When I first began my infertility journey, one of the first things I did to improve my chances of conceiving was stop consuming foods that were grown and lathered in pesticides and herbicides, and ensured I only ate organic foods. Now, organic foods is one of the topics I get the most amount of questions on! Here are my reasons for eating organic, and my top tips for transitioning yourself to an organic diet.

What is Organic?

Organic refers to how products are grown and processed. In Australia, organic farmers avoid using chemical fertilizers, pesticides and/or artificial chemicals on their produce, and animals are not fed any growth-hormones, steroids, or antibiotics. Farms are only certified organic after they’ve been working under organic guidelines for three years. 

Why Organic?

There are a number of reasons for eating organic foods. As I mentioned, I began eating organic in order to avoid the toxic load in my day-to-day while hoping to improve my fertility odds. According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, exposure to pesticides can have side effects ranging from mild to severe, including skin irritation, loss of appetite, sweating, blurred vision, coughing, or even inability to breath, loss of reflexes, or in extreme cases, death. It’s easy to see how pesticides can impact our fertility and reproductive health.

Research has shown that some organic food has lower nitrate levels, higher levels of Vitamin C, and higher levels of selenium. Organic food is also better at using natural resources more sustainably and minimizing damage to waterways and soil fertility.

Of course, making the switch from traditional foods to organic produce doesn’t come with drastic changes overnight. However, in the long run, eliminating harmful chemicals can improve our overall health and wellbeing.

Where to Buy Organic

The question I get most often about organic foods is where to find them! While the typical supermarket can have a small organic foods section, I always advise people to jump on Google and search for local organic farms! Local is always best, and often purchasing directly from the farms is cheaper than going to a store and keeping the money local into the family’s around us.

Another option for busy mum's is organic food delivery services. You may have a company in your local area that delivers organic fruits and veggies right to your door!

Of course, everything is in moderation and I believe in living a balanced life that I can enjoy, too. If I am out with friends or at an event, I will eat what is available! I will not limit my enjoyment just to stick to guidelines I’ve set for myself. I do the best I can by purchasing organic fruits and veggies for our household and have become a conscious eater.

Want to chat more about this? Feel free to send me a message! I’m always happy to chat about my favorite local spots for delicious, fresh fruit and veg or follow me on Facebook or Instagram where we chat about this often.

Nyomi xx