M6.7: Obesogens

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  • Utilizing the first article, discuss what is locally grown and what is currently in season in your area.
    • According to the LocalHarvest website, goats, goats' milk/lotion/soap, apples, eggs, arugula, beets, cabbage, kale, onions, tomatoes, fresh hers, and flowers are locally grown. 
    • According to the Seasonal Food Guide, there are 104 different kinds of produce in season in my area. I wasn't able to specify Morgan Hill, but I was able to get California's information. Some of the crops are similar to those locally grown such as apples, arugula, beets, cabbage, etc. 
  • Discuss your thoughts on seasonal/local foods and hospital menus. 
    • I find seasonal/local foods and hospital menus as a compelling argument to eat healthier. It is having an example before you and it represents the vision of having a healthier population. This is somewhat related to the current steps Kaiser Permanente is doing. For the Greater Southern Alameda Area (San Leandro, Hayward, Union City, and Fremont), there are farmer's market every week, once a week at each of the facilities. It is to bring the produce to the Kaiser members to buy and attempting to also grow the market demand for fresh, healthier alternatives. It seems like it would be possible for hospitals to use their surrounding crops. I think it could be easy for some states and harder for others. California has diverse crops compared to other states that might not have different crops. In addition, the seasons are very different in each state, which can have a huge impact in food supply. There are pros and cons, but I think on a smaller level, it would be possible to merge local foods and hospital menus. 
  • Find a Harvest Calendar for your state (or a state you are interested in) 
    • I was unable to find a Harvest Calendar, but I searched online and was able to find a Harvest Calendar for San Francisco (Northern California).
    • It is pretty amazing to see the variety in crops (these are only vegetables) that we have in Northern California. 










































































  • What are your thoughts on the second article? Have you heard of obesogens before?
    • I personally have not heard of the word obesogens, but I do understand what the concept is about. The article describes obesogens as "dietary, pharmaceutical, and industrial compounds that may alter metabolic processes and predispose some people to gain weight." I think it is a very real concern after learning about the chemicals and dangers of our personal care and household products. I am now sure that there are chemicals in the food that we consume.  
  • Pick one of the potential obesogens discussed in the article and using your resources from earlier modules (such as toxnet), do some research on this potential obesogen. Share what you found!
    • One of the obesogens discussed were chemical pesticides, specifically atrazine - which was linked to increased BMI in offspring and insulin resistance in rodents. 
    • After further research, atrazine was found to cause fatigue, dizziness, nausea, irritation of skin/eyes/respiratory tract, and asthma. There were also reproductive effects from over exposure to atrazine which is a component in herbicides. Atrazine has not been classified as a carcinogen, but there are studies to support that it can cause cancer. Knowing this can be a chemical that increases increase weight is upsetting. Why would the EPA allow for such chemicals to impact our health? Overall, I think the approach is to eat organically whenever possible to reduce our toxic chemical intake. 

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 3, 2018 at 8:53 PM

    Hi Daisy,
    Thank you for your post! Atrazine is a dangerous chemical and has shown to have so man negative health effects. It is amazing that they banned it in Europe, but it is still legal here...You ask a very important question, "Why would the EPA allow for such chemicals to impact our health?" and I think a lot of people who are a part of the EPA and look at the cost of taking the chemical off the market compared to the cost of health impairments. It is a sad truth, but I think they are too "hand in hand" with industry.
    Thank you for your post!
    Kera

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownOctober 4, 2018 at 9:10 AM

    Hi Daisy,
    Thank you for your post and for sharing your thoughts. I agree that incorporating seasonal/local foods in hospitals would promote a healthier lifestyle and encourage the community to buy locally. That is so great that your community has a farmers market that brings produce for Kaiser members to purchase. I also agree that obesogens are a serious concern and that the linkage between certain chemicals and obesity are very clear and that there needs to be more research.

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