The Alarming Link between Pesticides and Parkinson's Disease

Weed-free lawns, blemish-free produce and bug-free blooms come with a very high price tag: an increased risk of Parkinson's disease (PD).

• At the 2003 meeting of the American Chemical Society, researchers from Virginia Tech reported that exposure to insecticides causes a cascade of damage targeting brain pathways involved in PD.
• A recent long-term study found that the death rate from PD was 40 percent higher in California counties that used agricultural pesticides, compared to counties with no such use.

What you can do to limit your exposure to these toxic chemicals

To limit your exposure to pesticides, choose organic versions of the most heavily treated foods: strawberries, bell peppers, spinach, cherries, peaches, celery, apples, apricots, green beans and cucumbers.  Wash produce with a special rinse such as Healthy Harvest Fruit and Vegetable Rinse, available in health food stores.  [Editor's note: I use a natural bath gel base to clean my fruit and vegetables.  It works very well and is completely safe.  I use it for a hand soap, as well — either straight or mixed with a therapeutic-grade essential oil.]

To control aphids, beetles, caterpillars, mildew and rust in your garden, use pesticide alternatives containing essential oils, neem oil, jojoba oil and/or canola oil.  (You can also check out these safe and effective alternatives to pesticides.)

For weed control, place four sheets of wet newspaper around plants, then cover with leaves.  By season's end, the paper will have decomposed and can be mixed into the soil.  (International Journal of Epidemiol 2000; 29:323-9; see also www.beyondpesticides.org.)

See also: A Safe Alternative to Garden Pesticides.