Oils in Their Natural Habitat

Oils In Their Natural Habitat

An unofficial study into the understanding of pesticides, their effects on health and wellness, and positive alternatives

It is no shock in the health and wellness community that we are surrounded by dangers of all kinds, mainly chemicals! Chemicals are everywhere! They are in our homes with the products we use to clean. They are on our clothes disguised as a gentle mountain breeze. They are on the food that we consume daily.

Growing up, I couldn’t have cared less about chemicals and their effects on my health, mainly because I had no idea! My parents told me to get things clean, and so I did using the the cleaners we had in our house, and that was completely normal. My father, his brother (my uncle) and my grandmother all have the same form of skin cancer. My father and his other brother both have diabetes. My grandfather passed away at the age of 40 years old. These are all things that I now think to myself, ‘Could they have been avoided if we simply stopped using chemical products?’ If you ask me my personal opinion, I would say absolutely yes!

The focus of this [unofficial] study will be on the potential harm caused by several pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, antibiotics and bactericides that are being used on the food that we consume daily, as well as potential alternatives when caring for a private garden in which to grow your own plants and food.

Allow me to start by saying that, first and foremost, I am not an expert in any field relating to the use of vegetation care products. All research done by myself is based off of expert research and other non-expert research. My intention is to bring to light the potential harm that can come from ingesting even small amounts of these chemicals on a daily basis.

Farms all over America utilize many of the same pesticides, fungicides, bactericides, herbicides and antibiotics. Listed below are the top five most used and most common non-organic chemicals used in the United States.

NON-ORGANIC

Atrazine

One major chemical that is used to care for the food we consume is called Atrazine. Atrazine is sold mainly as a weed killer in order to keep weeds from strangling the other plants, crops, vegetables and fruits. In 2001, Atrazine was found to be the most common contaminant found in drinking water. This means that not only are we consuming it through the foods we eat, but the water we drink. Studies have shown that Atrazine disrupts the endocrine system. The endocrine system is responsible for the regulation and health of your pineal glands, pituitary glands, pancreas, ovaries (for women), testes, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, and adrenal glands. When your endocrine system is disrupted, your body is thrown out of homeostasis which leads to many forms of illness and disease.

The main compound in Atrazine is Cyanuric Chloride. In 1970, cyanuric chloride was tested on several animals. They would make a paste out of it then rub it on mice or rats. Over the following year and a half, these animals grew tumors in the places the cyanuric chloride paste was placed. This goes to show that even though the effects may come slowly, they still come. Cyanuric chloride is chemically treated with two compounds; ethylamine and isopropylamine.

Ethylamine is a chemical compound often found in urine. When doing research on patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), much higher levels of ethylamine were measured.

Studies done of isopropylamine have shown that when contact has been made, it leads to a persistent loss of vision over time until eventually blindness occurs. Isopropylamine is also a common compound used in chemotherapy for cancer patients.

Atrazine is not banned for use in America.

Chlorpyrifos

Chlorpyrifos is another chemical used for caring for vegetation. It is primarily used as an insecticide. Insecticides are generally intended to work as a nerve gas for insects. They are spread over crops in low doses to be inhaled by insects. When an insect inhales chlorpyrifos, the poison circulates through the lungs, causing them to be the first thing to shut down, enforcing the suffocation of insects. Once breathing stops, the body of the insect has no oxygen. That with the mixture of the poison throughout the body, begins to kill the nerves and then everything in the body begins to shut down. The theory is that in low doses, this compound has no effect on humans or other living creatures. Studies have proven this theory to be incorrect.

Chlorpyrifos has been tested on animals and have shown to cause tumors as well as lead to lung cancer, and possibly other types of cancer. Immediate side effects of ingesting chlorpyrifos may include paralysis, seizures, loss of consciousness, and even death.

Chlorpyrifos is not banned for use in America.

Metolachlor

Metolachlor is a common herbicide used for specific crops including corn, soybean, peanuts, sorghum, and cotton. Metolachlor is the second most common contaminant found in drinking water, right behind Atrazine. The studies done on metolachlor show some scary results, and a lot of them, too. If your body is exposed to this chemical too much, it may lead to abdominal cramps, anemia, ataxia, increase in dark urine, methemoglobinemia, cyanosis, hypothermia, collapse, convulsions, diarrhea, jaundice, weakness, nausea, shock, sweating, vomiting, central nervous system depression, dizziness, dyspnea, liver damage, nephritis, heart failure, dermatitis, sensitization, eye and mucous membrane irritation, corneal opacity, and reproductive toxicity.

Metolachlor is banned in Europe but not in America.

MetamSodium

Metam sodium is a soil fumigant, pesticide, herbicide and fungicide. It is used for a variety of crops as an all-in-one compound. In 1991, 19,000 or more gallons of metam sodium were being transported on a train. The train derailed next to a river, dumbing all of it in. In the area where the chemical had spilled, all of the aqualife had died, as well as many areas downstream. As a result of the spill, there was no choice but to have further studies done on the chemical. Studies resulted in metam sodium being a cause of developed asthma in humans, birth defects, fetal death, genetic mutation as well as developmental issues.

Metam sodium is not banned in America.

Glyphosate

Glyphosate is the second most common used product for killing weeds. Aside from its chemical name, it is more commonly known as RoundUp. This product is sold for home use as well as farm use. Studies have shown that people who suffer from various illnesses have much higher levels of glyphosate in their systems. Possible health issues have been know to arise from the use of glyphosate including ADHD, Alzheimer's, birth defects, autism, brain cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, celiacs disease, colitis, depression, diabetes, heart disease, inflammatory bowel syndrome (leaky gut syndrome), liver disease, Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS), multiple sclerosis, non-hodgkin’s lymphoma, parkinson’s disease, possible pregnancy issues, obesity, respiratory issues and reproductive issues.

Glyphosate is not banned in America.

ORGANIC

Organic branding is the new fad. Organic vegetables, plants, fruits, milk, etc. But what does organic really mean? Organic does not necessarily mean that farms are not using pesticides, herbicides, bactericides, antibiotics or fungicides. What organic means is that farms use organically derived chemicals to care for their crops. Just because something is organically derived, does not mean it is good for you.

Sulfer (Sulpher)

There are three main chemicals, among others, used to care for organic crops. One main chemical used is sulfer (sulpher). Sulfer is found mainly near hot springs or around volcanoes. There is iron, lead, calcium, and magnesium sulfer (sulfate) among others. There are, believe it or not, many possible health effects including neurological effects, behavioral changes, disturbances in blood circulation, damage to the heart, effects on eyes and eyesight, reproductive failure, damage to immune system, stomach and gastrointestinal disorder, damage to liver and kidneys, hearing defects, disturbances in hormonal metabolism, dermatological effects, suffocation and lung embolism.

Copper

Copper is used generically as a fungicide. Initially, your thought may be ‘why copper? It’s a metal.’ Manufacturers have developed a chemically treated copper that keeps it in it’s liquid form. The issue with copper is that it does not soak into the soil, it is not biodegradable, and cannot absorb into plants. In cases of excess water from unintentional over watering, floods, etc, the copper will flow along on the surface water, potentially reaching common drinking areas for wildlife and livestock. If wildlife or livestock ingest too much copper, they can get copper poisoning. Copper poisoning can lead to organs shutting down as well as liver damage and kidney disease.

Rotenone

Rotenone is a naturally occurring crystalline isoflavone in the roots of many subtropical plants and is used in many pesticides for organic farms. When rotenone is ingested, it has a nasty habit of attacking mitochondria. Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. When the mitochondria is damaged, it potentially could lead to organ failure.

(Not So) Fun Fact!!

Nearly HALF of the “organic” vegetation care products used in the US have not passed standard safety tests in Europe, and are not allowed to be used on organic certified farms.

Considering the above noted information, I am fairly comfortable saying that there is not a lot you can trust. There are tons of alternatives, however! You can always plant your own garden and use your own repellant. You could visit local farmer’s markets and search for your favorite chemical/toxin-free vendor, or you could give up eating, however, I feel as though that is not in the best interest of your health!

Essential Oil Botanical Preservation

The option that I enjoy most is planting your own garden and caring for it using all natural, 100% therapeutic-grade essential oils by Young Living. Essential oils are not in any way shape or form a pesticide, herbicide or insecticide. They are a great fungicides, bactericides, antibiotics and natural repellants.

My mother and father run a small, private Christian school in Georgia. Through that school they have a very successful agricultural program for the students to expand their knowledge and skills. The school has two greenhouses and a hoop house. My wife and I were able to talk to them about the dangers of the chemicals generically used, their effects on health and wellness, and were able to find out a better way of preserving their greenery and vegetables.

In 2016, the school had about 6,000 - 8,000 plants growing; they had over 250 plants die to pests and insects using standard vegetation care products. In 2017, they increased the amount of plants to 10,000 plants in hopes to make up for the potential loss. After having switched from standard care products to a formulation of essential oils, they were able to preserve all but about five plants! That is a huge success!

They apply the formulated essential oil repellant once a week to all of their plants. They are able to see its success because when they walk into the greenhouses a day after spraying, all of the bugs are on the ceiling trying to escape.

The oils that are used at their school are designated for the issues that are specific to the needs of their greenery. Due to the humidity levels in Georgia, this mixture includes some more fungal and bacteria fighting oils, as it is a big problem.

Peppermint

Peppermint is great for repelling aphids, squash bugs, white flies, ants, beetles and fleas (to name a few). It is also one of the best natural repellents for spiders. Peppermint prevents fungal growth and repels vermin as well. If you have a cat, or several, planting some peppermint plants with your other plants and/or flowers that are toxic to cats will help keep them away and safe.

Thyme

Thyme is a great oil for repelling chiggers, ticks, roaches and beetles. It is also fantastic for preventing fungal growth.

Cedarwood

Cedarwood does a great job at repelling gastropods such as slugs and snails, aphids, lice, moths and weevils. It is also fantastic for spritzing on your dogs to prevent fleas from making a home on their backs.

Thieves

Thieves is the only blend included in this list because it contains necessary ingredients to caring for your garden. Thieves contains rosemary, which repels flies, fleas and mosquitoes. It is also great for repelling insect larvae, preventing fungal growth, and also helps to keep the cats away. Clove is another oil included in thieves and is great for repelling most flying insects and well as prevents fungal growth. Cinnamon has strong antifungal properties as well. Eucalyptus Radiata repels ants and gnats.

Lavender

If your garden is outside, having lavender in your mixture is fantastic for attracting natural pollinators. Pollinators can bring in a lot of benefits to your garden.

Neem

I understand that Neem oil is not sold by Young Living, but it can play a vital role in the care of your garden. Neem is a natural pesticide, yet is completely safe for plants. It kills parasites, larvae, eggs and adult insects. It also kills and prevents fungus. Neem oil has been shown to have tons of health benefits, however, there are ongoing studies that are exploring the possible side effects it may have on humans. None of these studies are conclusive or definitive, however, if you feel it best to use caution, it is suggested to use neem oil only on non-consumables. It is marketed as safe for animals and humans, but with warnings to not allow infants and toddlers to come into contact, as well as to keep away from pregnant women.

If you are looking for a good alternative that is completely safe, you may substitute apple cider vinegar. You will need to apply it twice as much as you would neem oil.

This table features information on which oils repel specific insects, gastropods, and vermin.

If you don’t feel like it or don’t have the time to grow your own garden with all the foods you want to eat, the link below is possibly what you are looking for. It’s an alternative shopping guide that gives you an entire database of where to find what you are looking for. This guide shows foods that have not been genetically modified. In no way does the website or myself promise that (even in Organic foods) pesticides were not used and could not still have adverse effects on the health of you and your family.

Using caution when determining what foods you eat is always recommended. There are so many contributions to bad health in America and food is only one source to look out for.

DISCLAIMER:

The information presented is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, prescribe or treat any health condition and should not be used as a substitute for consulting with a professional health care provider.

*This information applies solely to Young Living products and should not be used in conjunction with other brands of Essential Oils.*

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