Herbicide or Genocide?

I have talked a lot about the role that U.S. foods play in the epidemic of poor health that Americans currently suffer. We are the wealthiest unhealthiest country in the world with the most obese children. Our children will live shorter lives than their parents a first in history. This has not always been the case. In fact it just started about 30 years ago. So the question is what has changed?

The thing that stands out more than anything else in my humble opinion, is that beginning in the mid-1990’s we started eating genetically engineered crops sprayed with Glyphosate aka RoundUp. Today we consume 34% of the world’s glyphosate while representing only 4% of the world population which may explain why we are the most obese as well as one of the unhealthiest/wealthiest countries in the world given the dangers of ingesting glyphosate.

As I have mentioned previously, Glyphosate has been shown to be a carcinogen, obesogen, autogen, psychogen and allergen and has been linked to celiac disease, leaky gut and leaky brain as well as several cancers. Most Americans eat their weight in GMOs sprayed with Glyphosate each year, making this the most likely culprit for birth defects and deaths among infants as well as all manner of other toxin induced disease. Our government refuses to regulate it. Most governments in other countries outlaw glyphosate completely or at least heavily regulate it.

Scientific Perspective

In the following quotes from an article written by an esteemed colleague of mine and fellow researcher, Dr. Stephanie Senef, and her co-author, Dr. Anthony Samsel they make a strong case for the dangers of glyphosate:

“Celiac disease, and, more generally, gluten intolerance, is a growing problem worldwide, but especially in North America and Europe, where an estimated 5% of the population now suffers from it. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, skin rashes, macrocytic anemia and depression. It is a multifactorial disease associated with numerous nutritional deficiencies as well as reproductive issues and increased risk of thyroid disease, kidney failure and cancer.”

Here, we propose that glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide, Roundup®, is the most important causal factor in this epidemic. Fish exposed to glyphosate develop digestive problems that are reminiscent of celiac disease.

Paraphrasing their findings:

“Celiac disease is associated with imbalances in gut bacteria that can be fully explained by the known effects of glyphosate on gut bacteria. Characteristics of celiac disease point to impairment in many cytochrome P450 enzymes, which are involved with detoxifying environmental toxins, activating vitamin D3, catabolizing vitamin A, and maintaining bile acid production and sulfate supplies to the gut. Glyphosate is known to inhibit cytochrome P450 enzymes.”

In other words, the body will not properly detox, have access to vitamin D3 or A, or produce the bile acids needed for healthy gut functioning (proper pooping) when it is exposed to glyphosate.

It turns out that deficiencies in iron, cobalt, molybdenum, copper and other rare metals associated with celiac disease can be attributed to glyphosate's strong ability to chelate these elements. (Effectively deactivating them.) Deficiencies in tryptophan, tyrosine, methionine and the selenomethionine associated with celiac disease match glyphosate's known depletion of these amino acids.

Senef also points out:

“Celiac disease patients have an increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which has also been implicated in glyphosate exposure. Reproductive issues associated with celiac disease, such as infertility, miscarriages, and birth defects, can also be explained by glyphosate. Glyphosate residues in wheat and other crops are likely increasing recently due to the growing practice of crop desiccation (spraying the wheat with glyphosate to dry it out) just prior to the harvest.”

Herbicide and Suicide?

Another issue when it comes to rising mortality rates, is the rise in the rate of suicides driven by anxiety. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), suicide rates are rising across the United States and the numbers are not subtle. Between 1999 and 2016 suicide rates increased in almost all states, with a greater than 30 percent increase in 25 states. That is a very big increase statistically.

And before you blame depression alone for this or a faltering economy earlier in the century, consider that in 27 states in 2015, 54 percent of those who committed suicide were found not to have prior mental health conditions at all. In other words, they were not depressed.

Our Food Causes Anxiety

One of the primary causes of anxiety in general is a leaky gut and/or a leaky brain. Leaky gut and leaky brain are both caused by pollutants in the food supply that attack the barriers protecting the gut and the brain, causing a breach of the perimeter that allows bacteria and toxins to enter.

Consider a quote from this article: “The United States is notorious in many other parts of the world for having low standards around food toxicity.”

Yikes!

Stay tuned for more information about how polluted US foods are and what you can do about it.