Why Organic vs. Conventional Food?

Conventional and GMO Food

It wasn’t until the early 80’s that GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms) were introduced into the Mainstream Public Conventional Grocery Markets. GMO Foods are Foods that have been altered at the Gene Level and have been treated with Antibiotics, Synthetic Chemicals and Hormones.

In reality, this ‘Food’ is being created in a Laboratory by taking Genes from one Species and cross breeding them into those of an entirely Different Species. There is so much information about GMO’s and the Leading Consumer Advocate, promoting Healthier NON-GMO Choices, is Jeffrey Smith.  I have read and highly recommend reading his books “Seeds of Deception” and “Genetic Roulette”.  They are heart wrenching and eye opening at the same time. For More Information: Facts on GMO’s

GMO’s changed so many things for so many people.  GMO Companies (Monsanto) became Rich and Powerful and Joe Public became Sick and Tired. Today with the help of the Internet, GMO’s have become a World-Wide Topic of Concern.  Many Countries are and have Banned GMO’s of any kind in their Food. People are starting to get Sick and Tired of being Sick and Tired.  They want Answers and they want their ‘Food’ Labelled. 

The reason I am writing about this is because I want to share a little bit of what I have learned about GMO’s, Chemicals, Antibiotics, Hormones, Synthetics in our Foods, Government Deception and Manipulation during my Food Journey into RAW Plant-Based Food.  I wanted to know what I was eating and hopefully you want to know too.

I, was raised with access to a Garden (Organic back then) and before every meal, I was asked to get something from the Garden.  It became a delight not a chore.  I loved listening to my Parents explain about Food and how important it was, and enjoyed watching them plant and grow our Garden and our Food, and took note of how they harvested seeds for the next year’s crop.  

Those invaluable lessons are something I’ve never forgotten and have used in my own little Organic Garden that I love, nurture and cherish. As an Adult, Growing my own Organic Food has connected me in a way I never thought possible.  It opened up my eyes and helped me embrace the Life of all Living Things.  And, any travelers on my Food, are merely transported back into the Garden.  Once you realize everything is connected, you will not be able to harm anything, or eat any Creature – Big or small.

Organic Farmers have gotten my utmost Respect and when I eat something that was Lovingly grown by a Farmer. I always give Thanks for their Hard Work and Tenacity in Defying the Big Bullies that want to see them fail.  Please support your Local Farmers.

In Conventional Food use, there are over 400 Active Pesticide Ingredients used in over 7,500 different Pesticide Products registered for use in Canada.  What? Those Chemicals are Saturating Food Products found in our Local ‘Conventional’ Grocery Stores.  These Chemicals include: Insecticides; Herbicides; Fungicides; Rodenticides; Growth Regulators; Plant Defoliants; Surface Disinfectants to name a few.  They are ‘liberally’ used to Prevent, Destroy, Repel, Attract or Reduce Pest Organisms.  Preservatives make Food last longer, and the longer the shelf-life, the shorter your life.  

Can you see how their use and Ingestion is simply not in the best interests of our Personal and Environmental Health? Using these non-Organic Sprays and Cross-breeding DNA Genes on and in our Food is wreaking havoc to our Soil, Water and Air, not to mention the damage it is doing to our Human Bodies.

And here’s the real crazy part …

NONE of the above has to be labelled on any Non-Organic or Conventional Food Product!  What?

Organic Food

Once upon a time, All Food was all ‘Organic’ prior to the early 1980’s.  Now, the term ‘Organic’ refers to the way Agricultural Products are Grown and Processed. Specific requirements must be met and maintained in order for Products to be labeled as ‘Organic’. Organic crops must be grown in Safe Soil, have No Modifications, and must remain Separate from Conventional Products. Farmers are not allowed to use Synthetic Pesticides, Bioengineered Genes (GMO’s), Petroleum-based Fertilizers, and Sewage Sludge-based Fertilizers. Yet, Conventional Food can.  Really? YES!

Organic Food must be labeled as Organic or the #9 on the little sticker.  It often has NON-GMO labels as well. 

It still amazes me that Organic Food must be Labeled and GMO’s and Conventional Food do not have to have a Chemical Ingredient List, nor, have to tell us if it contains any GMO’s.  Anything other than #9 – it is NOT Organic.

Organic Livestock must have access to the outdoors and must be given Organic Feed. They may not be given: Antibiotics; Growth Hormones, or any Animal-By-Products.  Isn’t that just a right for these poor animals?  

Not with Conventional Food – the Animals are Abused, locked in Cages and never see the light of day.  They cannot move, and are injected with so much Toxic Chemicals, they often fall over because their weight is rapidly accelerated and their legs can’t handle the added weight.  They are stretched (Cow’s Udders), Gorged and Force-Fed (Foie Gras), Tortured, Beaten, Raped (Artificially Inseminated), and constantly Stressed by ripping their young from them within minutes of birth (Veal) and cattle for the Kill.  And this is what we are being Offered for Conventional Food in our Grocery Stores?  

Organic Foods have the Very Best Quality Water; Antioxidants; Vitamins; Minerals; Phytonutrients; Enzymes; Coenzymes; Fibre; Protein; Carbohydrates and Fats because they come from Highly Composted, Living Soils.  Organic Food is Fresher because they don’t contain any Preservatives, Taste Better because there’s nothing added.  Organic Food tastes like Food used to taste, rich in flavor and water.  

The Cardboard taste of Conventional Food is because of all the Chemicals and Preservatives – is Conventional Food really even Food anymore?

Because Organic Food is Clean, there are less Health issues reported as they are accepted by our Cells and not repelled like Conventional Food is.

Organic Farming is Better for the Environment, as it reduces Pollution (Air, Water & Soil), Conserves Water, Reduces Soil Erosion, Increases Soil Fertility and uses Less Energy.  It’s better for the Small and Large Animals as there are no Killing Pesticides. Conventional and Factory Farming are the Biggest Polluters on this Planet.  

Organic Food is more Expensive because the Big Biogenetic Companies that are pressuring the Organic Farmers to get out of business by lowering their Conventional prices and raising the standards and requirements of Organic Farming. The joke here is, Organic Food has to be Labelled. It costs a lot of money to maintain the Organic Label and a lot to Farm Respectfully and Compassionately.  I say Hats off to the Organic Farmers because they are NOT doing this for the money, but rather because they have Pride and have taken a Stance.  They want to change the World for a Better Place for their Families, our Families, the Animals, our Pets, Mother Earth and the Environment. I don’t see Conventional Companies caring about the Future of Anything except their bottom dollar and Stock Prices.

Here’s what I say, you either Pay the Farmer Now or you will Pay the Doctor Later.  

So what can we do?  

  • CHOOSE to EAT ORGANIC FOOD.
  • Demand that Conventional Food is Labeled.
  • Demand to Ban GMO’s!
  • Demand our Right to a Healthy Environment.

A Healthy Environment matters big time –  for us, and our Children,

and for the Generations to come.  

Your Choice is Your Voice!

Your Health is Your Wealth!

What are Sea Vegetables? Algae? Seaweeds? How to Make Raw Sea Vegetable Seasoning

~ SEA Weeds SEA Vegetables ~ SEA Algae ~

What are Sea Vegetables anyway? Sea Vegetables are the same as Seaweeds, which are all Algaes. Edible Seaweed are Algae that contain high amounts of Fiber and contain a Complete Protein. There are several different kinds of Algae – Green, Red and Brown, and most are Marine. One thing to know, is that most Freshwater Algae are TOXIC!   Read More

Calcium from RAW Algae

Did you know you that there is 
Calcium Plant-Based Foods
Vitamin SEA
Algae, Sea Vegetable, Seaweed, Sea Plant (all the same), known as a Superfood, is also one of the Highest Sources of Plant-Based Calcium! Algaes contain and retain many Marine Minerals such as Calcium, Magnesium, Iodine and Potassium, as well as Chlorophyll. Algae also have high concentrations of Vitamins, Antioxidants and Proteins!  (1 teaspoon equals 2 grams of Protein). 
Red, Brown and Green Mineral-dense Marine Algaes have so many varieties, and some you may of heard of are:  Spirulina, Chlorella, Nori, Wakame, Blue-Green Algae, Kelp and Dulse. 
 Where to get Algae from?
All sources of Algae which are easily available in powder, capsule or RAW form. RAW Nori Wraps are so tasty, RAW Dulse can be dehydrated into Crunchy Salad Toppings  I add Powered Algae into just about anything I eat and also take a great Algae RAW Calcium Based Supplement that I came across.  It’s made from Marine Algae, which a RAW, Organic Plant-Form of Calcium and Mineral Complex and is Ecologically harvested off the shores of South America. 
Dulse and Kelp Sea Vegetables
One of the things I’m not crazy about is swallowing pills.  So when the Package suggested take 4-5 a day, I kind of cringed.  I continued to read the package and was surprised to see it suggested that you can take the Powder out of the Vegetable Cellulose Caps made from Birch Tree Fiber, and add to your Smoothie. Relax – Birch Tree Fibre is OK! Although these Capsules are fast dissolving in the stomach and easily digestible, I just prefer not to add foreign stuff to my Body if I don’t have to.  I’ve taken to opening caps of many powdered Supplements and just adding the Powder into my Smoothies.  But fair warning, there are some Powders that need to be left in the Cap!
 Vegetarian Cellulose Birch Fibre Capsules
Note:  RAW Vegans and Vegetarians – Please make sure you are not taking Gelatin Capsules as they are made from Animal By-Products and if you don’t know what that is, I suggest you find out.
How does Algae Get Calcium?
Marine Algae (Algas Calcareas) draws Calcium and other Minerals from Sea Water by attaching itself to pieces of Seaweed and digesting the Minerals from the water. As the tiny Algae attaches to the Seaweed and collects the Minerals, it slowly grows in size, eventually growing to about the size of a human hand. When fully-grown, the Algae naturally washes up on a beach.
 
Garden of Life, which I mentioned above, collects the Algae in small, sustainable batches. After the Algae is picked and cleaned on shore, the Plant is Sun-Dried and Ground within 48 hours, thus making it RAW. Their minimal processing technique allows for a high level of Nutrients to be retained.
Harvesting Organic RAW Algae South America
If you want to know a little bit more About Sea Vegetables 
Want to know How to make a Sea Vegetable Sea-soning check out my blog:
How Much Protein is in RAW Plant Based Foods:

6 Top Reasons Why Support Local Farmers Market

It’s my Saturday morning ritual to head down to my Local Farmers’ Market to get my Produce for the week.  I love the early morning, not a lot of people are at the Market early, so your pickings are premium. Here are a few reasons why I believe you should Support your Local Farmers Market:

Foodie Food Girl at the Farmers' Market in Toronto - October 2015

Enjoying Each Season at the Market:

As I write this, it’s Fall or Autumn here in Toronto, and with the Weather turning more Crisp, it’s kind of nice to bundle up and head down to my Local Farmers’ Market, and check out the Farmers’ tables that are stacked with Colourful Fresh, Organic and Wild-Crafted Produce and other interesting Edibles.  When you get close, the Farmers are busily rubbing their hands to keep warm, but once they see you, their smiles warmly greet you. Read More

How to Eat Raw on a Spa Vacation?

Eating  RAW at a SPA

I just came back from a Mini Vacation to Ste. Anne’s Wellness Spa in Grafton, Ontario.  After driving for over an hour, I pulled off the highway and followed the Road Signs towards the Spa.  As I turned off the main Road onto the Private Spa Road, these signs below greeted me as I drove through the Lush and very Green Countryside.  The first Sign “Yield to Your Inner Self” spoke to me and actually made me pull over and take its picture.  I stood there, reading it again and felt my body, mind and spirit release to what was in store for me. Read More