Pesticides linked to ADHD in children
Exposure to pesticides used on common kid-friendly foods — including frozen blueberries, fresh strawberries and celery — appears to boost the chances that children will be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, new research shows.
Youngsters with high levels of pesticide residue in their urine, particularly from widely used types of insecticide such as malathion, were more likely to have ADHD, the behavior disorder that often disrupts school and social life, scientists in the United States and Canada found.
Kids with higher-than-average levels of one pesticide marker were nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD as children who showed no traces of the poison.
~ JoNel Aleccia, MSNBC.com health writer
read the full article here
Of course pesticides are harmful. One of the Total Health Makeover® steps is to live using as few chemicals as possible because we just don’t know the long-term effects, even at low exposure rates, especially for children. Food without chemicals is a safer choice.
The experts in the article suggest buying organic and washing your produce.
- Buying organic food * We know that family budgets don’t always allow for eating organic. And there are parts of the country and the world where organic foods aren’t readily available. If you have to make a choice, check here for information on when to choose organic versus conventional produce.
- Washing your produce * You don’t need a fancy product to wash your produce. Thick-skinned fruits and vegetables (apples, citrus, potatoes, root veggies) can be scrubbed with soapy water and a brush or cloth, and rinsed thoroughly, or scrubbed with a little baking soda (as an abrasive). Delicate produce (salad greens, berries) can be soaked in vinegar water (about 1/4 cup inexpensive (white) vinegar in a sink full of cool water) and gently rubbed by hand. Wash before you peel to ensure you’re not just moving the pesticide residue. Peeling is not always required.
