisoning
is not accidental, in other words, and in fact the technology is promoted under
the justification that it will “feed the world”. Indeed it will feed the
world…poison.”
It’s not just
GMOs that pose a grave danger to the health of humans and animals. It’s also
the heavy metal contamination found in many processed products; as well as bleach
and other chemicals used in the processing of foods.
What can you do?
·
Avoid
purchasing processed foods. This means no more pre-packaged meals, sauces,
curries, etc.
·
Avoid
all processed meats as they contain sodium nitrite (carcinogenic). This means
eliminating bacon, sausage, ham, deli meats, hot dogs, pepperoni pizza and even
beef jerky. (When you purchase biodynamic meat you can make your own beef
jerky, and this avoids the addition of chemical additives.)
·
Grow
your own food – or as much as is possible. Just make sure you use organic seeds
or purchase organic seedlings!
·
Purchase
chemical free produce from local farmers.
·
Purchase
from a CSA in the States. Here in Australia purchase from Aussie Farmers Direct
(at www.aussiefarmers.com.au)
·
Avoid
all sodas, fruit juices and anything containing artificial sweeteners.
Aspartame is an added ingredient in many ‘diet’ drinks. It’s toxic to the human
biology and it’s a well-documented fact that all artificial sweeteners have
harmful side effects if consumed regularly.
·
Be
sceptical of products that contain the label “Natural” and are processed or
refined in some way.
·
Check
for countries of origin as some countries (China especially) have been found to
produce foods with heavy metal contamination.
Change Food Preparation
Our taste
buds have become accustomed to refined, processed foods that contain additives,
artificial sweeteners and flavors. When working with clients I’ve found that
it’s not easy for people to change their eating habits, especially as so many
foods that are heavily chemicalized contain ingredients that are addictive.
1.
My
recommendation is to always make one change at a time. If you can’t do without
pizza regularly then learn to make your own. Find ways to use organic
vegetables creatively, add spices and herbs, and come up with your own
variations on the popular pizzas. This may mean making your own dough and
tomato sauce, picking fresh herbs and vegetables, etc.
This
may take longer but it also helps you fully connect with the food you are about
to consume. It creates a ‘bond’ and a feeling of being creative! And, best of
all there’s the satisfaction of knowing you made the meal you’re eating – that
is enormously exciting.
2.
Buy
lots of vegetables and fruits each week and then figure out what you’re going
to create with them. It’s exciting to purchase unfamiliar vegetables and to
learn what to do with them – it certainly breaks the monotony of eating the
same foods every week that require little or no preparation.
3.
Make
your own curries, sauces, dressings, etc. from scratch using organic
ingredients and use them within a few days. Organic food doesn’t last for
weeks, it begins to rot if left too long.
Recently
I was tempted and bought a bottle of honey mustard dressing from the local
farmers’ markets. While this tasted great I found that the contents of the
bottle didn’t in any way go ‘off’, it obviously had something in it to help
preserve the contents. My own organic, fresh creation lasts 2-3 days before
going ‘off’ – and I much prefer it as I know that I’m eating food that is live!
4.
Include
some enzyme rich organic vegetables and/or fruits with every meal. Our bodies
become depleted of enzymes as we age. Enzymes are found in abundance in organic
fruits and vegetables. Including a small serving of these before a cooked meal
assists with the body’s assimilation and absorption of nutrients.
5.
Experiment
with new foods. Try fermented foods such as kim chi or sauerkraut and see if it
makes a difference to your digestion. Add lots of greens – whether it be in
salads, green smoothies or wheatgrass shots.
6.
As
you make changes you’ll find that your body changes. Become aware of what your
body ‘likes’ and ‘needs’. Stop eating foods that cause tiredness, lethargy,
headaches and digestive disorders.
Organic Bodies Need Organic Foods
The human
body is an amazing organism. It is alive and needs a lot of fuel to keep it
being healthy and strong. It’s a myth that as we age we can expect ill health
and deteriorating functioning. In reality we have the potential and ability to
live to more than 120 years. But we can only do so if we treat our treasured
body with respect and ensure that it only ever gets the very best quality food
and water.
The greatest
threat to our health unfortunately comes from the manufacturers of mass
produced processed and refined foods.
David Suzuki,
geneticist, is reported as saying:
“Any
politician or scientist who tells you these (GMO) products are safe is either
very stupid or lying.”
By avoiding
the foods that are refined and processed you’re supporting your body back into
health and balance. By avoiding these foods you’re also sending a strong
message to the companies that believe it’s okay to contaminate our food
supplies.
It’s not okay
for us to eat food that’s not real food but a chemical imitation.
I suggest -
if you’d like to become more proactive - then become a member of the Slow Food
movement (www.slowfood.org).
It’s an international movement dedicated to the growing, production and eating
of foods in the traditional ways.