….IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE
By Karen Langston
Dwayne Johnson was a school groundskeeper who developed lymphoma after using the chemical glyphosate found in the weedkiller Roundup. Dwayne did not know that years of spraying school yards with this Monsanto-manufactured product was potentially harmful to humans. When Dwayne learned that he had terminal non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, he was grief-stricken by the realization that he had also been unknowingly poisoning children.
Dwayne then launched a lawsuit against Monsanto. It took eight weeks for a San Francisco jury to unanimously find the pesticide-producing company guilty of manufacturing and selling a product that caused Dwayne Johnson’s cancer. He was awarded $289 million dollars in a lawsuit.
Here in Arizona, pesticides are sprayed generously and often to keep our city’s foliage looking beautiful. But at what cost? Arizona is also home to top cancer treatment centers. Could there be a connection?
According to the Arizona Cancer Registry on Lymphoma, in 2009-2015, 1,170 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cases were diagnosed each year in Arizona, resulting in 393 deaths per year. In 2014, across the U.S., approximately 661,996 men and women were said to be living with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Glyphosate is found in the food we eat. The main reason glyphosate is showing up in our food and supplements is that farmers are spraying crops, such as oats and wheat, 1-2 weeks before harvest. This is harming the food industry, food brands and consumers and we should all work together to stop this dangerous practice. It is commonly sprayed on non-GMO crops with a possibility for cross-contamination with organic produce. The U.S.-based Environmental Working Group found that a number of cereals, granola bars and oat-based products, including cereals marketed to children, contain glyphosate.
According to Brett Hawes, Clinical Holistic Nutritionist of Holistic Health Masterclass and Clinical Detoxification Expert for The Detox Project, “Glyphosate is cropping up in so many areas that it is now unavoidable. These include organic foods, GMO foods, vaccines and many widely-consumed processed foods. Some people who have been eating 100% organic are testing above the 50th percentile on gold-standard lab tests.”
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE AND HEALTHY?
Stop spraying your lawn with pesticides and herbicides, and look for natural alternatives. Here in the Valley, Dave Owens, the Organic Garden Guy, is frequently seen on local TV channels. Dave’s website features a list of naturally sourced products to keep your lawn lush, green, and environmentally friendly. Dave Owens states, “There are a couple of things that you can do to have less weeds in your lawn. Mow your lawn, water deeply and frequently, dethatching and core aerating will help you lessen the weeds in your lawn.” You can learn more at gardenguy.com.
If you love your lawn-maintenance company, ask it to switch to organic alternatives. If it is not willing to switch, keep searching until you find a company that will. Many companies will be happy to learn how to also keep their workers healthy.
When it comes to keeping the bugs at bay, there are natural, organic pesticide companies available. Arizona Organic Pest and Termite Control uses essential oils in and around your home to control unwanted critters. It smells great when they leave, and customers can feel good knowing that they are not negatively impacting the health of their family and pets. Learn more at arizonaorganic.com.
Eating organic is another healthy change. Although there is a problem with cross-contamination of organic crops and glyphosate, the effects are far less than eating conventional foods. If you are sourcing your food locally, you can ask your organic farmers if they are testing for glyphosate residue on their crops.
You can also monitor how much glyphosate you may be consuming. There are simple laboratory tests measuring the level of glyphosate in your body, water and food. Great Plains Laboratory offers a urine test and also tests tap water samples. Since Arizona is a direct-access testing state, you can order your own test without medical approval.
You can also check out the The Detox Project. Henry Rowlands, the project founder states, “We have enabled the public for the first time ever to easily find out the levels of glyphosate and other pesticides in their food, their water and their bodies.”It has packaged home kits that test for glyphosate in water and foods such as honey, beer, oats, wheat products and baby food and cereal and supplements. There are also kits for testing the levels of glyphosate and other pesticides in your body through a hair sample that can be purchased at detoxproject.org. Test prices range from $149 to $300. There is a strip test that costs $79 for 2.
Health problems and cancer do not happen overnight; it is an accumulative effect of what we eat, breathe, and put on our skin. Be proactive now. Help clean up the environment while keeping yourself and your family healthy by making the switch to healthier organic alternatives from food to your lawn care.
Karen Langston is a certified Holistic Nutritionist working with clients and professionals on how to prevent and reverse symptoms and keep energized and healthy by having a good poop every day. HealthyGutAdvisor.com
