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Glyphosate: The effects on health & Planet
History of glyphosate
Glyphosate was first registered in the U.S. in 1974. It was patented as an antibiotic and used as a herbicide. Glyphosate is the main active ingredient in Roundup, which is the most sprayed herbicide in the United States. 1.8 million tons of glyphosate are sprayed every year, and this amount is rising. It is used in home gardens, playgrounds, schools, and conventional farming. Glyphosate is water-soluble and is found in the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe. Due to the excessive amount of spraying, it is really hard to avoid it. In 2015, a study showed that 93% of U.S. people have glyphosate in their bodies.
The World Health Organization has declared that this chemical is a human health hazard.
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2015: The WHO declared glyphosate a probable carcinogen.
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2017: The state of California EPA declared that glyphosate is a carcinogen and causes cancer.
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2018: A jury declared that glyphosate caused a terminal illness in a dying man.
How does glyphosate work?
Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide, meaning it will kill most plants. It prevents plants from making certain proteins that are needed for growth. Glyphosate does this by stopping a specific enzyme pathway called the shikimic acid pathway, which is necessary for plants and some microorganisms.
Environmental impacts
The use of glyphosate has a negative impact on the environment in many ways, including:
- Heavy spraying damages soil ecosystems, depleting life such as bugs, insects, and animals that eat bugs.
- Being water-soluble means it can be vaporized and contaminate our air and rain.
- When it rains, topsoil runoff is washed into local groundwater, streams, rivers, and coastal waters.
- These runoffs cause harm to marine life by causing eutrophication, which leads to dead zones the size of Texas.
Health Impacts
Glyphosate impacts our health in multiple areas. Firstly, let's start with gut health. Our gut houses 40 trillion microorganisms, and we know that glyphosate is an antibiotic, meaning it destroys bacteria. This can cause an imbalance of bacteria in our gut, called dysbiosis, where we have more pathogenic bacteria than good ones. Dysbiosis causes a cascade effect leading to food sensitivities, leaky gut, gas, bloating, malabsorption, and immune dysfunction.
Glyphosate also destroys the gut barrier by damaging the tight junctions, leading to a condition known as leaky gut. Leaky gut is where gaps form in the intestinal wall, allowing undigested foods, particles, and endotoxins to enter the bloodstream. When this happens, these molecules can activate the immune system, leading to an overactive immune response, food sensitivities, and autoimmune diseases if left untreated.
Glyphosate is a chelator, which binds to copper, iron, and manganese. It also shuts down the cytochrome P450 detox pathway, causing the liver to function improperly. Glyphosate is also an endocrine disruptor, which can interfere with our hormones. Hormones play a major role by sending messages through the bloodstream to tissues and organs, affecting many processes in the body, including reproduction, digestion, metabolism, and growth.
Glyphosate is water-soluble, and our bodies are 70% water. Therefore, any cells nourished by the bloodstream can be damaged by glyphosate. Like the tight junctions in the gut, glyphosate also damages the tight junctions in the brain, known as the blood-brain barrier. Heavy metals can now enter the brain, causing a condition known as leaky brain, leading to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Glyphosate Solution
Before any sort of detoxing to remove glyphosate, we need to stop consuming non-organic and GMO foods (genetically modified organisms), especially avoiding GMO foods because they are genetically engineered to withstand glyphosate. Drink 2 to 4 liters of filtered water—not tap water—to help hydrate cells so they can function optimally.
Once all exposure is removed, detoxification can help remove glyphosate and other harmful toxins. Detoxing needs to be done under supervision, as it can be harmful to the body, so seek guidance from professional health practitioners.
After many years of researching for ways to remove, I had found Purium supplements. Biome Medic from Purium has proven to eliminate up to 74% glyphosate in 6 weeks by a 3rd party validated and has been given gold seal by detox project.
