AJ stands for Andrew Jackson, our 7th president. His reputation for toughness earned him the nickname "Old Hickory." A hero of the War of 1812, Jackson has appeared on the $20 bill since 1928.

A healthy diet is one that contains a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains, as well as protein from lean meat and poultry, or from plant sources.

Eating healthy food can affect your behavior. Healthy Food = Good Behavior

In a study done at several high schools, high-fat high-cholesterol food was changed to healthier food. (This study was done in prisons as well!)

For example, Appleton (Wis.) Central Alternative, in Appleton, Wis. was having problems with violence and vandalism. The school replaced soda machines with water fountains, and high-fat burgers and fries with fresh veggies and whole grains on the school's lunch menu.

In such studies, bad behavior declined. In the Wisconsin high school, reports of misbehavior and aggression declined rapidly.

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Eating healthy doesn't mean you have to sacrifice taste. In fact, many kids and parents say that fresh fruits and veggies—especially organic meats and produce—taste better.

A tale of two foods

This is a short tale of two kinds of food:

The kind of food most people know about.

This kind of food comes from a really big farm, where farmers use pesticides and herbicides to kill bugs and weeds.

It's easier for the farmers to harvest their produce, and makes the food cheaper because they don't have to spend time weeding their gardens.

If the farmers keep animals, the cattle and chickens are kept in small cages so that they can get the most meat out of the least amount of space.

This is the kind of food you see in most grocery stores.

Another kind of food is growing in popularity around the country.

Organic farms don't use pesticides. Pesticides: The Good and the Bad

Many organic farmers start their seeds in little planters.

Because organic farmers don't use pesticides and herbicides, farm workers work many hours picking tiny little weeds out of the planters. Once the plants are big enough, they are transplanted into the field.

Here are some of the pros and cons of using pesticides:

Pesticides: The Good and the Bad
Good: Pesticides can..	Bad: Pesticides can...
Control pests	Can harm pets and humans
Control weeds	Harm the environment
Prevent large financial losses	Cause health problems
Save labor	Harm workers
Increase growth	Decrease nutrients
Prevent large crop losses	Harm future production

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This kind of food comes from smaller farms that don't use conventional pesticides or herbicides.

The farmers take the time to weed their gardens and use special ways to keep pests out. This might include capturing pests by hand, or leaving the land unplanted for a year, so the bugs leave on their own.

It often takes more time for this kind of farmer to harvest the food, and the grower doesn't always get as much from the garden. For this reason, the food costs more.

If these farmers keep animals, they allow them to graze in fields and take up much more space (called free ranging), and they aren't fed antibiotics or growth hormones to help them yield more meat.

This kind of food, called "organic," is the fastest growing food movement in the country. Many farmers are turning to organic food production because they believe:

• It's better for our bodies because it doesn't involve ingesting chemicals that are a proven health risk, and others that we don't know the risks of yet.
• It's better for the land they farm because many of those chemicals break down slowly, reduce valuable nutrients in the land, and pollute the soil and groundwater.

The increasing market allows them to charge more for their labor. Ask Farmer Rob...

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