children and food

i need a place to write this out. it's something i've been thinking about and using my intuition on from day 1 of joni's life. food, eating habits, the things i provide for him to eat and what kind of message i am sending him. how i am impressing the rest of his life. this is one of the only things i am unmoving about.

i have decided to do my very best to feed my son organic non-GMO produce, grass-fed free range meat/eggs, no corn syrup, no over-the-top sugary baked goods, ice cream, or shitty 'empty' food like mac-n-cheese or ramen noodles. i believe that the first years of life are the most important in terms of building up a strong and balanced body, mind, and beliefs. my beliefs on organic and non GMO are that.. yes, organic IS the best way because not only is it better for your body, it's best for the earth. think of the pesticides sprayed onto crops, and the runoff of those pesticides.. where do they go? into our water, streams, rivers, lakes.. insects and other animals pick them up as well. consuming non-GMO is important because little research has been done on how genetically modified foods affect the human body. the concept of 'you are what you eat' is taken very literally.. when we eat meat from a cow that has been cooped up in a dark and gross enclosure, denied its natural habit of grazing, and fed empty corn/grains, what are we really getting out of that? that cow probably felt terrible its whole entire life, and now we are eating an animal that felt terrible. i will provide some interesting and educational links in case you're interested in learning more.

it's also important to try and find produce locally, in your area. you're doing good here because you are supporting your community, and encouraging home-grown food instead of dumping the responsibility onto a larger corporation to provide food for us. just go ahead and google 'Monsanto'. some changes have happened, and 'organic' doesn't always mean non-GMO. it's important to find out if your local organic farmers are also non-GMO.
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http://www.nongmoproject.org/about/gmo-faqs/ - What are GMOs?
GMOs (or “genetically modified organisms”) are organisms that have been created through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). This relatively new science allows DNA from one species to be injected into another species in a laboratory, creating combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.

Are GMOs safe?
In 30 other countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production of GMOs, because they are not considered proven safe. In the U.S. on the other hand, the FDA approved commercial production of GMOs based on studies conducted by the companies who created them and profit from their sale. Many health-conscious shoppers find the lack of rigorous, independent, scientific examination on the impact of consuming GM foods to be cause for concern.
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http://hubpages.com/hub/Organic-is-Good-for-the-Environment

"In the 1950s, farmers began using chemical fertilizers and pesticides to help increase their crop. But since then, weeds, insects, and diseases—the very things the chemicals fought—have developed resistance to the pesticides. This led to the development and use of even stronger pesticides. Not only are the pesticides stronger, but they also have to be used more often to be effective. Although the use of pesticides since the 1950s has dramatically increased, the same percentage of crops have been lost to pests as before farmer began using these chemicals.
The International Food Policy Research Institute conducted a study that showed 40% of the world’s soil is depleted due to:

* Erosion – from planning the same crop over and over again, in the same spots
* Nutrient Depletion – from using chemical fertilizers
* Salinization – the increase of salt in soil due to excessive irrigation.

Organic farming methods can reverse this damage, while also making healthy soil. The methods used in organic farming include crop rotation, careful water use (and controlling runoff), and using fertilizers like compost and manure instead of chemicals."
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the end.... for now!