We all know pesticides are bad, but we still eat food that is treated with them. We don’t want pests eating the food, but pesticides themselves can be very pesky to our health.
The thing is the chemicals used to treat produce can remain not only on the outside, but may seep into the food we eat.
Now some say that well, a tiny amount of pesticides in our system doesn’t really hurt us. But, is that really true or is it just something we tell ourselves to feel better about what we eat?
Some scientists think that the level of pesticides Americans are being exposed to today is harming our health. For example, many scientists believe there is a link between diabetes and exposure to pesticides. Dr. Robert Sargis released the results of a study at the 93th annual meeting of the Endocrine Society. That study saw links between a fungicide used on crops and fat cells creating a resistance to insulin.
And as you might suspect, cancer has been linked to exposure of pesticides. There are almost 300 studies that conclude that there is a link between certain cancers, including leukemia, brain, breast, colon, liver, and lung cancer and pesticides.
I often wonder about autism. It seems to be worse now than when I was a child. Is it really worse, due to something like increased use of pesticides, or is there just more awareness now? Many autism researchers believe that it is developed when genes mix with pollutants – in the mother’s womb.
Speaking of the mother’s womb, did you know that babies born in the summer are most at risk for birth defects? Think it is just a coincidence that that is when pesticide usage is in full swing?
Pesticides have always scared me. I remember once I took my son to soccer practice. As it turned out, we couldn’t practice that day because they had put a pesticide on the field and it wasn’t safe. Yet, I had to wonder…so it was safe the next week? Was the pesticide completely gone? Doubtful.
So what can you do? Try to avoid them. Eat organic food if possible, read labels, search for green pesticides, or even make your own at home.