Fruits and vegetables can be a godsend in the struggle to manage  weight. And as a source of essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and antioxidants these nutritional powerhouses may reduce  risk for stroke, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and possibly heart disease. So is it possible there could be a reason to be cautious about which fruits and vegetables you eat?

Fruits and vegetables grown in a conventional way as opposed to organic (in the United States) are often sprayed with pesticides.  Concerned scientists believe the evidence suggests that even small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can have adverse affects particularly for fetal development and growing children. Reducing exposure to pesticides is likely a wise choice no matter what your age. 

Does washing and rinsing fruits and vegetables before eating solve the problem? The Environmental Working Group (EWG) claims that washing and rinsing fresh produce may reduce but not eliminate the presence of pesticides.

Just who or what is the Environmental Working Group? It is a
not-for-profit environmental research organization dedicated to
improving public
health and protecting the environment by reducing pollution in air,
water and food.

The EWG recommends buying organic produce whenever possible to reduce exposure to pesticides. But they know organic is not always available. So  they’ve created a great little guide with the "Dirty Dozen" or top 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables as well as the 12 least contaminated.

This handy guide will help you remember which fruits and vegetables pose the biggest problem. The Dirty Dozen includes peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, grapes (imported), spinach, lettuce, and potatoes. These are the ones you will want to buy as organic. But if that’s not possible, consider other choices. The "Cleanest 12" includes onions, avocado, sweet corn (frozen), pineapples, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, (frozen), kiwi fruit, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and papaya.

To learn more about the presence and risk of pesticides in the produce you buy, I encourage you to visit the Environmental Working Group website. If you sign up for their monthly newsletter you can download a free wallet-sized guide with the most and least pesticides as an easy reminder. Or by making a small donation, you will be sent one or more refrigerator magnets. (Please note: I am not a member of or affiliated with this organization. It just seems to me that they are doing important work.)

Maria Esther de Capovilla, the woman considered to be the world’s oldest living person, died yesterday at the age of 116! Her family can document the date of her birth. She is survived by  five children, about a dozen grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren. Wow!

This woman clearly had some important factors in her favor such as good genes and coming from a well-to-do family. But it seems to me there is more to the story than that. Maria may well have enjoyed the benefit of some other lifestyle choices as well that each of us has more control over.

She was in contact with a large family. I don’t have any information about whether or not she had friends but what seems to contribute to longer, healthier living is having a social network. Family is very important but friends can make a big difference as well. We need to be connected to others. Caring for and having a connection with animals also makes a difference.

The article I read notes that she ate three meals a day with family. She often ate lentils and chicken for lunch and she never smoked or drank. (I would like to learn more about her diet!) Maria was also fervently religious. I think the key here is having a belief in a power or being greater than oneself and finding meaning in life.

To read more:

World’s oldest person dies at 116 – Yahoo! News

Elizabeth Bolden, an American woman of Memphis, Tennessee, is now the oldest person alive according to Guinness World Records at age 116.

We’ve learned a lot about what we need to do to stay youthful and healthy for as long as possible. Unfortunately many older Americans who might choose healthier eating or exercise are limited by the environment where they live.

As we age and more fully understand the importance of these lifestyle choices, it seems essential that we find ways to restructure our society to better serve the needs of older people. My mother, at age 85, is luckier than many Senior citizens. The residence home that houses her tiny apartment provides her with a multitude of services and activities to choose from as well as healthy meals three times a day in a lovely dining room with other residents.

Even so she is not getting the exercise she needs and her balance is no longer very good. I encourage her to walk the hallways but it seems that is not something she wants to do. She had enjoyed walking outside, however given the heat and the traffic, walking by herself is not a good idea.

We need to be creative in finding new ways to exercise and have access to the healthy food that can make such an enormous difference in our lives. And for those of us with older relatives or concern for the elderly today, how can we be more creative in providing better opportunities to support their needs now?

To read more:

Diet and Exercise: The Real Fountains of Youth – healthfinder®

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