The chemical dependence needs to cease.*Spoiler Alert: I am not a granola munching, Birkenstock sporting, Phish concert attending, spoon-fed and nourished embracer of the global warming, climate change phenomenon(whatever the term du jour is).An alarming trend that I notice about my age set, Generation X is that they will easily believe something to be fact due to the mainstream media's biased portrayal on any number of issues. For some reason a majority of Gen. Xers simply are not looking at the statistics to back up any given story being presented. In the context that I am certainly not a hipster, perhaps some among you that are as cynical as I am will begin to question the chemical dependence of our world seriously by the time you finish reading this post.
From where I stand, on my legs that get highly irritated from the pesticides being sprayed on the grass, something certainly has to change. As a precursor you should know that I play soccer on the National Mall frequently and before my cleats touch the pitch I have to take Benadryl. Never before has a lawn upset my equilibrium so much that I am convinced there are chemicals lurking in the blades if green.
What are we exposing ourselves to? Are we even aware of the harmful substances lurking our environment?
Most of us are fairly blissfully ignorant about the chemical abyss that our world has morphed into. The spray that has been put on our food to protect it from insects is making us sick. This week the results of a study conducted by the University of Montreal and Harvard were made public linking exposure via food consumption of organophosphate pesticides to an increased incidence of ADHD. The findings of these researchers indicted a 35% increase in the odds of developing ADHD with every tenfold increase of urinary pesticide residue. They have suggested that organic fruit and vegetables decrease one’s exposure to pesticides. This is a link to a story about the study in case this did not make onto your radar earlier this week:
http://yhoo.it/bQvpvO
Organic is clearly the healthier way to go and I try to incorporate as much organic food produce into our family diet as our budget will allow. Organic fruit and veggies are typically twenty to thirty cents more expensive at the grocery stores I frequent. The difference is price can be a budget buster for some people. What are we to do as a society when the price point of the produce forces some people to eat dangerously? (Just thinking aloud)
In my daily life recently I have been bombarded with examples of the harmfulness of certain chemicals in my immediate perimeter. My Son’s diapers suddenly became thinner and more absorbent. Then babies nationally started to develop rashes and burns from whatever the manufacturer did to increase the absorbency. Although, Moms across the country are pleading for a recall, no such recall has occurred and the manufacturer continues to promote the product as safe. I made a conscious decision and called it quits on a brand that I have been loyal to for both of my children. We have switched to, gasp, organic cotton diapers, which may not be able to hold a gallon of fluid but are softer on the baby’s skin. Safety trumps less diaper changes when it comes to my family.
Then there are my experiences with Fred, our Old English Sheepdog’s flea and tick medicine, which I publicly admit I apply infrequently. Unfortunately, because I reside in an area that is deer tick ridden my pooch frequently comes in from outside with little parasitic creatures in his hair. I am on the fence about the medicine and as a result have had countless conversations with Fred’s veterinarian about the medicine. It seems obvious to me that applying a pesticide directly to a living things skin is a bit questionable. Immediately after I apply the medicine Fred gets lethargic and starts drinking a tremendous amount, which is surprising because he is barely four and a very high energy fellow. As an aside, I am horrified that my children are going to pet the dog and then have harmful chemicals on their skin. The EPA is proclaiming this week that spot on flea and tick preventative products are safe after concluding a yearlong evaluation. But, I am still not convinced.
Following is a link concerning this story: http://bit.ly/aW8dQc
It does not end there where Fred is concerned three years ago Fred was consuming a better brand of dog food that was recalled because it was contaminated with melamine. Pets around the country were getting ill, so we switched brands to an organic and natural food to have peace of mind that our canine family member was safe. Additionally, nearly all of the contaminated food was produced in the same factory in China.
In the fall my Daughter will start kindergarten and we have a myriad of paperwork to fill out for registration. One of the forms that came home was relevant to lead poisoning and had a list of zip-codes with a higher incidence of lead poisoning within our state. Thankfully, we live in a safe spot and I was able to forgo lead poison testing on my five year old. I was thinking that this it is preposterous to contemplate lead contamination at all. But, the lead is everywhere. It seems as though not a week passes that there are not toy or jewelry recalls by the CPSC due to a higher than legal limit of lead in the product. Two years ago immediately before Christmas I had to discard a slew of toys in our house, some of which were my Daughter’s favorites due to lead recalls. My frustration with the presence of lead is growing. Why are the regulations so loose on the items there is a good chance will wind up in our childrens’ mouths?
My distrust of manufacturers and the government’s inability to regulate them is steadily increasing. You are your own best guardian and final defense against harmful chemicals. Check out my best friend’s blog: Searching for Sustenance that really hones in on consuming good food and can be found at href="http://bit.ly/9CUgUB">
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