Glyphosate Toxicity: What you don't know might kill you!

Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the popular herbicide, Roundup.  Glyphosate toxicity is a big deal and what you don't know just might kill you!  Many people routinely spray their lawns with this chemical unaware of the toxicity.   In the United States, farmer's are applying ever increasing amounts to their crops before harvest. According the the World Health Organization, glyphosate is now declared a "probable carcinogen" which means is may cause cancer.  The industry still asserts that it is totally safe for humans, however, one only needs to look at the data to know that is not the case.  Ignorance may be bliss but I believe we may be on the verge of one of the most toxic man made environmental disasters in history... and unfortunately this chemical is persistent in the environment and human body and not easy to clean up.   France's highest court found Monsanto guilty of lying as far back as 2008 about the toxicity it's popular weedkiller, Roundup.  "The court confirmed an earlier judgment that Monsanto had falsely advertised its herbicide as "biodegradable" and claimed it "left the soil clean" (Read more here)

According to an Article in Nature published March 24, 2015:

Glyphosate is the world’s most widely produced herbicide, by volume. It is used extensively in agriculture and is also found in garden products in many countries. The chemical is an ingredient in Monsanto's weedkiller product Roundup, and glyphosate has become more popular with the increasing market share of crops that are genetically engineered to be tolerant to the herbicide.

California recently became the first state to issue plans to list glyphosate as a chemical known to cause cancer according to EcoWatch.  This is big news and we need to pay attention... the use of glyphosate has nearly doubled from 95 million pounds in 2001 to nearly 185million pounds in 2007, according to the latest  released report form the EPA and who knows how much it's increased sine 2007!  This is likely in part due to the increase usage of Round-up Ready genetically modified crops during that time period.

Dr. Anthony Samsel and Dr. Stephanie Seneff state in their recent article published August 2015:

Glyphosate has a large number of tumorigenic [cancer-causing] effects on biological systems, including direct damage to DNA in sensitive cells, disruption of glycine homeostasis, succinate dehydrogenase inhibition, chelation of [minerals such as] manganese, modification to more carcinogenic molecules, such as N-nitrosoglyphosate and glyoxylate, disruption of fructose metabolism, etc...

Sadly epidemiological evidence supports a strong correlation between the dramatic rise in use of glyphosate on crops and the multitude of cancers reaching epidemic proportions, such as breast, pancreatic, kidney, thyroid, bladder, and liver cancers.

In perhaps the most ironic twist of all, glyphosate has proven highly toxic to the basic phase one detoxification of the liver, the cytochrome pathways.  I find it incredibly alarming that one of the most toxic chemicals known to mankind also exerts it's influence by impairing human detoxification.  Here is an excerpt from  Entropy 2013, Glyphosate's Suppression of Cytochrome P450 enzymes and amino acid biosynthesis by the gut microbe:

Glyphosate's inhibition of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes is an overlooked component of its toxicity to mammals. CYP enzymes play crucial roles in biology, one of which is to detoxify xenobiotics. Thus, glyphosate enhances the damaging effects of other food borne chemical residues and environmental toxins. Negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body.

Harvesting wheat after glyphosate application

Glyphosate may trigger autoimmunity, such as celiac disease by the following mechanisms:

• Spraying of wheat before harvest with glyphosate, a common practice in North America allows for a large exposure to glyphosate in wheat.
• Wheat may be the most common ingredient in all processed foods.
• Glyphosate also damages the microvilli in gut reducing ability to absorb vitamins and minerals
• Wheat contains gliadin, which is difficult for genetically susceptible individuals to break down.
• Glyphosate may attach to the gliadin as a consequence of a chemical interaction between the chemical make it even harder to break down this large protein molecule.
• It may not be recognized by the body or able to be broken down, making even more likely to induce an immunological response in susceptible individuals, contributing to development of celiac disease

In addition to celiac disease, researchers now believe that glyphosate may be linked to the following diseases:

1. Autism
2. Autoimmune diseases
3. Cancer
4. Parkinson's
5. Alzheimer's disease
6. Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis)
7. Cardiovascular disease
8. Depression
9. Infertility

Glyphosate is also toxic to our gut microbiome

Glyphosate is toxic to many of our benetifical gut microbes.  It may preferentially kill off species, like lactobacillus while leaving potential pathogens, like clostridia to run wild.  Glyphosate also chelates essential minerals, such as manganese, iron, cobalt, molybdenum, and copper so that the gut microbes do not have access to them.  This leads to chronic inflammatory states in the gut as well as increased intestinal permeability, a mechanism at the core of many chronic illnesses, including inflammatory bowel disease, depression, and autoimmunity.

If you are eating processed food, you are eating glyphosate...

Residues of glyphosate are commonly found in the most common foods in the American Diet, including

1. Corn
2. Soy
3. Sugar Beets (sugar)
4. Canola
5. Cotton (not food but in clothing, sanitary napkins and many products we use daily)

Nearly one billion pounds of glyphosate are doused on both conventional and genetically modified crops world-wide each year but GMO crops receive the largest amounts.  Processed foods undoubtable expose you to this toxic contamination, courtesy of wheat, corn, soy and the vegetable oil used.  And the meats from conventionally raised animals in confined feed lots are given fed that most likely contains glyphosate-laden corn and soy.

And finally... it gets personal

You may know that I grew up on a farm in Central Illinois.  My Dad and brothers still farm corn and soybeans there and I couldn't be more proud that they have recently switched over to non-GMO versions of these crops.  My brothers have started a few fields of organic crops as well.  Due to my own history of breast cancer and Crohn's disease, I have followed at 100% organic diet for at least the past 10-15 years.  Recently I realized just how pervasive this glyphosate exposure is in our environment when I sent out my urine to test my own glyphosate level.  I was shocked to get the results back (below) showing that my level was higher than the "Farmer" study, which tested farm workers on application day!  This made me realize how pervasive this dangerous chemical is in our environment and how important it is to remain vigilant to decrease exposure and work to get it banned.

Dr. Jill glyphosate levels

Ok, so what can I do about it?!

The most important thing to realize is that you cannot wash glyphosate off food since it is incorporated into each cell of plant.

Here are some tips to keep your diet free of glyphosate:

• Only way to 100% eliminate from your diet is to avoid conventionally grown and processed foods 
• Glyphosate accumulates in animal tissues, so make sure your meat was not fed GMO grains and your butter and dairy is organic
• Switch over to a 100% organic diet
• Take activated charcoal, clay or rice bran powder in aiding elimination of organophosphates and glyphosate after exposure
• Maintain adequate mineral status by taking a multi-mineral supplement that includes trace minerals
• Support glutathione production with N-acetylcysteine, glycine and glutamine or oral liposomal glutathione
• Support phase 1 and phase 2 liver detoxification by avoiding alcohol and taking liver support, like silymarin, lipoid acid
• It is much harder to reverse damage once it's done, so best to avoid glyphosate from the start—especially in children!

So go to it...  It's worth every penny to grown your own food or buy organic and begin to detox your body of this dangerous chemical!

Ten Tips to Protect Your Body from Toxic Chemicals

1. Don't put anything on your skin you wouldn't eat! Avoid mainstream consumer skin care, cosmetics and personal care products, period! Need soap? Try natural brands like Dr Bronner's, Mrs. Meyers, Watkins or Nubain Heritage.
2. Don't eat foods made with chemicals you can't pronounce. Read the ingredients labels. If the list of ingredients is too long and complex to figure out, it's probably made more with chemicals than actual food.
3. Don't use unnecessary over-the-counter drugs or prescriptions. If you do need to use medication for short-term emergency use, be sure to detoxify your liver afterwards. I recommend Milk Thistle 250mg twice daily to protect the liver.
4. Drink more water. Most people simply don't consume enough water to effectively remove toxins from their bodies. If you don't like water by itself, add sliced lemon, lime or cucumber to a pitcher of water and enjoy.
5. Cleanse your body with parsley, chlorella or activated charcoal. All these substances can help cleanse your body and eliminate toxic substances that may be detrimental to your health. I use a bunch of parsley in my smoothie every day. I also use activated charcoal when traveling or if I'm exposed to food that may not be the safest.
6. Don't use products that off-gas toxic chemicals in your home. Air fresheners, perfumed candles, particle board furniture, carpets, glues, etc. Get a high quality air filter to run 24/7 in your home, like mine from Austin Air
7. Don't use non-stick cookware. These are the worst! Although they are very convenient to use and clean it emits toxic fumes when overheated. Invest in quality copper-clad stainless steel pans or cast-iron. You can also use ceramic coated ones, like this from Orgreenics. They last a lifetime and they don't contaminate your body with chemicals.
8. Buy certified organic products. The USDA Organic Seal is a trusted seal that genuinely indicates organic quality (both in foods and personal care products). Don't be fooled by brand names that use the word "organics" in their name but aren't really organic. For example, "Joe-Bob's Organics" may or may not actually be organic.
9. Get the chemical out of your laundry! Stop washing your clothes in toxic brand-name laundry detergents and fabric softeners or dryer sheets. It is astounding what chemicals these can contain. I prefer simple homemade detergents like this one from Wellness Mama.
10. Do a 14-21 day detox least once a year. You can do this with a modified fast (eliminate gluten, dairy, egg, soy, corn, sugar, alcohol) combined with detox support. I routinely recommend using the delicious chocolate shake, Thorne Mediclear SGS to accomplish this. For a complete guide to your personalized detox, click here. You can order Mediclear at Thorne.com using code: HCP1004064

Stay healthy by staying informed. For more visit http://www.ewg.org/

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Quick Tips to Decrease Allergen Exposure at Home

Photo Courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

1. Houseplants – Keep slightly dry to decrease mold growth.  Avoid placing them in the bedroom due to mold sensitizing
2. Christmas trees - Unfortunately they grow mold quickly.  Use artificial instead of live trees if you have allergies.
3. Nickel Allergy?  Use clear nail polish on the back of blue jean buttons to keep from skin exposure to nickel.  You may also paint the backs of jewelry such as earrings to protect your skin.
4. Perfume – Avoid using commercial perfumes...many contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful ingredients.  Instead try applying essential oils to your neck & wrists.
5. Candles & air fresheners – These may be as allergenic as cigarettes and they pollute the indoor air.  Try using natural essential oils, like peppermint, eucalyptus, or cinnamon or burn soy-based candles instead.
6. Spices – Use caution with key offenders: coriander, poppy seeds, pepper, paprika, cumin, saffron
7. Soaps and detergents – Choose those without phthalates, parabens and sodium laureate sulfate (SLS).  Check out EWG's guide to healthy cleaning products.
8. Carpeting – Install hardwood flooring wherever possible and get rid of the carpet due to build up of dust mites and other allergens.
9. Wall paint – Avoid volatile organic compounds in your air by using low VOC emitting paints
10. Declutter  – Take a good look around the house and eliminate “dust catchers" like silk flowers, stuffed animals & knick-knacks. 
11. Dry-cleaned clothes – Air them out outside with plastic off before bringing inside to let the chemicals off-gas.  Better yet use a green dry-cleaner, like Revolutionary Cleaners.
12. HVAC filters – Change filters every 1-2 months minimum.  Install HEPA filters with higher allergen rating.  Switching frequently allows the filter to catch more allergens and prevent them from re-circulating.

Final word?  Love your pets but don't sleep with them if you have allergies...

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Does This Chemical Make Me Look Fat?! More on Obesogens...

Photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

Obesogens are chemicals that can inappropriately alter fat storage and change metabolic set-points. This disrupts energy balance and modifies your appetite to promote fat accumulation. Chemicals in your environment can certainly have an impact on your health and often your weight. Some of these exposures may occur before you’re born but there is still a lot that you can control! Exposure to obesogens don't necessary doom you to become overweight, but it's all the more reason  to consider ways to avoid exposure and regularly use neutraceuticals and whole foods to aid our body's natural detox mechanisms through our liver, kidneys and bowel.

Here's some easy ways to do a quick check of your home a to determine where your greatest exposures may be coming from.

Here's 12 simple changes that will significantly reduce your risks:

1. Eat organic foods, especially the "dirty dozen" Researchers have found that it takes just five days of eating organic to rid the body of virtually all pesticide residues.
2. Rather than eating conventional or farm-raised fish, which are often heavily contaminated with PCBs and mercury, supplement with a high-quality purified krill oil, or eat fish that is wild-caught and tested for purity.  My personal favorite is Wild Alaskan salmon.
3. Avoid any flexible plastics whenever possible, especially in children's toys.
4. Stop drinking out of plastic water bottles to avoid BPA.  Buy a reusable stainless steel or glass one instead.
5. Use a good quality reverse osmosis or carbon filter in your home.
6. Avoid using plastics with food or beverages
7. Choose glass jars instead of storing your food in plastic containers.  Especially don't make the mistake of freezing or microwaving in plastic.
8. Use natural toiletries and personal care items, cleaning supplies, laundry detergents and other household products.  Start by cleaning up your make-up and body lotion... a good rule of thumb is if you wouldn't put in in your mouth, don't put it on your skin.
9. Replace your non-stick pots & pans with ceramic or glass cookware
10. Replace your vinyl shower curtain with one made of fabric or install a glass shower door 
11. Get rid of your indoor plug-in air fresheners, candles and fabric softners.  These seemingly pleasants scents are often toxic chemicals and contribute to poor indoor air quality and may even cause breathing problems, such as asthma.
12. Look for natural, chemical-free clothing, furniture, flooring, paint and other building supplies to use in your home