5 reasons why you should get involved in Organic September

Organic September

The summer months are drawing to a close, the days are getting longer, and our social media feeds are beginning to be taken up by deep earthy tones, falling leaves, pumpkin spice lattes and burgundy lipstick.

Leaving summer behind also marks the month of Organic September, an initiative which is led by the Soil Association^[1] which aims to raise awareness of the importance of choosing organic products whatever they might be.

It’s important to point out that organic living isn’t just limited to your food and drink choices (as you might think) but also extends to many elements of your lifestyle including:

• · Makeup and toiletries
• · Clothing, bedding, furniture and in fact, textiles in general
• · Plants and flowers
• · Gardening products
• · Even pet food!

However, you will want to be sure that what you are buying is genuinely organic…here in the U.K and also throughout Europe, organic products must all abide by a specific set of guidelines in order to be certified as organic. So, when you are next out shopping don’t forget to look out for an EU Green Leaf organic symbol or the Soil Association organic symbol to be sure it is definitely organic.

Here are our top 5 reasons why you should get behind the Organic September campaign:

1. Know exactly what is in your food

How did your groceries make it to the supermarket shelf? This is a question that we may ask ourselves and when choosing organic produce, it makes the answer much simpler. Buying organically certified food means you can be sure that these products are:

• · Always free range
• · Free from man-made fertilisers
• · Contains no genetically modified ingredients
• · Treated with fewer pesticides
• · Have no artificial colours and preservatives

 

2. Improve your diet

Eating food as nature intended it to be means ridding your diet of icky preservatives and chemicals by choosing to buy organic groceries where possible.

Organic food can often be full of natural goodness - just take a look at the health benefits that come with organic produce in comparison to their non-organic counterparts^[2]:

Good things happen when you go organic:

• · Organic milk and meat contain around 50% more omega-3 fatty acids then non-organic.
• · Organic meat has slightly lower concentration of two saturated fats.
• · Organic milk and dairy contains slightly higher concentrations of iron, Vitamin E and some carotenoids.
• · Organically produced crops (cereals, fruit and vegetables) up to 68% more antioxidants than non-organic.
• · Organic fruit and veg contains lower concentrations of pesticides and the toxic heavy metal cadmium.

Source: Soil Association

 

3. Protect wildlife and improve their quality of life

Organic farming methods are often considered the most ethical due to their considerations for animals and their welfare which includes not using antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones in order to exacerbate production.

In addition to this, treating crops with fewer pesticides and staying away from artificial fertilisers which can be harmful to wildlife means that our bees, butterflies and other natural pollinators are very much at home on an organic farm.

 

4. Promote Fairtrade initiatives to ensure farmers get a fair deal 

Although different, the principles of organic farming and Fairtrade can often go hand in hand due to their ethical and sustainable methods. Did you know that ‘over 50% of Fairtrade farmers choose to go organic? That’s often because they see organic as a way to improve not just their livelihoods, but to support the environment and ensure that farmers and workers are not exposed to harmful chemicals.’^[3]

 

5. Do your bit for the environment

It is a commonly known fact that as agricultural demands have increased exponentially across the planet, this has given rise to advances in technology such as genetically engineered crops and artificial fertilisers in order to fuel our food production.

However, it can’t be denied that fertilisers are harmful to the natural world disrupting fragile ecosystems and challenging biodiversity. Choosing to support local produce and organic farmers can also contribute in the fight against climate change due to their small carbon footprint.

Eating well is important whether you are on a weight loss surgery journey with us or not…

However, we know that having a gastric band, bypass or sleeve isn’t just about the surgery. Our patients which achieve the best results have done so through their commitment to making lifestyle changes following surgery. That is to say, eating organically, with its host of nutritional benefits, can only add to your healthy lifestyle by improving your diet and increasing your motivation to live well.

Did you know that all of our weight loss surgery packages include regular appointments with the Weight Loss Surgery Support team for the period you are covered for? Aftercare with us includes access to specialist bariatric dietitians, who help you to create a tailored diet plan to your specific goals.

If you have tried healthy eating and exercise but it’s not enough, we could help. Make the very first step and get in touch with us today.

Book your free consultation

[1] https://www.soilassociation.org/
[2] https://www.soilassociation.org/organic-living/whyorganic/its-nutritionally-different/
[3] https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Media-Centre/Blog/2018/September/Choose-Organic-and-Fairtrade-products-this-Organic-September