Eating for healing: the restorative power of food

It's been a year since a doctor gave me the life altering news that I had a disease. If, at this point you're thinking well I'm not sick, so this post doesn't pertain to me.  Please, consider reading on. Eating for healing isn't just for those dealing with illness. This lifestyle is for everyone who wants to support their body as it copes with disease, or attempts to deal with the daily assaults of living.  This may sound a bit dramatic, but our bodies really are in a state of constant warfare against environmental toxins, aging and disease. Doesn't it seem prudent to give the body a hand with some nutritional weaponry?

                                    Photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash

Eating for healing may not be a magic bullet, but research is showing that food and medicine are not distinctly separate domains (1).  This wisdom has been known by some cultures for centuries. In Western society, the trend away from botanical medicines began when two chemists took an herbal analgesic called salicylic acid and synthesized the synthetic drug Aspirin from it (2).  The pharmaceutical industry was born from this progress and has resulted in the ability to entirely or partly replicate many medicinal botanicals.

What are medicinal botanicals?
The University of Minnesota Life Science Foundation defines them as "plants (or substances that come from plants) that are used to treat or prevent disease" (3). To underscore the importance of botanicals in the treatment of disease,  the Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and Environment at Rutgers University states that "natural products continue to make the most dramatic impact in the area of cancer" (2).  This is because "a primary advantage of botanicals is their complex composition consisting of collections of related compounds having multiple activities that interact for a greater total activity" (2). In other words, synthetic compounds just aren't able to replicate what nature provides.


Plant foods as medicine
The European Botanical Forum has a compiled a very comprehensive and informative Compendium of Botanicals that have been reported to contain substances that may be of health concern when used in food or food supplements found here. Also of note, is their discussion of the role of plant food nutrients, as well as the plants' secondary metabolites and their effects on our health.  The following is a quote from their discussion of understanding the benefits to our health of botanicals:

"In seeking to achieve optimum nutrition, for many years attention has been focused on nutrients because their lack in the diet leads to deficiencies with characteristic clinical symptoms. However, the role of other food components in achieving optimal health is now better understood. Most of these food components are from plants which are rich in bioactive secondary metabolites. These are substances produced by the plant in adaptation to local environmental conditions, which, for example in the Mediterranean area, are often pro-oxidative. This requires an adaptive response from the botanical, producing protective bioactive compounds such as polyphenolic molecules. This is particularly relevant for human health because the intake of these plants results in the transfer of those protective compounds to the human organism."

Simply put, research is now beginning to understand that the interactions that occur between plants and their environment result in substances that can have a profound impact on the health of those of us who eat these plants. The researchers from Rutgers articulate this concept in another way:  "Plants must maintain and protect themselves through diverse arrays of complex natural products that they make from the inorganic components of air, soil and water because they lack the flight response. ...Plants can live hundreds of years without succumbing to diseases or predation.  It should come to no surprise that some of the compounds that have enabled plants to survive may also be used to maintain the health and well-being of humans" (2). Wow! This could give an additional meaning to Kermit the Frog's lament of "It's not that easy being green."

Seriously though, my purpose in sharing the above was to underscore the dire importance of including plant foods in your diet.  Having said that, eating for healing is not just about consuming a few more servings of fruits and vegetables a day, although this is definitely a good thing to do for your health. Let's take a closer look at a few of the nutritional strategies that were recommended to me. 


Options for nutritional paths to healing -
First, I'd like to share that when I began considering disease treatment plans, I sought the expertise of many qualified resources. What I'm sharing is the advice of these experts, and it has proven invaluable to me in determining the best course of action for me. Having a team of physicians that will consider and support your desire to choose the best treatment for you is priceless.  If you are dealing with an illness and struggling to navigate through the standard practice of care maze, I encourage you to pursue finding these experts.  They do exist!

My journey led me to an outstanding oncologist and functional medicine doctor who recommended the Comprehensive Elimination Diet, which is discussed in more detail here. In addition, this physician felt it was important to incorporate detoxification measures into my lifestyle (more about this in the post here). Another physician suggested I try the Anti-Inflammatory Diet.  Dr. Andrew Weil also has some excellent info on this program here. I have discovered that many components of these diet strategies overlap and compliment each other. Ultimately, what I found most productive for me was to pick certain components of these diets and combine them into an amalgamation that has become my lifestyle.

I'm ecstatic to say that the results speak for themselves. My annual follow up with the radiologist was so positive it prompted him to ask me about my treatment plan! I've also shared in previous posts that since my husband joined me on my eating for healing journey he has lost over 40 pounds, is healthier and feels better than he has in years. Clearly for us, making the decision to eat for healing has been positively life transforming! So, on to the bottom line. 

 
Key components of eating for healing
Here are the strategies that I feel are critical, along with their supporting elements. It's important to note that the components share many common elements. 

1. Eliminate or limit foods that can cause chronic inflammation
2. Aid the body in detoxification and support liver function
3. Increase foods that have healing properties
• Eat a colorful variety of plant foods - Serving recommendations can be found at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Fruits and Veggies Matter website here and you can also read more in my blog post about this found here and here.  
• When possible eat organic foods because pesticides and herbicides actually thwart the production of phenolics. As mentioned above, phenolics are chemicals that act as a plant's natural defense and they also happen to be good for our health. Read more here.
• Limit or avoid foods made with refined grains, like white bread and pasta and eat more whole grains. For now, I have made the choice to restrict wheat because I wanted to make more room in my diet for the nutritional benefits of other grains that I wasn't eating because of my love of wheat.  Ancient grains like farro, quinoa and amaranth, for example, are a few that I'm eating now. The important take away here, is that you want to avoid refined white flour and foods containing this flour because the refining removes much of the grains nutritional benefits, as well as negatively effecting insulin.  More about whole grains here and on insulin below.
• Avoid prepackaged, processed and refined foods. Always choose whole foods.
• Eat low glycemic index foods. This prevents a rapid rise in insulin which can contribute to infllammation in the body.  Check out this website for more info on the glycemic index (GI) of foods. A good rule of thumb: Foods with more fiber usually have a lower GI.
• Liberally use spices that have anti-inflammatory properties. Examples: ginger, turmeric and curry.
• I avoid dairy to reduce risk of inflammation, especially from non-organic sources (lactose intolerance runs in my family), but I do eat some organically produced goat dairy products. 
• Drink plenty of filtered water. 
• Get more Omega 3 in your diet. Western diets are much higher in Omega 6 fats. Research suggests that a 1:1 ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 is healthier (5).  Supplement with a quality fish oil and eat more food sources of Omega 3 fats. For example walnuts, ground flax seeds or flax seed oil. Read more about fats here and here.  
• Eliminate partially hydrogenated oils. Check food labels for trans fats and avoid fried foods.
• Reduce saturated fats by cutting back on red meat and full-fat dairy foods.

The University of Michigan's Healing Foods Pyramid is a great visual representation of many of the elements just discussed. You can view the full sized, printable version here.

University of Michigan's Healing Foods Pyramid

The journey back to health and a "new normal" has been a long, winding and rather bumpy road, but as it is with many of life's passages, it has led to greater wisdom and strength. It's important to stress that what I discerned to be the best course of treatment for me does not suggest it is the only path to take. My choice is not better or more correct than any other treatment options.  Only you, along with the assistance of your health care provider, can decide what is best for you. Healthy or otherwise, our bodies can always use the nutritional support that eating for healing provides.

The next post will outline a weekly menu with meal suggestions to get you started.  In the meantime, I encourage you to begin by implementing one of the dietary strategies mentioned above each week, or perhaps you're ready to dive right in and try the Elimination Diet, the Anti-Inflammatory Diet, or the Healing Foods Plan. Go for it! You have nothing to lose, except maybe a few unwanted pounds, and you might even find you have gained renewed health. 

Sources
(1) Pieroni, A., Price, L., Eating and Healing: Traditional Food as Medicine, Haworth Press, 2006.
(2) Barbara Schmidt, David M. Ribnicky, Alexander Poulev, Sithes Logendra, William T. Cefalu, Ilya Raskin, A natural history of botanical therapeutics. Science Direct. - http://mss3.libraries.rutgers.edu/dlr/TMP/rutgers-lib_24171-PDF-1.pdf 
(3) University of Minnesota Center of Spirituality and Healing - http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/botanical-medicine-0
(4) European Botanical Forum - Benefits of Botanical Foods -http://www.botanicalforum.eu/uploads/Fact%20File%203.pdf 
(5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12442909
Wikipedia - secondary metabolites - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_metabolite
Wikipedia - bioactive-  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioactive
Wikipedia - polyphenol antioxidant - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphenol_antioxidant
Functional Medicine - http://www.functionalmedicine.org/content_management/files/ifm_Comp_Elim_Diet_091503.pdf
Dr. Weil - http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/PAG00361/anti-inflammatory-food-pyramid.html

Don't put a milk moustache on breast cancer

Milk is a healthy beverage right? We've been told to "drink your milk" since we were old enough to hold the sippy cup. A quick look at the GotMilk website here will show you that they are even touting milk as a way to help PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome). They go so far as to call milk, "The perfect comfort food." If you're of a certain age you may remember when milk was delivered by the milkman to the front door of your house and it actually was healthy.  However, things have changed a lot since then and not all milk is created equal.

It all started back in the early 1980's with research for a drug that would increase the production of milk in cows. Monsanto Company eventually received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for their drug Posilac. It's what is known as a genetically engineered hormone called recombinant bovine growth hormone, or rBGH. In 2008, Eli Lilly acquired the Posilac branch of Monsanto's business. Eli Lilly also manufactures breast cancer treatment drugs. So, what's the big deal? Well, the plot thickens.

There are potential health issues associated with the use of rBGH. To underscore this point, several countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, and the European Union recognize rBGH as a big enough health threat that they have banned it and any products containing it. Animal and food safety activists in the US have been voicing their concerns for years as well.  Thankfully, some grocery stores, dairies and companies that utlize milk in their products are no longer using rBGH milk. You can view a list here compiled by Food and Water Watch.org.

So, just what are these potential health issues? Well, one concern is that the hormone causes mastitis in the udders of cows. The mastitis then requires antibiotics - strong antibiotics.  In some cases, antibiotics are regularly used to prevent mastitis before it even occurs. The prolific use of antibiotics is thought to be one cause of the increasing numbers of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria we're seeing. That by itself is bad enough. However, the story doesn't end here. 

The presence of rBGH in the cow's blood stimulates production of another hormone that is normally present in cow's milk, called Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1).  A side effect of the use of rBGH is that it causes IGF-1 levels to rise significantly above normal. According to one study, rBGH caused the normal levels of  IGF-1 in cow's milk to increase by "sixfold", and recent information released by Eli Lilly to the European Community Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products admitted increases of ten times the normal IGF-1. 

Why is this a problem? When we drink milk containing normal levels of IGF-1, the hormone usually binds with proteins whose job is to keep the biological activity of IGF-1 in check. However, when levels of IGF-1 are significantly increased, as they are in rBGH cow's milk, it's thought that this leads to unbound IGF-1 circulating in the body.  It's a known fact that IGF-1 causes cells to divide and that unregulated cell division leads to cancer. The concern many experts have is that rBGH, and the resulting increased levels of unbound IGF-1 in our circulation, are contributing factors to the increases seen in a variety of cancers, including breast, colon, lung and prostate.

So, that's the connection. A drug company that offers breast cancer treatment drugs is also responsible for a drug that may cause breast cancer. I find this appalling! Like me, you might be wondering where the FDA is in this story. If you'd like, you can read an updated 2009 statement from them here, and get their side of the story. It's difficult for me to understand how other countries can see the wisdom in banning the use of this drug, but the US cannot. Having said that, the cynic in me can recall many similar situations where a big industry with deep pockets was able to fly under the radar for years.

If you're feeling moved to activism, Breast Cancer Action has composed a petition to Eli Lilly requesting that they stop making rBGH. You can link to it here. It really is an inexcusable conflict of interest when a company sells a drug that ultimately may contribute to breast cancer and also sells drugs for breast cancer treatments.

The good news is that there is a movement for labeling non rBGH cow's milk and other dairy products so that consumers can identify and choose products that don't use this growth hormone. The bigger picture is that this fight isn't just about dairy products. It's about all foods that are being genetically modified or altered. Don't you think we should have a right to know what we're eating? That healthy milk delivered by the milkman is still available today.  It's just our responsibility to make sure that we can choose for ourselves which milk we deem healthiest.


Sources
http://documents.foodandwaterwatch.org/rBGH_Health.pdf
http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/general/milk.htm
http://www.gotmilk.com/#/benefits/pms/info/
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=5149628
http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ProductSafetyInformation/ucm130321.htm
http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/general/documents/consumer2_001.pdf
http://www.medical-hypotheses.com/article/S0306-9877%2805%2900354-3/abstract
Image from -http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/milk-organic-FD-lg.jpg 

No wheat - whole grain bread

I'm discovering a whole new way of approaching food. Rather than thinking of it as just sustenance for my body, I'm looking at food as medicine. In an effort to reduce inflammation, I'm trying the elimination diet which was suggested by my doctor.  This diet is where certain foods aren't eaten for a period of time.  Then the eliminated foods are added back into the diet one at a time. Adding foods back into your diet this way allows you to see specifically which food triggers any allergy symptoms. Then you can better pinpoint the food most likely causing problems.

Experts have found that increasing numbers of people have a sensitivity to the gluten that is found in wheat. Interestingly, this may be ocurring as a result of the farming techniques used to produce wheat in our country. Pesticides, fungicides, and chemical plant growth regulators are being used to grow wheat. Then the wheat is altered further when it is processed into white flour. Many prepackaged foods, and of course, white bread, are all made with this refined, nutrient stripped white flour. The Weston A. Price Foundation has a fascinating article that discusses what happens to wheat from seed to storage here. The article was an eye opener for me.

One of the symptoms of gluten sensitivity is that it causes the immune system to respond with intestinal inflammation. So for now, I'm temporarily eliminating wheat products. It's just that... I really enjoy eating whole wheat bread.  I wondered how I was going to get my bread fix? Well, I found the most amazing honey, whole grain bread recipe in the Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre, MS,CN, and it contains no wheat!

Bob's Red Mill Whole Grains

Although the recipe doesn't suggest it, I made a loaf in the bread machine on the whole wheat cycle. After I proofed the yeast mixture, I put it into the bread machine first, then added the dry mixture and let the machine do the work. Even though the bread machine's whole wheat bread cycle goes through several series of rising and punching down, it still came out deliciously. I did take the pan out of the bread machine after about 35-40 minutes.

Don't let the dough put you off. It's not the usual wheat or white bread dough consistency. I found it to be rather slick, shiny and a bit runny by traditional dough standards.  However, it baked up into a wonderfully moist, dense, crusty and very tasty loaf of bread.

 Some, if not all, of the grains required in the recipe you can get from Bob's Red Mill online, or at Whole Foods or Central Market (in the Dallas area).  The recipe suggests for a slightly sweeter tasting bread, you can replace the amaranth and buckwheat flours for equal amounts of sorghum flour if desired. I thought the bread was sweet enough without substituting, but more sweetness might be a nice change for a breakfast bread. If you can't find some of the flours, I used whole grains and ground them into a flour in my Vita-Mix.  I'm sure a food processor would work just as well too. Here's the recipe:

Honey Whole Grain Bread

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (100 to 110 degrees F)
• 1 tsp whole can sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup teff flour
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour 
• 1/4 cup amaranth flour
• 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F and oil a 9x5 inch loaf pan.  Place the warm water and tsp of sugar into a small bowl.  Make sure the water is the right temperature.  If the water is too cold the yeast will not become active and if the water is too hot it will kill the yeast.  Add the yeast and stir.  Proof the yeast by allowing it to stand for 5 to 10 minutes. It should become bubbly, if not start over with fresh yeast and water. Then add the honey, oil, and apple cider vinegar. Stir well with a fork or wire whisk. 
2. In a large bow, add the arrowroot powder, tapioca flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, teff flour, buckwheat flour, amaranth flour, xanthan gum, sea salt and baking soda.  Combine the flours with a wire whisk.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk them together as you are pouring to avoid lumps.  Continue to whisk for another 30 to 60 seconds or so, or until the batter thickens and becomes smooth.
3. Transfer batter to the oiled loaf pan and gently spread out with the back of a spoon.  Place pan, uncovered, into the 200 degree oven.  Let rise for 30 to 35 minutes with the oven door cracked open.  After it has risen, close the oven door and turn the oven temperature up to 375 degrees F.  Bake for 30 minutes. Loosen sides with a knife and place onto a wire rack to cool. 

Enjoy with some almond butter. I'd post a photo, but it's already gone! Yum.  Feel free to share any gluten free bread recipes that you've savored.
  
Sources
Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, 2nd edition, Alissa Segersten, Tom Malterre, MS,CN

More lifestyle changes to reduce chronic inflammation

What's the big deal about inflammation? Well, researchers have been finding that it's a big deal when inflammation becomes chronic.  We're all familiar with the acute inflammation that occurs with a broken bone, scrape or infection. This is a short term, healing response to injury. The immune system responds with a cascade of events.  Once the threat or injury to the body has been addressed, the acute inflammatory response turns off.

Chronic inflammation arises when the immune system doesn't shut off.  It continues its healing response and the inflammatory cascade of events can occur for weeks, months or even years. You might think that having the immune system working all the time is a good thing. However, it's a case of too much of a good thing, because over time this abnormal response can damage body tissues. Research has identified that chronic inflammation can be the springboard for many diseases, like Alzheimer's, asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, chronic pain, various cancers, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, stroke and diseases where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues.

Clearly with chronic inflammation linked to so many diseases it's important to prevent it.  There are several lifestyle changes that make a big difference in limiting chronic inflammation: 

1. Nutrition - According to the Linus Pauling Institute at University of Oregon, "Overall, studies suggest that diets rich in saturated fats, trans fats (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils), and high glycemic index foods stimulate inflammation." The take away here is - avoid animal products, refined sugar, refined vegetable oils, and refined carbohydrates. 
   
   
   
   
   
   • Eat at least 5 and shoot for 7 servings of anti-oxidant rich, low glycemic index (GI) fruits and vegetables a day. You can find the University of Sydney's GI listing of foods here and the National Cancer Institute's list of anti-oxidant rich foods here. The table below shows a few of the anti-oxidant powerhouse foods. Note the serving sizes.

   

   Estimates of antioxidant capacities of selected foods. Micromole TE per household measure and grams. (Credit: USDA)

   • Eat wild salmon, walnuts, ground flaxseed, purified fish oil and leafy greens rich in the good Omega 3 fat. Exclude all commercially produced fats like those found in margarine, crackers, chips, cookies and deep fried foods like french fries.  Read food labels and be on the look out for partially hydrogenated oils.
     
   • Eat fresh herbs and spices that reduce inflammation like ginger, turmeric, green tea and nettles. The American Cancer Society lists oregano as the herb containing the highest levels of anti-oxidants. "It has 42 more times antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, and 12 times more than oranges." Evidently good things do come in small packages because "gram for gram, oregano and other fresh herbs ranked even higher than fruits and vegetables that are known to be high in antioxidants." Check out the  Phytochemicals website here, for their list of the herbs and spices highest in anti-oxidants.
   • Eat whole grains and skip the refined, white flour. Whole grains have a lower glycemic index than refined grains and more fiber. The Whole Grains Council has details on types of whole grains and daily serving requirements here.
   • Speaking of whole grains, it's best to eat whole foods in general. They contain fiber and vital nutrients that are lost when foods are processed.
   • Another great resource for information on an anti-inflammatory eating plan can be found at Dr. Weil's website.  
     
    
2. Physical Activity - Excess body weight and chronic inflammation are linked.  Studies have shown that "various forms of exercise decrease both acute and chronic inflammation" (Linus Pauling Inst.). This is because increasing physical activity usually has the effect of reducing body weight.  The more healthy the body weight, the less chronic inflammation results.
3. Persistent Stress - Researchers are linking the ways physical and psychological stressors such as poor sleep, PTSD, and depression, trigger the inflammatory response and increase the risk of disease. Try to limit stress and get some sleep.
   
4. Tobacco Use - Tobacco products contain toxins that cause inflammation to the mouth, throat and respiratory tract, among other things. Don't smoke and if you do, quit.
   
5. Environmental Toxins - Take a look at your cleaning products. Learn what's in your water. Become familiar with which foods contain the most chemical residues here and which fish have the most mercury content here. Limiting your exposure to chemicals, airborne irritants and heavy metals, like mercury, is important in reducing chronic inflammation.

For more detailed information about the steps outlined above there are two books that I've found helpful: The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book by Jessica K. Black, N.D. and The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre, MS, CN. 

Making lifestyle changes isn't easy. Attempting to tackle all of these suggestions at once may feel overwhelming. Try implementing one change at a time.  Since chronic inflammation is something we can't see or feel, it may not seem like that big of a deal.  However, as more research continues to reveal the increasing numbers of diseases being linked to chronic inflammation, it seems prudent to take steps to reduce this silent condition.

Sources:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/ss07/inflammation.html
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Common_Cooking_Herbs_Packed_with_Antioxidants.asp
http://www.fammed.wisc.edu/files/webfm-uploads/documents/outreach/im/handout_ai_diet_patient.pdf 
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02995/Dr-Weil-Anti-Inflammatory-Food-Pyramid.html
http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12354500/Data/ORAC/ORAC_R2.pdf 
http://www.ewg.org/ourfood
http://www.gotmercury.org/article.php?list=type&type=75

http://www.phytochemicals.info/research/antioxidants-herbs.php

Is organic produce better?

I think we can all agree that eating more fruits and vegetables is healthier than choosing to eat a candy bar and cheese doodles. But, when it comes down to which fruits and vegetables, well, it can be a tricky exercise. What is the nutrient content? Glycemic index? Is it organic or conventionally grown? Adding to my confusion is the fact that there is often conflicting research information released about our foods. It's no wonder on a recent trip to the grocery store my husband questioned, "Is organic produce really better?"

Well, let's see. There was a study done in the UK by the Food Standards Agency (FDS). This is the UK's version of our FDA.  They stated that "there are no important differences in the nutrition content, or any additional health benefits, of organic food when compared with conventionally produced food." Let's take a look at the first part of this statement - nutrition content.

There are other studies that have shown that organically grown food does contain more nutrients.  One example is an article in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. It states that a study done on organically grown corn, strawberries and marionberries showed "significantly higher levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants than conventionally grown foods." I think it's especially interesting to note this research suggested that "pesticides and herbicides actually thwart the production of phenolics." These are chemicals that act as a plant's natural defense.  They also happen to be good for our health. 

Which brings me to the second part of the FDS's statement where they say there weren't "any additional health benefits of organic food when compared with conventionally produced food." Well, we know that organic foods don't come with any extra chemicals in the form of herbicides and pesticides! I copied this straight from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) website: "Laboratory studies show that pesticides can cause health problems, such as birth defects, nerve damage, cancer, and other effects that might occur over a long period of time.  However, these effects depend on how toxic the pesticide is and how much of it is consumed."  The EPA also states: RISK = TOXICITY x EXPOSURE.

If a health risk increases in relation to the toxicity of the chemicals used in growing fruits and vegetables and the amount of these foods I'm eating, then it makes sense to me to go organic. Not just because I'm consuming less chemicals that are bad for me, but because with organic I believe I'm also getting more of the plants good stuff. So, I think organic really is better. 

Sources
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2009/jul/organic
http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/C/2003471.html
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/risks.htm

Eating Healthy with the Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) sent out an email today encouraging active participation in lobbying our elected officials to support the Lautenberg Bill. According to a Washington Post article, the bill "would require manufacturers to prove the safety of chemicals before they enter the marketplace."

Incredibly, manufacturers currently ARE NOT REQUIRED to submit health and safety data to the EPA for the 84,000 chemicals now in use. The Lautenberg Bill would mandate that chemical manufacturers make this health information available to the EPA. Then the EPA does their review to determine whether the chemicals are safe enough to remain on the market.

Currently, the government has little or no information about the risks of most chemicals in use. The Washington Post article mentions that the government cannot act unless a chemical poses a health threat, but the EPA cannot force companies to provide the data needed that reveals the risks. So, in other words little action can be taken until the damage is done!

It's easy to become cynical about this situation and to feel powerless. I'm trying to eat more fruits and veggies, but by doing so I may be increasing my pesticide consumption! It's so frustrating. What's a health conscious person to do? Well, in addition to lobbying our elected officials to consider this bill, we can take some steps to protect ourselves. One step is knowing which foods are most effected by the use of chemical pesticides. Check out the link to EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides. Just click on the title of this post. It's a quick reference guide that shows the "Clean 15" and the "Dirty Dozen."

Armed with this knowledge, my next smoothie will have a few less unwanted chemicals in it!