If you're worried about global warming and want to do your part to help heal the planet, an easy place to start is with food. Not only is organic food better for your body, it is also much better for the planet.

What Non-Organic Farming Does to The Planet and You

When crops are grown the conventional way, they are loaded with both pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Even if you are in the habit of washing your produce, these chemicals are integrated into the crops and can't be washed away. When you eat them, you are eating the chemicals too. Not only is this bad for your health, it also ruins the soil.

After 3 years of growing produce in soil without chemicals additives the crops could be called organic, but there will still be harmful substances in the soil and they may be there for a very long time.

Best Organic Protein Picks

If going totally organic is too hard or expensive for you, you could start by buying the most important organic items and increase when you can.

Flax seed is one of the best things a person can eat. It has been included in the human diet for at least 30,000 years. Flax is one of those miracle plants. The plant itself can be woven into linen, a sturdy, soft fiber that humans have worn for centuries.

In addition, both the seeds and their oil have so many benefits, it's hard to list them all. Most importantly, they are full of protein and have large quantities of omega-3 fatty acids, which are usually found in cold water fish but are hard to get in a vegetarian or vegan diet.

In addition there are lectins in flaxseed, which you may not have ever heard about, but that promote cell development and communication between cells.

If you want to add organic flax seeds into your diet, look for those grown in Canada. About 40% of the world's supply is grown there in the pristine northern plains.

Another important source of protein comes from meat and dairy farms. Since organic cattle farms also tend to treat their animals very well. it's a win-win situation when you've found one.

If cows are what they eat, then when you eat the cows' cheese, milk or meat, you are doing the same. Some farmers not only don't care about organic feed, they also feed their cattle things they were never meant to eat like dried corn. Cows do the best on organic grass and hay and you should look for grass-fed and organic when shopping for either milk or meat.

In addition to organic and grass fed, raw milk is infinitely better for your body than pasteurized milk. The process of pasteurization basically destroys the enzymes needed to help digest milk. It also removes all of the vitamins, which is why some, like vitamin D, need to be put back in.

If the dairy farm is clean, there is no need for pasteurization. Once, under really dirty conditions, milk needs to be pasteurized but any farm that is certified as organic and sells raw milk is highly inspected and will not cause any illnesses.

Best Organic Vitamin Picks

Some fruits and vegetables really should be avoided if not grown organically, while for others it's not as important. It mostly comes down to whether or not you can wash or remove the skin. Some delicate fruits like raspberries really can't have all of the insecticides removed from them without turning them into mush so it's better to choose those organically grown.

Fruits or vegetables with thick skin that is commonly removed, such as bananas and avocados, have much less chance of passing on pesticides or fungicides. If you purchase non- organic when OK to do so, it will allow you to buy organic items when needed.

You can save both the planet and yourself by buying organic whenever possible.