If you’re “of a certain age” you likely remember a time when fatty liver disease was something only folks who drank far too much alcohol got. But cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have skyrocketed in the last decade and the condition has now claimed the top spot as the most common chronic liver disease.1
NAFLD has been linked to metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity in the past. But now scientists are warning there may be another trigger for this disease. And that trigger is something that many of us are being exposed to every single day.
Shocking new animal research has found a troubling link between Monsanto’s controversial herbicide Roundup and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. According to the peer reviewed research published in the journal Nature, long term ultra-low dose exposure to glyphosate—the active ingredient in the weedkiller—can trigger NAFLD.
Roundup is the most widely used herbicide worldwide and here in the US it’s used on a variety of genetically modified (GMO) food crops including corn, soy and canola… all of which are common ingredients in a mind-boggling number of processed foods. In fact the herbicide, a probable carcinogen according to the World Health Organization, has been detected in everything from breakfast cereals to wine.2,3,4
Of course we already knew Roundup was bad news. In fact we’ve been warning you about this dangerous herbicide for years now. But this new research is especially disturbing because we’re talking about just 4 nanograms per kilogram of bodyweight a day causing liver disease.
To give you an idea of how little that actually is, it’s 75,000 times below the European Union’s permitted levels of exposure and 437,000 times below the US levels. In other words, it’s entirely possible that you, or those you care about, are being exposed to this amount of glyphosate on a regular basis.
Lead researcher Dr. Michael Antoniou of King’s College London referred to the findings as, “very worrying.” And we couldn’t agree more.
Reduce your exposure to glyphosate
So what now? Well if you’ve been following our advice all along you’ve already taken the steps you need to slash your exposure to this poison.
1. Choose more organic non-GMO certified foods:
It’s true that organic foods will typically cost you a bit more, but it’s a small price to pay to avoid this creepy chemical. Make some sacrifices on some non-food items to cut your grocery store bill and use the extra cash you save to choose organic foods that are non-GMO certified. While it’s not a guarantee that you will escape all exposure to glyphosate, it will reduce the amount you and your family are being exposed to.
But don’t stop with produce, make sure your meats and poultry are organic too. Although Roundup isn’t used on animals it is used on common feed crops such as corn and soy.
When cash is running short check the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists for the produce that’s most and least likely to be contaminated by pesticides.
2. Write and call your legislators:
Don’t forget your legislators work for you so give them something to do. Write and call your elected officials and tell them in no uncertain terms that glyphosate is harmful and you want them to work on banning this dangerous chemical from our food supply.
References:
1. “The Epidemiology of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Global Perspective,” Semin Liver Dis. 2008;28(4):339-350
2. “IARC Monographs Volume 112: evaluation of five organophosphate insecticides and herbicides,” World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, March 20, 2015
3. Certificate of Analysis, Anresco Laboratories, Anresco No. 320160506, April 29,2016, For: Food Democracy Now!
4. “Widespread Contamination of Glyphosate Weedkiller in California Wine,” Report: Microbe Inotech Lab, St.Louis Missouri, March 24, 2016, Moms Across America
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