Reducing Pesticide Exposure
by Sherry L. Granader
The long-term effects of pesticide and herbicide exposure are unclear, but who wants to wait around until “absolute” scientific evidence is available on whether any pesticide is linked to any disease. Pesticides that have been considered safe and were used for decades are now being banned – for example, methyl parathion was recently banned from being sprayed on apples.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, side effects from exposure to pesticides include dizziness and nausea to more serious long-term neurological and reproductive disorders. (Ref: Prescription for Natural Cures, page 540). For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is calling for hundreds of studies on pesticides especially when it comes to infants and children.
Buy Organic! Organic means they have not been sprayed with synthetic chemicals and have been grown in safe soil. Look for foods with a label stating “certified organically grown” because some organic foods may not be totally pesticide-free due to cross contamination from other crops. Organic foods may cost more, but isn’t your health worth it?
Be aware of the following fruits and vegetables that may contain some of the highest amounts of toxic pesticides:
Apples
Grapes
Green Beans
Peaches
Potatoes
Pears
Strawberries
Raspberries
Spinach
Winter Squash
The next best thing is to buy fruits and vegetables from your local farmer markets and get to know who uses pesticides and who does not. You can also purchase chicken, turkey and meat products from purveyors who use pesticide-free feed and do not use any hormones or antibiotics on their animals.
Of course, clean your fruits and vegetables whether they are organic or not to rinse off any bacteria as well as pesticides. The problem with some of the softer fruits like pears, for instance, they absorb the pesticide into the core of the fruit. Look for special soaps that dissolve pesticides and rinse them well.
[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]
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