Beware of Bacteria Lurking in Your Salad Greens
There are an increasing number of people that are coming down with food poisoning and this time it is not from raw meat or fish, rather from produce especially salad greens like spinach, kale and mixed greens.
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The bacteria that is increasingly showing up in testing, as well as reported in food poisoning incidents are E.Coli, salmonella, various types of Clostridium bacteria (such as C.Diff), and several parasites such as Amoeba and hookworms.
The warm summer months are especially susceptible to amoebic infections, any warm waters and stagnant waters harbor amoeba. Once in the body, they can cause amoebic abscesses; if they get to the brain it can be deadly. Typical soil bacteria like Clostridium and E.Coli are common and are found just as much in organic produce as commercial produce.
Frequently a person will be led to believe that “double washed” or “triple washed produce” is safe to consume. However, research shows that it is not so. Researchers found that the “wash” that spinach gets, only reached 15% of the product leaves that were bagged. Even after a “triple wash”, 90% of the bacteria were still there.
The produce leaves are typically also rinsed with chlorine or commercial citric acid (a GMO chemical) before bagged. I have had patients react to “organic spinach” in a bag. Now we know why!!! This does not mean you need to stop eating greens; on the contrary, they are extremely beneficial. Just make sure you double wash your produce when you bring it home.
This is what I recommend to best clean your produce:
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1. Use Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide to add to your produce wash and let soak for a few minutes. Instructions are on the bottle.
2. Those who have a Kangen machine use: 2.5 PH water and immerse the produce for 2 minutes in that water. Then use: 11.5 PH water for an additional 3-5 minutes to remove pesticides even when you use organic produce, as there are many air home toxins and acid rain. Then rinse with 9.5 PH water; store produces in sealed bags in the refrigerator. This will be the cleanest and safest produce to consume.
3. You can also use a vegetable wash from the HF store; it just takes several rinses to get the soap off again.
4. If you have a Grander pen you can submerge the pen in the water while washing the produce for a few minutes. The technology is such that it will reverse the spin of the bacteria and it will not be able to survive. This is a great tool to take with you on your travels.
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If you are eating in a restaurant, take along digestive enzymes and Hydrochloric acid tablets, as they will destroy most of the bacteria and parasite spores in the stomach already.
1 tsp of Bentonite Clay can be taken occasionally on an empty stomach in a glass of water; it will destroy millions of bad bacteria in the intestinal tract and absorb many toxins. Bentonite clay is an invaluable emergency remedy to take with you on your travels. You can many times avoid “traveler’s diarrhea”.
I also suggest taking a Bacteria homeopathic remedy and a homeopathic or herbal remedy for parasites on a regular basis, you will save yourself from many hours of discomfort and pain, or even a hospital visit.
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P.S.: All of the products mentioned above are available in the retail store of Holistic Options.