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!
