Why I Became a Tree Hugging Granola Cruncher

Part I

 

My family and I have a long way to go on our journey towards a better organic life but we know we are on the right path.  Probably 95% of the food that enters our house at this point is certified organic, we have been off of processed foods (for the most part) for years, we are learning to grow as much of our own food as we can, there are virtually no chemicals in the house, we compost and even my wife has started making her own lotions and cosmetics (that’s the clincher if you know my wife…).  We have not yet gone with a fully organic wardrobe but that is in the plans and I am hoping to start making our own kombucha and beer (again) soon as well.

One might ask why we are doing this and one part of the answer is simple.  A healthy, organic lifestyle is not the old organic I used to make fun of with my friends.  Certainly anybody my age remembers the tree-hugging hippies of the 70’s and early 80’s followed by the granola crunchers of the late 80’s through the 90’s and into the last decade.  They were crazy!  At least that is what I thought at the time and so did many of the people with whom I associated myself.

So the crazy, hippie, tree-hugging granola-crunchers of yesterday I now view as the survivors who will save our world from ourselves; look good doing it and have more energy longer in life.  These are all pretty cool things in my humble opinion.  I know that my wife and I have felt better over the last three years since we began our journey towards organics than we did ten years ago.    

Save the world, what the hell is this guy talking about?  Actually there are many things that living an organic lifestyle does to save the world that will be discussed in future posts in detail.  For now suffice to say organic agriculture helps maintain soil health, maintain soil level, doesn’t pollute rivers, streams, etc. (Have we all heard about what is going on in the Gulf of Mexico due to farm runoff?) and is an effective tool against global warming by promoting humus which holds carbon in the soil; among other benefits for the world.    

Look good doing it and have more energy...  We’ll go into this in more detail in future posts as well.  For now try the experiment below and let us know what you see.

The experiment: Walk through a local “natural/organic/health food” store or farmer’s market depending on locale; where the granola-crunchers hang out (they’re almost everywhere now).  Take a mental note of how the average person walking around looks.  Do they look fit, trim, attractive, young or perhaps young for a given age or do they look unfit, unhealthy, unattractive, older or aging poorly?  Try the same exercise at some of the more conventional stores and fast food establishments; do you see a difference? 

Note: wherever you as an individual are in the process of being or becoming healthier and more organic never judge!  Getting healthier and living better is a process for all of us that begins with recognizing the benefits of making positive changes in our lives.  We should be collectively trying to help people make healthier choices for themselves and our beautiful world by being positive instruments for change.

Live Life with Love – For Everyone!

To be continued…