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| Organic Food – A Fight against Covid-19 | | |
Dr. Ashaq Hussain
Most major wars fought in the past have been focused on control of precious resources like minerals, oil, and land. This picture had started to shift in the past few years, with armed conflict increasingly focused on control over depleting water resources and now it is expected that the shortage of quality food will be the one of the triggers behind the future crisis. The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic -- and its enormous impact has already had dramatic consequences on our everyday lives. Food quality and safety are two vital factors that have attained constant attention in common people. No doubt providing healthy food for everyone is undoubtedly the most important issue for mankind.
However, this issue has gained much momentum after the outbreak of Covid-19 as growing environmental awareness and several food hazards have substantially decreased the consumers trust towards food quality, nutrition, health and immune systems. Thus at present if there is one area where the corona virus pandemic is causing massive rethinking, it is in what we eat, where we get our food from, and how the food is produced, stored, and prepared. Today after the surge in Corona Virus infections it is being said that control to the epidemic can be achieved to a great extent when we look on how food is produced, processed, and supplied to us.
The food we eat today is assumed to be highly nutritious but very few of us know the number of chemicals that goes into cultivating that food. To fulfill the hunger of our growing population, harmful agricultural practices like use of chemical fertilizers, harmful pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and insecticides have been employed to increase crop production and decrease the time of production. While these techniques might help farmers to improve their yield, however, the effects of these chemical fertilizers are serious, both with their direct toxic effect, and in the indirect effects that are related to decreasing the nutrient density in the consumed plants. Recent studies have revealed that combinations of commonly used agricultural chemicals in groundwater can significantly influence the immune and endocrine systems as well as neurological health. Studies further suggest that, old, children and the developing fetus are most at risk from the pesticide-fertilizer mixtures.
The increasing popularity of organic food in the past was linked to ecological, agricultural and social problems. But now the reason for choosing organic products is closely connected to modern problems as a shift in consumer behavior towards a more sustainable, healthier and happier life. Fresh, organic food helps people feel better, and is important for preserving the environment too. In actuality, buying organic food is a vote for good health and a healthier planet. By eating organic foods, the risks of decline in immune system strength can be significantly reduced because organic foods are not altered at all. The vitamin and mineral contents of organic food products are always high as the soil life and health offers the most suitable mechanism for crops to access soil nutrients that help to strengthen the human immune system. Organic farming does not use any kind of dangerous chemicals to keep away pests and diseases. All the practices are natural and thus do not harm the consumer. Aspects such as bio magnification are lessened via the practice of organic farming as chemical pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and artificial growth hormones are all prohibited on an organic farm. Therefore, organic food products are free of contamination with health harming chemical substances.
It has been proven that antioxidants play an imperative role in enhancing the overall health, especially the ones obtained from organic food. As organic products are free from foreign chemicals, therefore are rich in antioxidants. Presence of antioxidants in food helps us to prevent problems like heart disease, premature ageing, cognitive malfunction etc. It also acts as an excellent immunity booster. As organic food is grown without the use of harmful chemicals, it does minimum or no harm to the environment. With organic farming methods, there is minimum water, air or soil pollution which eradicates the chances of long-term health issues caused by air, water or soil. Therefore, with rising demand for organic products, the risk of increasing pollution goes down, leading to a better environment and superior quality of life.
In short to conclude, in recent times, the demand for healthy food has increased drastically. With Covid-19 bringing in various changes in the behavior pattern of every individual, the way we consume food has also transformed considerably. Increasing awareness about the role of food in our daily life and its corresponding impact on our health has compelled people to re-think about the most important component of our life which is ‘Food’. With various options available for the people to pick from, organic food has often occupied a prime spot when it comes to consuming safe nutritious and healthy food.
At last just to remind you that with the 2019 corona virus COVID-19 pandemic, it’s especially important to understand that no supplement, diet, or other lifestyle modification other than physical distancing, also known as social distancing, and proper hygiene practices can protect you from COVID-19.
Currently, no research supports the use of any supplement to protect against COVID-19 specifically; Eating just of these foods won’t be enough to help fight off the Covid or or other infections, even if you eat it constantly. However, eating right is a great start, and there are other things you can do to protect you and your family from the virus and also from other ailments. The healthy food habits can decrease the chance of severe attacks and infections and the organic food in this regard can help a lot as organic food perhaps ensures food safety from farm to plate. |
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