Avoid Pesticides & ADHD at the Farmer's Market

I have my own unscientific theories of where the spike in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) comes from (too much TV and not enough nature!), but here's one with some actual scientific backing that showed up today on www.msnbc.com:

Pesticides in Kids Linked to ADHD

You know how I feel about natural foods if you read this post from April on the natural food movement.  In my favorite book, In Defense of Food, Micheal Pollan points out that pesticides are really nothing more than poisons.  Poisons, we hope, that only affect insects, but poisons none-the-less.

The article's main take-away for parents is to "buy organic as much as possible".  I'm finding this is easier to do all the time.  Most grocery stores carry some organic products, especially milk and eggs, and there are lots of organic specialty stores like Whole Foods where you can get some fantastic things. 

However, why not get your organic food locally from your Farmer's Market?  I think Farmer's Markets are the BEST places to find a variety of organic products.   It's not only less expensive in many cases, but when you cut down on how far your food travels, you get fresher, more nutritious food served with a personal touch as well!

Check your local community website for information on Farmer's Markets near you or you can search on sites like localharvest.org who list farmer's markets and co-ops all over the country. 

...And for heaven's sake, if you are anywhere near Madison, WI on a summer Saturday morning, get yourself to Capital Square for the best Farmer's Market in the country.  (Then go have some Babcock Hall Ice Cream - or your freshly-picked fruits and veggies - on the Memorial Union Terrace and enjoy the view.)

Madison, WI / Photo Credits: thrivehere.org