Pesticides May Cause Parkinson’s Disease
A recent report by New Scientist suggests that contact with pesticides increases your risk of getting Parkinson’s disease. This has been found to be the case for both occasional users of pesticides, such as gardeners, and those exposed to pesticides on a regular basis such as farmers.
Suspicions that pesticides could cause Parkinson’s disease have been strengthened. The more pesticide you are exposed to, the higher your risk of developing the disease, say investigators who have studied almost 3000 people in five European countries. The results reinforce the need for amateur gardeners and farmers alike to wear protective equipment when spraying pesticides, the team concludes.
Obviously it’s a good idea to wear protective clothing when spraying pesticides but surely it’s an even better idea to stop using them altogether. Although this research doesn’t prove a link between pesticides and the disease, why take the risk?
Many farmers are switching to organic farming methods which will help protect them from the many risks associated with the use of pesticides. Unfortunately, the majority will probably continue to use these and other chemicals in search of dollars. Hopefully one day they will realise that this isn’t sustainable. It results in soil degradation and the pollution of waterways. However, if all farms were organic, would they be able to produce enough food for our growing populations?
The situation is different for you and me in our backyard gardens. There is no need for us to use pesticides. If we practice basic organic growing methods then we will have strong, healthy plants that won’t need spraying. If you find that one type of plant is getting attacked by pests then that plant is probably not suited to your climate or soil - so grow something else.
People with Parkinson’s were more likely to have used pesticides regularly. Users with low exposure such as amateur gardeners were 9 per cent more likely than non-users to develop the disease, and high-exposure users such as farmers were 43 per cent more likely.
It’s quite sad to see that farm workers are at a considerably higher risk of this disease than the general population. This is especially worrying in countries where there is little control on the types of chemicals used on crops. Some countries still use pesticides which have been banned in Australia, the US, and Europe.
However, it’s worth noting that:
Having a family history of the disease increases your risk by 350 per cent.
Being knocked unconscious once raises the risk by 32 per cent, rising to 174 per cent for those who have been knocked out several times.
So maybe it’s more important to find out why the family risk of the disease is so strong and to put an end to boxing.
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