The Big 'O'! If it doesn't happen here are 5 things you can do instead.

We all know someone who is working towards living a healthier life.  Whether it is ourselves or a co-worker, there is someone you know that mentions being healthier from time to time.  There are a lot of 'arians' these days.  From Vegetarian to Pescatarian.  To be honest I have to look up most of them to see exactly what they mean. LOL Regardless which you are or aim to be the goal is the same, eat as healthy as you possibly can.  In some people's opinions, "organic" is the way to go.  And while eating only organic foods sounds really pretty the reality of it is eating organic can be expensive.  Prices are higher (sometimes much higher) than non-organic foods.  I was speaking with someone who has recently started a new diet.  With this diet she only eats Organic.  She only gets her meats from a butcher.  Her veggies and fruits are either Farmer's Markets or out of an expensive grocery store with expensive 'organic' prices. I asked her if it was expensive eating the way she was eating compared to before she started the diet and with wide eyes she said "yes, very."   So what do you do when you want to eat healthy but organic doesn't agree with your pockets?  I say, you do your best with what you have and don't let anyone make you feel bad about it!

Not everyone can afford or have the luxury of the big 'O' and to those people I say it's OK.  It's not a bad thing that you don't eat organic.  Yes, there are health benefits but if you can't you just can't and there is no reason to feel guilty or bad about it.  It can be challenging to stay positive about it because you have those around you that sort of judge you without even realizing it.  Have you ever suggested to eat somewhere only to have someone say "Ew, I don't eat there."  Well, that 'EW' speaks volumes.  It has judgment all through it.  Like someone is saying "Oh my God you eat there? Well I love myself and my body too much to eat at places you do."  Then there are those that say "well, I only eat organic" or "I don't eat this stuff".  One of my pet peeves is when someone tries to make you feel a certain way about the decisions you make for yourself when it doesn't line up with theirs.  There are lots of books on how to eat healthy but unfortunately there are none on the etiquette of how to do it without offending those around you who may not have the same eating habits. P.S. I'm working on that.

There are plenty of ways to eat healthy without being forced to double your grocery budget tryng to hop on the organic bandwagon.  Here are a five that I came up with.

1.  Just eat healthiER!  I know it's easier said than done.  But it's much healthier to grab a non-organic apple than a bag of chips.  So the first step is simple, make healthier decisions.  Trust me it's challenging in the beginning but before you know it you won't even have a taste for that piece of cake....well maybe not such a big piece.    

2.  Small changes.  This one is another small change that will make a big difference.  Small things like switching from white bread to wheat (or whole wheat) or baking your fish instead of frying it make a huge difference in the long run. So while you aren't having an "organic" PB&J you are having your PB&J on a healthier bread.  Not so bad right?

3.  Don't just rinse your fruits, soak those pesticides off!  I have this habit of quickly running my fruit under water and then eating it.  Not to mention it is usually a quick rinse. LOL Well that little rinse does not properly clean my fruit which defeats the purpose of taking out the time to even do it in the first place.  On Pinterest I found a a better way to clean my fruit and all you need is vinegar and water. According to the "Journal of Food Protection" washing fruit with vinegar and water reduces salmonella on the outer skin.  Vinegar kills approximately 98% of bacteria on the surface of fruits and veggies.  So simply soak and enjoy!  (That takes care of the pesticides that the "O"-Club complains about).   Here is the Pinterest post I found if you want more details.

4.  Buy Organic when it is on sale.  While it may not be realistic for you to go completely Organic you can buy it on sale and still get some of the benefits.  Something is better than nothing right?  So pay close attention to the weekly Grocery store sales and coupons.

5.  Move your portions around.  Instead of your carbs being your biggest portion make your meat or veggies the star of your plate.  When I cook pasta dishes I put maybe 2 tablespoons of it on my plate and the rest is veggies and meat (not fried).  This is a way to have your carbs (because who wants to cutout mac and cheese?) without having eater's remorse afterwards!

And there you have it!  Five easier on the pockets way to stay healthy without having to go broke trying to be a part of the big "O" club.  I want to encourage those of you that can't go completely organic to do the best you can.  For those that can and do, fantastic for you but try to be sesitive not to offend someone who can't.  We all want the same thing, to be healthier than we used to be!