Pesticides and the Gross Impact of Environmental Toxins

Today, we are going to be talking a little more about the statement put out by the UN just last week about their concerns relative to the use of pesticides.  As I talked about this last week, I wanted to provide some real-world examples of some research that is pointing out the public health concerns from pesticide use, and there are many studies that have been done in this area.  You are going to hear about neurological problems with children, diabetes and weight gain, endocrine and hormone abnormalities.  I think it’s a good idea to inform oneself of these kinds of things – environmental influences to our health – because there are many things here that we, as individuals, can take control over, in the daily choices we make – the kinds of foods we eat, beverages, where we live (to some degree), where we work, and we can even modify to a degree, our built-in environments to create a safer place to live and work.

This is the key message – your health is the sum of you plus your environment.  Biology looks at the relationship between the organism and its environment, this constant ebb and flow and interaction between the organism and its home, its abode, its relationships to other life forms.

 

References:

'Safe' Insecticides Tied to Neurobehavioral Problems in Kids

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/876681

 

Prenatal Pesticide Exposure May Harm Kids' Brains

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/763139

 

Recognizing Exposure to Environmental Carcinogens

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/838868

 

Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2726844/