With so much gluten intolerance these days it begs the question; Is it really gluten intolerance, or is it a body’s reaction to a toxic chemical that has been linked to breast, lung cancer, prostate cancer and a multitude of other illnesses and diseases?

We are currently facing one of the most important human health crises today. What we eat directly affects our health. Today, a majority of our food is sprayed with a toxic chemical called glyphosate, and it is wreaking havoc on our gut health. Eating all organic isn't enough. The scientific studies are out, mainstream media is finally catching up after a historic victory in favor of a school groundskeeper who won the first lawsuit against, Monsanto (the agrochemical and biotech giant), and was awarded $289 million in a California Supreme Court this past August due to this herbicide, which caused his Non-Hodgkin’sLymphoma cancer. There are now more than 8,000 similar pending cases. Due to this and other recent events, there is now global momentum to ban glyphosate.

It took 40 years, countless deaths and thousands of studies before we agreed that smoking causes lung cancer. Let’s not make that mistake again with glyphosate. It’s been more than five years since the World Health Organization’s international cancer division declared glyphosate a “probablehuman carcinogen.” Additionally, California added glyphosate to its official Prop 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer in 2017.

Glyphosate is the active ingredientin Monsanto’s Roundupweedkiller. It was introduced in 1974 as an herbicide for interrupting the plant development through metabolic poisoning. It’s very potent and it is used as a pre-harvest drying agent on wheat, oats, barley and other crops, and is mostly used on GMO corn and soybeans. Glyphosate kills the crop, drying it out so that it can be harvested sooner than if the plant were allowed to die naturally. This allows easier harvesting but also increases the chemical getting into the food.

Glyphosate exposure has skyrocketed since Roundup GMO crops were adopted. In the U.S. alone, we currently spray more than 300 million pounds of Roundup a year, and in the past decade, more than 2.4 billion pounds have been sprayed on farmers’ fields. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, 93 percent of all soybeans and 89 percent corn and cotton planted by farmers in the U.S. are genetically engineered to be Roundup Ready. Glyphosate has been linked to leaky gut, kidney disease, diabetes, celiac disease, obesity, allergies, autism, inflammatory bowel disease, depression, fatty liver, ADHD, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, cancer, infertility, senile dementia, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis in women, skin problems, and many other chronic conditions. It destroys the microbiome (the gut) of humans, which is the root cause of these and many modern diseases. 

According to Food Democracy Now, 93percent of Americans that have been tested were found to have glyphosate residue in their bodies and are continually being exposed to it. It is found in 75 percent of all processed food, 60 to 100 percent of the air and rain water, 100 percent of all California wines tested, 85 percent of tampons, and in 95 percent honey. In a recent study, it was found that more than 90 percent of pregnant American women had detectable glyphosate levels, which correlated to shortened pregnancy lengths, and has been found in the umbilical cords of fetuses. Furthermore, when parents are exposed to it two years prior to the child’s birth, the risk of the child being born with brain cancer significantly increases. 

It’s important to understand that glyphosate contamination cannot be removed by washing and is not broken down by cooking or baking. Glyphosate residues can remain stable in food for a year or more, even if the foods are frozen or processed.

The Solution: Eating an all organic diet can significantly reduce pesticide exposure. However, that is not the reality for the majority. We can also look to products and supplements that can detoxify and improve intestinal immunity.

 

if you’d like to learn more about this topic, attend the next Holistic Chamber of Commerce (HCC) monthly meeting on Nov 6, from 6:30-8:30pm in Cherry Hill. For more information or to order products that specifically target Glyphosate Detoxification, email [email protected].

 

Allyson Hang is a holistic nutritionist and health coach, wellness leader, real food revolution pioneer and ecological advocate, promoting integrative health solutions and helps to lead a global transparency movement to raise awareness. She also serves as the president of the HCC, Cherry Hill-Moorestown chapter.