Green Mothers Digest

Apparently all is not well on the environmental front in California.  I had been impressed with Governor Schwarzeneger’s lead in several issues dear to our heart – banning BPA baby products, capping emission standards, and recently, a moratorium on off-shore drilling.  But apparently he has no say over strawberry farmers – how come?

The growers are moving on to a different type of fumigant, phasing out methyl bromide because it damages the ozone layer.  Now they are poised to use methyl iodide which is highly toxic due to its different chemical structure. Naturally, there is disagreement on how much exposure is too much – does anything ever change?

For bystanders, 32 parts per billion are safe according to the Department for Pesticide Regulation.

Not so, say scientists.  They say for bystanders, 0.9 parts per billion are safe.

Huh??

How do they get from 0.9 parts/billion to 32 parts/billion?  You can read the story here. I have always been strict about buying organic berries, including strawberries, and now more than ever. Still, it is sad that common sense and caution is taking a back seat again.

I used to have this fantasy about country life, living on a farm, being healthy, living off the land, you get the point.  I never realized what a hazardous occupation farming is, unless you do it organically.

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof had a scare recently with a growth in his kidney that they thought for a moment was cancerous. (Luckily, it wasn’t).  While he was waiting for the report from his doctor, he reflected back on his childhood:

“As regular readers know, I’ve written frequently about suspected links between chemicals and health. In my own case, I can’t help wondering if there might not be a connection as well. I grew up on a sheep and cherry farm in Oregon, and as a kid I helped mix the pesticides in the sprayer. Dogs on the farm have often died from cancer, and some have had unusual kidney cysts and deformities. Could the orchard pesticides perhaps have some impact on kidneys? Nobody knows.”

Why do administrative blockheads get to play Russian roulette with citizen’s lives? I am eerily reminded of this scene in Erin Brokovich

According to the Environmental Working Group, the so-called dirty dozen of produce that experts recommend we buy organic, are indeed dirty: they contain between 47 and 67% of pesticides, a report showed that was aired on CNN today.  The reason for their toxicity is their soft skin which makes them penetrable to the chemicals.

The most vulnerable to pesticides are of course children, not only because they consume the most in relation to their body weight, but also because their brains are still growing.  According to the article on CNN, Dr. Philip Landrigan, chairman of the department of preventative medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, said: “A kid’s brain goes through extraordinary development, and if pesticides get into the brain, it can cause damage.”

And by the way, all the testing was conducted after the produce had been washed with high-pressure water.

Here are the lists:

The Dirty Dozen

Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Domestic blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet bell peppers
Spinach, kale and collard greens
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported grapes
Lettuce

The Clean 15

Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Cabbage
Eggplant
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions
Kiwi

The only time I appreciated our outdoor gas grill was when after hurricane Wilma the electricity was out for two weeks, and we used the thing to prepare all our meals, including boiling water for coffee.

Aside from that, I have never seen much use in the grill.  Grilling seems to me one of those testosterone activities that guys get off on, but I could be wrong.  Perhaps there are plenty of avid female grillers out there; they just don’t hang out their shingle about it the way guys do. In any event, I have never met a single one in my entire life. Whatever.  My point is, grilling season, like it or not, is upon us again, with it comes the time for quick reminder why is a good reason to be weary of grilling, and that is of course that meat coming in close contact with high heat is not a good idea.

3 things happen when protein comes in contact with high heat.

1. Heterocyclic amines (HCA) form which  are the worst in the blackened parts of meat.  Cutting off those parts will not eliminate the toxins.  What you should do is never let your meat get singed.
2. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) which are created when fat drips onto the coals and creates vapors.  Cut off all the fatty parts, use lean meats, and use tongues to turn the meat, not forks which perforate the skin and release more juices that drip.
3. Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE). Another compound that forms when protein is cooked at high temperatures.

The best protection would be not to eat grilled meats at all, but if you absolutely must, use lean meats, cut off fats, reduce grilling time as much as possible by pre-cooking and/or cutting meat into smaller pieces, marinate the meat beforehand, and try to eat organic meats.  Processed meats like hotdogs are particularly problematic, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research, and the jury on chicken and turkey hotdog is still out.  While the meat itself is less unhealthy, the way in which it is processed is identical to beef hotdogs.

http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?abbr=pr_&page=NewsArticle&id=13394&news_iv_ctrl=1102

Well, my kids’ anyway…

Many things have happened since I last posted here, but a lot of things haven’t changed at all, unfortunately.  We are still fouling up our environment – the only one we’ve got – (see Gulf of Mexico), and, surprise, surprise, we are still teasing out the influence pesticides and other chemicals have on our children’s bodies and brains, as evidenced by a report last week that indicates what many parents have suspected for a long time: that pesticides may be partly reponsible for ADHD in kids. ” Children with higher-than-average levels of the most commonly detected byproduct — found in roughly 6 in 10 kids — were nearly twice as likely to have ADHD.” If  you bother to watch the video – the level of ignorance of the talking heads is a little depressing, I am sorry to say.  One of them calls the offending compound “organic phosphate.” Oy vey!  Also, don’t kid yourself – rinsing vegetables under running water, or brushing them without a cleaning product – does pretty much nothing.

The safest bet is still to buy organic.  Or should I say organo?  Phew….

One of the summer treats my kids and I like the best are ice cold slices of watermelon.  My pleasure of eating this is enhanced by the knowledge that watermelon is incredibly rich in antioxidants.

But now there is a caveat to this:  the level of antioxidants actually depends on whether the watermelon is served cold (YESSSS!) or room temperature (blah).  And yes, room temperature is better in this case.  It says in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that watermelon that is stored uncut at a room temperature of 70 degrees F contains up to 40% of the antioxidant lycopene.

And that’s not all.  Leaving a watermelon out at this room temperature for 7 to 8 days before cutting it will cause the watermelon to continue to produce lycopene even though it has been picked.  Refrigerating the watermelon, even uncut, will slow the lycopene down.  

Up until now I have never bought a whole watermelon yet because of the limited space available in my refrigerator, but I might change this practice now.  If I can store a watermelon on the counter until I cut it for the first time, then after everyone had their fill cut the rest into manageable chunks and store as they fit, we’ll have antioxidant-rich fruit for a few days without the inconvenience of having to empty out almost an entire shelf!  And, all of us like watermelon, so it will be gone quickly too.

It is okay to chill the watermelon right before slicing.  Apparently this will not kill the lycopene.

It’s worth doing this.  Of all the fresh fruits and vegetables available, watermelon has the highest amount of lycopene which protects from cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer.