Fruits And Vegetables Containing The Most And The Least Pesticides

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has produced the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce listing the Dirty Dozen and the Cleanest 12 foods.

The information on this guide is based on the results of nearly 43,000 tests for pesticides on produce by the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2004. It’s available for free download at www.foodnews.org.

Eating the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables will expose a person to about 15 pesticides a day, on average. Eating the 12 least contaminated will expose a person to fewer than two pesticides a day. Certain fruits and vegetables are so likely to be contaminated with pesticides that the EWG advises buying them organic while some are so consistently clean that they can be eaten with less concern.

Items on the “Dirty Dozen” list are:
Peaches and apples topped the Dirty Dozen list. Almost 97 percent of peaches tested positive for pesticides, and almost 87 percent had two or more pesticide residues. About 92 percent of apples tested positive, and 79 percent had two or more pesticides. Sigh, what a pity!

The rest of the Dirty Dozen are sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce, and potatoes.

Items on the “Consistently Clean” list are:
Onions, avocados, and sweet corn top the list. For all three foods, more than 90 percent of the samples tested had no detectable pesticide residues. Others on the list are pineapples, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplant.

Book Feature: Seeds Of Deception

Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating
by Jeffrey M. Smith

Without knowing it, Americans eat genetically modified (GM) food everyday. While the food and chemical industries claim that GMO food is safe, a considerable amount of evidence shows otherwise. In Seeds of Deception, Jeffrey Smith, a former executive with the leading independent laboratory testing for GM presence in foods, documents these serious health dangers and explains how corporate influence and government collusion have been used to cover them up. The stories Smith presents read like a mystery novel. Scientists are offered bribes or threatened; evidence is stolen; data withheld or distorted. Government scientists who complain are stripped of responsibilities or fired. The FDA even withheld information from congress after a GM food supplement killed nearly a hundred people and permanently disabled thousands. While Smith was employed by the laboratory he was not allowed to speak on the health dangers or the cover-up. No longer bound by this agreement, Smith now reveals what he knows in this groundbreaking exposé.

Today, food companies sell GM foods that have not undergone safety studies. FDA scientists opposed this, but White House and industry pressure prevailed and the agency’s final policy–co-authored by a former Monsanto attorney–denied the risks. The scientists’ concerns were made public only after a lawsuit forced the agency to turn over internal documents. Dan Glickman, former Secretary of Agriculture, describes the government’s pro-biotech mindset: “You felt like you were almost an alien, disloyal, by trying to present an open-minded view. . . . So I pretty much spouted the rhetoric. . . . It was written into my speeches.” In Seeds of Deception Smith offers easy-to-understand descriptions of genetic engineering and explains why it can result in serious health problems. This well-documented, pivotal work will show you how to protect yourself and your family.

Read Reviews

How To Buy Contact Lenses Online

Contributed by Josh Grahame, who is a part-time freelance writer, occasional graphics
designer, and fulltime globetrotting thrill-seeker. He can be found expanding his horizons in the most colorful and off-the-beaten-track parts of the world.

If you use contact lenses, you have probably considered how efficient it would be to buy contact lenses online. Buying contact lenses online is definitely an effective option if you know what you are doing. Before making your online contact lens purchase, ask yourself a few important questions.

1. How Big is the Company You Plan to Order From?

The more well-known the online contact lens seller, the better it is for the buyer. A large company is more likely to have your particular type of lenses in stock, even if they are uncommon specialty lenses. This means you are likely to get your lenses sooner than you might from a smaller company.

2. Is the Company Trustworthy?
If you’re ordering from a larger company, you are probably pretty safe. However, it doesn’t hurt to do a little research with a consumer advocacy group before ordering.

Remember that you will be providing private information online, including your prescription and credit card information. Be sure you are transmitting to a reliable source. Make sure the company has a secure server.

3. How is the Customer Service?
Look for a company that has e-mail and phone support. Some companies may provide 24-hour support. Also, learn the company’s return policy. Ideally, the company will take returns if your prescription changes, or if the lenses are damaged when you receive them.

4. What’s the Price?
Online contact lens prices are often cheaper than in-store prices, since there is usually less overhead and higher volume. Still, you should take advantage of the fact that you are buying over the Internet. Look at a few different contact lens sellers and compare their prices.

Keep an eye on hidden fees that some companies may charge. Remember to be aware whether shipping and handling fees have been included. Also, realize that your lenses may be cheaper if you buy in bulk.

5. How Soon Can I Get My Lenses?
If you need to get your lenses fast, inquire whether the seller has them stocked. If they do not, it will take you longer to receive your lenses. If getting the lenses immediately is a priority, you may need to get in touch with another online seller. Remember that all sellers will need to verify your prescription before they can send your lenses.

Probiotic Bacteria Found In The Gut

What else can probiotics do in adults?

Probiotic bacteria, defined as living microorganisms that have beneficial effects on human health, have mostly been studied in the prevention and treatment of different gastrointestinal diseases and allergies. Probiotic products, however, are usually consumed by the general, healthy population but not much is known what kind of effects they have on the immune system in healthy adults.

A recent study shows that probiotics modulate the immune responses via the gut’s mucosal immune system.

It was found that probiotics have an anti-inflammatory potential seen as a decrease in serum CRP levels and as a reduction in bacteria-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines.

Source: EurekAlert 20 May, 2008