What You Should Know About Pesticide Use and Increased Cancer Risk
You are probably not surprised that indoor pesticides are linked to serious health issues especially in small children. But you may not have seen the data.
A new meta-analysis study that combined the studies of 16 different studies provides conclusions that are hard to ignore.
Study Finds Pesticide Use Increases Cancer Risk in Children
The 2015 study reviewed 16 studies of children exposed to indoor pesticides including:
- professional pest control services
- indoor flea foggers
- flea and tick pet collars
- ant and roach sprays.
The study found increased risk of cancer in children who had exposure to these pesticides.
Specifically, childhood leukemia risk increased by 47% with exposure to indoor residential insecticides. Childhood lymphoma risk increased by 43%.
The study also found a significant increased risk of leukemia associated with exposure to herbicides or weed killers.
The senior author of the study is an associate professor of environmental exposure biology at Harvard School of Public Health. He said that the “incidence of childhood leukemia and lymphoma has increased in recent years, and that prompted us to look at this issue.”
Why are children more susceptible?
Children are at greater risk since their immune systems are not fully developed.
The study’s authors acknowledge the study limitations because it included only 16 studies. However, the researchers recommended that parents make every effort to cut their children’s exposure to pesticides.
Are you worried that your house will be full of pests?
Don’t worry. You can have a pest-free home without toxic chemicals.
How to Manage Risks and Make Your Home Pest-Free
So how can you manage the risks for your children and yourself?
Try all natural solutions that are highly effective and non-toxic! Here are three proven ways to kill bugs without using harmful chemicals.
1. Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
Using DE is an excellent way to control roaches. Sprinkle DE in problem areas under sinks, garages, basements, attics, and behind appliances.
Never heard of DE?
DE is a white powder that is the fossilized remains of marine phytoplankton. When a roach (or any bug with an exoskeleton) comes into contact with DE, it gets under the shell, punctures the body, and kills the bug.
Sounds like just want you need, right?
But, admit it. It also sounds dangerous.
You don’t have to worry though because DE is completely non-toxic. While it certainly is dangerous to bugs with exoskeletons like roaches, all mammals are safe from its effects.
More good news.
There is no buildup of tolerance like poisons because the killing method is physical, not chemical.
Keep these things in mind:
- Remember to keep the DE dry
- Although you can eat food-grade DE and rub it on your skin, do not inhale DE because the silica is bad for your lungs (wear a mask when applying)
- Buy it at your local natural gardening store or order from arbico-organics.com
- Always use food grade DE and not pool grade DE
It’s the perfect all-natural insecticide. No harm to humans, your pets or the environment, but deadly to bugs.
2. Create Baits
For non-toxic roach bait, mix equal parts sugar and Arm & Hammer detergent. Use 1-2 TBS per bait.
Unlike boric acid roach baits, this bait is not poisonous to humans.
3. Spray Orange Oil
Another solution is to spray indoor areas with Orange Oil and water. Mix 1 oz. Orange Oil per quart of water.
What is Orange Oil?
Orange oil is simply the raw oil collected from the citrus peel during the juicing extraction. Orange oil degrades the waxy coating on the exoskeleton of insects, causing dehydration and asphyxiation of the bugs, not you.
Dehydrating and asphyxiating the bugs sounds perfect, right?
You can buy Orange Oil at your local natural gardening store.
Learn How to Get Rid of Fleas, Ants & Mosquitoes – Naturally
Got a flea problem? Read The Best Way to Get Rid of Fleas, Naturally. Don’t skip the step of treating your yard with beneficial nematodes. It’s the key to keeping fleas away.
You’ll also learn how best to calm flea bites.
Bothered by ants? You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to get rid of them without toxins. You’ve probably got at least three of the ingredients in your kitchen cabinets. Read Six Killer Ways to Kill Ants Exterminators Won’t Tell You.
If mosquitoes are a problem, try these solutions.
Just curious…
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Sources:
Residential Exposure to Pesticide During Childhood and Childhood Cancers: A Meta-Analysis. Mei Chen, PhD, MS, Chi-Hsuan Change, MSc, Lin Tao, PhD, and Chensheng Lu, PhD, MS. Pediatrics Sept 2015.
New York Times: Pesticides Linked to Kids’ Cancers
The Organic Manual – Natural Organic Gardening and Living by Howard Garrett, 3rd Edition