Protect yourself from this invisible diabetes risk

Every day, you’re exposed to a diabetes risk you may have never even heard about. However, researchers have known about it for years…

Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to entirely avoid this risk, especially since it’s completely invisible. But there are steps you can start taking today that will drastically cut back your exposure.

Worldwide contamination

In 2013, researchers at the Imperial College London and the University of Ioannina in Greece announced the results of a major diabetes study commissioned by the European Food and Safety Authority.

Their meta-analysis consisted of several studies conducted between 2006 and 2013. Researchers looked for — and found — substantial links between exposure to pesticides and diabetes.

Based on their important findings, they launched a new investigation that expanded their scope to studies prior to 2006 and after 2013.

In 2015, they presented their results, which included analysis of 25 peer-reviewed studies that involved thousands of participants in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Nineteen of the studies tracked either blood or urine biomarkers, which are considered the most accurate measures for pesticide exposure.

One of the researchers summed up their shocking findings in this statement to Medscape Medical News: “We have shown in more than 80,000 individuals that exposure to any pesticide increases the risk of diabetes by approximately 60% — a result that is highly statistically significant.”

Among the seven pesticides they tested for, two stood out as major endocrine disruptors, causing the greatest promotion of diabetes risk:

  • dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)
  • dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE)

What’s most disturbing about these two pesticides is that they’ve both been banned for years, and yet their profound adverse effects still wreak havoc in the environment.

Putting on fat in all the wrong places

You might wonder how pesticides cause such lasting devastation.

In his Integrative Protocol for Defeating Diabetes, Dr. Marc Micozzi explains that pesticides accumulate in body fat where they can continue to expose you to their toxic effects for many years.

And he points out that this isn’t just a weight-gain issue: “Pesticides also promote fat storage in the liver, pancreas, and muscles, all of which contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.”

This is disturbing news. Particularly if you’re already making an effort to rid your diet of junk — like processed foods, added sugars, and simple carbohydrates — in favor of fresh fruits and vegetables, which unfortunately tend to contain traces of pesticides.

Additional steps to reduce toxic exposure

Fortunately, Dr. Micozzi has a plan you can use, as he puts it, to “work your way back through this toxic tangle.”

STEP ONE: Eat organic

According to a Stanford University study that Dr. Micozzi cites, organic foods have one-third lower amounts of pesticides compared to conventionally-grown foods.

Of course, some organic foods come with a bit of sticker shock, but Dr. Micozzi offers this tip to help you stay within your budget: “You don’t need to spend more on organic produce with skins, shells, or coverings that you remove before eating. So skip the pricey organic avocado, banana, mango, and pineapple.”

That said, however, he highly recommends buying the following organic fruits and vegetables instead of conventional, since conventional produce has the highest levels of toxic pesticides according to the Environmental Working Group:

  • apples
  • celery
  • cherries
  • cucumbers
  • grapes
  • kale
  • peaches
  • spinach
  • strawberries
  • sweet bell peppers
  • tomatoes

STEP TWO: Grow your own

Organic farmers don’t use synthetic pesticides, but toxins in the environment are so widespread that they can drift on the wind and in water. The result: Most organic crops suffer some degree of contamination.

That’s why Dr. Micozzi recommends growing your own organic foods. If you don’t have a yard or access to a community garden, look for a local organic source that’s well away from commercial farmlands. Farmers markets or local roadside stands are great options, especially during this time of year.

Dr. Micozzi details two more essential steps in his Integrative Protocol for Defeating Diabetes — and one of them is a huge contamination source you might never imagine. Click here to learn more about this online learning tool, or to enroll today.

SOURCES

medscape.com/viewarticle/851549
Pesticides Linked to Increased Risk of Diabetes
Medscape Medical News
September 25, 2015