Gah!!

I just love this drawing.

Remember my soap box post about organic food? I don't like to seem paranoid or over-protective. I'm the one who doesn't clean my house very often (though it is tidy) and lets my kid crawl in dirt. Pretty much the most non-germophobic person ever, which is maybe kind of gross to some people. I occasionally roll my eyes when people sterilize their homes or hover too closely over their children. But on the other hand, common sense seems to hint one shouldn't spray toxic chemicals on food. That is fed to children.

I realize farmers feel this must be done to keep up their yields, remain competitive, etc. etc. I know consumers have done nothing but enable this sort of thing. I know it's not the farmers' fault. (Watch Food Inc. if you get the chance; best documentary I saw all year.) But still.

I'm ranting about this again because a recent study linked certain pesticides that are widely used on commercially-grown produce with ADHD in children. They still need to do more research, but if further studies show a more direct link, some of these pesticides may be banned. The rates of ADHD (and other problems, like autism) have been steadily rising 3% each year since 1997. The article I'll link to below talks about other contributing factors like over-use of video games and television, but apparently there is a pesticide connection.

What's upsetting to me is that the facts about a chemical often come out once it's too late for most people. Companies go ahead and sell things when long-term safety has never been proven, even when common sense points in the opposite direction. In most cleaning and body products, companies are not required to reveal all of their true ingredients - mystery items are listed as "fragrance".

It makes me mad, to be honest. We've mostly gone organic with Jude, but I feel angry for all of the people who've trusted the way things are conventionally done (I don't blame them), and have had small children during the years they've been using these pesticides so heavily. Are we guinea pigs, or human beings?

It's a good thing most kids are resilient. I don't mean to make anyone overly worried; I know how it is to lie awake in bed wondering what long-term effects something you've done or allowed to happen is having your child (ahem...when we had Jude vaccinated for H1N1). But I thought it was worth sharing an article on the study that appeared in Time (and also others posted on reputable sites: here and here). Have at it if you're interested, especially if you have kiddies.

What's really handy is this Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 list I shared in an earlier post. You can print it out and keep it in your wallet for when you go grocery shopping. I'm not saying one must always buy organic because I know it's expensive, but if you can commit to just buying the "dirty dozen" sans pesticides, that would be a big step.

Still reading? I'm impressed :)

P.S. Watch this flick. It's very revealing, and it made me cry.
Sorry to get all bossy on you. But do it.

Top image from idiomsbykids.com