I hope everyone is safe and well! Sorry for the drama with the title of this post, but there’s something really important that I need you to STOP doing!!! We’ll get to that in a bit. First, let’s talk about our current state of affairs for this week’s #wellnesswednesday post.

 These are some crazy times! Who would have ever imagined that something simple like going to the grocery store could be potentially dangerous and a little scary?! Unfortunately, that’s the world we are living in right now. I want to debunk some of the biggest questions you may be wondering about grocery shopping right now, including: Is fresh produce safe to eat?

 The short answer is, yes. We need to be eating as many fruits and veggies right now as we can to help support our immune system and overall health. In my opinion, cutting this food group out of your diet is dangerous. I have seen a lot of articles being published on various wellness sites that I follow so I thought I would summarize that information for you and offer some suggestions on how you can protect yourself and your family and the grocery store and in the pantry. Check out the list of additional articles and resources for you to make your own decisions. Here are some basic tips:

·      Limit your trips to the grocery stores and if you are in a “vulnerable” group, try to avoid them altogether. Take advantage of online ordering, delivery, or curbside pick-up when available. Or shop early in the morning or late at night. We go later in the evening, shortly before the store closes. Stores are like ghost towns at that time!

·      Have a plan. Write out a list and follow it. Only touch items you know you will purchase.

·      Stock up on food you will consume for the next 2 weeks, no longer. There is plenty of food in the supply chain (except for meat, but that’s a story for another day). By purchasing massive amounts of items (like toilet paper) we put an unnecessary strain on the supply chain which makes it difficult to catch up. Buy what you need but make sure you leave enough for others, especially those in need.

·      Keep your distance from others. This is a respiratory virus so someone would need to be close enough to cough on your groceries for droplets to land on them. At that point, the virus begins to degrade and will continue to do so. There is no research showing the virus can be passed on through food.

·      Use hand sanitizer or wipes as you leave the store and before you get into your vehicle. Wash your hands as soon as you can when you get home.

·      When you get home, you may want to unpack your groceries at the front door so you are not bringing bags, shoes, everything else inside with you. If you used reusable bags, wash them right away.

·      Some people choose to take packaged foods out of packages or wash the packages before putting them away. This is likely not necessary according to research, but if it makes you feel better, go for it!

·      As for produce, you should always wash produce before you eat it. Run it under water and use a scrub brush. For delicate foods, like berries, just run them under more water for a minute or so. Dilution is the key. The running water will wash off germs. Then you can either pat dry or let air dry. There is no research showing we need to use anything other than that. Some people choose to use a food-grade produce wash or baking soda. We don’t know if that is more effective. I spray produce with vinegar, then hydrogen peroxide, and then rinse. Please note, this is something we have done for years as a way to clean debris, germs, and potentially pesticide residue. This is not something I have started doing in response to the current virus.

·      DO NOT USE SOAP, HAND SANITIZER, OR ANY OTHER DISINFECTANT to wash produce or any other foods. (I apologize for the capital letters, but this is a point that if you take nothing else away from this article, I hope you remember this.) It is not necessary. In fact, using antibacterial agents is dangerous and potentially toxic, not to mention that can make your food taste really, really bad! Consuming these products, even residual amounts can harm the good bacteria in your gut. Antibacterial agents cannot discern between the good bacteria and the harmful bacteria so they will kill everything. What happens when good bacteria begin to die? Your immune system suffers. Your immune system lives and breathes in your gut. Right now is not the time to be taking that lightly. Everything, and I mean everything, you put into your body is either supportive or harmful to your gut and, therefore, to your immune system. Remember, every human being is really just a collection of billions of bacteria, pathogens, viruses, and other stuff.

As another note, please know that grocery stores are doing absolutely everything they can to keep you, their employees, and their products safe. If an employee is sick, he/she will not be allowed to come to work and will need to stay home for at least 2 weeks or longer. If someone is not following safety protocols, he/she will be sent home. These are non-negotiables right now. The last thing any grocery store owner wants is for one of his/her employees to get sick. My husband works in the grocery industry and he stands by this 100%. Grocery store owners care more about you than you will ever know!! Employees and owners are going out of their way to help people, make everyone feel safe, and help in any way. If you need help, just ask! Don’t let the masks scare you! And please, please, please, use your manners. Say hi, thank you, make small talk, and smile. Thank your cashier, the stocker, the cart attendant, and everyone in that store, for coming to work, staying healthy, and keeping you healthy.

 As always, follow recommendations from the CDC. Work closely with your healthcare provider to address your specific needs. This article is for educational purposes, not medical advice.

Peace, love & kale!

Lindsay

References:

Gold, L.  (2020).  Is Fresh Produce Safe During the Coronavirus?  Retrieved from: https://kriscarr.com/blog/fresh-produce-during-coronavirus/

Morris, L.  (2020 April, 17).  Tips for Safe Grocery Shopping During the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Retrieved from: https://www.forksoverknives.com/wellness/tips-safer-grocery-shopping-covid-19-pandemic/#gs.5bd80v

 N Engl J Med.  (2020).  Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-C0V-2 as Compared with SARS-C0V-1.  New England Journal of Medicine. 382: 1564-1567.  DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2004973

Sandbeck, E.  (2006).  Organic Homekeeping. New York, NY: Scriber.