Pesticides and IQ?

Earlier this week I was working on a new project with my other company Integrative Pediatrics...

(Can't wait to tell you more, as we're building an unprecedented collection of resources to help families use preventive medicine to help reverse our chronic disease epidemic – stay tuned for an announcement coming soon!)

We were interviewing an expert on toxic heavy metals and discussing how complex the issue of lead poisoning is.

On the one hand, a successful public campaign created awareness for most in the general public of lead as a toxin, and many governments put restrictions on its use...but at the same time, lead exposure from older paints and antiques is still more common than people realize. 

It's a bit of a silent epidemic, but the good news is contamination seems to be in an overall decline in recent years. 

The not-so-good news is we are increasingly exposed to countless other heavy metals and chemicals that have yet to receive that kind of public attention. 

A study that came out just two days ago from New York University (my alma mater) showed flame retardants and pesticides have passed heavy metals as the most damaging to IQ scores (in other words, disrupting healthy brain development). 

It's estimated that each single IQ point drop is statistically equivalent to $22,000 in medical expenses and productivity loss over someone's lifetime. 

Someone with an 'intellectual disability' is estimated to have medical expenses and productivity loss estimated at over $1 million over their lifetime.

A lot of the highly toxic flame retardants are found in clothes, furniture and bedding. Look for furniture labels that say "Contains No Added Flame Retardants". And for parents, avoid kids' products made with polyurethane foam.

And of course, the pesticides are due to our chemical agriculture model which destroys biodiversity in the name of short term boosts in crop productivity.

“Frequently opening windows to let persistent chemicals found in furniture, electronics, and carpeting escape, and eating certified organic produce can reduce exposure to these toxins,” says Dr. Trasande, who also serves as Chief of Environmental Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics at NYU Langone.

This is great advice. Remember, in most parts of the world, indoor air is virtually always more toxic than outdoor air – so crack those windows! 
Many people have written in saying they've been inspired to start a garden, volunteer at a farm, or begin composting – these messages mean the world to me. 

For those who've asked how to do more and get involved in a bigger way, we can expand this movement with your advocacy. 

We're so excited to partner with our friends at Kiss the Ground to offer you the Soil Advocate Training!

If this is of interest to you, it's a really life-changing training program taught by my good friend Finian Makepeace and it starts next week January 22nd. 

It helps anyone from activists, to students, to farmers, to business owners, to concerned citizens become empowered to powerfully spread awareness of the incredible opportunity of building back soil through the adoption of regenerative agriculture worldwide.

The graduates of this program are going to play a critical role in healing our world.

If you want to step on the court as a player in this movement, the skills and knowledge you need are in this course. Use our code SOIL2020 to get 10%.

Together, we can do this!