A big concern to me

[puffysmom]

I woke up this morning with a worry and thought to bring it here. I have been Raw for almost 3 months. The worry is i cannot find organic except in lemons, spinach and tomatos so here i am drinking glasses of green smoothies which r not organically grown and u know they have to have pesticides on it. I picture myself drinking huge glasses of pesticides from the original container. How can this be healthy for people like me who does not have the right foods available? Can anyone cancel my fears on this? I think it is one reason my psoriasis has not cleared up like it should have by now. I live in the North country with small stores around. Last time i saw organic apples was almost 2 months ago. At the price of gas I cannot afford to drive 75miles to the big city to get the things i need. Is it worth the tradeoff to just do Raw? I feel so much better but know i prob would feel better yet if i was eating organic. I do have a garden growing and the one thing i can start cutting is the spinach. LOLOL. Kale is coming along but slow.
Just want your opinion on this. The program is Raw Organic. Not just Raw from what i have been reading in the books.

[Damzlfly]

Are you washing your vegetables? Maybe you can get a vegetable wash, or you can use a diluted vinegar water solution. Would that ease your mind? I don't get organic everything because the prices are outrageous when its out of season, and in the summer I frequent the farmers markets. I wash everything whether its organic or not.

[Revvell]

Is it worth the tradeoff to just do Raw? I feel so much better ....

What tradeoff? What could you be doing instead that would be more beneficial? Cooking doesn't eliminate pesticides; there are even more pesticides in animal products.

Eating raw is already proving it's worth. IF I were you and didn't want to make the 75 mile journery (one way or round trip?) I would grow sprouts. Very fast and full of nutrients.

Revvell

[babyphat1989]

im with you on this one, luckily one of my stores in town started selling organic stuff. so its been alot easier for me. but maybe you can go to one of your grocery store managers and ask them if they wouldnt mind selling more organic produce. its worth a try. thats what i would do in your case or buy organic produce online. just google it and see what comes up.

[vgloveforlife]

I agree with babyphat-request more organic at your local store. Do you have any farmers markets in the area?

[RowanC]

There are some fruits and vegetables that are less of a concern if they are not organic. Somewhere on here is a list posted. Things with thicker skins like bananas, oranges, pineapples, and avocados are things I buy NOT organic sometimes. Things that are sprayed the most include bell peppers (red and green) and peaches, of all things. Do a search. The list is very good. Maybe someone has the link.

Just do the best you can. As Revell said, cooked food is not organic. Buy organic when you can, and when you can't, but regular and just wash it good.

You can only do what you can do.

I don't think just eating the few foods you mentioned in smoothies is going to be as good as a full varied diet. That's just my opinion.

Good luck.

[Morn]

I do not eat all organic either. For one reason availability, second the price of organic/my budget. I buy organic when I can and when it is reasonable. I use grapefruit seed extract that I got at the healthfood store to soak my vegetables in that are not. I think there are many on this site that don't buy all organic. We all do the best we can do!:)

[Sleek98]

I picture myself drinking huge glasses of pesticides from the original container.
honey, you've got to get this picture out of your mind when you are drinking/eating your food. Instead picture your thankfullness for the many nutrients it is supplying to your body, and see what happens. I always say a blessing on my food in the hopes to make up any lack that I don't have control over. ;)

[Wendee]

If this helps at all, and is allowed to say on this board, I will give you my ideas on this issue.

When I am worrying about and doubting my food choices, I pray over my food an extra prayer to ask God to bless it and purify it, then, I can't go wrong, right? Afterall, He is the creator of the food, he can SURLEY purify it, too! :)

Please delete this if this is not allowed to say on this board and my apologies if that is the case.

[Ariannah]

I don't eat all organic. Organic is actually last on my list of criterion. I look at the produce and if it looks fresh and crisp and if the fruit looks crunchy and sweet, then I know that is nutritious food for me to eat.

Much of the organic produce I see is wilted, limp, and doesn't look like it has "life" in it. When I see organic produce that meets the "appeal" criteria and the price isn't too bad, then I go for that.

I'm a "let your TASTE be your guide" raw fooder.

[blacktulip]

For me, I believe that organic is SO very important, and do all that I can to make sure it's the majority of what i buy. . . not only for my health (i can taste the chemicals when i eat something unorganic, my super sensitive system makes me feel like the princess and the pea only it's the princess and nonorganic food!!! hey that would make a funky contemporary children's fairy tale!)
but also for the health of our planet, and i believe that voting with our dollars is so very crucial to changing things.

It's too bad you can't find organic produce, do you keep asking the manager of your local supermarkets, friends and i have found that the more we asked (no matter how much we felt like pests) the sooner it came along and the more they got in.
There is an online company i stumbled upon that ships organic produce from california, and while i prefer to buy local, if it's not possible, i think this company is a good option. It's not too expensive, and they have a good selection and ship immediately, so it's most likely fresher than what you'll find in your supermarket that's been on a truck for awhile, and then sitting on the shelves. So you get more crucial nutrients still intact!

I also agree with the previous posts, that mentioned sprouting ( a very good way to get cheap and nutritious and organic food in large amounts) and the few things with thick skins that are a bit less harmful to buy nonorganic, like avocados.

We all are responsible for making our own choices. . . and you are already on the right track for even having this debate with your shopping choices!
Good luck with pestering the store managers and just google the organic produce, i can't remember the name right now, if i do, i'll post it here.

[rawsurfer]

i think your mind intention is so very important. in "the power of water", pure water from pristine sources had beautiful crystals when frozen and viewed under a microscope. this same water was then given copious amounts of negative energy and refrozen and viewed. these crystals were very ugly and displeasing.

i have read in "No Time For Karma" (notimeforkarma.com) that you can get 2 similar tomatoes, and bless one and do nothing to the other, and kept separately, the blessed tomatoe will dehydrate and the unblessed will rot.

i agree with whoever said it that god or the universe or whatever tag you wish to put on the name of universal love can heal anything. if you cant get the top quality produce you desire, give it your love and bless it for the utmost nourishment of your body. you cant go wrong.

[blacktulip]

what rawsurfer says is absolutely beautiful and absolutely true. eat and live with beautiful and compassionate intention. practice mindful eating as well as mindful living!

[RowanC]

I always say a blessing on my food in the hopes to make up any lack that I don't have control over. ;)

This is a simple truth. No matter what your religious beliefs are (or are not) the act of blessing your food LITERALLY changes the molecular structure of the crystals of water in the food to postive.

Anyone interested in this theory/fact can reserach Dr. Emoto's MESSAGES FROM WATER. It's fascinating.

[barose]

This is a simple truth. No matter what your religious beliefs are (or are not) the act of blessing your food LITERALLY changes the molecular structure of the crystals of water in the food to postive.

Anyone interested in this theory/fact can reserach Dr. Emoto's MESSAGES FROM WATER. It's fascinating.

Great advice - you learn something new everyday. :)

[puffysmom]

Yes I do wash everything I eat. I soak a lot of it in cold water to make sure it is clean. I do know that fruit and veggies r sprayed during their whole growing process so that means the pesticide gets into the whole plant. It is not just a surface thing. I think I will give up my Kale cause if it does not have bug holes than it has been sprayed. I do eat grapefruit that I know does not get sprayed much as i lived in Florida for many years and nothing every bothered my fruit trees. I now have spinach in the garden so that will help. I have some sprouts going right now.
I am a religous person and so I will do what u say. I will say a prayer over my food all the time. It is how i was taught while growing up but never thought of it in quite this way. Bless it first so it is safe. Good idea. Thanks everyone.
As far as local stores carrying organic they used to. They have cut way back due to spoilage as there r not enough local people who r willing to spend the money. Also I live in Northern Wis. No farmers market except in the summer months and they charge more than the stores do but by then I will have my own garden produce. Come fall i plan to plant boxes of greens in my greenhouse for the winter so for now I guess it is as everyone has said. Say a prayer and then eat.

[chiefchewy]

there is a great soak that helps remove chemicals from your food.. it will sound a bit strange but hear me out...
This is called Dr Parcell's Clorox food bath...
Clorox is not the same as chlorine- which is linked to heart disease and cancer- Clorox is sodium Hypochlorite which breaks down into salt and water.

This has an oxygenating value also, that increases the shelf life while removing bacteria and toxins from food. I use it on anything non organic I buy.
1 tsp clorox to 1 gallon water

Leafy veges-15 minutes
Meat (for those who have to feed SAD people in your house) 20 min

everything else 30 min...
after the soak, rinse, put in clear water for 10 minutes, dry and store

An alternative is 3/4c apple cider vinegar or 3% hydrogen peroxide however the detox benefit is not close to the clorox bath.

Chewy