Another reason to go organic – I have been slow in joining the all-organic bandwagon, but as more and more data comes out on genetically altered foods and liberal use of antibiotics in livestock, I now believe that with the advances in organic farming and raising of livestock, these products need to be seriously considered by the American public.
The amount of chronic diseases, like fibromyalgia and type 2 diabetes, as well as antibiotic resistant bacteria that we are seeing in our population may have links to some of the foods we are consuming.
ABC News reported Wednesday that eight million women are at risk for “difficult to treat bladder infections” due to superbugs, which are spread in the form of E. coli.
The ABC News investigation comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in March that chickens may be to blame for the majority of urinary tract infections. A study concluded that strains of E. coli in women matched strains of E. coli found in retail chicken meat.
The CDC analyzed other types of meat, such as pork and beef, but they were not as likely to have the same strains of E. coli.
ABC News, along with the Food & Environment Reporting Network, found that the antibiotics given to chickens, are likely responsible for the problem.
“What this new research shows is, we may in fact know where it’s coming from. It may be coming from antibiotics used in agriculture,” said Maryn McKenna, a reporter from the Food & Environment Reporting Network.
The chicken industry says in the ABC News article that overuse of antibiotics in humans could also be a factor, and there’s never been a study that proves superbugs are directly transmitted from poultry to humans.
Click here to read more from Southeast AgNet.
Years ago, we used to know where our food came from. Now we don’t. You could be eating vegetables grown out of Chile, fish caught in Thailand, and don’t get me started on canned goods. So, I think that especially when it comes to our children, we need to be alert and try to go natural whenever possible.
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