Many people are aware that chemical pesticides and herbicides used on crops are bad for human health and the environment, but relatively few people are aware that they can also make you gain weight.

Many chemical pesticides and herbicides are known or suspected xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are a type of endocrine disruptor, a man-made substance that interferes with the body’s hormone balance. Xenoestrogens interfere with hormone balance by mimicking the behavior of the hormone estrogen in the body. Estrogen is a very important hormone that is vital to good health, especially for women. However, if estrogen levels get too high, either naturally or because of the effects of xenoestrogens, it can cause many health problems, from menstrual cramps and migraines to infertility and breast cancer. Excessive levels of estrogen are known as estrogen dominance.

How Xenoestrogens Make You Gain Weight

Another common side effect of estrogen dominance is weight gain. This is because of the interaction between estrogen and another major hormone called insulin. Insulin is used by the body to convert glucose, a type of sugar created when the body digests food, into energy. The body can become resistant to the effects of insulin over time due to any of several factors. When insulin resistance develops, the body can no longer convert glucose to energy and instead begins to store it as fat. If left untreated, insulin resistance can lead to obesity, diabetes, and many other serious health problems.

Estrogen is known to increase the body’s resistance to insulin. When estrogen levels are normal, the effect is negligible. However, when there are excessive levels of estrogen in the body, estrogen dominance can be a major factor in the development of insulin resistance.

Unfortunately, once the body become estrogen dominant and insulin resistant, it often becomes trapped in a vicious cycle. Estrogen is produced by fat cells, so excessive estrogen causes the body to become more insulin resistant and create more fat cells. The fat cells produce more estrogen, causing the body to become more estrogen dominant, which results in more insulin resistance, which leads to more weight gain, and so on.

How Organic Foods Can Help

Organic foods can help break the cycle by reducing the levels of xenoestrogens in your body, decreasing estrogen dominance.

Chemical residues on foods might not seem like much, but over time, they do add up. Studies have found that the average American consumes about one pound of pesticides and other chemical residues every year from food.

The effect of this exposure over time is still poorly understood. However, it is known that many chemicals break down very slowly. One of the most notorious xenoestrogens of all time, DDT, was banned decades ago in the United States, yet detectable levels of the pesticide are still found in the breast tissue of many women. Women who have detectable levels of the pesticide in their breast tissue are five times more likely to develop breast cancer than those who don’t – often 20 or 30 years after their initial exposure to the chemical.

Switching to organic food reduces the chemical load in your body and begins to restore your body’s natural hormone balance. Although switching to organics may not help you lose weight if it is the only step you take, by reducing your body’s level of insulin resistance it can help you lose weight more easily when combined with other diet and lifestyle changes.

The Most Important Fruits and Vegetables To Buy Organic

If you can’t afford to go completely organic, you can still reduce your exposure to xenoestrogens by buying these fruits and vegetables, which typically have the highest chemical residues, organic:

• strawberries
• spinach cabbage
• pineapples
• green beans
• asparagus
• apricots
• raspberries
• cherries
• apples
• peaches
• grapes
• sweet peppers

Other Important Foods To Buy Organic

The other most important foods to buy organic are meat and dairy products. Growth hormones fed to conventionally raised animals to make them reach slaughter-weight more quickly are another major source of xenoestrogens in food. Conventional dairy is triple trouble. Non-organic dairy products combine naturally occurring female hormones found in milk with the growth hormones given to the cows to make them produce more milk. Chemical residues from non-organic feed are also stored in fatty tissue in cows just as they are in humans, so milk can become contaminated by chemical residues stored in the udder. Organically raised animals are fed organic feed and never given growth hormones. Organic standards also seek to ensure a more humane and natural lifestyle for the animals, in addition to the health benefits for consumers.

Article originally posted by blogger Kerry G on Hubpages.

I heard a writing professor interviewed on the radio today who instructs his students to write stories that take place within five miles of their hometowns. He said the point of this exercise is to encourage his students to become attuned, in a deeper way, to the story and character of their locales. The same can be said with eating locally.

Food, of course, is about more than just what we put in our mouths. It has social, cultural, and historic functions. And by becoming familiar with the foods that grow around us, we gain a more meaningful – and intuitive – understanding of the place where we live. For example, I was born in Ohio and lived there until I was 13. To me, Ohio green beans taste quite distinct, and are more appealing to me than green beans grown anywhere else. My mother says the same thing about Ohio tomatoes. And specifically, tomatoes grown in southern Ohio, in the Ohio River valley. By familiarizing ourselves with the foods that grow in our areas, we physically and fundamentally connect to our environment. And, as we build memories around that food, our emotional ties to our surroundings grow stronger.

In addition, eating locally means eating seasonally, which helps us build an intuitive simpatico with the ebb and flow of the earth’s cycles. I am currently reading The Backyard Homestead, a fantastic book that I highly recommend for anyone interested in gardening or homesteading. The author explains how she knows when to plant particular crops by the flight patterns of insects and the colors of leaves. She is truly in sync with the earth, and she achieved that because she wanted to grow foods that would thrive in her particular locale, at particular times of the year.

There are many benefits to eating locally. The food is fresher, the carbon footprint is smaller, and local businesses are supported. But perhaps the most profound benefit is the way that eating locally helps us to become attuned – in a fundamentally human way – to the earth and our surroundings.

Sarah Cooke is a writer living in California. She is interested in organic food and green living. Sarah holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Naropa University, an M.A. in Humanities from NYU, and a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola Marymount University. She has written for a number of publications, and she studied Pastry Arts at the Institute for Culinary Education. Her interests include running, yoga, baking, and poetry. Read more on her blog.

Documentary Probes the Simplistic Life back in the Garden of Eden-

Back to Eden is a new feature documentary that follows one man’s revolutionary approach to organic gardening. “It’s all about the covering!” is how Paul Gautschi enthusiastically describes his gardening method that mimics the self sustaining design of nature. The film shows how gardeners and farmers worldwide can easily transform their agricultural practice into a simple and productive process of growing organic food. Revealing critical issues such as soil preparation, fertilization, irrigation, weed and pest control, crop rotation, and pH issues, the documentary focuses on proactive solutions, leaving the delving into the background politics to preceding documentary films such as Food, Inc. and Dirt! Back to Eden offers not only a fresh perspective on critical environmental issues but digs deeper into true stories of experiencing faith, seeking relationship and the power of forming community. Highlighted interviews include specialists in human ecology, nutrition, horticulture, and agriculture.

An exclusive preview can be viewed here: http://www.backtoedenfilm.com/

The day I turned 25 years old I headed straight to the store and bought loads of different ultra pricey skin creams. I was sure this would keep me wrinkle-free. By 30 my tone had changed. I began to realize that while I still wanted to look young and vibrant, youth came from the inside. The foods you eat show through your skin. They’re what end up keeping you looking young or not so much. After all, your food is your medicine, three times a day, everyday. As you already knew it’s loads of fruits and vegetables as well as other whole foods that end up doing the trick. If you’re concerned with aging gracefully, start where it matters, in your diet. Here are seven foods that will keep you looking younger longer.

1. Avocado and Other Good Fats:

Avocado has a lot of things going for it not the least of which is its fat content. You’ll notice that as you age those with little flesh on the body, especially in the face, begin to age faster. A little flesh keeps us looking younger. Bathe yourself in good fats like olive oil and avocado. If you’re concerned with cutting the fat, focus on the bad fats like lard and excessive amounts of butter.

2. Water-Based Fruits and Vegetables:

Hydration is a big part of looking young because it helps that skin retain moisture. When the skin is dehydrated it lays flatter on the body and wrinkles begin to show. This means not only drinking loads of water, but also making sure that you’re loading up on water heavy fruits and vegetables. Some really good choices include watermelon, cucumber, and citrus fruits.

3. Guava:

Guava is great for your skin because it’s loaded with vitamin C. According to the Dr. Oz Show, it has 4 times as much as citrus fruits. Vitamin C serves as the body’s natural Botox, keeping your skin cells full and wrinkle-free.

4. Oysters:

Depending on type and variety oyster, they provide 16 to 182 mg of zinc per 100g serving, according to Healthalicious. This accounts for 110 to 1200 percent of the RDA for zinc. Zinc serves to repair damage done to skin cells. So if you spent too much time out in the sun as a child and caused problems for your skin, zinc can prepare it.

5. Sweet Potatoes:

Sweet potatoes have beta-carotene, which is known to balance your skin’s pH, helps combat dryness, and promotes cell turnover, all resulting in smoother skin. Combining good fats like coconut or olive oil with beta-carotene makes it even more effective.

6. Seasonal Berries:

Berries are among the highest is antioxidant content. Berries like blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries have some of the highest antioxidant capacity. These antioxidants fight the free radicals that cause wrinkling on the skin.

7. Omega Fatty Acids Oil:

“Essential fatty acids are responsible for healthy cell membranes, which is not only what act as barriers to harmful things but also as the passageway for nutrients to cross in and out and for waste products to get in and out of the cell,” Ann Yelmokas McDermott, PhD, a nutritionist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston told WebMd.

Omega 3 is made up of three acids EPA, DHA, and ALA. ALA can be found in hemp seeds, flax seeds, and chia seeds. DHA and EPA are found in algae, spirulina, blue-green algae, and chlorella. Omega 6′s are found in many vegetarian foods including olive oil, whole grains, and avocados.

Article Originally Posted by Sara Novak, Planet Green

Major Manufacturers Treating their Clothes with Noxious Chemicals-

When samples were taken from 14 major clothing manufacturers in the U.S., researchers discovered that the majority contained traces of the toxic chemical “nonylphenol ethoxylates” (or NPEs), Greenpeace reports. Adidas, Uniqlo, Calvin Klein, H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch, Lacoste, Converse and Ralph Lauren are the reported offenders. Not only are NPEs dangerous for the environment but also can adversely affect human health. “Since residual levels of NPEs are released when clothes are washed, they are in effect creeping into countries where their use is banned,” said Li Yifang, a Greenpeace campaigner. The AFP states that the chemicals are frequently used in detergents during the industrial processes, and were found in two-thirds of the samples tested. Greenpeace bought 78 brand-name clothing samples (mostly manufactured in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam) from 18 countries for the purpose of having them closely analyzed.

AFP reports:

“NPEs break down to form nonylphenol, which has toxic, persistent and hormone-disrupting properties,” Li told journalists in Beijing. “It mimics female hormones, alters sexual development and affects reproductive systems….. Even at low levels, it represents a big threat to the environment and human health.”

Its nice to see consumer protection groups like Greenpeace and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition working to uncover the hidden secrets of major companies and bringing them to the public eye. With no accountability, its no wonder that powerful corporations and government entities take advantage of their lofty positions for the sake of monetary gain — at the expense of everyone below them.

Group Will Build Gardens & Educate Young People About Healthy Food-

Just weeks ago, a new organization was established by America’s youths in order to combat the nation’s growing rate of childhood obesity and disease related to poor diet. Dubbed FoodCorps, the group is working to build school gardens and develop Farm to School programs to ensure that children can have what we’re all entitled to: access to cheap, fresh food. “These young leaders are dedicating a year of their lives to help give kids a relationship with healthy food that we hope will last a lifetime,” said Curt Ellis, co-founder and executive director of FoodCorps. The initial 50 volunteers were selected from over 1,200 candidates and will soon be training at the Growing Power Community Food Center in Milwaukee, WI, where they will learn to build gardens, educate young people about healthy eating habits, and more. After their week long study session, the FoodCorps members will be sent over to host sites in Arkansas, Arizona, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Oregon. “As a nation, we are tightening our fiscal belt, yet health-related obesity costs are projected to reach $344 billion by 2018. FoodCorps is a sound investment in a healthy future and gives our kids a chance to beat back the painful and costly epidemic of diet-related disease,” said co-founder and FoodCorps Program Director Debra Eschmeyer. Check out the FoodCorps website for more info on how you can become a service member or host site for the pioneering group.

Research Indicates that Antibiotic-Fed Poultry is at Higher Risk of Drug Resistant Bacterial Contamination-

A new study shows that the use of antibiotics in farm-raised poultry has led to higher instances of enterococci bacteria contamination than those raised with organic methods. Discontinuing antibiotic use in large scale poultry farms “can result in immediate and significant reductions in antibiotic resistance for some bacteria,” according to “Lower Prevalence of Antibiotic-resistant Enterococci on U.S. Conventional Poultry Farms that Transitioned to Organic Practices,” recently published in Environmental Health Perspectives.

“We initially hypothesized that we would see some differences in on-farm levels of antibiotic-resistant enterococci when poultry farms transitioned to organic practices. But we were surprised to see that the differences were so significant across several different classes of antibiotics even in the very first flock that was produced after the transition to organic standards,” explained Dr. Amy R. Sapkota, the study’s lead researcher, an assistant professor with the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health. “It is very encouraging.” Scientists discovered that a whopping 67 percent of Enterococcus faecalis studied in poultry from farms using traditional antibiotics were resistant to the antibiotic erythromycin, however only 18 percent of the bacteria from organic poultry farms studied were found to be resistant. More information can be found by visiting TriplePundit.com.

The Golden Arches Get a Little Greener-

McDonald’s United Arab Emirates (UAE) Division has announced its partnership with Neutral Fuels LLC to begin construction on the UAE’s first licensed biodiesel factory. All vegetable oil from McDonald’s restaurants around the nation will be taken and converted into 100 percent biodiesel, which the fast food chain will use to power its logistics fleet. “The venture involves the Gulf nation’s first plant licensed to make biodiesel,” said Karl Feilder, chairman of Neutral Group. ”The facility will have an annual output capacity of 1 million liters (264,000 gallons). We are taking away the need to import diesel. Biodiesel from the factory in Dubai, the second-largest emirate in the U.A.E., will supply a limited number of companies at first and won’t be available for wider sale.” According to McDonald’s, none of the fleet vehicles need any modifications and are currently running on the alternative fuel. The company currently consumes around 20,000 liters of veggie oil in the UAE, Bloomberg reports.

Greenwashing Hits An All-Time Low with Bottled Water Claims-

I love the show Mad Men, because (among other reasons) it gives us all a glimpse into the advertising industry and every stop they pull to get the public to buy a certain product. The lines advertisers use are, for the most part, heavily sugar coated at best and a downright lie at worst. Enter the new greenwashing trend: Organic bottled water. Llanllyr Water, for instance, is claiming that their water comes from the ground beneath “certified organic fields” and nothing above ground has ever been farmed any other way. They are supposedly certified by the Soil Association, but who can really trace that far back to see whether the farmers used organic or inorganic materials in their farming practices? The company has only been around since 1999, so I would assume a couple years prior is as far back as a soil analyst could hope to find remnants of inorganic materials. While the company has not come right out and said it sells “organic water”, it is certainly insinuating that to get people to purchase their product. Its for this very reason that the USDA has exempted water from organic certification, but that doesn’t seem to put a halt on any of the claims. All I can say is, hopefully the new regulations proposed by the FTC will prevent more companies from misrepresenting their product or business. I wouldn’t put all my eggs into that basket, though.

The Resort Giant Will Contribute Fuel Made from Waste Vegetable Oil-

For the third year running, Caesars Entertainment Corp. is again sponsoring the Big Green Bus tour across America. Operated by students from Dartmouth College, the Greyhound bus was converted to run on recycled waste vegetable oil (WVO) and will travel across the country to help cause a buzz around the importance of sustainability. The journey will take place through an 11-week period and will travel 12,000 miles through 31 states. The bus will make refueling stops at Caesars resorts — including Harrah’s New Orleans on July 23rd, Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino on August 3rd, Harrah’s Rincon Hotel and Casino in North San Diego on August 5th, and Cleveland Thistledown on September 3rd — along with other scheduled locations around the U.S. “Having Caesars Entertainment as a sponsor has given us great insight to its compelling sustainability practices,” said Nicholas S. Devonshire, Big Green Bus Fundraising and Logistics Coordinator. “With its broad reach, the company has shown us how caring about the environment can translate into large opportunities for innovation and resource savings.” The sponsorship initiative by Caesars Entertainment will help foot the costs of this “classroom on wheels”, offering the public a unique opportunity to receive the hands-on experience of working with a converted alternative fuel vehicle as well as education on the significance of conservation in today’s world. Every year, Caesars recycles 640,000 gallons of oil from its resort and casino restaurants around the globe with 123,000 gallons coming directly from the Las Vegas Strip. The veggie oil is actually recycled at the resorts, or removed and re-purposed for use in biodiesel and other products. “We are very proud to power the Big Green Bus and support these driven students in their quest to spread the message of sustainability across the country,” said Gwen Migita, Corporate Director Sustainability and Community Engagement for Caesars Entertainment. “Caesars employees are excited to take part in the many events scheduled at the resorts across the country.”

For further information about the 2011 Big Green Bus tour, its crew and sponsors visit www.thebiggreenbus.org.

For additional information about Caesars Entertainment’s sustainability efforts visit http://www.caesars.com/corporate/environment-sustainability.html.