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With spring and summer comes an abundance of fresh produce at farmers’ markets and grocery stores. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a great source of basic levels of dietary nutrients essential to fuel and power our bodies, such as potassium, dietary fiber, folic acid and vitamins A and C. What’s not to love?
Unwashed produce may be harboring some unseen, unwelcome disease-causing organisms (pathogens). Before you fill your plate with a heaping pile of fresh fruits and vegetables, make sure you try to protect yourself from the harmful bacteria and pesticide residue that can linger on unwashed produce.
Unwashed produce can contain harmful foodborne pathogens like salmonella, listeria, E. coli, norovirus and more. Foodborne illnesses can cause a range of negative symptoms—from mild cramps and nausea to fever, diarrhea and severe dehydration.
Even otherwise healthy people are not immune to the effects of toxic exposure. If the produce was treated with pesticides during its growth (as many are), then your vegetables could be loaded with glyphosate and atrazine, two of the most common herbicides used in the United States.
Certain fruits and vegetables are more prone to require pesticide use in their growth (view a list from the Environmental Working Group). Washing and storing your produce in accordance with FDA standards for selecting and serving fresh produce will help reduce your family’s daily toxic load. Remember the three tips below when you come home with your bags of fresh produce.
Be conscious of the produce you select in the store. If you’re hand-picking each of your individual fruits and vegetables, select produce that is not visibly bruised or damaged, as these items may already be rotting. If you are opting for pre-cut fruits and vegetables, make sure the items you select are being stored under proper conditions (e.g., fruit like pre-cut watermelon should be stored in very cool fridge or surrounded by ice to maintain an optimal temperature).
The FDA recommends washing all fruits and vegetables under cold running water to ensure the food you are about to consume is free of harmful bacteria or pesticide residue. Washing your produce with soap or detergent is not recommended, however. Produce with a firm shell layer, including melons, cucumbers and potatoes should be scrubbed with a clean produce brush while running under water to remove any stubborn residue.
The FDA recommends refrigerating all produce, whether fresh, pre-cut or packaged. Take note of your refrigerator settings and make sure you are creating a safe and effective environment for your foods (generally, 40° F or below). Most modern refrigerators have different compartments for fruits and vegetables.
While these measures can help reduce toxic exposure, it is not possible to eliminate the risk completely. Toxins and contaminants enter the body through the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink. In addition to food poisoning and other acute consequences of foodborne nasties, toxins build up in the body’s cells over time and interfere with normal body functions. Prolonged or heightened exposure can lead to a range of debilitating health issues, including dementia.
Looking for a detox formula to help your body rid itself of toxic chemicals and pesticides? BodyHealth’s Body Detox™ is an all-natural oral spray that can help your body eliminate toxins quickly and safely. Browse BodyHealth’s Cleanse and Detox collection to learn more about Body Detox and the other detoxifying health products.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
One of the more popular recent voices on the subject promotes a plant-based diet in a big way: The Game Changers. This Netflix special proposes eliminating meat from your diet and replacing it with plant-based sources of protein and nutrition.
Having spent years as a vegan and understanding the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle, I couldn’t help but agree with many of the points brought to light in the film.
As a medical doctor, I saw a fundamental flaw in his information: plant-based proteins do not contain enough of each essential amino acid for most of to provide their bodies the wherewithall to optimize body protein synthesis. This is a fact observed through my own experience, through the experience of my patients, and backed by scientific research.
You know that the cardiovascular system is responsible for pumping blood and oxygen throughout your system, right? And that the endocrine system manages hormones? And that your nervous system relays messages throughout your body?
Well, underlying all these systems is an astoundingly complex electrical system.
This electrical system is busy sending an almost uncountable number of messages to the muscles, bones, brain, and the cells. The human brain is the home to approximately 100 billion neurons, each firing about 200 times every second.
Sometimes it feels like there are more types and brands of water than drops in the ocean. You go to the grocery store and discover a huge shelf packed with different brands of water that all claim to be health-beneficial. Add in the hundreds of in-house water purifiers, and it can seem like a “sea” of confusing options (cue the pun).
Thankfully, your choice doesn’t have to be that complicated.
