Pesticides: You Think You Know, But You Have No Idea

Everyone knows that our fields of, non-organic, fruits and vegetables are sprayed with pesticides. We also know that non-organic meat comes from animals that feed on fields that have been genetically altered and sprayed with pesticides. But, do you really know the skinni on pesticides? Lets get down and dirty!!! Pesticides are substances or a mixture of substances that are used to prevent, kill, or destroy a pest. A pesticide can be a chemical substance or a biological agent like a virus or a bacteria. There are four types of pesticides that are widely used on and in the foods that we eat... rodenticides - kills rodents, herbicides - kills weeds, fungicide - kills mold and fungus, and antimicrobials - kill bacteria.  All I have to say is, Yummy, not!
  The Environmental Protection Agency, also known as the EPA is responsible for regulating and protecting you and I and our families from these dangerous pesticides. Do I think they are doing their job, Hell no!!! The EPA sets limits on how much pesticide residue is allowed to remain in and on the foods that we eat. These limits are known as tolerances. Our federal government cares so much about us, they control and limit the amount of pesticides we consume. I totally feel the love!! I don't know about you, but the amount of this crap I want to consume is zero.
  Pesticides have many side effects. Some are nausea, dizziness, slurred speech, headaches, vomiting, eye irritation, caner and death. The use of pesticides have been linked to ADHD in children and Parkinson's disease, and asthma. They can also effect our nervous system, endocrine function, and how our body regulates hormones.
  For my meat eaters, I love you guys by the way. Have you ever heard of starlink corn? I didn't think so. Starlink corn is a genetically altered feed that contains insecticidal protein. It has been rendered unsafe for human consumption. But, the EPA allows the use of starlink corn for livestock feed. Okay, so let me get this straight, let the humans eat the animals that ate the corn? Great idea, a-holes!
  Methyl iodide is the most toxic pesticide out there. It has been linked to cancer and late-term miscarriages. The EPA allows this chemical to be sprayed on berries... strawberries and  blueberries. The state of California has made several attempts to have this chemical banned, but has been unsuccessful. There was a study recently done by Dr. Andrew Weil of the  Huffington Post, which took several different non-organic fruits and vegetables dissected them for pesticide residue. From this research came the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 List. With Dirty Dozen five or more chemicals were found. The Clean 15 zero to <1 chemicals were found.
Dirty Dozen 
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Bell Peppers
Spinach
Kale
Cherries
Potatoes
Gapes

Clean 15
Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Mangoes
Sweet Peas
Asparagus
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet Potatoes
Honeydew Melon
  So what can we do to protect ourselves from these killers? One thing we can do is buy certified organically grown foods. These foods are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. I know that buying organic can be expensive, remember the non-organic Clean 15 list. Also clean ALL fruits and vegetables before eating them, whether they are organic or non-organic. Water alone is not good enough. Here is a solution that I use and retrieved from Fitness Magazine. Mix 2 cups of warm water, 1 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of lemon juice or vinegar. Stay healthy and make the best food choices for you and your family. Happy Shopping!!!