Health & Fitness

Scientists discovered that glioma, a lethal form of brain cancer, alters the activity of neighboring neurons, accelerating a vicious cycle that drives tumor-associated epilepsy and tumor progression.

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Biomedical engineers have demonstrated that at least 25 percent of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria found in clinical settings are capable of spreading their resistance directly to other bacteria. At the same time, the study shows that, despite common beliefs, the use of antibiotics does not significantly affect the rate at which the genes responsible for resistance are swapped between bacteria.

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Cutaneous melanoma, also called malignant melanoma, is the type of skin cancer that is most likely to spread to other parts of the body. Though melanoma accounts for only about 1% of skin cancers, it is responsible for more than 90% of skin cancer-related deaths.

But thanks to developments in skin cancer treatment (mostly in the last decade), patients with melanoma have much better chances of living longer.

What is a melanoma?

Melanoma involves the uncontrolled growth of a type of cell known as a melanocyte. One of the most important functions of a normal melanocyte is to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. It does this by producing melanin pigment. (Though we usually refer to melanoma of the skin, melanomas can also develop from melanocytes in other parts of the body, such as the retina or gastrointestinal tract.)

There are many factors that may result in the development of melanomas. These include environmental factors such as sun damage or use of tanning beds; immune suppression; genetic causes, such as inheritance of a gene that makes you more susceptible to melanomas; and spontaneous gene mutations.

Treatment options: The old and the new

Until several years ago, treatment options for people with advanced metastatic disease (melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body) were quite limited. Surgical removal of the cancer, chemotherapy, and less targeted immunotherapy and interferon therapy (to reduce tumor proliferation) were possible treatment options. But only about one in 10 patients with advanced metastatic disease survived for five years, and median survival was less than one year.

Thanks to significant developments in genetic research, including findings from the Human Genome Project, patients with widespread disease now have a much better chance of survival. For example, research showing that some melanomas have mutations that abnormally activate certain signaling pathways, which contribute to uncontrolled tumor growth, has led to advances in targeted immunotherapy.

Newer therapies targeting these pathways, and immune checkpoint inhibitors that block specific targets in tumor production pathways, are now available to treat advanced melanoma. These include kinase inhibitors such as dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and vemurafenib (Zelboraf), and immune checkpoint inhibitors such as nivolumab (Opdivo), pembrolizumab (Keytruda), and ipilimumab (Yervoy).

A study examining one of these newer therapies showed that at three years after treatment, the survival rate for people who were treated with the checkpoint inhibitor ipilimumab along with the older chemotherapy drug dacarbazine was 21%, compared to 12% for those who were treated with only dacarbazine.

Another potential therapy receiving more attention now includes cancer vaccines. In addition, some companies have introduced enhanced testing of biopsy samples, which may allow for more accurate assessment of a person’s risk of the cancer spreading and recurring, which in turn can influence treatment decisions. Many more possibilities are also on the horizon.

Prevention still worth more than the cure

Although there are now more effective therapies available to treat melanoma, advanced melanoma still carries a poor prognosis. And even the newer therapies come with significant side effects, including the risk of developing other types of skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. Therefore, it is paramount to protect ourselves from getting melanoma in the first place.

Simple healthy behaviors can help. These include routinely wearing (and re-applying) sunscreen, avoiding the sun during hours of peak sunlight (around 10 am to 2 pm), and making sure your doctor conducts routine skin checks.

It’s also important to know your own skin. Examine your own skin every month or so, and have a partner examine the areas of skin you can’t see. Look out for the “ugly duckling” (a mole that looks different from the others). The so-called ABCDEs of melanoma have their limitations (they don’t catch all melanomas), but can also help when conducting skin checks on yourself or a loved one. That means being on the lookout for

A: Asymmetry (one side looks different from another)

B: irregular Borders

C: Color differences

D: Diameter (often greater than 6 millimeters)

E: Evolution (a mole that appears to be changing over time).

If you notice anything unusual, seek advice from your doctor. In general, the earlier you catch a skin cancer, the better your prognosis.

The post Newer skin cancer treatments improve prognosis for those with cutaneous melanoma appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

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The ginkgo biloba tree, native to Asia, particularly China, Korea and Japan, has many benefits when used as a supplement.

Some of its most impressive actions are associated with brain and memory function^1,2 but studies have also indicated that ginkgo biloba can reduce symptoms of anxiety,³ improve glaucoma (through its antioxidant and vascular effects)⁴ and improve blood flow in conditions like Raynaud's syndrome⁵ and erectile dysfunction.⁶

Some of ginkgo's positive actions may result from the way it increases adenosine triphosphate (ATP), your body's main source of energy at the cellular level. "This activity has been shown to boost the brain's metabolism of glucose for energy and to increase its electrical activity," according to Nutrition Review.⁷

The ginkgo biloba tree has received additional attention for its incredible longevity and resistance to aging as normally seen in animals and many plants. The findings about the ginkgo biloba tree's remarkable survival qualities may also shed light on the mechanisms behind human results seen from supplementation with ginkgo.

A Tree That Is a Living Fossil

The ginkgo biloba tree, also sometimes called the maidenhair tree, is the world's oldest living tree and has been referred to as a living fossil. Some living ginkgo trees in China today are said to be 2,500 years old, with one reputed to be 3,000 years old.⁸

Ginkgo has survived, unchanged, through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous epochs when dinosaurs roamed and became extinct⁹ and even through the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and the great fire that occurred after the 1923 Tokyo earthquake. Here is how the Oregon Department of Forestry described the phenomenon:¹⁰

"Four ginkgos in Hiroshima, Japan, withstood the atomic bombs at the end of World War II – thriving, even blooming — while everything about them was devastated in the blast.

Ginkgos are also believed to provide protection against fire; the bark and leaves are thought to secrete a fire-retardant sap. Many of these trees survived the great fire after the 1923 Tokyo earthquake — and a temple that was surrounded by ginkgos made it through the massive blaze unscathed."

Clearly, the ginkgo biloba tree has amazing resilience and today thrives in polluted environments like urban roadsides and large modern cities, which seem like nothing compared with surviving the dinosaur age and the atomic bomb.

The name ginkgo derives from the Japanese words "gin" and "kyo," which mean "silver" and "apricot" respectively and refer to the ginkgo's apricot-looking fruit. It is the only surviving species from the Ginkgoaceae family.

What Explains Ginkgo Biloba's Longevity?

Like humans, trees have immune systems. But unlike human immune systems, which begin to degenerate with age, the immune system in ginkgo trees "even though they're 1,000 years old, looks like that of a 20-year- old," Richard Dixon, a biologist at the University of North Texas, told The New York Times.¹¹

In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS),¹² Dixon and his co-authors found that the genes in ginkgo's vascular cambium (the living cells behind its bark) contain no provision for death or senescence.¹³

Instead, write the researchers, genes in the vascular cambium continue to resist disease and supply "preformed protective secondary metabolites" as if the tree were young.¹⁴

"Transcriptomic analysis indicates that the vascular cambium of the oldest trees, although undergoing less xylem [plant vascular tissue] generation, exhibits no evidence of senescence; rather, extensive expression of genes associated with preformed and inducible defenses likely contributes to the remarkable longevity of this species …

We propose that continuous growth of the cambial cells may enable G. biloba to escape senescence at the whole-plant level …

The ratio of heartwood/sapwood increased with age in G. biloba, and the expression of monolignol and flavonoid/stilbene pathway genes was not significantly reduced in old trees. Thus, accumulated protective specialized metabolites from continuous growth may enhance the resistance of long-lived old trees to adapt themselves to different environments."¹⁵

How Do the Cambium Genes Perform?

How, specifically do the genes found in the vascular cambium protect the ginkgo? The researchers write:¹⁶

"Phenylcoumaran benzylic ether reductase (PCBER) is a major protein component of xylem, where it provides protection by reducing phenolic dimers to yield antioxidant molecules. Notably, of the two PCBER homologs in the G. biloba genome, only one was strongly expressed in vascular cambium."

Flavonoids could also be at play, they write:¹⁷

"Flavonoids are a major class of plant secondary metabolites which can protect against both biotic and abiotic stresses. In our dataset, 41 genes were annotated as key genes encoding enzymes associated with flavonoid biosynthesis, including chalcone and stilbene synthases."

The ginkgo genome is huge and contains 10.6 billion DNA "letters" compared with the human genome that contains 3 billion letters.¹⁸

The ability to defend against stresses is a major contributor to the ginkgo's long life, the researchers conclude. In fact, old male ginkgo trees still produce viable pollen and older females still produce a large number of seeds; in both cases, they resemble younger trees.¹⁹

Ginkgo Bilobas May Not Age but Can Still Die

Peter Brown, director of Rocky Mountain Tree-Ring Research, concurs with the PNAS authors about ginkgo's mechanisms for not aging and takes the scientific thinking a step further: He ventures that ginkgo trees and others like them could theoretically live forever.²⁰

What kills long-lived trees like ginkgo, he says, is not their advanced age but a specific threat to them such as a drought, insect infestations or pests, or urban development:

"Being modular organisms, every year they're putting on new wood, new roots, new leaves, new sex organs … They're not like an animal, like us. Once we're born, all of our parts are there, and at a certain point they just start to give out on us."²¹

In fact, if a tree's cambium is intact, it can still live as a hollow stump, producing leaves and flowers.²² If stumps lack leaves for photosynthesis, they can also obtain water through shared root systems with neighboring trees, scientists have found.²³ Summarizing ginkgo's longevity, the PNAS researchers write:²⁴

"Aging occurs in most multicellular organisms, and in yeast and animal cells is frequently accompanied by telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, and somatic mutations. However, in plants, aging is complex and multifactorial and is regulated by both genetic and environmental factors.

Aging is associated with deterioration of growth and differentiation as well as with maturity, whereas senescence, which ends in death, is the last developmental stage.

… [D]ue to the complex life cycles of plants, evolutionary theories of aging have somewhat been neglected in the plant kingdom, and thus the mechanisms underlying aging at the whole-plant level remain enigmatic."

Now, these remarkable mechanisms of ginkgo are being uncovered.

Ginkgo Biloba Offers Many Human Benefits

Ginkgo biloba is a top-selling extract and dietary supplement with varied and impressive benefits. In addition to the cognitive and memory-boosting properties suggested by studies, here are other actions of ginkgo biloba revealed by studies.

Inhibition of platelet-activating factor — This factor prevents blood coagulation and keeps plaque from forming inside the arterial walls.25

Enhances nitric oxide (NO) production in vessels — This promotes healthy endothelial function and subsequent positive effects on peripheral and cerebral blood.26

Initiates synaptosomal uptake of dopamine — These actions improve cognitive function27 and 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin),28 a neurotransmitter known for mobilizing your brain and body for action, linked to positive effects on cognition and attention.

Modulates different neurotransmitter systems — These actions include inhibiting monoamine oxidase A, an enzyme that can affect norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine in your brain.

Exerts free radical-scavenging activity — Ginkgo has neuroprotective and antiapoptotic properties, such as inhibiting amyloid-β neurotoxicity and protecting against hypoxic challenges. It may be particularly beneficial for Alzheimer's disease.29

Treats chilblains30 and small blood vessel dysfunction — Ginkgo has positive effects on inflammation from cold exposure; benefits may extend to Raynaud's syndrome.31

Helps with pathogenic skin microbes — These microbial conditions can include acne vulgaris, blepharitis, dandruff, psoriasis and conditions caused by Staphylococcus aureus.32

May help in multiple sclerosis treatment — Ginkgo exerted modest beneficial effects on fatigue and other functional measures in those with multiple sclerosis, in one study.33

Ginkgo Reduced Aluminum Levels in Rats

In a 2005 study in the journal Life Sciences, researchers found that ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) exerted a protective effect on memory and learning function in rats treated with aluminum, a metal suspected in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Here is what the researchers reported after administering aluminum to rats:³⁴

"Aluminum administration significantly increased escape latency and searching distance, indicative of brain dysfunction. GbE treatment significantly protected against aluminum-induced brain dysfunction, as evidenced by decreased escape latency and searching distance compared with the Al [aluminum] alone group …

In summary, this study demonstrates that GbE is effective in improving the ability of spatial learning and memory of aluminum-intoxicated rats. This protection appears to be due to a decreased expression of APP [amyloid precursor protein] and caspase-3 in rat brain, resulting in a decrease in the production of insoluble fragments of Abeta-amyloid."

A Few Cautions About Ginkgo Biloba

While ginkgo may offer neuroprotective, metabolic and immunological benefits, some people have experienced mild upset stomach or headaches after taking ginkgo supplements, a sign that ginkgo may not be right for you. With larger doses, sensitive individuals may experience episodes of dizziness, diarrhea and nausea.

Women who are pregnant and breastfeeding should not take ginkgo nor should people with epilepsy use the supplement because it may cause seizures. Also, people susceptible to poison ivy and similar plants should avoid ginkgo because of the allergic potential of its leaves' long-chain alkylphenols.

If you are older, pregnant or have a known bleeding risk, an increased risk of bleeding is possible with ginkgo. Do not take ginkgo if you are currently on a blood-thinner medication because of interactions. For similar reasons, do not take ginkgo before undergoing surgery or dental procedures.

Also, do not eat raw or roasted ginkgo seeds, because they can cause serious side effects and may be poisonous. With these cautions, you can enjoy the benefits from this tree that has an incredible ability to live practically forever.

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Far worse than the biologic damage caused by refined sugar is the molecular havoc caused by processed vegetable oils. Soybean oil in particular has a questionable safety profile for several reasons, and processed foods are positively loaded with it.

Whether partially hydrogenated, organic or genetically modified to be low in linoleic acid, soybean oil can cause dysfunction at a cellular level. Unfortunately, many health authorities have insisted omega-6-rich vegetable oils like soybean oil are healthier than saturated animal fats such as butter and lard, and this myth has been a tough one to dismantle, despite the evidence against it.

An estimated 94% of the soybeans grown in the U.S. are genetically engineered (GE) to tolerate herbicides,¹ primarily glyphosate (the active ingredient in Monsanto/Bayer's Roundup), which cannot be washed off. As a result, most soybean-based products are contaminated with glyphosate, which compounds their toxicity.

Soybean Oil Linked to Genetic and Neurological Damage

Most recently, research^2,3,4,5 published in the journal Endocrinology warns soybean oil — the most widely consumed cooking oil in America — can cause neurological and metabolic changes associated with:

Autism	Alzheimer's disease
Anxiety	Depression
Obesity	Insulin resistance
Type 2 diabetes	Fatty liver disease

The study, done on mice, compared the health effects of diets high in conventional soybean oil, GE soybean oil low in linoleic acid and coconut oil. As reported by Neuroscience News:⁶

"The same UCR research team found in 2015 that soybean oil induces obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, and fatty liver in mice. Then in a 2017 study, the same group learned that if soybean oil is engineered to be low in linoleic acid, it induces less obesity and insulin resistance.

However, in the study released this month, researchers did not find any difference between the modified and unmodified soybean oil's effects on the brain. Specifically, the scientists found pronounced effects of the oil on the hypothalamus, where a number of critical processes take place."

Your hypothalamus⁷ is a key regulator of homeostasis and metabolism in your body, and also plays a role in your stress response and hormone regulation.

According to the authors, the soybean diets (both conventional and GE), caused dysfunction in about 100 different genes in the hypothalamus, including one that is responsible for producing oxytocin, colloquially known as "the love hormone," which has beneficial effects on your heart.

Other dysregulated genes included ones associated with "inflammation, neuroendocrine, neurochemical and insulin signaling." The coconut oil diet had "negligible effect."

The fact that GE soybean oil that is designed to be low in omega-6 linoleic acid had similar effects as conventional high-linolenic acid soybean oil effects suggests linoleic acid isn't the problem, as previously suspected. The study also ruled out another suspected soybean chemical, stigmasterol, as coconut oil enriched in stigmasterol had no ill effects.

The team will continue their investigation in an effort to identify the real culprit behind these genetic effects. In the meantime, co-author Poonamjot Deol, an assistant project scientist at the University of California Riverside, urges people to "reduce consumption of soybean oil."

Unfermented Soy Linked to Many Health Problems

The idea that unfermented soy in general and soybean oil in particular, are healthy is refuted by thousands of studies linking unfermented soy to a wide range of health problems. In her book, "The Whole Soy Story," Dr. Kaayla Daniel details research implicating unfermented soy in the development of:⁸

Malnutrition	Digestive distress
Immune system breakdown	Thyroid dysfunction
Cognitive decline	Reproductive disorders
Infertility	Cancer
Heart disease	Food allergies

Fermented organic soy, on the other hand, has a number of important health benefits, and are the only soy products I recommend eating. Healthy options include:

• Tempeh — A fermented soybean cake with a firm texture and nutty, mushroom-like flavor.
• Miso — A fermented soybean paste with a salty, buttery texture (commonly used in miso soup).
• Natto — Fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and strong, cheese-like flavor.
• Soy sauce — Traditionally made by fermenting soybeans, salt and enzymes; beware that many varieties on the market today are made artificially, using a chemical process.

Problematic Components in Soy

While the featured Endocrinology study was unable to identify the exact soy compound responsible for the genetic damage, there are many plant chemicals found in soy that are capable of causing problems, including:

Phytoestrogens (isoflavones) genistein and daidzein, which mimic and sometimes block the hormone estrogen — Isoflavones resemblance to human estrogen is why some recommend using soy therapeutically to treat symptoms of menopause. However, most of us tend to be exposed to too many estrogen compounds and have a lower testosterone level than ideal, so I believe it's important to limit your exposure to feminizing phytoestrogens. Even more importantly, there's evidence9 isoflavones may disturb endocrine function, contribute to infertility and promote breast cancer, which is definitely a significant concern. As noted in a 2017 scientific review on dietary phytoestrogens:10 "Phytoestrogens are plant‐derived dietary compounds with structural similarity to 17‐β‐oestradiol (E2), the primary female sex hormone. This structural similarity to E2 enables phytoestrogens to cause (anti)oestrogenic effects by binding to the oestrogen receptors … Various beneficial health effects have been ascribed to phytoestrogens … In contrast to these beneficial health claims, the (anti)oestrogenic properties of phytoestrogens have also raised concerns since they might act as endocrine disruptors … [G]iven the data on potential adverse health effects, the current evidence on these beneficial health effects is not so obvious that they clearly outweigh the possible health risks. Furthermore, the data currently available are not sufficient to support a more refined (semi) quantitative risk-benefit analysis. This implies that a definite conclusion on possible beneficial health effects of phytoestrogens cannot be made."

Phytates, which block your body's uptake of minerals — Phytic acid binds to metal ions, preventing the absorption of certain minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc11 — all of which are co-factors for optimal biochemistry in your body. This is particularly problematic for vegetarians, because eating meat reduces the mineral-blocking effects of these phytates. Sometimes phytic acid can be beneficial, especially in postmenopausal women and adult men, both of whom are prone to excessive iron, a potent oxidant capable of causing significant biological stress. However, phytic acid does not selectively inhibit iron absorption; it inhibits all minerals. This is very important to remember, as many already suffer from mineral deficiencies from inadequate diets. The soybean has one of the highest phytate levels of any grain or legume, and the phytates in soy are highly resistant to normal phytate-reducing techniques such as long, slow cooking. Only a long period of fermentation will significantly reduce the phytate content of soybeans.

Enzyme inhibitors, which hinder protein digestion.

Hemagglutinins,12 which cause red blood cells to clump together and inhibit oxygen takeup and growth.13

Omega-6 fat (linolenic acid), which is pro-inflammatory — The massive overconsumption of highly refined vegetable oils such as soybean oil is largely due to the wrongful demonization of saturated fats. This has had the effect of turning the average American's omega-3 to omega-6 ratio upside down, which is a major driver of chronic inflammation, which in turn is an underlying factor in virtually all chronic diseases.

"Antinutrients" such as saponins, soyatoxin, lectins and oxalates — While a small amount of antinutrients would not likely cause a problem, the amount of soy and soybean oil that many Americans are now eating is very high.

Goitrogens — Goitrogens,14 found in all unfermented soy whether it's organic or not, are substances that block the synthesis of thyroid hormones and interfere with iodine metabolism, thereby interfering with your thyroid function.

Another Major Hazard of GE Soybeans: Glyphosate

If you need yet another reason to reconsider your consumption of soybean oil, consider this: In addition to having an unhealthier nutritional profile than organic soybeans, Roundup Ready GE soy has been shown to contain high amounts of glyphosate.¹⁵

According to a 2014 study^16,17 published in Food Chemistry, which looked at the compositional differences between various types of soybeans, glyphosate readily accumulates in Roundup Ready soybeans, and GE soybeans contained a mean glyphosate residue level of 3.3 milligrams per kilo. The most contaminated samples contained as much as 8.8 mg of glyphosate per kilo.

Meanwhile, a 2010 study¹⁸ in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology found malformations in frog and chicken embryos occurred at 2.03 mg of glyphosate per kilo. The malformations primarily affected the face, skull, brain and spinal cord. According to this study:

"Organic soybeans showed the healthiest nutritional profile with more sugars, such as glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose, significantly more total protein, zinc and less fiber than both conventional and GM-soy.

Organic soybeans also contained less total saturated fat and total omega-6 fatty acids than both conventional and GM-soy. GM-soy contained high residues of glyphosate and AMPA … Conventional and organic soybean batches contained none of these agrochemicals.

Using 35 different nutritional and elemental variables to characterize each soy sample, we were able to discriminate GM, conventional and organic soybeans without exception, demonstrating ''substantial non-equivalence'' in compositional characteristics for 'ready-to-market' soybeans."

It's important to realize that once applied to crops, glyphosate actually becomes integrated into the cells of the plant, so it cannot be washed off. And, while the chemical industry is still defending the safety of glyphosate, mounting research suggests it can harm health in a number of different ways.

Importantly, the chemical has been shown to decimate beneficial gut bacteria. Glyphosate has also been shown to cause DNA damage¹⁹ and to act as an endocrine disruptor.²⁰ For an overview of how glyphosate's impact affects your health, see "Roundup May Be Most Important Factor in Development of Chronic Disease."

Safeguard Your Health by Ditching Vegetable Oils

To recap, there are several potential health hazards of soybean oil to consider, either alone or in combination:

1. The harmful health effects of unfermented soy
2. The potential hazards of GE soy
3. The harm associated with glyphosate contaminated food
4. High amounts of processed omega-6 skewing your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio

If you want to avoid dangerous fats of all kinds, your best bet is to eliminate processed foods from your diet. My comprehensive nutrition plan offers helpful guidance for this process.

When cooking, coconut oil, butter, lard and ghee are healthy options. Also be sure to swap out margarines and vegetable oil spreads for organic butter, preferably made from raw grass fed milk. Butter is a healthy whole food that has received an unwarranted bad rap.

Other healthy fats to include in your diet are avocados, raw dairy products, olive oil, olives, organic pastured eggs and raw nuts. To further balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio you may also need a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fat, such as krill oil, if you're not in the habit of eating small, fatty fish such as sardines, anchovies and mackerel, and/or wild caught Alaskan salmon.

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Animal waste and fertilizer runoff are two large contributors to water pollution, yet Big Ag has consistently turned a blind eye to the resulting devastating climate effects on their own industry. As this short video demonstrates, rising concentrations of nitrogen in the water feeds algae and chokes the oxygen supply to wildlife, creating expansive dead zones.

In addition to an impact on fish and wildlife, climate change is being blamed for record-setting rain in the Midwest in 2019. Croplands were so ravaged by water that farmers were forced to delay planting corn. Typically, 96% of croplands would have been planted by June,¹ but in corn-heavy states like Indiana, Ohio and Illinois, the rates were as low as 31%, 33% and 45% respectively.²

Nutrients are naturally found in watersheds. This is called the "background" concentration. Rising concentrations of nutrients such as nitrate, ammonia, total nitrogen and phosphorus are the result of fertilizer and animal manure runoff. With increasing rainfall the runoff becomes a larger environmental problem, leading to negative health and environmental outcomes.

The problem of higher levels of nutrients in the waterways is a far-reaching concern. Fertilizer byproducts, significant contributors to water pollution, were found to have elevated concentrations in more than 90% of 190 streams in agricultural and urban areas sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey.³

The Center for Public Integrity published an in-depth report in which they used research studies and historical documents to develop an argument I've written about over the years: Agricultural damage by industrial farms has a considerable negative impact on the environment.⁴

Fertilizer: An Underrated and Growing Environmental Threat

The current leading ozone-depleting gas is nitrous oxide, a byproduct of nitrogen-based fertilizer. This type of fertilizer is liberally applied to farmlands throughout the U.S., but America has either not joined or is pulling out of global treaties to bring about reductions in air and water pollution.

Historically, these treaties have been fruitful. For instance, the 1987 Montreal Protocol proved successful at setting limits on most ozone-depleting substances, although it did not address nitrogen.

The massive impact of nitrates on the environment and human health has been noticed around the world. More than 150 scientists from 35 countries stress the necessity of limiting the use of nitrogen in agriculture and wastewater processes. This is because nearly 80% of the nitrogen will enter the environment as pollution.⁵

In an open letter to António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, they urge global action, saying: "If we want to beat climate change, air pollution, water pollution, biodiversity loss, soil degradation and stratospheric ozone depletion, then a new focus on nitrogen will be vital."

An unfortunate and dangerous consequence is the exposure to thousands of nitrates in the water supply. In January 2020, the Environmental Working Group⁶ reported that water testing results from the past decade showed nitrate exposures for an estimated 500,000 people living in Minnesota were at or above levels that mark rising contamination.

Nitrogen Plays a Significant Role in Water Pollution

The safe limits of nitrates in the water supply were set to protect infants from blue baby syndrome, which decreases the ability of the blood to carry oxygen.⁷ WHO reports the condition is rare due to nitrate contamination control.

The Clean Water Act limits nitrate in drinking water to 10 mg per liter (mg/L). However, research indicates that levels close to 5 mg/L are linked to birth defects⁸ and colorectal, ovarian, thyroid and kidney cancers.⁹

These levels are only likely to rise with the relaxation of 2015 regulations that prohibit the release of certain chemicals near streams, wetlands and other bodies of water.¹⁰ The regulatory changes will affect future decisions on water laws as it narrows the definition the Supreme Court may use to define "the waters of the United States."

Administrations under George W. Bush and Barack Obama resisted exemptions for greenhouse gas emissions reports on large animal farms, but the Trump administration has not. The Trump administration has also placed fewer pollution restrictions on farmers. Patrick Parenteau, environmental law professor at Vermont Law School, comments on the part industrial farmers' play in clean water:

"For conservative states and leaders who hold the view that the Clean Water Act has become burdensome for farmers and the industry, 'this is an opportunity to really drive a stake through the heart of federal water protection.'"

Cover Crops Reduce Fertilizer Use and Nitrogen Pollution

As discussed in the video above, cover crops demonstrate the ability to protect the watershed, reduce pollution and protect topsoil. The reporter for the Center for Public Integrity aptly describes the actions of one common cover crop, rye:

"Rye is a time-release nitrogen sponge. As it grows, the rye sops up excess nitrogen before it escapes into the air or water. After the rye dies and decomposes, bacteria squeeze the nitrogen back into the soil, fertilizing later crops. Cover crops are also a magnet for microorganisms that process nitrogen into fertilizer, and they have other benefits, from preventing soil erosion to smothering weeds."

This all boils down to being able to apply less fertilizer to achieve the same results, while protecting the soil and improving soil biodiversity. Cover crops are planted after harvest of the primary crop, to protect the soil through the winter months. Once spring arrives the cover crop must be terminated to make way for the next primary crop on the land.

The Iowa State University Extension Outreach discusses three options farmers use to terminate their cover crops, including crimping, tilling and the application of glyphosate.¹¹ Glyphosate has been¹² "invaluable to no-tillers in North America and overseas as an inexpensive, effective tool for not only killing weeds but also terminating cover crops ahead of or after planting," according to No-Till Farmer.

Rolling or roller-crimping is an effective alternative to the application of herbicides for hairy vetch, barley or cereal rye. While tilling the ground is an option, most cover crops require multiple passes to fully terminate the crop, which increases the risk of erosion and negates the health benefits to the soil of planting cover crops.

Nitrogen Overload Predicted Decades Ago

Parts of the Midwest have experienced swings through heavy droughts and flooding that experts attribute to climate change. James Galloway, environmental scientist at the University of Virginia, commented on the extent of nitrogen pollution:

"People make four to five times more reactive nitrogen than natural, terrestrial processes. And on a global scale, it's just showed no signs of stopping."

Nitrous oxide levels began accelerating in the atmosphere in 2009, potentially compounded by rising levels. It also has happened more quickly than was predicted by the United Nations. Two of the dangers associated with this hazardous greenhouse gas is that it depletes the ozone layer and has a life span of more than 100 years.

In 1973 the EPA acknowledged agriculture was a major source of nitrogen pollution that required regulation to protect the planet. They wrote: "All known trends appear to be ones that can be managed and kept within control, if appropriate steps are taken now."

But, as history has revealed, no real steps were taken, and air and water damage has continued to worsen. In a 2019 study published in Nature, scientists wrote:¹³

"We show that reduced air quality resulting from maize production is associated with 4,300 premature deaths annually in the United States, with estimated damages in monetary terms of US$39 billion (range: US$14-64 billion)."

The rate farmers are using nitrogen fertilizer is 40 times greater than 75 years ago, which far exceeds the rate of population growth. EPA science advisers have been recommending controlling the use and release of nitrogen since the early years of the agency's conception, but without success.

Instead, oversight has been handled by authorities who recommend voluntary self-regulation and cooperation. This has resulted in an industry that has escaped health and safety regulations enforced for other chemicals.

Researchers Discover New Concern With Glyphosate

Research published in early 2019 from McGill University showed glyphosate brings devastating consequences to the watershed and its environmental impact has been overlooked. Most research related to glyphosate has been focused on how poisonous it is.

However, this recent study is focused on the risk associated with glyphosate's contribution to phosphorus levels.¹⁴

The use of phosphorus-based fertilizer has saturated the soil, increasing the potential that any added phosphorus will run off into the waterways. Regulations limiting phosphorus have been aimed at fertilizers, which are some of the largest artificial sources.

However, phosphorus contributions are beginning to add up with a fifteenfold increase in the use of glyphosate over the past two decades. The team concluded that "glyphosate use can no longer be disregarded in monitoring and managing phosphorus levels in areas where the herbicide is used extensively."

Results from an earlier study¹⁵ published in 2016 revealed that Lake Erie's toxic algae blooms were due in part to phosphorus from glyphosate. Researchers thought a no-till method used with genetically modified Roundup Ready crops actually increased the use of herbicides and thus the potential it was a factor in algae growth.

Ohio Northern University's Christopher Spiese expressed concerned about the expansive impact of the problem, too: "For every acre of Roundup Ready corn and soybeans that you plant, it's about one-third pound of phosphorus coming down the Maumee ... "

Big Agriculture Is Calling the Shots

The agricultural industry has a financial interest in keeping things the way they are. While some large animal operations may need environmental permits, farmers are not subject to "EPA monitoring, testing and corrective enforcement applied to factories and other industrial sites."

The American Farm Bureau Federation opposes any laws requiring greenhouse gas emission reporting and any adoption of legislation that increases costs to farmers. Their argument is based on the plight of the farmer rather than the big picture of how farming practices may impact the environment and long-term health.

Protect Your Local Environment — Buy From Regenerative Farms

Shopping smart to make the best food choices for you and your family sends a message to Big Ag. Although they want you to think they control your behavior, remember that it's you who holds the power when it comes to food choices.

There is strong growth in the global organic and grass fed sectors that proves that by working together toward the same goal, we can make a difference. Seek out your food from a local farmer who uses diverse methods to promote regenerative agriculture. Consider joining a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program where you buy a "share" of vegetables produced by the farm.

The application of glyphosate and the devastating effects of nitrogen and phosphorus are three issues related to a larger chemical problem. Seek to adopt preventive strategies to reduce your exposure to the toxic chemical pollution that assaults your health.

You'll find a list of trustworthy sites with resources to find non-GMO food in your area at "Regenerative Farming: Restoring Soil Health and Saving Americans From Cancer, Chronic Disease."

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