In the Bahamas I have had some of the most amazing local food I could imagine. The freshness and quality of the seafood is unmatched as well as much of the local produce. Since it is a group of islands, things take time to get here (produce and meat not grown locally), but you can find some wonderful food right on the islands!
Having Endometriosis and a special diet because of it, I try to eat organic, hormone/pesticide free fresh food as much as I can. I also try to feed my daughter and family this way. I am in luck because there is a great deal available. One major difference here from the USA is my favorite (and my daughters’s) – avocados 🥑. They are incredibly good for you (rich in nutrients, and are known to be a superfood) and quite popular, especially lately. Locally in the Bahamas, they can be known as “Pears” instead.
Being from California, I was confused at first, but when I was told by friends what they were, I was excited to try them. The local “pears” are roughly three times the size of American or Mexican Hass avocados naturally (much easier to make guacamole with! 😜). They are beautiful and smooth with a buttery creamy texture inside. The flavor is a little more mild than Hass or Bacon but they can be used the same way (guacamole, on toast, with salad dressing, eaten alone, made into ice-cream or milkshakes, etc).
Buttery inside
It is a good lesson for us all to give something new a chance (what I try to teach my daughter) – even with a different name – because you never know just how good different things can be, especially while somewhere new!
When I first learned about “Organic” food I thought it was just a way for stores to make more money. When I got sick with Endometriosis, I learned more about nutrition & why it is so important. It is the single biggest personal change I have made since I found out about my health issues (fabric is something else I try to buy organic but I’ll save that for another time). Many of the below facts are taken from USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture and helpguide.org mixed with my own experience so please do your own research. I am not a doctor or nutritionist, I just know what works for me and what I have learned over the last 10+ years of dealing with medical issues relating to Endometriosis and previous misdiagnosis.
This will change your life, if you let it.
Organic crops must be grown without the use of synthetic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, or bioengineered genes (GMOs). You would never realize those things are in the “regular” food you eat everyday, but it is. They can do irreparable damage to your body when consumed long term. Many illnesses and allergies are caused by this.
Organic livestock raised for meat, eggs, & dairy products must be raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors (such as the ability to graze on pasture) & fed organic feed & forage. They may not be given antibiotics, growth hormones, or any animal by-products. You would never know the beef, chicken, pork and fish you are eating have many of these things in them but they do. Chemicals called endocrine disruptors (often found in pesticides and hormones added to meat) can also affect the endocrine system. Endocrine disruptors cause a wide range of problems throughout the body by changing how hormones send messages.
Organic produce contains fewer pesticides. Chemicals such as synthetic fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides are widely used in conventional agriculture and residues remain on (and in) the food we eat. This is BAD. Organic food is often fresher because it doesn’t contain preservatives that make it last longer. Organic produce is sometimes produced on small and family farms nearer to where it is sold.
Try to purchase organic meat, eggs, milk and dairy if you can afford to. In the U.S., industrially-raised animals may be fed corn, grains, antibiotics, animal byproducts, growth hormones, pesticides, and sewage sludge. These practices can have health consequences for both the animals themselves and people consuming their meat, eggs, or milk.
Fruits and vegetables where the organic label matters most:
According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that analyzes the results of government pesticide testing in the U.S., the following fruits and vegetables have the highest pesticide levels, so are best to buy organic:
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Cucumbers
Celery
Potatoes
Grapes
Cherry Tomatoes
Kale/Collard Greens
Summer Squash
Nectarines (imported)
Peaches
Spinach
Strawberries
Hot Peppers
Fruits and vegetables you DON’T necessarily need to buy organic (although I follow the skin rule as well – if it’s not in a skin that you won’t eat, it needs to be an organic)
Known as the “Clean 15”, these conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables are generally low in pesticides:
Asparagus
Avocado
Mushrooms
Cabbage
Sweet Corn
Eggplant
Kiwi
Mango
Onion
Papaya
Pineapple
Peas (frozen)
Sweet Potatoes
Grapefruit
Cantaloupe
Most grocery stores from Whole Foods, Kroger, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Target, Aldi, Walmart and EVERYTHING in between, have organic foods. Many you can shop online for pickup or delivery and compare prices from home. Other good resources are Farmer’s Markets and small family type farms. They vary in price by store but it is worth it for you to do your research and find a reasonable way to add organic foods to your diet in any way possible. It’s nearly impossible to get everything in organic (especially restaurants, premade food, etc) but every change in this direction is a benefit for your health. I know it has changed mine.
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. It has a disease that has affected me for most of my life and took many years of misdiagnosis to realize. It is a difficult chronic disease that affects 1 in 10 women worldwide but most don’t get proper diagnosis and/or treatment. Endo Specialists are very limited and Endometriosis at this time cannot be diagnosed without surgery and is very often misdiagnosed (it was for me). Visit my Endometriosis Page to learn more about my journey, facts from the World Health Organization, Endo Found and more. Here are some videos about Endometriosis Awareness Month, 10 Important Things To Avoid If You Have Endometriosis and Why I Eat Organic Food. Knowledge is power and the key to disarming this awful disease.
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. It is a disease I have suffered from most of my life, much of it misdiagnosed. See my Endo section on my experience with it here. It has affected every bit of my life from health, change of careers, motherhood, day to day life and so much more. The video below is a brief overview but the page has more information about what I’ve experienced and resources for those with it and their loved ones.
In the Bahamas I have had some of the most amazing local food I could imagine. The freshness and quality of the seafood is unmatched as well as much of the local produce. Since it is a group of islands, things take time to get here (produce and meat not grown locally), but you can find some wonderful food right on the islands!
Having Endometriosis and a special diet because of it, I try to eat organic, hormone/pesticide free fresh food as much as I can. I also try to feed my daughter and family this way. I am in luck because there is a lot available. One major difference is my favorite (and my toddler’s) – avocados 🥑. They are incredibly good for you and quite popular, especially lately. Locally in the Bahamas, they can be known as “Pears” instead.
Being from California I was confused at first, but when I was told by friends what they were, I was excited to try them. The local “pears” are roughly three times the size of American or Mexican Hass avocados naturally (much easier to make guacamole with! 😜). They are beautiful and smooth with a buttery creamy texture inside. The flavor is a little more mild than Hass or Bacon but they can be used the same way (guacamole, on toast, with salad dressing, eaten alone, made into ice-cream or milkshakes, etc).
Buttery inside
It is a good lesson for us all to give something new a chance (what I try to teach Gianna) – even with a different name – because you never know just how good different things can be, especially while traveling!
by Jaimarie 