Any farmer or agricultural worker who is farming soil treated with glyphosate and its adjuvants is at higher risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Buying all organic food, flowers, and plants is a way to keep them safe and protect them from potentially developing cancer.
Protect Agricultural Workers From Kidney Failure
Agricultural workers also need to be protected from glyphosate-induced kidney failure. Alarmingly, sugar cane workers in Central America are experiencing an unusual form of kidney disease not linked to diabetes. Many have been dying from this condition at a young age.
This condition has been called chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology, or CKDu. A similar phenomenon is happening among workers in the rice paddies in Sri Lanka.
In these cases, as explained in a 2019 study (co-authored by Stephanie Seneff), it appears that glyphosate works synergistically with another herbicide, paraquat, to damage the kidneys.
Sugar cane isn’t a genetically modified crop, but it’s often sprayed just before harvest with glyphosate, which acts as a ripener to increase the sugar yield. The workers who harvest the cane get high exposure to glyphosate, especially during harvest.
The Sri Lankan government actually banned glyphosate in 2015 in response to this clear evidence of harm. Sadly, due to pressure from the agricultural industry, the ban was lifted in November 2021.
Main Factor in Neurological Decline?
Another concern for farmers is the increased risk of neurodegenerative disease due to exposure to pesticides. A 2021 study published in the journal Gerontology found a higher prevalence of dementia among agricultural workers compared to others.
While several studies have shown that glyphosate causes neuroexcitotoxicity by exciting glutamate receptors in the brain, it wasn’t until this July that a definitive experimental study published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation pointed directly to a link with Alzheimer’s disease.
This study, involving mice, showed that glyphosate infiltrated the brain and increased levels of a well-known inflammatory agent, as well as of the toxic form of amyloid beta, the protein linked to Alzheimer’s. It further showed that glyphosate is directly toxic to cells.
Organic food is safer and healthier for your children, your family, the workers who pick your crops, and the planet. If you go to farmers markets, you can find even more organically grown local food and flowers at affordable prices.
If your pockets are feeling pinched, befriend the farmers in your area and find a way to do trades. Growing your own flowers and garden vegetables—or joining a local gardening club or cooperative—will also help you have a steady supply of healthy food and beautiful blooms.
What’s more, ongoing research is leading to creative technological solutions to the weed problem that don’t depend on toxic chemicals. Organic food has already become more affordable as we learn how to focus on regenerative, renewable agricultural methods that will increase yield without harming the ecosystem.
We must protect farmers from toxicant-induced diseases.
If we all stop buying conventionally grown food and garden plants, the demand for these will drop, and organics won’t be just a luxury for the rich.