This herbicide, familiar as Roundup, has been studied for years to determine its affect on human health. Despite claims of safety, made by Monsanto the maker of Glyphosate, it has been shown to cause serious health concerns. Glyphosate can be present in the foods you eat and the water you drink.

Health issues associated with Glyphosate

• Autism
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Allergies
• Neurological diseases
• Cardiovascular disease
• Kidney disease
• Cancer

What is Glyphosate?

Glyphosate is commercially known as Round Up. It is a chemical herbicide used to kills weeds on farms and in residential yards. Glyphosate was believed to be ‘biodegradable’ but has been shown to leave traces in food grown in soil that has been treated with it and in water due to chemical run off into water systems.

Why does it cause health issues?

Dr. Stephanie Seneff, research scientist from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, believes that Glyphosate causes systemic toxicity and nutritional deficiencies. Exposure to Glyphosate can make existing health issues worse and help create new ones.

• Systemic toxicity. Glyphosate attacks weeds by entering their shikimate pathway. Humans and animals do not have this pathway but our gut bacteria do. Your body has more types of bacteria microbes than it does cells making them extremely important to your health. Glyphosate damages beneficial bacteria, allowing ‘bad’ bacteria to take over and create systemic toxicity. Inflammation, created by toxins is a prime cause of disease.
• Decreases the functioning of Cytochrome P450 enzymes. These enzymes are responsible for detoxifying chemical compounds not naturally found in the body. Glyphosate causes these enzymes not to function properly leaving your body vulnerable to all chemical and environmental toxins.
• Nutritional deficiencies. Glyphosate disrupts the aromatic amino acids that come from food you eat. It also decreases foods nutritional value. Both of these issues combined with a toxic gut create nutritional deficiencies
• Increases risk of autism. As the body attempts to breakdown Glyphosate it creates ammonia and formaldehyde both chemicals that are harmful. Those who have autism or Alzheimer’s have higher levels of these chemicals in their bodies.

What can you do to avoid Glyphosate?

Glyphosate isn’t just sprayed on the plant it becomes a cellular part of the plant, giving anything grown with it the ability to pass it on to your body.

• Avoid genetically engineered foods, especially sugar, corn, soy and wheat. GMO crops are genetically formulated to tolerate high levels of Glyphosate. GMO corn has 13ppm of Glyphosate as compared to regular corn that has none. The 13ppm level is 18 times higher than the ‘safe’ level set by the EPA.
• Do not use Roundup. Don’t use it in your yard or garden and talk to neighbors about not using it in theirs either.
• Be proactive. Ask farmers in your area if they use synthetic pesticides, GMO grain, sewage or petroleum based fertilizers and let them know that you won’t be buying their products.
• Drink filtered water whenever possible. Glyphosate leaches into the water table and shows up in wells and other sources fed by ground water.
• Don’t forget about your pets. All chemicals should be kept away from pets but using weed killers and non-organic fertilizers are extremely harmful to our four legged friends.

'Ask a Naturopath' about more ways to protect yourself from chemicals in your environment.