How to reduce your toxic load.

At Wholesome Human, we are huge advocates for eating S.L.O.W:

Seasonal, Local, Organic, Wholefood.

Consuming foods that are in season, locally and organically grown, whole and unprocessed will ensure you are consuming the freshest, most nutritious foods available that are not exposed to harmful pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilisers, antibiotics and hormones used in conventional farming.

Why are agricultural chemicals bad?

These chemicals are toxic substances introduced to eliminate pests, insects, fungi and diseases. According to the Environmental Protection Group (EWG) they are associated with health conditions in humans, such as neurological illnesses, cancer, and disruption of hormonal balance.

Unfortunately, some pesticides banned in other countries are still used in Australia. So, when shopping for produce and meats, Farmers’ Markets and local “farm to plate” businesses stocking local and in-season produce are some of the best places to shop.

In supermarkets, look for “new season” and only buy “Australian” produce to lessen your risk of exposure to other foreign chemicals the produce has travelled less, is not stored for long periods, and so less expensive.

Of course, with our busy lifestyles, sometimes we just need to do our best and choose what is convenient for us. Check out our 6 top tips if you’re unable to source organic produce and/or organic, grass-fed meats and poultry and download the Clean fifteen and Dirty Dozen Lists for your fridge and handy mini list for your wallet.

6 tips to reduce your chemical load:

1. Baking Soda Soak: Soak fruits and vegetables in a mixture of 1 tsp of baking soda (or Bi-Carb) and 2 cups of water for 15 minutes to help break down pesticide residue and remove bacteria and fungi on the surface. Then rinse thoroughly. This method is best for produce with a softer outer surface.
   
   
2. Vinegar Soak: Soak fruits and vegetables in a mixture of 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water. Soak for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Best used for produce that has a harder outer surface and vinegar is a great natural disinfectant to remove surface bacteria.
   
   
3. Salt Water Soak: Soaking produce in a saltwater mixture can help remove chemicals.
   
   
4. Peeling: Peeling and discarding outer leaves of leafy vegetables, can help remove some pesticide residues, but not all, as chemicals are absorbed into the plant.
   
   
5. Trim the fat: Trimming fat from meat and skin and fat from poultry because some pesticide residues collect in fat.
   
   
6. Vary your foods: Eat a variety of foods from a variety of sources. This will give you a better mix of nutrients, supports a diverse and thriving community of gut microbes, each with its own dietary preferences and reduces your likelihood of exposure to a single pesticide.

The “Clean Fifteen”, shows what produce has the lowest pesticide residue, and the “Dirty Dozen” shows the produce with the highest pesticide residues. Helping you to choose what is best to buy: organic or conventionally grown fresh fruit and vegetables and reducing your overall toxic load to live a healthy life, simply.