November 22, 2024 by Laurianne Macdonald, B.Sc., MPH, CHt, and Licensed RTT Practitioner
Back in the seventies and early eighties it was all about the pesticides and fungicides and chemical fertilizers used to produce our fresh fruits and vegetables. Like all things, there were two sides to the coin. Heads up, the corporate AG industry won with more yield and higher profits. Tails saw local organic growers losing the farm to corporate AG. And in some tragic cases, their livestock, their children, or their own life to cancer.
But those stories only came out from behind the curtain of corporate corruption and political profiteering when some avenger dared to write a book or make a movie. Meanwhile, we got used to having to peel away the most nutritious part of our produce, wash them in vinegar to neutralize the toxins, and drink bottled water.
After all, scientists did the research and declared the risk nominal.
Sounds so close to normal. But you have to wonder why an estimated 125 countries have banned or restricted the use of more than 150 US pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers. In fact, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, about three million pounds of agricultural pesticides the WHO considers “extremely” or “highly hazardous” are still being used annually in the US.
| WHO hazard class | Pesticide | Estimated annual use (lb) | Number of countries ban |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely hazardous | PHORATE | 500k500k | 38 |
| Extremely hazardous | TERBUFOS | 383k383k | 34 |
| Extremely hazardous | ETHOPROPHOS | 131k131k | 8 |
| Extremely hazardous | ALDICARB | 75k75k | 103 |
| Extremely hazardous | CHLORETHOXYFOS | 19k19k | 29 |
| Highly hazardous | DICROTOPHOS | 824k824k | 34 |
| Highly hazardous | METHOMYL | 636k636k | 12 |
| Highly hazardous | CYFLUTHRIN | 141k141k | 29 |
| Highly hazardous | ZETA-CYPERMETHRIN | 131k131k | Unknown |
| Highly hazardous | TEFLUTHRIN | 131k131k | 1 |
| Highly hazardous | OXAMYL | 101k101k | 3 |
| Highly hazardous | FORMETANATE | 37k37k | 1 |
| Highly hazardous | METHIOCARB | 2k2k | 4 |
| Highly hazardous | OXYDEMETON-METHYL | 2k2k | 30 |
| Highly hazardous | METHIDATHION | 1010 | 33 |
| Highly hazardous | FENAMIPHOS | 33 | 6 |
In the U.S. we’ve been conditioned to believe whatever the governmental and its “protective” agencies, doctors, and scientists tell us. How that happened is a history lesson I’ll save for another time. Just know blind trust was a predictable premeditated affect of greedy leadership.
We the people didn’t bother to notice that the same companies profiting off the manufacturing and use of such chemicals were the same companies paying the “scientists” for tweaked research finding and statistics. The most recent and worst example of this sort of crime against health and humanity was the inimical inoculation incident of 2020. We simply believed what we were told because it sounded like good news.
The cog works of this malfunction include lobbyists who then share the “good news” with our public officials and protective agencies. Believers become benefactors. Now ‘inside trading‘, PAC donations, and backroom deals corrupts our government, politicians, legislation, healthcare system, and food supply.
But hey, I digress. Back to the PSA at hand.
So it was that our fruits look pretty in a bowl on the counter and vibrant veggies brightened our dinner plates. We felt like we were doing good because we were eating fresh.
Hadn’t all the morning shows and health gurus told us so.
It never dawned on us that we were not to blame for our expanding waist lines and ill health. As far as the general public was concerned the FDA seemed to be doing a fine job of protecting us. I guess that is how chemicals seeped into just about every mouthful we swallow and product we purchase now.
Meanwhile, genetically modified organisms (GMO) snuck on scene. Once again the ‘good news’ propaganda kept the public pacified with promises of healthy abundance. I’d be willing to bet you did not know that beet, tomato, potato, sugar, rice, soy, beans, salmon, poultry, and corn where some of the first GMOs?
That is probably because wheat stole the show in the early 90s. Talk about false flags.
Anyway. GM wheat spreading into fields where it had not been sowed was scary news. Especially when you consider that GM wheat containing Roundup recumbent DNA was supposed to be sterile. Roundup being one of those chemicals on the WHO’s highly hazardous to human health list and all.
This Frankenstein food product reproducing with organic wheat was equivalent to fallen angels mating with earthbound women. Yup. Since then, all hell has broken loose. It is now near impossible to not eat GMOs, especially given the inexhaustible number of GM products grown in the U.S.
Just a few frightening facts to consider: Corn is used to make high fructose corn-syrup. HFCS is in an estimated 85% of our packaged foods, including protein and health-nut bars. Beet juice is touted to be a health drink. Eggs, salmon, soy, and that wonderful apple a day that promises to keep the doctor away are all GMOs.
More than 30 countries have banned GMOs. Not the U.S.
The terms “GMO,” “biologically enhanced,” and “bioengineered” are often used interchangeably. As defined by the FDA, a genetically modified organism is any organism containing altered genetic material, while “bioengineered” identifies products that contain detectable genetic materials not created through conventional breeding or that are found in nature.
?
And, I’m not sure all that murky mumbo-jumbo matters. The fact is, under the current labeling laws, organic is even more subjective. Industry standards report that products containing 70% or more verified organics can use the term. That is because of a legislative loophole.
The Stabenow-Roberts GMO-Labeling bill (S. 764), signed into law by President Obama in 2016 mandates labeling only when there is a substantial difference in the nutritional or safety characteristics of a new food. Since the FDA does not consider genetically modified and bioengineered products create substantial differences in nutrition and safety, this law masquerades as protective.
It also makes it abundantly clear that our democratic government-ship is neither ethically or morally committed to lead this country in the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. It did not matter that studies show the increased use of genetically modified and bioengineered products in the US correlates with increases in chronic inflammatory diseases like celiac, colitis, food allergies, type II diabetes, neuritis, tendonitis, eczema, vaginitis, and cardiovascular disease. (https://www.businessinsider.com/things-that-wouldnt-exist-without-gmos-2015-8) They didn’t follow the science when the science went against lining their pockets.
So my best advice; quit all packaged food, fast food (especially McDonalds), and choose your meals carefully when dining out. Eat as close to nature as possible whenever possible. Eat local and seasonal produce, remembering the following PLU code rhyme: 9 is fine, 8 we hate, 3 or 4 soak before.
And please, stay informed, because now we have mRNA vaccinated beef, CRISPR technologies, and lab grown meat to worry about. Because the beat goes on.
Healthy Living 