USDA NRCS Montana
By Dipika Kadaba
The emergence of multiple pandemics in the animal agriculture industry over the past few decades, coupled with COVID-19's suspected origins in wildlife meat markets, has prompted renewed calls from experts to transform the global food system to prevent diseases harmful to humans.
<p>Industrial agriculture puts humans in contact with scores of animals in cramped conditions, which is ideal for disease transfer.</p>
<p>But that's only one of the health dangers it causes. Antibiotics are used ubiquitously in all kinds of large-scale agriculture, causing antibiotic resistance and environmental toxicity that studies show <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC122845/" target="_blank">we're not prepared to combat</a>.</p>
<p>Watch our new video to learn more about issues arising from antibiotic use in agriculture.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5363447ee3ad107f98d95612dcc37888"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G8Q07BHRUwc?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<p><em><a href="https://therevelator.org/author/dipikakadaba/" target="_blank">Dipika Kadaba</a> is an ecologist who uses data visualization and design to communicate environmental issues in her role as The Revelator's visual storyteller. Her interdisciplinary work originates in her background in environmental health research as a veterinarian, a graduate degree in conservation science, and a lifetime spent creating webcomics and animations for fun.</em></p><p><em><em>Reposted with permission from <em><a href="https://therevelator.org/antibiotics-agriculture-environment/" target="_blank">The Revelator</a>.</em></em><em></em></em></p>From Your Site Articles
- Here's Why Most Most of the Meat Americans Eat Is Banned in Other ... ›
- If Factory Farm Conditions Are Unhealthy for Animals, They're Bad ... ›
- 5 Dangerous Substances Big Ag Pumps Into Your Meat - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
A girl wears a face mask while walking past a building shrouded in severe air pollution on Nov. 7, 2017 in Harbin, China. Tao Zhang / Getty Images
By Gudrun Heise
With an unknown lung disease apparently spreading in China, could there be a new outbreak akin to SARS? Not necessarily. Authorities have yet to identify it. And many respiratory illnesses are caused by viruses.
<h3>SARS</h3><p>SARS stands for "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome." It is one of the most dangerous, recent diseases, which is often fatal. The first cases were diagnosed in 2002 in China and it spread from there. Experts say that was due in part to the rate of modern tourism and travel in general. More than 8,000 people contracted SARS across 30 countries, and about 1,000 people died. But until that outbreak SARS was an unknown illness. Studies showed that it was a Coronavirus. Researchers think the virus spread from animals to humans.</p>
<h3>MERS</h3><p>The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was discovered in 2012. As with SARS, MERS is a type of Coronavirus. A Coronavirus can infect animals and humans. In humans, MERS mainly affects the respiratory system. The initial symptoms are similar to those of influenza — coughing, fever and shortness of breath. Later, patients can develop a lung infection and even kidney failure. But the illness can present itself and develop in different ways, depending on the patient, and can sometimes be fatal, as in 2015 in South Korea and China.</p><p>MERS is most common on the Arabian Peninsula, from where it gets its name. Studies suggest that it's often been spread from camels to humans. There is no vaccine against MERS or any other form of treatment.</p>
<h3>Avian Influenza</h3><p>Commonly called "bird flu," avian influenza is caused by the H5N2 virus, but there are variations of it. The "H" stands for hemagglutinin, a protein which helps the virus dock onto cells in a respiratory system. The "N" stands for neuraminidase. The virus needs a form of neuraminidase to reproduce itself and spread in an infected body. Bird flu often spreads in wild geese, but it can also spread on common poultry farms. In those cases, most of the affected birds die from the virus. The infection is caused by a range of viruses, including the influenza A virus.</p><p>Most types of bird flu do not affect humans. The only types that have so far been shown to spread from birds to humans are H5N1 and H7N9. Those two types can cause serious infections in humans and can be spread by infected birds. It has not been shown to spread from human to human. Humans can become infected through close contact with infected birds.</p><p>But all these viruses change and mutate constantly and that makes them even more dangerous.</p>
<h3>Legionnaires' Disease</h3><p>Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of lung infection. Symptoms include coughing, shivering, headache and high fever. In very bad cases, it can cause a patient to become confused or disorientated.</p><p>It is said the disease is spread via air conditioning systems, which distribute the bacteria. It is not transmitted from human to human.</p><p>Legionellosis was first discovered at a meeting of war veterans, the "American Legion," hence its name. The meeting was held in Philadelphia, where a number of the attendees became sick with an unknown lung illness. Two weeks after the meeting, further cases were diagnosed. In total 221 men were infected and 34 of them died. It was later determined that a bacteria known as legionella pneumophila was found in the air conditioning of a hotel and is said to have caused the outbreak.</p><p>But unhygienic water systems, such as showers in bathrooms, can also transmit the disease. Legionnaires' disease is found around the world. It is especially dangerous for people with weak immune systems. It is treated with <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/antibiotics">antibiotics</a>.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/unknown-lung-disease-in-china/a-51902586?maca=en-VAM_volltext_ecowatch-28485-html-copypaste" target="_blank">DW</a>.</em></p>Related Articles Around the Web
- When the Illness Is a Mystery, Patients Turn to These Detectives ... ›
- A mystery disease hits Norway's dogs - CNN ›
- A mysterious disease is striking American beech trees | Science ... ›
- China outbreak: A mysterious pneumonia is spreading in a major ... ›
- China Grapples With Mystery Pneumonia-Like Illness - The New ... ›
Read More
Show Less
Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
From Your Site Articles
- Best CBD Oils of 2020: Reviews & Buying Guide - EcoWatch ›
- Best CBD Oil for Pain Management - Top 10 CBD Oil Review 2020 ... ›
- Best CBD for Dogs 2020 - Organic CBD Oil for Pets - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Antibiotic Crisis Coming as Superbugs Gain Strength and Drug Companies Go Bankrupt
26 December 2019
Health + Wellness
A superbug resistant to all known antibiotics is spreading undetected through hospital wards across the world, scientists in Australia warned on Sept. 3, 2018. WILLIAM WEST / AFP via Getty Images
Countries around the world are seeing a mounting threat from antibiotic resistance. After decades of overprescribing antibiotics and overusing them in factory farming, rivers are polluted with antibiotics and complications from drug-resistant infections are projected to cost $100 trillion by 2050, according to Scientific American.
<p>The Centers for Disease Control released a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/biggest-threats.html" target="_blank">report</a> last month that said more than 2.8 million people in the U.S. experience an infection from antibiotic resistant bacteria each year, leading to 35,000 deaths. The report also pointed out that this is a global crisis, not just a domestic problem.</p><p>In fact, this spring, the United Nations declared this problem an <a href="https://www.who.int/antimicrobial-resistance/interagency-coordination-group/IACG_final_report_EN.pdf?ua=1" target="_blank">urgent global crisis</a> in need of immediate action.</p><p>Just when the fight against <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/superbugs">superbugs</a> needs to ramp up, drug companies are either going bankrupt or refusing to invest in research, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/25/health/antibiotics-new-resistance.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>. <a href="http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2019/04/achaogen-bankruptcy-raises-worry-over-antibiotic-pipeline" target="_blank">Achaogen</a> and <a href="http://www.aradigm.com/" target="_blank">Aradigm</a>, two antibiotic start-ups, both went bankrupt. Pharmaceutical giants like Novartis and Allergan have stopped investing in antibiotic research. And one of the largest developers of antibiotics, <a href="https://melinta.com/" target="_blank">Melinta Therapeutics</a>, recently said it was running out of money.</p><p>The prospect of losing money has investors fleeing the sector, just when more money is needed, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/25/health/antibiotics-new-resistance.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.</p><p>"This is a crisis that should alarm everyone," said Dr. Helen Boucher, an infectious disease specialist at Tufts Medical Center and a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/25/health/antibiotics-new-resistance.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.</p><p>"Antibiotic resistance has long been a problem, but the threats we face are real, immediate, and demand immediate action. Antibiotic resistance threatens modern medicine — our ability to safely perform routine surgeries and complicated organ transplants, as well as <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158401.php" target="_blank">chemotherapy</a>, all rely on the ability to prevent and treat infections," said Dr. Jesse Jacob from the Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta to <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327050.php#4" target="_blank">Medical News Today</a>.</p><p>The <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/trump-watch/">Trump</a> administration has worsened the problem by cutting the budges of nationwide, hospital-based programs researching the issue. It has also ignored the World Health Organization's suggestions on reducing antibiotic use in livestock, as <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/deaths-antibiotic-drug-resistance-are-historic-highs-aided-trump-s-ncna1092766" target="_blank">NBC News</a> reported.</p><p>Companies that have spent billions to find a solution to the increasing strength of germs that have developed a resistance to common antibiotics have not found a market to recoup their investment into research. Most antibiotics are used for short durations, unlike profitable medicines for chronic conditions, and many hospitals are unwilling to pay the high price for new therapies, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/25/health/antibiotics-new-resistance.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.</p><p>The story of Achaogen provides a cautionary tale. After spending 15 years and a billion dollars to win FDA approval for a drug that cures hard-to-treat urinary tract infections, the World Health Organization added the new drug to its <a href="https://www.who.int/medicines/publications/essentialmedicines/en/" target="_blank">list of essential new medicines</a>. But, by then, Achaogen was out of money. It fired all of its scientists and declared bankruptcy, as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/25/health/antibiotics-new-resistance.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a> reported.</p><p>"If this doesn't get fixed in the next six to 12 months, the last of the Mohicans will go broke and investors won't return to the market for another decade or two," said Chen Yu, a health care venture capitalist who has invested in the field, to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/25/health/antibiotics-new-resistance.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.</p><p>"We need research to find new drugs but can't rely on a pipeline of new drugs alone to solve this problem, since resistance eventually happens to all drugs," said Dr. Jacob to <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327050.php#8" target="_blank">Medical News Today</a>.</p>
From Your Site Articles
- How Scientists Are Combating 'Superbugs': 4 Essential Reads ... ›
- Wastewater Treatment Plants Could Contribute to a 'Post-Antibiotic ... ›
- If We Want Antibiotics to Work, Consumers Have to Put Big Pressure ... ›
- Superbugs Found in Nearly 80 Percent of U.S. Supermarket Meat ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Trending
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker speaking with attendees at the 2019 California Democratic Party State Convention at the George R. Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California on June 1. Gage Skidmore / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
New Jersey senator and presidential hopeful Cory Booker put forth the Farm System Reform Act of 2019, in recognition of the environmental impact of industrial agriculture, which would put a stop to any new factory farms, as The Hill reported.
<p>The bill will reform the agriculture system by breaking up monopolistic practices in the industry and holding large corporate farms accountable for the environmental impacts of their practices, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/474685-booker-proposes-moratorium-on-expanding-large-factory-farms" target="_blank">The Hill</a>.</p>
<p>The proposal takes particular aim at <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/factory-farming" rel="noopener noreferrer">factory farms</a>, or concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), which are notorious for their detrimental environmental impacts, as well as the inhumane treatment of animals. Not only would the bill ban any new CAFOs, but it requires phasing existing ones out by 2040, according to the <a href="https://whistleblower.org/blog/senate-bill-to-overhaul-concentrated-animal-feeding-operations/" target="_blank">Government Accountability Project</a>. The bill will allocate $100 billion over a decade to entice farmers who want to transition out of running CAFOs.</p>
<p>CAFOs are known to generate an enormous amount of manure and waste, which frequently contaminates nearby <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/groundwater" rel="noopener noreferrer">groundwater</a>. They are also known to give farmers little freedom to change since farmers are often handcuffed by binding contracts with large corporations. The Department of Agriculture defines a CAFO as having 1,000 cattle, 700 dairy cows, 2,500 pigs, 125,000 chickens or 82,000 laying hens, as <a href="https://modernfarmer.com/2019/12/cory-booker-announces-legislation-to-scale-back-factory-farms/" target="_blank">Modern Farmer</a> reported. </p>
<p>Sen. Cory Booker's proposal aims to hold corporations responsible for pollution and other harm caused by their factory farm suppliers, even though the factory farms are independently owned and in a contract with the large corporations, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/474685-booker-proposes-moratorium-on-expanding-large-factory-farms" target="_blank">The Hill</a>.</p>
<p>"Our independent family farmers and ranchers are continuing to be squeezed by large, multinational corporations that, because of their buying power and size, run roughshod over the marketplace. We need to fix the broken system – that means protecting family farmers and ranchers and holding corporate integrators responsible for the harm they are causing," said Booker, in a <a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1036" target="_blank">statement</a> put out by his office. "Large factory farms are harmful to rural communities, public health, and the environment and we must immediately begin to transition to a more sustainable and humane system."</p>
<p>Booker's <a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1036" target="_blank">statement</a> cited data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention that found large CAFOs produce as much as 1.4 billion tons of waste each year, but don't need to maintain a waste treatment facility. Their steady dramatic increase in numbers recently put rural communities at risk of severe environmental hazards and threatens the viability of family farms.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the crowded conditions of livestock means antibiotics have been overused, leading to the spread of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/antibiotic-resistance" rel="noopener noreferrer">antibiotic resistant bacteria</a>. That phenomenon pushed the American Public Health Association to urge federal, state and local governments as well as <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/public-health" rel="noopener noreferrer">public health</a> agencies to impose a moratorium on all new and expanding CAFOs last month, according to Booker's <a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1036" target="_blank">statement</a>.</p>
<p>"Senator Booker's Farm System Reform Act pushes back on the concentration of animal production and the devastating impact that has had on our rural communities," said Randy Dugger, Indiana Farmers Union Vice President, in a <a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1036" target="_blank">statement</a>. "Independent family farmers deserve an opportunity to be prosperous again. By providing fairness and transparency in the market, along with a significant investment to help those trapped in a broken system to get out, this bill can make a huge difference."</p>
<p>The bill also calls for restoring country-of-origin labeling for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/beef" rel="noopener noreferrer">beef</a> and pork and expand to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/dairy" rel="noopener noreferrer">dairy</a> products. It would tighten labeling regulations so consumers know where meat was grown, slaughtered and processed, which would stop the Department of Agriculture from labeling imported meat as "Product of USA." Currently, meat grown, slaughtered and processed in Brazil, but packaged in the USA can be labeled as Product of USA, as <a href="https://modernfarmer.com/2019/12/cory-booker-announces-legislation-to-scale-back-factory-farms/" target="_blank">Modern Farmer</a> reported. </p>
<p>"I have seen first-hand how hard it is to challenge the multinational corporations who control the meat industry," said Mike Callicrate, a Kansas rancher in a <a href="https://www.booker.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1036" target="_blank">press release</a>. "Farmers and ranchers need a marketplace that compensates them fairly and Senator Booker's Farm System Reform Act is a big step in the right direction. Things like country of origin labeling on meat, updates to the Packers and Stockyards Act, and resources to get folks out of a system that is bankrupting them will make a big difference."</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Factory Farms Pollute the Environment and Poison Drinking Water ... ›
- Latest Agriculture Emissions Data Show Rise of Factory Farms ... ›
- If Factory Farm Conditions Are Unhealthy for Animals, They're Bad ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Phages: Bacterial Eaters From Georgia to Fight Antibiotic Resistance
22 November 2019
Health + Wellness
By Tim Ruben Weimer
Tanja Diederen lives near Maastricht in the Netherlands. She has been suffering from Hidradenitis suppurativa for 30 years. Its a chronic skin disease in which the hair roots are inflamed under pain — often around the armpits and on the chest.
<p>€3,900 ($4,302) for treatment in Georgia</p><p>In August 2019, the now 50-year-old made a radical decision: she discontinued the antibiotics, which were becoming less and less effective. And she traveled to Georgia for two weeks to undergo treatment with bacteriophages (or phages for short).</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/phages-bacterial-eaters-from-georgia-to-fight-antibiotic-resistance/a-51350421" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle</a>.</em><br/></p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjA5OTMyNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMzYwNzA1MH0.m_FzsjtCvLIXdT4VMqkLZheKW5lA4dG_IjcRXbyyAqw/img.jpg?width=980" id="54d3f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7531a0ed541a5083cf8cc0896ad2ce3d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>Such phage therapy is not yet approved in most Western European countries. She paid 3,900 euros out of her own pocket in the hope that the unconventional therapy would help her.</p><p>Bacteriophages are viruses that fight against the proliferation of their host bacteria. Therapy with bacteriophages involves the oral administration of a single, isolated type of phage. They attach themselves to their bacterial counterparts in the patient's body in order to survive. </p><p>The phages reverse the polarity of the bacterial cell in such a way that it produces further phages, filling up with more and more phages and finally bursts. Then, the released phages attach themselves to other bacteria until all of the bacteria has been destroyed.</p>
Journey Into the Unknown
<p>"It tastes a bit like mushrooms," Tanja Diederen remarked as she took her morning phage dose. "When I went to Georgia, I was at first very nervous and excited, but above all disappointed about the treatment here in Holland."</p><p>After antibiotics stopped working for her, her doctor suggested that she take biopharmaceuticals, i.e. genetically engineered drugs. He had never heard of bacteriophages.</p><p>Instead, Diederen decided to look for treatment options with bacteriophages on her own, which she had heard about in a television program. </p>The Doctor Never Heard of Phages
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjA5OTMyOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDkyNzg5Mn0.qRW81FnFddQeCHblPbinr-ITYYThWMzcTkmyJHkLYXU/img.jpg?width=980" id="50ae5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9ab12b7d5efd0f615a2c891f5341dd33" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />A phage model — phages are viruses, that multiply in bacteria and then destroy them.
<p>She came across the <a href="http://eliava-institute.org/research/" target="_blank">Georgi-Eliava Institute</a> in Georgia, which has been researching bacteriophages since 1923 — just a few years after their discovery. Georgia has since developed into the global center of phage therapy.</p><p>During the Cold War, antibiotics were difficult to get there or anywhere in the Soviet Union. Treatment with phages was the best way to cure infectious diseases. Today, the Eliava Institute has one of the largest therapeutic collections of bacteriophages in the world.</p><p>Tanja Diederen stayed in treatment for two weeks, after which she traveled back to the Netherlands with a large suitcase full of phage tins. Since she began taking two different phages a day and applying a cream, she feels better.</p><p>She has more energy again and the small inflammations on her chest and armpits have decreased. The large inflammations come and go, but not as severe as before.</p>"It Doesn't Feel Illegal to Me"
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjA5OTMzMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MjU0NDkyN30.m6j4X6PqTBv-ZDBRh63x9sycHk6LdrgT6KbJa1Lq7Tc/img.jpg?width=980" id="12346" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8800327639cc2ab041ea52667ce91e73" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Communicating with the Georgian doctors was difficult for Tanja Diederen. She needed a translator.
<p>Every three months Diederen travels to Belgium — 15 kilometers away — to pick up a new ration of bacteriophages sent from Georgia for 500 euros. Her health insurance doesn't pay for this. Belgium is the only Western European country where phages are allowed. In the Netherlands, as in all other countries, they can only be used in individual cases to save lives or relieve severe pain. </p><p>Her physician is solely responsible for the application.</p><p>"It doesn't feel illegal to me," said Diederen. "I am one hundred percent sure that this medicine will help many people."</p><p>Like antibiotics, bacteriophages can also lead to bacterial resistance. Their big advantage, however, is that they are always one step ahead of the bacteria and can overcome the resistance. In addition, they are always directed against a specific type of bacteria and thus leave useful bacteria undamaged, like in the intestine, for example.</p><p>Before phage treatment, it is always necessary to determine which bacteria actually trigger the disease. The phages are then produced individually for each patient — often in Georgia.</p>Bacteriophages Permitted in Belgium
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjA5OTMzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2ODMzNjYzOX0.NBOrxQgb5wGeSCGpuud-87UR_xPYi0_QZN9Nqm0bDpo/img.jpg?width=980" id="21c23" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1b9e9c2603898ec71e4d05666f26454f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Professor Jean-Paul Pirnay from the Queen-Astrid Military Hospital in Brussels works with bacteriophages.
<p>Such an individual medication does not meet the applicable regulations for medicinal products in any Western European country. It would take too much effort to have each individual phage formulation approved by the authorities.</p><p>Not so in Belgium. Since last year, this process can be legally circumvented by the Scientific Health Institute, in cooperation with doctors, patients, manufacturers, pharmacists and the Belgian Federal Office for Medicinal Products, issuing a certificate for the required phage ingredients. Pharmacists will then be able to use them for the manufacture of bacteriophages, subject to certain guidelines.</p><p>"We have used the existing legal framework to insert the bacteriophages," said <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/lab/Laboratory-for-Molecular-and-Cellular-Technology-Jean-Paul-Pirnay" target="_blank">Dr Jean-Paul Pirnay,</a> who works at the Queen Astrid Military Hospital in Brussels on bacteriophages.</p><p>Around 30 patients have already been treated there. Currently, the military hospital is the only place in Belgium where bacteriophages are produced.</p>Useful Supplement to Antibiotics
<p>"We need pharmaceutical companies to make the phage," says Pirnay. "A hospital can't produce all phages for a growing number of patients."</p><p>But industrial production of phages would require a clearer legal framework, and research is not yet ready.</p><p>"I believe that phages will not replace antibiotics," he said. "Both will be used together to make antibiotics more effective."</p><p>Tanja Diederen wants to continue her treatment in Brussels in the future. Communication with the Georgian doctors was difficult for her, she always needed a translator.</p><p>"I really hope that phages will soon be allowed in Europe," she said. "Going to Georgia is quite difficult and expensive."</p><p>Germany and the Netherlands are currently conducting pilot studies to see whether an individual prescription of bacteriophages would be possible. France has already imported Belgian phages and agreed to their use.</p>From Your Site Articles
- Wastewater Treatment Plants Could Contribute to a 'Post-Antibiotic ... ›
- Here's How Bad Antibiotic Resistance Has Gotten Over the Past 20 ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Drug-Resistant Salmonella Linked to Overuse of Antibiotics in Cattle Farming
23 August 2019
Health + Wellness
Salmonella bacteria, a common cause of foodborne disease, invade an immune cell.
National Institude of Allergy and Infectious Disease
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned Thursday of a drug-resistant strain of salmonella newport linked to the overuse of antibiotics in cattle farming.
<p>The strain sickened 255 people in 32 states between June 2018 and March 2019, leading to 60 hospitalizations and two deaths, the agency wrote in its <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6833a1.htm?s_cid=mm6833a1_w" target="_blank">Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report</a>. And the strain is still making people sick, lead report author and CDC epidemiologist Dr. Ian Plumb told <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/22/health/drug-resistant-salmonella-cdc-warning/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>.</p>
<div id="19865" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ZAG1KL1576661573"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1164591825346342914" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">New @CDCMMWR: Learn about #Salmonella Newport infections in the US that are resistant to some common #antibiotics a… https://t.co/nBYacDhQLO</div> — CDC (@CDC)<a href="https://twitter.com/CDCgov/statuses/1164591825346342914">1566495302.0</a></blockquote></div><p>"We are continuing to see cases occurring among patients," Plumb told CNN in an email. "The antibiotic resistance pattern of this strain is alarming because the primary oral antibiotics used to treat patients with this type of salmonella infection may not work."</p><p>Plumb told <a href="https://consumer.healthday.com/public-health-information-30/salmonella-news-775/cdc-warns-of-drug-resistant-salmonella-in-beef-cheese-749591.html" target="_blank">HealthDay Reporter</a> that the two patients who died had other illnesses as well, but that the drug-resistant salmonella did contribute to their deaths.</p><p>The strain has shown decreased susceptibility to azithromycin and does not respond at all to ciprofloxacin, the report said. Both are commonly used to treat the disease, and, before 2017, fewer than 0.5 percent of salmonella strains found in U.S. patients were resistant to azithromycin.</p><p>The outbreak has been linked to the consumption of U.S. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/beef" target="_self">beef</a> and Mexican soft cheese, leading investigators to believe the strain is present in cows in both countries, CNN reported.</p><p>"The resistant strains developed in animals, and those strains can then be transmitted to humans," Plumb told HealthDay Reporter.</p>
<p>Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine at the New York University Langone Medical Center who was not involved with the study, told HealthDay Reporter that the best way to prevent drug-resistant infections like this is to change farming practices.</p><p>"Salmonella is a very common bacteria in livestock, and the problem is that we're overusing antibiotics to try to control this problem," Siegel said. He said that farmers also gave antibiotics to cattle to increase their size.</p><p>He said that better human treatments were not the solution, since most of the time the infection needs no treatment at all.</p><p>"It's really a change in farming practices that are needed—to stop giving these animals antibiotics," he said.</p><p>The CDC also stated that avoiding giving cattle unnecessary antibiotics, especially those also used to treat humans, would help prevent the spread of drug-resistant salmonella.</p><p>In the meantime, the CDC recommended that people protect themselves by avoiding soft cheese made with unpasteurized milk and using thermometers to make sure beef is cooked to the proper temperature: 145 degrees Fahrenheit for steaks and roasts and 160 degrees Fahrenheit for ground beef.</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Antibiotics in Burgers: Majority of U.S. Fast Food Chains Fail Annual ... ›
- How Scientists Are Combating ‘Superbugs’: 4 Essential Reads - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
C. Diff Is Evolving Into Superbug in Response to Western Sugary Diets
16 August 2019
Health + Wellness
Clostridium difficile bacterium with peritrichous flagella, computer illustration. C. difficile is now becoming resistant to most antibiotics.
KATERYNA KON / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
KATERYNA KON / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
One of the most widespread bacteria known to cause serious gut infections is evolving to take advantage of high-sugar diets in the West and resist disinfecting methods used in healthcare settings.
<p>The diarrhea and colitis-causing bacteria <em>Clostridioides difficile, </em>or C. Diff<em>, </em>is common throughout our environment and results in nearly 500,000 infections in the U.S. each year, the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/what-is.html" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> says, which can be fatal for elderly and very sick people who have been hospitalized or given <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/antibiotics" target="_self">antibiotics</a>.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/c-difficile/symptoms-causes/syc-20351691" target="_blank">Mayo Clinic</a>, C. Diff spores are often spread orally by contact with feces, which makes its way to food and other surfaces when an infected person fails to wash their hands thoroughly. The spores damage the lining of your intestine, potentially leading to severely dehydrating diarrhea, inflammation of the intestines, toxic megacolon and sepsis.</p><p>C. Diff is <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/clostridium-difficile-an-intestinal-infection-on-the-rise" target="_blank">so common</a> in our surroundings that even some <a href="https://www.studyfinds.org/study-diarrhea-inducing-bacteria-c-diff-evolves-into-new-strain-that-thrives-in-hospitals/" target="_blank">healthy adults will carry it</a> in their system but are protected from severe symptoms by their healthy gut bacteria, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/12/obesity-antibiotics-microbiome/421344/" target="_blank">The Atlantic </a>reported. But antibiotics used to treat other infections can unintentionally eliminate the healthy bacteria, allowing C. Diff to thrive, cause an infection and spread to the environment when passed in diarrhea, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/dangerous-bacteria-can-survive-disinfectant-putting-patients-risk-n1029231" target="_blank">NBC News</a> reported.</p><p>Recent <a href="https://aem.asm.org/" target="_blank">research</a> has shown that C. Diff can spread to and exist for months on disposable hospital gowns, stainless steel and vinyl surfaces often found in health facilities, even after being hit with concentrated chlorine disinfectant. A <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190812130914.htm" target="_blank">new study</a> by the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine might have revealed why.</p><p>The study found that C. Diff has been evolving into two species over thousands of years, one of which is adapting into a superbug primed to spread in hospitals.</p><p>"The study shows how the pathogen <em>C. Difficile</em> is evolving in response to the Western sugary diet and common hospital disinfectants," study author Nitin Kumar, a senior bioinformatician at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, told <a href="https://www.popsci.com/c-diff-superbug-diarrhea-hospital-sugar-species-evolve/" target="_blank">Popular Science</a>.</p><p>For the study, published this week in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-019-0478-8" target="_blank">Nature Genetics</a>, the researchers sequenced the DNA of 906 different C. Diff strains from humans, other mammals such as dogs and pigs, and the environment. Kumar told <a href="https://www.livescience.com/evolving-superbug-sugar-diet.html" target="_blank">Live Science</a> that groups of organisms must share 95 percent of their genomes to be considered the same species, and based on the sequenced genomes, C. Diff is "on the verge of speciation."</p><p>The researchers found that one of the emerging species, <em>C. Difficile </em>clade A, was found in 70 percent of samples taken from hospital patients. A common trait of the new species was a mutation developed over thousands of years to improve sugar metabolism. When exposed to mice, the new species was more likely to flourish if the mice were fed diets enriched with simple sugars, like glucose and fructose, commonly consumed as part of the typical Western diet.</p><p>The <a href="https://nypost.com/2019/08/13/a-new-carb-loving-superbug-is-primed-to-target-hospital-food/" target="_blank">New York Post</a> reported that common hospital foods, such as pudding cups and mashed potatoes, could become hotspots for this new C. Diff. species.</p><p>The new species also had genetic mutations that changed how it formed spores, making it more resistant to disinfectants used in hospitals.</p><p>"Our study provides genome and laboratory based evidence that human lifestyles can drive bacteria to form new species so they can spread more effectively," senior author Trevor Lawley of the Wellcome Sanger Institute said in a <a href="https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news/view/diarrhoea-causing-bacteria-adapted-spread-hospitals" target="_blank">press release</a>.</p><p>"We show that strains of <em>C. Difficile </em>bacteria have continued to evolve in response to modern diets and healthcare systems and reveal that focusing on diet and looking for new disinfectants could help in the fight against this bacteria."</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Writing for <a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EcoWatch</a>: An analysis looking for more than a dozen common antibiotics in 711 rivers in one-third of the world's countries found that concentrations in some rivers were more than 300 times higher than "safe" levels.<a href="https://t.co/gXaBeASQeQ">https://t.co/gXaBeASQeQ</a></p>— Madison Dapcevich (@madisondap) <a href="https://twitter.com/madisondap/status/1133772880183873537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Read More
Show Less
Trending
What’s the Scoop on Kids and Dirt? Get Enough to Help, but Not Enough to Hurt, a Doctor Advises
03 August 2019
Health + Wellness
3sbworld / iStock / Getty Images Plus
By Cosby Stone
Whenever I am asked what I do for a living, the phrase "I'm an allergist" is almost immediately followed by "So, where are all of these allergies coming from?"
<p>Maybe I'll get sick of that question some day, but I haven't yet. As a clinician and researcher on allergies and public health, I first explain that when a society begins to become aware of a disease, the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1734702" target="_blank">reported prevalence will go up</a>. This is understandable. People who have medically unexplained symptoms wonder "Could I have this allergy that's being talked about?" and try on the diagnosis. Sometimes an allergy really is at the root of their problems, and sometimes it's not.</p><p>For example, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674914006721" target="_blank">at least 50% of patient-reported</a> food allergies are only presumed. They have not been evaluated thoroughly enough to know for sure whether the patient is allergic. Research also demonstrates that, in many cases, we presume wrongly. The symptoms fit better with an intolerance than an allergy, or the events were coincidental. While 11 to 12% of patients currently report a food allergy, only about 5% of adults and 8% of children likely <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674914006721" target="_blank">have true food allergy</a>. Around 8% of patients report a penicillin allergy, but fewer than <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/409362" target="_blank">five out of 100 patients</a> who report a penicillin allergy can be shown to be allergic when tested.</p><p>Many people next ask whether allergies are genetic, but allergies in one's family appear to explain only <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749379702005895" target="_blank">10 to 40% of a person's</a> increased risk for allergies. Allergic diseases are also increasing at rates that are inconsistent with genetic diseases.</p><p>More interesting is that there appear to have been different waves in which <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674915005849" target="_blank">allergies appeared in historical records</a>. Hay fever (environmental allergies) first appeared in the 1800s, followed by more recent increases in asthma and food allergy.</p>
<h2>What's Changed, and What's Dirt Got to Do With It?</h2><p>So if genetics don't fully explain the rise in allergy, what does? Some of the most consistent risk factors for allergic diseases include <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31149702" target="_blank">overuse of antibiotics</a>; <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29733679" target="_blank">acute viral respiratory infections</a> in childhood; birth by <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30322585" target="_blank">cesarean section</a>; nutritional disorders; second-hand smoke exposure; pollution; and the <a href="https://clintransmed.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40169-018-0195-4" target="_blank">environment where you grew up</a>.<br></p><p>To organize these risks into categories, two conceptual hypotheses currently seem to be of value — the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674903023704" target="_blank">barrier hypothesis</a> and the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1838109/" target="_blank">hygiene hypothesis</a>.</p><p>Imagine that your immune system is an army behind a castle wall. The castle wall is your skin, your respiratory tract and your gastrointestinal tract. The army is composed of your white blood cells in addition to other cells in the body that can activate these gung-ho Marines to defend you.</p><p>The central tenet of the barrier hypothesis is that when our skin, respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract are chronically injured, your castle wall is broken down. The soldiers of the immune system are activated to aggressive defense, yet allergens can penetrate, and people can begin to experience allergic inflammation in those areas. This has been most clearly demonstrated with the allergic skin disease known as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674903023704" target="_blank">eczema</a>.</p><p>Research has also shown that activities in these barrier sites can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674916304985" target="_blank">flavor the immune response and profile</a> of a person, especially in childhood. Many risk factors for allergic disease, such as viral infections, nutritional disorders, smoke exposure and pollution, affect the health of our barriers. Studies have indicated that up to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674914011609" target="_blank">50% of childhood eczema,</a> a barrier disease, can be prevented simply by applying protective emollients like petroleum jelly to protect babies' skin when we bathe them.</p>
<h2>The Role of Hygiene in Allergy</h2><p>The central tenet of the hygiene hypothesis is that we have gone a bit too far and inadvertently killed off our good bacteria along with the bad. As our society progressed from one that was chronically burdened with infectious diseases caused by poor sanitation, the thinking goes, we reduced our exposures to the things that gave our immune system an appropriate training and tolerance. Historically, our totally rational fear of dying from a cholera epidemic led to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674915005849" target="_blank">sewage and water management</a>, but may have kicked off the allergy epidemic.<br></p><p>Our overuse of <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/antibiotics" rel="noopener noreferrer">antibiotics</a> and C-sections affects the set of organisms called the <a href="https://clintransmed.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40169-018-0195-4" target="_blank">microbiome</a> that an infant is exposed to growing up. Both have been shown to increase the risk of childhood allergic diseases.</p><p>Growing up in a rural area exposed to farm animals appears to confer a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1398-9995.2010.02397.x" target="_blank">decreased risk of allergies and asthma</a> for your entire lifetime, even among <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1508749" target="_blank">genetically similar populations</a>. Studies in mice have shown that inhaling certain molecules from soil-dwelling bacteria can set off a beneficial cascade promoting an immune system which focuses more on threats rather than nonthreats, such as <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/349/6252/1106.abstract" target="_blank">allergens</a>.</p><p>Vaccinations appear to be a crucial exception to the rule of the <a href="https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.94.6.985" target="_blank">hygiene hypothesis</a>. They confer protection against diseases without any associated increase in the risk of allergic disease, likely because they, unlike antibiotics, are very specifically targeting only the worst disease-causing organisms.</p>
<h2>Our Current Prescription</h2><p>The data currently paints a picture that we might prevent allergies in the future by protecting our barriers and introducing the right <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1414850" target="_blank">tolerizing exposures at the right time</a>, such as early introduction of peanuts. However, I can't currently tell you how much dirt or what kinds of bacteria your child needs to safely experience while growing up. It's too soon for that, but many wonderful scientists around the world are working on these questions, thanks to support from a variety of governments and foundations.</p><p>Until then, I will share with you the broad-brush advice that I currently give my friends and patients.</p><ul><li>Let your kids play outside, get dirty, try new foods and be exposed to a variety of things. Advocate for them to have outside recess time in school as much as possible.</li><li>Use plain soap and water; you don't need to sanitize everything.</li><li>Talk to your doctor about watchful waiting to respond to an illness, rather than take antibiotics.</li><li>Be judicious about what you put on your body's barriers, and become an advocate for clean air, clean water and a clean environment for everyone.</li><li>Get all of your routine vaccinations. The healthiest children in the U.S. are the ones who are fully vaccinated.</li></ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">'The Dirt Cure': Why Human Health Depends on Soil Health <a href="https://t.co/5KewSKwfcy">https://t.co/5KewSKwfcy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/OrganicConsumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OrganicConsumer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/regeneration_in?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@regeneration_in</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/kissthegroundCA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kissthegroundCA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SoilHealth?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SoilHealth</a></p>— EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) <a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/status/969258905451757568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p><em>Cosby Stone is an instructor in allergy/immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University.<br/></em><em>Disclosure statement: </em><em>Cosby Stone, Jr. MD, MPH currently receives funding from K12HS026395-0 via the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and has previously received funding from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for his research in allergy.</em></p><p>
<em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-scoop-on-kids-and-dirt-get-enough-to-help-but-not-enough-to-hurt-a-doctor-advises-121029" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
</p><script async="async" data-counter="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121029/count?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" id="theconversation_tracker_hook" src="https://theconversation.com/javascripts/lib/content_tracker_hook.js" type="text/javascript"></script>From Your Site Articles
- Soil Health: The Next Agricultural Revolution - EcoWatch ›
- Healthy Soil: Good for the Farmer, Good for the Planet - EcoWatch ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
A vegetarian bowl with quinoa fritters. Westend61 / Getty Images
By Ketura Persellin
You've likely heard that eating meat and poultry isn't good for your health or the planet. Recent news from Washington may make meat even less palatable: Pork inspections may be taken over by the industry itself, if a Trump administration proposal goes into effect, putting tests for deadly pathogens into the hands of the industry.
<p>In spite of that, global consumption of beef, lamb and goat is expected to <a href="https://www.wri.org/blog/2018/12/how-sustainably-feed-10-billion-people-2050-21-charts" target="_blank">rise by almost 90 percent</a> between 2010 and 2050. This may not surprise you, given how many kids love burgers and fries. With that in mind, here are seven reasons you and your family might want to become a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/vegetarian">vegetarian</a> — or at least cut down on how much meat you eat.</p>
<p>1. Environmental damage. Industrial-scale <a href="https://www.ewg.org/release/new-investigation-recent-explosion-poultry-factory-farms-nc-piles-manure-515m-chickens-waste" target="_blank">meat and poultry production</a> harms the <a href="https://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/a-meat-eaters-guide-to-climate-change-health-what-you-eat-matters/" target="_blank">environment</a> — from the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/pesticides">pesticides</a> used to grow feed and the manure that runs off into waterways to the fertilizer that releases greenhouse gases and then pollutes rivers, lakes and oceans. You know the slime covering the lake where you spend time every summer? Tell your kids that large-scale meat and dairy production connects directly to the sign at the lake saying it's not safe for them to swim. And it's not just a matter of your vacation plans: That slime can cause permanent harm to people and animals and destroy marine ecosystems.</p>
<p>2. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change">Climate change</a>. Kids love fart jokes, but cow flatulence isn't just a laugh line, but a significant contributor to climate crisis. Cow burps play an even bigger role, producing <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-18/could-less-gassy-livestock-be-a-cash-cow" target="_blank">22 percent</a> of U.S. emissions of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-livestock-emissions/fighting-global-warming-one-cow-belch-at-a-time-idUSKBN1K91CU" target="_blank">methane</a>, a gas with a worse effect on the climate crisis than carbon dioxide. Eliminating or reducing meat from your diet is the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/30/dining/climate-change-food-eating-habits.html" target="_blank">biggest contribution an individual can make</a> to helping mitigate climate disaster. And because of their developing bodies, children are more vulnerable to the harmful chemicals emitted by pesticides and fertilizer, as well as disproportionately affected by the impact of climate change.</p>
<p>3. General health. The <a href="https://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/a-meat-eaters-guide-to-climate-change-health-what-you-eat-matters/other-meat-concerns-antibiotics-hormones-and-toxins/" target="_blank">hormones</a> fed to animals on <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/factory-farming">factory farms</a> can increase the chance of <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/cancer">cancer</a> in people who eat it. Red and processed meat have been linked to <a href="https://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/a-meat-eaters-guide-to-climate-change-health-what-you-eat-matters/meat-and-your-health/" target="_blank">chronic disease</a>, including cancer. Meat is a primary source of <a href="https://www.ewg.org/research/dirty-dozen-list-endocrine-disruptors" target="_blank">dioxins</a>, a group of pollutants connected to reproductive and hormonal issues, and negative impacts on the developing fetus. By contrast, a plant-based diet can help reduce the <a href="https://www.ewg.org/cancer/keys-to-a-healthy-diet" target="_blank">risk of cancer</a> and lower the incidence of heart disease. One large study shows vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index than meat eaters and are one-fourth less likely to <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/becoming-a-vegetarian" target="_blank">die</a> of heart disease.</p>
<p>4. Expense. The cost of meat is coming down as demand for it grows, but a diet that doesn't include meat is <a href="http://money.com/money/4066188/vegetarians-save-money/" target="_blank">easier</a> on the wallet. For instance, as a source of protein, legumes are far less expensive than meat and poultry.</p>
<p><br>5. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sustainability">Sustainability</a>. Production of meat and dairy hogs resources. It uses grassland inefficiently, and a tremendous amount of water, and that's just for starters. Cutting it out entirely, or just reducing your consumption, will benefit the environment.</p>
<p><br>6. Drug resistance. Most kids are untroubled by the abstract idea of drug resistance, but Mom and Dad should worry. Animal overcrowding in factory farms increases livestock's risk of illness. Farmers try to "solve" the problem by routinely dosing even healthy animals with <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/antibiotics">antibiotics</a>, which can lead to antibiotic-resistant "<a href="https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/22153/how-prevent-dangerous-salmonella-infections-children/" target="_blank">superbugs</a>." Over time, with the overuse of antibiotics, these bacteria, such as salmonella, become resistant to the many forms of antibiotics commonly used to treat sick children. According to a recent EWG report, 20 percent of <a href="https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/22153/how-prevent-dangerous-salmonella-infections-children/" target="_blank">salmonella</a> strains found on grocery store chicken were resistant to the drug. This makes it far more difficult to treat children, who are more likely than adults to get salmonella in the first place.</p>
<p>7. Environmental justice. Your family's meat consumption makes an immediate impact on the people, including kids, living near the <a href="https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/22647/what-parents-need-know-about-factory-animal-farms" target="_blank">factory animal farms</a> where most meat is produced. The stench of manure that reaches for miles is something the people who live nearby — often <a href="https://www.ewg.org/research/under-radar" target="_blank">people of color</a> of lower economic means — can't escape. When it rains, it's likely the ensuing runoff will flood the neighborhood with manure, fertilizer and other debris. In addition to nausea, headaches and other health problems, factory farm neighbors see increases in the cases and severity of respiratory illnesses, including asthma, to which children are especially vulnerable. Unable to spend time outside, residents feel trapped indoors. Their drinking water wells can be contaminated, and so can the rivers and streams where they fish.</p>
<p>Not ready to eliminate meat entirely? Resolve simply to eat less of it. Consider meat a meal's side show, for instance, instead of the star. Or make some meals completely meatless. If you eat one less burger a week, it's as if you'd taken your car off the road for 320 miles or line-dried your clothes half the time. That's the thinking behind the New York school district's <a href="https://www.meatlessmonday.com/" target="_blank">decision</a> to institute <a href="https://www.meatlessmonday.com/" target="_blank">Meatless Mondays</a>, and it's a good rule of thumb: Small changes do add up.</p><p>And there's no need to worry your kids won't get enough protein if you cut the meat and dairy. Americans eat too much meat, and <a href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/Portions-and-Serving-Sizes.aspx" target="_blank">too much protein</a> in general. The average child age four to six years old needs just two small servings a day — one ounce of meat or fish, or an egg, is one serving — and age seven to 10, a slightly larger portion of two to three ounces.</p><p>Most adults eat too much protein too, so while you're at it, you may want to take a look at your own portion control. Here are the USDA's <a href="https://www.choosemyplate.gov/protein-foods" target="_blank">protein guidelines</a>.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vegan Meat Substitutes: The Ultimate Guide <a href="https://t.co/FBOSU1BMV9">https://t.co/FBOSU1BMV9</a></p>— Vegan Future (@veganfuture) <a href="https://twitter.com/veganfuture/status/1092521150243057665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p><em>Ketura Persellin is the editor at <a href="https://www.ewg.org" target="_blank">Environmental Working Group</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less
Trending
If We Want Antibiotics to Work, Consumers Have to Put Big Pressure on Factory Farms
05 June 2019
Insights + Opinion
More than 27 percent if all medically important antibiotics sold in the U.S. are used to raise pigs. North Dakota Department of Agriculture
By Christy Spees
On March 1, Denny's stopped purchasing chicken treated with medically important antibiotics for its U.S. restaurants. Many consumers might expect to see such promises at Whole Foods or their local farm-to-table restaurant, but why is a chain like Denny's (i.e., one that is enjoyed more for its assortment of inexpensive breakfast foods than its moral standards) joining the trend to reduce antibiotics in meat?
<p>In fact, Denny's joins a growing group of major fast food and fast casual chains (<a href="https://www.asyousow.org/press-releases/mcdonalds-eliminate-overuse-antibiotics-beef" target="_blank">McDonald's</a>, Wendy's, <a href="https://www.asyousow.org/press-releases/kfc-plastic-pollution-pledge-antibiotics-use" target="_blank">KFC</a>, Chipotle and others) that have established policies prohibiting the use of medically important antibiotics in chicken. This is not the same as "antibiotic-free" claims, to be clear ("medically important" antibiotics are those used in human medicine; there are other antibiotics only used in animals), but it is a critical change that has been rippling through the food system for the past several years to protect human health. To explain the significance of this trend, a quick history of the problem that companies are trying to address is useful.</p>
<p>According to the World Health Organization, antibiotic resistance is one of the <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/ten-threats-to-global-health-in-2019" target="_blank">top 10 threats to global public health in 2019</a>. When antibiotic medications are overused or misused, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/video/health/100000005932983/bacteria-antibiotics-war.html" target="_blank">resistant bacteria can spread</a>, causing treatments for common (and often serious) illnesses to become ineffective. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/about.html" target="_blank">2 million Americans contract an antibiotic-resistant infection every year</a> and 23,000 will die from it.</p><p>The use of <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/07-11-2017-stop-using-antibiotics-in-healthy-animals-to-prevent-the-spread-of-antibiotic-resistance" target="_blank">antibiotics in animal agriculture</a> is a major part of the problem. <a href="https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/ChainReaction4_Report_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">More than 70 percent</a> of the medically important antibiotics sold in the U.S. are sold for use in food animals. This is not because cows are particularly susceptible to strep throat; the majority of antibiotics used on animal farms are not used as treatment for diagnosed diseases in animals. Rather, most animals raised for food are raised on factory farms, or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). To produce animal products cheaply and on a large scale, animals are packed together, creating crowded, stressful and unsanitary conditions. Such conditions are inherently disease-promoting for animals. To deal with the likelihood of infections and disease associated with poor conditions without actually changing those conditions, antibiotics have become a convenient Band-Aid. As factory farming has become the predominant model for raising animals for food, more farmers have resorted to practices of routinely administering antibiotics (sometimes even delivering drugs to chicks still in the egg) to keep animals "healthy" enough to bring to slaughter. As more antibiotics are used in these conditions, more antibiotic-resistant bacteria are released into the environment.</p><p>Pressure from public interest organizations, consumers, scientists, investors and government has led to significant reductions in the use of antibiotics in food animals over the past several years, though much work remains. Consumer demand for meat raised without medically important antibiotics has steadily risen as awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance has grown. According to <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/food-safety/most-burger-chains-get-failing-grades-for-antibiotics-use" target="_blank">Consumer Reports</a> surveys from last year, almost <a href="https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/ChainReaction4_Report_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">80 percent</a> of Americans think meat producers should stop giving antibiotics to healthy animals and almost <a href="https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/ChainReaction4_Report_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">60 percent</a> of survey respondents said they would be willing to pay more for meat raised without antibiotics. Consumer Reports and five public interest groups have jointly published four editions of their <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/restaurants-antibiotic-use-report-2018.pdf" target="_blank">Chain Reaction report and scorecard</a>, which urges fast food chains to respond to changing consumer preferences and reduce the impacts of their meat supply chains on antibiotic resistance.</p><p>In line with growing public concern and the rampant growth of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines, which <a href="https://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/GuidanceComplianceEnforcement/GuidanceforIndustry/UCM216936.pdf" target="_blank">took effect in 2017</a>, eliminated the use of medically important drugs for the purposes of growth promotion or feed efficiency. Voluntary changes by large meat purchasers are also propelling this downward trend.</p><p>The good news is that there is momentum for shifting the industry towards a healthier, more sustainable and less destructive future. The FDA <a href="https://tinyurl.com/yyavm2of" target="_blank">recently reported</a> that from 2015 to 2018, sales of medically important antibiotics for use in farm animals declined by 43 percent. Consumer demand, federal regulatory trends, advocacy group pressure and shareholder action have combined to fuel this progress.</p><p>The bad news is that the uphill battle to change the food system gets a bit steeper from here. Much of the progress made so far has come from the chicken industry. While <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/food-safety/most-burger-chains-get-failing-grades-for-antibiotics-use" target="_blank">chicken producers have been able to make fairly swift changes to reduce their antibiotics use in recent years</a>, this is not the case for other industries like beef and pork. The supply chains for those animals are more complex. So far, in the fast food industry, which has made so much progress establishing policies to avoid chicken raised with antibiotics, McDonald's is the only major company to set meaningful standards for the use of antibiotics in the beef it purchases.</p><p>Ultimately, eliminating antibiotics in the rest of the meat supply chain will require real changes in the way conventional farming works. Furthermore, the problem of antibiotic resistance is only one of many negative consequences of the factory farming system. Factory farms are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, air and water pollution and deforestation; and from a moral standpoint, the quality of life for animals raised in factory farming conditions is shockingly poor.</p><p>Antibiotics provide a window into the deep problems in the animal agriculture system that produces the majority of our meat. The current model is broken. At the same time, the progress in reducing medically important antibiotics in the chicken industry over just a few years sheds light on the potential for change. When consumers demand more responsibly raised meat, the market will respond.</p><p>Power to drive change comes in several forms. Consumers can vote with their dollars every time they purchase food that is safe, nutritious, sustainable and transparent. Purchasing food from companies that are working to support these values will help create a food system which prioritizes health and sustainability. Health and environmental advocacy groups voice concerns on behalf of consumers and communities, helping to drive policy change. Investors in food companies also have the <a href="https://www.asyousow.org/shareholder-advocacy-1" target="_blank">ability to weigh</a> in on the risks of poor company policies through engaging with the companies they own and voting in favor of resolutions requesting healthier, less harmful practices. When all of these advocates work toward a common goal, a better food system seems possible.</p>
<p><em>Christy Spees works to promote corporate accountability to ensure a safe and sustainable food system for <a href="https://www.asyousow.org/our-work/environmental-health" target="_blank">As You Sow</a>.</em></p><p><em>This article was produced by <a href="https://independentmediainstitute.org/earth-food-life/" target="_blank">Earth | Food | Life</a></em><em>, a project of the Independent Media Institute.</em></p>
Read More
Show Less
Sein River in Paris. Pixabay
Some of the world's most iconic rivers contain antibiotics that exceed safety standards, according to a global study testing hundreds of rivers across six continents.
<p>An analysis looking for more than a dozen common antibiotics in 711 rivers in one-third of the world's countries <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2019/research/antibiotics-found-in-some-of-worlds-rivers/" target="_blank">found</a> that concentrations in some rivers were more than 300 times higher than "safe" levels in what researchers say could lead to more resilient strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria around the world. </p><p>"Until now, the majority of environmental monitoring work for antibiotics has been done in Europe, N. America and China. Often on only a handful of antibiotics. We know very little about the scale of [the] problem globally," <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2019/research/antibiotics-found-in-some-of-worlds-rivers/" target="_blank">said</a> researcher author John Wilkinson. "Our study helps to fill this key knowledge gap with data being generated for countries that had never been monitored before." </p><p>Nearly 100 testing kits were flown to rivers around the world to water systems such as Thailand's murky Mekong River, the serene Sein River in Paris and London's central Thames. At each location, local scientists collected and froze samples to ship back to the University of York to compare against monitoring data with "safe" levels established by AMR Industry Alliance. These typically range between 20,000 and 32,000 nanograms per liter (ng/l). </p><p>"The results are quite eye-opening and worrying, demonstrating the widespread contamination of river systems around the world with antibiotic compounds," said researcher Alistair Boxall. </p><p>Concentrations represent a global concern. Safe levels were most frequently exceeded in Asia and Africa while Europe and North and South America also had levels of concern. By far the worst were levels tested in Kenya, Ghana, Pakistan, Nigeria and Bangladesh — and the discrepancy between wealthy and poverty-stricken nations is evident. For example, <a href="https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-6426/metronidazole-oral/details" target="_blank">metronidazole</a>, a common antibiotic treatment used to treat mouth and skin bacterial infections, clocked in at levels 300 times greater than the safety level. By comparison, tributaries of the River Thames had a maximum total of 223 ng/l of antibiotic material — 170 times less than those captured in Bangladesh. Trimethoprim, a drug mostly used to treat urinary tract infection, was most prevalent and found at almost half of the 711 sites while bacterial-treatment ciprofloxacin was documented as going over the safety threshold in 51 different tested sites. </p><p>"Many scientists and policymakers now recognize the role of the natural environment in the antimicrobial resistance problem. Our data show that antibiotic contamination of rivers could be an important contributor," said Boxall. "Solving the problem is going to be a mammoth challenge and will need investment in infrastructure for waste and wastewater treatment, tighter regulation and the cleaning up of already contaminated sites."</p><p>The highest risk sites were those found next to wastewater treatment plants, waste, sewage dumps and places of political turmoil, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/27/health/antibiotics-contaminate-worlds-rivers-intl-scli/index.html" target="_blank">reports</a>. Regardless of their source, antibiotics in rivers present the potential for bacteria to develop a resistance that further reduce efficacy in human treatment. </p><p>United Nations <a href="https://www.who.int/antimicrobial-resistance/interagency-coordination-group/IACG_final_report_EN.pdf?ua=1" target="_blank">estimates</a> suggest "alarming levels" of <a href="https://www.who.int/who-un/about/amr/en/" target="_blank">antibiotic resistance</a> could kill 10 million people in the next 30 years as some of the world's most common diseases are becoming untreatable. </p><p>"There is no time to wait. Unless the world acts urgently, antimicrobial resistance will have disastrous impact within a generation," <a href="https://www.who.int/antimicrobial-resistance/interagency-coordination-group/IACG_final_report_EN.pdf?ua=1" target="_blank">wrote</a> the agency in its 2019 report. Researchers suggest that investing in infrastructure for safe water, sanitary hygiene, and establishing standardized wastewater treatment protocols could help protect against such outcomes. </p>
Read More
Show Less
monkeybusinessimages / iStock / Getty Images Plus
By Nicole Ferox
Did you know that in order to receive organic certification, packaged foods must be free of not only toxic pesticides but also thousands of added chemicals like artificial preservatives, colors and flavors? Only 40 synthetic substances have been reviewed and approved for organic packaged foods. By contrast, thousands of chemicals can be added to conventional packaged foods, many of which don't require independent government review or approval for use.
<p>Using the ingredient information in our <a href="https://www.ewg.org/foodscores" target="_blank">Food Scores</a> database, EWG's scientists compared organic and conventional packaged snack foods and put together this roundup of the kids' snacks you should always buy organic – to avoid additives and residues that can harm <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/childrens-health">children's health</a>.</p>
<h2>1. Cheerios (and Other Oat Cereals)<br></h2><p>Why? Sadly, <a href="https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/glyphosateincereal/" target="_blank">EWG's laboratory testing</a> found that this quintessential toddler finger food can be contaminated with <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/glyphosate">glyphosate</a>, the active ingredient in <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/monsanto">Roundup</a> weedkiller, which is making headlines this year because of its potential to cause <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/cancer">cancer</a>, and <a href="https://www.ewg.org/research/packagedorganic/" target="_blank">BHT</a>, one of EWG's top food additives of concern, a common cereal preservative synthesized from coal tar or petroleum that causes lung and liver tumors in studies of laboratory animals.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ0OTYwOS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNzI2NTU2Mn0.ZCj3jniWUfCtDmwKtwiE-q6urreRsFJF5C6oOicVDsI/img.png?width=980" id="e2806" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0d9f427d7855888aee19a820e72178f8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ0OTM3OS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNDY0NDM5OX0.NJ8HjadyvqJujlTtppqj_AQR0IeSsgcwusgrqvOkyeA/img.png?width=980" id="f3151" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a30b7c1eb30ffd9d3e6ea5d4596842ee" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<h2>2. Granola Bars</h2><p>Why? As with oat cereals, conventional granola and granola bars may contain toxic glyphosate residues, because oat plants are often sprayed with the pesticide just before harvest. Granola bars also often contain BHT, a common chemical preservative of <a href="https://www.ewg.org/research/packagedorganic/" target="_blank">questionable safety</a>, especially for children.</p><p>Look at 18 Rabbits versus Quaker Chewy bars, below. The conventional bars have higher overall processing concerns, may contain <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/gmo-genetically-modified-organism/">genetically modified</a> sugars and oils, and/or dairy products derived from animals treated with <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/antibiotics">antibiotics</a> and growth hormones. So even with high amounts of sugar, the bars made with organic oats score better in our Food Scores database.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ0OTM5Mi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MDg0MzAyNX0.owPGVcT_JB6PYEzyV2wzphLeKR7gz974aDJ7G_ZSQnY/img.png?width=980" id="85093" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a3f7cddafb7303f214cdfb66b7ad462d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<h2>3. Crackers</h2><p>Why? We know crackers aren't particularly nutritious (a bit more so if your kids eat <a href="https://www.ewg.org/foodscores/products/897580000137-MarysGoneCrackersOrganicCrackersHerb" target="_blank">whole grain versions</a>, and in that case we salute you) but conventional crackers also pack artificial colors, flavors and sometimes <a href="https://www.ewg.org/foodscores/ingredients/7453-tButylhydroquinone" target="_blank">TBHQ</a>, a flavor additive linked to a variety of health and behavioral concerns.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ0OTM5Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNDk1MTUzNH0.NZruTOh63rTWPfV2tRXGAhmEz5RqzfuEwO-l4LTAGRk/img.png?width=980" id="3583d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a099b788bccd3428e4a97a0478c6fed5" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<h2>4. Cheese Sticks and String Cheese</h2><p>Why? By choosing organic dairy products like cheese sticks and string cheese (which in lower fat versions are a convenient choice for a protein-rich kids' snack) you'll avoid antibiotics given to conventional dairy cows to prevent disease and synthetic growth hormones like <a href="http://www.agbioforum.org/v3n23/v3n23a15-brinckman.htm" target="_blank">rBGH</a>, used to boost milk production, a practice outlawed in Europe due to animal welfare concerns and potential effects on human health.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ0OTQwNy9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MjY1NTI3M30.aw0B3fD3zRaj5EiLzCDnsdATOyUlAGi5kZ1tOhzGjzw/img.png?width=980" id="3008f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fa96bc0412360ca2a64040622b19c1e6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<h2>5. Chicken Nuggets</h2><p>Why? In addition to antibiotics, which are contributing to the growth of <a href="https://www.ewg.org/research/superbugs/" target="_blank">antibiotic resistant superbugs</a>, and growth hormones used in conventional meat production, processed chicken nuggets, loved by children everywhere, may also contain artificial flavors, corn and oils made from genetically modified organisms, high amounts of salt, and sodium aluminum phosphate, a stabilizing additive <a href="https://www.ewg.org/foodscores/ingredients/7487-SodiumAluminumPhosphate%20(edited)" target="_blank">linked in laboratory studies to neurodevelopmental effects</a> and on <a href="https://www.ewg.org/research/ewg-s-dirty-dozen-guide-food-additives/food-additive-watch-list" target="_blank">EWG's food additive watch list</a>.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ0OTQxMC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjY3NDQ2N30.jQa0QG-L82k5PAVcDwYjlAJxdeyyXW5VjL_vAdi-xLc/img.png?width=980" id="2f4e1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d8ad37d0596b390e36a1915435d99b5c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
From Your Site Articles
- There's a Toxic Weedkiller on the Menu in K-12 Schools Across the ... ›
- Organic Food and Farm-to-Table Pioneer Alice Waters Is Creating a ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Read More
Show Less