Do you use organic meats? I would love to but the closest supplier is 3hrs away, and (this a huge "and") it costs so much more than conventional. I will normally spend a little more for organic stuff (when I can find it), but a 6x price difference is hard to handle. If you do use organic meats have you found it reasonably priced?

And, I'm not sure when or if this will go into affect but Bush did something law-wise (I know nothing about legal stuffs) that made it so that organic ranchers could feed their animals conventional feed and still label it as organic if the price of the organic feed was more than 2x the conventional. Anyone know anything about this and if it will happen?

Hi Cicely:

I do use organic meats and find that they taste better than conventional. It was the only way I could come to terms with eating meat after being a vegetarian for 17 years as well as deal with my chemical sensitivities (no hormones or antibiotics). Conventional practices are too inhumane for me. It's those practices which make the marketing of meat so much cheaper.

One way I reduce the cost is by directly locating an organic farm that sells and delivers in bulk. This way I avoid the middleman costs and they also sell it cheaper in bulk. Of course, this requires a freezer.

Yes, right now animals raised without hormones or steroids can't be labelled organic if they are fed conventional feed. I'm not sure how I feel about this new legislation b/c I don't want to see the "organic" industry corrupted by conventional practice and I also don't want to ingest GMO foods via my meat intake. I guess I don't have to worry b/c I'm in Canada but we seem to follow the US lead in these matters.

Another option is to find a local butcher and ask him if his meats are free range and chemical-free. Basically organic, but fed conventional feed. If you have to choose, choose organic beef over anything else.

Wanda

I try to buy organic meat when I have extra $ for groceries. The price is about 3x conventional meat, but it tastes so much better. 2 HFS in my town sell it. I hope that's not true about the labeling because if the animals eat conventional feed, then I'm sorry, the resulting meat is not organic. Any pesticides or chemicals in the feed will be stored in the fat of the meat and that's not organic. One place I go to knows the suppliers so I know the meat I get from her is for real. It can be cost effective if you really plan out your meals and make things stretch. If I try I can get 3 meals from a 5lb chicken. It's easier in winter. Soups are great!!

Liz

Where are you? Even our HEBs carry at least natural (no hormones or antibiotics) beef and chicken, if not organic - not sure on that one. I get my meat from Whole Foods. Also, meat isn't such a big part of my budget because we have grilled fish 2x per week, tofu at least one time, canned tuna, cheese, eggs (yes, for supper - the frittata recipes with a big salad are a favorite around here), etc. Plus, I've calculated how much protein me and dh REQUIRE and that keeps it real. I'm pinching my pennies, too, so I hear ya!

Our HEB also has ORGANIC mixed field greens in the produce section, not packaged, for $4.99 per pound! Lemme tell ya - that would be a truckload of loose salad greens!!

Jinx

PS Due to GMO fields being in the same area as non-GMO fields, I'm afraid that our whole food supply is doomed.

If you eat a lot of beef and have a freezer, here are some links to organic beef producers in Texas. There are TONS more!

http://www.heall.com/resource/food/texas.htm

We have farmers markets here weekly that feature organic produce - I need to check that out.

Jinx

Hi Jinxy:


Please don't make me crazy thinking about it! There's a really good book I read (surprise, surprise ) called "Eating in the Dark: America's Experiment with GE Food" by Kathleen Hart.

I feel sick when I think about how man is destroying the food chain for the sake of profits and the lengths the US (and Canadian) gov't went to to shove GE foods down the unassuming public's throats. Soon there'll be nothing natural left to eat, just fake food. What'll Dr. S. do then? I guess we'll have to ship our food over from Non-GMO countries or plant our own food grown from stockpiled non-GMO seeds.

ok, ok, I'm slinking off my soapbox....

Wanda

I'm in the great (not) commonwealth of Virginia. There is no Whole Foods Store and no Trader Joes. I should patition (sp?) to get them out here. Walmart is getting better, they have organic milk and yogurt (with sugar, boo.) some organic veggies too. Kroger sometimes has natural angus, but it's too lean and chewy. The best place here is the Heritage Store. It's part of a new-agey complex founded by Edgar Cayce. His A.R.E. Center is here and he still has a pretty good following. It's the best place for supplements too. All the people are very knowledegable. Heritage Store
You can get a catalog from them.

LizzyB

what is SAMe?

SAMe
http://wholefoodsmarket.com/healthi...ealth/same.html

SPII (Swarzbein Principle II, The Transition) p. 135

"Many people have a low-serotonin state but do not realize it because they do not feel depressed. But you can have low serotonin levels and not feel depressed if you are skipping meals or self-medicating with refined sugar (me!), caffeine (me!), and/or alcohol (ME!) all day long." etc. etc.

FAb Book!
Jinx

thanks, jinx!

LMAO! Yep, I guess the SAMe would be whole lot easier than growing weed in the basement (which I don't have) . But a lot less profitable LOL . (Just joking for any drug-busting lurkers )

I've seen how much you like the SAMe and was gonna do some research on it today. I've really been considering it. It wouldn't scare me nearly as much as taking a Rx SRI.

Ooh, thanks for the salmon link. That was great! Gotta love Doc mercola.

Quote:

It wouldn't scare me nearly as much as taking a Rx SRI.

EXACTLY my thinking! And since I'm not exactly suicidal or having any of the more serious symptoms of depression, I CERTAINLY can't justify the risks.

New report: believe I will be cutting my dosage in half (goody! 1/2 as expensive!), as the wf website said. Seems like I'm having serotonin overload, which is Thrilling (capital 't'). The downside is that I didn't sleep as well as I'd like for the last 2 nights and then I get out of bed and can't nap all day either - not appropriate for healing ye ole adrenals, me thinks. But I have been feeling super relaxed yet energetic - so it's not like I'm really speedy or anything, just think I MAY want to fine tune. Of course, I also forgot to take my Zyrtec last night (antihistimine), which usually helps to knock me out. So...we shall see.

Jinx

I may have to try it then, sounds like the supplement-of-the-gods! Great that you can cut your dose. Sorry it kept ya up!