This is the first in a series by L.A. Naturopathic Doctor, Maya Roth, who shares with YDT how our own well-being and environmental health are connected–and what we can do to act on behalf of both.
Part One: FOOD
Frequently, the chemicals manufactured to ease our lives and increase our convenience actually harm our health and the health of the planet. But in our daily consumer decisions we can influence how many man-made toxins enter the environment and make their way into our bodies at the same time via our air, water and food.
As a Naturopathic Doctor, I teach my patients that by making good eating decisions to safeguard the planet, we as its inhabitants are rewarded with more vibrant health.
Here are some examples of choices we can make where meals are concerned:
Begin on the periphery
Select foods found on the periphery of the supermarket including produce, dairy, poultry, meat and fish. Avoid shopping the inner aisles that contain processed products and artificial ingredients. Not sure? Ask yourself, “Could I buy this product 100 years ago?” If not, then the product in question is not real food. (By shopping at your farmers’ market it’s even easier to guarantee you’re buying honest to goodness edibles.)
Zoom in on the source
Your kitchen is the source of most chemicals in your household. A water filter for the kitchen sink and a reusable stainless steel water bottle will help avoid exposure to toxic chemicals that leach from plastic and polycarbonate water bottles. Also, use glass, cast iron, ceramic and stainless steel cookware and storage containers in lieu of plastic, aluminum and nonstick-coated products. Replace your traditional toxic household dishwashing, cleaning, and laundry products with natural or homemade alternatives.
Focus on purity
Consume fruits and vegetables grown without toxic pesticides. Research shows that people who consume the “dirty dozen,” the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables, on average, eat 10 types of pesticides per day! Replace large and farmedfish that are high in mercury and other contaminants with small, wild alternatives. For example, consider substituting traditional tuna with canned wild salmon which has undetectable levels of mercury.
To learn more about naturopathic medicine for personal and planetary health and Dr. Roth, visit www.DrMayaRoth.com.
Bio: Maya Roth, ND is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor. Dr. Roth practices preventative medicine with emphasis on risk modification, lifestyle optimization and hormone balance. She is in practice at the Chiropractic Center of Los Angeles and specializes in natural family medicine, as well as subspecialties of women’s health, children’s health and environmental medicine. Dr. Roth encourages her patients to take responsibility for their own health and for the environment. She is the creator ofNaturopathic Insights. Contact: Tel: (323) 935-9777;http://www.DrMayaRoth.com.
Images via Dr. Maya Roth, RGBclicks @ Flickr and The White Mole @ Flickr
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