Pesticides, Foods to avoid and Farmed Salmon, Atlantic Salmon, Cancer, Pregnancy

The problem with pesticides:

• Neurological problems can develop especially in infants and children

• Cancer causing chemicals

• Regular food has less vitamin and mineral content than organic food and washing doesn’t remove all pesticides

Check out this link by the Ontario College of Physicians for more information on the harm of Pesticides.

Ontario College of Family Physicians Comprehensive Review of Pesticide Research Confirms Dangers

“The College’s overall message to patients is to avoid exposure to all pesticides whenever and wherever possible.”

Part of the solution is to “eat organic“. There have been two major conclusions from a study by the The Organic Center, State of Science Review, Nutritional Superiority of Organic Foods:

• “Yes, organic plant-based foods are, on average, more nutritious in terms of their nutrient density for compounds validated by this study’s rigorous methodology.”

• ” The average serving of organic plant-based food contains about 25% more of the nutrients encompassed in this study than a comparable-sized serving of the same food produced by conventional farming methods.”

Please read the above report for great information on the value of organic foods.

Here is a list of foods to definitely eat organic: by the Environmental Working Group List of foods that should be eaten organic and foods that are low in pesticides.

Top twelve foods to eat organic because they have high pesticide levels:

1.Peach

2.Apple

3.Bell Pepper

4.Celery

5.Nectarine

6.Strawberries

7.Cherries

8.Kale

9.Lettuce

10.Grapes (Imported) ie. from Chile

11.Carrot

12.Pear

Fifteen foods with the lowest pesticide levels:

1.Onion

2.Avocado

3.Sweet Corn

4.Pineapple

5.Mango

6.Asparagus

7.Sweet Peas

8.Kiwi

9.Cabbage

10.Eggplant

11.Papaya

12.Watermelon

13.Broccoli

14.Tomato

15.Sweet Potato

What about Farmed salmon?

We are eating more salmon for heart health and to control inflammation. Most of the fish available in the markets are farmed fish. “Atlantic Salmon,” is basically farmed salmon. Farmed salmon has higher levels of polychlorinated biphenyls(PCB), dioxins, other persistent chlorinated contaminants, and very high levels of antibiotics. PCBs consumed by pregnant women can lead to neurological deficits like behavior problems and lower IQ in their children even at low exposure. So all pregnant women should avoid eating farmed salmon. Canned Alaskan salmon or wild fish is not farmed and therefore better for your health. The PCB are also associated with different cancers. Learn more about the negative environmental effects of farmed salmon at: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/files/PSF_Salmon_Brochure.pdf

Dr. Dhillon, ND