IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH AND HELP THE PLANET BY GOING ORGANIC!

I often get asked questions about the benefits and added expense off eating organic or ‘healthier’ foods. Each of us must decide what we want to make a health priority but, to me, eating organic is just like choosing to only patronize ‘smoke free’ businesses. I could go to a bar or club where they allowed smoking but because I have a choice the decision seems simple.

YO MAX,

Do you really think eating organic food makes a big difference? I'd pay more but only if I believed it was really worth it.

Kevin, Conshohocken

YO KEVIN,

You bet it does. And yes, I think it’s well worth the added cost. Is it more expensive to buy organic produce? Most definitely. But think of all the things we waste money on and then consider the importance of high quality food. The type and quality of the ‘fuel’ we put into our bodies, over time, has a huge impact on our health. I have always been amazed to watch someone pay extra for ‘high test’ gasoline for their car and then drive out of the service station and over to a fast food window across the street! Are you kidding me? Don’t they know what’s in that stuff? High fat, high sodium, high sugar, low fiber, and low nutrient density - a heart attack on a bun! Let your car knock and ping a little and spend the extra money on the fuel that’s going into your body!

On average, I figure I spent an additional $100 per month on better quality and organic foods. To me, this is a very reasonable added expense when you consider the benefit to my health over a lifetime. Along with regular exercise, this decision can significantly reduce my risk of disease and slow the aging process.

I realize that it’s impossible to always eat healthy and organic, but the idea is to reduce the toxicity in our bodies by cutting harmful chemicals wherever and whenever possible. Here are just a few reasons why you might consider consuming organic foods and products.            

1. Organic products meet stringent standards.

Organic certification is the public’s assurance that products have been grown and handled according to strict procedures without persistent and often harsh toxic chemical inputs. When a product has been Certified Organic by QAI (Quality Assurance International), you can rest assured that the product, its ingredients and the manufacturer have gone through a thorough investigation.

 2. Organic production greatly reduces health risks.

Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Now, the EPA considers 60% of all herbicides (weed killers), 90% of all fungicides (mold killers), and 30% of all insecticides (insect killers) as potentially cancer causing. Organic farming keeps harmful chemicals and pesticides out of the food we eat and beverages we drink. It also prohibits the use of antibiotics in animal feed, which are routinely used in conventional farming and are known to create dangerous antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

 3. Organic farms respect our precious water sources.

 The elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, done in combination with soil building, protects and conserves water resources. Organic farming reduces toxic farming runoff and pollutants that contaminate our water, soil and air.

 4. Organic farmers build better, healthier soil.

 Soil is the foundation of the food chain and the primary focus of organic farming. We’re facing the worst topsoil erosion in history due to our current agricultural practice of chemical intensive, mono-crop farming.

5. Organic food tastes better.

 It’s common sense - well-balanced soils grow strong healthy plants that taste great. Try an organic orange, apple, or vine-ripened tomato for a sweet and juicy treat.

 In a study done by Washington State University in Pullman, published in the April 19, 2001 issue of the journal of Nature, researchers measured the effects of an organic, a conventional and an integrated apple production system on the sustainability indicators of horticultural performance, soil quality, orchard profitability, environmental quality and energy efficiency. Taste was measured three ways. Mechanical analysis on fruit firmness at harvest and after six months storage was higher for organic than its two competitors. The ratio of sugar content to acidity, an indication of sweetness, was higher among organic apples as well. These results were then confirmed by consumer taste tests. To find out more you can go to http://www.nature.com, the title of the article is called The Sustainability of Three Apple Production Systems. (Natural Foods Merchandiser, June 2001)

The bottom line is that we all want to improve our health. There are many ways to do this including regular exercise, annual health check up’s and screenings, improved stress management, and the reduction of harmful toxins. Eating organic food is a simple and effective strategy. You’ll be healthier and the food tastes better to boot. The question could be, why not make the switch? If it’s just about money, my advice is to cut out some other, less important, expense and pay a little more for your food. Your body will love you for it.

Please visit, www.YoMaxFitness.com, ‘Your Blog For Fitness Information’, and email your fitness/health/nutrition question from the ‘Ask Max’ page.

Healthy WHOLE FOODS offers best quality and savings too!

Yo Max,

The other day I checked out the new Whole Foods that opened in Plymouth Meeting. A lot of people have been raving about it but I don’t really get what all the buzz is about. It seems to me that it’s just another over priced gourmet market and the people who shop there are like cult members! Can’t I get the same foods at a regular grocery store and pay less too?

Gene, Conshohocken

Yo Gene,

Thanks for the great question. The ‘Whole Foods Community’ can come across as a bit cultish but I, for one, am happy to be considered a card-carrying member.

You’ve given me incentive to delve into this issue from several different angles. I get a lot of questions about dieting to lose weight, nutrition, supplements, organic foods, and healthy shopping and cooking, so in order to cover all of this important material I’ve decided to write a three part series.

In this first column, I’ll address your question directly – by examining the Whole Foods concept, the new Plymouth Meeting store, and try to give some good information and incentive for you to join our ever-growing cult. Don’t worry – we don’t require our members to wear tie-died shirts, grow their hair long, or only eat foods that taste like tree bark. In fact, we encourage individuality and always welcome newcomers into the fold…

It always pays to go to the source so I interviewed the very friendly and knowledgeable Amy Chidichimo, marketing director at Whole foods, Plymouth Meeting.

Max: I’m going to begin with what for many is the most important question. Whole Foods has a reputation of having great quality and products but also high prices. These days’ people are trying to watch every penny. How can they shop here – not waste their hard earned money and even save?

Amy: You’re absolutely right and we have several ways to save. Every other month we publish our in house magazine, The Whole Deal. You’ll find many coupons and B.O.G.O. discounts, (Buy one get one free), great recipes, and lots of healthy eating information. We have special weekend deals on produce, meat, and seafood plus ‘Orange tag sales’ throughout the store and there’s a ‘Hot Deals’ flyer available for special products you can pick up by the front door. Another very helpful program we offer is a ‘Value Tour’ that I personally give twice each month to help people get familiar with our products and show them how to save even more. And there are always additional specials – like for Valentines Day we’re offering twenty-four roses for $19.99 – a great deal!

Max: What is the theme or vision for Whole Foods and this new store?

Amy: To connect with the community by supporting and selling local products, to provide the highest quality products both ‘all natural’ and ‘organic’, and to emphasize sustainability.

Max: What work or projects are you doing in the community?

Amy: (smiles) Several things. First, each quarter we have a 5% day where we donate 5% of our total sales to a special non-profit charity chosen by the team here at Whole Foods. On January 20^th we raised almost $5000 for The Food Trust/kindergarten Initiative and specifically the Paul Fly elementary school in Norristown. We also have the ‘In Kind’ donation program. I’m given a budget every month to use for non-profits by donating catering or other gifts. Then there’s the Nickels for non-profits – we give you 5 cents for each reusable bag you bring, and you can choose to keep that money or donate it to either Plymouth Meeting Friends school or KenCrest Community Services - we change those charities every three months. Also, each day we have people pick up produce and baked goods from the previous day and that food goes directly to charities like, Colonial Neighborhood Council, CARE Community Center and the Norristown Senior Activity Center.

Max: What sustainable foods, products or education do you provide at Whole Foods?

Amy: There are several, but I think the best example is something that’s completely new to this store. In the seafood section we’ve provided our environmentally conscience customers with a board that lists all the fish we sell in order of sustainability and availability. Each fish is given either a green, yellow or red tag to let you know if it is ‘Abundant’, ‘Problems with Abundance’ or ‘Low Abundance’. This is a great tool and helps people to learn more about the fish they eat and to make better choices for the health of the species and the planet as a whole.

Max: I figure Whole Foods should be a leader in recycling – how do you do your part?

Amy: I agree and we take it very seriously by supplying separate bins for compost, recycling and land fill - by making sure those bins are properly maintained and discarded, and with policies like rewarding our customers for using reusable bags.

Each time I visit the new Whole Foods in Plymouth Meeting, I discover another awesome food, service or feature of the store. The dry goods section is huge and I can save money by buying things like rolled oats, seeds, and nuts in bulk. The prepared foods section is unlike any you’ve ever seen – complete with an olive bar, soup station, and four separate salad bars (BBQ,, Global cuisine, Seasonal salads, and Grains/Beans/Greens). Then there’s the fresh sushi, fresh made pasta, grass-fed, made to order, burgers, the hand tossed hearth stone pizza kitchen, and, of course, Whole Foods famous fresh baked, all natural breads and desserts.

It takes a little time to learn how to buy and prepare healthy foods. Not because it’s so difficult but because we’ve all grown accustomed to eating ready made and pre-packaged meals. With a little patience and education you can not only eat much healthier foods but I think you’ll find that the cost is only slightly higher if you keep an eye out for specials, buy certain items in bulk, limit your animal protein and are wiling to try new and exciting foods that you might just end up loving.

Please visit, www.YoMaxFitness.com, ‘Your Blog For Fitness Information’, and email your fitness/health/nutrition question from the ‘Ask Max’ page.

Improve your health and help the planet by going organic!

YO MAX, Do you really think eating organic foods makes a difference? I'm happy to pay more but only if it's worth it.

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