Why Eat Organic, and Some Resources, if You're Looking

Recently I have been getting questions such as, Why don't you write a cookbook? There are so many people who want to eat "organic," or want to change their eating habits, but don't know how to "cook organic." My answer to this is, I am always happy to hear about people who want to change their ways of eating for the better, and asking questions shows a level of motivation that is growing in intensity - it means you're ready to make a commitment! I am always a bit suprised, too, when people tell me that they don't know how to "cook organic." Why do we think of "organic food" as a foreign element? If we have never learned to cook, then learning to cook is a wonderful step in learning more about food, about our own tastes, and expanding our repertoire of meals to enjoy, whether or not we are buying and eating only organic food.

It is very important to educate ourselves about "organic food," and begin to eat food that is as pure as we can find, and to drink pure water which has minerals that our body needs. We are chemical beings, and we have gotten so far offtrack in our relationship with Earth and food that we have forgotten what it means to "live off of the land." Read about the history of farming in this country, and you will discover our story of believing that "more was better," and that "all chemicals are good chemicals" when it came to farming and what we could produce, what money we could make off of that produce. Retail became the name of the game, and many who did not live during the Depression and the War years, especially on farms, may not have any knowledge of how this "Revolution" of our thinking, our health, and land began. I remember, because I grew up on a farm in southern Illinois. We grew our own food - and only went to town to buy staples, such as sugar and coffee. I remember these years very fondly.

I have not written a cookbook, but I have outlined a plan for "eating for health" in my first book, The Joy of Health. This includes a detox cleansing program, and also information about a few specific diseases. In my fifth book, Healing Ourself: Growing Beyond the True Cause of Disease, I have also written about our connection to nature and how to nurture our body and mind. Chapter 7 is about "Nurturing our Body and Mind," and covers Loving Affirmations of Change, our food choices, our eating habits, practices and behaviors, Eating for health and happiness, the cleansing program, information about processed foods. Chapter 8 is on Our Senses and our Health, and also includes journal questions to help you. Chapter 9 is on Healing, and the last chaper of the book is my own Memories of Healing. I hope you will read these two books to help you continue changing your relationship with food and healing. I also recommend that you read Depression: Our Normal Transitional Emotions, my sixth book. We cannot begin to heal if we are feeding our mind and body toxic chemicals. Our brain cannot work well with chemicals that are poisonous and counterproductive to its function and expansion. If we are not able to think clearly, we will not be able to make loving choices!

I would also like to recommend that you visit Acres U.S.A.. Charles Walters began this paper/magazine in 1970, against the odds of financial success, and this is one of the best resources I know to stay up to date about the exciting knowledge are gaining and sharing related to organic and sustainable agriculture. There is also a wealth of resources to follow up on the site. Readers of Acres are familiar with Joel Salatin at Polyface farm in Swope, Virginia. When I lived in Maryland, I used to drive to Joel's farm to fill up coolers of meat, because at the time (many years ago), his was the best I could find. When enough other people began to want to buy from Joel, we talked with him about delivering orders to us, rather than our traveling to Virginia individually to pick up orders. Joel happily agreed and worked out the logistics to deliver orders every few months. His farm is a great place to visit and learn, as well as buy good food! Here in Chatham County, North Carolina, where I have lived since March of 2004, I am really excited about having the farmer's markets full of fresh, organic produce, and now the Chatham Marketplace which has just opened right here in Pittsboro! Resources providing organic meat and produce continue to multiply! I hear people say to me, I can't buy organic food, it's too expensive! My answer to that is, try the farmer's markets! And consider your organic food part of your prevention program for good health! Compare this to what you pay for insurance and doctor/medication. This may change how you think about your food and water and what you can do for yourself as you consciously make choices to be healthy.