Pesticides. What are they exactly? Is it necessary to use pesticides to keep our crops free from infestation? How do organic farmers keep their crops safe from bugs and insects without the use of pesticides? We know that pesticides are harmful but we still have many detailed questions because the actual risks of consuming pesticides aren’t necessarily advertised at your local grocery store. Many people don’t have thoughts of pesticides running through their heads when they are shopping at the store. We often shop on an empty stomach and don’t really stop to think about the risk we would take if we chose to eat a pint of delicious, super-red strawberries that happen to be on sale for half the price! No. We think, this is cheap, it’s fast, it’s a desert and a snack and the beautiful bright red color makes it look so fresh. We don’t take into account that those pretty little berries could very well be toxic. Let’s start with a brief explanation of what pesticides are and why they are used. Pesticides can contain one or more of the following: chemicals, bacterium and disinfectants. They are used to rid of pests as well as weeds and fish. Farmers save money when they use pesticides to protect their crops from deteriorating or being consumed as they save approximately 10% of their product. Studies claim that the omission of pesticides would lead to job loss and hunger, yet at the same time, there are millions of dollars spent on the constant testing of these substances. We all know that pesticides were invented to kill bugs and in small doses aren’t thought to â€kill†humans. The fact is, 18,000 workers in the field of agriculture die each year of poisoning from pesticides. Many workers who are exposed to pesticides put themselves at risk for many types of cancer as well as neurological problems. Pesticides can harm those who work with or nearby the substances. Why do we assume that they won’t have the same effect on us? We should assume that they do, slowly at least. Can pesticides harm us one bite at a time along with our daily servings of fruits and vegetables? Washing or peeling your food does not get rid of pesticides but does reduce the amount you would otherwise consume. The even bigger problem is the fact that you can’t â€wash†your juice, apple sauce, sugar, soybean oil and many of the other products that contain pesticides. Soy Lecithin is found in chocolate bars and many other foods and consists of the left over trash of a soybean as well as their pesticides. Organophosphates are common pesticides found in our food that can also be found in nerve gas, yummy. Organophosphates as well as other pesticides are known to affect children the most and can cause birth defects, cognitive impairment and behavioral problems (such as A.D.D.) and possibly even leukemia. There is also talk that pesticides may be contributing to the higher rates of autism over the past few years. Human exposure to pesticides can also lead to liver damage, Parkinson’s Disease, prostate cancer, breast cancer, infertility, immune deficiencies and more. Is exposure to harmful pesticides beyond our control? Folks living in agricultural areas where pesticides are sprayed over crops are probably at greater risk than anyone else. The pesticides that are sprayed from planes can easily travel through the air and into neighborhoods. The chemicals can also pollute bodies of water and soil beyond the farms. This is one of the many reasons that the use of pesticides should be prohibited. Farmers would be disappointed assuming that they would be losing money. If a farmer is presented with the choice of having 10% more crops or a child with leukemia, which do you think he/she would choose? I would say losing a few crops here and there would be nothing compared to losing a child. This type of thinking needs to be more common. The risks of being exposed to pesticides needs to be advertised and people need to stop rationalizing when it comes to public safety. There is a clear choice here. Those of us who have control over whether or not we’re exposed to pesticides need to make responsible choices for our safety and the health of our children. It is our conscious decision from here on in and our responsibility to take care of ourselves. Suddenly, those strawberries you bought at the grocery store don’t seem so appealing. Next time you’ll know to buy the organic ones in the next isle. Yes, they are not on sale, and yes, they do cost a little more than the average bunch, but you will be surprised when you eat a few and actually feel full. You will be reminded of what a real strawberry tasted like when you were a kid. You will be full, satisfied and that much healthier. Organic food is free of pesticides and there is an organic version of just about everything out there. This is not a fad people; it’s a necessity at this point. Eating organic is the only way you will receive the vitamins and minerals that are found naturally in food. When you don’t eat organic, you might as well be eating plastic. Today’s food is so polluted and over-processed that it is no longer food once it hits the grocery store shelves. You will eat less food when you eat organic because the food is whole and pure, filling you comfortably. Organic food makes you less gassy, does not give you that bogged down, guilty feeling when you’re done eating, and does not contain chemicals that block the absorption of the essential nutrients your body needs to build immunity and keep you healthy and happy. Say no to pesticides. Check out DISH Network satellite television and get the latest scoop on health topics with networks like CNN and BBC America. By: Frank Bilotta
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