by Mike Geary – Certified Nutrition Specialist and Author of The Diabetes Fix and The Truth About Testosterone

If you’ve been led to believe that oat milk, peanut butter, almonds, and spinach are good for you, today’s email might shock you and is important to read, because these 4 “healthy foods” could be contributing to health problems in your body.

Let’s take a quick look at why…

1. Oat Milk

Oat milk has become a popular “plant milk” in recent years.  I see people all the time ordering “oat milk lattes” at coffee shops, and they probably have no idea how terrible that oat milk is for them.

Oat milk is basically oats soaked in water, with some added seed oils (canola oil usually), and added sugars and thickeners.

First of all, unless you get organic oat milk, your standard oat milk is contaminated with the harmful herbicide glyphosate which is known to cause serious damage to your gut, disrupting your microbiome health, and if that’s not bad enough, you probably already know that glyphosate is linked to cancer too.

Next, another reason I would never drink oat milk is because it’s usually processed with added seed oils such as canola oil, which are highly inflammatory in the body, contain large amounts of harmful omega-6 fats, and are linked to poor metabolic health such as Diabetes and obesity.

The next reason I would never drink oat milk is that it usually contains thickeners and gums such as carrageenan, which are highly irritating to your gut and can cause gut issues.

There’s also almost zero nutrition in oat milk compared to dairy milk (which contains large amounts of vitamins, minerals and protein).

Lastly, oat milk is also high in an anti-nutrient called phytic acid, which reduces your absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, potentially contributing to deficiencies in certain nutrients.

And while some people genuinely can’t digest dairy, most people would be better off nutritionally with just real grass-fed milk.

2. Peanuts, Peanut Butter

While peanut butter does contain a small amount of protein and vitamins/minerals, the cons outweigh the pros on this food.

First of all, peanuts contain one of the highest concentrations of aflatoxin, which is a mold toxin that is created in peanuts due to storage in moist conditions.

Peanut butter is also very high in inflammatory omega-6 fats and due to the processing of peanut butter, those omega 6 fats are in a harmful oxidized state.

Most people already get too much omega 6 fats from vegetable oils (soy, corn, canola, etc), and this contributes to insulin resistance, heart disease, brain inflammation, cancer, and lots more health problems, since most people are currently eating 5-10x more omega-6 fats than we should be eating in a healthy diet.

Lastly, peanut butter also contains medium amounts of oxalates, which are plant-based antinutrients that when consumed in excess can contribute to kidney stones, thyroid and gut problems, joint problems and more.

We’ll talk more about oxalates in the next food…

3. Spinach

Spinach is promoted as a healthy green, but contains FAR more downsides than good sides. Spinach is one of the highest oxalate foods that’s commonly eaten by modern humans (in addition to beet greens, beets, almonds, and other veggies and nuts).

The amount of oxalates in a serving of spinach is extremely high, up to 600 mg in a normal sized bowl.

The “safe” amount of oxalates in a daily diet according to world renowned oxalate expert Sally Norton should be between 100-200 mg per day total to avoid a lot of the health problems caused by high oxalate plants.

So you can see how concerning spinach is with the extremely high oxalate levels.

As mentioned above, eating too much oxalates too frequently can cause serious issues such as kidney stones, thyroid problems, gut damage, skin issues, and joint pain.

In fact, some people have even gotten “oxalate poisoning” by eating green smoothies too often and had to go to the ER for kidney failure.

4. Almonds, Almond butter, and Almond Milk

Although almonds and almond milk are marketed as healthy, they also contain many downsides, including all of the negatives mentioned above about too much omega 6 fats and too much oxalates.

They’re probably ok in your diet occasionally, but I personally avoid eating almonds too often because of these issues with excess oxalates and omega 6 fats.

Almond milk also has some of the same issues as oat milk in that it often contains added gums and thickeners like carageenan (irritating to your gut), and is pretty pathetic in terms of nutrition content compared to dairy milk.

Now let’s take a look at a fun little quiz below and a few more foods…

Bananas vs Oranges vs Apples… (the #1 WORST fruit for your gut & energy)

According to the best-selling author and world-renowned heart surgeon, Dr. Steven Gundry, there’s one fruit people over 40 should never eat.

This fruit can damage your gut and disrupt your hormones. Both sapping you of energy and forcing your body to create “sticky” fat cells that can NOT be “burned off” with normal diet and exercise.

Do you know the fruit I’m talking about? Make sure you do by clicking the one below you think it is, and get the answer from Dr. Gundry himself on the next page:

>> Apples

>> Bananas

>> Oranges

>> Grapes

The post Why I Mostly Avoid Peanut Butter, Almonds, Oat Milk, and Spinach appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

We seem to be a nation of anxious people. And yes, the events of the past couple years can make us more anxious, but a lot of anxiety is just generalized anxiety. Anxiety can also add to irritability, anger and stress. Anxiety can make it difficult to work, deal with day-to-day decisions, and it affects your relationships. Often it just simmers in the background, leaving you feeling ‘on edge’ all the time.

While many people run to the doctor for an anti-anxiety prescription, which is difficult to stop once you start, and often has unpleasant side effects.

You can realistically manage your anxiety far better by fixing it at the source, avoid prescription medications, and improve your overall health. And—surprise—fixing anxiety doesn’t start with your head; it starts with your gut.

Specific bacteria in the gut are responsible for creating about 90% or more of the serotonin in our bodies. Serotonin is the brain chemical responsible for helping you feel calm and happy. Yes, a brain chemical that is made in the gut. Let’s go into a little anatomy lesson to see how this works.

The enteric nervous system in the gut and the central nervous system were formed out of the same tissue in fetal development. So actually, the nervous system in the gut, which is quite extensive, is like a ‘second brain’. These two nervous systems have a direct line of communication via the vagus nerve, which runs from your brain stem to the nervous system in your gut.

This nervous system in the gut is made up of sheaths of neurons embedded in the walls of the entire gut, which is about 9 meters long from the mouth to the anus. This second brain contains somewhere around 100 million neurons—more than in either the spinal cord or the peripheral nervous system!

Certain gut bacteria play a very important role in immunity, synthesizing nutrients from the food you consume, and creating chemicals that help the brain and our emotional and mental health.

What I find very interesting, however, is that about 90% of the fibers in the vagus nerve in the digestive system actually carry information from the gut to the brain, and not the other way around. So, you see, the gut controls the brain to a large extent. These messages from the gut to the brain can have a powerful influence on moods, including anxiety and depression.

Scientists also know that the bacteria in the gut manufactures around 90% of the body’s serotonin, an important brain chemical directly affects moods, like anxiety and depression as well as some mental illnesses, such as bipolar, schizophrenia, and OCD.

Other symptoms of low serotonin besides anxiety and depression include, low energy, anger, craving of carbohydrates and sweets, and reduced interest in sex.

How to support the serotonin factory in your gut

Many of us have diets (whether we realize it or not) that are contributing to inflammation in the gut. Inflammation can come from eating a diet high in processed foods, too much conventional dairy, processed vegetable oils, too much sugar and other food allergies or sensitivities like gluten, corn and even foods that were sprayed with glyphosate.

Note: glyphosate is a very common herbicide used in the United States, and sprayed on most all (except organic) grains and legumes to dry them out before harvest. Glyphosate has been shown to kill off beneficial gut bacteria, upsetting the gut’s ability to create serotonin. In fact, glyphosate has been shown to increase both anxiety and depression in animal studies.

Individuals with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), celiac disease or gluten sensitivity tend to report increased levels of anxiety due to the inflammation that exists in the gut. There is a definite link between gluten issues and anxiety and depression. Our gut bacteria are also highly susceptible to:

• Chlorinated and fluoridated water
• Antibacterial soap
• Herbicide and pesticide residue in food
• Air and water pollution

Taking care of our gut

First of all, if you have any type of IBS, gluten sensitivity, or food allergies, or if you have ever had issues with anxiety, depression, or any other mental or emotional issues it’s time for an elimination diet.

Eliminate:

• Gluten
• Corn
• Dairy

Often this one step will make a huge difference.

The next step is to eliminate all processed foods. Stop eating sugar, especially the kind that is added to food like high fructose corn syrup (usually in processed foods). Processed foods feed harmful bacteria and candida.

Important to totally avoid consuming any vegetable seed oils such as canola oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, soybean oil. These oils have been proven to be cancer-causing, increase your chances of Alzheimer’s, are highly inflammatory, and instrumental in causing anxiety and depression.

Many people find amazing relief from anxiety and depression when they correct their diet and take out offending foods. And, eating a healthy, whole foods diet with lots of fresh organic vegetables, a little bit of fruit, plenty of naturally raised meat, and healthy saturated fats actually feeds the good bacteria in the gut.

Apples, artichokes, blueberries, almonds, and pistachios have also all been shown to increase Bifidobacteria in humans. Bifidobacteria are considered beneficial bacteria, as they can help prevent intestinal inflammation, and prevent anxiety.

Adding in a broad-spectrum probiotic supplement containing Bifidobacterioum longum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus will also spur the growth of this healthier bacteria colony.

Other things that can increase anxiety are alcohol, too much sugar, not enough sleep, not enough exercise, estrogen dominance (a common condition in perimenopausal and menopausal women), too much caffeine and some medications.

A multi-B vitamin containing methylfolate, and methylcobalmin, has also been shown to effectively manage anxiety and depression—which often go hand in hand. Other valuable nutritional supplements include magnesium, zinc, omega 3’s, and choline—a nutrient often very low in menopausal and post-menopausal women.

References
https://www.jeffnobbs.com/posts/death-by-vegetable-oil-what-the-studies-say
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/anxiety-are-nutritional-deficiencies-a-common-cause/
https://draxe.com/health/natural-remedies-anxiety/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-strategies-to-ease-anxiety-201604139441

The post The Diet and Anxiety Connection appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

You may be eating lots of beans and grains because we’ve been told they are healthy and full of fiber, but this could be causing your health issues as well. You see, legumes and grains are full of a substance called ‘lectins’.

Lectins are a type of naturally occurring protein that is especially prevalent in grains and legumes. These lectins bind to carbohydrates, forming something called glycoproteins. Although all foods contain some lectins, only about 30% of the foods we eat contain them in significant amounts.

Lectins actually perform a number of healthy functions in the body including regulating the immune system, helping cells and molecules stick together, and fighting off bacterial, fungal and viral infections. Lectins are also known to have anti-cancer/anti-tumor properties as well.

Where lectins get their bad reputation is from eating too many of them—mostly in grains and beans. While lectins are in many highly nutritious foods, lectins can actually act more like a toxin in the body, and can contribute to health issues like leaky gut syndrome, autoimmune problems, and inflammation.

We humans have trouble digesting many of the lectins found in our food. Since lectins are “sticky” they can attach to the intestinal walls and cause digestive distress. Lectins can also separate the tiny intracellular junctions in the cells of the intestines, and cause a condition called ‘leaky gut’. This causes food substances like proteins to leak out into the bloodstream before they are fully broken down and digested. The result is widespread inflammation, and possible allergic reactions to these foreign proteins.

A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows that lectins can also aggravate autoimmune reactions including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and fibromyalgia. This makes sense, as autoimmune conditions result when the immune system begins to attack healthy cells in the body. This creates fatigue, chronic pain, and painful joints.

Lectins also act as an anti-nutrient, meaning that they can interfere with digestion and absorption of foods, upping the risk of nutritional deficiencies, and creating digestive problems like stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea and vomiting. Uncooked beans can actually cause lectin poisoning.

Symptoms of eating too many lectins

Here are a few of the most common symptoms that may occur with excess lectin intake:

• Bloating
• Fatigue
• Joint Pain/swelling
• Gas
• Stomach pains
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Skin problems

Why are vegetarians and vegans at risk? In order to get protein from plant-based foods, most vegans and vegetarians have to rely heavily on grains and beans. In fact, combining grains and beans is one way that vegans can get all the amino acids for protein in their diets.

Legumes including peas, beans (of all kinds), soybeans, peanuts, and grains, contain the most lectins, followed by dairy, and plants in the nightshade family such as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant.

Here is a list of the worst lectin foods:

1. Potatoes (regular white potatoes, not sweet potatoes)
2. Red Kidney Beans
3. Eggplant
4. Soybeans
5. Lentils
6. Peppers (all kinds)
7. Wheat/gluten
8. Peas
9. Tomatoes
10. Peanuts
11. Corn
12. Wheat

Why are lectins such a problem?

According to Dr. Gundry, M.D., who wrote the book, “The Plant Paradox” about dietary lectins:

“…our microbiomes are capable of eating lectins…We’ve killed off most of our good bugs [that would eat up lectins] with broad-spectrum antibiotics…and artificial sweeteners…Just one packet of artificial sweetener kills 50 percent of the bacteria in our guts.”

Lectins are controversial, but increased toxins in our environment, glyphosate in our foods, prescription medications and overuse of antibiotics, is definitely changing the shape of our microbiomes.

The ironic thing about lectins is that they are typically associated with foods that are nutrient-dense, so giving up lectin-containing foods means cutting out a large variety of healthy foods. For vegans and vegetarians, this would mean eliminating many foods that supply needed protein in a meatless diet.

Although lectins have been associated with a slew of negative side effects, you don’t need to totally eliminate all lectin-rich foods from your diet altogether. You can actually reduce the lectin content of foods you eat by changing how you prepare them and still enjoy their other qualities.

When prepared properly you can reduce the lectin content in foods. Legumes of all kinds (beans, peas, etc) must be cooked well to lower the lectins. One of the quickest and easiest ways to cook the lectins out of foods is to use a pressure-cooker or Instapot. Be sure beans are well-done. Kidney beans have one of the highest levels of lectins and even a few undercooked kidney beans can make you very sick!

Soaking and sprouting grains and seeds is also effective to lower lectin content. Seeds and beans can be soaked for 24 hours, rinsed and drained frequently and then sprouted. Sprouting decreases lectin content and other antinutrients and also increases the nutrition.

Fermentation is another excellent way to reduce lectins while increasing beneficial bacteria.

However, if you have serious health issues such as autoimmune, digestive issues or celiac disease—all of which are related to lectins in your diet, you may want to avoid them all together.

If you are giving up lectins to see if it improves your health, it may take some time. Most people notice a difference within two weeks, but it can take two, three, four, five, or even six months to really get your gut health back. If you rely on high lectin foods to supply your protein, you may be better off trying to incorporate some other naturally raised animal proteins into your diet.

And an additional note:

– Don’t confuse ‘lectins’ with ‘leptins’ or ‘lecithin’.
– LECTINS are a protein substance in foods that can irritate the gut.
– LEPTINS are a hormone that has to do with hunger and feeling full.
– And LECITHIN is a nutritional type of fat found in soy and other foods that is good for brain function

References
https://draxe.com/leaky-gut-diet-treatment/?utm_campaign=feed-posts&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=draxe&fbclid=IwAR3GcYh8QFHPJhgxLZNrmQc0QgOEvlojEEMguHL6ve_zzvNq3PicVgh1rcY
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dietary-lectins#section6
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/lectin-free-diet-dr-gundry
https://draxe.com/lectins/

The post How You May Be Unknowingly Destroying your Digestive Health—Especially if You Are Vegan! appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, 

Your kids’ favorite oat cereals, oatmeal, granola and snack bars come with a heavy dose of the weed-killing poison glyphosate. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto’s well-known weed-killer, “Roundup”.

Monsanto made big news recently, as a result of losing a $289-million-dollar lawsuit brought by a school groundskeeper who claims that glyphosate caused his deadly lymphoma cancer.

Bayer said the number of outstanding lawsuits against has risen from 5,200 to 8,000. The German firm’s shares have lost 11% of their value since it lost the $289m case in a California court to groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson, who claimed Monsanto herbicides containing glyphosate had caused his Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Bayer shares fell another 1.7% on Thursday.

In a new class action lawsuit filed against the cereal/food giant General Mills less than a week after the Johnson vs Monsanto verdict, plaintiff Mounira Doss states that General Mills had a duty to disclose the presence of glyphosate in their Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios cereal but failed to do so. Cheerios levels of glyphosate at 470-530 parts per billion (ppb) are some of the highest levels present in any of the tested foods. Doss states that “General Mills failed to disclose or actively concealed information reasonable consumers need to know before purchasing [Cheerios], and knew or should have known that Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios contained glyphosate, but withheld this information from consumers and the general public.”

This means that General Mills may be in violation of several state consumer protection laws. Says Steve Gardner, legal consultant at Gardner Consulting, and former head of the food law practice at the Stanley Law Group, “In the wake of the $289m Monsanto damages award, we expect to see plaintiffs’ attorneys target products containing glyphosate, even in trace amounts…”

Independent laboratory testing ordered by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), shows heavy doses of glyphosate in almost all of 45 samples of cereal and snack products made with conventionally-grown oats (non-organic). What’s even scarier is that 75% of those samples had higher levels of glyphosate that what is considered acceptable and safe. And, if you think you are safe from glyphosate because you are only buying organic, consider that 30% of cereals and snacks tested from organically-grown grains also had glyphosate.

Another lab, Anresco, a U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) registered lab, using one of the most reliable tests for glyphosate residues, tested thirty foods commonly found in grocery stores. Their findings were also consistent with EWG’s findings.

Some of the highest glyphosate residue was found in General Mills Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Stacy’s Pita crackers, Ritz crackers, Lucy’s oatmeal cookies, Kashi dark chocolate soft baked cookies, Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies, and Oreos, and dozens of other so-called ‘healthy’ cereals and snacks. See the full report here.

“Frankly, such a high level of glyphosate contamination found in Cheerios, Doritos, Oreos…is alarming and should be a wake-up call for any parent trying to feed their children safe, healthy and non-toxic food,” Dave Murphy, executive director of Food Democracy Now!,” said.

The EPA sets a “maximum residue limit” (MRL), also known as a tolerance, for pesticide residues on food like corn and soybeans. MRLs for glyphosate vary depending upon the commodity.

Farmers often have trouble getting their grain crops like corn, wheat and barley to dry out quickly for harvest, especially in wetter climates. So, the Big Ag chemical companies came up with the idea to douse the crops with glyphosate one to two weeks before harvest to kill the plants and accelerate the grain dry-out. This pre-harvest use of glyphosate allows farmers to harvest crops as much as two weeks earlier than they normally would.

Crop desiccation with glyphosate is a very common practice, and farmers use massive amounts of glyphosate on non-GMO crops such as wheat, oats, soybeans, corn and other crops right before harvest.

Along with wheat and oats, glyphosate is used to desiccate a variety of other crops including peanuts, lentils, peas, soybeans, flax, rye, triticale, buckwheat, millet, canola, sugar beets and potatoes. These food products are essentially drenched with glyphosate just a couple weeks prior to harvest, meaning even higher levels of glyphosate once these crops are harvested.

According to the EPA, glyphosate in used in the U.S. on at least 70 different food crops, including grains, spinach, avocados, almonds, walnuts, figs, plums, grapes, kiwi, lemons, grapefruit, pistachios, and pomegranates. Check out the full list here. The widespread usage of glyphosate makes it nearly impossible to avoid, and sample testing shows 93% of us test positive for glyphosate in our bodies.

Glyphosate’s Connection to Serious Health Issues

Recent studies show glyphosate is not only a dangerous chemical that has invaded our entire food system, but it has been linked to autism, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, serious food allergies (including celiac disease), Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, obesity, reproductive issues, and liver problems. And children bodies are even more susceptible to the damage from glyphosate.

Scientists around the world have been reviewing negative research concerning glyphosate, and it has been under even more serious scrutiny since the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified the herbicide as a “probable human carcinogen” in 2015.

In addition, the IARC also stated, “Glyphosate also causes DNA and chromosomal
damage in human cells.” Seventeen leading global cancer experts from the IARC classified glyphosate as a class 2A “probable human carcinogen”.

Glyphosate Damages Gut Bacteria and Blocks Vital Nutrients

Gut Bacteria—This recent study shows glyphosate’s connection to the disruption of key gut bacteria, impairing enzymes that are key to detoxifying the body and causing deficiencies in vitamins A and D3, and impairing the body’s ability to produce bile, a key substance in digestion of fats. And, glyphosate is now known to cause extreme disruptions in important beneficial microbes in our digestive tract, allowing overgrowth of harmful pathogens.

Vitamin, Mineral and Amino acid Deficiencies–Glyphosate also binds with iron, cobalt, molybdenum, copper and other vital minerals in the body, creating serious deficiencies. Additionally, glyphosate interferes with the activation of vitamin D in the liver by inhibiting the cytochrome P450 enzymes, creating a host of other problems related to vitamin D deficiency.

Increase in Food Allergies–Scientists say that gluten binds to glyphosate in the digestive system, creating a highly allergenic substance that people react to. This same thing applies to corn, soy, nuts, and peanuts sprayed with glyphosate. The very action of spraying crops with glyphosate creates a highly allergenic substance, one of the big reasons that kids have become so allergic to many foods including peanuts.

Link to Anxiety and Depression–Glyphosate disrupts a critical pathway in plants as well, destroying three of their essential amino acids which help our bodies create serotonin. Serotonin deficiencies lead to anxiety, depression, violent behavior, and other mental illnesses. And, glyphosate is now known to cause extreme disruptions in important beneficial microbes in our digestive tract, allowing overgrowth of harmful pathogens

Thyroid Problems–Glyphosate also depletes the body of tyrosine, an essential nutrient needed proper thyroid hormone. As a consequence, thyroid issues are increasing as well—often manifesting as hypothyroid problems, or autoimmune Hashimoto thyroid conditions.

How to Avoid Glyphosate

No matter how healthy and ‘clean’ your family’s diet may be, this pervasive chemical is extremely difficult to avoid! It is used on most all conventional crops, and its residues are in water run-off, streams, lakes, and rain. It is also carried through the air, so that even 100% organic foods now show traces of glyphosate.

Things you can do to avoid or minimize yours and your children’s glyphosate exposure:

• If you choose to eat grains and legumes at all (which many people avoid if they follow a Paleo style diet), make sure to choose organic grains and legumes. Eating an organic diet for 1 week reduces pesticide exposure in the diet by 90%.
• Avoid eating conventional grains and processed foods.
• Eat meat, poultry, eggs, butter and dairy products only from 100% grass fed or organically fed animals.
• Eat sulfur rich foods like eggs, organic cheese, onions and garlic. Glyphosate exposure in the body depletes sulfur and also effects sulfate pathways.
• Eat fermented foods and probiotics. Especially important are fermented foods with a live culture of acetobacter. This includes organic apple cider vinegar, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, cheeses and yogurt.
• Supplement with glutathione and manganese—two nutrients glyphosate depletes.
• Get plenty of sun so your body can make vitamin D, or supplement with D3 if you’re not getting adequate sunshine on your skin.

It may be almost impossible to avoid eating foods that have been exposed to glyphosate, but there is this one “Healthy Veggie” that you can easily avoid. Check your cubbards and cabinets to see if you are storing this deadly food in your home.

References
https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2018/08/21/And-now-the-food-lawsuits-General-Mills-sued-over-glyphosate-residue-post-Monsanto-289m-verdict
https://detoxproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/anresco_reports_food_testing_2016.pdf
https://www.alexfergus.com/blog/how-to-protect-yourself-from-glyphosate
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945755/
https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-016-0070-0
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945755/
http://www.glyphosate.eu/glyphosate-basics/history-glyphosate
https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2017-10-24-exposure-to-glyphosate-chemical-found-in-weed-killer-increased-over-23-years.aspx#.We9Y-2vV0Ih.facebook
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10854122
http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/pdf/MonographVolume112.pdf
https://www.ecowatch.com/epa-monsanto-glyphosate-cancer-2054307830.html
https://www.ecowatch.com/monsanto-glyphosate-cheerios-2093130379.html
https://www.schmidtlaw.com/roundup-lawsuits-centralized-in-mdl-in-northern-california/
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/09/monsanto-roundup-herbicide.aspx

The post Does this chemical in your Cheerios or oatmeal cause Cancer? appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling 

How Glyphosate Can Cause Gluten Sensitivity, Makes You Sick, and is More Prevalent Than You Think

What is Glyphosate?

Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the well-known weed-killer, “Roundup”. Glyphosate was patented by Monsanto in the 1970’s, and brought to the consumer market as Roundup in 1974, and became one of the best-selling and most well-known herbicides in the country. It’s use is widespread—not only is it used by homeowners on their lawns, but it’s used on golf courses, cemeteries, parks, and farms. Glyphosate has also become a favorite of farmers using it to kill weeds growing in their crops of wheat, oats, corn and soybeans.

Unfortunately, its use is now spread across the globe and it is heavily used here in the United States, but also Europe and other countries across the globe. Since its early introduction, glyphosate has now become one of the most widely used herbicides around the world.

In 1994, genetically modified crops were created to be “Roundup Ready”, and  introduced as being tolerant to this chemical, so its herbicidal action wouldn’t harm the agricultural crops, but would have a greater weed-killing effect on all other plants in the same field. Glyphosate went from being used in between rows of crops to kill just the weeds, to being used to heavily douse GM crops resistant to this toxic chemical.

A recently published paper describes the escalating use of glyphosate: 18.9 billion pounds have been used globally since its introduction in 1974, but a whopping 74 % of all glyphosate sprayed on crops has been applied in just the last 10 years as cultivation of GMO wheat, corn and soybeans expanded in the U.S. and globally.

Glyphosate is Heavily Used too on Non GMO Crops to Speed Up Harvest Times

Farmers often have trouble getting their grain crops like corn, wheat and barley to dry out quickly for harvest, especially in wetter climates. So, for those non GMO crops that are not Roundup Ready, the agri-chemical companies came up with the idea to kill the crop (with glyphosate) one to two weeks before harvest to accelerate the grain dry-out. This pre-harvest use of glyphosate allows farmers to harvest crops as much as two weeks earlier than they normally would.

Crop desiccation with glyphosate is now a very common practice, with glyphosate now being sold worldwide by over 40 companies under a variety of trade names. Farmers use massive amounts of glyphosate on non GMO crops such as wheat, oats, soybeans, and other crops right before harvest. Along with wheat and oats, glyphosate is used to desiccate a wide range of other crops including lentils, peas, soybeans, corn, flax, rye, triticale, buckwheat, millet, canola, sugar beets and potatoes. These food products are essentially drenched with glyphosate just a couple weeks prior to harvest, meaning even higher levels of glyphosate that linger once these crops are harvested.

Glyphosate’s Connection to Serious Health Issues

Originally deemed as “safe” and innocuous – as shown by this study done in 2000,  published in the Journal of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, Monsanto, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with the FDA, show an obvious lack of governmental concern.

However, more recent studies have surfaced showing glyphosate is not only a dangerous chemical that has invaded our entire food system, but it has been linked to autism,  non-Hodgkin lymphoma, serious food allergies (including celiac disease), Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, obesity, reproductive issues, and liver problems.

Scientists around the world have been reviewing negative research concerning glyphosate, and it has been under even more serious scrutiny since the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified the herbicide as a “probable human carcinogen” in 2015.

In addition, the IARC also stated, “Glyphosate also caused DNA and chromosomal damage in human cells…and one study in community residents reported increases in blood markers of chromosomal damage (micronuclei) after glyphosate was sprayed nearby.”  Seventeen leading global cancer experts from the IARC sparked a firestorm when they classified glyphosate as a class 2A “probable human carcinogen”.

In 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was set to conduct a risk assessment for glyphosate to determine if future use should be limited, but it was subsequently postponed, due, in part, to intense lobbying by the agrichemical industry.

More than three dozen lawsuits have been filed in California alone against Monsanto by people claiming Roundup gave them non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and both European and U.S. regulators are evaluating the chemical for continued use.

The increasing health issues that are now being tied to glyphosate are most likely caused from the massive increase in its usage, especially due to the escalating practice of grain crop desiccation just prior to the harvest.

Glyphosate Kills Off Beneficial Bacteria in the Gut

This recent study shows glyphosate’s connection to the disruption of key gut bacteria, impairing enzymes that are key to detoxifying the body and causing deficiencies in vitamins A and D3, and impairing the body’s ability to produce bile, a key substance in digestion of fats.

Glyphosate also binds with iron, cobalt, molybdenum, copper and other vital minerals in the body, creating serious deficiencies. Other deficiencies in key amino acids have been associated with both celiac disease and glyphosate exposure as well. And, glyphosate is now known to cause extreme disruptions in important beneficial microbes in our digestive tract, allowing overgrowth of harmful pathogens.

Dr. Seneff, a world reknown MIT Phd and scientist, surmises that gluten binds to glyphosate in the digestive system, creating a highly allergenic substance that people react to. This same thing applies to corn, soy, nuts, and peanuts sprayed with glyphosate. The very action of spraying crops with glyphosate creates a highly allergenic substance.  Glyphosate also kills off the beneficial bacteria important to the digestion of wheat and other grains. This includes bifido bacteria and lactobaccillus bacteria. Glyphosate disrupts a critical pathway in plants as well, destroying three of their essential amino acids which help our bodies create serotonin. Serotonin deficiencies lead to anxiety, depression, violent behavior, and other mental illnesses. Glyphosate also depletes the body of tyrosine, an essential nutrient needed proper thyroid hormone. As a consequence, thyroid issues are increasing as well—often manifesting as hypothyroid problems, or autoimmune Hashimoto thyroid conditions. Additionally, glyphosate interferes with the activation of vitamin D in the liver by inhibiting the cytochrome P450 enzymes, creating a host of other problems related to vitamin D deficiency.

Says Dr. Seneff, “…most of the diseases and conditions associated with a Western diet, which include gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, autism, infertility, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease…can be traced back to a combination of gut dysbiosis, impaired sulfate transport, and suppression of the activity of the various members of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) family of enzymes.” All connected to exposure to glyphosate.

What is especially alarming is that, in April 2016, Anresco – which is a U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) registered lab utilizing one of the most reliable tests for analyzing glyphosate residues — tested some 29 different foods commonly found in grocery stores. Some of the highest glyphosate residue was found in General Mills Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Stacy’s Pita crackers, Ritz crackers, Lucy’s oatmeal cookies, Kashi dark chocolate soft baked cookies, Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies, and Oreos, and dozens of other so-called ‘healthy’ cereals and snacks.  See the full report here.

“Frankly, such a high level of glyphosate contamination found in Cheerios, Doritos, Oreos and Pita Chips are alarming and should be a wake-up call for any parent trying to feed their children safe, healthy and non-toxic food,” Dave Murphy, executive director of Food Democracy Now, said.

The EPA sets a “maximum residue limit” (MRL), also known as a tolerance, for pesticide residues on food like corn and soybeans. MRLs for glyphosate vary depending upon the commodity. As of June, 2017 the FDA has resumed its evaluation of glyphosate in our food supply, after dropping the testing last year.

The list of common crops desiccated with glyphosate prior to harvest is long and alarming.  According to the EPA, glyphosate in used in the U.S. on at least 70 different food crops, including grains, spinach, avocados, almonds, walnuts, figs, plums, grapes, kiwi, lemons, grapefruit, pistachios, peanuts, and pomegranates. Check out the full list here. The widespread usage of glyphosate makes it nearly impossible to avoid, and sample testing shows 93% test positive for glyphosate in their bodies.

How to Avoid Glyphosate

No matter how healthy and ‘clean’ we try to eat, this pervasive chemical is extremely difficult to avoid!  It is now being used on most all conventional crops, and is so widespread in our environment, its residues are showing up in water run-off, streams, lakes, and rain. It can be carried through the air, so that organic foods now show traces of glyphosate. It’s been found in honey, cereals, meat, drinking water, infant formula, chips, cookies, fruit, and even breast milk!

Things you can do to avoid or minimize your glyphosate exposure:

• Of course, eat organic whenever possible. Especially if you choose to eat grains and legumes, which have some of the highest levels of glyphosate. In fact, research has shown that eating an organic diet for 1 week reduces pesticide exposure in the diet by 90%
• Avoid eating grains at all if you can—they raise blood sugar levels, increase insulin resistance, and cause weight gain when consumed in excess anyway.
• Avoid all processed foods unless they say 100% organic.
• Drink organic wine.
• Eat meat, poultry, eggs, butter and dairy products from 100% grass fed or organically fed animals.
• Buy local whenever possible.
• Eat sulfur rich foods like eggs, organic cheese, onions and garlic. Glyphosate exposure in the body depletes sulfur and also effects sulfate pathways.
• Eat lots of fermented foods and probiotics. Especially important are fermented foods with a live culture of acetobacter. This includes organic apple cider vinegar, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, cheeses and yogurt.
• Supplement with glutathione and manganese—two nutrients glyphosate depletes.
• Get plenty of sun so your body can make vitamin D, or supplement with D3.

Detoxing Your Body of Glyphosate

Eating a clean, organic diet and being aware of the origins of your food, will go a long way towards reducing the levels of glyphosate and other toxic pesticides in your system.

While Monsanto tries to retain global power over our food supply, we as individuals can take control over what we put in our bodies and the toxins we want to avoid. Let’s make a strong stand against Monsanto by choosing organic and locally grown foods.

Personal note from Catherine—While I have followed all the news articles on glyphosate over the last 5-10 years, I never really thought it had affected me. I eat a mostly low-grain diet, and concentrate on organic plant-based foods and naturally raised meats. However, in the mid 90’s, probably around 1995-96, which was coincidentally right after the introduction of GMO’s and Roundup resistant plants, as well as dramatically increased usage of Roundup, I became very allergic to wheat/gluten, and soon after developed an allergy to corn products, as well as soy. Not long after, I develop an allergy to nuts and peanuts, as well. I am now so sensitive, that it only takes trace amounts of these foods to cause an allergic reaction.

The most telling thing, however, was when I traveled to Peru, Ecuador, and Nepal and was able to eat–without any noticeable reaction–wheat, corn, as well as nuts and peanuts!  It was astounding! Most importantly, those countries do not use glyphosate on their crops, as of yet.  

References

https://detoxproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/anresco_reports_food_testing_2016.pdf

https://www.alexfergus.com/blog/how-to-protect-yourself-from-glyphosate

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945755/

https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-016-0070-0

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945755/

http://www.glyphosate.eu/glyphosate-basics/history-glyphosate

https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2017-10-24-exposure-to-glyphosate-chemical-found-in-weed-killer-increased-over-23-years.aspx#.We9Y-2vV0Ih.facebook

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10854122

http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/pdf/MonographVolume112.pdf

https://www.ecowatch.com/epa-monsanto-glyphosate-cancer-2054307830.html

https://www.ecowatch.com/monsanto-glyphosate-cheerios-2093130379.html

https://www.schmidtlaw.com/roundup-lawsuits-centralized-in-mdl-in-northern-california/

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/09/monsanto-roundup-herbicide.aspx

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