Some foods can be hazardous to your health



M

Mark Hilton

Guest
FOOD – IT COULD BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH BY THE MAYHEM CRUE

Have you ever stopped to wonder why so many people endure chronic illness? This question
becomes disturbingly more puzzling when one takes into consideration the fact that many of
the millions of men and women tormented by chronicle illness lead completely healthy
lifestyles. This is a common pattern of men and women struggling to improve their health –
they begin some type of exercise regimen, eat a healthy diet and begin supplementation
programs, yet they are still chronically ill.

This behavior has plagued doctors and health specialists for years, as the causes of
chronic illness rarely show up during a routine doctor's visit. And, unless there is a
hint as to the cause of poor health, it is difficult to find the source of the illness in
the blood stream.

Sometimes when looking at the dinner plate, I often think of the adage "you are what you
eat". However, this phrase enters my mind not so much in terms of fats, proteins or
carbohydrates, but more in the sense of the overall makeup of the food (vitamins,
minerals, man made organic fillers, artificial flavorings, color dyes and pesticides – yes
pesticides).

As I mentioned earlier, I was fascinated by a study I read in one of Dr. Robert Gallo's
monthly newsletters. One of his colleagues, a naturopathic physician, had been treating a
patient with a long list of typical chronic illness symptoms, however, when blood tests
were administered only small irregularities were detected, but nothing blaringly
abnormal. From that point, the patient answered an in depth questionnaire focusing
primarily on diet habits and lifestyle. When the results of the questionnaire showed a
high amount of fresh fruit, vegetables and lean meats in the diet, a new direction was
followed for blood testing.

Most of the foods this patient ingested were non-organic, which meant the patient, like
most of us, ingested commercially farmed foods. The new blood screen searched primarily
for pesticides and the results from this screening were shocking, to say the least. The
new blood assessment, searched for eighteen of the more common pesticides used in farming.
The tests revealed that the patient had nine of the eighteen pesticides flowing through
his blood stream . The frightening factor in this equation is that there are
approximately 70,000 known chemical used daily in the commercial food/farming industry,
however, only about 250 of these have a screen. How sad and frustrating this is for all of
us. The above patient only tried to improve his health by implementing a diet rich in
fruits, vegetables, lean meats and low fat foods. His end result – poisoning from
pesticides.

With this in mind, questions like "what foods should I eat?" and "how do I know what foods
are safe?" enter our minds. As I asked myself these questions, I began to look further
into the matter. I have come to the conclusion that it is just as important to eliminate
the amount of pesticides in a diet as it is to eliminate fats and cholesterol. Some ways
to help eliminate the levels of pesticides in your diet are to purchase organically grown
fruits and vegetables and an increasingly popular twist – grow fruits and vegetables in
your own personal garden.

But what about beef and poultry? It is true that our beef and poultry pool is at risk of
being contaminated from pesticides on the grass and grains from which they graze, as
well as the feed they eat. Added to this is the problem of DDT. Although DDT is banned
for use in the United States, it is still manufactured here and shipped to other
countries for use in agricultural and mosquito control. This means that some of the
meats imported to the United States are contaminated with DDT. Making sure to purchase
meat sources raised in the United States will cut down the risk of DDT contamination. As
well, many farms today are using grazing pastures and feeds free of pesticides in
raising their cattle and poultry.

Various websites such as www.foodnews.org have many e-mail links where individuals can
voice their opinions and receive information and answers to questions concerning
pesticides and health issues. Writing to food companies, grocery stores and even
Washington can also lend a hand.

The Food and Drug Administration has implemented testing on 42 of the most popular fruits
and vegetables, consumed by individuals residing in the United States. More than half of
the total dietary risk of chronic illness due to pesticides was concentrated in the
following list of crops[ii]:

Most Contaminated Foods
1. Strawberries
2. Bell Peppers (Green & Red)
3. Spinach
4. Peaches
5. Cantaloupe (Mexican)
6. Celery
7. Apples
8. Apricots

The pesticides that were found in these foods are classified by as probable human
carcinogens, nervous system poisons and endocrine system disrupters [iii].

Until we live in a perfect world, free of pesticides and other chemicals that are harmful to our
health, we have to police foods ourselves. There is a very informative feature at www.foodnews.org
that can help you determine how much and what pesticides you are ingesting. I entered in three meal
plans; breakfast, lunch and dinner and wasn't too shocked, after all this research, to find that the
daily menu of healthy foods I had planned out contained 20 known pesticides. As well, this feature
contains a color coded chart listing the chemically induced health effects caused by various
pesticide infested foods. It is very interesting, but also startling.

Educating yourself and learning how to use your resources can not only keep you informed
as to what you are actually putting into your body, but it can also keep you from
potential chronic illness.

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Are Organic Foods Healthier For You? Walter J. Crinnion N.D. –
ia. Robert Gallo's Health Solutions

[ii] Environmental Working Group/www.ewg.org "A Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce"

[iii] Environmental Working Group/www.ewg.org "A Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce"