The month of March is here and with it expectations of the first quarterly report for the year, 2019!

What are we reporting and sharing from Organic Consumers Alliance (OCA)? Here is an overview for the first quarter:

• True to our evidence based content, we are reporting that a recent study clearly demonstrates that consuming organic foods, even for short periods of time, reduces exposure to harmful pesticides; as this recent urine tests study demonstrates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=53&v=VnAKuMMv9QM
• Sustainable Pulse: https://sustainablepulse.com/2019/02/12/groundbreaking-study-shows-massive-reduction-in-pesticides-in-humans-after-one-week-organic-diet/#.XHuKw8AzbIV
• For those who insist on scientifically published sources, here is the publication: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935119300246
• Why is the above publication important and relevant to those of us who advocate for SAFE and healthy diets are a key strategy to reducing non-communicable diseases (NCDs)?
• Because multiple sources of published literature show that consuming fruits and vegetables significantly reduces the risk of NCDs: But are the fruits and vegetables SAFE?https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291955130_Fruit_and_vegetable_consumption_and_all-cause_mortality_Evidence_from_a_large_Australian_cohort_study
• Evidence that young people consume less fruits and vegetables and that this may “fuel” the NCDs epidemic, both locally and globally: The question of food safety persists. https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-02-28-horrendous-food-habits-of-the-young-less-than-half-eat-a-single-fruit-or-vegetable-each-day.html
• Any local evidence, from a developing country? A Kenyan study, on dietary risk factors, demonstrated similar results, including that young male adults are most at risk of NCDs, from consuming less fruits and vegetables (and consuming more processed sugar and salt). https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-018-6060-y
• Do we have any evidence that pesticide residues are not only a threat to achieving food security but also associated with unhealthy outcomes and specifically linked to NCDs? Yes we do: Read this article about a pesticide called glyphosate found in all formulations of a common weed killer, Roundup Weed killer. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-018-6060-y
• Finally, is this notoriously harmful pesticide linked to almost all non-communicable diseases? Yes: It interferes with the “shikimate pathway” in human gut bacteria and works as a ‘catalyst” to aggravate the effects of other toxins that destroy the “good bacteria” : Here: https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/gut-microbiome-risk/

What is the way forward?

• There is urgent need for MORE awareness creation and promotion of consumption of SAFE, nutritious and diverse diets, which are pesticide FREE, also referred to as organic foods: especially fruits and vegetables, for all people, in general and in particular, among male youth.
• Lastly, while creating organic wellness “content”, with and for young people, we don’t forget to have fun!