Study: Pesticide Exposure May Be Linked to ADHD in Children

Study: Pesticide Exposure May Be Linked to ADHD in Children

Earlier this year, a joint research study conducted by Harvard and the University of Montreal reinforced an earlier research which found a connection between pesticide exposure and Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children [1].



While harsh chemicals are, logically, a very effective choice for pest control, their effects easily cross over to humans who come into contact with them.

The effects of pesticides on genetic material is tremendous. Much of the body’s essential chemistry – including parts of the brainstem as well as the genetic materials DNA and RNA – are made up of similar biological compounds. They are so similar in fact, that organophosphates essentially interrupt their core processes.

The well-documented ability of these compounds to damage or even destroy neurological and genetic material makes the possible link to ADHD and other behavioral conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, seem that much more plausible in the eyes of researchers.



In both sets of studies, the research teams found a strong connection between ADHD-related symptoms and pesticide levels found in the test subjects’ urine. Their overall conclusion was that the concentrations of organophosphates found in the bodies of most U.S. children are sufficiently high to trigger ADHD-like behavioral effects.

Avoid Unnecessary Pesticide Exposure?


child eating apple

Incidences of ADHD continue to climb. Theories about the cause of this recent surge in ADHD are almost as numerous as the children who carry the label. Unfortunately, it’s still not well understood.

Reducing your family’s exposure to brain-altering chemical compounds is not always easy. This stuff has been poured and saturated into the environment at levels that are mind blowing, to say the least. That said, there are simple things you can undertake to reduce exposure as much as possible.:

Consume only fresh, organic produce. Commercially grown fruits and vegetables are the number one source of pesticide exposure for humans. By eating naturally grown produce, you can dramatically reduce your family’s exposure to these chemicals. A good place to start, is your local farmers market http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=33340, as they will have locally-grown and organic produce.



Public parks and green spaces are also common places to come into contact with organophosphate pesticides. Pay attention to where your children play. Ask your parks department what forms of pest control are used at your favorite play areas. Ask for details on the treatment schedule. This should allow you to avoid visiting on days when pesticide concentrations are at their highest.

I recommend regular body cleansing http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=33401 and detoxification http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30713 to help your body purge built-up toxins, such as those found in pesticides, and to promote general health and well-being. Global Healing Center offers a range of natural cleansing supplements that can help your body deal with exposure to pesticides and other toxic chemicals.

by Dr. Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM

References:

1. Maryse F. Bouchard PhD, David C. Bellinger PhD, Robert O. Wright MD MPH, Marc G. Weisskopf PhD. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate Pesticides http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/6/e1270.abstract. Pediatrics. 2010 May 17. vol. 125 no. 6, pp. e1270 -e1277 (doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-3058).

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Children may 'inherit' their mothers' diets

Children may 'inherit' their mothers' diets

Recent studies suggest that a mother’s food habits during pregnancy have an impact on her child’s future food preferences.
More and more often, we are seeing reports from scientists that high-sugar and high-fat foods influence the reward pathways in the brain – in essence, these foods have addictive properties. Human brain imaging studies have confirmed that overeating and addictive eating behaviors are associated with abnormal brain activity in dopamine reward circuits, and this is similar to the activity characteristic of drug addiction.1-3
One recent study has taken this data a step further – they have shown that consumption of a high-sugar, high-fat diet (junk food diet) by pregnant rats actually affected the development of the reward system in the brains of their pups. When given a choice between standard food and junk food, the pups whose mothers were fed junk food chose to consume more junk food than other pups.4
These food preferences may be learned by the fetus through its developing sense of smell. The development of the smell-processing area of the mouse pup’s brain (called the olfactory bulb) is influenced by scents that are concentrated in amniotic fluid, and these scents are determined in part by the mother’s diet. In another recent study, a more flavorful diet containing stronger scents given to pregnant and nursing mice resulted in enhanced development of the olfactory bulb in their pups. Also, when given a choice of food, these pups had a strong preference for the same diet their mothers had, whereas other pups had no preference.5
These studies suggest that a mother is actually able to “teach” her babies which foods are desirable based on what she eats during pregnancy and nursing.
Earlier studies found additional detrimental health effects on rat pups whose mothers ate a junk food diet (a diet composed of high-sugar, high-fat foods designed for human consumption) during pregnancy and nursing: these pups were more likely to be obese, were subject to more oxidative stress, were more likely to develop non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and had impaired muscle development.6-9 Human studies have shown that parental obesity is associated with obesity at 7 years of age, and gestational weight gain is associated with body mass index at 3 years of age.10, 11 The overall message is that the eating habits of parents significantly affect children.
Of course, we cannot extrapolate the results of animal studies directly to humans. However, these results do highlight the simple fact that the health of a developing baby is closely linked to the health of its mother. Women do require extra calories when pregnant and nursing – we have all heard of the phrase “eating for two.” These studies suggest that if the extra caloric requirement is met with oil-rich processed foods and sugary desserts instead of calorie dense whole plant foods, the baby’s food preferences and long-term health may be affected.  Read more