I have been following stories in the news about honeybees and Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). CCD refers to the sweeping deaths of honeybee colonies worldwide because honeybees simply vanish. This is a big problem for us because if there are no bees to pollinate fruits and vegetables, our entire food supply is at risk.
According to an article in Time magazine (http://science.time.com/2013/05/07/beepocalypse-redux-honey-bees-are-still-dying-and-we-still-dont-know-why/), the possible causes of CCD are viruses, parasites, bacteria, and the use of pesticides called neonicotinoids. These pesticides are nicotine-like chemicals that act on an insect’s nervous system. Often, these types of chemicals are applied to seeds before planting, or are applied to the soil before planting and are then taken up by the whole plant. As a result, the entire plant is full of toxins that are harmful to insects.
To me, CCD is an issue beyond just the threat to our food supply. If pesticides affect honeybees in this manner, then what happens when we consume foods high in pesticides? How does the toxic buildup affect us? Scientists believe that the buildup of toxins in bees affects the bees’ abilities to collect pollen and find their way back to the hive. Based on that, can we safely assume that when we consume foods high in pesticides, something happens in our body that makes us unable to carry out basic functions? Could this be why we are seeing increasing rates of allergies and food sensitivities in adults and children?
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The European Union has put a two-year ban on the use of neonicotinoids, and it will be interesting to see what happens to bee colonies as a result of the ban. I think the message here is that pesticides don’t differentiate between insects that are damaging to our crops and those that are beneficial to them. Similarly, they don’t differentiate between insects and humans. Eventually, the toxic buildup will have an effect on our bodies in the same manner as it has on honeybees.
Rachel Khanna is a Chef and Certified Health Counselor. She resides with her husband and four daughters in Greenwich. She has also recently published a cookbook called Live Eat Cook Healthy: Simple, fresh and delicious recipes for balanced living. For the month of June, her cookbook is on sale for 40% off on her website. Visit her website at: www.liveeatcookhealthy.com.
