One of the most insidious
and harmful chemicals in our environment today is pesticides.
Pesticides also include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and
bactericides. Most people are not even aware that they are
exposed to these toxic substances on a daily basis and have no concept
of the very harmful consequences they have on our health.
Pesticides are found in almost every public place, such as the grocery
store, schools, office buildings, hospitals, banks, golf courses,
neighbors yard, on your food and often in your own house.
Pesticides were originally designed as nerve gasses for chemical
warfare. They were designed to kill living things and when it was
discovered that they worked so well in killing people they decided to
use them in smaller doses to kill weeds, insects etc.
According to the World Health Organization between 1 million and 25
million people suffer with pesticide poisoning each year. It is
estimated that as many as 20,000 people in the US will develop cancer
each year from the residue of pesticide on their food.
What is most horrific about these numbers is that these are people we
are aware of, but the number is much higher when we include the
enormous number of people suffering from pesticide symptoms
unknowingly. People with psychological disturbance, depression,
migraines, pain for no apparent reason, breathing difficulties,
impaired mobility, cholesterol disturbances, reproductive difficulties
and a whole list of other symptoms are often the result of pesticide
exposure.
The chief target organ of pesticides is the brain because pesticides
seek out lipids and the brain is highly lipid with a high density of
acetylcholinesterase which is the target enzyme of
pesticides They inhibit the enzyme
acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme controls the metabolism of our
neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is our primary
happy hormone. It is the basic chemical that makes the brain, all
the nerves and the muscles work. Pesticides poison this
hormone. They also inhibit the conversion of tryptophan into
serotonin, which is our temporary happy hormone.
The organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos also known as Dursban and
other organophosphates are taken directly into our nervous system (the
brain, spinal cord, and long nerves) and then transformed into
chlorpyrifos-oxon, which is actually 3000 times more potent than the
original compound.
Then what is frequently done is to mix organophosphate pesticides with
organochloride pesticides and then they inhibit the other happy
hormones norepinephrine and dopamine as well as serotonin.
It should be very clear at this point as to why we have an epidemic of
depression in our society. All of our happy hormones have been
poisoned and inhibited!!
If your body can’t metabolize all the pesticides taken in at once, it
stores it in various tissues, organs and fat and then leaks it out
slowly weeks, months or even years later. Pesticides are
difficult to excrete and become stored in fat cells and can remain
indefinitely wrecking havoc on your body for years. So symptoms
can be delayed and come on very slowly and therefore the exposed person
may never connect the pesticides to the symptoms.
Pesticides also inhibit our other enzymes like ATPase, (which is needed
for energy) which can result in chronic fatigue. Cholesterol
ester hydrolase enzyme, which creates impaired cholesterol metabolism
and the enzymes that effect how the body and mind can handle stress.
In addition to the brain, pesticides also affect the kidneys, heart,
liver, lungs and reproductive system. They have mutagenicity
abilities (meaning they can promote cancer cells) and teratogenicity
abilities (meaning can cause birth defects).
The symptoms that
pesticides can create are vast and immeasurable, but may be any or all
of the following:
-because of the disruption of our happy hormones one of the most common
symptoms is depression,
-they can and often do mimic psychological disturbance,
-loss of memory,
-loss of problem solving ability, mental flexibility and abstraction
capabilities,
-anxiety,
-schizophrenia,
-sensitivity to criticism,
-delayed neuropathy with numbness,
-intellect dysfunction, paranoia,
-irritability, social withdrawal,
-degeneration of the retina,
-nausea, headaches,
-chest pain, dizziness,
-vomiting,
-tingling,
-numbness,
-cramps,
-chemical sensitivity,
-chronic fatigue,
-paralysis,
-poor coordination,
-weakness,
-auto immunity,
-breathing difficulties,
-muscle weakness and pain and loss of muscle control,
-impaired mobility
-uncontrollable shaking.
Any of these symptoms can occur from one single dose of pesticide and
sometimes symptoms and damage are not reversible.
Even if we avoid the use of pesticides and avoid places where they are
present they can still make it into our homes and destroy our
health. I once had to move and had to throw away almost all my
belongings because my neighbors who were a good 1/4 mile down the road
sprayed herbicide to their fence post.
I become extremely ill with breathing difficulties, impaired mobile
ability, migraines, excessive anxiety, excruciating pain in my spinal
cord and all muscles and bones, heart palpitations and uncontrollable
shaking from head to toe. I couldn't sleep hardly at all for an entire
year. Four years later, the damage my body endured from this
exposure has never completely recovered.
This scenario shows us that the pesticides travel long distances, are
very pervasive and toxic even in small doses.
Have you experienced a pesticide exposure and need someone to talk to
that understands or would you like to be edcuated about the dangers of
pesticides and how to reduce your risk of exposure? If so, you
may wish to look into Cynthia's
Holistic
Health Counseling, which is available by phone.
Here are some steps to
take to reduce your exposure to pesticides and herbicides.
-Don't use any in your home or yard. Use healthy alternatives for
ants, weeds etc.
-Take your shoes off before entering your house.
This is extremely important, because shoes pick up pesticides
everywhere they go. When you track them into the house, their
potency increases and they are more toxic than when they were
originally applied.
-Avoid places where you know they spray. Golf courses are especially
toxic.
-Ask your neighbors to notify when they use pesticides or herbicides
and make sure your windows are closed during and for a couple weeks
after application.
-Eat organic
References:
1. Rogers, Sherry, M.D. Depression Cured at Last 1997
2. Wittenberg Strubbe, Janice The Rebellious Body 1996
3. Gibson Reed, Pamela Multiple Chemical Sensitivity 2000
