Organic September- A Quick and Easy Way to Make a Healthy Change
Around 17 years ago, before I became an osteopath, I worked for a small publishing company which launched a consumer magazine about everything 'green'. Looking back, it was well ahead of its time- in those days being green and natural was considered niche and fusty. Sadly the magazine folded within a couple of years- I guess being 'green' and a consumer didn't go hand in hand. Fast forward to today, and there are juice bars, yoga centres and health food shops galore. It's never too taxing to find options that are unprocessed, gluten-free, raw, vegan or whatever your particular preference. There's a long way to go, but I'd like to think we are heading towards a tipping point where healthy choices are the norm rather than a rare beast.
This month I have been making some simple changes for the 'Organic September' campaign from the Soil Association. It echoes how I recommend aftercare for clients- simple changes that will make a difference rather than grandiose plans that never last.
The majority of my clients are women who are trying to become/ already pregnant/ mothers as well as busy professionals. Realistically, labour or time intensive changes just make life more stressful. The campaign really appeals to me because of its emphasis on education and ease, two values I hold dear.
The simple change I have been making this month has been to shift to more organic veg. It doesn't seem earth-shattering, but substituting natural goodness in place of convenience does take a little effort. For example, I used to use those bags of freshly washed spinach as they could be chucked into dahls or omlettes easily. Organic spinach takes more washing, and cutting out the deep stalks, but it's well worth it for my well-being. I use a local farm delivery which makes it affordable, and feel better knowing my food isn't covered in pesticides or chlorine or other nasties. According to the Soil Association, over 320 pesticides are found in non-organic food. These environmental nasties can definitely be hormone disruptors, and are well-avoided by my fertility or pregnant clients. I don't buy 100% organic veg, but I do avoid the 'dirty dozen', the foods which are most liberally sprayed with the kind of chemicals you don't want to be eating. The list includes apples, strawberries, spinach, peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and potatoes. So if you want to start eating more organic food, for health and environmental reasons, they would be good ones to start with. If, like me, you've blinked and missed most of September, you can get on the Organic September bandwagon and enjoy the last 13 days of the campaign.