Zen Honeycutt from Moms Across America is one of the driving forces behind the activity in the USA to ban Glyphosate, the active ingredient on RoundUp – but why? Instrumental in finding Glyphosate (Round Up) in breast milk at shocking levels, Zen shares her findings and explains the impacts of this chemical on babies and children.
Zen, you organised the testing of breast milk from a number of USA based mothers. What did the tests show?
- Our tests found that glyphosate was evident in our breast milk at levels up to 1600 X higher than is allowed in the drinking water in Europe.
- 30% of the women tested had levels above 75 ppb. The level considered safe in drinking water in Europe is 0.1ppb, so 75ppb is very high.
- The other 70% women ate organic foods, were well aware of GMOs and Glyphosate and endeavoured to live free of chemicals.
- It is also recognized on the EPA fact sheet to “cause liver and kidney damage” and is a “reproductive effector” or in other words, and endocrine disruptor.
- It’s now considered one of the most toxic chemicals in human history by many world recognized doctors and scientists.
I believe there have been animal studies that confirm Glyphosate causes immense harm. What are the human impacts of glyphosate?
- Glyphosate works in that it is a chelator which makes vitamins and minerals unavailable to living things, therefore weakening their immune system. We need Vitamin D, zinc, selenium etc, to fight cancer. With vitamin and mineral deficiencies we expose ourselves to greater risk of illness and cancer. Don Huber, 50 year plant pathologist says that “Glyphosate essentially gives the plant AIDS, weakening its immune system so that the normally harmless bacteria in the soil kills it.”
- Cancer is now one of the top two killers of our children in America. 1 out of 2 males and 1 out of 3 females are expected to get cancer in America. Glyphosate has been scientifically proven by the Carrusco study to destroy gut bacteria in chickens. Our gut bacteria is where 70% of our immune system lies.
- There has been a 79% increase in children with Crohns disease in America, just in hospital outpatient diagnosis in the past 10 years.
- Colitis has tripled in 10 years.
- The gut bacteria is also the only place where the body makes Tryptophan and without Tryptophan the body is impaired to make Serotonin and Melatonin, both which prevent diabetes, obesity, depression, bi polar and acts of violence.
- Rates of diabetes in teens have quadrupled in the past 10 years alone.
- Glyphosate is an endocrine disruptor, which is shown to increase birth defects in miscarriages in a Pig Study in Denmark; Pedersen and Krueger, interestingly at the same rate birth defects and miscarriages currently exist in America. That being 30% failure to conceive, the highest in recorded history. It has been link to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and by reputable doctors, linked to an increase of cancer cell growth.
“Today we see a skyrocketing number of people sick with 1 out of 2 of our children in America have autoimmune illnesses, asthma, autism, allergies, diabetes and obesity. All which can be linked to glyphosate causing the destruction of gut bacteria, vitamin and mineral deficiency and impaired immune system.”
How does glyphosate get into our mother’s breast milk?
- Glyphosate is sprayed on GMO foods, many non GMO and non organic foods as a desiccant, or drying agent, to speed up harvest. It does not dry, wash or cook off.
- It has been reported to take years to break down in the soil and even longer in the ocean.
- The manufacturers of glyphosate have been reported to say that “glyphosate passes harmlessly through the body in the urine” and that it does not collect in the bodily fluids or tissues.
- This has been disproven by animal tissue studies and now these findings of glyphosate in breast milk.
- Glyphosate has been found in in the majority of tap water sampled, in urine, air, rain, river water, grains, 160 of our USA foods and most recently in the feeding tube liquid fed to babies and children with cancer, trauma and chronic conditions.
Do we have a problem in Australia or is it just the USA ?
Although not on the scale of the USA, where 85% of USA food is GMO and 160 of USA food crops are allowed to be contaminated with Glyphosate, this chemical is prevalent in Australia agriculture and is also relevant for the foods that Australia imports from the USA.
What can we do about it?
- We can work together globally and locally to ban Roundup and revoke the license of glyphosate.
- Glyphosate is used in over 1600 herbicide products and is used around the world by the hundreds of millions of pounds per year.
- It is a huge task before us but we know that even one person can make a difference when you present a letter to your school P&C, city council, representative, hospital director or child care centre. We need every person reading this to take action to protect our families and the planet.
- In the meantime, until a ban is achieved, we can focus on avoiding Glyphosate and detoxing. How?
- Buying and eating organic food
- Investigating reverse osmosis systems (make sure to put trace minerals back in). In a recent study, 90% of pesticides were removed from the diet and subjects ate organic for just one week.
- Add probiotic foods into your diet for gut health and help replenish good gut bacteria with 2 tablespoons of raw organic sauerkraut at 2 meals per day. Organic yogurt, miso, Kim chi, keifer and fermented vegetables also help restore gut bacteria. This is essential for good health and extremely important before conception and during pregnancy.
Where can our members go for additional information and your research material?
Go to www.momsacrossamerica.com to access more information, research data, event/activates run by Moms across America as well as details on Zen Honeycutt’s speaking opportunities.
- For details regarding the MAA Glyphosate go to MAA http://www.momsacrossamerica.com/glyphosate_testing_results.
- To get your water, breast milk or urine tested for Glyphosate ask your local laboratories
For information on pesticide induced diseases visit Beyond Pesticides – Pesticide InDuced Diseases Database
ZEN HONEYCUTT: Founder of Moms Across America (MAA) and mother of three sons, one of whom had life threatening allergies. That is, until she found out about GMOs and helped her sons to avoid them. Zen created the forum for Moms to reach out & encourage one another. The power of one. It started a movement and they march in solidarity across 46 states of the USA.
Looking for a speaker, keynote or panalist for your next event. Contact Zen