The Effects of Lead, Chemicals, Pesticides

& Herbicides Did  you  kow  that  your  family  may  be  exposed  to  deadly  substances  every  day?  Lead,  chemicals,  pesticides,  and  herbicides  can  be  very  toxic  to  people  of  any  age  but  can  be  especially  harmful  to  children.  There  are  many  ways  that  you  can  be  exposed  to  these  harmful  substances  and  the  effects  have  a  tendency  to  be  permanent.  Are  you  willing  to  risk  your  families’  lives  because  you  don’t  know?  

Harmful Effects of Chemicals

Chemicals  also  have  many  permanent  effects  similar  to  those  of  lead.  Exposure  to  chemicals  can  significantly  affect  childrens’  developing  brains  and  nervous  systems.  Exposure  to  chemicals  can  also  lower  IQ,  alter  behavior,  and  influence  social  relationships.  Exposure  can  be  prevented  through  clean-­‐ups,  education,  and  other  programs.  Children  can  be  born  with  birth  defects,  ADHD,  autism,  and  brain  injuries  because  the  mother  was  exposed  to  chemicals  while  pregnant.  Some  chemicals  may  change  the  structure  of  genes  protecting  the  body  from  diseases  and  cancer.    Treatment  for  cancers  caused  by  chemicals  exist,  however  the  exposure  to  chemicals  and  the  effects  on  children  are  all  irreversible.  

Get the lead out!

Dangerous

chemicals

Is your family at

risk?

Harmful Effects of Lead

Lead  has  many  permanent  effects.  It  can  cause  neurological  damage,  weakness,  tingling,  and  even  paralysis  in  the  legs  due  to  dieback  of  some  nerve  endings.  Since  lead  stays  in  your  bones,  you  can’t  get  rid  of  it.  This  becomes  a  problem,  especially  for  women  who  are  pregnant.  Some  ways  a  pregnant  woman  can  prevent  lead  from  harming  her  baby  are  to  take  calcium  supplements  (preventing  the  fetus  from  taking  the  calcium  in  her  system  that  contains  lead),  always  avoid  exposure  to  lead,  and  if  you  have  been  exposed,  the  risks  are  commonly  from  long  term  or  intense  exposure.  Consuming  lead  while  a  woman  is  pregnant  can,  not  only  take  a  toll  on  the  mother,  but  it  takes  a  huge  toll  on  the  baby.  Lead  consumption  can  cause  premature  birth,  miscarriages,  stillbirths,  and  high  risk  of  leukemia.  Lead  interferes  with  the  development  of  children’s  nervous  systems  causing  them  to  have  learnig  and  behavioral  disorders.  

 

 

What can you do?

Specific  pesticides  and  herbicides  can  mimic  estrogen  hormones  and  disrupt  the  endocrine  system  in,  not  only  humans  but  animals  as  well.  Since  herbicides  and  pesticides  inflict  damage  on  the  endocrine  system,  they  interfere  with  the  reproductive  system,  causing  much  damage  to  reproductive  organs.  Children  are  more  likely  to  suffer  from  the  effects  of  being  exposed  to  these  harming  substances  and  more  the  younger  they  are.  Herbicides  and  pesticides  are  suspected  to  cause  certain  cancers  such  as  prostrate  cancer,  cancers  of  the  brain,  stomach  and  lip,  as  well  as  leukemia,  Hodgkin’s  lymphoma,  and  skin  melanomas.  These  conditions  were  found  exceptionally  common  in  farmers  who  work  and  live  near  areas  that  have  or  use  pesticides  and  herbicides.  

The  harmful  effects  of  these  teratogens  are  not  just  excluded  to  The  United  States.  It  is  a  worldwide  threat  that  endangers  the  lives  of  adults  and  children  alike.    Pictured  above  and  left  is  Mrs.  Daphne  Hare  of  Queensland,  Australia  holding  her  six-­‐year-­‐old  daughter,  Stella  who  suffers  learning  and  behavioral  problems  and  recently  had  a  melanoma  removed  from  her  leg  due  to  lead  poisoning  from  local  mining  of  copper  and  lead.    According  to  the  report,  her  blood  lead  levels  over  a  three-­‐month  period  averaged  17micrograms  per  deciliter  (one-­‐tenth  of  a  liter).  Studies  in  Australia  and  the  US  have  linked  blood  levels  of  10  micrograms  per  deciliter  to  intellectual  and  behavior  difficulties  in  youngsters.      

Pictured  top  and  right  is  a  crop  dusting  plane  spraying  pesticides  in  a  field.    Every  exposure  to  chemicals  is  another  chance  for  you  to  loose  your  health  to  multiple  chemical  sensitivities  and  autoimmune  diseases.  

For  more  information  on  lead  in  your  home,  contact  the  National  Lead  Information  Center  1-­‐800-­‐424-­‐LEAD  or  visit  http://www.epa.gov/lead   The  best  way  to  avoid  unnecessary  chemicals  in  your  food  is  to  purchase  organic  foods  and  foods  that  are  free  of  chemical  sprays  and  GMOs  (Genetically  Modified  Organisms).    GMO  labeling  is  required  in  every  country  except  the  United  States  and  Canada,  but  many  GMO  labeling  advocates  are  calling  for  foods  made  with  genetic  engineering  or  containing  genetically  engineered  ingredients,  to  bear  special  labels.      You,  too  can  support  this  movement  by  visiting  http://www.justlabelit.org  

More Hidden Dangers

Harmful Effects of Pesticides and Herbicides

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