THE DIRTY DOZEN (FRUITS AND VEGETABLES)

By Dr Neil Levin DC, CFT.

When I hear “The Dirty Dozen” my mind travels back about 25 years to a war movie with Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas and Donald Southerland.  This “Dirty Dozen” is much more important for the sake of your health.  That’s because the “Dirty Dozen” represents the 12 fruits and vegetables that tested highest for pesticide residues. 

This list is based on 51,000 tests for pesticide residues on these foods performed by the USDA between 2000 and 2005.  The data used to collect these samples consideres the way people typically wash and prepair their produce.  This list was compiled by the Environmental Working Group.

You’ll notice that many of these fruits and vegetables are staples in your kitchen:

Peaches                Apples                   Sweet Bell Peppers

Celery                   Nectarines             Strawberries

Cherries                Lettuce                  Grapes (imported)

Pears                    Spinach                 Potatoes

When my wife Melissa goes shopping for produce she tries to buy the organic versions of these foods.  We are especially careful with grapes and try to buy them organically or American grown as they are a favorite with our kids. 

You can print out a wallet-sized version of this list at: www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is the most important nutritional suggestion that I give to any of my patients.  According to most government agencies including the National Cancer Institute and the USDA women should shoot for 7 servings a day while men should shoot for 9 per day.

Most of my patients can’t seem to achieve these goals.  Many add a phytonutrient drink to supplement their fruit and vegetable intake and increase the amount of phytonutrients and antioxidants in their diet.  Personally, I mix Triple Greens, Organic Triple Greens, Super Reds and Perfect Purples together in a big canister.  They taste great together and I get phytonutrients from about 80 different fruits and vegetables in every scoop.  Each scoop will give you the antioxidant equivalent of about 8 servings of fruits and vegetables for protection from dangerous free radicals. 

Most of my patients and friends who take these notice more energy, better immunity, and an improved feeling of well being.

Exercise, eat right and supplement wisely.
In health,
Dr Neil Levin