Eating a healthy diet filled with fruits and vegetables is essential no matter how their grown. And while the benefits of fresh produce outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure, it's still a good idea to shop smart. Below is a list of the Environmental Working Group's Clean Fifteen for 2017. These fruits and vegetables have the lowest pesticide contamination levels. Eat well and enjoy!

Pesticides are toxic and pose serious health risks including hormone disruption, skin, eye, and lung irritation, and even cancer. So what can we do to reduce the risk? First of all, don't stop eating healthy fruits and vegetables! Instead, choose your produce wisely. Buy organic whenever possible and always avoid the conventionally grown dirty dozen. Below is the Environmental Working Group's list of the most contaminated fruits and vegetables of 2017.

Xenoestrogens are industrially made compounds such as PCB, BPA and Phthalates. These are widely used in foods, skin care products, and cleaning products, that have estrogenic effects to the living   organisms although they differ chemically from the naturally occurring estrogenic substances ​internally produced by their endocrine system.

ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS

In Cosmetics:
4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) (sunscreen lotions)
Parabens (methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben commonly used as a preservative)
Benzophenone (sunscreen lotions)

In Plastics:
Bisphenol A (monomer for polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin; antioxidant in plasticizers)
Phthalates (plasticizers)
DEHP (plasticizer for PVC)
Polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) (flame retardants used in plastics, foams, building materials, electronics, furnishings, motor vehicles).
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

In Food:
Erythrosine / FD&C Red No. 3
Phenosulfothiazine (a red dye)
Butylated hydroxyanisole / BHA (food preservative)
Building supplies:
Pentachlorophenol (general biocide and wood preservative)
Polychlorinated biphenyls / PCBs (in electrical oils, lubricants, adhesives, paints)

Our Detox Program begins JANUARY 10th!

In preparation for our detox, participants are beginning what we call. 'pretox'. One week to ten days before starting any detox, we encourage you to start taking steps toward a successful experience. We suggest you wean yourself off from caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and gluten to avoid headaches during the program.

If you've overindulged this holiday season, especially on fatty foods, you may need an extra boost to help jump start your detox. Swing by the office for a supplement called LV-GB Complex which supports the normal processing and elimination of toxins while assisting liver and gallbladder function. 

We would also encourage you to prepare yourself mentally and physically with at least a short walk each day.

Many people think of alcohol or drug rehab when they think of detox, often associated with in-patient care or hospitalization. This is detoxification in the extreme.

​Detox is our birthright; a process that our bodies constantly perform. It is how we rid ourselves of those nasty chemicals that are in our environment. Without it we would soon succumb to toxic overload. While your liver and kidneys do most of the work, your skin, lungs, and intestines also do their share.

How do we accumulate toxins on the first place? Our industry produces thousands of different chemicals, most of which have not been tested for safety. Our air, water, food and skin-care products are full of chemicals that are foreign to our bodily systems. Luckily we are like self-cleaning ovens and are able to excrete most of these poisons as fast as we take them in.