You’ve probably heard that your cell phone emits radiation to send voice and text messages from you to the other caller.  Some research says that frequent cell-phone use may increase your risk of getting cancer. Also for children, the radiation may increase their risk of having behavioral problems.  The Environmental Working Group investigated many celullar phones and created a guide for us to choose a safer and low-radiation phone.

Best and Worst Phones*

Listing is based on phones currently available from major carriers.

BEST PHONES (low radiation)		WORST PHONES (high radiation)
	LG Quantum [AT&T]		Motorola Bravo (MB520) [AT&T]
	Casio EXILIM [Verizon Wireless]		Motorola Droid 2 Global [Verizon Wireless]
	Sanyo Katana II [Kajeet]		Palm Pixi [Sprint]
	Pantech Breeze II (P2000) [AT&T, AT&T GoPhone]		Motorola Boost i335 [Boost Mobile]
	Samsung Mesmerize (Galaxy S) [CellularONE, U.S. Cellular]		Blackberry Bold 9700 [AT&T, T-Mobile]
	Samsung Fascinate [Verizon Wireless]		HTC Magic (T-Mobile myTouch 3G) [T-Mobile]
	Samsung SGH-a197 [AT&T GoPhone]		Motorola i335 [Sprint]
	Samsung Contour (SCH-R250) [MetroPCS]		Motorola W385 [Boost Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless]
	Samsung Gravity T (SGH-T669) [T-Mobile]		Motorola Boost i290 [Boost Mobile]
	Samsung SGH-T249 [T-Mobile]		Motorola Quantico [U.S. Cellular, MetroPCS]

 

Best and Worst Smartphones*

Listing is based on all Smartphones in the database. You can also see all Smartphones ranked by radiation.

BEST PHONES (low radiation)		WORST PHONES (high radiation)
	LG Quantum [AT&T]		Motorola Bravo (MB520) [AT&T]
	Samsung Mesmerize (Galaxy S) [CellularONE, U.S. Cellular]		Motorola Droid 2 Global [Verizon Wireless]
	Samsung Fascinate [Verizon Wireless]		Palm Pixi [Sprint]
	Samsung Captivate (I897) [AT&T]		HTC Magic (T-Mobile myTouch 3G) [T-Mobile]
	Samsung Continuum [Verizon Wireless]		Blackberry Bold 9700 [AT&T, T-Mobile]
	Motorola Devour [Verizon Wireless]		Motorola CHARM [T-Mobile]
	Motorola Flipside (MB508) [AT&T]		Motorola DEFY [T-Mobile]
	Motorola Backflip Enzo [AT&T]		Motorola Droid [Verizon Wireless]
	Samsung Transform [Sprint, CREDO]		Motorola Droid R2D2 [Verizon Wireless]
	Garmin-Asus Garminfone [T-Mobile]		Motorola Droid 2 [Verizon Wireless]

The Environmental Working Group(EWG) recently announced a study about how meat affects our health as well as the environment. Some of you may have heard of it but the truth is very shocking. So, I would like to share their findings in this newsletter.

We’ve seen many burger joints popping up in NYC. I totally believe Americans are true burger lovers.  According to EWG, “Americans consume 60 per cent more than Europeans (FAO 2009) and the global appetite for meat is exploding. From 1971 to 2010, worldwide production of meat tripled to around 600 billion pounds while global population grew by just 81 percent (US Census Bureau, International Data Base). At this rate, production will double by 2050 to approximately 1.2 trillion pounds of meat per year, requiring more water, land, fuel, pesticides and fertilizer and causing significant damage to the planet and global health (Elam 2006).” As you know, the former president, Bill Clinton is famous for being burger lover and sure enough he had to go through bypass surgery. He is now on a plant-based diet. He understands that what we eat affects our health. It is well-known how our mass produced meat affects our health (antibiotics, growth hormone, and toxins in the meat cause heart disease, cancer and other diseases).  But additionally, those mass produced meats are causing massive environmental damage. So what EWG found was…

Climate and Environmental Impacts

The chart EWG made below shows the lifecycle total of greenhouse gas emissions for common protein foods and vegetables, expressed as kilograms (kg) of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e) per kg of consumed product.

Figure 1. Full Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Common Proteins and Vegetables

Lamb, beef and cheese have the highest emissions. This is true, in part, because they come from ruminant animals that constantly generate methane through their digestive process, called enteric fermentation. Methane (CH₄) – a greenhouse gas 25 times more (CH₄) potent than carbon dioxide (CO₂), accounts for nearly half the emissions generated in this study’s Nebraska beef production model (see chart below). Pound for pound, ruminants also require significantly more energy-intensive feed and generate more manure than pork or chicken (see figure 2).

• Lamb has the greatest impact, generating 39.3 kg (86.4 lbs) of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e) for each kilo eaten – about 50 percent more than beef. While beef and lamb generate comparable amounts of methane and require similar quantities of feed, lamb generates more emissions per kilo in part because it produces less edible meat relative to the sheep’s live weight. Since just one percent of the meat consumed by Americans is lamb, however, it contributes very little to overall U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
• Beef has the second-highest emissions, generating 27.1 kilos (59.6 lbs) of CO₂e per kilo consumed. That’s more than twice the emissions of pork, nearly four times that of chicken and more than 13 times that of vegetable proteins such as beans, lentils and tofu. About 30 percent of the meat consumed in America is beef.
• Cheese generates the third-highest emissions, 13.5 kilos (29.7 lbs) of CO₂e per kilo eaten, so vegetarians who eat a lot of dairy aren’t off the hook. Less dense cheese (such as cottage) results in fewer greenhouse gases since it takes less milk to produce it.

Feed production. Most U.S. livestock are fattened on fishmeal, corn, soybean meal and other grains. Grain production, in particular, requires significant quantities of fertilizer, fuel, pesticides, water and land. It takes 149 million acres of cropland, 76 million kilos (167 million lbs) of pesticides and 7.7 billion kilos (17 billion lbs) of nitrogen fertilizer to grow this feed. Fertilizer applied to soil generates nitrous oxide (N₂0), which has 300 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide. Irrigation pumps, tractors and other farm equipment also release carbon dioxide, but in relatively small amounts. Pesticides and fertilizers often end up in runoff that pollutes rivers, groundwater and oceans. Feed crops are heavily subsidized by taxpayers through the federal Farm Bill, to the tune of $45 billion over the past 10 years. Fertilizer and pesticide production requires a significant amount of energy, but our model found that together they account for just 12 percent of the emissions from growing feed. The biggest impact is from the nitrous oxide emissions resulting from fertilizer application.

Manure: Animal waste releases nitrous dioxide and methane and pollutes our water and air, especially when it is concentrated. In 2007, U.S. livestock in confined feeding operations generated about 500 million tons of manure a year, three times the amount of human waste produced by the entire U.S. population (EPA 2007). Manure is the fastest growing major source of methane, up 60 percent from 1990 to 2008 (EPA 2010) . While manure is a valuable nutrient for plants, it can leach pollutants – including nitrogen, phosphorus, antibiotics and metals – into groundwater when storage facilities leak or too much is spread on farm fields. More than 34,000 miles of rivers and 216,000 acres of lakes and reservoirs in the U.S. have been degraded by waste from confined feeding operations (EPA 2009). Decomposing waste releases dust, smog odors and toxic gases, including ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which degrade air quality and can cause itching, dizziness and discomfort to workers and nearby residents.

Wasted Food is a Major Source of Emissions

EWG’s analysis found that discarded food accounts at least 20 percent on average of the emissions associated with producing, processing, transporting and consuming meat and dairy products. Reducing waste and buying only as much as you can eat is the easiest way to reduce greenhouse gas and other environmental impacts of food.

Most of the emissions attributed to waste come from producing food that is ultimately discarded – from fertilizer and pesticide production, growing feed, transportation, etc. Foods with higher waste rates such as farmed salmon (44 percent is thrown away by retailers and consumers) have much higher emissions during production since it takes a lot more salmon to produce the amount that is actually consumed. Some of the waste-related production emissions are unavoidable, such as moisture and fat loss during cooking. These must be accounted for in the lifecycle analysis, but there is very little consumers can do to minimize these losses. (See Figure 5.)

Figure 5. Production Emissions from Eaten and Wasted Meat, Eggs and Cheese

Over a year:

If you eat one less burger a week, it’s like taking your car off the road for 320 miles or line-drying your clothes half the time. ¹⁰

If your four-person family skips meat and cheese one day a week, it’s like taking your car off the road for five weeks – or reducing everyone’s daily showers by 3 minutes. ¹¹

If your four-person family skips steak once a week, it’s like taking your car off the road for nearly three months. ¹²

If everyone in the U.S. ate no meat or cheese just one day a week, it would be like not driving 91 billion miles – or taking 7.6 million cars off the road. ¹³

Why Go Organic, Grass-Fed and Pasture-Raised?

Health Benefits

A considerable number of studies show that grass-fed beef has less fat and more nutrients than far more common and less expensive grain-fed beef (Duckett 1993, 2009; Rule 2002; UCS 2006). A 2009 study comparing both types found that grass-fed beef had lower total saturated and mono-unsaturated fat, more heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, a lower (and healthier) ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, and higher levels of vitamin E, beta-carotene and B-vitamins (Duckett 2009). Choosing certified organic and/or grass-fed products reduces your exposure to traces of sub-therapeutic antibiotics and artificial hormones that are given to conventionally raised animals. Going organic also reduces exposure to toxins from pesticides that might accumulate in animal fat.

Lower Risk of Disease

“Exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones, and toxic run-off from livestock feed lots can be minimized by eating free-range meat raised without these medications if it is available.”

- President’s Cancer Panel, Annual Report 2008-09.

Food from free-range, pasture-raised animals may also reduce the risk of bacterial contamination. A 2007 study found that the prevalence of fecal salmonella in open-pasture chicken farms was about half that of conventional farms (16 percent versus 30 percent) (Siemon 2007). Other studies have found that grass-fed cattle carry less E. coli overall than grain-fed, confined animals (Russell 2000, Bailey 2003). Organically raised meat may also be safer. A recent USDA-funded study found that salmonella prevalence in fecal samples from organic poultry farms was significantly lower than in samples from conventional farms (6 percent versus 39 percent). Similarly, only 5 percent of organic feed samples were contaminated with salmonella, versus 28 percent of conventional feed samples (Alal 2010).

Environmental Benefits

Well-managed grazing and grass-fed operations are better for the environment. They use fewer energy-intensive inputs and, by regularly moving animals to fresh pasture and keeping them away from streambeds, they spread the manure more evenly and improve the quality and quantity of forage growth. This helps to conserve soil, reduce erosion and water pollution, increase carbon sequestration and preserve biodiversity and wildlife (Johnson 2002, FAO 2009, Pelletier 2010). Organic feed production and grazing practices are also better for the environment. They reduce fertilizer and pesticide runoff into waterways, and the use of compost, cover-cropping and rotational grazing helps build healthy, productive and water-conserving soils. Organic methods also enhance pest and weed resistance without the use of chemicals and ultimately foster greater resiliency in the face of extreme weather and climate change.

Climate Impact

There are few definitive studies of the net amount of greenhouse gas emissions from grass-fed versus confined-feedlot, grain-fed meat. Since pasture-raised cattle gain weight more slowly than grain-fed animals (an average of 25 percent slower in one recent study (Gurian-Sherman 2011), those animals take longer to reach slaughter weight and consequently emit more methane and nitrous oxide. Confined cattle gain weight much more quickly on their high-starch corn feed.

These higher emissions may be offset, however, by the carbon sequestration benefits that well-managed pasture systems can provide (Pelletier 2010). Rotational grazing and the application of organic soil treatments can have a significant impact on building up soil carbon in pastureland (Follet 2001, Conant 2001). Far fewer energy-intensive inputs are used in grass-fed beef production.

The climate impact of grass-fed animals depends on factors that vary greatly from one production system to another. They include: average weight gain and quality of forage (the slower the animals gain weight, the more methane they emit); the rate of soil carbon sequestration; and crowding (greater density of animals means more concentrated manure deposits and higher methane and nitrous oxide emissions).

Much more research is needed to determine the comparative climate impact of pasture-based versus confined feedlot systems.

Conclusion:

Eating Less, Greener and Healthier Meat is Good for Your Health and the Planet

Climate impacts are just one factor in choosing what to eat. There are many compelling health, environmental and animal-welfare reasons to eat less meat and to opt for meat from organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed animals. It may cost more, but when you buy less meat overall you can afford healthier, greener meat.

Eating and wasting less meat (especially red meat) and cheese can simultaneously improve our health and reduce the climate and environmental impact of food. Choosing grass-fed, free-range, pasture-raised and/or organic products also helps to expand market demand. As the market grows, more farmers and ranchers will choose more sustainable and humane production methods, which in turn will make these products more affordable and available.

Choosing healthier, greener food is important, but significantly cutting the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change will also require governmental action. We all need to get engaged to push for comprehensive public policies that put the nation on a path to greener energy. Reducing meat production’s negative impacts on soil, air and water will take stronger regulatory enforcement and better policies – in addition to significant changes in meat consumption habits.

The company I am partnered with, Pharmanex, has a revolutionary device, called the Biophotonic scanner. The Biophotonic scanner measures the antioxidant status in your skin cells using a non-invasive Nobel prize-winning technology called Raman Spectroscopy. This measurement is called a Skin Carotenoid Test.  Further research concluded that the antioxidant status of skin cells was indicative of overall antioxidant status.  This scanner was recently featured on the Dr. OZ show for the subject of “Cancer Fighting Antioxidants”.

Dr Oz had everyone in the audience take the Skin Carotenoid Test, which takes about 90 seconds Carotenoids are a specific category of antioxidants most commonly found in fruits and vegetables.  The audience Carotenoid scores ranged from about 10,000 to 50,000+.  The low end of the range is noted as red, followed by orange, and the top two ranges being green then blue the highest.  Doctor Oz said that you want to be in the blue or green ranges, but unfortunately most of the people in his audience were in the red and orange ranges, which is where most of America is.  Almost 40% of the people in his audience were in the lowest category possible.  37.1% of people from his audience were in the second lowest category, which is still dangerously low.  Only 6% of Dr Oz’s audience were in the blue and green ranges.  This means that most people are getting only 2-3 servings of fruits and vegetables per day at best, rather than 5-9 servings recommended by the FDA.  Doctor Oz took the Carotenoid Skin Test and found his levels were 75,000 which is extremely impressive!

Also surprisingly, the show demonstrated that most of the general public who were interviewed don’t know what Antioxidants are. The name itself is seen everywhere you go, but do you really know what it is? Dr. William Li, a Cancer Prevention pioneer said that Antioxidants are laced naturally into food and they help to protect our DNA and healthy cells from the damage caused by Free Radicals. So that brings us to the next question – what are Free Radicals?  They alter or destroy cells. Cells that die, and cells that replicate in a damaged state are the cause or contribute to premature aging, sickness and disease such as cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and many others. Where do free radicals come from? Actually, everywhere! Smoking, stress, sunlight, pesticides, pollution, airline travel, medications, food additives, X-rays, exercise, chlorine in treated water, mercury in seafood and teeth fillings and so on.

I highly recommend that you check your anti-oxidant level periodically, especially those where cancer has been experienced in their family. I have a Biophotonic Scanner, so please contact me for your Antioxidant checkup.

Natural coconut oil, as opposed to the hydrogenated version often found in processed foods, consists almost entirely of saturated fat, about 92%. You may not like to hear 92% saturated fat, but according to Bruce Fife, and author of “the Coconut Oil Miracle”, when taken as a supplement, used in cooking, or applied directly to the skin, coconut oil has been found to:

• Promote weight loss
• Help protect against heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and many other degenerative diseases
• Prevent premature aging of the skin
• Strengthen the immune system
• Improve digestion

Why? What is the key?

Please note that All fats are not equal.

What’s really important is the structure. The unique health benefits of coconut oil are directly related to its chemical structure, or more precisely, the length of its fatty acid chains.

Coconut oil is comprised of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs.

Coconut oil is nature’s richest source of these healthy MCFAs.

Dr. Mercola explains the difference between MCFAs and LCFAs below.

「By contrast, most common vegetable or seed oils are comprised of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), also known as long-chain triglycerides or LCTs.

There are several reasons to explain why these long-chain fatty acids are not as healthy for you as the MCFAs in coconut oil:

• LCFAs are difficult for the body to break down — they must be packaged with lipoproteins or carrier proteins and require special enzymes for digestion.
• LCFAs put more strain on the pancreas, the liver and the entire digestive system.
• LCFAs are predominantly stored in the body as fat. (That’s why most people buy into the myth that fats are automatically “fattening”.)
• LCFAs can be deposited within arteries in lipid forms such as cholesterol.

On the other hand, however, the MCFAs in coconut oil are more health-promoting, because:

• MCFAs are smaller. They permeate cell membranes easily, and do not require lipoproteins or special enzymes to be utilized effectively by your body.
• MCFAs are easily digested, thus putting less strain on your digestive system. This is especially important for those of you with digestive or metabolic concerns.
• MCFAs are sent directly to your liver, where they are immediately converted into energy rather than being stored as fat.
• MCFAs in coconut oil can actually help stimulate your body’s metabolism, leading to weight loss.」

Fife says that coconut oil also contains caprylic acid (8%) which kills fungus (for example, athlete’s foot fungus) and yeast (candida, as well as vaginal yeast). One or more of coconut oil’s medium chain fats also kill a wide variety of intestinal parasites. Because of its composition and high MFCA content, coconut oil is effective for treating and preventing heart disease, as well as AIDs, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, osteoporous, gallbladder disease, diabetes, liver disease, Crohn’s disease, prostate enlargement, and cancer.

Moreover, Coconut oil is uniquely effective at protecting your health, primarily because of its high concentration (48-50%) of lauric acid. Lauric acid is a very important triglyceride (3-part fat) that breaks down into monolaurin, which kills bacteria and viruses. Besides coconut oil, the only other good source of lauric acid is mother’s milk. Lauric acid is critical for infants because it’s the only protection they have until their immune systems develop. When you think about it, that fact speaks volumes about the power of lauric acid — it keeps babies healthy even in the absence of the immune system! That’s why coconut oil is a critical ingredient in healthy milk formulas.

So, what is the best way to consume?  Fife recommends 3 ½ tablespoons (50grams) of coconut oil a day to equal the proportion of MCFAs a nursing baby receives. The same amount of MCFAs can be obtained from 10 ounces of coconut milk, 7 ounces of raw coconut (about half a whole coconut), or 2 ¾ cups dried, shredded coconuts. The easiest way would be changing your regular oil to coconut oil.  Also please note that you need to buy “Virgin” coconut oil which is less intense refining – lower temperatures and no chemicals.

 

I am sure you have made a few New Year’s resolutions for 2011.  For some of you its “get healthy” or, “lose weight”. Since one in three adults in the United States have high blood pressure (HBP) according to the American Heart Association, many of you (or your loved ones) have such HBP condition or prehypertension. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) states that high blood pressure was listed as a primary or contributing cause of death for 326,000 Americans in 2006. Also it says that in 2010, high blood pressure will cost the United States $76.6 billion in health care services, medications, and missed days of work.  So, if you have HBP, one of your New Year’s resolutions should be lowering it. Yes, diet and exercise are very important factors , but adding the following activities (or movements) in to your daily life  will help lower HBP too!

 

1.Feet Up

If you see a Doctor for HBP one of the first things they prescribe is a diuretic (medicine to increase urination). However, instead of using a diuretic, you can do this simple exercise:  lay on your back with your feet and legs  up against a wall.   Your hips should be within 1 foot of the wall.  While staying in this position for 15 minutes, stretch and move the feet.  This will naturally increase your urination.

2.Standing Exercise on the train

Stand with your feet pelvis width apart.. Your feet should be  parallel. Slightly bend your knees, and keep the weight on the back of your feet.  You can hold onto a pole if you need to, but its better if you don’t. When you start feeling strain in the insides of your leg muscles, your blood pressure goes down.

3.Seated

While you are sitting in your chair at work, lift your feet up from the ground and hold for 5 minutes.  Breathe from your abdomen. You can do this every hour.

4.Bathing

Take a long bath in a hot tub. The water temperature should not be higher than 42 Celsius (108 F).

 

Source: Masanori Kabashima

 

There are many UV rays, but the most commonly discussed are Ultraviolet A  (Long  wave)  and Ultraviolet B (short wave) rays.  Ultraviolet A (UVA) penetrates your skin more deeply than Ultraviolet B (UVB), and has long been known to play a major part in skin aging and wrinkling, but it does not cause sunburn.  UVA rays are quite constant during all the hours of daylight throughout the entire year. It is the dominant tanning ray and penetrates clouds and glass, so you can get tanned and aging skin damage even you are at home laying down by a window or driving a car.

UVB, the chief cause of skin reddening and sunburn, tends to damage the skin’s more superficial epidermal layers. Its intensity varies by season, location, and time of day. The most significant amount of UVB hits the U.S. between 10 AM and 4 PM from April to October. UVB rays help your skin produce vitamin D but do not significantly penetrate glass, so you cannot get Vitamin D by sunbathing on the couch.

When you buy sunscreen, as many of you already know, you need to find the one which protects  you from both UVA and UVB. However, sunscreen stops your body from producing natural vitamin D.  Vitamin D plays a crucial role in your overall health and well-being including supporting your cardiovascular health, enhancing your muscle strength, maintaining a healthy immune system, keeping your bones strong and healthy, and more.

Getting lots of sun in a concentrated time is more dangerous than steady exposure over time. So sunbathing without sunscreen is not a good idea. In order to have more safe sun exposure for Vitamin D production, go without sunscreen when your exposure to the sun will be limited, such as doing errands or when you will be out for a short period of time. In general, doctors recommend 15-20 minutes of sun exposure for Vitamin D production.  Enjoy the sun but don’t burn yourself!!!

 

 

 

Some of you may have seen this shocking news clip about Wholefoods’ own brand, 365 Organic.  It actually aired two years ago, but it seems nothing has changed. The 365 Organic brand is certified but many of the products are actually made and packaged in China. Their legitimacy of their organic designation has been called in to question, as there has been no verification of their organic certification process…

I do recommend “Organic” products and produce over conventional ones, but please don’t be fooled by the certification mark, especially processed food. Here’s why:

‘Organic’ beer has non-organic hops.

‘Organic’ baby food has synthetic fatty acids.

‘Organic’ milk can come from factory-like feed lots without grass.

The law required annual testing for pesticides, but USDA hasn’t enforced the requirement.

The National Organic Standards Board has approved 245 non-organic substances for inclusion in “organic” labeled food

‘Organic’ mock duck has synthetic additives to make it stringy.

So, always look at the labels to find where they are made and if there are any suspicious ingredients. Also, don’t buy “Big” brand name products like Kellogg, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Dean, and Dole. Buy local products and small brands.

 

This is the last article of my food additive series (I talked about MSG and BVO in the past newsletter). Over the last 5 years, the popularity and awareness about avoiding pesticides has increased. You can purchase organic products even at Wal-Mart. I totally encourage this movement and all the readers to choose “organic” over “conventional” as much as possible. Here are the reasons why…

11. Pesticides
Every year more than two billion pounds of pesticides are applied to our food supply.  That’s about ten pounds per person per year. And many, perhaps most of the pesticides used throughout the world are carcinogenic. Yet only 10% of the pesticides approved for use on food have been adequately tested for use in humans.

Pesticides are not only found in our food supply, however; they pollute our water, and the cells in our body. They are sprayed on lawns, in gardens, in parks, and on playing fields. After it rains, these chemicals are carried through storm drains and sewers into creeks, rivers, and our oceans, where they account for more than 90 percent of water pollution.

Pesticides accumulate in our bodies as well. 99% of mothers’ milk in the United States, for example, contains dangerous levels of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT).  All of us also have measurable levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxin, heptachlor, chlordane, aldrin, dieldrin, and other pesticides in our bloodstream. And since our bodies cannot remove these chemicals, over time, they weaken our endocrine, reproductive, circulatory, immune, and central nervous systems. As a result, our likelihood of having heart disease, cancer, and allergies is greatly increased. Pesticide accumulation also undermines our ability to resist infectious organisms, may impair fertility, and contributes to miscarriages and birth defects.

So, not only the food you select, please be conscious about the water you drink too.