Comments on: Ask a loser: How did that organic diet go?

By: Larissa

Larissa — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 08:43:58 +0000

just wanted to concurr. Stevia. Good in tea, ASS in coffee. I use agave in coffee. Because I’m allergic t aspartame (seriously, for you it isnt, but for me it is the cause of some evil, evil head pain). and splenda makes my belly sad.

By: Laura Red

Laura Red — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:19:28 +0000

I tried an organic diet, too, and unless you have time to take multiple grocery store trips, you’re right, it goes bad way too quickly for one person to be able to eat it all.

Now, I just weened myself off of sweeteners in coffee and just take soy milk. It sounds hard to do at first, but you actually start to enjoy it – much like how you would start preferring diet soda after drinking it for so long instead of the regular, syrupy stuff.

By: PastaQueen

PastaQueen — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:28:53 +0000

@Cindy - I have a friend who used to work at the National Institutes of Health who sent me the link. Here it is: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00660192?term=botulinum+AND+headache&rank=2

By: Anna

Anna — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:49:45 +0000

@clickmom - You say "Tomatoes and corn give me migraines." - Just some info for you and anyone else that might find it useful... That could be the sign of an intolerance to a natural food chemical such as Salicylates and/or Amines. It is quite common for 'allergic families' (families with a history of asthma, arthritis, migraines, skin problems etc) to have food intolerances as well as allergies. I am severely intolerant to salicylates, I get severe headaches from mint (which is often a very concentrated form of salicylates) - even smelling it on someone's breath can give me a headache. My restricted diet is tough but dealing with daily hives, headaches, memory loss, fatigue and weight gain was tougher. It took me 12-14 weeks on the diet to see proper results. After 4 yrs I have never looked back. Here are some links to the main sources of good info (beware there is a lot of misinformation on this topic on the net - the people listed below are the only true experts on it I have found): RPAH Sydney Allergy Unit http://www.cs.nsw.gov.au/RPA/Allergy/resources/foodintol/ffintro.cfm http://www.cs.nsw.gov.au/rpa/allergy/resources/foodintol/salicylates.cfm Sue Dengate's site (her info is all based on the RPAH research) - this page has a list of support groups on it http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/factsheets/Factintroduction.htm

By: Gwen

Gwen — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:40:33 +0000

Going cold turkey doesn’t usually end with great results. Small changes over time will stick better.

Thank goodness you don’thave to avoid gluten, that part was the hardest for me.

Going organic is very expensive and I found that creating a weekly menu based upon which food lasts the shortest/longest helped prevent waste.

I’d prefer to go to the store every 2 days, but then I end up spending more. So I go once a week and spend less. I found that going on the day that the produce was restocked and newest really makes it last longer at home.

I just started using Stevia in my morning coffee this weekend. It’s different, but I’m sort of liking it more than the Splenda and other fake options.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:08:12 +0000

@PastaQueen -

Where did you find information on these types of trials? I’ve been looking and looking in my area (Boston) and have had a hard time finding anything. My own dr’s are not being helpful, so I have to help myself.

I also had Botox suggested, and my insurance won’t cover it either. :(

By: cc

cc — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 06:21:06 +0000

have you tried any exciting new fruit/vegetables recently? i love your lick the produce entries! they inspire me to try jerusalem artichoke and black salsify root recently. first i did not enjoy, second was bland but fine. also tried purple and yellow carrots, which funnily enough are exactly like orange carrots.

By: nora

nora — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 06:18:27 +0000

@Laura N – actually, because the peel is very porous, most chemicals can go right through it into the banana. Most people who “go organic” try to avoid standard bananas more than many other fruits because of this problem of chemicals being transmitted right through into the fruits… I guess bananas can have a pretty high concentration of chemicals in them. Others to watch out for are raspberries, strawberries, potatoes (because they grow in the grown right in the chemical run-off they can have very high concentrations of herbicides and pesticides on the skins and in the outer layers of the potato). Theoretically you can wash most of the pesticides off of and apple, though a peach holds onto them more. Just passing on what I have read.

By: kristisummer

kristisummer — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 18:03:05 +0000

I saw someone mentioned fage, i love greek yogurt too. try the plain 0% no fat very low in sugar and carbs and super high in protein, or oikos, which is made by stoney field which is organic and no artifcal sweetners.

By: cindy

cindy — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:21:44 +0000

I don’t do all organic, but I have made great strides in the last few years. I buy my bulk ingredients organic, such as flour, sugar, etc… My meat and dairy is either organic or at least local and “known.” Fruits and veggies are another matter. It depends on the season and what is available and what it costs. I do my best… and then figure that any vegetable is better than no vegetable at all. When I started the change in eating thing 3+ years ago, I made a commitment NOT to do the artificial sweeteners route. I wanted to change what I ate, not substitute it (too easy to go back, that way). I went from being a junk food junky (literally eating McD’s or similar ilk 7-10 meals a week) to shopping at Whole Foods and searching the shops for sprouted grain breads. I still eat out socially and then no rules apply (I LOVE my Cheesecake Factory and never want to hear where their food comes from!). When I shop, I control what comes into my house and that has to be enough. I can’t get militant. I can only do the best I can and still be happy (because I know me ~ If I try to push myself too far, I’ll give up entirely and then what good does it do?!).

Best wishes, PQ. You continue to inspire.