When summer temps rise above 100°F, drinking a cup of hot tea sounds like a crazy idea, right?
 
I don’t know about you, but when I get hot, I get cranky with a monster tension headache. 
(Not a good place to be, especially for an acupuncturist!)
 
That’s when I take a few deep breaths and enjoy a cup of organic Peppermint tea.  
 
Peppermint is an aromatic, pungent Chinese herb called Bo He that is known to release wind-heat from the body’s exterior. It enters the Liver and Lung meridians where it

• eases tension headache
• clears heat (redness) from the eyes
• soothes a sore throat
• clears heat rash
• calms the colon

 
Peppermint’s cooling sensation is produced by the organic compound menthol. A factoid is that menthol chemically triggers cold-sensitive receptors, which results in a cooling sensation when ingested. It actually relaxes the “smooth” muscles in the walls of the intestine which is helpful for relieving indigestion, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and menstrual cramps.
 
As amazing as Peppermint tea is, there are some people who shouldn’t drink it:

• Breastfeeding moms (it will decrease milk supply)
• People with heartburn
• People who are allergic to menthol
• Someone who is acutely ill with cold sweats

 
These are my favorite loose and bagged organic Peppermint teas. Enjoy! 

​My family eats organic food whenever it’s available and affordable... it’s not affordable or available, we find a healthy alternative.
 
These are the top 3 reasons why my family eats organic fruits & veggies:
 
1.Conventionally-produced produce is laden with synthetic pesticides (not to mention other dangerous stuff like synthetic herbicides and genetic modifications)
 
What is a pesticide and what does it do?  The World Health Organization (WHO) defines pesticides as “chemicals used in agriculture to protect crops against insects, fungi, weeds and other pests” and claims pesticides “may induce adverse health effects including cancer, effects on reproduction, immune or nervous systems.”[1]  
 
Who wants to eat pesticides? Not me! Not my family!
 
Even more frightening are recent reports from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) about the prevalence of pesticide residue on produce. This was posted on WebMD:
 
“The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data found that nearly 70% of samples of 48 types of conventionally-grown produce were contaminated with pesticide residues. The USDA found a total of 178 different pesticides and pesticide residues on the more than 35,000 produce samples tested. The pesticides remained on fruits and vegetables after washing and, in some cases, peeling. More than 98% of samples of strawberries, spinach, peaches, nectarines, cherries, and apples tested positive for residue of at least one pesticide.  A single sample of strawberries showed 20 different pesticides.”[2]
 
20 different pesticides on one sample of conventional fruit? That’s 20 reasons why I only buy organic strawberries.
 
2.I don’t want to risk my family’s health (short-term and long-term)
 
According to the WHO, “Pesticides can be classified as carcinogenic (can cause cancer), neurotoxic (can cause damage to the brain), or teratogenic (can cause damage to a fetus).”[3]
 
Cancer-causing, brain damage-inducing, and dangerous to the health of the unborn… the evidence is clear, pesticides and humans don’t mix at any stage of life. Period.
 
But, if you need more convincing…
 
In his book AntiCancer, author David Servan-Schreiber summarized a clinical study[4] where over 20 children had their urine tested after eating conventional fruits/vegetables for several days. Their urine samples showed evidence of pesticides. After eating organic foods for several days, their urine samples were clear of pesticides. When they started eating conventional produce again, their urine revealed the return of pesticides.
 
If you're eating conventional produce and collecting pesticides in your body, this study shows that making the switch to organic has measurable results. 
 
3. Some of my favorite fruits and veggies are only safe enough for my family when they’re organic
 
According to the EWG, in 2017 these conventional fruits/vegetables had the most pesticide residue: strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, peaches, pears, cherries, grapes, celery, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, and potatoes.[5]
For more details, check out: EWG's 2017 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce http://bit.ly/2r4imSQ
 
Given this scientific evidence, I’m not willing to jeopardize my family’s health by buying conventional produce at the supermarket to save a few dollars or complete a recipe.

Do you choose organic for yourself and your family? 

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Sources
[1] World Health Organization. Retrieved in June 2017 from http://www.who.int/features/qa/87/en/
[2] Web MD. Retrieved in June 2017 from http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20170309/ewg-dirty-dozen-pesticides
[3] World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/features/qa/87/en/
[4] Lu, C., K. Toepel, R. Irish, et al., “Organic Diets Significantly Lower Children’s Dietary Exposure to Organophosphorus Pesticides,” Environmental Health Perspectives 114, no. 2 (2006): 260-263. Also see www.anticancerbook.com
[5] Environmental Working Group. Retrieved in June 2017 from https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty_dozen_list.php