Chicago Allergy and Health Blog

Yesterday, MSNBC.com reported that children with high levels of pesticide residue in their urine are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  Exposure to pesticides is blamed predominently on diet - especially non-organic fruits and vegetables.  The take away, which is echoed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in Washington D.C., is to eat organic.

As we all know, the premium to buy organic can be substantial so the EWG recommends sticking to organic foods when it comes to the items it calls The Dirty Dozen.  These include celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, kale, cherries, potatoes and imported grapes.  Individuals who eat 5 daily servings of fruits and vegetables from the Dirty Dozen list consume approximately 10 pesiticides each day.  EWG also publishes the Clean 15 - a list of produce items which can be purchased in non-organic form and show very low levels of pesticides.  The Clean 15 includes onions, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, mangos, sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potato, and honeydew melon.  Eating the recommended number of servings from conventionally grown produce on the Clean 15 would only result in the intake of 2 pesticides during the day.  So if economics are a driving force and buying organic is not realistic for your family, focus your non-organic produce purchases on the Clean 15.

To further reduce exposure to pesticides, it is also recommended that you wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly with cold water and scrub thick-skinned produce with a brush.  No soap or detergent should  be used as this can leave another unwanted chemical residue.

ADHD is estimated to affect 4.5 million children in the U.S. The Center for Disease Control reports that over half of those children take medication for their condition.  For parents interested in using a more holistic approach, Neurological Stress Reduction Therapy using the BAX 3000 has shown to provide significant symptomatic relief for children suffering with ADHD, ADD and other neurological disorders such as Autism.  The therapy involves no needles and no drugs so it is easy to implement with children.  For more information on this therapy and our practice, please contact Chicago Allergy and Health at 773 451 9400.

Lorri L. Beauchamp, L.Ac.