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I am researching the connection between als and pesticides. I was employed on a terminal for 11 years where imported fruit is fumigated several times a week. I am suspected its how I contracted ALS. Does anyone have any information or results that may prove or disprove this. ...thank you and god bless you
I would be interested in knowing as well.
For many years while growing up in Upstate New York, (1970s) an apple orchard was maintained by our neighboring farmer. As with most fruit crops, pesticides were applied often. The farmer was good about letting the neighborhood know when he'd be spraying -- but pesticides don't break down that quickly (can linger for days on end), and our house would fill with the smell of it even with windows closed. We also drank well water, which, of course comes from local sources.
Fast forward to 2009. My parents still live in the house, dad has prostate cancer (10 year survivor) and mom has ALS (dx 2006). She is the second in the neighborhood to be dx with ALS. The first was about 20 years ago. Just got word last week that another neighbor in her 60s like mom, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's.
My mom also talked about her mother frequently spraying everything in their family home with DDT. Scary thought: my grandmother passed in her late 30's of Lymphoma, another possible pesticide-induced disease.
So, my mom was exposed to pesticides for about 20 years (farm shut down in early 1980s). It truly makes you wonder, because many pesticides kill insects by compromising their--guess what--nervous systems.
I now eat organic as much as possible (affordable). I think I've already ingested a lifetimes worth of pesticides and considering family history, really don't want to add more! I'm also an organic gardening enthusiast--nothing like fresh tomatoes from the garden.
There is probably no one thing that causes ALS to manifest--but I would not be surprised if pesticide exposure was found to be a risk factor.
I was diagnosed with ALS in January 2006 with symptoms occurring in October 2004. I believe my ALS was triggered by the fertilizer used at the golf course. Right after they fertilized I had a severe eye reaction and the follow spring the same reaction occurred. Shortly after that my symptoms occurred. Of course that is just my opinion.
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