top of page

Grocery Shopping Made Healthy

I have been asked to be the health coach/wellness consultant for Cancer Below the Belt, an initiative to draw attention to the cancers no one feels comfortable talking about. I'm honored to be involved with CBB and I hope clean eating is something people will move toward to improve the way they feel and to give their cells what they really want to be able to function optimally.

I will be submitting weekly recipes for CBB along with tips you can adopt to move you toward a state of wellness that promises to make you feel and look better than ever. They will also appear on this blog.

Hi I’m Liz Gober, your wellness consultant/health coach for Cancer Below the Belt. Kelly asked me to become involved with Cancer Below the Belt because he understands how crucial good, sound nutrition is in preventing and/or healing from cancer. He was inspired by the transformation I made in my own life and health from studying nutrition, applying those principles and literally watching my body change for the better day by day. It was during that training that I also found out the sad truth about the foods we buy in supermarkets. Most of what comprises the aisles in the center of the grocery store are shelf stable, partially or fully prepared (food-like substances) that provide calories, but not very much nutrition for those consumed calories. Large agricultural farms are growing so much corn, wheat and soybeans that they need to find various ways to market them. Companies who process these crops then make products that contain all sorts of substances that enhance the different qualities of the food, such as taste, texture, mouth feel, crunch, etc.. They reshape it and repackage it and voila, it’s seems like a different food but it’s only been changed by the name, and additives that are added. If a label contains more than 5 ingredients it’s overly processed. Be cautious about what you buy. You have the power, as a consumer to choose not to buy these unhealthy products, and if enough people exercise this power those products will eventually disappear.

Tip of the day? Stick to the aisles on the outside of the supermarket. It’s there you will find the fresh fruits and vegetables and foods that require refrigeration, (not additives), to keep them hydrated and fresh. Buy organic, when you can, especially the "dirty dozen" in produce. Below is an exepted article from ABC News which talks about the Dirty Dozen, and pesticides on produce in general...

The ‘Dirty Dozen’ Produce Named Worst for Pesticide Exposure

April 21st, 2016

ABC News by Dr. Gretchen Winter

Source: David Lenker

Those tart, sweet strawberries you’re eating this summer may be putting more than antioxidants in your system. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) declares strawberries the worst culprit for pesticide exposure this year, demoting the worst offender for the last five years, apples, to second place.

The “Dirty Dozen” list, updated annually by the EWG, outlines which produce items are most likely to contain pesticides. The goal of this list is to help people consider which produce may be best to buy organic, according to the organization. Topping the “Dirty Dozen” list are strawberries, apples, nectarines, and peaches. The “Clean Fifteen” lists items the EWG says you can safely eat with minimal concern for pesticides, including avocados, sweet corn, and pineapples.

This year’s list of fruits and vegetables found to have the most pesticide residue by the EWG includes:

1. Strawberries 2. Apples 3. Nectarines 4. Peaches 5. Celery 6. Grapes 7. Cherries 8. Spinach 9. Tomatoes 10. Sweet bell peppers 11. Cherry tomatoes 12. Cucumbers

The use of pesticides is largely cosmetic and designed to make our food prettier, according to Dr. Jennifer A. Lowry, section chief of toxicology at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City and chair to the Council on Environmental Health for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

“If a bug landed on your strawberry it’s not going to taste any different and it actually might be healthier because it wouldn’t have pesticides,” she said.

Pesticides in food are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which sets maximum amounts of pesticides that can legally be in or on food, and these are enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Samples of different foods are tested by the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure safety. The majority of American produce falls within the guidelines.

In 2012, approximately 70 percent of fruit and 61 percent of vegetables grown in the U.S. had detectable levels of pesticide residues. However, the vast majority — 98 percent of fruits and 95 percent of vegetables — were below legal limits.

While some shoppers are clamoring for organic produce and avoiding pesticides, the health effects of buying organic are still unclear. Prior studies have associated pesticides with poor health outcomes like cancer in children, behavioral problems, and even lower cognitive function. But a review of prior research, published in 2012 in The Annals of Internal Medicine, found a lack of strong evidence that eating organic foods led to better health.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) refers pediatricians and parents to the EWG for information when looking to reduce pesticide exposure. However, they explicitly state that it is more important for children to eat a wide variety of produce, conventional or organic. They also encourage washing produce thoroughly.

“If you can afford organic, great, but if you can’t, then you need to get it in any way you can, whether it’s in a can, frozen, or fresh,” Lowry said.

When shopping for your next batch of strawberries, remember that organic varieties may decrease your exposure to pesticides but there is not substantial evidence it will make you healthier.

“If I have the choice between eating the red, shiny [non-organic] strawberry or no strawberry, I’m going to eat the strawberry, and I’m going to tell my patients to eat the strawberry,” Lowry told ABC News.

Dr. Gretchen Winter is completing a combined residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Indiana University and will be starting a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at The Cleveland Clinic this year. She is a resident in the ABC News medical unit.

MY PHILOSOPHY: 

 

I am concerned about how food and lifestyle affect our health, happiness and ovall wellbeing.

I work with clients to support them to improve their health and reach the goals that they set for themselves.

I invite you to contact me for a complimentary health history consultation. 

 

 

 

 FOLLOW THE ARTIFACT: 
  • Facebook B&W
  • Twitter B&W
  • Instagram B&W
 RECENT POSTS: 
 SEARCH BY TAGS: 
bottom of page