TOPICAL ARTICLES
Trump’s USDA Fights Global Guidelines on Livestock Antibiotics
The Trump administration is resisting the World Health Organization’s effort to sharply limit antibiotic use in farm animals, a move intended to help preserve the drugs’ effectiveness. Read more.
Mouse Study Links Antibiotics in Infancy to Lifelong Metabolic Disorders
Every year, up to 10 million U.S. children receive antibiotic prescriptions that are unlikely to do them any good, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Research suggests that antibiotic exposure in early life can increase the risk of obesity and other metabolic disorders.
C-sections soar while disparities persist
The number of babies born through C-section has nearly doubled since 2000, to about 1 in 5 live births around the world, according to a new study in the Lancet. Read more.
Glyphosate: the hidden killer in our food supply
Before the 1950’s we sourced our food locally. Our local butcher provided meat from a local pasture. You could get eggs that were freshly laid the same morning. And you could get fish sourced from nearby waters.
Today we source food from all over the U.S. — and all over the world. And with the world population expected to reach 9 billion by 2023, large & industrial food producers often use chemical inputs, pesticides, and herbicides to manage crops in order to increase yields to support this growing population.
Glyphosate, a common herbicide, is primarily used by conventional food producers to kill weeds that compete for water, nutrients, and space with crops. Glyphosate, also known by the brand name Roundup, is in more than 80% of the U.S. food supply and it is now linked to numerous diseases such as Cancer, ADHD, Autism, Parkinson’s, kidney disease and Alzheimer’s; it kills weeds, but its unintended consequences are profound and linked to modern day plagues. The target of glyphosate in weeds is also an enzyme found in over 2,000 species of bacteria, which are part of the human microbiome and that of other animals.
But now, in a recent independent study by the organic grain company, Tropical Traditions, the company finds that organic grains such as wheat, barley, oats, spelt and einkorn, largely sourced from Montana and Idaho, contain glyphosate residue at levels almost the same as conventional grains. This data should be alarming to those who buy organic and assume organic is always safe to eat.
The big question now is how glyphosate is getting into organic crops?
The answer is unclear, but Tropical Traditions speculates that it may be happening for two possible reasons:
- Glyphosate may be falling on crops through rainwater or irrigation. This is especially alarming because it also implies that other non-grain products may be affected.
- Glyphosate may also be drifting from crop duster aircraft servicing conventional farms, because conventional farms are often close in proximity to organic farms.
Conventional farms using glyphosate and other chemicals sit in close proximity to organic farms around the world. But water isn’t separated from one farm to the next. The water runs off from conventional farms into irrigation ditches and streams that supply water to organic farms downstream. Nothing in the environment is separated. Common sense should counter the arguments of the safety of a chemical that kills every plant that is not engineered to tolerate it. Look at a field where glyphosate has been sprayed, not a blade of grass is living after just a few days.
What can we do? The American consumer is still the most powerful force in the U.S. to affect change. Consumer buying power changes markets when enough people refuse to buy products. Educate yourself on product ingredients and check the suppliers. Speak to other consumers about glyphosate and the associated health dangers in the food. [Insert the product report that was published last year – Cherrios and Stacy Pita Chips are at the top of the list – most cereals – Post, Kelloggs, etc. – we need to insert this info].
If you leave in a major agricultural state such as California, Iowa, Montana, Kansas, etc. contact your local representatives and get involved in educating them and working to change state agricultural policy.
Scientist working in microbiome research in soils, water, plants and humans are beginning to look for ways to clean toxins like glyphosate and other herbicides, pesticides and chemicals from our environment.
And lastly, Support your local farms, both certified and non-certified. These farms typically do not use chemicals, and if they do, in smaller quantities and of a more innocuous nature. You may also get answers to your questions about farming practices more easily without having to be a detective because these growers are part of your community. The more we can displace industrial food, the safer consumers will be, and the more economic opportunities will exist for young and aspiring farmers in small rural communities across the US and the world. This kind of consumer-based pressure will inevitably result in increased government regulation and the compliance of industrial farmers to meet consumer demand. This kind of movement is part of a new spiritual awareness permeating society, bringing people together to live a longer, happier and more connected life.
Related articles:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/14/health/us-glyphosate-cancer-study-scli-intl/index.html)
https://www.healthfreedoms.org/certified-organic-grain-found-to-be-contaminated-with-glyphosate/
Monsanto is scrambling to bury this breaking story
Not a single mainstream media outlet has covered this appalling new report that shows millions of people being poisoned by a chemical that does not belong in our food. Read more.
What life is like when Corn is off the table.
A personal journey about trying to avoid corn in the every day. Read more…
The way we eat is killing us – and the planet
How the global Food System is causing an ecological and health catastrophe. Read more…
The fat of the land: Eating red meat
Two recent papers by British and other scientists are calling for big changes in the type and amounts of meat we eat. One of these papers, co-authored by Professor Mark Sutton from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, calls for a 50% reduction in total meat consumption. The other, co-authored by Professor Pete Smith from Aberdeen University, seeks a big reduction in the number of sheep, cattle and other ruminants. Read more.
Colorectal Cancer Is Killing 20- to 30-Year-Olds. We Now Have One Clue About Why
Historically, colorectal cancer has been an “old people’s disease” relegated to those in middle age or beyond. But younger people are now coming down with this cancer, and researchers think they know why: obesity. Read more.
Humpty Dumpty and the Microbiome
Microbiome science is an evolving discipline, and new terminology is an important part of any developing field. This article focuses on the glossary of terms used in discussing the microbiome. Read more…
Wherever My Microbiome May Roam
The bacteria, viruses, and other microbes in our digestive tracts, collectively known as the gut microbiome, are increasingly the culprits of our body’s health. These mix of microbes may affect our immune systems, digestion, metabolism, and even how bodies respond to cancer treatments. Read more.
Do gut bacteria make a second home in our brains?
Some research has suggested distant microbes—those living in our gut—might affect mood and behavior and even the risk of neurological disease, but by indirect means. Read more.
A single genetic change in gut bacteria alters host metabolism
New Study provides greater understanding on how the microbiome impacts metabolism. Read more.
‘Hyperalarming’ study shows massive insect loss
In 2014, an international team of biologists estimated that, in the past 35 years, the abundance of invertebrates such as beetles and bees had decreased by 45 percent. In places where long-term insect data are available, mainly in Europe, insect numbers are plummeting. Read more.
Exploding tick population — and illnesses they bring — worries government
The congressional advisory committee sounded the alarm on Lyme and other emerging tick-related illnesses saying they have become “a serious and growing threat to public health.” Read more.
Warning of ‘ecological Armageddon’ after dramatic plunge in insect numbers
Three-quarters of flying insects in nature reserves across Germany have vanished in 25 years, with serious implications for all life on Earth, scientists say. Read more.
Scientist unveils blueprint to save bees and enrich farmers
Urgent planting of wildflowers will attract pollinators and boost farmers’ food crops, expert to tell UN. Read more.