By well balanced it is meant that food is chosen in such a manner that it provides the essential vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fats for efficient bodily functioning. But food comes in many forms and that is where problems can begin to form.

When you go to the grocery store, the amount of choice is almost unbelievable. There are not two kinds of canned fruit - there are ten. Cereals take a whole aisle and each box claims to offer special nutritional benefits that their competitor does not in their product. The nutrition jargon has gone wild.Every time a new study comes out, food products instantly claim that the new requirements are now met in their product. But it is what they don't discuss that has an impact on your nutrition. Pick up a box or can and read the ingredients.

You will feel as if you are a laboratory experiment. There are so many chemicals and preservatives added to food that it's hard to believe they can even fit the food in the package.

Organic food is an alternative to unhealthy preserved food. The term "organic" is controlled by the government. To claim a food is organic means that has been grown and processed without chemicals.

Organic food has not been exposed to pesticides or herbicides. It has not been genetically altered. It also does not come from animals that have been given growth hormones.

There is a discussion going on now that children are maturing more rapidly today because of the growth hormones added to food. What a horrible thought. Our own children are being given drugs through the food they eat.

Organic food is healthy food. Good nutrition still means eating the right foods in the right amount from the food pyramid. But eating organic food means you are not adding unwanted chemicals to your body.

It also means you are eating natural foods that are good for you. Have you ever heard of an organic chocolate bar? Of course you haven't, because it takes chemicals to make a candy bar. You can get organic fruits and vegetables and milk products though.

Eating healthy benefits both the mind and body. A diet that includes organic fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure and heart disease.

You have to speculate that the chemicals added to non-organic foods increase the risk of cancer. It is the only logical explanation for the soaring incidences of all kinds of cancers including colon cancers.

The minerals in organic foods occur naturally. They are not supplemented or injected. Minerals like iron are crucial to a good circulatory system. Iron is what helps the blood to carry oxygen. When you exercise, your muscles use oxygen. Iodine is critical for developing babies in the womb.

Iodine aids in brain development. The list goes on and on. The point is that the body needs a balance of the important nutrients to achieve long-term health.

It is a lifelong issue. Healthy nutrition affects longevity. It has been proven statistically over and over again that people who eat natural and healthy diets, and also exercise, experience a longer life span.

Organic foods may cost a little more, but you will more than make up for the additional cost by not buying junk food or expensively preserved food. When you go to the supermarket, look for the word organic.

Ask your produce specialist about organically grown fruits and vegetables. Eating organic foods in a balanced diet will actually increase the essential nutrients that you eat. This aids weight control also.

Proper nutrition is critical to your body and mind. Eat balanced diets, eat healthy and go organic. You will notice significant changes in your whole outlook on life - a long life.