Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

I bought conventional Fuji apples today thinking i was grabbing organic ones. are they fine to eat?

I'd try taking them back. Explain your situation; the worst they can do is say no! I once was standing in line when a woman came in from her car to return a bag of apples she inadvertently dropped and didn't want them because they'd be bruised! They gave her her money back!! It's worth a try!

Keep the apples. Give them a good wash with a mild detergent or just peel them before eating. Have you seem Jeff's latest post?

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=42792

Long story short - eat more fruits and vegetables. Period.

Kate

Agreed.

Read Jeff's recent post on the so-called dirty dozen. Also, Dr. Greger's recent and archived videos that show chemical exposure comes from animal fat.

Don't over think it. Just eat plants.

There are a lot of reasons to go ahead and eat conventional produce IF that is what you have/all you can get, for whatever reason. AND cancer risk is not at all the only reason to avoid it if you reasonably can. EDIT-Just read Jeff's latest post and link he provided on EWG's Dirty Dozen. Pretty damning! I do still believe that we have environmental problems from over use and so still plan to source "pesticide free" when I can. I have not really trusted the "organic" label for years but have not seen much alternative except to capitulate. Industrial farming does have a lot of problems that are avoided by small, local operations. But I know it is really the fortunate few who have access to them

Parkinson's disease has been linked directly to pesticide exposure as well as other neurological problems. There is no solid "proof" nor established "safe" exposure levels but there are lots of things like this out there~

http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v3/n12/full/nn1200_1301.html

Nature Neuroscience 3, 1301 - 1306 (2000)
doi:10.1038/81834

Chronic systemic pesticide exposure reproduces features of Parkinson's disease

Ranjita Betarbet1, 2, Todd B. Sherer1, 2, Gillian MacKenzie1, Monica Garcia-Osuna1, Alexander V. Panov1 & J. Timothy Greenamyre1

So indeed, risks are undoubtedly quite low and the benefits of eating lots of produce are unequivocal and huge, and to me at least, when I can reasonably manage it, safer is better. And when I can't reasonably manage it, then truly, I just do not worry about it and enjoy my food and give thanks for knowing what I do about it!!! So this becomes really about farm workers and not personal health

GeoffreyLevens wrote:So indeed, risks are undoubtedly quite low and the benefits of eating lots of produce are unequivocal and huge, and to me at least, when I can reasonably manage it, safer is better. And when I can't reasonably manage it, then truly, I just do not worry about it and enjoy my food and give thanks for knowing what I do about it!!! So this becomes really about farm workers and not personal health

Thanks Geoffrey for this. It occurred to me after the fact but I didn't go back to edit. I buy organic when I can not for my health, but for voting with my dollar to reduce chemical usage for the environment and workers. I was just shocked at the idea of destroying perfectly good food. This isn't Snow White, and those aren't poison apples. At least give them away to someone in need.

vgpedlr wrote:

GeoffreyLevens wrote:So indeed, risks are undoubtedly quite low and the benefits of eating lots of produce are unequivocal and huge, and to me at least, when I can reasonably manage it, safer is better. And when I can't reasonably manage it, then truly, I just do not worry about it and enjoy my food and give thanks for knowing what I do about it!!! So this becomes really about farm workers and not personal health

Thanks Geoffrey for this. It occurred to me after the fact but I didn't go back to edit. I buy organic when I can not for my health, but for voting with my dollar to reduce chemical usage for the environment and workers. I was just shocked at the idea of destroying perfectly good food. This isn't Snow White, and those aren't poison apples. At least give them away to someone in need.

Exactly, and if you are concerned, or like my ex-wife super canary in mine sensitive and get IBD flare from trace exposures, then peel it first! Or yes, give to someone who is hungry.

I keep pondering that article and going "deeper down the rabbit hole". DANG! Really, even for the farm worker exposures, buying what is now called "organic" likely does little to nothing. All that's left is buying small, local when/if you can and political activism to help farm workers. "Voting with dollars" looks more like self-stroking mythology than anything else in this case.

What is your favorite way to cook rice?

I am familiar with Jeff's method to make perfect rice but I use the ohsawa pot in my K-R Pressure Cooker.

No more juicing, green smoothies, etc. for me! I absolutely love the Keep It Simple Stupid approach! I use Jeff's daily template for each meal. Thanks, Jeff!!!
Jing

Most all of the time if starch sticks to cookware but is not really burned hard-black, if you just fill w/ water and let sit awhile it will slide right off w/ a wipe from a wet sponge.

I use the Aroma Rice Cooker. I make my own Rainbow Rice every week (brown and black rice, wild rice and red quinoa) and it comes out perfect every time. I also use it to make steel-cut oats. Mine is non-stick and came with a measuring cup, rice paddle and plastic steamer insert. It important that you use the measuring cup provided and add water as instructed. It's not the same as on a stove top. I make enough rice/quinoa and oats to keep for 4-5 days in the fridge and then make it again. This is the model I have and I absolutely love it:

http://www.aroma-housewares.com/kitchen ... d=vEDI7mbm

Kate

For any who care about this, Aroma makes rice cooker/steamers w/ teflon liner and without, the latter are surgical stainless steel only.

Katydid wrote:I use the Aroma Rice Cooker. I make my own Rainbow Rice every week (brown and black rice, wild rice and red quinoa) and it comes out perfect every time. I also use it to make steel-cut oats. Mine is non-stick and came with a measuring cup, rice paddle and plastic steamer insert. It important that you use the measuring cup provided and add water as instructed. It's not the same as on a stove top. I make enough rice/quinoa and oats to keep for 4-5 days in the fridge and then make it again. This is the model I have and I absolutely love it:

http://www.aroma-housewares.com/kitchen ... d=vEDI7mbm

Kate

Thank you, Kate! I wasn't aware there were so many different models of the Aroma!
Now to make a decision! I'm favoring a simple model---basically for making rice and, possibly, steaming some veggies---but not with a "plastic" insert!
Your response has given me "food for thought"!

GeoffreyLevens wrote:For any who care about this, Aroma makes rice cooker/steamers w/ teflon liner and without, the latter are surgical stainless steel only.

Again, Geoff, I appreciate this info. I'll be opting for surgical stainless steel!

As part of my vegetable yesterday, I mixed kale with some broccoli and was so surprised that the broccoli was actually sweet compared to the kale. I just love how my taste buds are actually changing and I am loving this way of eating. My plain baked potato yesterday was scrumptious.