forever young naturally eating

If you cook with gas, make sure the kitchen is well-ventilated (have a ventilation hood installed or open a window or door) to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Good ventilation also cuts down on mold spores and minimizes harmful exposure to antimold paints and cleaning products.

Choose stainless-steel or cast-iron pans coated in enamel, glass, or terra-cotta. Avoid nonstick pans because once scratched, the coating can leach into food. One of the chemicals used in the manufacturing of these pans, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has been detected in the bodies of 92 percent of Americans tested. This accumulates in brain tissue and can damage immunity.

To preserve the life of terracotta pans, after washing dry well, then rub with olive oil.

Don’t open the dishwasher while still steamy: you risk inhaling THMs (trihalomethanes), suspected carcinogens created when chlorine in treated water reacts with organic matter and other chemicals.

Transfer food into ceramic or heat-resistant glass cookware for microwaving. Some natural health therapists worry that microwaving plastic containers may cause packaging ingredients to migrate into food, especially high-fat foods. Some phthalate chemicals used to plasticize PVC food containers (avoid the recycling triangle mark 3) are known hormone disrupters and probable human carcinogens and are unstable in the plastic mix.

Follow manufacturers’ instructions on servicing appliances such as ovens, heating and hot water boilers. If gas flames and pilot lights burn orange rather than blue call a gas technician immediately.

Discard the outer leaves, pull off the remaining leaves and leave to soak in water for 10 minutes. Place in a colander under cold running water, making sure each leaf is washed well. Use a centrifugal spinner to remove excess water. If you choose to buy ready-to-eat salad leaves, wash before using (a soak in cold water also perks up tired leaves).

Soak dirty organic vegetables in plenty of water. Scrub with a brush to loosen ingrained soil, then rinse under running water.

Buy olive oil in opaque glass bottles and cap tightly after use. Antioxidant phenols retain more potency when unexposed to light and air. Store in a cool place, since they are also destroyed by heat.

Persistent chemicals in the environment enter our bodies from mattresses and sofas and essential electrical goods in the home. Some chemicals never fully break down, “bioaccumulating” within body fat. They are known to interfere with hormones and have been linked with memory and immune system problems, and even cancer. Reduce exposure by choosing organic mattresses and naturally flameretardant sofas, and always look for electrical goods with safety ratings.