Use of pesticides is still quite common as people are hired to protect crops. And, what the workers may not know, is if they have chronically stuffy, runny or itchy noses, this could be due to the pesticides.

Rhinitis, the medical term for a runny nose, is a common problem. Sometimes the cause can be traced to an allergy or a cold, but sometimes it appears to happen for no reason. Researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Science have been studying, since 1993, the health of people who apply pesticides. Before their study, the only one in the medical literature was of grape farmers in Crete. That study found that these farmers who used pesticides, had more allergic rhinitis symptoms compared with grape farmers who did not use the same pesticides.

The researchers found 2,245 commercial pesticide applicators and among the group, 74% had at least one episode of rhinitis in the past year. The rate of rhinitis seen in the general population is usually not more than 30%.

Of course, stuffy or runny noses aren’t severe problems, but discovering that the pesticides may cause this may lead to further research and further findings.

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Image: PhotoXpress.com

Post from: Blisstree

Itchy, Runny Nose May Be the Pesticides

I like the idea, because not only are the Dirty Dozen list items more pesticide ridden, but if you buy them in stores in the organic form, it’ll cost you. Some organics are far more expensive than others, and so growing them yourself is one great way around both pesticides and all that money you’d spend at the store.

Basics:

Container Gardening for Health offers complete guide to growing the twelve fruits and vegetables with the most pesticide residues according to USDA testing. The list items include, Peaches, Apples, Sweet Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Strawberries,Cherries, Lettuce, Grapes (imported), Pears, Spinach, and Potatoes. There is info on how to grow these and organic gardening methods. This is one gardening book I’m adding to my must read list, so hopefully I’ll get a review up later (if I can find it at my local library).

Have you read this book? What did you think – a good read or no?

Post from: Blisstree

Growing the Dirty Dozen

In order to educate women about this important topic, Seventh Generation has teamed up with the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) and has dedicated September 1st, 2009 as “Let’s Talk… Period” Day. The goal is to educate women about ovarian cancer and to raise funds that will support this education.

Head to the  “Let’s Talk… Period” Day website on September 1st (tomorrow) and register your email address. For each person who registers, Seventh Generation will make a $1 donation to the OCRF, with an overall donation of $22,000 representing the women that will be diagnosed this year. The website offers useful information on ovarian cancer signs, symptoms, risk factors and prevention, plus plenty of videos about healthier female care products.

As a thank you for logging in and participating, Seventh Generation will be giving each registrant a coupon for their organic cotton tampons that are not bleached with chlorine, free of rayon and don’t contain added perfumes or dyes. See the video below to find out what’s in most tampons…

Post from: Blisstree

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Here’s how to say see ya to lawn pesticides and still have a healthy and great looking lawn…

1. Water is not all it’s cracked up to be: Lawns really only need about one inch of water per week. Anymore and you’re just overly soaking the lawn which can ruin it, increase weeds, and waste water. Note, in rainy areas, you’ll need to water even less.

2. Sunshine rocks: A naturally shaded area won’t grow grass as easily and may just grow moss. Too much shade is not perfect for grass landscaping. If your lawn is shady, and you can’t fix the shade issue you may want to consider shade loving ground covers or flowers instead of grass.

3. Would it kill you to pull some weeds?: In a word no. BUT spraying them with harmful pesticide poison could affect your health negatively. Instead of weed killer try pulling weeds out. Use a trowel to dig out deep weed roots, and overseed any bare spots the weeds may have created on your lawn.

4. Quit raking: If you mow your grass, then leave said grass on your lawn, it’s sort of like composting naturally. This is called Grasscycling and it improves your soil making it nutrient rich.

5. Aerate annually: Each year you should use a core aerator on your lawn then overseed with grass seed. Afterwards top dress with 1/2 inch of fine compost.

6. Grow native plants: Native plants are made to survive much better in your location than exotic plants. They’ll need less watering, less care, and yup, fewer chemical additives to grow well.

7. Big lawns can be a drag: Keeping a smaller lawn healthy is easier and more efficient when it comes to resources like water. Instead of a huge lawn, make your grass area smaller and put in a nice cedar deck, mulch and add a play set for the kiddos, or grow veggies. Another perk for tree and shrub owners is that both trees and shrubs grow better when their roots remain grass-free. If you mulch over the soil atop the roots instead of grow grass the grass and trees and shrubs won’t be fighting for the same nutrients. mulch instead, so that grass and your trees aren’t fighting over nutrients. In fact some people go totally lawn-free and manage just fine.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Seven tips for a pesticide free lawn

This could be one reason why certain people do not get Type 2 Diabetes, despite being overweight and out of shape.

One insecticide in particular, chlordane, was used to fight termite infestations in “approximately 30 million homes from the 1950s until it was banned in 1988.” The vapors of this chemical get into homes ” through opening around pipes and cracks in concrete floors.” Chlordane compounds then ” accumulate in the fat tissues” and aid in the condition known as insulin resistance. Even more frightening was this statistic: ” Chlordane levels in the air of homes are known to remain high 30-plus years after application.”

For more information on how chlordane could affect you, please visit Diabetes Health Magazine.

Image: Morguefile.

Post from: Blisstree

Termites: Cause of Diabetes?

The group just released their newest version of the list and it’s available for download (handy for shopping trips).

This year the five worst conventional produce buys are…

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines

And the five safest conventional produce buys are…

1. Onions
2. Avocados
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapples
5. Mangos

How to use the list to your advantage:

• Only buy produce on the dirty dozen list in organic form. This will protect your family from unnecessary pesticides and chemicals.
• Save money for the organics you do need (i.e. the dirty dozen) by buying items from the “clean” list in conventional form.
• Don’t forget, if an item is on the list, you need to consider all forms of that fruit or veggie. For example, apples top the list of most contaminated. This means you not only need to buy fresh apples in organic form to avoid pesticides but also items like applesauce, apple juice, apple pies, and so fourth.

To see all the best and worst produce buys check out the entire list.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Updated “Dirty Dozen” List

Meningiomas are slow-growing tumors that arise in the tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. They are one of the most common forms of brain tumor, and occur most frequently in middle-aged women.

Such were what a U.S. study result suggests as published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Researchers found that among more than 1,400 U.S. adults with and without brain cancer, there was no overall link between the disease and on-the-job exposure to pesticides or herbicides — chemicals used to kill plants, usually weeds.

However, a closer look at the data showed that women who had ever been exposed to herbicides at work had a two-fold higher risk of meningioma than women with no such exposure.

Find more details from India Reuters.

Post from: Blisstree

Exposure to Pesticides and Herbicides, Linked to Brain Cancer in Women