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Thursday, May 20, 2010

Organophosphates?!


In this 4-minute clip from The Today Show, MSNBC's chief medical editor, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, explains a recent study in the journal Pediatrics linking children's pesticide exposures to behavioral problems:


Organo-what? Organophosphates! Who would have thought something that sounds so... healthy and natural is something... so bad and dangerous for us, especially for young children.
Organophosphates are, easily said, man-made pesticides that interfere directly with the chemical systems that brain cells use to communicate with each other. So for children with their still developing brains it's especially devastating to be exposed to them.
Most of us know that organic produce is the better choice, for our heath and for the environment, yet only about 2% of U.S. food sales are organic.
Eating fruits and veggies with residues of pesticides is one way we're all exposed to, so it makes good sense to eat organic whenever possible. Yes, there's still pesticides on organic produce, but in considerably smaller quantities.
This is a list of the fruit and vegetables that really should be only consumed if organically grown:

1) Celery
2) Peaches
3) Strawberries
4) Apples
5) Blueberries
6) Nectarines
7) Bell Peppers
8) Spinach
9) Kale
10) Cherries
11) Potatoes
12) Grapes

(Source: Environmental Working Group - Dirty Dozen list)
Make sure you buy certified organic produce, and if you can, buy from local farmers that you know. Hard? Doesn't have to be - try your local farmer's market and start a dialogue. Find out what they spray and whether they eat their products themselves or not.
Even better: if you have a garden, plant your own. Don't forget - we are what we eat!

5 comments:

  1. Also, we are members of the Purple Dragon Co-op. It's wonderful alternative for Whole Foods, as it is local and cheaper. AND, you get to try stuff you would never otherwise buy. Good stuff!

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  2. Absolutely! Food Co-ops are a wonderful way to contribute saving the planet and supporting small and organic farms. Way to go!

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  3. I didn't know about the link to brain activity in children. Pretty scary stuff! Thank you for sharing and it was great meeting you and your husband yesterday!

    Dana
    www.evolutionofdad.com

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  4. Same here! We love your website, such an interesting topic!

    And regarding the pesticides - it's really true: we are what we eat.

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  5. Great to have a list of the dirty dozen! I wish more people knew that organic produce is better not just because of the absence of dangerous pesticides but also because the nutritional content is so much higher than in non-organic produce.

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