Monday, March 1, 2010

I Must Have A Really High Tolerance For Poison

I'm not really sure how I survived my childhood. I mean, I think the only organic food I ever ingested was dirt and maybe a rock or two. My mother would have busted a gut laughing if someone suggest to her that she purchase a gallon of milk for $6.00 because it was from a cow that was not treated with growth hormones, was free range, and was fed a vegetarian diet. Yet, here I am doing just that for my 6 year old daughter because I'm petrified that all of those growth hormones and additives are going to make her smell like a yeti and grow Dolly Parton boobs by the time she's 8 years old! The additive in milk jugs for non-organic milk that is in question here for me is BPA and the additives in the actual milk are rBST and rBGH, which contribute to increased incidences of colon and breast cancer according to http://www.purefood.org/.

"Bisphenol A, or BPA, is an industrial chemical used to line food cans, children's juice cartons, make plastic cling wrap, dental sealants, non-breakable plastic water bottles, etc.


There are some serious questions as to how BPA affects hormones as it is easily leached into our food and water.


BPA is considered a xenoestrogen, meaning a substance that adversely affects the estrogen in our bodies." -kidsorganics.com


I never grew Dolly Parton boobs even though I drank the evil hormone laced milk. I guess I just wasn't one of the lucky...er...unlucky ones affected by these hormones. I ate apples right off the tree at the orchard too. Perhaps that's why I glow a bit in the dark...no, that couldn't be it. *shrug*

Anyhow, I don't remember my mom ever shopping in the organic section of any store with the exception of during the summertime when a local family we were friends with had a produce stand. Even then I don't think that the fruits and veggies were necessarily grown without pesticides. So why in this day and age do I feel that I need to buy organically produced food items as often as I possibly can?

The answer is simple for me...back a generation ago, we did not have the information about how much healthier it is to eat most foods from organic sources. Now, please do not fret, the majority of foods are considered "safer" with the exception of short list of fruits and vegetables. If you can afford to buy organically then please do...especially for those of us with small children at home. We don't want a bunch of mutants running around, do we? Huh? Anyone?

Check this list out...it shows which types of produce should be bought organically and what items just have to be washed really well because the pesticides don't usually penetrate their skins...



On this list, I buy my carrots and apples organically. My local grocery store and even some of the specialty stores around me do not carry some of these items organically. My child is strange enough...I really don't want to add to things...freakish growth spurts, attention issues, growth delays, etc. I also always buy my milk organically. I like to picture organic cows as being more laid back than their hormon injected counterparts. 

"Peace, Love, and Moo." 

Groovy. 


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

it seems a sigh is in order.... sigh. we have to seriously consider switching some of this crap because what we ate was...crap. I do not want my girls growing ANYTHING... I did start buying soy milk which strangly I like? didn't see that one coming.

Anonymous said...

It scares me, the crazy things we eat. That's why I wish that I was stronger with my 'vegetarian phases'. They usually only last a month or two. :(

Melanie said...

Well, even if you go totally veggie in your diet you stillneed to be careful about pesticides and genetically altered fruits and produce. Food is not meant to be genetically altered. I figure if I do my best within my budget to provide as much organic/natural produce/milk/meats then that's a step in the right direction. I mean, I haven't grown a tail. Yet.

alicia said...

I can't get over that you are now spending $6 for milk!

Melanie said...

Yep. I have been buying organic milk for about 2 or 3 months steadily now. I mean, it's not the end of the world if we are somewhere that doesn't sell organic but I still prefer it.