Organic “to be or not to be”

November 11, 2015
Lyndall McAlpine
Spraying pesticide of potatoes leaves in the gardenEvery day, our bodies are bombarded with dozens of pesticides and chemicals from the non-organic food that we consume. These chemicals can pollute our body and damage our health. However a lot of people shun away from organic produce because of the cost, so I wanted to share some tips on using your hard earned money wisely while still protecting your body from chemical contamination.

So… which foods should you choose organic? 

The Environmental Working Group has created a list of The Dirty Dozen and The Clean Fifteen – the top fruits and vegetables that are the most and least contaminated by pesticide. The list is researched in US, however Australian farming practices often mirror those used in the USA. This is a good guide to prioritising your organic vegies list, helping to reduce your risk of chemical contamination without spending a fortune. If 100% organic isn’t in your budget use it to choose the foods that are an organic priority.

The Dirty Dozen  (in order of contamination) updated 2019

1. Strawberries

2. Spinach

3. Kale

4. Nectarines

5. Apples

6. Grapes

7. Peaches

8. Cherries

9. Pears

10. Tomatoes

11. Celery

12. Potatoes

See more about this list  >>here<<

The Clean 15 (in order of least contamination)

1. Avocados

2. Sweet Corn*

3. Pineapples

4. Sweet Peas Frozen

5. Onions

6. Papayas*

7. Eggplants

8. Asparagus

9. Kiwis

10. Cabbages

11. Cauliflower

12. Cantaloupes

13. Broccoli

14. Mushrooms

15. Honeydew Melons

If you would like a nice printout of the above lists to keep handy, EWB has provided it >>here<<

Washing your fruit and vegies

To reduce pesticide consumption from your non-organic produce bought, it is worth the effort to wash, soak or spray. These are some easy solutions:

  • Mix 1 tsp bicarb soda to 1.5 litres water and soak vegies for 12 minutes video here  Simple and inexpensive!
  • Make a spray with combination of 1 cup water, 1/2 cup vinegar, 2 tsp salt and 1/4 cup colloidal silver: vinegar (breaks down waxy cover), salt (draws out microbial bugs), colloidal silver (destroys fungal, bacteria or viral pathagens). Spray on your fruit and vegies and leave for 5 minutes then rinse. this is good for large items that don’t easily fit in a bowl/basin.
  • Mix 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar or lemon juice (or 2% salt to water solution) in a large bowl or clean sink. Soak the fruits and vegetables in the mixture and let them stay for 15-20 minutes and rinse.
  • Store bought vegie wash solution, although I found it left a little bit of a taste on the produce.
  • I have found Enjo’s vegie cleaner cloth is easy to use also.

Grow your own vegiesimg_4508

Growing your own vegies can be so rewarding! It is especially great for kids, diverting their focus away from electronic games to the earth and mother nature, and you don’t need a paddock to garden, even pots on a balcony can do very well. Read more on my veggie garden tips  >>here<< 

Still unsure?

This is a great short video on a study done on a family changing to  organic and the test results to show pesticides in their bodies, worth changing at least the dirty dozen when able and detoxing your home. So many chemicals touch our lives every day


My Trip to Sanoviv Medical Centre and Health Retreat

October 2015 I got to achieve my dream of staying at Sanoviv Medical Institute on the ocean cliff of Rosarito, Mexico. This place is known for successfully  treating cancer and other degenerate diseases holistically in combination with conventional medicine and functional medicine. I visited for a detox retreat, a medical check up and to attend a Nutrition Advising  Course.

The place was was amazing! I had lots of state of the art medical tests to check my state of health and wellbeing. 

I ate nothing but organic, gluten and dairy free and mostly vegetarian meals and drank lots of vegetable juices, coconut water and golden milk. Among many other things, I did meditation, yoga, infra red saunas, rebounder, had massages, Rife Machine, Thalasso pool, and sooo much more. I loved every bit of it!

My only detox symptom strangely enough was the change in under arm body odour. It was advised not to use any body products and even though I use aluminium free crystal deodorant I chose not to even use this. I walked around for the first 4 days with my arms stuck to my sides (teeh hee), but by the end of the 7 days the absence of any body odour was amazing.

I met some lovely new friends and left feeling lighter, calm and cleansed with no cravings for unhealthy carbs – a testimonial that clean eating and lack of stress really does have amazing results. 

My visit inspired me to create my own detox program, which has now evolved into my 10 Day Cleanse, filled with clean yummy food; specific supplements to help with the cleansing process, and support and nourish the body; and tips on detoxing and distressing. I have included private consults so you can tailor your program to suit your personal health goals and situation. This is a great start if you are planning to have a baby and is included in the 28 Day Preconception Program. If you would like to know more about this please click here

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