Did you know that farmers, pesticide applicators, and pesticide factory workers have higher cancer rates than the average person? The U.S. government doesn't appear to know or at least doesn't care. Despite this very troubling fact, the government allows almost one billion pounds of pesticides to be poured on our food supply each year- a few pounds for each of us. Not only are pesticides in and on our food, but in our drinking water as well.
The purpose of using pesticides is to eliminate insects, bacteria, fungus, and harmful plants from the soil in order to boost crop yields. While there is nothing wrong with boosting crop yields, the manner in which it is done is troublesome. It doesn't take a scientist to see there is not much of a leap necessary to go from killing bugs in the soil to killing cells in the body. These chemicals are believed by many researchers to damage and change our DNA, which can open the door to the accelerated spread of cancer.
Unfortunately, our bodies are capable of storing these dangerous chemicals in our fat cells, and they often do. We can carry around pesticides in our bodies for years, because they are fat soluble. When I first began eating a cleaner diet of mainly organic fruits and vegetables, I experienced at least ten days of detoxification symptoms, mainly headaches.
Despite a lack of government effort, the amount of research that has been done by private organizations on the link between cancer and pesticides is monumental and damning. In a U.S. study, 56,000 farm workers who sprayed pesticides were tested for skin cancer. Results were compared to the workers' time spent administering certain pesticides. The risk of skin cancer increased as exposure rose, to as high as 2.5x more for those with the highest chemical exposure.
The diverse landscape of Argentina can be helpful in illustrating the connection between cancer and pesticides. Their Ministry of Health completed a study that showed a strong connection between the two. Areas of low pesticide use had low cancer rates while the opposite was true in high application areas. This is a useful report for U.S. citizens to understand as Argentina's agricultural industry is very similar to ours with respect to the usage of both pesticides and genetically-modified organisms (GMOs).
Other research has shows links to a host of other cancers, including brain, breast, prostate, lung, and bladder cancer, as well as leukemia and lymphoma.
Despite the fact that pesticide companies say their products are safe, it's obvious based on the contrary research that we shouldn't believe them. Either they are lying or don't know what they're doing, since they are the same people who told us that DDT and PCBs were safe, prior to them being banned.
Eat organic fruits and vegetables, at least those without hard shells or thick protective skins. While I don't recommend it, if you stick with foods doused with pesticides, wash and/or peel the skin. I also suggest you get a water filter for your drinking water.
The purpose of using pesticides is to eliminate insects, bacteria, fungus, and harmful plants from the soil in order to boost crop yields. While there is nothing wrong with boosting crop yields, the manner in which it is done is troublesome. It doesn't take a scientist to see there is not much of a leap necessary to go from killing bugs in the soil to killing cells in the body. These chemicals are believed by many researchers to damage and change our DNA, which can open the door to the accelerated spread of cancer.
Unfortunately, our bodies are capable of storing these dangerous chemicals in our fat cells, and they often do. We can carry around pesticides in our bodies for years, because they are fat soluble. When I first began eating a cleaner diet of mainly organic fruits and vegetables, I experienced at least ten days of detoxification symptoms, mainly headaches.
Despite a lack of government effort, the amount of research that has been done by private organizations on the link between cancer and pesticides is monumental and damning. In a U.S. study, 56,000 farm workers who sprayed pesticides were tested for skin cancer. Results were compared to the workers' time spent administering certain pesticides. The risk of skin cancer increased as exposure rose, to as high as 2.5x more for those with the highest chemical exposure.
The diverse landscape of Argentina can be helpful in illustrating the connection between cancer and pesticides. Their Ministry of Health completed a study that showed a strong connection between the two. Areas of low pesticide use had low cancer rates while the opposite was true in high application areas. This is a useful report for U.S. citizens to understand as Argentina's agricultural industry is very similar to ours with respect to the usage of both pesticides and genetically-modified organisms (GMOs).
Other research has shows links to a host of other cancers, including brain, breast, prostate, lung, and bladder cancer, as well as leukemia and lymphoma.
Despite the fact that pesticide companies say their products are safe, it's obvious based on the contrary research that we shouldn't believe them. Either they are lying or don't know what they're doing, since they are the same people who told us that DDT and PCBs were safe, prior to them being banned.
Eat organic fruits and vegetables, at least those without hard shells or thick protective skins. While I don't recommend it, if you stick with foods doused with pesticides, wash and/or peel the skin. I also suggest you get a water filter for your drinking water.
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Please see my website for more information at dangers of pesticides food additives preservatives or my blog at why are processed foods bad
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