Just How Dangerous are Pesticides?

Pesticide is a general term for Weed, Insect and Disease Controls. The following is a true story.

A good friend of mine, from my landscaping days is a Pesticide Applicator. He is licensed by the state. Last June, he was applying an Insecticide in granular form. He was wearing a respirator to keep the dust out of his lungs, short sleeves and pants, but it was hot. It was over 90 degrees that day and he was sweating. The dust stuck to his sweaty clothes and absorbed into his skin through his open pores. Before he knew it he was unconscious on a customer's front lawn and was rushed to the hospital. Thank goodness they were home. He spent the day in the hospital on IV, having fluids pumped into him to flush out the poison in his system.

This year, it was time to apply insect control again. He took the same precautions, and wore long sleeves to cover his skin. It was not quite so hot this year, in the low to mid 80's. It just happened to be time for his regular check up, and his Blood work came back irregular. High Blood Sugar. The doctor sent him for more tests. His pancreas was not processing insulin fast enough. This left him with periods of high blood sugar. He was of course very upset. This is a guy who is in generally good shape, a healthy weight and diabetes does not run in his family. At only 40 it was quite a shock.

The doctor just wanted to monitor him for a few weeks before putting him on any kind of medicine. He went for regular Blood Sugar Testing. After he had been done applying the insecticide for a few weeks, his blood sugars were back to normal. The insecticide had caused the problem. When the body is sick, whether it be from a virus or a toxin, the rest of the body slows down so it can eradicate the illness. This is what happened to my friend.

Think of all the chemicals we put on our lawn and plants, all the cleaning supplies we pour down the drains that ends up in our own bodies and our waterways. Overexposure to one chemical for a few weeks, almost poisoned my friend, just think what those chemicals constantly being applied all around us can do to fish and wildlife. Not to mention our children and pets.

How many of us have applicator's come apply 6 or 8 chemical treatments to our lawns annually? Usually a little flag is left on our front lawns. If we are not aware, it is easy to let the dog out after work, or tell our kids to go out and play, not realizing the potential danger that lurks in our own backyards.

Or maybe you apply your own chemicals. Most of us don't own respirators or even wear dust masks when applying fertilizers or control products.

Chemicals are generally not good. They cause disease in the body. Whether it is chemicals in our foods, cleaning products, or pesticides and fertilizers they can all cause problems with our health. A hundred years ago, people ate what they grew, there were no growth hormones for livestock and farmers used natural products like manure and compost to feed their plants. There were not nearly as many diseases as there are today. This is why living an organic lifestyle is so important. Get back to basics, simplify and teach your children to do the same. Our health, our planet and our future depend on it.