Eating Organic Food is ESSENTIAL for your reproductive health + fertility

I remember in college I used to avoid buying organic food because I wanted to “save” money, believing that spending less was better. While I was aware of the Dirty Dozen, I bought those foods organic (like berries and leafy greens), but opted for conventional produce for the Clean Fifteen. But what I didn’t realize at the time was what I was “saving” in money was costing me in my health. The food we eat has cumulative effects. I believe that investing in ourselves by purchasing organic food is one of the best ways to create radiant health and prevent health issues from ensuing later on.

I’ve had a lot of conversations with friends, family, and clients about the quality of their food. I found that a vast majority of them are not buying organic because of the cost and another factor is the lack of awareness in the world regarding the toxicity of pesticides etc. Opting for conventionally grown food rather than organically grown food makes "logical” sense, but it is also a conditioned belief that keeps us from creating and experiencing radiant health.

If you’re wondering “does organic truly matter?” The resounding answer is YES! Organic matters, ESPECIALLY if you are experiencing reproductive health issues, or any health issues for that matter, and want to enhance your fertility. Pesticides are commonly used in agriculture to protect crops from pests, but their residues can linger on the food we eat and the environment, posing significant risks to our reproductive health and the health of our unborn children.

The Impact of Pesticides on Reproductive Health + Fertility:

Hormonal Disruption: Pesticides contain chemicals that can disrupt the endocrine system, thus impacting hormonal balance. These toxins and chemicals accumulate in the liver and the body and can be passed down to the baby in utero. Exposure to these chemicals can interfere with the normal functioning of reproductive hormones, affecting both male and female fertility.

Impact on Ovulation and Sperm Quality: Certain pesticides, like organochlorines, have been linked to disrupted ovulation in women and decreased sperm count and motility in men.

Fetal Development: During pregnancy, the developing fetus is highly sensitive to environmental toxins. Pesticides can cross the placenta and reach the fetus, potentially causing developmental issues. They have been linked to fetal health conditions and birth defects.

Long-Term Health Risks: Beyond birth, children exposed to pesticides in utero may face long-term health challenges, including weakened immune systems, endocrine disorders, and an increased risk of chronic diseases like cancer. Pesticides are more commonly and generously applied on conventional produce and have wide ranging effects on our health. These toxic chemicals accumulate in our livers and contribute to health symptoms and underlying issues. The synthetic chemicals found in pesticides have been linked to brain toxicity, cancer, hormone disruption, and irritation of the skin, eyes, and lungs. Reproductive effects, blood disorders, nerve disorders, and birth defects are all possible chronic effects from repeated pesticide exposure.

Liver Toxicity: The liver is designed to filter and cleanse the body and blood. Pesticides, toxins, pathogens, and chemicals accumulate in the liver and create health symptoms and contribute to chronic illness later on. The health of your liver determines your overall health, yet this organ goes highly overlooked and undervalued. The health of your liver is passed onto your baby in utero. The more you cleanse and heal, the healthier and stronger your liver and your baby's become. 

Ways to Minimize + Reduce Pesticide Exposure:

Choose Organic: One of the most effective ways to reduce pesticide exposure is by choosing organic produce. Organic farming practices prohibit the use of synthetic pesticides, ensuring that the food you consume is free from these harmful chemicals.

Wash Your Produce: Thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables can help remove some pesticide residues. However, washing does not eliminate all residues, so combining this practice with choosing organic is best. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has provided evidence of pesticide residue on produce even after proper washing. In their annual report of the Dirty Dozen, the EWH found up to 20 different pesticides present on a single strawberry.

Benefits of Organic Food:

~Organically grown food contains 60% more antioxidants than conventionally grown food.

~Research has found that organically grown produce contains at least twice the nutritional and mineral content than that of than conventionally grown produce.

~Organically grown produce contains significantly LESS harmful heavy-metal residues like aluminum, lead, and mercury than conventional produce. Toxic heavy metals are becoming increasingly more common and pose serious health threats as they feed the pathogens at the root of the majority of symptoms, conditions, and chronic illnesses we are seeing and experiencing today. It is imperative to cleanse and detox our bodies of these toxic heavy metals rather than consume more and increase the concentration of these metals in the body.

Intriguing Statistics to Contemplate:

~An estimated 6 billion pounds of pesticides are used globally per year, these pesticides likely contaminate the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe (Alavanja, M. C. (2009)).

~Organic farming practices are more sustainable for the environment and soil health.

~Monocultures are typical in conventional farming practices, meaning only one crop is grown in a designated field year after year instead of rotating the crops like in organic farming practices. This leads to soil degradation and depletion, which is reflected in the nutrient quality and density of the food.

~The National Academy of Science stated that “by the time the average child is a year old, s/he will have received the acceptable lifetime doses of eight pesticides from 20 commonly eaten foods.”

Choosing organic isn't just essential for women who want to enhance their reproductive health and fertility, rather it is essential for all of us. These pesticides have wide ranging implications for our health and our future. By choosing organic foods we are able to reduce the exposure to these synthetic chemicals that cause disruptions in our bodies natural cycles. As a woman who has dealt with reproductive and fertility health issues, I am passionate about sharing this information with others as I know the power it has to transform not only your health, but your life. It is time for us to become educated and empowered so that we can reclaim our health.

Investing in your health, the health of your baby, and your future is essential. Choosing organic is a foundational step you can take to create radiant health + fertility!

I created a free resource that includes the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen List for you! You can access it here.