What about potential toxic residues found in virtually all fish and shellfish?

As of 2003, almost 90% of all shrimp consumed in the United States were imported from Asia and Latin America, with China, Vietnam, and Thailand serving as the three top suppliers. These shrimp imports totaled about 1.5 billion pounds! U.S. shrimp farms produce approximately 12 million pounds of shrimp each year, but that amount is less than 1% of the total shrimp imports. This huge imbalance between imported and domestically produced shrimp can be problematic due to problems with contamination in certain Asian fish farming operations and also with lack of sustainable practices on the part of many fish farming operations.

Check this out: Seafood Watch Pocket Guide...........

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx.

When it comes to purchasing shellfish-and all types of fish well-I also encourage you to ask your grocers, or fishmongers, or whoever is responsible for providing your fish, as many questions as necessary to get an idea about its overall quality and sustainability.

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Organic foods too expensive? not available?

Yes, if you can't afford organic produce, you can still enjoy great health. If you can't buy organic produce, I would still encourage you to buy non-organic fruits and vegetables and enjoy a full array of different types.

However, I'd also recommend taking some additional steps with the non-organic produce that you purchase. It would be important to wash your non-organic fruit and vegetables well, using a natural bristle brush to lightly scrub the surface, so that you can remove some of the pesticide residues that may be present.

You may also want to peel conventionally grown cucumbers, eggplant, potatoes, and apples. This peeling recommendation is due to two factors. First, the outermost surfaces of fruits and vegetables may be the most affected by pesticide spraying. Second, the above types of produce often have petroleum-based wax coatings that may work against your best health. (The situation with the peeling of non-organic produce is exactly opposite from the situation with organic fruits and vegetables. With organic produce, you almost always want to keep the peels and skins intact because they are among the most nutrient-rich parts of any food.)

Do you have a farmer's market near you? If so, you may want to buy your produce there. Even if the produce you find there is not certified organic, chances are that it may contain less pesticide residues than produce available in larger grocery stores that do not focus on locally grown foods. Many small farmers don't go through the process of organic certification but still grow their produce with minimal, if any, agricultural chemicals.

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Red Pepperssssss

Did you know that a cup of sliced raw green bell pepper contains 12% of your daily value (DV) for vitamin A, but an equivalent cup of sliced red bell peppers contains 104% DV! Red bell peppers provide both color and taste to your meals, along with plenty of both vitamins C and A. They are also a concentrated source of carotenoid phytonutrients that provide powerful antioxidant protection against the oxidative damage to cells caused by free radicals. Free radicals play a major role in the cholesterol build-up associated with the increased risk of heart disease, the nerve and blood vessel damage seen in diabetes, the cloudy lenses of cataracts, and the joint pain and damage seen in arthritis. The lycopene and beta-cryptoxanthin found in red bell peppers are associated with promoting a healthy heart and lungs, while theirlutein and zeaxanthin promote vision health

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Cool Carrots

Did you know that carrots are by far the richest source of carotenoid phytonutrients, such as beta-carotene? Just one cup of carrots contains 1158% of the RAE for beta-carotene, which, particularly if the carrots have been lightly steamed and served with a little olive oil, our bodies may be able to convert into varying amounts of vitamin A. As an excellent source of carotenoids, which also function as potent antioxidants, carrots help promote good vision, especially night vision, and combat the free radical activity associated with an increased risk of numerous degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and age-related macular degeneration. Carrots also contain a newly discovered phytonutrient, called falcarinol, which may be one reason carrots have been associated with a reduced risk of some cancers. And remember, enjoying whole fresh carrots will provide you not only with the benefits of these phytonutrients, but the entire complex of nutrients whole, fresh unprocessed carrots deliver, including vitamin K, C, folate, potassium, B6 and dietary fiber

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Tahini?

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It is also called sesame paste or sesame butter. It is like peanut butter but made from sesame seeds. There are several available options when you purchase tahini.

The first consideration when it comes to choosing a tahini is whether to purchase a product made from unhulled or hulled sesame seeds. Tahini made from unhulled sesame seeds is more nutrient-rich than tahini made from hulled seeds, but it is also more bitter; this type of tahini is usually referred to as sesame butter. Since both versions would still make for good food choices, you can let your taste buds decide which type-the one made from hulled seeds or the one made from unhulled seeds-is more pleasing to you.

Roasted versus raw is another choice you have to make when it comes to selecting tahini. Raw (non-roasted) tahini is sufficiently higher in nutrient content, and I believe it's the better choice here.

Some manufacturers add additional oils to their tahini. I would recommend purchasing tahini with no added oils so that the tahini is made only from pure ground sesame seeds.

Finally, there is the option of a certified organic tahini. This is recommended.

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