If it's not a holiday or vacation day, you may not realize what the celebration or labeled day or month is, but you should take note of this one. That is fruit and vegetable month, started with the intention of increasing awareness of the importance of those foods. (Hallmark cards are not to be found!). Fruits and vegetables are the best source of vitamins and nutrients for your health. This is why we recommend whole food supplements that contain nutrients from those foods, as Juice Plus+ does. There is no better place to get the antioxidants and vitamins you need than these whole foods, a plant-based diet.
There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in this labeled month. Not only are fruits and vegetables important, but the manner in which they come to us are too. Let's take a look at why you may want to consider organic --
We should celebrate. Florida is a fertile source for many produce favorites and when our growing season is over, our neighbors to the north are still harvesting delicious fresh vegetables and fruits for us to enjoy.
We learn that ignorance is bliss, however, when we discover that celery can be coated in 67 pesticides. Yes, sorry, that tuna salad in the fridge is possibly dosing your family with chemicals designed to kill weeds and creepy crawly pests.
However, a new report by nonprofit public health advocates Environmental Working Group is a blessing to all of us who like to keep our produce drawers full and our doctor visits to a minimum. The report is the result of poring through thousands and thousands of USDA pesticide reports. This determined which fruits and veggies have the best and worst chemical residue. Read more...
Comments: One thing to keep in mind- if you don't eat the minimum number of fruits and vegetables and you consume fast foods and other unhealthy foods, then the choice between organic and non-organic is not that important. Work on improving your diet one step before going further and seeking out all organic foods. It's enough for most people to work on avoiding fast foods and start drinking more water and eating more healthy foods. Here's more info on organic just to give you an idea --
Organic farming only uses naturally occurring chemicals or traditional remedies to control pests and diseases. According to public perception, organic food is the healthy option. Sales of organic produce have rocketed over the past few years with the organics industry sending out messages of safer, healthier food created by farming practices which are better for the environment. But is it really as good as we think? Critics argue that organic farming leads to the risk of contamination with potentially dangerous bacteria and mould toxins, and increased levels of 'natural pesticide' found in organic produce could even be as dangerous as synthetic chemicals.
So who do we believe? Are organic fruit and vegetables as harmless as they appear? And why do they cost so much? In this piece, common views about this subject are discussed. More info...
Comments: There are many criteria that makes a food qualify for the label 'organic'. The problem is that there are gray areas in the definition. You aren't going to go wrong by choosing organic, they will have higher amounts of quality vitamins and nutrients as opposed to non-organic. There is a book that you may want to check out for reference on what foods, what preparations, growing and raising methods, and more details related to diet that will educate you on whats best for your health. It's called 'What To Eat' by Marion Nestle. Marion provides lots of great information, data, facts, and well thought out opinions and conclusions about what she feels is best for you.
The bottom line: make the effort to eat more fruits and vegetables this month and every month and every day. They are the cornerstone of your good health and provide the vitamins and nutrients and antioxidants for the prevention of sickness and disease. Until you get enough of those foods, add Juice Plus+ whole food nutritional supplement to get added nutrients from a variety of fruits and vegetables.
The Health & Wellness Institute
Official Juice Plus+ Independent Distributor
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