Lean, Mean Organic Machine

The New York Times has this story of a California pediatrician who ate nothing but organic food for three years to see if it would improve his health. The verdict? He's still eating organic. He says he gets sick less, and his urine is now a brilliant golden color, which is supposed to be a very good thing.

It's not surprising that he found eating organic while traveling a difficult task. His solution, in bold below, should have practical value for everyone.

At home, he said, the organic routine was relatively easy. Organic food is widely available, not just at stores like Whole Foods but at traditional supermarkets. He also shopped at farmer’s markets and joined a local community-supported agriculture group, or C.S.A. Because he bought less meat, the costs tended to balance out. And his family (two of his four children still live at home) largely went along with the experiment.

On the road, though, life was more challenging. In corporate cafeterias and convenience stores, he looked for stickers that began with the number 9 to signify organic; stickers on conventionally grown produce begin with 4.

Pictured: organic collards from Woodland Gardens in Winterville, Georgia.