It's nearly impossible to do it all.

There is always one nauseating person who can juggle their job, children, partner and team sports without batting an eyelid. This is also the person that freezes leftover wine into ice-cube trays (leftover wine?) and wanders serenely through the crowds at Christmas, having bought all their gifts in November.

However most of us become a little overwhelmed when we try to do too much, too perfectly.

Fortunately, I have a handy indicator that lets me know when I'm overdoing it. For me, it's the onset of Curious Domestic Incidents.

Today for example, I came home at lunchtime to find the washing-up liquid in the fridge and a bag of salad next to the Swiffer. And in the past I've thrown away my husband's cell phone and left a pile of trash next to his bike keys (which as you can imagine, went down well).

So, the salad-swiffer incident has alerted me to the fact that it's time to s-l-o-w down and for me, this means worrying less as well as doing less.

One of the main things I worry about is of course, food. I'm always reading new research that's giving me more insight into what we should be eating, and what we should avoid. The problem is though, that although this knowledge is empowering, it can make shopping and cooking more difficult.

How refreshing then to find some research that simplified things in seconds!

I've always been traumatised by the cost of organic food, and yet always worry that I'm not prioritising it enough. It is clear that organic food has some advantages (less chemicals, more nutrient rich), but if you can't afford to live an entirely organic lifestyle, what should you choose?

Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) have made this easy by researching and listing the 12 most and least contaminated non-organic fruits and vegetables.

This means you may choose to prioritise organic versions of the 12 most contaminated, and not worry so much about purchasing the 12 least contaminated.

Having said that, there are a couple of additional factors to consider: firstly the role of other organic foods; and, secondly, the value of local, seasonal non-organic fruit and vegetables.

It may surprise you, but as useful as these fruit and veg lists are, organic versions of the "12 most contaminated" are not my first priority.

Instead, I focus on buying organic grain, meat and poultry. Grain is a priority simply due to its surface area ? think about the surface area of rice compared to an apple.

Because I buy wholegrain rice, bread and pasta, the rough exterior of the grain (exposed to chemicals) is included. This is great for the fibre content, but less good when it comes to potential chemical exposure.

I also try and buy organic meat, poultry and eggs because I want to avoid the hormones and antibiotics used to raise mainstream cattle and poultry. Although this is undeniably more expensive, it's possible to economise by having several healthy vegan meals a week too ? which have the added bonus of being high in fibre and free from cholesterol.

When it comes down to it, I'd rather have organic meat three times a week, than meat laden with hormones and antibiotics every day.

So by the time I've bought organic meat, poultry, eggs and grain, there's not always much room to buy organic fruit and vegetables too!

There are two solutions here ? use the lists to decide which non-organic fruit and veg to buy and avoid, and keep an eye on the local, seasonal market.

The advantages of local and seasonal produce are two-fold. First, it finds its way from the earth to your table relatively quickly ? especially in Bermuda. This maximises the nutrient content significantly (bear in mind that the average imported apple has been off the tree for more than six weeks, losing nutrients daily ? even if it's organic).

Also, as local produce doesn't require thousands of air miles to get to your table, it doesn't damage the environment to the extent that imported products do.

So when it comes to organic living, don't get overwhelmed or confused trying to do too much, too perfectly. After all, it's easier than you think to strike a happy medium. And if you eat locally, seasonally and/or organically even half the time in 2007, you'll be off to a great start.

The 12 most contaminated non-organic fruits and vegetables (buy local or organic where possible):

Strawberries

Peppers

Spinach

Cherries (US)

Celery

Apples

Raspberries

Grapes (Chile)

Nectarines

Peaches

Pears

Potatoes

The 12 least contaminated non-organic fruits and vegetables (purchase freely):

Asparagus

Avocado

Bananas

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Sweetcorn

Kiwis

Mangoes

Onions

Papaya

Peas

Pineapple

@EDITRULE:

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is a fully qualified Clinical Nutritionist. She can be contacted at 291-4725 or clinicalnutritiongmail.com.