Chemicals the real terror threat! Inside your body.
Organic versus Non-organic Foods
An article in the December 1999 issue of Positive Health by Dr Joseph Keon is an excellent case in the argument for eating organic foods.1 Taken from his book The Truth About Breast Cancer, he states that every time we choose conventionally farmed foods over organic we are increasing our cumulative exposure to unnecessary chemicals and increasing our risk of disease. It is estimated that if you follow a non organic diet, you will consume about 150mcg of pesticides each day. Methyl bromide, classed as a Category-1 Acute Toxin, is used to grow strawberries, but it is known to cause severe poisonings that can result in neurological damage and reproductive harm.
In addition, by choosing non organic foods we are supporting the continued poisoning of the earth’s soil, air and water with both legal and illegal pesticides. Some of the most dangerous pesticides that have been banned in the United States are still manufactured there and exported to other countries, only to be imported on produce bound for US markets. Chlordane, a pesticide banned in the US has been detected on fish, rice, mushrooms and beef that are imported into the US.
Tanyia Maxted-Frost, author of The Organic Baby Book, details how chemical pesticides and fertilisers can be passed on to and have detrimental effects on the developing foetus. She also highlights that our daily diet is reported to contain residues of some 30 different artificial chemicals, as well as routine antibiotics, growth hormones, colourants in the case of egg yolks and farmed fish, and of course GM ingredients.
The sheer selection of organic foods available nowadays in supermarkets shows that public demand has increased, as emphasized by Dr Keon. One can reduce toxic chemical intake by switching to organic; however, we have to learn to cook fresh wholesome meals using only organic ingredients, which often involves a complete lifestyle change. Energetic testing of organic food compared to that grown with the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers shows a much higher vibrational frequency. Conventional scientific studies are now confirming that the vitamin and mineral content of organic food is significantly higher than non-organic foods. At Rutgers University researchers compared the mineral quality of organic and non-organically grown foods. It was found that on average organic foods had an 87 percent higher content of magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron and copper. Organic tomatoes were found to have 500% more calcium than conventional tomatoes.7
Deadly toxins in our foods
Leaving aside the organic/non-organic debate, the greater exposure we have to pre-packaged and ready-made meals the more susceptible we are to two particularly dangerous chemicals: monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame, an artificial sweetener. Dr Russell Blaylock, neurosurgeon and author of Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, warns us of the hazards of these deadly toxins. MSG, famed for ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’ is also a flavour enhancer that is added to crisps, packet soups and other processed foods. The effect of MSG in the body has been linked to a large number of diseases such as lupus, cancer, strokes, chronic hepatitis, nervous system infections and neuro-degenerative diseases.8 Aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in diet drinks and food, soft drinks and sweets has been linked to cancers, headaches, migraines and hyperactivity.