The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently released its 2023 Dirty Dozen list, a Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™. The report confirms that we still have a long way to go regarding reducing the toxic load we have been exposed to in our foods.
EWG found that up to 70% of non-organic foods tested positive for at least one pesticide. You may be surprised to learn that kale had the highest pesticide count, with 21 different pesticides!
Living In A World Toxic From Heavy Metals & Chemicals
With the world becoming more toxic, it is key that we think about how much we expose ourselves and our children to heavy metals, round up, glyphosate and many other pesticides infiltrating our lives.
How Pesticides & Heavy Metals Enter Your Body
Heavy metal and pesticide poisoning occur when microscopic molecules of metals and chemicals accumulate within your body and attach to your cells, preventing them from performing their functions, which causes symptoms that could be life-threatening without treatment.
From my 25 years of clinical practice, I can confidently say we’re all exposed to heavy metals and toxic chemicals. This is why I recommend that all my clients do regular detoxes to empty their 'toxic cup’.
Your Metabolism, Toxins & Heavy Metals
Significant heavy metals and toxic build-up affect your metabolism, and the more excess body fat you have, the more toxic you are as toxins take refuge in your body fat as a safe place to hide. Your body fat is like a storage facility for toxins.
Not only do high heavy metals and toxins make it hard to lose weight they also impair your lymphatic system, which not only increases cellulite but also impairs your immune system.
The Knock-On Effect On Your Gut-Brain Axis
This, in turn, has a knock-on effect on your gut-brain axis, making you feel mentally and physically weak and out of balance. Heavy metals and toxins also work hand in hand with microbes, parasites and candida, which increase your desire for junk foods, and you are reducing your satiety hormones ghrelin & leptin, so you feel unsatisfied, and it is hard to feel full.
Strategies to Expel Toxins
Weight loss is, therefore, a great strategy to reduce the effect of toxins on your brain and organs. Many people experience headaches, fatigue and nausea when doing a detox as the toxins are mobilised into their bloodstream as they are to be excreted.
So as you can see, by not emptying your ‘toxic cup’, you leave yourself exposed to feeling mentally and physically under par, inviting accelerated ageing and disease.
The Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™
Follow the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ 2023 with the list of foods you should increase and decrease to help facilitate the process of reducing your toxic load.
In addition to the Dirty Dozen, a “Clean 15” list identifies the non-organic produce least likely to be contaminated with pesticide levels.
The Dirty Dozen 2023
These 12 fruits and vegetables were the most contaminated with pesticides of the 46 Environmental Working Group analysis items.
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale, Collard & Mustard Greens
- Peaches
- Pears
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Bell and Hot Peppers
- Cherries
- Blueberries
- Green Beans
They analysed testing data from the Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration with 46,569 samples of fruits and vegetables.
Hacks To Redeem These 12 Fruits & Vegetables
I'm not suggesting that you don't eat the Dirty Dozen, but try to buy organic produce, or use these hacks to reduce their toxic load:
- Soak in Water & Bi-Carb Soda. As a home remedy to reduce toxins and pesticides you can fill up your sink with filtered water and 2 table spoons of bi-carb soda. Soak the produce for 10 minutes, rinse and store.
- Clean the Produce with Ozone. The best method is to remove pesticides and toxins is to clean your produce using ozone. There is a very insightful article on how to use tap and ozone water, ultrasonic cleaning and boiling to remove pesticides by Researchers from the Plant Protection Institute in Poland.
That is why I use the Therasage Ozone Bubbler which is around $100 USD and a brilliant investment. Simply fill up your sink with your produce, let the bubbler run for 5-10 minutes, rinse and store. Use the discount code REJUV to receive a 10% discount off this and their entire line.
The Clean Fifteen™
According to EWG's analysis of the most recent USDA data, these 15 fruits and vegetables had the lowest amounts of pesticide residues.
- Avocado
- Sweet Corn*
- Pineapples
- Onions
- Papayas*
- Frozen Sweet Peas
- Asparagus
- Honeydew Melon
- Kiwi
- Cabbage
- Mushrooms
- Mangoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Watermelon
- Carrots
Support To Expel Heavy Metals, Toxins, Pesticides & Chemicals
I recommend that we all do a cleanse each year, and that can either be with our Metabolic Reset Pack to reduce body fat and detox or our Detox Pack to focus on expelling heavy metals and toxic build-up.
If you feel like a full mind-body reset, then do our Gut-Brain Reset Pack.
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