Toxins in the Food Chain: Why Quality Supplementation is Necessary
The series of questions that individuals ask more often is, “Are supplements necessary? Do we not get all of the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals from the food that we eat? And if we eat a regular, balanced diet, is that not enough to keep our bodies healthy and fit?” If you were to ask those questions prior to the turn of the 20th century, or even into the first quarter of the 20th century, the answer would have been yes. But today, given the fact that we do not have pure food anymore, the answer is no!
Today, our oceans are in terrible shape. The fish that we catch have high levels of poisons and toxins. The Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration have released minimum weekly levels for fish consumption. Women who are pregnant, breast-feeding, or trying to become pregnant are recommended to eat up to 12 ounces of fish per week. The major problem with this advice is that mercury is abundant in many types of fish, and no level has been found safe, so these toxins will to be transferred from mother to fetus. In addition, it is getting harder and harder to find fish caught in the wild, most fish sold in the stores are farmed and labeled ocean wise, this does not mean they are wild as most are farmed.
According to the 2020 Pesticide Monitoring Report, “pesticide residues were detected in 59% of U.S. food samples tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in its most recently completed annual testing program, the agency revealed in a new report.[1] Approximately 77% of domestic fruits, 60% of U.S. vegetables and about 53% of U.S. grains sampled showed residues. In addition, the agency analyzed 2,078 human food samples, finding that 51.6% of imported foods contained pesticide residues compared to 59.2% of domestic U.S. foods.[2]”
On the land, farmers use GMO seeds, and cross contamination can go on for miles. Did you know that over 80% of US corn and cotton crops and 94% of soy crops are genetically modified? GM sugar beets were introduced in 2008, and within the first year, 90% of the sugar beets grown in the U.S. were genetically modified (GMO) -that is 80% of the world’s supply.
In the soil, a study published in the scientific journal Entropy[3] has revealed the long-term effects of glyphosate, which is most widely utilized in Roundup® herbicide. The study found that Roundup® could predispose humans to conditions such as obesity, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, etc. In plants, Roundup® interferes with a biochemical pathway called the shikimate pathway. While this pathway is not found in humans, it is found in bacteria, such as the bacteria found in a human GI tract. In the bacteria, amino acids such as tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine are depleted, which, in humans, can contribute to the diseases mentioned above.
Chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides are used on a regular basis. These chemicals go into the root of the plant and eventually become part of the plant themselves. This is very concerning when we talk about rice, corn, soybeans and other food staples that are consumed around the world in large quantities. In chickens, another study found that glyphosate could predispose chickens to carry higher levels of Salmonella or other harmful bacteria. In fact, the beneficial GI bacteria were susceptible to glyphosate, while the harmful bacteria were resistant to it.
Chickens, cattle, and pigs from birth are injected with steroids and antibiotics to allow for quicker growth, so they can go to market earlier. These chemicals do not break down, and end up entering our bodies, only to accumulate as toxins within our own system. This accumulation of antibiotics leaves us resistant to antibiotics and susceptible to a weakened immune system to the point that common bacteria could become fatal. This overload of antibiotics leaves medication ineffective, and pharmaceutical companies have not introduced a completely novel antibiotic since 1987. Because of this, we’re losing ground and not keeping pace with superbugs’ ability to develop resistance to the current antibiotics.
Then we have what is called ‘forever chemicals,’ you may know one variety as the coating on Teflon pans. “PFAS stands for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, they accumulate over time in the environment and in the bodies of animals and people, posing health risks. PFAS chemicals might also be thought of as ‘everywhere chemicals,’ since they’ve become so common in the products, we use every day.”[4] According to a new report by Environmental Working Group (EWG) PFAS are a large family of fluorinated chemicals, some of which have been linked to cancer, reproductive harm,[5] immune system damage[6] and other serious health problems.[7] PFAS contaminate the drinking water of an estimated 200-plus million people.[8],[9]
Interestingly, this is why so many people today think they are allergic to gluten, and why Crohn’s and Celiac disease are so abundant. People are not allergic to gluten; they are allergic to toxins – we do not have pure food any longer. As the selection of non-GMO products decrease, it is all the more important that we take the power into our own hands in order to build a healthy body to ward off the detrimental effects. We need to be proactive to recognize the dangers we face and make changes to lessen their impact on our lives. We must drink purified water, water straight from the tap may not be as safe as it used to be. Eating organically is one step towards eliminating GMO contamination, it may not be perfect but there are safeguards in place for producing organic food that non-organic does not have.
We must supplement our daily bread and the supplements must not be synthetic for they will just add to the toxins and not build your body. Even on a budget if you take the basics, it will give benefits, Life Choice Next Generation Super Multi-Vitamin organic and plant based, great for all ages. And to be an equivalent to a true one a day your minerals and trace minerals are required Opti Cal/Mag with K2, and keeping the gut microbiota in balance Laktokhan probiotic complex. For immunity during this coming school season Immunity 4 in 1 is a dream combination of Vitamin C (non-GMO), Vitamin D, Quercetin and citrus bioflavonoids.
Globally we are fighting for our health, and that is why educated choices must be made in the food we eat, and the therapeutic quality of the supplements we take. The lifestyle we plan on leading must be approached proactively; this is not only necessary, but critical in order to having a healthy life.
[1] Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Fiscal Year 2020 Pesticide Report (fda.gov)
[2] Why Are We Prioritizing Big Ag Profits Over Children’s Health? • Children’s Health Defense (childrenshealthdefense.org)
[3] http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416/pdf
[4] https://www.ehn.org/what-are-pfas-2656619391/what-does-pfas-stand-for
[5] PFAS and Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity: An EWG Fact Sheet | Environmental Working Group
[6] PFAS Chemicals Harm the Immune System, Decrease Response to Vaccines, New EWG Review Finds | Environmental Working Group
[8] Study: More Than 200 Million Americans Could Have Toxic PFAS in Their Drinking Water | Environmental Working Group (ewg.org)
[9] https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2022/06/high-forever-chemicals-levels-found-drinking-water-more
