Why Are We So Sick?

Jennifer Lucas, MSN, RN, FNP-BC

Loyola University Chicago

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” -Hippocrates

Overview• Illnesses•Case Study•Current Guidelines•What’s in Food•Two Types of Gardens•Pesticides•Two Types of Farms•Growth Hormones•Know Your Sources

Conditions and Diseases•Diabetes•Heart Disease•Cancer •Hypertension•High Cholesterol•Thyroid Conditions •Fatty Liver Disease•Sleep Apnea •Gallbladder Disease

Kevin and Lauren Visit the Clinic

8 year-old male• Stomach pains• #7 for dinner

28 year-old female• Stomach pains• Bacteria and food

intolerances

Decrease Illness: Decrease Weight Current

Guidelines

• Calories• Fat• Sugar• Serving size• Fruits and

vegetables

What’s in Food that is Making Us Sick?

•Antibiotics•Aspartame•BPA •Corn•Dyes•Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s)•Mercury and PCB’s•MSG•Nitrates•Pink Slime•Pesticides, insecticides•Preservatives, additives, artificial flavors• rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone)

Today’s Session: Top Two

Pesticides• Fruits• Vegetables• Meat• Dairy

Growth Hormones (rBGH)• Meat• Dairy

Two Types of Gardens

Family Garden Monoculture

Pesticides• Pesticides are toxic•Designed to kill insects, plants, fungi

• Pesticides on food• Absorbed through lungs or skin, consumed through foods

• Pesticides in food•GMO seed

• Health Consequences•Nervous System• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) •Cancer

www.panna.org

Two Types of Farms: CowsFamily Farm Concentrated Animal

Feeding Operations (CAFOs)

Cow Feed

• Family Farm Cow Diet• Herbivores (grass)• No supplements, drugs, hormones, additives

• 4-5 years old to reach slaughter weight

• CAFO Cow Diet• Corn, grains• Antibiotics, growth

hormones (rBGH)

• 14-16 months to reach slaughter weight

Literature Daley, Abbott, Doyle, Nader, & Larson (2010) • Grass fed cattle have meat lower in total fat

• Grass fed cattle have better omega 6 to omega 3 ratio

• Grass fed cattle have glutathione (GT)

Daley, C., Abbott, A., Doyle, P., Nader, G., & Larson, S. (2010). A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Nutrition Journal, 9:10, 1-12.

Growth Hormones (rBGH)• Cows• Grow faster• Produce more milk

• Products• Beef • Dairy

• Health Consequences• Disrupt hormone balances• Developmental problems• Reproductive system problems• Cancers: breast, prostate, colon

Know Your Sources• Shop Beyond the Grocery Store• Community Supported Agriculture• Farmers Market

• Reconnect with Food• Grow Something

• Know Your Farmer• Ask Questions

Fruits and Vegetables (Environmental Working Group)

www.ewg.org/foodnews

Decoding Fruits and Vegetables

• Codes: View the stickers on fruits and vegetables

• 5 digit number, starting with 9:  Organic

• 4 digit number:  Non-Organic, grown with use of pesticides • 5 digit number, starting with 8: 

Genetically Engineeredwww.ewg.org

What’s on my food?

www.whatsonmyfood.org

Dairy (Cornucopia Institute)

www.cornucopia.org

Dairy Products without rBGH

www.centerforfoodsafety.org

USDA: Know Your Farmer

www.usda.gov

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

• Your Share • Across the Country

Improving Health…One Plate at a Time

• Awareness

• Food Knowledge

• Planning

• Action

Food as Medicine

ReferencesCenter for Disease Control (October 2012). Retrieved March 20, 2013, from http://cdc.govCenter for Food Safety (March 2012). Retrieved March 20, 2013, from http://centerforfoodsafety.orgCornucopia Institute (September 2010). Retrieved March 20, 2013, from http://cornucopia.orgDaley, C., Abbott, A., Doyle, P., Nader, G., & Larson, S. (2010). A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Nutrition Journal, 9:10, 1-12. Environmental Working Group (January 2012). Retrieved March 20, 2013, from http://ewg.orgGreen Polka Dot Box (September 2011). Retrieved March 21, 2013, from http://greenpolkadotbox.comLocal Harvest (March 2012). Retrieved March 22, 2013, from http://localharvest.orgMy Plate (June 2011). Retrieved September 22, 2012, from http://choosemyplate.govPesticide Action Network (2009). Retrieved March 21, 2013, from http://panna.orgPrevent Cancer Coalition (2011). Retrieved March 18, 2012, from http://preventcancer.comThe World According to Monsanto: Pollution, Corruption, and the Control of the World's Food Supply Marie-Monique Robin (2010)United States Department of Agriculture (2012). Retrieved March 21, 2013, from http://usda.govWhat’s On My Food (2011). Retried March 20, 2013, from http://whatsonmyfood.org