Are pesticides poisoning you?

Are pesticides poisoning you?
Ok, so I know I was going to write about taking 15 minutes out each day, but my 15 minutes this morning was taken up by watching the shocking films below, and I just had to share them with you all.

Poisoned - New 60 Minutes Report On Pesticides - Part 1

Poisoned - New 60 Minutes Report On Pesticides - Part 2

The videos above focus on two pesticides, carbendazim and endosulfan. The good news is, endosulfan is banned in 62 countries, including the European Union. The first bit of bad news is, it’s still in use in India, Brazil & Australia (don’t eat any conventionally grown foods from these countries!). The second bit of bad news is that carbendazim is still widely used (although it has been in decline of late).
These chemicals can be fatal, and other hazards of these toxins include:

• Hyperactivity
• Tremors
• Convulsions
• Lack of coordination
• Difficulty breathing
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• And in severe cases, unconsciousness.
• Many cases of sub-lethal poisoning have resulted in permanent brain damage from endosulfan.
• Suspected hormone disruption effects which can lead to foetal defects.

So what is being done about the use of these poisons?
The European Parliament approved pesticide legislation last year, which states:

• “Certain highly toxic chemicals will be banned [Good] unless exposure to them would in practice be negligible [define negligible], namely those which are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction, those which are endocrine-disrupting, and those which are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB).
• For developmental neurotoxic and immunotoxic substances, higher safety standards may be imposed. [Surely these should be outright banned too?]
• If a substance is needed to combat a serious danger to plant health, it may be approved for up to five years even if it does not meet the above safety criteria. [What about our health? What about the long-term effects of these chemicals on the plants, not to mention the delicate ecosystems (insects, rivers & streams, birds) that play an essential role?]
• Substances likely to be harmful to honeybees will be outlawed." [Thank goodness!]

For me, although this legislation is a step in the right direction, it just doesn’t go far enough. I have this vision of the super-powerful chemical companies lobbying governments to approve all manner of poisons that haven’t been properly trialled or their long-term effects taken into consideration. I am clearly biased on these matters, and would prefer for no hazardous chemicals to be used ever, but I understand this is simply not possible at the present time.

So what can we do about it?
I like to use the ‘Peaceful World’ analogy here, as when we have a world full of peaceful people, we have a peaceful world. This means that action needs to be taken on an individual basis, which is then spread to more individuals, until we get to a point of critical mass and the minority becomes the majority.
So my advice is to buy organic. (Bet you didn’t see that coming!) I know it can be expensive, but when you use every part of every item of food you buy (broccoli stalks to make soup, chicken bones to make stock*), not only does it make it more cost effective but also more eco-friendly.
If you wish to avoid the supermarkets and their expensive, ‘freshly flown in from Kenya’ approach to organic food, there are plenty of veg-box schemes around. I personally use Trinity Farm in Cossall. They’re great value, local, organic & biodynamic, and lovely people to boot.
If you’re at all green fingered, you’re probably already growing your own. I’ve had my very first foray into growing my own salad this year. Everyday I watch with delight as the pots on my windowsill start sprouting, and I know that in a few weeks I’ll be enjoying super-fresh, organic salad that cost just a few pennies and only minutes of my time.

*Be Your Own Butcher! To get organic chicken breasts at the same price as non-organic, buy a whole organic bird and cut the breasts, wings and legs off yourself. You can boil up what’s left to make a delicious stock for gravy, soup, risotto…

Wishing you peace and good health,

Bess

P.S. In last month’s health-e-newsletter, I ended it by saying that the obesity epidemic is all down to sugar. Which of course isn’t true! There are many complex factors, including lack of physical activity and fast food. If you want an in-depth explanation about how sugar affects your health, I recommend the following video - Sugar: The Bitter Truth. I get so swept up and passionate about these things that I get a bit carried away at times. Forgive me!