By Jimmy Wang
•
March 3, 2021
There are so many things I can cover regarding food and nutrition – it is endless. Theoretically speaking, “you are what you eat” is a true statement. What we put into our bodies, chemically, is one way to affect the nervous system – good or bad. My patients often ask me what else they can do, in addition to getting regular chiropractic adjustments, to better their health. Although there are many complementary recommendations, diet and nutrition is among the most important. By no means am I a dietitian or a nutritionist. My goal in covering this topic is to provide general knowledge so that you can make better informed choices for your health. This topic will be covered in several posts over the next few months. For now, we will keep things basic and talk about organic vs. non-organic. Why Organic? There are many benefits to consuming organic foods compared to non-organic foods. Some of these benefits include: 1. Minimal/fewer pesticides 2. Fresher food 3. Organic farming is better for the environment 4. Organically raised animals are NOT given antibiotics or growth hormones 5. GMO-Free Intaking GMO’s and pesticides daily can have varying health implications, especially to mental and emotional health. GMO’s and Pesticides GMO’s, known as Genetically Modified Organisms, are engineered to make food crops resistant to the herbicide Roundup. Roundup is used to prevent the weeds from damaging the products. The problem here is two-fold: One, we are eating foods that are genetically modified. Secondly, because the crops are resistant to herbicides, we are consuming the herbicides/pesticides. Can you imagine every time you eat a GMO or non-organic food product; you are ingesting pesticides a little at a time? Here is a list of some of the food items that GMO’s are commonly found in: - Corn/Corn Syrup - Soybean - Squash - Zucchini - Canola - All Processed foods This is just a short list of many GMO products. Risks of Pesticide Consumption Most of us will have a build up of pesticides that we have consumed and accumulated over years of exposure. The chemicals impact on our bodies can lead to health issues, such as, headaches, birth defects, or added strain on weakened immune systems. Even at low exposure, there have been studies published indicating this could increase the risk of certain cancers. Additionally, pregnant women, fetuses, and children are among the most vulnerable to pesticide exposure. During pregnancy, pesticides can be passed from mother to child in the womb, and then again in breast milk. As immune systems in children are still developing, early exposure to pesticides can cause developmental delays, behavioral disorders, or motor dysfunction. The Dirty Dozen (Produce only) Often times, it is difficult to know what we should buy organic or not. The general rule of thumb is: if it is something that you can peel away and do not eat, you can get away with it not being organic. In other words, these food items will have minimal or no amounts of pesticides in them. They are also GMO-free products. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the list of the 12 dirtiest food items, as of 2020 are: 1. Strawberries 7. Peaches 2. Spinach 8. Cherries 3. Kale 9. Pears 4. Nectarines 10. Tomatoes 5. Apples 11. Celery 6. Grapes 12. Potatoes The Clean Fifteen As mentioned before, there are some food items where we peel away the skin and do not eat it – these tend to be the cleanest ones and safe to consume non-organically. They include: 1. Avocados 8. Asparagus 2. Sweet Corn 9. Cauliflower 3. Pineapple 10. Cantaloupes 4. Onions 11. Broccoli 5. Papaya 12. Mushrooms 6. Sweet Peas 13. Cabbage (frozen) 14. Honeydew Melon 7. Eggplant 15. Kiwi I understand some of the items above do not have skins to peel away, such as, cauliflower or broccoli. These items typically have the lowest amount of pesticide residue. To be clear, if you cannot find the organic items from the Dirty Dozen list, it is still better to just consume these non-organically, than it is to avoid them altogether. At least you would still get some nutrients from these produces than not. What about Cows, Chickens, or Pigs? In addition to fruits and vegetables, it is just as important to buy organic meat, eggs, and dairy if it is within your budget. Industrially raised animals are typically fed corn, grains, antibiotics, growth hormones, pesticides, and sewage sludge. These will have health consequences for the animals, and in turn, we are consuming those unhealthy animals. As humans, we are essentially eating what the animals are being fed. When it comes to choosing meat, eggs, and dairy, we should always be looking for products labeled: • Pastured Raised (dairy) • 100% Grass Fed (beef) • Certified Organic (chicken, pork, eggs) I understand to go 100% organic can be costly. To keep things in budget, consider buying produce when they are in season. That is when produce is the freshest and cheapest. Also, buying certain cuts of meat from organically raised animals – organic chicken thighs vs. organic chicken breasts, for example.