One of the biggest debates as we peruse the produce aisle is whether or not to buy organic. Most folks know that eating organic fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of developing cancer and other diseases. However, in this economy, sometimes our wallets override our emotions. Well, I’m here to tell you that there is a loophole to get out of the guilt we may have when not buying organic. If you’re looking to do right by your body without breaking the bank, you will be happy to find out that you can skimp here and there!

Two lists were compiled with data from the US Department of Agriculture; one is The Dirty Dozen and the other is The Clean 15. Tests were run to determine the amount of pesticide residue found in non-organic fruits and vegetables after they had been pressure washed. The produce that made The Dirty Dozen list tested positive for at least 47 different chemicals, with some testing positive for as many as 67. And that wasn’t just in the skin. They found traces all the way down into the seeds! By making sure that you stick to organic when buying the fruit and veggies from this list, you can reduce your exposure to harmful toxins by as much as 80 percent.

If you can’t afford to buy organic all the time, you can still rest easy. Purchasing conventional, non-organic produce from The Clean 15 list is likely fine, as those were the least affected by chemicals. Mainly due to their thicker skin, The Clean 15 are able to fight toxin absorption much better than those on The Dirty Dozen list. Of course, I’m an advocate of buying local and organic produce whenever possible. But in this day and age, we could all use a financial break every now and again, so here’s a little pass when you need one.

When you MUST buy organic:
1. celery
2. peaches
3. strawberries
4. apples
5. domestic blueberries
6. nectarines
7. sweet bell peppers
8. spinach, kale and collard greens
9. cherries
10. potatoes
11. imported grapes
12. lettuce

When you can skip it:
1. onions
2. avocados
3. sweet corn
4. pineapples
5. mangoes
6. sweet peas
7. asparagus
8. kiwi fruit
9. cabbage
10. eggplant
11. cantaloupe
12. watermelon
13. grapefruit
14. sweet potatoes
15. sweet onions

While it is said that it’s safe to consume The Clean 15, never miss out on a thorough wash of your produce. In fact, conventional as well as organic produce should always be washed and treated with a special veggie wash. Even when eating organic, your produce can be touched by 20 sets of hands before it ends up on your fork, so take precautions for your health. Shop smart, stay healthy and save your money for rainy days whenever you can!

Carolyn Scott is the executive producer, creator, host, and writer of The Healthy Voyager brand. Her web series, radio show, site, blog and social network show you how to live, and travel, healthy and green.

Photo Credit: Darren Kirby

By Lisa Borden

Shopping at the farmers market is better for the environment, better for our economy and better for your wallet. It’s also fun, healthy and the food tastes better. Once you eat fresh, recently harvested produce, you’ll realize the stuff from the supermarket (organic or not) is just not the same thing. Being connected to your food will change your entire life!

As with anything new, it takes time to figure it all out, so here are some helpful hints for hitting the farmers market.

1. Don’t forget your bags, baskets and containers. Invest in good reusables (I couldn’t live without my washable, square-bottomed RuMe bags). Be warned, no one goes to market and forgets their bags! A basket can also be very handy especially during berry season. There are no plastic clamshell containers at the market, so stacking is not an option. Expert tip: take your own produce bags, bread bags and containers; they all come in handy.

2. Bring cash and plenty of small change. It’ll be faster and easier for everyone. Trust me, it doesn’t feel good to pass a $50 dollar bill to a farmer selling you $3 worth of spinach!

3. Bring your family and friends. It’s more fun to share the market with others. Consider meeting at the market for a meal or drink (extra points for bringing a reusable mug!). It’s also a place to involve everyone in food choices. We need our children to understand where our food comes from; just ask Jamie Oliver!

4. Do a full walk-through. There are no returns. Who has the best tomatoes? Would you have preferred the peaches instead of the pears? Walk the whole market first to see what’s available and compare prices and product–although if you have a favorite farmer with limited crops, you’ll want to go directly there first. Also, later in the season, the produce seems to get heavier. Melons and squash are always my last purchases, so that I don’t have to carry them around the entire time. Once you become a regular, you will know your favorites, and your shopping routine will become second nature.

5. Don’t get sold a fake. Just because it’s the farmers market doesn’t mean the food is automatically healthy. Some markets have vendors selling donuts made from white flour and fried in conventional oil. No, I have no idea how they were allowed in. Happily, a few stalls away will be someone selling lovingly-made stuffed French toast made with the finest ingredients. Choose wisely, and choose real.

6. Go early and get first pickings. You cannot imagine the excitement the regular market shoppers have for the season’s first strawberries, asparagus, ramps, and…if you don’t “get it” now, you will next year at this time. If you want to take part to the fullest, don’t sleep in. Go late if you are looking for deals and are not picky. Vendors will generally be happy not to haul anything back with them; they worked hard to get it to market in the first place.

7. Ask questions. You’ll get real answers. If you want to know when something was picked, or how to best choose a particular item, just ask. You’ll get great answers. Make sure what you are buying is organic by asking. And, although sometimes the farmer will not have paid for certification, they are as stringent (or more) in their fields and operations. Also feel free to ask what something is, or try things that you would not necessarily see at the store. Farmers know all about what they grow (sometimes they will share great recipes too–that’s not happening at the supermarket!).

8. Speak to other marketers. I have generally found people to be quite friendly at markets. It’s amazing not only what advice I’ve given, but what I’ve learned. I’ve received great recommendations for restaurants, family events, and products nearby or just outside of the city.

9. Don’t buy ingredients for a meal; make a meal based on the best ingredients you buy. Don’t just go to the market to cross things off your grocery list. Buy what’s best and in season, and try new things. When you buy fresh and simple, the dishes you prepare can be also. Sometimes we just enjoy a “market meal”—a help-yourself-to-all-of-the-goodness-we-just-got-meal. You can obviously make a list, but keep an open mind. Take advantage of seasonal inspiration.

10. Cook together. By cooking with your children, as opposed to for them, you have the opportunity to teach them so much (and have a great time together). “Give a person a fish; you have fed them for today. Teach a person to fish, and you have fed them for a lifetime.” Before you decide that this is an impossible task with your hectic schedule, consider making this a weekly event. Even toddlers can help. Picking leaves off of basil, or putting berries into the bowl is enough to sustain at least 5 minutes of kitchen time together! Make a concerted effort to be connected to your food, your family and your friends. Mealtime will change forever.

As always, keep in mind, your money is your voice. With every dollar you spend, you are asking for more of the same. Shopping at our local markets will change your life personally and benefit the whole community.

It’s not local vs. organic, it’s local AND organic from the farmers market. Enjoy the season. Share the experience with others, and enjoy some great food while you’re at it!

Lisa Borden is an eco-advocate and mother of three, whose full-service marketing firm, Borden Communications + Design Inc., is a direct reflection of her commitment to better, more responsible living. She is a dedicated workaholic, admitting that it takes a lot of time and effort to change the world, especially in her non-preachy, fun, engaging and inspiring ways.

Blessing us with hot knowledge on this Meatless Monday, health and wellness warrior Kathy Freston provides another powerful case for the plant-based diet. She offers historical, anthropological, and biological testimony to refute the idea that we evolved to consume mass quantities of meat and animal products. By now, we think you’re out of excuses: Go Meatless with us today!

I often notice the frequently stated notion that eating meat was an essential step in human evolution. While this notion may comfort the meat industry, it’s simply not true, scientifically.

Dr. T. Colin Campbell, professor emeritus at Cornell University and author of The China Study, explains that in fact, we only recently (historically speaking) began eating meat, and that the inclusion of meat in our diet came well after we became who we are today. He explains that “the birth of agriculture only started about 10,000 years ago at a time when it became considerably more convenient to herd animals. This is not nearly as long as the time [that] fashioned our basic biochemical functionality (at least tens of millions of years) and which functionality depends on the nutrient composition of plant-based foods.”

That jibes with what Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine President Dr. Neal Barnard says in his book, The Power of Your Plate, in which he explains that “early humans had diets very much like other great apes, which is to say a largely plant-based diet, drawing on foods we can pick with our hands. Research suggests that meat-eating probably began by scavenging—eating the leftovers that carnivores had left behind. However, our bodies have never adapted to it. To this day, meat-eaters have a higher incidence of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other problems.”

There is no more authoritative source on anthropological issues than paleontologist Dr. Richard Leakey, who explains what anyone who has taken an introductory physiology course might have discerned intuitively: humans are herbivores. Leakey notes that “[y]ou can’t tear flesh by hand, you can’t tear hide by hand… We wouldn’t have been able to deal with food source that required those large canines.” (Although we have teeth that are called “canines,” they bear little resemblance to the canines of carnivores).

In fact, our hands are perfect for grabbing and picking fruits and vegetables. Similarly, like the intestines of other herbivores, ours are very long (carnivores have short intestines so they can quickly get rid of all that rotting flesh they eat). We don’t have sharp claws to seize and hold down prey. And most of us (hopefully) lack the instinct that would drive us to chase and then kill animals and devour their raw carcasses. Dr. Milton Mills builds on these points and offers dozens more in his essay, “A Comparative Anatomy of Eating.”

The point is this: Thousands of years ago when we were hunter-gatherers, we may have needed a bit of meat in our diets in times of scarcity, but we don’t need it now. Says Dr. William C. Roberts, editor of the American Journal of Cardiology, “Although we think we are, and we act as if we are, human beings are not natural carnivores. When we kill animals to eat them, they end up killing us, because their flesh, which contains cholesterol and saturated fat, was never intended for human beings, who are natural herbivores.”

Sure, most of us are “behavioral omnivores”—that is, we eat meat, so that defines us as omnivorous. But our evolution and physiology are herbivorous, and ample science proves that when we choose to eat meat, it causes problems, from decreased energy and a need for more sleep up to increased risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Old habits die hard, and it’s convenient for people who like to eat meat to think that there is evidence to support their belief that eating meat is “natural” or the cause of our evolution. For many years I, too, clung to the idea that meat and dairy were good for me; I realize now that I was probably comforted to have justification for my continued attachment to the traditions with which I grew up.

But in fact top nutritional and anthropological scientists from the most reputable institutions imaginable say categorically that humans are natural herbivores, and that we will be healthier today if we stick with our herbivorous roots. It may be inconvenient, but alas, it is the truth.

Originally posted at HuffingtonPost.com

Check out today’s blog to learn about the powerful anti-cancer effects of certain green veggies that might be on your plate this Meatless Monday. Don’t miss Dr. Fuhrman’s delicious recipe at the end of the blog!

Nutrition scientists have shown over and over that people who eat more natural plant foods—vegetables, fruits, legumes—are less likely to be diagnosed with cancer. But are all vegetables equally protective? If we wanted to design an anti-cancer diet, we would want to know which foods have the most powerful anti-cancer effects. Then, we could eat plenty of these foods each day, flooding our bodies with the protective substances contained within them.

So, which foods have the most powerful anti-cancer effects? Cruciferous vegetables.

This family of vegetables includes green vegetables like kale, cabbage, collards, and broccoli, plus some others like cauliflower and turnips (see the full list at the bottom of this post). They are named for their flowers, having four equally spaced petals in the shape of a cross, from the Latin word ‘crucifer’ meaning ‘cross-bearer.’

All vegetables contain protective micronutrients and phytochemicals, but cruciferous vegetables have a unique chemical composition: they have sulfur-containing compounds which are responsible for their pungent or bitter flavors. When cell walls are broken by blending or chopping, a chemical reaction occurs that converts these sulfur-containing compounds to isothiocyanates (ITCs)—compounds with proven anti-cancer activities.

Over 120 ITCs have been identified, and the various ITCs have different mechanisms of action. Because different ITCs can work in different locations in the cell and on different molecules, they can have combined additive effects, working synergistically to remove carcinogens and kill cancer cells. Some ITCs have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, or even immunologic effects. Some ITCs can inhibit angiogenesis, the process by which a tumor establishes a blood supply.

Some ITCs detoxify and/or remove carcinogenic compounds; the combined consumption of broccoli and Brussels sprouts (rich sources of the ITC sulforaphane) increases the excretion of certain dietary carcinogens. (1) Some ITCs inhibit cancer cell growth or induce cancer cell death: cruciferous vegetable juice, containing a variety of ITCs, has been shown to induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in breast cancer cells. (2)

Some ITCs can prevent carcinogens from binding to DNA and initiating cancerous changes in the cell. Sulforaphane activates enzymes that protect cells from DNA damage by carcinogens. (3) But if DNA does indeed become damaged, the growth of the damaged cell can be stopped to allow for DNA repair, or the cell can be programmed for cell death. These processes can control this damage. Several ITCs, including sulforaphane, indole-3-carbinol (I3C), and diindolmethane (DIM) stop growth or induce death in cultured cancer cells. (3) Sulforaphane blocks tumor formation and induces programmed cell death in colon cancer cells. (4) Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), present in several cruciferous vegetables, inhibits proliferation and induces cell death in bladder cancer cells. (5)

Indole-3-carbinol and its metabolite DIM may be especially protective against hormone-sensitive cancers; they help the body transform estrogen and other hormones into forms that are more easily excreted from the body. (6-7)

These observations in cell culture and animal studies have been confirmed by epidemiological studies drawing connections between cruciferous vegetable intake and cancer incidence. Inverse associations between cruciferous vegetable intake and breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers have been reported. Similar associations exist for total vegetable intake, but cruciferous vegetables are far more potent:

•    Cruciferous vegetables are twice as powerful as other plant foods.  In population studies, a 20% increase in plant food intake generally corresponds to a 20% decrease in cancer rates, but a 20% increase in cruciferous vegetable intake corresponds to a 40% decrease in cancer rates. (8)
•    28 servings of vegetables per week decreased prostate cancer risk by 33%, but just 3 servings of cruciferous vegetables per week decreased prostate cancer risk by 41%. (9)
•    1 or more servings of cabbage per week reduces risk of pancreatic cancer by 38%. (10)

How can we maximize the ITC benefit of our cruciferous vegetables?  Methods of preparation and cooking can affect the availability of ITCs to be digested and absorbed.  Chopping, chewing, blending, or juicing allows for production of ITCs. Some ITC benefit may be lost with boiling or steaming, so we get the maximum benefit from eating cruciferous vegetables raw; however, some production of ITC in cooked cruciferous vegetables may occur in the gut once the vegetables have been ingested.

Cruciferous vegetables are not only the most powerful anti-cancer foods in existence, they are also the most nutrient-dense of all vegetables. Although the National Cancer Institute recommends 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day for cancer prevention, they have not yet established specific recommendations for cruciferous vegetables. I recommend 6 fresh fruits and 8 total servings of vegetables per day, including 2 servings of cruciferous vegetables, one raw and one cooked. Consuming a large variety of these ITC-rich cruciferous vegetables within an overall nutrient-dense diet can provide us with a profound level of protection against cancer.

List of cruciferous vegetables:
•    Arugula
•    Bok choy
•    Broccoli
•    Broccoli rabe
•    Broccolini
•    Brussels sprouts
•    Cabbage
•    Cauliflower
•    Collards
•    Horseradish
•    Kale
•    Kohlrabi
•    Mache
•    Mustard greens
•    Radish
•    Red cabbage
•    Rutabaga
•    Turnips
•    Turnip greens
•    Watercress

Recipe: Braised Bok Choy
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
•    8 baby bok choy or 3 regular bok choy
•    1 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos or low sodium soy sauce
•    2 cups coarsely chopped shiitake mushrooms
•    2 large cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
•    1 tablespoon unhulled sesame seeds, lightly toasted*
*Lightly toast sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, shaking pan frequently.

Instructions:
1.    Cover bottom of large skillet with 1/2 inch water. Add bok choy (cut baby bok choy in half lengthwise or cut regular bok choy into chunks).
2.    Drizzle with liquid aminos. Cover and cook on high heat until bok choy is tender, about 6 minutes.
3.    Remove bok choy; add mushrooms and garlic to the liquid in the pan.
4.    Simmer liquid until reduced to a glaze. Pour over bok choy. Top with toasted sesame seeds.

For an extensive collection of green vegetable recipes like these, visit Dr. Fuhrman’s website and check out his most recent book, Eat for Health.

References:

1. Walters DG, Young PJ, Agus C, Knize MG, Boobis AR, Gooderham NJ, et al. Cruciferous vegetable consumption alters the metabolism of the dietary carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) in humans. Carcinogenesis 2004;25:1659–69.

2. Brandi G et al. Mechanisms of action and antiproliferative properties of Brassica oleracea juice in human breast cancer cell lines. J Nutr 2005;135(6):1503-9

3. Higdon JV et al. Cruciferous Vegetables and Human Cancer Risk: Epidemiologic
Evidence and Mechanistic Basis. Pharmacol Res. 2007 March ; 55(3): 224–236

4. Gamet-Payrastre I et al. Sulforaphane, a naturally occurring isothiocyanate induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HT29 human colon cancer cells. Cancer Res 2000;60:1426-1433

5. Bhattacharya A et al. Inhibition of Bladder Cancer Development by Allyl Isothiocyanate.
Carcinogenesis. 2009 Dec 2. [Epub ahead of print]

6. Yuan F et al. Anti-estrogenic activities of indole-3-carbinol in cervical cells: implication for prevention of cervical cancer. Anticancer Res. 1999 May-Jun;19(3A):1673-80.

7. Dalessandri KM, Firestone GL, Fitch MD, Bradlow HL, Bjeldanes LF. Pilot study: effect of 3,3?-diindolylmethane supplements on urinary hormone metabolites in postmenopausal women with a history of early-stage breast cancer. Nutr Cancer 2004;50:161–7.

8. Michaud DS et al. Frut and vegetable intake and incidence of bladder cancer in a male prospective cohort. J Natl Cancer Inst 1999; 91(7):605-13

9. Cohen JH et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and prostate cancer risk. J Natl Cancer Inst 2000;92(1):61-68

10. Larsson SC, Hakansson N, Naslund I, Bergkvist L, Wolk A. Fruit and vegetable consumption in relation to pancreatic cancer: a prospective study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15:301–305.

Forgive me for getting an Outkast song going through your head (my Clean Team is composed of super hip (they’ll love that!) music lovers so I’m getting quite an education) but your very own “so fresh and so clean” New Year begins with not only a catchy little beat but three very important R’s.

These R’s will be the tools for absolutely amazing vitality as well as an immune boost. They are: Remove, Restore and Rejuvenate, and here’s the super simple breakdown.

1. Remove toxins by avoiding processed/packaged food with additives and artificial sweeteners, beauty care products with ingredients you can’t pronounce, finding food and non-food items that are organic like fruits and vegetables, clothing, bedding, makeup, and pet supplies, buy or make your own eco-friendly cleaning products, and also look at removing common allergens from your diet such as dairy, bread, pasta, sugar, white rice/sugar and red meat.

2. Restore healthy bacteria in the gut (by using natural and often really delicious plant and herbal antimicrobials like garlic, lemon, olive oil, oregano oil, thyme and cayenne pepper) to help your body out as it tirelessly works to move all those toxins that we accumulate just by living, working and playing in this world of ours.

3. Rejuvenate by making time to rest both your body and your mind, with things like meditation, yoga, gentle walking or stretching, being outside whenever possible even if it’s just to watch some clouds float by or the snow fall through trees, taking a bath, reading, some form of creative activity, sharing space with loved ones, or simply being still for a few minutes every so often throughout your day. . .

A final tip that addresses all three of the above R’s is this:

Love those greens! Fresh green juices are one of the best ways to fill your body with incredible nutrition, easy to digest energy, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and a pleasant sensation of fullness that will help with maintaing the right weight for your own body. Greens (and especially in fresh juiced form) even help to generate feelings of comfort and being loved. Love from yourself for taking such good care of your wonderful body, but also, that feeling of being satiated and nourished creates a state of happiness and clarity in your brain (and also to your overall moods) both of which are so important in these long cold winter months. Seasonal Affective Disorder runs rampant and threatens to drive us all under the covers with a pound of chocolate, and unless it’s some sugar-free raw chocolate, you might be pleasantly surprised when silky, sexy, slightly sweet green juices become your “comfort food” of choice and the scales begin to tip in a lighter direction as a welcome side effect.

If you don’t happen to have a neighborhood juice bar don’t worry, because you can make delicious green juices without even having a juicer. With any high speed blender, you can make a thick “soup” and then using a simple nut milk bag (about $7) or even with a DIY cheesecloth one, you can strain out the pulp and be left with a glass full of yummy green nutrition to power you up through what promises to be an amazing New Year!

These simple things are the sexiest (and easiest) tools ever for reaching optimal health and vitality. You’ll have more energy and more time to fully experience the things you love and to begin actively participating in your incredibly vibrant life.

Warmth and love. . .

Dr. Alejandro Junger