Sometimes it seems like we can't win...

[RawMagnolia]

Well this is a bit of a bummer msg.... but only a bit.

I can't help but feel sometimes like "why bother even trying??"... and this is because when I search the internet for RAW info. it really seems like if you're not doing organic then you're just not doing good enough. I won't let this kind of thinking stop me however, like I let it do last year.

But it sure is frustrating when

a) there just isn't enough money to order all organic

b) there is no place around to buy organic from

c) those places that say they are 100% pure organic are just full of bs.

Referring to part c)... last year when I got interested in RAW I was talking to a co-worker of mine about going for organic produce, and this is what he told me. His friend is was a local "organic" farmer, and so he started to ask him about organic being better than "regular" produce, and his friend said "well really... organic is just bs anyway, all it means is that we go out and spray our fields late at night when no-one can see us. B/c you just cannot get good looking produce without spraying for the bugs, b/c they'd destroy your crop otherwise".

OMG! How frustrating was that to hear :confused: Even the ones who toute themselves as "organic" are not following the code :mad: So I got so mad, and just said "to heck with it all then".... "my hubby doesn't like that I'm doing this... and none of it is real anyways... grrr".

This time around I won't let that part of it get to me (although it does), and I'm just doing the best I can to make sure that I eat lots of fruits and veggies, even if they aren't organic. I wish it was simplier to achieve perfection.

Sandra

P.S. Does anyone know if "Zehers" organic section is truly "organic"??

[Rawkinlocs]

Check out this thread, WannaBRaw: http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=78634&highlight=organic#post78634

and pay special attention to the post by Cornvalley. As you stated, you just do the very best that you know to do and that you can do. All the worry and stress is far worse for you in the long run than inorganic food could ever be! Keep peace within yourself, be happy, try to live stress-free and eat organic when you can/if you can and like you said, don't let all the whooplah get to ya!

[misslinda]

Wannabraw, I[m sorry you feel BLAH about raw right now but really........

no matter if we are talking food or clothes, there is always some chance of huxter business. Sometimes, third party info is not always as accurate as it's told not to discredit you friend.

Be a mouse like LQQKING for CHEEZ (raw)!

There are honest farmers out that really care about what a real apple taste like are eco -friendly plus have concerns for the health/well being of himself/herself and others out there.

You can search (word of mouth or gabbing with other people)for local families that grown their won organic foods and see if they would be willing to sell to you. I met a lady who has a huge garden and sells to family and friends.

Build form what you have and grow on that! You're doing awesome and the only direction from here is upward!!!

I would love to have a Vita-mix but my medical bills take precedent so in a sense, I feel "limited" heaing about what everyone can do with it etc........however I'm happy with my FP for now.

What does your inventory consist of now?

[RawMagnolia]

MissLinda... my inventory... do you mean what produce do I buy now??

Currently I am buying

Bananas
Strawberries
Oranges
Pineapple
Grapes
Apples
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Field Greens (organic YAY)
romain lettuce
parsley (but don't like it yet)
Celery
Carrots
Coconuts
hmmm... probaby more...

but at any rate I try to get a variety of things

[misslinda]

where are you from?



I know it's frustrating not to get all organic but at least your cutting out ALOT of the garbage that is in processed cooked foods. There are folks here that cannot get orgainc for whatever reasons or cna't afford them and still get results form raw.

You are making RAWSOME choices and that has to be acknowledged and give YOURSELF credit for doing that!!!! :)

One thing you could do is order organic seeds and sprout your own greens. Imagne the collection you could grow??



;) :)

[RawMagnolia]

I'm in Ontario... can't wait for winter to leave so that I can start to prepare my garden... already thinking about extending it LOL.

It's amazing how many ways I can try to talk myself into those little (well BIG for me) indulgenses, and out of RAW.

One of my BIG eating discressions is processed crap. I grew up on it. All those things you can quickly "zap" in the microwave, and have a meal in 5 minutes or less... as well as all those pastries and chocolates, etc. So this is usually what gets me. I wish that my biggest problem was that I might eat some home made vegetarian soup... lol.

I have a couple other things that get me questioning my RAW choices. I'm one of those "I want the results NOW" ppl. I want my body to shrink NOW, I want all that mucous gone NOW... I want my eyesight to improve NOW, I want my eye colour to become dramatic NOW... I want, I want, I want... and I want it all NOW.

Man have I got issues to deal with. :D

Hopefully by continueing to add more and more fresh produce into my diet I will begin to see some positive changes, and not just feeling the "ug... I can't eat that now".

One good thing that has happened is that by eating all these fruits and veggies the diet pop just doesn't taste good anymore. I used to be a diet coke fiend. And now I go days without one... hopefully they are gone for good now. I used to drink one whenever I got a headache (which was often) in order to be rid of the caffine headache... and it most usually worked. And because I'm no longer drinking the coke I'm now drinking water. And lots of it... b/c I KNOW that I need to... I've been dehydrated for far to long now.

Anyways, I do want to experiment with sprouting... and see if I can't start to grow some little sunflowers or something for my salads. It was fun the last time I tried. But I was doing mung beans (seeds from bulk barn) and some of them didn't sprout, which caused all sorts of sorting work for me... which b/c I tend to be lazy gave me an excuse to quit sprouting.

Man... excuses... I have tonnes.

But for now I am just going to do the best I can do.

Thanks for the tips!!
Sandra

[misslinda]

Sandra, even adding scertainherbs or spices can enhance your rawness and results. Cayenne is excellent of mucous removal. Celtic sea salt too. Tarragon is an excellent decongestant. Mustard seed powder that you can make into salad dressing is a powerful detoxifier and rids mucous.........clove kills parasites................good ole water is powerful........

sorry, just kind of throwing things out here so you know the options are endless

Ontario? wow, no health food stores or the like?

[rawpriestess]

WHEN YOU FEEL FRUSTRATED

BE EXCITED!!!

this means that you KNOW it can be better, which means it WILL be better,

when you say there isn't enough money for organic, what exactly do you mean?

This is how that translates, I do not want to pay XYZ that the store/farmer/co-op is asking for organic.

that is all it means.

When it comes to cable TV people don't mind paying $50 a month, or a cell phone $50 a month, or parking, or latte's etc.

but organic to too expensiver? compared to what, going to the doctor and dentist? electric bills for cooking?

etc.

We grow our own food and yes it takes a lot of work, but not much money, now many people would love to have our food, but don't want to do the work, so should we just give it to them for free? then what is our time worth?

We don't have farm, although our friends think we do.

Everything is a trade off, if you wish to NOT grow your own food, then you must buy it, and if you wish to be healthy then you must buy the best food you can afford.

Paul Nison said in a lecture that I went to just recently, that organic is much less expensive than non organic, HOW can he say this you ask?

Well, one organic apple may be $2.00, and one non-organic apple may be $.50, but it takes 5 non-organic apples to give you the nutrients of the organic one, hense the organic is actually cheaper, way cheapre, because then you won't be paying the high cost of doctors, dentists and nursing homes as you get older.

I've written on this board many times about how I spend so much less than most people on food, and everything else, but look at what I don't buy,

produce
nuts
veggies
water
clothes
fertilizer
much electricity
shampoos
deoderants
soaps
dish soap
laundry soap
cosmetics
anything in a box or can or package
anything frozen
meat
dairy
eggs
ice creams
newspapers
TV
mtv
radio
magazines
cable
satalite dish
much gasoline
much water
water filters
water purifiers
bandaids
medications
doctor visits
dentist visits
chiropractic visits
any kind of healing visits
therapy
manicures
pedicures
underwear
jeans
dresses
hats
gloves
shoes
purses
bags
towels
___________________________
we buy nothing, if you saw our monthly bills, you would be amazed, we spend hardly any money, yet live in luxury, how do we do it?

because we use what we have, we don't go out and buy anything new, and if we do, we buy the very best, like say towels, about 15 years ago, I bought some sheets, and towels, I'm still using them, because I bought the best, one set of sheets is all we own, but they were good ones, we don't use detergents, so they don't get all ruined, and we don't use a dryer, so they dont' get tossed around, for 15 years, I've been sleeping on the same set of sheets, once a week or so, I toss them in the wash, water only, sometimes I use a little honey, or borax crystals, (very rare) and then I toss them on the line, or up in the house, if it's raining outside, they dry in a couple of hours, then back on the bed.

I bought about 12 towels, 15 years ago, good ones, they cost about $10 each, now that's pretty cheap, back then it was expensive, I use my towel once, then hang it up to dry, then re-use again, I have a terrycloth robe that I use on my body instead of a towel, the towels are for my hair, and my towels are still good,

if there is more than one person in the house, they get two towesl each week, one for hair, one for body, and it is up to them to keep them dry, on the line, or on the back of a chair whatever, anyway, what I"m saying is that you don't have to spend alot of money to have what you want.

That is all garbage, I don't even know for sure what an Ipod is, but I know I don't need one.

I have no Tv, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc, and I'm happy, I do read alot and I occasionally watch a video, I live a beautiful, stress free exsistance, and I'm happy.

You can be happy to by accepting where you are now, and deciding if that is your true bliss, if it is, then great, if it isn't what needs to change, usually you will find that ONLY your beliefs on what you want and need--must change to allow you to be truly bliss filled each and every day.

So. what is it you truly want?

then go there, be that, do that, and allow the rest to leave your experience, sell it, give it away, move away from it, toss it, etc.

Getting rid of things that no longer serve you, (including people/places and events) can be the most beautiful gift you can give yourself.

I chose to leave my big city job after 12 years, and live barefoot on a lake, and paint all day, well, now I'm writing too, and many other things, but I only do it if it's fun, and I enjoy it. If I don't love it, I won't do it. plain and simple.

So, if the cost of organic is getting your down, make better choices of other things that you can get rid of, because unless you want to be a farmer, you will need to purchase foods.

Good luck with all of your choices, whatever they may be.
Rawpriestess

[RawMagnolia]

Raw Priestess...

Sounds like we could be related. We also don't buy cable, or cell phones, or High-Speed internet, or lates (never got into a coffee habbit), and with eating lots of fruits or veggies my other habbits (processed foods) are lower as well. We actually don't spend much either, and we save an amazing amount for our retirement... can't count on the gov't to do it for you.

You are very correct... it IS all relative. I have just been feeling guilty for making our grocery bill double b/c it's my choice. It's amazing how much "stuff" you can buy in a grocery store that will last for a LONG time... compared to how much you spend if you're buying and eating produce. My hubby has no interest in going RAW, so it's just something that has been nagging me that I'm costing our family more now.

This summer I do plan to do my garden again... that's for sure.

I know that by feeding yourself well in America you actually save on Medical and Dental costs... but with our medical system in Canada & work benefits, it's all paid for... so no actual savings for us to see. We'll just get to pay for all the other ppl who continue down the SAD path.

I appreciate all that you wrote. I will take some time to think about where I may be able to cut back so that I won't feel so badly about the groceries.

I basically spend my money now on my groceries, and on my animals (2 bunnies and a cat).

Blessings,
Sandra

P.S. I think I'm going to sit down and pray for some assistance on any cravings/detox that will be hitting me along this journey.