My Family

What mother can resist sharing photos of her children? Here are some recent ones of my kids...Enjoy!

An Apple a Day

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? If you are like me, you grew up hearing your grandparents, parents and the family doctor repeat this phrase. But no one ever told us what kind of apples to eat. How about this apple? Are we supposed to eat this kind, or is it another one? Most of you probably don’t see a difference between this apple or any other, but I can tell you with certainty that there is an enormous difference between this apple and a conventional apple and which one you should choose to eat. Regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) a pesticide is defined as: “any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.”As quoted from wikipedia.com on December 5th, 2006. The nature of a pesticide is to disrupt the natural flow of the ecosystem by killing insects and pests in order to the prevent loss of conventionally grown crops. In Contrast to pesticide use on conventional crops,
Organic crops are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, other chemicals and on land that has been free from chemicals for a minimum of three years. In 1973, Oregon was the 1st state to enact an organic labeling law. Since then, the USDA established National Organic Standards (2002) to make regulations uniform in throughout U.S. The apple pictured is organic. It is recommended on the Top 5 Foods to Buy Organic list along with Peaches, Pears, Strawberries and Celery. This list includes foods that have abnormally high levels of pesticide residues when compared to their organic equivalents. Buying Organic produce benefits your health and the environment. Let’s take a look at why….


#1 Pesticides are harmful to humans

Pesticides are Carcinogenic. In simple terms, this means that pesticides cause cancer. Simply because the government approves their use does not mean they are safe!!! In fact, the EPA estimates 60% herbicides, 90% fungicides, 30% insecticide are cancer causing!

GIVEN THE KNOWN TOXICITY OF PESTICIDES, HOW WIDE SPREAD IS THEIR USE IN THE UNITED STATES?
On December 5, 2006 Wikipedia stated that pesticide use has "increased 50-fold since 1950." The US is currently using 2.5 million tons of industrial pesticides annually.

PESTICIDE RESIDUES

Rates of pesticide residue ARE ALARMINGLY HIGH IN U.S.
The USDA conducted a study from ’94-99 finding that 73 % of Conventionly grown crops were contaminated with at least 1 residue. Multiple Residues were found on several samples including apples. So, those apples that you have been told will keep your doctor away, they may actually be sending you to the doctor! Conventionally grown apples fall in the category of four or more pesticide residue contaminants! In fact, some apples had 14 or more pesticide residues! Even more alarming are the effects of pesticides in children. Pesticide “safe levels” are based on adult body mass not our childrens. Babies and children eat more food per pound of body weight than adults do. This equates to higher concentrations of pesticides in their bodies. These high concentrations of pesticides can have serious negative affects on their brain, organ and immune system maturity. A study published by the United States National Research Council in 1993 determined that for infants and children, the most common source of exposure to pesticides is through their diet. All children fed a conventional diet tested postive for pesticide residues in their blood. More recently(2006), USNRC conducted a study measuring the levels of organophosphrus pesticide exposure in 23 school kids, before and after replacing their diet with organic produce. Results concluded pesticide levels dropped dramatically after conventional produce had been replaced with organic produce.

This sparked my interest four years ago because I did not want to harm my new born child in any way. Due to the risk that pesticides pose to my children I have done increasing research on the topic and increased our consumption of organically grown produce.

#2 Pesticides are harmful to the environment

Pesticides increase top soil erosion at a rate of 3 Billion tons annually due to repeatedly planting one crop in same field. Furthermore, soil contamination and pesticide pollution kill organisms and good bacteria in the soil, lowering the available soil nutrients and therefore lowering the ultimate vitamin content in our food.
Pesticides increase water pollution. Toxic run-off from farms kills aquatic life , disrupting the ecosystem. What's more, 38 states have contaminated groundwater and drinking water due to the toxic run off from pesticide residues.

SO HOW DO WE PROTECT OURSELVES, OUR FOOD AND OUR EARTH FROM PESTICIDES?

Organic Farming Practices have considerable benefits to humans. Eatting organically grown crops reduces pesticide residue exposure.The USDA study conducted in 1994-1999 found 23% organic samples were contaminated with 1 pesticide residue. This is the same study that found 73% of conventionally grown crops were contaminated with pesticides. Scientist concluded that the organic produce had been contaminated for several different reasons: drift sprays from nearby farms, mislabeling, fraud and lapses in ID while in transit.
Our reduced exposure to pesticides compounds into reduced cancer risk and protection for our children.

Organic Farming Practices have considerable Benefits to the Environment
Organic Farming reduces soil erosion. Crop rotation and composting used as fertalizer preserves top soil. Conventional Farming kills good bacteria where as composting replaces lost nutrients therefore maintaining the vitamin content in the soil and ultimately our food. Composting decreases waste that would have accumulated in a land fill consequently reducing pollution rates.

The Organic market is one of the fastest growing agricultural markets today and rightly so. With high levels of pesticide residues threatening our physical wellbeing and our environment it is obvious Organic produce is the best option to facilitate human health and environmental strength in our future.
And Those top five foods to buy Organic that I mentioned earlier? Of the samples tested, 90 % of Apples, Peaches, Pears, Strawberries and Celery were contaminated with pesticide residues. Will your apple a day keep the doctor away?

All information was obtained from the following sources:

"Consumers Union Research Team Shows: Organic Foods Really DO Have Less
Pesticides." Consumers Union. 08 MAY 2002. Consumers Union. 1 Dec 2006
.

Galland, Leo. SuperImmunity for Kids. 1. New York: Dell Publishing, 1988.

Goettlich, Paul. "Why Eat Organic Food." Mindfully.org. 03 JUNE 2005. mindfully.org.
1 DEC 2006 .

Greene, M.D., Alan. "Pediatric Update." Dr.green.com. 27 FEB 2003. dr.geen.com. 1
DEC 2006 .

Juliano. RAW The Uncook Book. 1. New York: Harper Collins, 1999.

"Organic Foods at Princeton." Princeton.edu. Princeton University. 1 DEC 2006
.

"Organic Musts!." kidsorganic.com. 2006. 29 NOV 2006 .

"Pesticide."Wikipedia. 1st ed. 2006.

Pratt, M.D., Steven. SuperFoods Rx. 1. New York: Harper Collins, 2004.

Raab, Caroline. "Consumer Knowledge and Perceptions About Organic Food." Journal of
Extension Vol.43. No. 4. Art. 4RIB3.(AUG 2005) 1. 01 DEC 2006
.

"What's so important about organics?." Sustainable Enterprises. 2002. Sustainable
Enterprises. 29 NOV 2006 .

"Why Eat Organic?." Nash Produce. Nash Produce. 29 NOV 2006
.

Yaron, Ruth. Super Baby Food. 2. Archbald, PA: F.J. Roberts Publishing Company,
1998.