From Farm to Pharma
Poisoned Fields, Profitable Pills: The Dark Side of Agriculture and Pharmaceutical Medicine and Why Organics should be your only choice.
The Building Blocks of Life
As a health/wellness coach, let me say, “What we stick in our mouth is the single biggest predictor of our health and what diseases we will develop over the course of a lifetime. You cannot out run, out exercise, out weight train, out prescribe, out supplement a poor diet.”
When it comes to “Organics” vs. “GMOs” it really comes down to one simple consideration: SOIL vs. DIRT. If you don’t know the difference, that’s okay. I’ll explain the difference in this article. If you do, I need not go any further.
All life, including us, is both woven into and out of the very fabric of the soil. We are quite literally made of the elements in the air, the ocean, and the soil, with each one of us being a scoop of the Earth (air, ocean, soil) held together by breath. In terms of health and wellness, build your body with nature and you’ll be healthy. Build it with nature unnaturally, chemically manipulated and processed, and you’re heading for trouble. We’ll get into that in more detail, but first . . . since our diet is the biggest predictor of disease, let’s start by opening with a brief synopsis regarding a trend happening in the medical industry. You’ll see this trends in on the opposite side of the “unnatural” alliances hiding the dangers of chemical agriculture and Pharmaceutical practices.
To say the least, the last 4 years has been a period of transition with a lot of people, both patients and practitioners, questioning the interests, the design, and the grand scheme of the medical establishment. Today's medical community is at a crossroads, slowly dividing into two distinct approaches to healthcare with a shift occurring away from pharmaceuticals approaches to disease to Functional Health which involves preventative maintenance of health & wellness. “Wellness” is predicted to be the largest segment of the medical industry in the next 10 years according to economic research and predictions.
Let’s look at these two models:
Pharmaceutical Model: This is the standard model which, outside of trauma care and perhaps surgery, is becoming outdated and archaic and by design is not capable of actually curing disease. First and foremost it’s a profit-driven business model, not a system providing or restoring health. It’s predicated on continuous symptom management, providing a steady revenue stream for pharmaceutical companies, which based on revenues is currently the 3rd largest industry on Earth after Energy and Agriculture. Drugs that manage symptoms provide a reliable ongoing return on investment by ensuring prolonged indefinite use by patients, as opposed to a one-time cure which is not a sustainable business model. This system is collapsing with patients being expected to pay higher and higher premiums and insurance companies no longer being able to keep ahead of rising costs spiralling out of control.
Naturopathic, Holistic, and Functional Health Medicine: This is a quickly emerging comprehensive approach to truly restoring a patient’s health. It’s been around since the 1990s but many are unfamiliar with it. It’s essentially the antithesis of BIG PHARMA’s business model. It looks at the individual as a whole, not just as a series of symptoms. It utilizes scientifically backed and extensively researched natural supplements to support the body’s incredible ability to self-heal and bring itself back into homeostasis/balance, instead of prescribing pharmaceuticals that block natural systems in the body to manage/mask symptoms, but never address the root cause. It emphasizes preventative maintenance, natural treatments, and addressing the underlying causes of health issues, focusing primarily of the 4 Pillars of Health:
Diet & Nutrition,
Exercise & Fitness,
Adequate Deep Restorative Sleep,
and Stress Management
Universities are seeing a surge in enrollments by those interested in this approach vs. the allopathic/pharmaceutical model.
Manage Disease or Avoid it all together?
I want to posit a simple question. Is it better to live with a chronic disease and manage/mask the symptoms with pharmaceutical drugs or to never develop disease in the first place?
Contrary to popular belief, disease does not just happen spontaneously or suddenly befall us by unfortunate happenstance or bad luck. Our lives are governed by quantum mechanics - “cause and effect.” Every disease has a cause, usually years in the making, and though it’s not known by the masses, recently, after decades of research, we’ve uncovered the “root” cause of virtually all diseases. Sadly, you weren’t told and probably won’t be any time soon.
Current estimates suggest that less than 2% of diseases are purely genetic. Most diseases have an epigenetic component, meaning they are triggered by environmental factors such as diet, lack of nutrition, and life-style habits that create oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory responses at the cellular level.
In other words, what diseases we develop are fairly predictable by simply looking at the individual’s choices and lifestyle habits - what they eat, level of fitness, sleep habits, etc. Thus, the emergence of Naturopathic / Holistic / Functional Health Medicine. Research has revealed that virtually every known disease is at the most fundamental level, created by chronic cellular inflammation. Prevent chronic cellular inflammation, and chances are, you will live a long, happy, disease-free life.
Unfortunately, that’s not what we’re seeing in the world. Here in America for the last 5 years consecutively, longevity/life expectancy is decreasing. Today, our global community is experiencing a chronic inflammatory epidemic, chronic fatigue, leading to an exponential rise in chronic diseases over the last 40 years including: diabetes, thyroid disease, cancer, obesity, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune diseases, and more. This widespread inflammation suggests that the immune systems of the majority of the population are being overwhelmed by the same environmental factors at the same time.
Environmental Changes and Health Impacts
From 1982 to 2010, significant changes to the environment had a profound impact on human health. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, diseases across various organ systems began to spike simultaneously. Examples include:
Autism: In 1970, the incidence of autism was 1 in 10,000 children. Today, it is 1 in 36, with rates doubling every three years since 2012. If this trend continues, one in three children will have autism by 2035, potentially crippling the healthcare system and the family unit. [1]
Alzheimer’s and Dementia: A sudden and dramatic rise in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in women was observed in 1996, alongside a linear increase in Parkinson’s disease in men with number of cases increasing exponentially.
Other Diseases: Concurrent spikes in human-specific, gender-specific, and organ-specific diseases, including cancers, autoimmune diseases, thyroid diseases, and neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, indicated a common underlying cause.
So, researchers began to investigate dietary changes and their impact on health, which led them to looking at agriculture and food supply chains. In short they discovered 2 things: A strong correlation emerged between the increased consumption of chemical-based, conventionally farmed produce, ultra-processed foods, and chronic diseases.
Going even further back, starting in the 1950s, the mid-20th century saw a significant shift in agricultural practices, largely driven by the petroleum industry. You may be asking, “What does petroleum have to do with agriculture and food production?” A lot!
Chemical Fertilizers: Following World War II, John D. Rockefeller who owned Standard Oil, and was funding both sides of the War by providing fuel for all the instruments of war: planes, tanks, trucks, jeeps, etc., faced a serious decline in sales after the war ended. So, being a very resourceful businessman he and his innovative team of chemical engineers began producing chemically-based fertilizers from nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium extracted from the oil. A whole new market to capitalize on.
Farmers, recovering from the Dust Bowl, being unaware of sustainable practices like crop rotation, cover crops, animal grazing, killed the soil, creating vast wastelands of “dirt.” This is an important distinction to make. Before farming became large scale commercial, corporate owned agriculture, farmers practiced regenerative farming techniques to keep the soil fertile. But as farming, under increased pressure, to feed an ever increasing population became BIG AGRO, these sustainable practices were abandoned because it was simply too time intensive for the average farmer to scale up. In the 1950s, the transition to chemical-based, industrial farming practices led to a significant increase in agricultural yields. For example, corn yields in the United States doubled from an average of 40 bushels per acre in 1950 to 80 bushels per acre by 1970, largely due to the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.[2][3] Chemical farming made sense, at least initially.
Soil is a living biomass; rich in texture, black, and teeming with life like worms, insects, ants, spiders, centipede, nematodes, moles, rodents, snakes, and most importantly, bacteria, fungi, and countless microbes. Dirt by contrast, is dead soil, light brown in color, and has the texture of sand clumped together. It’s lifeless.
So farmers hoping to recover from the Dust Bowl, embraced these products seeing “chemical farming” as the future of farming. Conventional farmers have since been using these farming practices that, over time degrade their soil, and lead to top soil depletion, necessitating the use of synthetic chemicals. Little did they understand, they were now locked into a sick, codependent relationship with the chemical companies, that have made growing food impossible without their fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and ant-parasitic chemicals, because they’re growing in dirt, not soil. We cannot destroy natural biological processes and compensate for the removal of these metabolic pathway with chemicals. This is madness, and it’s a business model has made us all sick as a direct consequence of these practices.
Topsoil depletion is a critical environmental issue, with estimates indicating that we are losing approximately 24 billion tons of fertile soil annually due to erosion and unsustainable agricultural practices. This significant loss threatens global food security and biodiversity, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable land management practices.
Conventional farming relies entirely upon these chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides to grow mono-crop food in dirt, not soil.Nutrient Deficiency: These fertilizers, while promoting plant growth, lacked the nutrients and medicinal qualities found in natural fertilizers produced by regenerative farming, animal grazing, manure, composting, etc. This led to the production of nutrient-deficient plants with weakened natural defenses.
Pesticides and Insecticides: To address the increased vulnerability of plants with compromised immune systems and therefore easily preyed upon by insects, the chemical industry developed toxic, petroleum-based pesticides and insecticides further locking farmers into a codependent relationship between farmers and chemical companies. These chemical listed below, present several threats to human health.
Health Risks of Pesticides and Herbicides Used on GMO Crops:
With the logarithmic increase in human population came the search for more efficient ways to feed the masses. Genetically Modified Food (GMOs) crops were developed in the late 1990s to increase yields. Although some have successfully been developed to be resistant to pests and diseases, more than not they are cultivated using various pesticides and herbicides designed to protect crops from pests and weeds. While these chemicals help in managing agricultural challenges, they pose health risks to humans not yet fully understood since there are no long term studies.
Suffice it to say, exposure to pesticides can harm your health in two primary ways:
Acute Over-Exposure: Consuming or being exposed to high amounts of pesticides over a short period can lead to poisoning and immediate health issues, potentially resulting in long-term effects such as cancer or reproductive problems.
Chronic Exposure: Low-level exposure over an extended period can cause cumulative health effects, including respiratory problems, skin conditions, depression, birth defects, cancer, and neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease.
Provided here for you, is a detailed synopsis that explores the health threats associated with key pesticides and herbicides used on GMO crops and explains how these practices result in nutrient-deficiencies, being grown in dirt (devoid of life) rather than fertile, life-sustaining soil (teeming with life) creating the medicinal compounds taken up by the plants.
Chemical Farming Inputs that could be adversely affecting your Health:
1. Glyphosate (RoundUp)
We’ll start with the most prevalent and provide a robust explanation because this one is particularly egregious to any one seeking optimal health and overcoming chronic fatigue. The development of antibiotics to kill bacteria in humans coincided with the creation of antibiotics to kill soil microbes. And here you thought antibiotics were only for humans and our pets.
Glyphosate (RoundUp) is the single most successful antibiotic, anti-parasitic, fungicide ever created. Despite glyphosate (RoundUp) being recognized by the public as a weed killer (that’s just marketing), it has never been patented as a weed killer. It’s only been patented as an antibiotic, and later as an anti-parasitic, fungicide. So, it kills the soil by eradicating the soil microbiome . . . bacteria, and the complex matrix of fungi, and countless other microorganisms. Here is why it is problematic.
The Role of Soil Microbes in Plant Nutrition:
Shikimate Pathway and Microbial Interactions:
The Shikimate Pathway, also known as the shikimic acid pathway, is a crucial biochemical pathway in plants, algae, fungi, bacteria, and some protozoans. It is responsible for the biosynthesis of a group of amino acids including: phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, that serve as precursors for a variety of secondary metabolites including vitamins and plant hormones. [4]
The name "Shikimate Pathway" derives from shikimic acid, which is a key intermediate in this pathway. The term "shikimic acid" itself comes from the Japanese word "shikimi" (シキミ). Shikimic acid was first isolated from the star anise plant, leading to the naming of the pathway after this compound.
The soil bacteria and fungi play an absolutely vital role in breaking down organic matter and rock (yes, fungi literally eats rock and creates liquid minerals that are available to be taken up by plant roots) and converting it into forms that plants can readily absorb. They also aid in the synthesis of nutrients via the Shikimate pathway.
This pathway contains enzymes that can be regulated by the chemical inhibitors utilized in corporate agriculture, which can cease the production of chorismate and ultimately the organism's biological functions, including the plant’s immune system necessitating the application of insecticides and pesticides. I really feel this is important to understanding how the produce at the store is virtually devoid of nutrients.
Chorismate is the pivotal intermediate in the biosynthesis pathway of this group of amino acids in plants, bacteria, fungi, and some protists. It serves as a precursor to the synthesis of these crucial essential amino acids such as phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, which are required for protein synthesis and numerous metabolic processes. The chorismate pathway is the key biosynthesis process of the Shikimate Pathway that leads to the production of the afore mentioned secondary metabolites of folates and certain antibiotics, playing a vital role in cellular function and survival of the plant crops. With this process halted, these plants lack nutrition and are weak plants that can not defend themselves from predation from insects.
Herbicides and antibiotics work by inhibiting these enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of these amino acids, thereby rendering them toxic to plants. The toxic nature of Glyphosate negatively effects the maintenance of the gut microbiota in host organisms by specifically inhibiting the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase which prevents the biosynthesis of essential amino acids. Inhibition of this enzyme results in disorders such as gastrointestinal diseases and metabolic diseases. [6] Currently, it’s estimated 88% of Americans suffer some form of metabolic disorder/disease.
Impact of Soil Devoid of Microbes and this pathway:
When soil is devoid of bacteria and fungi, the natural processes that facilitate nutrient availability and uptake are severely hindered. This can lead to afore mentioned deficiencies in essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that are typically produced or made bioavailable through microbial activity.
Without these microorganisms, plants might struggle to access the nutrients they need, even if those nutrients are present in the soil in an inorganic (chemically farmed) form.
GMOs and Nutrient Assimilation
Genetic Modifications and Nutrient Uptake:
GMOs are designed to perform well under specific conditions, such as the presence of certain herbicides (e.g., glyphosate in “Roundup Ready” crops). Again, Glyphosate works by inhibiting the Shikimate pathway in weeds, but acting as an antibiotic decimates the microbial population in the soil.
The use of glyphosate severely reduces the population of beneficial microbes in the soil, blocking the normal nutrient cycling and assimilation processes.
GMOs in Microbe-Depleted Soil:
In soils with reduced microbial activity, GM plants do not receive the same level of nutrient support compared to plants in microbe-rich soils. This can lead to poorer growth and lower nutritional quality.
The genetic modifications in GMOs do not typically include enhancements for nutrient uptake in microbe-depleted soils. Therefore, these plants might suffer similar nutrient deficiencies as non-GMO plants under the same conditions.
Compensatory Agricultural Practices:
To counteract the lack of beneficial microbes, farmers might use synthetic fertilizers to provide the essential nutrients directly. However, this does not fully replicate the complex interactions and benefits provided by a healthy soil microbiome.
Organic farming practices that encourage soil health and microbial diversity help maintain the natural nutrient cycles, benefiting both GMO and non-GMO plants.
Bringing this all together. The human body makes an estimated 200,000 - 400,000 different proteins from 20 amino acids, the building blocks of protein. If you can imagine these amino acids as being analogous to the 26 letters of the English alphabet, we can agree some letters are far more important than others. For example, vowels, are the backbone of just about every word. If we begin removing vowels from our alphabet, hundreds, or even thousands of words would no longer be capable of being used. It’s apparent, vowels are kind of important.
Similarly, there are 9 essential amino acids that we cannot live without and the body cannot make. Though we can get these amino acids from animal protein, with respect to vegetables they are only made available via the Shikimate pathway. If we begin tweaking or removing any of those nine amino acids from our diet (4 of which come from plants), we literally lose tens of thousands of proteins in both functionality and form.
Glyphosate disrupts this pathway, resulting in genetically modified foods that are lacking vital nutrients.
Human Health:
Before we start down this path, it should be noted that glyphosate has been proven to cause cancer.
In looking at the impact on human health:
Neurological Injuries: Glyphosate has been directly implicated in conditions like autism, which has seen a dramatic increase from 1 in 10,000 in 1970 to 1 in 36 in 2022 (CDC, 2022).
Cognitive Decline: Including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (EPA, 2016).
Chronic Diseases: Glyphosate is implicated in eight sub-cellular diseases that lead to chronic conditions (Samsel & Seneff, 2013).
Carcinogenic Risks: Glyphosate is classified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). acute long-term exposure has been linked to an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Studies have shown that farmworkers and individuals living near treated fields have higher incidences of this cancer (IARC, 2015; NIH, 2019).
Endocrine Disruption: Glyphosate can mimic or interfere with the body’s hormonal system, leading to reproductive and developmental issues. It can disrupt the synthesis and action of hormones like estrogen, potentially causing fertility problems and developmental delays in children (Thongprakaisang, S., et al., 2013).
Gut Microbiome Disruption: Glyphosate acts as an antibiotic, killing beneficial bacteria in the human gut. This disruption can lead to dysbiosis, contributing to conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, leaky gut syndrome, and weakened immune function (Mesnage & Antoniou, 2017).
Kidney and Liver Damage: Long term exposure to glyphosate has been linked to kidney and liver damage. The chemical accumulates in these organs, impairing their function and leading to chronic diseases (EPA, 2016).
Impact On Food Nutrient Content:
Glyphosate-treated crops are grown often in soils that lack vital microorganisms. This soil, more accurately described as “dirt,” is devoid of the life that helps plants absorb essential nutrients. Glyphosate not only acts as a fungicide, killing the fungus in the soil that creates minerals for absorptions by plants, but also binds to minerals in the soil, making them unavailable to plants, resulting in crops that are deficient in essential nutrients like magnesium, calcium, and iron (Herrmann, K. M., 1995).
Whew! I said a lot there! The rest are considerably shorter . . .
Acephate
Human Health:
Neurotoxicity: Acephate inhibits acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme crucial for nerve function. Exposure can cause symptoms ranging from headaches and dizziness to severe neurological impairments such as memory loss, behavioral changes, and long-term cognitive decline (EPA, 2006; Eaton, D. L., et al., 2008).
Carcinogenic Potential: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies acephate as a possible human carcinogen. Animal studies have shown increased incidences of liver and adrenal gland tumors following prolonged exposure (EPA, 2006).
Impact On Food Nutrient Content:
Acephate application depletes the soil of beneficial organisms that facilitate nutrient uptake in plants. As a result, crops grown in acephate-treated soils often have lower levels of vitamins and minerals, leading to nutrient-poor produce (Herrmann, K. M., 1995).
Atrazine
Human Health:
Let’s just start with the fact that this chemical is banned in all of Europe, and yet, here in American we spray 70,000,000 lbs. of it on our crops every year.
Hormone Disruption: Atrazine disrupts endocrine (hormone) function, leading to reproductive and developmental issues. It can alter hormone levels, leading to irregular menstrual cycles, reduced fertility, and developmental delays in children exposed in utero (Hayes, T. B., et al., 2011; EHP, 2000).
Conversely, with respect to children, the increased aromatase activity caused by chemicals like atrazine can lead to elevated estrogen levels, which may trigger early onset of puberty, particularly premature menstruation in children as early as 10 years old. When estrogen levels rise prematurely, they stimulate the early development of secondary sexual characteristics, such as breast growth and menstruation, which can occur years before normal puberty would begin.
The implications of premature menstruation are concerning:
Physical Health Risks: Early puberty has been linked to a higher risk of developing breast cancer, uterine cancer, and other hormone-related cancers later in life, likely due to prolonged exposure to elevated estrogen levels. Additionally, early menstruation can also contribute to obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic disorders.
Emotional and Psychological Effects: Children who experience early puberty may struggle with self-esteem issues and social isolation, as they are physically more developed than their peers. They may also be unprepared to deal with menstruation and other aspects of sexual maturity, which can lead to anxiety or confusion.
Disrupted Growth and Development: Early exposure to high estrogen levels can prematurely close growth plates in bones, leading to shorter adult stature. Furthermore, rapid physical changes can disrupt the natural progression of childhood development.
Reproductive System Impact: Continuous high estrogen exposure can affect the function of the reproductive system, potentially leading to issues like irregular menstrual cycles, ovarian dysfunction, and even fertility problems in adulthood.
The influence of atrazine and similar endocrine-disrupting chemicals on hormonal regulation during critical developmental windows raises serious concerns about the long-term health consequences for children exposed to these substances.
Cancer Risk: Studies have linked atrazine exposure to an increased risk of various cancers, including ovarian, breast, and prostate cancers. Atrazine may induce carcinogenesis by altering cellular signaling pathways and promoting the growth of hormone-dependent tumors (Gammon, D. W., et al., 2005).
Birth Defects: Prenatal exposure to atrazine has been associated with increased risks of birth defects such as limb deformities and low birth weight (Gammon, D. W., et al., 2005).
Impact On Food Nutrient Content:
Crops grown in atrazine-contaminated dirt often face growth stresses, which can inhibit their ability to absorb and retain essential nutrients. The lack of microbial activity in such dirt further limits nutrient availability, resulting in food with diminished nutritional value (Maeda, H., & Dudareva, N., 2012).
Chlorpyrifos
Human Health:
Neurodevelopmental Effects: Chlorpyrifos exposure is particularly harmful to developing fetuses and young children. It has been linked to developmental delays, reduced IQ, attention deficits, and behavioral problems. Prenatal exposure can lead to lasting changes in brain structure and function (Rauh, V. A., et al., 2011; Bouchard, M. F., et al., 2011).
Acute Toxicity: Short-term exposure can cause symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, headaches, and in severe cases, respiratory paralysis and death. It inhibits cholinesterase, an enzyme essential for nerve function (EPA).
Autoimmune Disorders: Chronic exposure to chlorpyrifos has been associated with the development of autoimmune disorders, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues (EPA).
Impact On Food Nutrient Content:
Chlorpyrifos-treated soils are often sterile and lack the microorganisms necessary for nutrient cycling. Plants grown in such conditions are unable to access essential nutrients, leading to food that is deficient in key vitamins and minerals (Funke, T., et al., 2006).
Dicamba
Human Health:
Potential Carcinogen: While the evidence is still emerging, there are concerns that dicamba may act as a carcinogen, particularly affecting the lungs and liver (NPIC, 2019).
Impact On Food Nutrient Content:
Dicamba-treated fields often have compromised soil health. The herbicide can damage non-target plants, reducing biodiversity and the presence of nutrient-cycling organisms. This results in crops that grow in lifeless dirt, lacking the essential nutrients found in food grown in healthy, living soil (Herrmann, K. M., 1995)
If we look at the introduction of chemical agriculture and graph its increased use, comparing it to a graph of the increase in chronic diseases, they’re virtually identical.
The Importance of Organic Food
Eating organic food is not just a trend; it is a necessity for health. Genetically modified foods are nutritionally deficient, lacking the nine essential amino acids crucial for health. This deficiency along with the consumption of processed foods, covered in my article, HOW TO BUILD A HEALTHY HUMAN, is the primary driver of the chronic disease epidemic and the decline in overall health in America.
Conclusion
This article was titled FARM TO PHARMA - Poisoned Fields, Profitable Pills: The Dark Side Of Agriculture And Pharmaceutical Medicine And Why Organics Should Be Your Only Choice for a reason, as it’s been outlined in detail here. Hopefully it empowers you to adopt practices, such as eating organics, or even growing your own organic food, like I do (in suburbia), that will optimize your health. Simply put, consumption of genetically modified monocrop food will not enhance your health.
The same families that own the petroleum companies, BIG OIL, are the same families that own the agricultural companies, BIG AGRO, and the pharmaceutical companies BIG PHARMA. Agriculture, starting in the 1950s ushered farmers into their now completely codependent relationship with the chemical companies, and the corporate takeover of food production began.
This circular, co-dependent relationship between chemical companies and the end user resembles another relationship between chemical companies and the end user of the products.
The Pharmaceutical Companies have duplicated the exact same Agricultural business model with humans. Every pharmaceutical drug is a synthetic chemical “synologue” (a compound similar to natural plant chemicals) that mimics compounds in nature but cannot do what the natural compounds do - HEAL the body. It’s a profit-driven business model, predicated on continuous symptom management, not cures, providing a steady revenue stream for pharmaceutical companies, locking patients into a codependent relationship with the drug manufacturers.
The fungi and bacteria in soil are the true medicine that the human body needs. They provide the essential nutrients that are increasingly missing from our diet due to chemical agriculture practices. By understanding and addressing these fundamental issues, we can improve health outcomes and reverse the trends of chronic disease.
There is a critical need for sustainable agricultural practices and a holistic approach to healthcare that prioritizes prevention and natural treatments over symptom management and pharmaceutical dependence.
I would love to hear from you and have you share your thoughts and/or questions in the comment section below. I look forward to hearing your perspectives.
An Invitation:
To truly transform your health and overcome chronic fatigue, chronic disease, and other challenges, it's crucial to uncover advanced health strategies and adopt new, healthy lifestyle habits. Imagine making conscious nutritional choices, creating a chemical-free, non-toxic household for your loved ones, and finding companies that provide products with certifiably safe ingredients. Picture yourself with a structured daily fitness regimen (suitable for all levels of fitness), experiencing deep restorative sleep, and effectively managing stress.
I want to personally invite you to explore the SHIFT ETHOS WELLNESS PATHWAYS PROCESS (Tab at the top of this page or link provided below) – a journey back to true health. Dive deeper into these essential elements and experience a comprehensive approach to wellness by enrolling in this revitalizing process, transforming your life, and embracing a healthier you!
Click here: SHIFT ETHOS WELLNESS PATHWAYS PROCESS, to learn more and consider taking the first step towards revitalizing your health. Schedule a free consult by pressing the blue button at the bottom of the WELLNESS PATHWAYS page.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2022). "Autism Data and Statistics." CDC.
https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/agricultural-productivity-in-the-us/
Wikipedia: Aromatic Amino Acids https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatic_amino_acid
Maeda, H., & Dudareva, N. (2012). "The Shikimate Pathway and Aromatic Amino Acid Biosynthesis in Plants." Annual Review of Plant Biology.
Herrmann, K. M. (1995). "The Shikimate Pathway: Early Steps in the Biosynthesis of Aromatic Compounds." The Plant Cell.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2016). "Glyphosate Issue Paper: Evaluation of Carcinogenic Potential." EPA Document.
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). (2015). "Glyphosate." IARC Monographs.
National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2019). "Glyphosate and cancer risk." NIH Study.
Thongprakaisang, S., et al. (2013). "Glyphosate induces human breast cancer cells growth via estrogen receptors." Food and Chemical Toxicology.
Mesnage, R., & Antoniou, M. N. (2017). "Facts and fallacies in the debate on glyphosate toxicity." Frontiers in Public Health.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2006). "Acephate; pesticide tolerances." Federal Register.
Eaton, D. L., et al. (2008). "Risk assessment of organophosphates." Critical Reviews in Toxicology.
American Lung Association. "Pesticides and lung health." ALA Article.
Hayes, T. B., et al. (2011). "Demasculinization and feminization of male gonads by atrazine." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Environmental Health Perspectives. (2000). "Atrazine and human health." EHP Study.
Gammon, D. W., et al. (2005). "A risk assessment of atrazine use in California." Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health.
Rauh, V. A., et al. (2011). "Impact of prenatal chlorpyrifos exposure on neurodevelopment in the first three years of life." Pediatrics.
Bouchard, M. F., et al. (2011). "Prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides and IQ in 7-year-old children." Environmental Health Perspectives.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Chlorpyrifos: Revised human health risk assessment." EPA Document.
Funke, T., et al. (2006). "Molecular basis for the herbicide resistance of Roundup Ready crops." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Cimino, A. M., et al. (2017). "Effects of neonicotinoid pesticide exposure on human health: A systematic review." Environmental Health Perspectives.
Sanchez-Bayo, F., & Wyckhuys, K. A. G. (2019). "Worldwide decline of the entomofauna: A review of its drivers." Biological Conservation.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Dicamba human health risk assessment." EPA Document.
National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC). (2019). "Dicamba technical fact sheet." NPIC.
Disclaimer:
I am not a medical doctor or a medical practitioner. I am not legally permitted to claim I treat, cure, or heal disease. I can, however, provide educational content with respect to building/restoring and maintaining optimal health through nutrition, diet, sleep support, and exercise, which can reverse health conditions.Any information provided on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this web site.This website summarizes information on the role of nutrition, diet, and exercise in health, disease and wellness. Readers should be aware that knowledge of nutrition and medicine is constantly evolving. They are encouraged to frequently check the most current information available on preventive and therapeutic measures. It is your designated clinician’s responsibility, relying on their experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine the best course of action in providing care and your choice to follow it or not. The author, editor, and publisher of information on this website accepts no liability for any injury arising out of the use of material contained herein, and makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the contents of this online publication, or from the contents of sites or articles we provide links to. 