toxicity - pesticides, herbicides and insecticides - Blackherbals.com

Continued from page 51 – Chlorinated PesticidesHuman exposure occurs mainly through our diet,primarily from high fat foods such as, meat, poultry,dairy products, and fish, and leafy and root vegetablesfrom agricultural run-off. Other sources of exposure arefrom dust and soil that were contaminated with thesepesticides and termiticides.Chlorinated pesticides are fat-soluble toxins, whichmean they are stored in our body fat, and also in the fatof the animals we consume. Since these toxinsbioaccumulate, we pass them on to the next generation.Acute toxicity from chlorinated pesticides is rarely seensince they have been banned; however, their persistencein the environment and our bodies can cause a variety ofhealth problems that begin slowly. The effects of thesecompounds are most often seen in the neurological,immunological, and endocrinological systems, althoughthey can also affect the cardiovascular, respiratory,gastrointestinal, and other systems in the body.Exposure can result in adverse health effects such as:• Increased asthma and allergies• Parkinsonism• Chronic fatigue• Type II Diabetes• Higher risk of certain cancers• Fertility and reproductive issues• Cognitive disorders• Thyroid issues• Risk of atherosclerosis• Obesity• Autoimmune diseaseItems Containing Chlorinated PesticidesVegetablesVegetables, such as spinach, collard greens, summersquash, Hubbard squash, and cucumbers may be containchlorinated pesticides due to nutrient absorption fromcontaminated soil. It is recommended to buy organic, orchoose from the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" listsprovided by Environmental Working Group(www.ewg.org).TermiticidesTermiticides are used in and around homes and otherbuildings. Exposure occurs through inhaling contaminateddust through furnace and air ducts and soil particlesthat are tracked indoors on our shoes.MeatChlorinated pesticides are stored in fatty tissues, and whenwe consume fatty meats, we are also consuming thesetoxins. Animals are exposed to pesticides in their naturalenvironment due to groundwater contamination andbioaccumulation. It is recommended to limit fatty meats inthe diet to lower chlorinated pesticide exposure.DairyDue to chlorinated pesticides being stored in fatty tissues,dairy products also contain these toxins. Animals areexposed to these pesticides in their natural environmentdue to groundwater contamination and bioaccumulation.FishA number of fresh water fish advisories have been postedin certain US lakes and rivers because of DDT and PCBcontamination of trout and other fish.FruitFruit may be contaminated with pesticides that are usedeither directly on them, or by chemical residues that attachto the fruit via dust particles in the environment. It isrecommended to buy organic, or choose from the "DirtyDozen" and "Clean Fifteen" lists provided byEnvironmental Working Group (www.ewg.org).http://www.everydayexposures.com/toxins/chlorinatedpesticides☻☻☻☻☻Persistent Organic PollutantsToxic, Persistent, and PervasiveWhat are POPs?Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are toxic substancescomposed of organic (carbon-based) chemical compoundsand mixtures. They include industrial chemicals like PCBsand pesticides like DDT.They are primarily products and by-products fromindustrial processes, chemical manufacturing and resultingwastes. The existence of POPs is relatively recent, datingto the boom in industrial production after World War II.Why are POPs a threat?Today, POPs are found almost everywhere - in our food,soil, air and water. Wildlife and humans around the worldcarry amounts of POPs in their bodies that are at or nearlevels that can cause injury.POPs pose a particular hazard because of fourcharacteristics: they are toxic; they are persistent, resistingnormal processes that break down contaminants; theyContinued on page 5352-- Traditional African Clinic July 2013