Delusion is a necessary part of life as knowing everything all at once would be a bit overwhelming.
In a way deceiving ourselves in certain situations actually protects our sanity.
On the other hand, living in fantasy can also create problems as we base our actions on preconceived notions that we think add up in a particular way but in reality don't.
In the world of food it is easy to be deceived as a large part of food marketing is intended to confuse consumers.
The other day I ran into an acquaintance at the grocery store and I noticed he had conventional strawberries in his cart.
Now if I were a normal human being I would have kept my mouth shut. But alas, I'm not, I couldn't resist informing him that strawberries are one of the most sprayed fruits (# 2 on the Dirty Dozen list by EWG).
The next thing he said was were delusion comes in. "But I wash them."
Believe it or not this is not an uncommon fantasy that understandably makes people feel better and more protected.
But sadly this is where reality begins to pop the bubble. All the fruits and veggies where thoroughly washed before pesticide levels where measured.
Moreover, strawberries in particular grow close to the soil and have many fans in the insect world so they are heavily treated with an aggressive regiment of chemicals.
While it might make us feel cozy to believe washing harsh pesticides makes them clean, living in this delusion has consequences.
The majority of debilitating western diseases are linked to environmental toxicity--a large amount of which we are exposed to through our food.
Yes, it will cost you a bit more $ in the short run to go organic with the most toxic fruits and veggies, but I would bet my savings account it will save you from heartache and cash in the long run.
Study the list from above. Buy organic where its most important. Save $ with the clean produce. Create a win/win.
Stop the delusion...at least a little.