6 Ways To Buy Organic On A Budget

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1. Put your green bargaining cap on and talk with farmers at the markets to negotiate a lower price for your produce. We know they work hard for their money but it can’t hurt to ask. Bartering for fare isn’t as strange as it sounds. Maybe they’ll unload the less popular fruits and vegetables for less too.

2. Everyone’s looking for the perfect specimen. You might want to choose produce that’s been passed over, because of minimal bruising and spotting, and ask for a lower price. Let’s face it, basil is going to wilt anyways once you chop it up or cook it so buying some that’s already on its way isn’t going to affect its flavor. It just means that you’ll want to use it sooner than later — which isn’t a bad thing.

3. More and more of the bigger food warehouse stores (like Sam’s Club, for example) are carrying organic items. If you can buy in bulk (dried beans, rice, canned tomatoes, organic coffee, etc.) this will save you a few dollars too. If you want to buy vegetables in greater quantities because of price, some will freeze nicely if slightly blanched beforehand. Asparagus, green beans, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, turnips and squashes can all be frozen.

4. Before you go to the Farmer’s Market and get pulled into the romance of it all (“I must have those gorgeous garlic scapes – now what do I do with them?”), plan ahead and go with a set list in mind. If an item is too expensive because it’s just come in season, wait a week and the price may go down.

5. The proliferation of websites that sell organic food and related items is ever-growing and with the incentive of free shipping on some sites, this may be a great alternative for you. Amazon.com is even dabbling in selling organic grocery store items, so you’ll have a variety of sources from which to choose.

6. Just as you search for coupons in your local supermarket flyers (or watch them haphazardly fall out of your weekend newspaper), many of the organic brand websites offer a way to print out coupons too. If you don’t have access to a printer, some of the websites will simply send you the coupons if you supply your snail mail address.

What To Do When You Can't Find Organics Or Pesticide-Free Fruits and Vegetables? If you don't have the advantage of buying organic and your local supermarket only carries fruits and vegetables that have been sprayed with pesticides, reduce your risk by finding out which ones are the worst. Check: Reducing Your Risk To Pesticides: 47 Fruits and Veggies and Their Pesticide Load

Source: http://preventdisease.com

47 Fruits and Veggies and Their Pesticide Load

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Every year, new research is published showing the toxicity of pesticides to human health and the environment, often at doses previously declared "safe" by the pesticide industry and the government. 

As acknowledged by the U.S. and international government agencies, different pesticides have been linked with a variety of toxic effects, including:

·         Nervous system effects

·         Carcinogenic effects

·         Hormone system effects

·         Skin, eye and lung irritation

Pesticides are unique among the chemicals we release into the environment; they have inherent toxicity because they are designed to kill living organisms, insects, plants, and fungi that are considered "pests." Because they are toxic by design, many pesticides pose health risks to people, risks that have been acknowledged by independent research scientists and physicians across the world.

Protecting our families' health from chemical exposures can start with minimizing children's exposure to pesticides. It is now well established that pesticides pose a risk to vital organ systems that continue to grow and mature from conception throughout infancy and childhood. Exposure to pesticides and other toxic chemicals during critical periods of development can have lasting adverse effects both in early development and later in life. The metabolism, physiology, and biochemistry of a fetus, infant or child are fundamentally different from those of adults; a young, organism is often less able to metabolize and inactivate toxic chemicals and can be much more vulnerable to the harmful effects of pesticides. The nervous system, brain, reproductive organs and endocrine (hormone) system can be permanently, if subtly, damaged by exposure to toxic substances in-utero or throughout early childhood that, at the same level, cause no measurable harm to adults. The developing brain and endocrine system are very sensitive, and low doses at a susceptible moment of development can cause more of an effect than high doses. It is especially important to reduce pesticide exposures of babies and young children so as to minimize these risks.

What Can I Do to Reduce My Risk?

Addressing the risks of pesticide exposure first and foremost requires information, which is frequently made unavailable to the general public by the government agencies. To counteract this trend for secrecy, EWG believes that:

People have a right to know what's in their food, so they can choose foods with less pesticides.

·    The government can and should take steps to dramatically reduce the number and amount of toxic chemicals, including pesticides, in the food supply.

Each of us can opt for food safety today by choosing to purchase produce low in pesticides and by buying organically-raised fruits and vegetables as frequently as possible. With this first step we can protect our families' health and preserve our own future and the future of the environment from the harmful effects of pesticides.

The following chart ranks the highest (100 score) and lowest (1 score) pesticide loads of popular fruits and veggies. 

RANK	FRUIT OR VEGGIE	SCORE
1 (worst)	Peach	100 (highest pesticide load)
2	Apple	93
3	Sweet Bell Pepper	83
4	Celery	82
5	Nectarine	81
6	Strawberries	80
7	Cherries	73
8	Kale	69
9	Lettuce	67
10	Grapes - Imported	66
11	Carrot	63
12	Pear	63
13	Collard Greens	60
14	Spinach	58
15	Potato	56
16	Green Beans	53
17	Summer Squash	53
18	Pepper	51
19	Cucumber	50
20	Raspberries	46
21	Grapes - Domestic	44
22	Plum	44
23	Orange	44
24	Cauliflower	39
25	Tangerine	37
26	Mushrooms	36
27	Banana	34
28	Winter Squash	34
29	Cantaloupe	33
30	Cranberries	33
31	Honeydew Melon	30
32	Grapefruit	29
33	Sweet Potato	29
34	Tomato	29
35	Broccoli	28
36	Watermelon	26
37	Papaya	20
38	Eggplant	20
39	Cabbage	17
40	Kiwi	13
41	Sweet Peas - Frozen	10
42	Asparagus	10
43	Mango	9
44	Pineapple	7
45	Sweet Corn - Frozen	2
46	Avocado	1
47 (best)	Onion	1 (lowest pesticide load)

Source: http://preventdisease.com

Study Finds GMO Long-term Effects are Terminal

Of course you're not going to like this: 

These are images of rats that have been consuming genetically modified corn with trace levels of Monsanto's Roundup chemical fertilizer. Studies have shown that this has caused the rats to develop tumors, extensive organ damage, and premature death. 

This is the conclusion from a new study that looked at the long-term effects of consuming Monsanto's genetically modified corn. This is something they never do before releasing it to the public.

A few bits from the study:

The study was published in The Food & Chemical Toxicology Journal

The study was led by a man named Gilles-Eric Seralini from the University of Caen and it was the first ever study to examine the long-term effects of eating GMOs. Ya I know what your thinking... WHAT? Ya... First Ever. Normally you would expect the food be tested and approved for long-term effects but no. 

- Obviously and literally - "Ain't no body got time for that"

Some quotes from the report:

"The animals on the GM diet suffered mammary tumors, as well as severe liver and kidney damage. The researchers said 50 percent of males and 70 percent of females died prematurely, compared with only 30 percent and 20 percent in the control group."

"Scientists found that rats exposed to even the smallest amounts, developed mammary tumors and severe liver and kidney damage as early as four months in males, and seven months for females."

You might want to think twice or even thrice before buying your next set of shopping.

Want some sources? Sure you do -

http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/topics/technology-and-supply-chain/monsanto-weedkiller-and-gm-maize-in-shocking-cancer-study/232603.article

How about another? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2205509/Fresh-fears-GM-foods-French-study-finds-rats-fed-controversial-crops-suffered-tumours-multiple-organ-failure.html

The international journal of biological sciences:

 http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm

And if you live in California - Prop 37 is still pushing to label these foods:

http://www.carighttoknow.org/