Seven Indian states have banned the sale of these and other soft drinks in schools. But they’re not doing it for the same reason as Victorian schools did earlier this year. India’s centre for Science and Environment last week released results of its tests on 57 samples of soft drinks made by Pepsi and Coca Cola which revealed they contained residues of pesticides 24 times higher than the Indian standards. CSE said almost all soft drinks sold in India contain high levels of pesticides.
The pesticides seem to be coming from local ground water which is used to make the soft drinks.
Pesticides exposure is thought to be related to auto-immune disorders such as MS, Cancer, rheumatiod arthritis, insulin dependant diabetes and systemic lupus. They appear to interfere with Vitamin A and Retinoic Acid (Vitamin A hormone) which the body needs for its immune system to function.
Recently I had my blood tested for signs of environmental pollutants as I was getting the mercury removed from my teeth and my holistic dentist had to determine the state of my blood chemistry. I was shocked to find that I had signs of petrochemical pesticides in my body. Indignant, I sputtered,”but I’ve been totally organic for 13 years”. He said, “During that time, were you ever on a low fat diet?” The answer was yes, for years, I ate a healthy (I thought at the time), low fat, vegetarian diet. Uh Oh!
It seems that animal fat, specifically fat rich in Vitamin A, protects the body from pesticide exposure by carrying it out of the body. Without animal fat in our diet, we are unable to do this and must store the chemicals. I must have had plenty stored from life before organic and there was no way my body could rid me of it on a low fat vegetarian diet. But that doesn’t count for why now, 6 years after letting go of vegetarianism, I still have pesticides in my body. He then asked me how many cockaroaches I had seen in all the shops I shop at? None. How are those shop owners killing their pests? Pesticides.
While it’s hard to avoid pesticides, we can help the body rid us of them by eating plenty of fat from grass fed animals and keeping our blood in a state of alkalinity so our immune system can function properly.
As far as soft drinks are concerned, its better to drink fermented beverages made at home than the commercially available chemical concoctions.
I always have a few ginger beer and apple pop in the fridge ready to go for bike rides, kids lunches and hot days. And the best thing is, they’re cheap at 50c a bottle.
We have already shared Sally Fallon’s beet kvass recipe. Ginger beer and apple pop are great also. I’ll post them next.
About the Author...
Joanne Hay, Editor of Nourished Magazine, Chief Nourisher and Mother of three is very grateful to live in Byron Bay and be able to share all she has learned about Nourishment. She has trained as an Acupuncturist (unfinished), Kinesiologist (finished) and parent (never finished). She serves the Weston A Price Foundation as a chapter leader. She loves sauerkraut, kangaroo tail stew, home made ice cream, her husband Wes and her kids Isaiah, Brynn and Ronin (in no particular order…well maybe ice cream first).
COMMENTS - 0 Responses