Written By
HealthyDoesIt Features Writer
Rise and shine! Today is a new day, and it can take you on an journey into all things organic.
Morning, organic
You’re surrounded. The organic cotton sheets that have kept you warm are thrown back ready for the day ahead, or reluctantly shifted aside. The day’s begun.
Gosh, you need a drink – an English Breakfast or an Earl Grey – or a fruity bag of zing to get you going…maybe a hard core coffee to kick-start you for the day ahead. Throw off your organic sleepwear, step into the shower and lather up with some wonderful shower gel or soap. The natural, organic ingredients, including essential oils smell amazing – and you know that they’re made with ingredients that are well-considered and free from agrochemicals.
Organic cereals with organic milk, from cows grazing openly. But if you prefer not to have dairy, there are all kinds of organic milk-free alternatives for you to choose from. Chill organic almond drink, organic soya. Put it on your organic cereal, make up a smoothie, splash it into some pancake mix. Cheese on toast? Egg on toast? Organic beans?
Many of our food staples can now be organic, and together as a collective, we know from studies, that this can positively reduce our intakes of pesticides and other agrochemicals, and can even increase the levels of nutrients in our diets. There is plenty of evidence for this online, and if you google organic research from Newcastle University, you’ll be able to read their research comparing organic and conventional fruits and vegetable, and how results showed that organic fresh foods had increased levels of antioxidant nutrients.
What to wear? Gone are the days when the organic textiles department stretched only to nappies, baby wear and his and hers underpants in eco-white. Now organic clothes come in full-colour and high fashion and the baby and children’s wear is enchanting.
You’d have every reason to choose organic clothes for their quality and their comfort, but when you consider the environmental impact of non-organic cotton farming, which accounts for one quarter of the world’s use of pesticides, deciding to wear organic is not just a matter of style.
Afternoon food, shops, kids
Whether you are grabbing a sandwich or enjoying a leisurely lunch, organic options abound. Organic bread, salads, meats, dairy, nuts, seeds and pulses, fruit and vegetables, as well as organic spices and condiments means that you can eat organic. If you’re lucky enough to have a local organic café or restaurant nearby, you’re in for a treat. But your local health store will also have a whole array of ‘grab on the go’ choices including organic ingredients, and it’s likely that they’ll be able to supply you with organic bread too. Health stores are often very well connected with local food services, and will be able to put you in touch with someone, and more than likely, be able to order in some tasty organic ‘packed lunch’ staples. Why not ask them what’s available?
Where’s your nearest health store? Look here
Out and about? Shopping for something special? The cutest soft toys, pencil cases, handbags, purses, yoga rugs and beautiful table linen and furnishing fabrics are made in organic materials.
Children being collected from school? Grandchildren popping in? It’s easy. Organic wholefood snacks such as nuts and seeds, slices of organic fruit and vegetables, or if they’re having a treat, organic cookies or crisps, for example.
Evening all…
Get cooking! Lift the lid off your creative flair. If your fresh produce is organic, and your cereals and grains are, with organic meat and dairy – you’re going to make a really positive impact on the levels of agricultural chemical residues in your diet.
This is a good time to talk about organic food labelling, which is the best way to know whether what you’re buying is organic or not (apart from fresh foods bought loose, in which case you can ask health store staff). Many organic products gain certification through various organic control bodies which are approved by Government. This is the fastest way to tell whether the foods you are using are within organic food standards. You can learn more about this in our feature WHAT IS ORGANIC?
Where’s the bottle opener? Organic grain makes particularly fine whisky, vodka and gin. Environmentally, drinking organic has a positive effect on ecology, as these vineyards product in ways that work in harmony with nature, protecting natural habitats.
And for non-alcohol days, there are plenty of delicious juices and soft drinks, ranging from children’s squashes to cordials and pressćs.
Your day is almost done. Enjoy a sit down with an organic cocoa.
Back into your nightwear and into your bed.
Organically, goodnight.