The Consequences of Pesticide Toxicity

When we think of pesticides, normally the first thing that comes to mind is a chemical used to kill bothersome insects, weeds, or (as stated in the word’s root) pests. It’s a chemical that we use when we find cockroaches, mosquitos, earwigs, spiders and ants inside our homes. However, this chemical is also used by farmers to protect freshly grown crops from disease and bacteria. In the agriculture industry, farmers irrigate and fertilize all crops and produce that they grow before selling, packaging and transporting them to grocery stores. From there, grocery stores place them in the produce aisle for local customers to purchase for their daily snacks or meals. To sum up, the substance used to kill weeds and insects is the same chemical that farmers use to protect their crops for people to eat.

While this seems alarming, the reasoning behind it doesn’t sound so surprising. Without the use of pesticides, freshly grown crops are placed at high risk of obtaining bacteria, bugs, or decaying at a faster rate. Farmers spray their crops with pesticides to preserve their products and keep them fresh so that people can enjoy them without worrying about their food succumbing to bacterial buildup. While this sounds convenient for us, in reality, the ingestion of pesticides may actually cause more harm to our health.

Pesticides Impact on Our Health

More people today are constantly exposed to agricultural chemicals and pesticide residues in their diets. A study performed by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences suggested that children, especially those in farm families, are “susceptible to adverse effects from exposure to pesticides, including neurodevelopmental effects”¹. Long term exposure of pesticides will lead to a buildup of inflammation that can result in a wide-range of chronic conditions in the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, immune system and neurological developments. Toxicity caused by pesticides can either be acute or chronic depending on how much is ingested into our system.

Acute Pesticide Toxicity: This means the chemical can cause extremely harmful or lethal side effects 48 hours after initial inhalation or ingestion. Symptoms of this usually include:

• Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Sore throat, cough or respiratory tract irritation
• Skin and eye irritation
• Common allergies (frequent sneezing, swollen sinus, or rash) 

Chronic Pesticide Toxicity: Symptoms of pesticide toxicity are more gradual but accumulate over an extended period of time. This normally happens when lower levels of pesticides seep into the body but gradually develop inflammation that will eventually lead to a more chronic or permanent illness. Symptoms of this usually includes:

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Asthma
• Depression
• Cancer (leukemia or lymphoma)
• Anxiety
• Parkinson’s Disease

Detoxification for Pesticide Toxicity

To rid people of pesticide toxicity, LifeWorks Wellness Center has a few key methods depending on the patient’s case, although many of them usually involve an extensive treatment process full of ozone and intravenous therapies. Ozone is beneficial in strengthening the immune system, stimulating white blood cells, and destroying bacteria and fungi in the body. It is also useful in treating toxicity and inflammation built up in joints or muscles that may have flared up by constant environmental exposure. Other intravenous treatments such as Glutathione, Major Autohemotherapy (MAH), and Ultra Violet Blood Irradiation (UVBI) are meant to provide the body with proper nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Meanwhile, Chelation will extract all heavy metals, bacteria, and chemicals using a special solution containing special amino acids called EDTA along with magnesium and expel these toxins through the urine. Other detoxification methods include Extracorporeal Blood Oxygenation and Ozonation (EBOO), Hyperthermic Ozone and Carbonic Acid Transdermal Technology (HOCATT), and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT).

Treating Pesticide Toxicity at LifeWorks

At LifeWorks Wellness Center, we have seen many patients who have suffered with environmental toxicity without realizing it. Many of these cases have has some type of pesticide chemical that either caused their inflammation or progressed it. Prior to receiving any treatments, patients are required to consult with a LifeWorks practitioner for a full evaluation. This will help us learn more about the patient’s medical background, current and past medical conditions, allergies, and current or past medications. The patient will also complete some testing to determine the amount of toxicity that has accumulated within the body. This will assist us in deciding what kind of detox treatments will be needed as well as the amount and the frequency that will be required.

If you or someone you know have been exposed to pesticides or suffer from other forms of environmental toxicity, please call to schedule an appointment with one of our practitioners at 727-466-6789. Learn more about our detoxification treatments.