I’ve had people ask me over and over again if I recommend organic over standard grocery store vegetables. And the facts do show that organic fruits and vegetables are far superior to organic produce. The problem is that in order to transition to a healthier diet, you end up spending tons of money on your food if you focus on ONLY organic produce. If money is not a factor, then by all means purchase organic produce whenever possible.

But, if you are like me, and are on a budget, pretty soon it becomes necessary to bypass the organic produce and pickup the regular ‘non-organic’ produce. Even if they are gassed and irradiated (now euphemized as ‘pasteurized’ so the general public won’t panic, how’s that for big corporate food industry marketing?) Do we really know exactly JUST how bad they are for us? There have been no long term studies, but rumors abound that they can have carcinogenic properties. Hello, just about everything nowadays can be considered carcinogenic.

But, here’s a thought, what if we are increasing our consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of green smoothies, and creating all kinds of really cool vegan and/or raw food dishes? Consuming high ORAC foods like cacao, green barley powder, goji berries, blueberries, pomegranate juice, etc. And, when possible, sprouting our own organic seeds and beans, maybe even maintain a small garden? Statistics show that when we increase our consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, we are also significantly improving our immune system and our blood supply, as well as providing our bodies with living, healthy enzymes that are only found in raw fruits and vegetables.

So by doing all of the above, perhaps our bodies are better empowered to fight off and discard any pesticide residue, gassing and irradiation (uh, excuse me, pasteurization). I don’t really know this for a fact and if anyone has done research on this, please let me know. I don’t doubt that organic produce is far superior, but not everyone can afford the stiff price tag that comes with this lifestyle change. And yes, I’m all about supporting the small organic farmers! All I know is my own personal experience. Sometimes I can afford to buy organic produce. Sometimes I have to pass it up and get the regular produce. I only know that regardless, I am feeling better than I ever have in the past, have more energy, and have not been sick in over 3 years!

Another argument to all of what I just said, is when you pass up the usual SAD products we’ve bought in the past, like, meat, milk, (all animal products in general) processed, packaged, frozen and canned foods, coffee, soda, alcohol, and sugary stuff, then the budget can handle the switch to organic fruits and vegetables. Of course, some fruits are not in season so I’ll buy frozen strawberries and blueberries, since I cannot always afford organic frozen fruit.

I am truly grateful that we have enough property to have a garden, and someday, my husband will build us a greenhouse so I can grow vegetables in the winter. But I understand not everyone has this luxury. Many people live in apartments or condos. That’s where the beauty of sprouting comes in. You can order a great sprouter or just the plans to build your own at www.eatsprouts.com. I ordered the plans to build one, and hope to find time to put my own sprouter together very soon. This is definitely the ideal way to go, super fresh, and organic baby greens! Currently, I use a simple TriBest sprouter and it works great for alfalfa seeds, but a little bit small for other greens like sunflower seeds, or even baby spinach.

New Raw Food Health Website Coming Soon!

I’ve taken out a new domain name dedicated to raw foods: raw4healing.com. Since I’ve been researching and working with my current site at LiveHealthy-LiveLong.com, I’ve learned so much about the health benefits of a raw food lifestyle that I want to share that information and hopefully help others overcome their health issues. Yes, I know, a raw food diet seems pretty extreme to most people, I know it did for me when I first heard about it several years ago. I thought it was too radical, and settled for being a vegan instead. But I’ve been very dedicated all my life to providing only the best in nutrition and health for my family. Especially since I have a battle to fight in my own health. My genetics are stacked against me since my father died of Leukemia in his early 50’s (I’m 54), and my mother had a debilitating rare disease that paralyzed her left side almost all of her adult life. Plus, I currently have a thyroid condition that I take meds for. My research reveals that many people have eliminated their thyroid issues, even after being on the meds (which doctors tell you it’s for the rest of your life!) by following a raw food diet. I know I would LOVE to be off the daily meds!

As a result, I’m very committed to beating those odds and living a long and disease free life! So far, it’s paying off. I’ve not had any health issues other than my thyroid issue. Also, my husband has asthma, and there are testimonies of asthma being cured on a raw food diet. My challenge there is trying to convert a ‘meat and potatoes’ man into a raw foodist! But at least he’s willing to try!

I’ve been adding some videos to my Live Healthy site and if you get a chance, go check them out! They are YouTube videos focusing on healthy eating, vegan and raw food benefits. I have plans to create my own YouTube videos about preparing my special Purple Green Smoothies, and many other similar vegan and raw food preparation.

You probably already know how beneficial it is to eliminate animal products from your diet. But actually doing it is another thing. Believe me, you’re not alone! My husband, Larry, is struggling with it. Remember I said he’s a die hard ‘meat and potatoes’ guy. He grew up eating eggs and bacon, chickens from the farm, and raising a turkey every Thanksgiving. But he likes the new meals I’m learning to prepare, and especially likes the ‘purple green smoothies’. Says it gives him so much energy that he’s not hungry for a long time. Being in construction, this is important. Of course, he works with some real ‘red-neck’ kind of guys, and they can’t resist making fun strange of his looking smoothies, or teasing him with their ham sandwich, cookies and soda in his face! But he’s strong. He knows the benefits, and he really wants to eliminate his asthma, and research has proven that a 90-100% raw diet will definitely be the ticket!

Check back as I will be adding some recipes again here in another day or two… Take care, and be blessed!