You'd never tell your child to go play with dangerous chemicals such as pesticides. But even when we take precautions to reduce the use of toxic pesticides in our homes there's still a risk to our children outside the home. That's what happened to then 10-year-old William Hunt in Oakland, California when his next-door neighbor sprayed a chemical on -- and through -- the hedge between their homes, spattering William, his bicycle, and the side of the house with chemical residues.
Soon afterward the boy had a rash, and he later developed a problem with his heart. Their cat, who was also in that area, soon developed eye and kidney abnormalities.
A milky moustache may not be all that lingers when your child swallows a glass of milk. Some chemicals hidden in milk are not so cute.
Milk lodges chemicals like PCBs, dioxins and DDE (a breakdown of the insecticide DDT) in its fat. Even though the U.S. banned many of these chemicals in the 1970s, they still linger in the soil, and today's cows munch up toxins through their food and pass it on to humans. On top of that, conventional dairy farming adds new chemicals: insecticides and the bovine growth hormone rbGH.
Milk is a vital part of young children's diets, but childhood doubles as a sensitive growth period for the brain, reproductive and immune systems. When toxins enter the picture, kids face a higher risk of cancer, thyroid and reproductive troubles as well as permanent IQ damage. What milk is safe for kids?
Before you sink your teeth into that piece of yellowfin sashimi, you might want to consider the tasteless neurotoxin it might contain. Many of the fish used to make sushi are high in mercury, a neurotoxin that interferes with the brain and nervous system. The New York Times recently tested sushi from several Manhattan restaurants and found dangerous levels of mercury.
Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should be especially careful about eating sushi. Many of the fish chosen for sushi are the apex predators of the fish food chain, which means they can bear high concentrations of mercury. The amount of mercury in a fish varies depending on the type of fish and where it was caught.
Maybe Popeye should buy organic. Spinach is still a super food to eat, but along with those leafy greens, your family gulps down a dose of pesticides. Some good-for-you foods carry a heavy pesticide load, and the amount and toxicity vary widely by crop.
Pesticide residue doesn't wash off spinach leaves, making it one of the dozen fruits and vegetables that carry the highest levels of pesticides. The worst offenders include most fruits and veggies that kids really like to eat- apples, peaches, strawberries, cherries, grapes, pears, sweet peppers, celery, carrots and potatoes. The dirtiest of all: Peaches.
This year make a few resolutions that are easy to keep. Pledge to take a couple simple steps, one at a time, to live healthier, reduce waste and tread a little more lightly. Do one or do them all but each is a beginning, a small step to a more balanced life. Start by eating well, then take a couple steps to simplify your life and cut down on clutter.
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