Ecology and health
About food production, diseases, diet and health
PESTICIDES
DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE EATING?
AN ANALYSIS OF U.S. GOVERNMENT DATA ON PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOODS
Already after World War II, started the first large scale use of Pesticides. (Most popular was insecticide called DDT. After it has been discovered that DDT is carcinogen, it has been forbidden in all developed countries.) Pesticide came into widespread use. Bigger crops resulted from artificial fertilizers and from not having to share the land and yield with weeds and insects.
But the advantage of pesticides was short lived. Reports indicates that before we started using pesticides, an average of 6% of crops were lost to pests. Today, the losses are up to 12%, in spite to pesticides. Pests have become resistant, and their natural predators have been killed off.
Today , farmers are more and more dependant on less and less effective pesticides, and pesticides are mandatory, unless, farmer decide to discontinue pesticides and help natural systems of pest control to reestablish themselves. Food produced in this way is called Organically grown. Other names are Biological, Biodynamical and Ecological.
Of all criteria's, Biodynamical agriculture have the highest quality. Biodynamical products are often produced without tractors or other motor powered machines. Biodynamical farmers use horses instead of tractors.
What are the health issues?
All degenerative diseases are linked to two main causes: mineral deficiency and intoxication.
Non-organically produced food is responsible for both problems.
Let us compare non-organically grown/cultivated products and organically grown/cultivated products:
Non-organically production is polluting earth, water and food.
| Non-organically grown/cultivated |
Organically |
| Cow milk and cow milk products Contains: Pesticide (contain also heavy metals): up to 2 to 4 times more than food that cow eat. Food that cow eat could contain up to 2 times more pesticides than food for humans. Statistically linked to degenerative diseases (cancer). Antibiotics: up to half of the percentage of antibiotics in cow food. Antibiotics are added to keep cows disease free and to promote faster growth. Linked to degenerative diseases (candida infections) and development of antibiotic resistant bacteria (E.Coli,...). Hormones: up to half of the percentage of hormones in cow food. Hormones are added to keep cows disease free and to promote faster growth. Linked to degenerative diseases. (Higher incidence of many different types of cancer.) Trace Minerals: Up to 50 % less then organically cultivated. Up to 30 % less then organically cultivated. |
Cow milk and cow milk products Pesticide: 0%
Antibiotics: 0%
Hormones: 0%
Trace Minerals: 50% more
Essential fatty acids: 30% more |
| Non-organically grown/cultivated |
Organically |
| Cow meat and meat products Contains: Pesticide (contain also heavy metals): up to 10 times more than food that cow eat. Food that cow eat could contain up to 2 times more pesticides than food for humans. Statistically linked to degenerative diseases (cancer). Antibiotics: The same percentage as in cow food. Hormones: The same percentage as in cow food. Minerals: Up to two times less then organically cultivated.
|
Cow meat and meat products Contains:
Pesticide: 0%
Antibiotics: 0%
Hormones: 0%
Minerals: two times more
|
| Non-organically grown/cultivated |
Organically |
| Vegetables, grains, seeds and legumes
Pesticide (contain also heavy metals): variable amount; higher percentage of heavy metals. Statistically linked to degenerative diseases (cancer). Antibiotics: Antibiotics are added to keep vegetable longer fresh. Linked to degenerative diseases (candida infections) and development of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Minerals: Up to two times less then organically cultivated. Directly linked to degenerative diseases. Trace minerals (selenium, zinc, chromium,vanadium): Up to 30 times less then organically cultivated. Directly linked to degenerative diseases.
|
Vegetables, grains and seeds Pesticide: 0%
Antibiotics: 0%
More minerals and trace minerals. |
| non-organically grown/cultivated | organically |
references:
The Use of Hormones on Animals Used for Human Food
Premature Sexual Maturation of Human Children Due to the Use of Veterinary Hormones
Antibiotic Drug Use in Animals and Development of Drug Resistant Bacteria in Humans
The Use of Sulfur-based Antibiotics on Animal Food
Dr.Gary Smith, Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University.
Ruth Winter, Poisons in Your Food,
Crown Publishing, 1991, p.102.
Associated Press, June 15, 1995: “Study links estrogen and breast cancer”,
“Study discovers estrogen, cancer
link”. It is also known that estrogen-mimicking chemicals affect human sexuality.
Associated Press, June 15, 1995,
“Study suggests DDT may affect male sex organs”. Report suggests impact on sperm
levels, which have fallen 50%
over a 50 year period, and on testicular cancer.
Saenz de Rodriguez, Dr.C.A., Journal of the Puerto Rican Medical
Association, Feb 1982.
"Drugs in Animals Affect Human Growth," Health Bulletin, Nov 6, 1965 pg 6.
Europes concern about hormonal implants surfaced after a scandal in Italy in which a baby
food maker injected
hormones into beef, made baby food from it and babies of both sexes developed breasts.
Verret, J., and Carper, J., "Eating May be Hazardous to Your
Health", Simon and Schuster, 1974, pg 170 ; Schell,
O., Modern Meat, Vintage Books, Random House, 1985.
About 30% of the chickens, 60% of the cattle and 80% of veal calves and
pigs are routinely given drugs in their
feed.
Bacitracin can cause an allergic cross-reaction in humans that may prevent the effective
use of other antibiotics
for the treatment of infection, especially neomycin and streptomycin. Physicians Desk Ref.
In 1968, the FDA proposed revokation of the residue tolerance of this drug in fish and
poultry, but it is used today
with a tolerance of 7ppm for uncooked poultry and 5ppm for raw marine products.
Penicillin is given to 6,500,000 cattle or cows at any one time to treat the mastitis
which appears as a result of the
use of other substances. It is added to the feed or drinking water of salmon,catfish,
lobsters, chicken, pigs and turkeys.
Food Additives Status List, Jan 1, 1988. FDA. Humans who have developed allergic reactions
to pencillin become
sensitized to the antibiotics in animal food. People who are in this category should avoid
dairy products entirely.
In December 1994, it was announced in Science News, Vol 146, that scientists were using
Tetracycline to turn
genes “on and off”. The technique was developed in 1992 by Hermann Bujard of the
University of Heidelberg in
Germany. Tetracycline binds to DNA structures. The implications are enormous, considering
the use of these
compounds in both animal and human allopathic medicine.
The government was advised to stop the use of nitrofurans in 1979, but ignored the
warnings. Human reactions to
these can involve allergic reaction, respiratory effects and resistance to medical
application of nitrofurans to treat
urinary tract infections.
The Effects on Human Health of Subtherapeutic Use of Antimicrobials in Animal Feeds,
National Academy Press,
1980.
New England Journal of Mecidine, March 1987. Cattle also develop Salmonella infections
that cannot be treated.
They are slaughtered and turned into hamburger for human consumption.