One of the questions I'm asked most often is, "Did pesticides in food cause my cancer?" It's very important to keep in mind that for any one person, we rarely can know what may lead to cancer. Cancer is a complex disease with many factors playing a role in its development. For some people, it's comforting to find an answer, or identify that one thing that "caused" their disease, but with cancer, this usually isn't possible.

However, when considering pesticides in the food we eat, it's reassuring to look at the big picture. Thousands of studies on nutrition and cancer have been conducted in many different groups of people. These studies consistently show that regardless of the form in which you eat your vegetables and fruit - whether they are fresh or frozen, raw or cooked, conventional or organic - the more of these foods that you eat, the lower your risk of cancer. Even more reassuring is the finding that eating more of these foods lowers risk not just of cancer, but of other chronic diseases too, including heart disease, type II diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and obesity.

I believe this tells us something important: If the harm of the pesticides in vegetables and fruit outweighed the benefits you get from eating these foods, you would not see these amazingly consistent results! These consistent results show us that these foods protect against disease and improve health, no matter how they are produced.

What do I eat?

Does this mean I think organic food is a waste of money? Absolutely not!

I eat mostly organic food and I strongly support more people moving to organic food. When pesticides are used in farming, they do go somewhere. We know that they don't remain on the food in large amounts. This means that these chemicals go into the air, the water, and the soil. When you consider this, it becomes clear that the less of these chemicals you add to the environment overall, the better. I believe that the more we can limit use of these chemicals, the better it is for the health of each and every one of us.

Also, I eat organic because I can. I’m very lucky because where I live, organic food is readily available and reasonably priced. Organically grown food is a bit more expensive than conventional produce, but I still believe it is worth the cost. Even though this food is more expensive and it may not make a difference in my personal health, I do feel that for the health of everyone, organic is the way to go.

One additional reason I chose organic is because I believe it’s important to support organic and sustainable agricultural practices as much as possible. By supporting this approach to food production, I hope to contribute to the “economies of scale”. In other words, the more we demand these foods, the more of them will be produced. This, in turn, will lead to better prices for everyone who wants to go organic. Also of importance to me is the health of those who produce my food. Even though it may not directly benefit my health to spend more for organic, I sleep better at night knowing that the foods I eat don’t adversely affect the health of the people who are growing it.

However, it’s important to keep the bottom line in mind. For each individual consumer, just eating more healthy food period is the most important step to take to improve health with a better diet . Eating more vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and legumes (beans) is the most important step you can take to improve health.

Keep Things in Perspective

To put this into perspective, ask yourself the following question. What is the fastest growing organic food sector? It is organic convenience and snack foods! This means that people are eating more organic food, but it’s mostly organic potato chips, crackers, cookies, and instant meals. Obviously, the benefits of going organic in these cases are small, at best.

What if organic isn’t an option for me?

All of these issues I’ve mentioned are important to remember because for some of us, eating organic food simply isn’t an option. We may not have organic choices available or we may not be able to accommodate the extra cost of organic in our food budget. Nobody should ever make the choice to not eat an apple, a salad, or any other healthy food just because it isn’t organic. You are always better off eating these foods, organic or not.

So, eat organic if you can, but always remember that simply making healthier food choices is the best step you can take to use nutrition to improve your health.

If you want to improve your health with good nutrition and other lifestyle changes, you can start by asking yourself the following questions.

1. Do I eat 10-12 servings of vegetables and fruit everyday?
2. Do I exercise regularly?
3. Do I sleep 8 hours a night?
4. Do I consume alcohol only in moderation or not at all?
5. Do I avoid all forms of tobacco?
6. Do I eat the wide variety of healthy foods necessary for good health?
7. Do I focus on including healthy fat in my diet, such as nuts, seeds, fish, flax, olive, and canola oils?
8. Do I avoid or limit processed foods?
9. Do I eat plenty of high fiber, nutrient-rich whole grains every day?
10. Do I avoid or limit fast food?
11. Do I maintain a healthy body weight?
12. Do I have enjoyment in my life and positive, supportive relationships with my family and friends?
13. Do I manage stress by engaging in hobbies and pastimes purely for pleasure?
14. Do I try new and different foods and beverages that can improve my health, such as green tea or kale?

The list of steps you can take to improve your health is endless.

If you focus only on eating organic food without first addressing these bigger issues, you won’t be taking advantage of all of the wonderful ways in which you can nurture yourself, inside and out. Focusing on only one small piece of this puzzle, such as organic food, is like a drop of water in the ocean. Instead, dive in and enjoy the whole experience!

So remember, eating organic is a great choice. I eat organic and support organic food production. But I do believe it is important to avoid fixating on this one issue. One should never avoid eating healthy food simply because it is not organic.

 

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Posted Mar 21 2007, 04:43 PM by SuzanneDixon