How Many Apples Would You Have To Eat?
How many apples would you have to eat a day to keep the doctor away?
In a recent training I was in it was said that you would have to eat 40 non-organic apples to equal the nutritional value of one organic apple.
Yes, I said forty – four zero. That is a LOT of apples. You might be wondering why is there such a large gap in the nutritional value of organic vs non-organic apples.
This article by the Earth Island Journal pretty much sums up the why…
“In the late 1990s, researcher Anne-Marie Mayer looked at data gathered by the British government from the 1930s to the 1980s on the mineral contents of 20 raw fruits and vegetables. She found that levels of calcium, magnesium, copper, and sodium in vegetables, and of magnesium, iron, copper, and potassium in fruit had dropped significantly.
The 50-year period of Mayer’s study coincides with the post World War II escalation of synthetic nitrogen and pesticide use on farms. These agri-chemicals allowed farmers to bypass the methods of maintaining soil fertility by replenishing soil organic matter with cover crops, manure, and compost, and of controlling pests with crop rotation and inter-cropping. Reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides became a defining characteristic of conventional farming, while farmers who eschewed the use of agri-chemicals came to be considered organic.”
Essentially the use of chemicals and the abandonment of traditional farming practices, such as crop rotation, have left the soil depleted of nutrients and minerals that would normally be used to create nutritious produce.
Conventional apples lacking in nutritional value is just one part of the problem.
For 6 years in a row now, apples have topped the list of the Environmental Working Group’s most pesticide contaminated produce known as the Dirty Dozen.
98% of apples tested positive for at least one pesticide residue. Other fruits and veggies that topped the list included: strawberries, nectarines, peaches, celery and grapes.
Pesticides are designed to be toxic in order to kill insects, plants and other organisms considered “pests.”
The U.S. and international government agencies have even acknowledged that different pesticides have been linked to various health issues such as:
- Hormonal imbalances
- Brain and nervous system issues
- Skin, eye and respiratory irritation
- Cancer
Is the conventional apple-a-day motto really keeping the doctor away or just making you sick?
It’s virtually impossible to eat organic 100% of the time. Especially if you enjoy traveling or going out to dinner and socializing. I have been known to grab an apple at the airport when the food choices are slim.
In this week’s video and blog I discuss how to strike a balance when it comes to eating organically, what you can do to boost your nutrition and how to protect your body when you do eat conventionally raised foods.
To ensure that you’re getting enough vital nutrients from your food, your goal should be to eat organic as much as possible. In some cases this might be more expensive, but if you’re smart about it you can eat organic even on the tightest of budgets.
Tips for a budget friendly organic diet:
- Prioritize buying organic produce – use the EWG’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen list
- Shop seasonally – produce that is in season is always cheaper
- Stock up on sales – buy organic meats and produce on sale in bulk and freeze them
- Online price comparison – check out online grocers and delivery services such as Amazon Now, Amazonfresh, Instacart and local CSA programs for more availability in prices and food variety
Aiming to eat organic is one piece of the puzzle. What about those times when you’re traveling or out for dinner and you don’t have access to organic food?
In those scenarios you run the risk of not only eating less nutritional food, but you also expose yourself to toxic pesticides and food additives – all of which can impact your health in a majorly negative way by contributing to inflammation, overloading your liver with more toxins to detox and disrupting your digestive system.
To help you with this piece of the puzzle, I’ve created my Seasonal Cleanse Challenge!
Let’s be realistic, you can’t be perfect all year long, so why not take advantage of the best times of year to cleanse your body of the harmful toxins, chemicals and pesticides that you come in contact with? Spring and Fall are the most effective times of year to detox your body in preparation for Summer and Winter.
I’ve used the principles of my Seasonal Cleanse Challenge over and over again with clients, and myself, to improve and maintain health.
Here’s how the Seasonal Cleanse Challenge works. Over the course of 28 days you will…
- Learn what ratio of proteins, carbs and fats are best for your body to boost your energy, weight loss, balance hormones, reduce belly bloat and inflammation
- Incorporate the highest naturally detoxify foods (beets, grapefruit, dandelion greens) into your daily routine to promote the body’s natural cleansing systems
- Focus on minimizing your intake of the top inflammatory and hormone disrupting foods: gluten, dairy, sugar, soy and alcohol
- Try simple DIY proven liver flushing techniques to push out those built up toxins!
- Receive weekly workout routine video tip – sweat out those toxins!
- Get accountability to work out regularly, to drink plenty of water and to get quality sleep in order to support the body’s cleansing and healing process
- Receive 30-minute live or recorded weekly educational webinars and be part of a special Facebook group for support
- Receive recipes and a checklist to guide you along your journey
- Get a quick-start goodie bag to get you moving in the right direction
AND I’m include a special BONUS ASK THE EXPERT SESSION with yours truly 🙂
The great thing about this program is that you get to make it work for you. Each program defined “cleansing activity” is worth points daily or weekly, so you get to pick and choose what works best for you in any moment to get the results that you desire! At the end of each week, and the challenge, you will qualify for prizes based on the number of points that you have earned.
SAVE $20 AND GET ALL OF THIS FOR $89 IF YOU ENROLL BY MARCH 10TH!!! – use code ‘challengeme’
There are only 50 spots available. Challenge Starts March 23rd. Last day to enroll is March 16th.
Don’t let imperfection, diet and exercise hold you back from achieving your ideal health and weight, learn to love your liver and it will love you back.
