You can leave the organic apple on my desk on your way out

(Walking in room, with hair pulled back in a bun, wearing black rimmed glasses and a white lab coat)

Okay, now that I've set the tone with my entrance, you are ready to hear what intellectually stimulating information I have to share with you today, correct? I will assume you nodded your head eagerly.

Actually, what I am about to do is get to the heart of an issue that I get asked about a lot. Why organic? I am not going to get into the great organic debate. I am not able to tell you that the nutritional value of organic blueberries is greater than that of conventional blueberries. But what I can tell you, is that buying organic, especially while on the protocol, is not fruitless.

In past posts I have addressed my long going battle with environmental and food allergies. I have had 2 apples, 1 orange, and 2 glasses of fresh lemonade today. If I had done that just 6 months ago I would not be able to be sitting here typing this. Why? Well, for starters, I would not be able to see because my eyes would be swollen shut, I would be knocked out from taking the highest dose of antihistamine allowed, and I the hives up and down my body would make me too uncomfortable to sit still.

Apples, oranges, lemons, strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes, coffee, eggplant, basil, eggs, milk, grapefruit, peaches, yeast and pineapple are just an example of the foods that my body could not tolerate. My allergies were just one of many health issues I was dealing with. My medical records should have been marked with a big question mark. Insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome X, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, chronic candidiasis, and anemia where some of the different labels/diagnosis that countless doctors had given me. But none of the doctors were able to help me. My non-ability to loose weight with proper diet and exercise was never explained. I was just always told to "eat less and exercise more". But what about the fatigue? The extremely high white blood cell count level from my lab results? The chronic ear infections? The abdominal pain? The swelling, dizziness, headaches, nausea, acid reflux, sore throat, itching and pain? What about those?

You are what you eat. I was over-processed, unnatural, toxic and well, hormonal. We make a lot of choices everyday. There are also many things you don't have a choice in, such as the air you breathe, the toxins you are unaware of in the products you use daily or what might be in the water you drink. But something you do have control over is the food you buy and consume.

I went to Dr.G with a desire, but little hope, for answers. What was unique about his care and the protocol was that it was science simplified. It in it's self was organic. Dr.G looked over years of lab results looking for patterns. We discussed all the health issues I had been struggling with. Now, this would be the point where most doctors would prescribe you some medicine who's side effects looked worse than what you were dealing with or they would give you some basic explanation on eating right and exercise and "come back and see me in a couple of months and let's see if their have been any changes". That is not what happened with Dr.G.

Let's take a walk down to the science fair, shall we?

Variables. Sound familiar?

Maybe in 3rd grade your science class grew plants. Each student had two plants. Maybe it was the kind of soil, the amount of water each plant received or maybe it was natural vs unnatural sunlight exposure. The point of the project was to show you how independent and dependent variables can be used to track and measure results.

When you have too many variables, or you are unaware of exactly what all your variables are, then you will have a pretty hard time trying to measure and track results with any logical reason or rhyme.

By limiting your number of variables you are able to maintain control of your "experiment" in a quantitative way. Less variables = more control, thus the ability to measure your results and draw accurate conclusions. (uses pointer finger to push glasses up)

The protocol resets your body. Your health improves in various ways. What you do during the protocol determines the outcome. Our bodies are so complex and so connected that it boggles the mind. So if I had poor health, which I did, I would want to make it as easy as possible for Dr.G to be able to track my results in order to draw accurate conclusions. Let's say there is a person who comes to see Dr.G and they are overweight, suffering from very dry skin, fatigue and chronic headaches. Now, could all of this be linked to obesity? Yes. But what if they're not? What if the headaches are caused by a chemical in the shampoo they have been using. So during the protocol the patient uses all organic beauty and hygiene products and maintains an organic diet. Two weeks in they notice the headaches are gone. By the end of the protocol they feel great and the health problems that plagued them before are a thing of the past. Two weeks later the patient calls Dr.G and tells him that over the last three days the headaches have returned and are getting progressively worse. Because of the controlled variables during the protocol, Dr.G is able to start looking for a reason why the symptoms are returning. Dr.G can find out what the patient has been doing differently for the last three days and it may be as easy as the patient saying they started using _____ shampoo again and Dr.G telling them to stop using it and let him know if that changes anything. Is it perfect science? No. It may be the shampoo and it may not be. But there is a heck of a lot better way of finding out what is causing the problem in a controlled study with less variables.

And personally, I enjoy organic products, specifically produce, much more than conventional. I really can tell a difference between the taste of the two. Hormones, pesticides, labels with words that look made up and that are practically impossible to pronounce - I don't know about you but the choice just kind of makes sense.

I had a slight advantage going into all of this due to my past work experience. I have worked for both a non-profit organization which along with various other projects, researched organic and natural food and its impact on people and the environment, as well as working for an organic grocery chain. So when I was given the list of approved foods and products for the protocol I was not struck with fear and panic about where to find such items. But as I went through protocol, I started having a desire to go to each of the local organic and natural grocers in the area.

I went. I saw. I found the best price on liquid stevia.

It was actually really fun and enjoyable going around to each location. What was I looking for?

• Quality products
• Reasonable prices
• One stop shopping
• Good customer service
• Variety
  
• Not too many distractions aka "just because it is natural or organic, it does not mean it is healthy, so please keep your junk food and gourmet treats to a minimum and not scattered all over the store just to make a sale"

Where to?

Whole Foods
Trader Joe's
Harris Teeter
The Common Market
MOM's My Organic Market
Roots
David's Natural Market
The local big name grocery store

Survey says....

I did find strengths and weaknesses among each of the contenders. But at the end of the day, only one stood out as the place I would recommended over the others. Before revealing that, here is a review of each store:

The Good, The Bad, The "are your employees allowed to be eating falafels while stocking produce?"

Whole Foods

• Quality products? I am always impressed with Whole Foods products. They are definitely a leader in the industry and I was extremely happy to read an article about how they plan to go back to focusing on healthy foods and veer away from the foodie haven they have become.
  

• Reasonable prices? This is always a debatable one, and I didn't feel like getting into the "cost of organics" all though I can sum it up by saying the cost of organics is not greater than the cost of your health. I can go into how you actually end up saving money on food shopping during the protocol and through a natural and organic shopping as lifestyle for another time. I would say they are very competitive with their produce cost. Meats and proteins vary. It was the hygiene and beauty products that I found the most costly, although you can find some really good deals at times.
  

• One stop shopping? Unfortunately not. At least not for me. You will come to have certain products that will be staples in your diet. For me it was Vanilla Creme Liquid Stevia. I found it in one Whole Foods, but it was not at the two locations closest to me. The price was also much higher so I wouldn't choose to shop there for it.
  

• Good customer service? Most definitely. The staff is for the most part knowledgeable about their products and are available to help you when you have a question or can not locate an item.
  

• Variety? Yes and I would actually say too much. It is nice to have a good selection of meats and proteins though.
  

• Not too many distractions aka "just because it is natural or organic, it does not mean it is healthy, so please keep your junk food and gourmet treats to a minimum and not scattered all over the store just to make a sale"? We will see how they do with restructuring the model, but as of right now, unless you have blinders...

Trader Joe's

I am actually just going to sum this one up with "don't bother". I never found what I was looking for and was overwhelmed by the all natural junk food. Don't get me wrong, I love Trader Joe's, but it just wasn't worth going in to get the few items they did have on my list and walking through aisles of things I couldn't eat on the protocol, and shouldn't eat off the protocol.

Harris Teeter

• Quality products? Yes. I got some of the best apples from here. They do carry both organic and conventional, which is something I have a bit of an issue with. Assuming they are bringing all of there produce into one area to be cut and washed before being put out, I always wonder what procedures are in place as far as rinsing down areas, washing knives..etc. Just something to consider.
  

• Reasonable prices? If you have a VIC card (their store discount card) you can get some really great deals.
  

• One stop shopping?Not even close. But I did end up going here a lot actually because they carried an item I couldn't find anywhere else, which was Arizona Unsweetened Ice Tea (and that includes no honey). They also have a good selection of cottage cheese and yogurt.
  

• Good customer service? I love the employees at Harris Teeter. They don't hover but are always there...does that make sense? The store is always clean and the staff is super friendly.
  

• Variety? Yes, but not really of products that you need.
  

• Not too many distractions aka "just because it is natural or organic, it does not mean it is healthy, so please keep your junk food and gourmet treats to a minimum and not scattered all over the store just to make a sale"? They do a great job with this and do not pull stunts like putting a pie display in the produce section. Of course they carry many of those products but you would have to make an effort to go by them.
  

The Common Market

This is another one that I can sum up pretty quick. Way too expensive for your regular grocery shopping. Maybe if you are part of the co-op then you would not feel that way, but I left with only half the things I needed, not because they didn't have it, but because it was just too expensive. I can say they carry quality products though and that they have, from what I saw, a pretty overall healthy selection.

MOM's My Organic Market

• Quality products? When it comes to the brand names in the organic and natural product world, you will probably be able to find it at MOM's. Not incredibly impressed with the quality of the produce but it really varies each time you visit.
  

• Reasonable prices? What I found at MOM's is that I could find a really good deal on specific items but not very competitive as a whole.
  

• One stop shopping?Not if you eat meat. The meat selection is...well, not a selection really. You will find liquid stevia, powder stevia and agave nectar here though.
  

• Good customer service? Some of their locations more than others. They do carry your bags to your car, although during the protocol I was looking to get as much exercise as possible, but it is still a nice gesture.
  

• Variety? Good variety for hygiene and beauty products. They also carry a decent variety of unsweetened drinks and a wide variety of tea.
  

• Not too many distractions aka "just because it is natural or organic, it does not mean it is healthy, so please keep your junk food and gourmet treats to a minimum and not scattered all over the store just to make a sale"? Stay on the outside of aisles of the store and skip everything in between. Frustrating when their huge selection of tea is across from their huge selection of chips. If you are looking for a treat then they will probably have what you are looking for, but if you are trying to stay focused and pick up the essentials for your diet it may be a bit overwhelming.
  

Roots Market

• Quality products? The salad bar was the first thing I saw when I came in and it looked amazing. Great produce and brand names I trust.
  

• Reasonable prices? They had the best prices on produce, meat and vitamins compared to the other stores.
  

• One stop shopping?I was able to find everything I needed and I didn't feel like I was on a scavenger hunt. They had everything I needed, as in the basics, and they also had the products that I have trouble finding like the liquid stevia at a great price, and they carried the new unsweetened Steaz lemon iced tea, which I only found at one other place.I also got a salad for lunch.
  

• Good customer service? Roots employees know the products. They were not just friendly, but they were genuinely friendly.
  

• Variety? Like I said, I found everything I needed as well as the products that I loved that I had not been able to find easily at other places. I was even introduced to some products I hadn't seen previously that I now have come to love. Now, the hygiene and health section at Roots is a lot smaller than most of the other stores, but they carried the best brands. So maybe this would be a negative thing if you are someone who likes to constantly try something new. But for someone like me who can waste a lot of money on things I don't need, I appreciated this area not being stocked with every brand out there.
  

• Not too many distractions aka "just because it is natural or organic, it does not mean it is healthy, so please keep your junk food and gourmet treats to a minimum and not scattered all over the store just to make a sale"? They win the gold star on this one. I actually didn't see the "junk" food till I actually went and looked for it because I started to think they didn't have any. It was there and it was very limited and condensed to one area and not scattered about.
  

David's Natural Market

• Quality products? I was very impressed with the products at David's.
  

• Reasonable prices? They had some of the best deals out of all the stores.
  

• One stop shopping? This could definitely be one stop shopping. Between the cost and variety I was able to find everything I was looking for and at a good price.
  

• Good customer service? I really didn't interact with any of their employees other than someone who was working in the produce section and he was very focused on doing his job which I appreciated. He smiled and nodded at me and went back to what he was doing. Checkout wasn't the greatest as they are very limited in space and my groceries where not exactly handled with care as they had to be stacked on each other.
  

• Variety? This is where I first spotted the sugar free Steaz lemon ice tea. They had more sugar free products than the other stores so I felt like I definitely had more options, especially when it came to beverages. Meat and protein where decent but if going on a regular basis I would want more variety. They definitely shine the brightest in their selection of hygiene and beauty products.
  

• Not too many distractions aka "just because it is natural or organic, it does not mean it is healthy, so please keep your junk food and gourmet treats to a minimum and not scattered all over the store just to make a sale"? For the most part it wasn't an issue and once you were in the section you wanted to be in there weren't products mixed in that shouldn't have been there. But it they don't have a whole lot of space and the way the store is laid out you pretty much have to go by foods that may get you off track.
  

The local big name grocery store

Most of the big name grocery stores are trying to add some natural and organic products to their selection. Everywhere from Super Walmart to Safeway. For the most part though, the bulk of the organic and natural foods are going to be in the freezer aisle and that is not really what you are looking for on the protocol. Good luck trying to find more than one brand of natural or organic hygiene and beauty products. All and all, not worth the trouble unless you know they have a specific item you are looking for.

And the winner is...

Roots Market is by far my pick for where to shop. I was impressed from the moment I walked in to the moment I walked out of the store with everything I needed and even some new things to try. And since it didn't break the bank, next time I can head over next door to their pet store "bark!" and pick up some treats for our new puppy.

I am doing my shopping this weekend and already feel a sense of relief knowing where I want to go and that I will find what I need. That is just one less variable that I don't need to stress over.



Class is dismissed.