I was raised on a farm which has been owned by our family for five generations. When I was a child we grew monoculture crops, sprayed pesticides, and applied fertiliser. Our family grew chickens fattened quickly with growth hormones, raised sheep dipped and drenched with chemicals, and bred cattle immunised with antibiotics. It was how everyone we knew farmed. I lived a care free life, ate the food we grew and helped with all aspects of farming.
When I was 16 our English class studied a book called, "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson. It confirmed my growing concern that the impact of our farming practices were wide reaching and long lasting. What I learnt from that book shook me profoundly and after finishing high school I decided to study Environmental Science rather than Agricultural Science at University. In my first year at University I learnt about a law case in the United States known as Love Canal, where a suburb had been built on top of a toxic waste dump. The residents were getting strange diseases and cancers, and eventually made the connection to the soil in their backyards. They struggled to get recognition that there was a link between their health and the health of their environment.This influenced me switch to studying a combined degree of Law and Environmental Science.
After completing my studies with Honours I worked for 12 years as an Environmental Lawyer. I now have three children and have made a choice to step back from the demands of being a litigation lawyer and work part time as a consultant.
Like many people, having children made me start looking at the environment I was raising them in and the food I fed them. I wanted to ensure they were as healthy as they could be and achieved their full potential. I noticed that certain foods affected their behaviour. I started researching food additives and how to make healthier choices. I then started looking at ways to eliminate toxins from their home environment and implemented a slow transition to healthier choices.
When I was pregnant with my third baby I made the decision to eat only organic foods free of additives and preservatives, and use only the safest personal care products. I wanted to ensure that my baby had the best start he could in life. Whilst I would not change that decision if I had my time again, I now know that it was probably this decision to reduce my toxic load that has led to my youngest child having health problems. He was born with a huge toxic load. With the reduction in toxins coming into my body, it is likely that the significant stores of chemicals accumulated from my youth on the farm were released for elimination from my body. In the process my son, in utero, was exposed to them.
Jack has a rare food allergy known as Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES). He is acutely allergic to rice, oats and soy. He is chronically allergic to wheat, rye, corn, nuts, and citric acid (mandarine, orange, lemon, lime, strawberry, pineapple and kiwi fruit). We have been told it is likely that he will outgrow these allergies by 4 years old. Jack also has a high toxic load of heavy metals which has affected his thyroid gland and hormone production. He is currently not eating any food, not growing and is fed with a nasal gastric tub. We are exploring both Western Medicine and alternative therapies to help our lovely, happy boy.
No comments:
Post a Comment