Go Organic!

Feeding your kids organic food can significantly lower their exposure to pesticides, says a study funded by the Environmental Protection Agency. In the study, kids ages 3 to 11 were switched from a conventional diet to one with organic fruits, vegetables and other foods. There was an immediate, dramatic decrease in two pesticide by-products in their urine. Although the exact health risk of these peticides is still unknown, they may be especially harmful for children - because kids' bodies are smaller and their brains are still developing, says researcher Chensheng Lu, Ph.D. of Emory University in Atlanta. Dr. Lu recommends choosing organic when possible but especially with produce that tends to have greater pesticide residue such as apples, spinach, peaches, pears, potatoes and strawberries.