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Living Maxwell

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Another Reason to Eat Organic – Toxic Flame Retardants Found in Conventional Food

I almost fell over in my chair the other day when I read this one in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

In nearly half of the samples tested, researchers found traces of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in peanut butter, cold cuts, turkey, beef, and other fatty foods.

So what is HBCD exactly?

It is a flame retardant commonly used in the foam insulation of building walls, upholstered furniture, automobile interior textiles, car cushions and electronic equipment.

How toxic is it and who is concerned about it?

– The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that HBCD is “highly toxic to aquatic organisms. It also presents human health concerns based on animal test results indicating potential reproductive, developmental and neurological effects.”

HBCD is also on the EPA’s List of Chemicals of Concern.

– As a result of its toxicity and harm to the environment, the European Chemicals Agency decided to include HBCD in its Substances of Very High Concern list within the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, the European Union’s framework to regulate chemicals.

– Because of its toxicity, a global ban on HBCD is currently being considered under the framework of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

Of course, the chemical industry sees absolutely no reason to be alarmed at these test results.

Bryan Goodman, a spokesperson for the lobbying group North American Flame Retardant Alliance of the American Chemistry Council, has been quoted as saying “Based on these findings, the real story is that HBCD was not detected in the majority of the samples and in those where it was, it was well below levels where one might see adverse health effects. These results should not pose a concern for human health.”

Dr. Arnold Schecter, a public health physician at the University of Texas School of Public Health and an author of the study, said that all of the brands tested were “conventional” and none marketed themselves as organic.

MY TAKE

Based on this study, we know for sure that conventional food contains this toxic flame retardant.

We also know for sure that conventionally-grown food allows the use of highly toxic pesticides while organic food does not.

Since there is an abundance of chemicals everywhere – in our food, water, air, household products – and the majority of cancer is caused by environmental factors, we need to do whatever we can to keep dangerous toxins out of our bodies.

That means buying non-toxic cleaning products, organic/natural/eco-friendly personal care products, air purifiers for our homes, and ultra-purified water. It also means buying organic food.

The other thing that I want to address is something that came up the other day in the post I wrote about bluefin tuna containing radioactive material and it comes up again in this story – A consistent response that the amount of chemicals found in the food “does not cause harm” or “does not pose any risk to human health”.

I just shake my head in disbelief when I hear this.

Would the people making these statements put “small amounts” of this toxic material on a spoon and insert it into their mouths?

Never.

If we want to feed our families the safest and most nutritious food, organic food is the only option.

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Organic Insider

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What is Regenerative Organic Certified and Why it Could Become the New Gold Standard in Organic

If you are a consumer or participant in the organic industry, something new is set to hit the marketplace that you absolutely want to know about, and it is called the Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC).

Started by three organizations — Patagonia, Dr. Bronner’s and Rodale Institute — the certification aims to raise the bar for what organic represents.

But contrary to what one might believe, it is not a substitution for the USDA organic seal. Instead, it adds onto the USDA organic seal and is referred to as an “add-on” label. The USDA organic seal is a requirement, or a baseline, in order for a company to receive the ROC certification.

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Living Maxwell

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Another Reason to Buy Organic – The Link Between Genetically-Modified Foods and Fertility Problems

For people who are new to organic, the first question they generally have is “Why should I be eating this food?”

The easy response is “because organic food does not contain synthetic and toxic chemicals”.

Organic food also forbids the use of genetically-engineered ingredients, often known as GMOs (genetically-modified organisms).

Since GMOs are a little bit more complicated and a little less tangible, this point either gets overlooked or is not fully understood.

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Organic Insider

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President’s Cancer Panel Report is a Huge Endorsement for Organic Food

A few days ago, the President’s Cancer Panel, a group of independent doctors and researchers, released its annual report called “Reducing our Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now”. Needless to say, the connection between the amount of chemicals/harmful toxins in our environment and the high incidence of cancer is incredibly strong, and decisive action needs to be taken.

In its letter to the President, the Panel “urges you most strongly to use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our Nation’s productivity, and devastate lives.”

The report recommends that in order to decrease exposure to pesticides, individuals should choose “food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers” and “exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones and toxic run-off from livestock feed lots can be minimized by eating free-range meat without these medications.”

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