Ok, most of my blogging life has been pretty politically correct. I haven't gone off on any real tangents or complained too much about politics, war, health care or anything else I feel is beyond my control.
But today I would like to discuss the movement of Organic vs. Conventionally produced products. I have become a naturalist, well about 80% natural anyway, and every day I learn more and more about just how bad conventionally produced products are.
Today, my case in point is about eggs. I buy organic eggs because I don't believe that chickens should be fed hormones. I suffer with a major hormonal imbalance and I figure that I just don’t need anything else messing me up. But I guess I really didn't realize the real difference in organic eggs vs. conventional eggs.
Did you know that organic eggs have 22% more Omega 3's in them then conventional eggs? That is a staggering difference. And if that isn't worth the extra $1.50, then read on.
Conventional chickens are kept in tiny cages. Most cages are less then 2 sq ft and they share that cage with up to 9 other chickens. There is not enough room for them to stretch and spread their wings. The cage conditions are dirty, crowded and unhealthy to say the least. Most of them live less then 2 years. They are force-fed hormone-laden corn feed, which by the way, is not what a chicken would actually eat if they had the choice. Their beaks are cut off. They are never allowed to roam freely and hunt and peck as a chicken does, they never see the light of day. Then, when they have served their egg-bearing purpose they are slaughtered and the meat is used to feed us. And that's the meat you get in 80% of the restaurants and grocers in the country. There are dozens of other reasons not to buy conventional chicken and eggs that you can read here, for me, it's too gross to post. http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/afrikan-wholistic-health/14393-chicken-unhealthy-white-meat.html
Organic chickens by contrast, especially free-range chickens, are allowed to roam. They get exercise, fresh air and sunlight. They can eat worms and bugs, seeds and greens – anything their little chicken heart desires. And in being able to live the life of a normal chicken they develop much more Omega 3's, protein, vitamins, enzymes and other nutrients. They develop muscle and strong bones and lead happy little chicken lives.
I admit, over the years I have sort of buried my head when it came to "industrial farming". I know in the back of my head how truly disgusting the practices are. But because I like protein, I have not completely acknowledged that disturbing fact. I just don't want to know. But in my quest for better health I have to look at the whole food process, I need to know the realities.
If the chickens are being fed all that junk and we eat their eggs and meat then it stands to reason we are also being fed all that junk. That just makes me sick. No wonder we have so many health issues in our country.
The old saying, "you are what you eat" really applies. If you want to ingest chemicals, eat today's conventional produce, meat and dairy. If not, buy organic. And if you won't do it for yourself, then do it for the chickens, they have no choice.
