100% Certified Organic, Mostly Vegetables, Whole Foods Diet Diet for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
ALS Diet Pages
Studies
"...pesticide exposure was associated with > 2-fold increase in ALS risk, with greater risk at higher levels of exposure. This study did not implicate specific pesticides in ALS etiology. However, a cohort study found increased risk of ALS among workers exposed to the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) compared to other company employees, although this result was based on only three deaths (Burns et al. 2001). Case reports have described ALS after exposure to OPs (Bidstrup et al. 1953) and organochlorines (Fonseca et al. 1993)." Environ Health Perspect 112(9):950-958, 2004. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Speaking about going to a Detox center: "This is where I learned the true value of an all-organic diet. Avoiding MSG and preservatives is just not enough." Eric Edney, Eric is Winning pg 215.
"Glucose is a major precursor of glutamate and related amino acids in the retina of adult rats. 14C from labelled glucose appears to gain access to a large glutamate pool, and the resulting specific activity of glutamate labelled from glucose is always higher than that of glutamine or the other amino acids. Starr MS. Evidence for the compartmentation of glutamate metabolism in isolated rat retina Journal of Neurochemistry Volume 23 Issue 2 Page 337 - August 1974
"All the onion, garlic and ketoconazole were found to be able to inhibit growth of all fungi tested in a dose-dependent manner with maximum of 100% at defined concentrations. The results indicate that onion and garlic might be promising in treatment of fungal-associated diseases from important pathogenic genera Candida, Malassezia and the dermatophytes." Shams-Ghahfarokhi M et al. In vitro antifungal activities of Allium cepa, Allium sativum and ketoconazole against some pathogenic yeasts and dermatophytes Fitoterapia 2006 Jun;77(4):321-3.
David Steinman, a food and water expert, reports in his book Diet for a Poisoned Planet: How to Choose Safe Foods for You and Your Family (1990, Harmony Books), that 183 pesticide residues have been found in conventionally grown peanuts and 110 in raisins. Rating these foods as the most pesticide-saturated foods, Steinman advises eating only organic peanuts and raisins if possible. The truth about pesticides is that they are everywhere, they add up, and no amount is safe. The cumulative effects of consuming foods that are tainted with pesticides even though eating an otherwise healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is proving to be disastrous.
Studies have found that the human health effects of agricultural chemicals are numerous and range from respiratory problems in field workers to severe allergic and asthmatic reactions, reproductive disorders, cancer and degenerative diseases in both consumers and farm workers. But one of the most alarming aspects of the use of chemicals in conventional farming is that most of them serve no real purpose. According to research done at Cornell University in New York in the early 1990s, 500 million kilograms (1.1 billion pounds) of pesticide chemicals are applied in North America every year. Of that amount, 99.9 percent missed the target organism. Another astonishing fact about pesticides comes from John Bede Harrison, author of Growing Food Organically (1993, Waterwheel Press): "In 1945, only 13 kinds of pests were found to be resistant to the pesticides then available. Forty-five years later, over 500 types of pests had developed resistance. Today there are over 50,000 commercial products manufactured to combat resistant pests." This is really scary stuff. But you can do your part to turn this around. How?
We all need to insist on organic. It's a bit more work for the farmers, but is the only way to ensure the health of our environment and bodies. In fact, we all need to show support for organic growers by purchasing their fruits, vegetables and other products in stores, at their farms and local farmers' markets, through community-shared agriculture programs and at restaurants that use organic ingredients. By doing this, you will be enjoying fresh and delicious food and will be making a difference to your health and the environment's.
When you eat organic fruits and vegetables (but meats, poultry, eggs and dairy can also be obtained having been produced organically) what you taste is the actual fruit or vegetable, pure and simple. There are no pesticides, fungicides or waxes to mask or contaminate the flavor, and nothing is genetically engineered, either. (Genetic engineering alters the genetic code of the plant or animal to achieve a desired result, and of course, is considered by organic advocates as unnatural and dangerous).
Contrary to what many people think, organic food is not synonymous with "vegetarian" i.e., only comprised of veggie burgers, salads and tofu. Today, almost any fresh, frozen or processed food has an organic counterpart. Also, organic food can be as beautiful and large as "conventional", and not inferior in quality as many people still imagine. In fact, many chefs now use organic ingredients in their kitchens because of its superior appearance, flavor, freshness and shelf life. Check out the label of organic milk and you'll find that the expiration date is months, not weeks away (as you'll find with conventional milk). While blemished and imperfectly shaped organic fruits and vegetables do exist because of not being sprayed or treated with chemicals to create perfect-looking produce, what you don't know is that such imperfections also exist in commercial produce - they just never reach the stores. Truckloads of commercial apples, for example, are rejected for size, shape and imperfections when they are sorted at the orchard. In organic orchards, because smaller volumes are produced and there is less emphasis on cosmetics, there is less waste - but the flavor and health benefits outshine any visual imperfections.
Another belief about organic food is that it's much more expensive than conventionally farmed food but in the peak of growing season, organic produce is comparable in price, and sometimes cheaper than commercial produce. This is especially true as consumers demand more and more organic foods. You can now find entire categories of organic foods at Costco, Vons, Henry's Market, Mother's, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Market and coming to a store near you! As organics are more and more insisted upon, the prices will continue to drop!
Certified organic food is grown and processed without the use of genetic engineering, synthetic or artificial fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fumigants, growth regulators, antibiotics, preservatives, dyes, additives, chemical coatings or irradiation. To be "certified" is to not use any of the aforementioned. This means, for example, that a can of certified-organic chili is made exclusively from ingredients (beans, tomatoes, onions, chilies, etc.) grown without toxic chemicals but was also processed without additives such as xanthan gum, disodium guanylate or maltodextrin. It also means that if the organic chili contains beef, the cow was raised without using hormones, growth enhancers or antibiotics and was fed certified-organic grains throughout its life and then was butchered according to organic-certification regulations.
To be "certified" organic, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires that comprehensive production and processing standards be met and that farmers re-apply each year for certification. But before a farm is even allowed to apply, it must be managed organically for at least three years, the period that is deemed necessary to "detoxify" the land. An independent third-party inspection of the farm is also conducted annually, with professional inspectors examining everything from the farm's history and its future prognosis to crop information and field management.
Another assurance for consumers is that certified farmers must maintain a continuous paper trail so that their products can always be traced back to them. These records can also verify that the feed the farmers have been giving their livestock is indeed certified organic or that the botanical soaps used on the farms adhere to organic regulations. As consumers, we need to insist on certified organic, so that as the need for organic rises, fraudulence doesn't rise simultaneously. So look for certification logos or certifier names on your groceries to confirm that you are buying verifiable organic products.
ALS Diet Pages
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Please click the PDF icon to the left to read or download the entire 36 page Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Diet by Dr. David Steenblock
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