Pesticides in Fruits and Vegetables - How Dangerous Can This Be?

Hi Guys, this is serious!

We are trying to live a good and healthy lifestyle, but how safe are we and our family in relation to buying the fruits and vegetables that we like in the market?

What are the fruits and vegetables affected?
Well, that depends on each country. Here is an article taken from Shine in Yahoo (I believe this is in the United States), the identified dirty dozens for 2011 are the following: apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, nectarines (imported), sweet bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries (domestic), lettuce, and kale/collard greens (source: Shine from Yahoo) and an additional list from another site which include most of the dirty dozens plus cherries (US), peaches, apricots, green beans, grapes (Chile), cucumber, pears and winter squash (source: Eartheasy).

What are the chemicals present?
There are several, but these are the two major groups: namely, the organochlorine pesticides like DDT, Aldrin and Dieldrin and antichlolinesterase compounds like organophosphate pesticides.

How dangerous can they become?
Organochlorine pesticide will accumulate in the fatty tissues and eventually lead to interfering with hormonal function of estrogens, testosterone, and other steroid hormones (source: Wikipedia).  In a nutshell, this will affect the physical, metabolic and biochemical development of children, men, and women.
Certain organophosphates (anticholisterase compounds) cause an irreversible delayed-onset toxicity to nerve cells, persistent deficits in cognitive function on long term exposure, and may cause developmental neurotoxicity at much lower doses(source: Wikipedia). In general, this will affect the brain functions and activities for both developing child and adults(they become less attentive).

Is the government doing something about this?
Yes, the government is doing something about this (if not, let them!).  Please get the information from your government agencies for more details. Here is a link to another group, the Food & Fertilizer Technology Center, which is devoted to pesticide and its issues.

So what do we do now?
According to Eartheasy, these are some of the things that we can do:
     · Buy organic products from known and reputable places.
     · Wash your vegetables and fruits using a very diluted solution of mild dishwashing detergent (1 teaspoon of detergent per gallon or 4 litters of water).
     · For grapes, strawberries, green beans, and leafy vegetables, swirl the foods in a dilute solution of dish detergent and water at room temperature for 5 to 10 seconds, then rinse with slightly warm water.
     · For the other fruits and vegetables, use a soft brush to scrub the food with the solution for about 5 to 10 seconds, and then rinse again with slightly warm water (I do this… :)).
     · Peeling fruits with high residue levels, especially peaches, pears and apples, will help remove residues. Be sure to keep the peelings out of the compost. Some pesticides permeate the skin of the fruit, so this method does not guarantee residual free produce in all cases.
     · Grow your own.  You may want to visit About.com Gardening for a little help on this :) .
       For further information on  "what to do...", please go to Eartheasy.

So what's my opinion on this?
The first question that we need to ask is this, how far does the pesticide goes into the fruits and vegetables?  If it just skin deep (surface deep), then washing with soap and water or a special solution can eliminate the problem easily, but if the chemical goes deeper into the fruits and vegetables interior, then we can't do much about it.  We can either throw this or take the risk of accumulating the pesticides into our system.

Guys, the pesticides that we might be ingesting into our system both accumulate and harmful. Accumulate means it stays in the body, which might be eliminated slowly or not at all.  Harmful means it attacks the hormones or nerves of the body. Hormones are responsible for the physical development and for normal functioning while the nerves or the nervous system serves as the  main control center.  These are major players in keeping us healthy and messing them up will strike us greatly. :)

Allantoin as an Antiaging Product?

Hmn… Another antianging product? 

Ok, so what is it really for?
Based on its properties, it is use for wound healing and skin peeling.

Good news, it’s an organic product and yes, it can be sourced out from animals, plants and even micro organisms. It is present in botanical extracts of comfrey plant and urine from cows and most mammals (source: Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allantoin).  It is very safe and the ones being sold are mostly chemically synthesized, so don’t get “yucky yet”. LOL!

What’s the minimum concentration for it to work?  
At least 0.1% to 2% (Source: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-allantoin.htm and http://www.skincareresourcecenter.com/Allantoin.html ).

So how does it work? 
It has a moisturizing effect (makes your skin hydrated and not dry), keratolytic (removes the exposed part of the skin), increasing the water content of the extracellular matrix (making the connective areas of the skin hydrated, you need this also if you after an anti aging product), enhancing the desquamation of upper layers of dead skin cells (removal of the old or dead skin), and increasing the smoothness of the skin (Voilà! The magic word…hehehe!).

Other uses are for promoting wound healing, anti-irritant, soothing and a skin protectant.

This ingredient is also present in many personal care products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, other oral hygiene products, shampoos, lipsticks, anti-acne products, sunscreen, lotions, cosmetics, etc.,

Is It True That Chili Pepper Got A High Concentration Of Vitamin C?

Unfortunately the answer to this question is no. :) (Unless you got another paper which says yes).

How so? This means that you need to eat at least 10 percent of a kilo of chili pepper fruit just to get half the amount of an ordinary vitamin C tablet (500mg per tablet concentration).

Vitamin C is an important water soluble vitamin that our body needs in order to do some basic bodily repair and serve as an antioxidant. Please see other related articles on Vitamin C, Can Too Much Vitamin C Cause Kidney Stones? and  How Much Vitamin C Do We Really Need?

Vitamin C is naturally occurring to both plants and animals.   Here is the summary of fruits/vegetables/animals with their corresponding vitamin C content in terms of milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams (taken from Wikipedia).

The highest is Kakadu plum (3,100mg/100g of fruit), followed by Camu Camu (2,800 mg/100g), Rose hips (2000mg/100g), on the ninth place is Green chili pepper (244mg/100g), 12th and 13th place goes to Red pepper (190mg/100g) and Red chili pepper (144mg/100g).  There are 73 plants/vegetables/fruits overall on the list (for the complete list, please click Wikipedia).

Here is the local variety of chili pepper in the Philippines which is commonly known as Siling-labuyo.  For more interesting information on this plant, please click Fasting Site.

Can Too Much Vitamin C Cause Kidney Stones?

This is a scary thought, if this were true.

Kidney stones can be made by several factors depending on the causative agents may it be external or internal in origin.

Kidney stones can be created with the deposition of oxalate crystals, uric acid crystals, drugs, bacterias and etc.,

The main argument for the development of kidney stones from vitamin C is the formation oxalate crystals and the step in doing so is evident in the Krebs Cycle.

However, based on the article of Mr. Stephen Lawson, LPI administrative office (LPI Oregon State), the case against vitamin C and kidney stones is weak.  This is in accordance to the researchers and to the study that  they made (during the time that this blog was written).

Also look at DoctorYourself's materials regarding this argument, the site cited some article regarding the myth and how this argument is not true.

OK so what's my stake on this?

Since the need for taking vitamin C is limited only to 45 milligrams per day  according to WHO and that the amount is readily available with the fruits and vegetables that I eat everyday.  Over dosage of vitamin C in my personal opinion is unnecessary.

Well hydration daily is important (meaning take 8 glasses of water at least per day), if you want to avoid or minimize kidney stone formation.

The picture below of a lady shows where the referred pain (in black shades) of a potential kidney stone diagnosis.

How Much Vitamin C Do We Really Need?

Basically, there are two types of vitamins in terms of solubility.  Water soluble vitamins which include vitamin C and B complex and the oil soluble vitamins or vitamin A, D, E, and K (ADEK).

The notion that since water soluble vitamins are not stored and eliminated quickly from the body does not warrant the over usage of this and this does not literally translate to being really safe when abuse.

Among the common uses of vitamin C are:  Use as antioxidant, crucial to the maintenance of bones, teeth, gums, tissues, ligaments and blood vessels, key in ensuring a normal immune system response to infections (nutritional-supplement-guides), necessary for normal growth and development (Medline Plus) and prevention of scurvy.

The normal limit or the minimum daily requirements of taking vitamin C is dependent on the country that requires it. It can be as low at 40 mg/day to as high as 95 mg/day (Adult dose).

The government daily intakes are as follows as outlined by Wikipedia:

Recommendations for vitamin C intake have been set by various national agencies:

• 40 milligrams per day: the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency^[3]
• 45 milligrams per day: the World Health Organization^[111]
• 90 mg/day (males) and 75 mg/day (females): Health Canada 2007^[112]
• 60–95 milligrams per day: United States' National Academy of Sciences.^[107]

The United States defined Tolerable Upper Intake Level for a 25-year-old male (also for female) is 2,000 milligrams per day.

As you can see, there is even a tolerable upper intake levels for both male and female in the United States.

The WHO or World Health Organization only recommends 45 milligrams per daily use.  Meaning, a tablet of OTC (Over the Counter) vitamin C is already more than necessary.  That is 500 mg tablet of vitamin C at the very least (I don't know if there are still 100mg or 250mg of vitamin C tablet or capsule available in the market today).

Fruits and vegetables are a good source of vitamin C as outlined again by Wikipedia.(Click this to see more)

Technically, if you are eating what is required in the food pyramid, you won't be needing vitamin C supplementation.

Come to think of it, if you eat a variety of healthy fruits and vegetables in a day, you will be rewarding yourself with not only one vitamin but a multitude of them including dietary fibers, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and the like. and best of all, the taste. :)

Some good sources of vitamin C are oranges and rose hips.

Is Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) or Vetsin (Popular Brand) Bad For You?

The Japanese people found a 5th tasting area in the tongue and they called this umami (According to MB)
.They said that it is responsible for "tasty" or the "tastiness" of certain food.  This was the main reason why this chemical was developed and used in the first place.

According to Wikepedia , there is no evidence that it causes "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" or "MSG symptom complex". However, the relationship of MSG and neuronal activity (if this can affect memory capacity) has little study.

The article says, that if you need to use this, just use the daily or allowed recommended amount.

In my professional opinion, there is a possibility that this could be an allergic reaction from the continued usage of this chemical.  This chemical (mono sodium glutamate) is very similar in structure to one of the neurotransmitters in the body which is glutamic acid.  Glutamic acid is a neurotransmitter linked to memory and learning functions.  If the chemical in some way or form changes its chemical appearance, it can act as an agonist (improved the memory functions), antagonist (decrease memory functions), mixed agonist/antagonist (may increase or decrease memory functions) or do other things other than what is expected.

I am not a food expert but in my opinion, the tastiness of the food should come from the combine flavor of all the ingredient in the dish and not by something else. :)  "Peace to you all!"

                                                                                                                                       

Can Iodine Protect You From Radiation?

Well, according to the article that I will be referring to you now, the answer is partly yes or no (from the Health and Physics Society) .

Here is the scenario: Nuclear reactor leakage with radioactive iodine spillage and with human population.

Iodine (radioactive or nonradioactive) when metabolize to the human body has an affinity with the thyroid gland formation.  Iodine is a necessary component to produce T3 and T4 hormones (thyroid hormones).  The use of iodine (sodium iodide) works by overloading the thyroid gland with normal iodine before the invasion of the radioactive iodine. So the function only is limited to the thyroid gland and not to the other site of the body.

If radioactive iodine or any radioactive materials goes into the body and reacts with the other parts of it, then that's another story altogether.  Sodium iodide can't protect the other parts of the body and interact with other forms of radioactive materials.

     Nuclear Plant, Sodium Iodide in 3D and Thyroid Gland Images

Is Paracetamol (or Acetaminophen) Safe?

There was a commercial capitalized by the biggest drug company in the Philippine which says "******** is the world safest pain reliever!" , "hmn..., well, to some extent, the claim was true, but we really need the assistance of the professionals and not to be loomed to the notion that it is really safe and nothing will happen to us or our family or worst our kids if the drug was suddenly ingested in bulk.

The drug can be taken initially at 500 mg or up to 1000 mg in one taking to relieve the pain or headache for adult. One can not exceed 8 tablets (4000 mg) in a day (for more info on the matter see Wikipedia).

If one exceeded the maximum dose or if you were one of the few people who were sensitive to its side effects, liver failure may ensue and this is not good for you.

It should be the first line of treatment if pain removal is desired (not accompanied by inflammation) or as prescribed by your physician.

Several western countries are having a high number of over dosage of this drug due to its accessibility.

There are alternative remedies to relieving pain as long as it's not complicated and can be traced to a known cause.

For instance, lack or inadequate sleep (take a nap), skipping breakfast (eat a little) , alcohol intake (rest, sleep, coffee and water) , pain from mechanical exertion (massage and rest), stress (relax and talk to someone) etc.,

We can use also some alternative medicine to relieve pain like Yerba Buena (Clinopodium douglasii), see image below, which is popularly use as analgesic.

                                       
                                         Yerba Buena (Clinopodium douglasii)

Can Glutathione Make Your Skin Whiter?

Before I answer that question, let me state this idea first before I give my answer to that query. Before a certain drug can exert its effect on the intended region of the body it must be well absorbed. Well absorbed means that a certain minimum level of the drug concentration must pass to the blood stream and go to the site of action. Sometimes, the effect of a certain chemical must work with some molecules found in the body to create the desired effect or vice versa.

In the case of oral absorption (pills, capsules, tablets etc.,), I am sorry but at the moment it can’t reach the desired concentration to the blood stream. However, IV administration is possible.

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutathione under the header of supplementation “Raising GSH levels through direct supplementation of glutathione is difficult. Research suggests that glutathione taken orally is not well absorbed across the gastrointestinal tract. In a study of acute oral administration of a very large dose (3 grams) of oral glutathione, Witschi and coworkers found "it is not possible to increase circulating glutathione to a clinically beneficial extent by the oral administration of a single dose of 3 g of glutathione."^[23][24] -- This means that oral administration is not possible at the moment, unless they found a new way of protecting the Glutathione from the GIT tract.

In the case of Glutathione as an effective whitening agent. Yes, the study appears to have an effect.

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutathione “Glutathione has recently been used as an inhibitor of melanin in the cosmetics industry. In countries like Japan and the Philippines, this product is sold as a whitening soap. Glutathione competitively inhibits melanin synthesis in the reaction of tyrosinase and L-DOPA by interrupting L-DOPA's ability to bind to tyrosinase during melanin synthesis. The inhibition of melanin synthesis was reversed by increasing the concentration of L-DOPA, but not by increasing tyrosinase. Although the synthesized melanin was aggregated within 1 h, the aggregation was inhibited by the addition of glutathione. These results indicate that glutathione inhibits the synthesis and agglutination of melanin by interrupting the function of L-DOPA." The entire study will be seen in this address http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/yakushi/128/8/1203/_pdf/-char/ja/

Can a whitening agent be delivered using soaps? The answer is probably no. Unless they have an evidence that the right concentration of the medicine is being absorbed on the skin.

Soaps are cleansers; it will remove both oil and dirt on the skin including any other material in contact with it. Sorry, this is not the best medium to deliver this medicine at the moment. 

                         Chemical Formula of Glutathione

Can Glutathione Reduce Weight?

Hi there, got a question from a friend...
here is the first one...
Can Glutathione reduce weight?

Based on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutathione. There is no evidence that it can reduce weight. (Sorry guys!, unless you have a new study material which says so).

However, taking it as supplement can do some benefit.
1. Basically it is a good antioxidant. This means that it can protect the cell from harmful free radicals which lead to a lot of things. Such as premature aging, diseases, etc.,

                                            Chemical Formula of Glutathione

Standing Up After Eating and Bigger Belly

Hmmnnn.... This is a tricky question because I do practice this step of standing after eating. I am not sure about the exact answer to this and I am following 2 blogs regarding this concern.

Here are the blogs first before I give my personal opinion on this topic.

1. http://www.steadyhealth.com/stomach_expands_after_eating_t87678.html

2. http://www.flat-stomach-exercises.com/stomach-bloating.html

OK, here is my opinion on the matter.

The stomach is made up of an abdominal muscle. Like any other muscle, we need to work this out to make it strong and firm. The more you work this out, the firmer it gets. But caution, if you are already flabby on this area (Just hold your belly and your sides with your thumb and pointing finger and pinch it. If you are able to pinch it easily it means you are confirmed flabby. Yes, sorry to say, I have this too).

OK so what do we do with it?

1. Guy's there is no short cut to this, do cardio(... unless you got so much money to spend on the operating room which will provide you a temporary solution unless you maintain it by diet and exercise.) How? It is best to do it with friends. Enjoyable workout will make cardio fun. Fun is the best way of keeping everyone motivated in doing this task. Cardio can come from swimming, running, fast walking, dancing or anything that will give you fast movements.

2. Diet. Eating the right food. Less carbo and fats during the night time. Eat like a king in the morning (properly of course with less fat, high protein, high fiber and moderate carbo), Moderate eating in the afternoon and eat like a beggar at night (less of everything, my friend avoid carbo at night, I suggest to eat less like ½ a cup if you can. If you are sick, please consult a dietitian and doctor about this).

3. We need to differentiate also bloating (Gas production of the stomach) from a flabby stomach. If you are bloated after eating, there are OTC(over the counter) medicines which can help you temporarily (it is better if you seek medical advice when you feel that something is wrong with your stomach after eating) but you are flabby? (With beer belly and all), please read number 2.

4. When your on the street, try observing the people living and working there. Unless of course if they are malnourished (When they have bloated stomach). They have toned muscle and flat stomach (most of them right?). They only eat the food that they need and nothing in excess. If you want to loose those flab’s, you may want to share those excesses with them hehehe.

5. You can also take natural supplements which can curve your appetite like Garcinia cambogia.

**There are a lot of things to talk about this topic so I will break it down on another session. :) *