You’ve heard it here before; just because it reads as organic, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you. These days especially; the word ‘organic’ has become quite the victim of abuse by aggressive advertising companies. So much so that it’s easy to say that it has lost its true meaning to half the people out there. You see the common understanding of organic is to mean something that is Simple, healthful, and close to nature – that means no additives/involvement of chemical pollutants. But organic can also mean a carbon compound with properties associated with living organisms.
Now the one thing isn’t good despite being organic is organic dust. Dust is dust whatever you call it but in the case of organic dust you are talking about molds, pollens, bacteria, pesticides, chemicals, feed and bedding particles, and animal particles including hair, feathers, and droppings. And none of that I’m sure you’ll agree is going to give you anything except repertory problems. In fact to be precise, you get exposed to the risk of contracting Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome which is no laughing matter.
So what’s ODTS? To put simply it is a temporary flu-like illness whereby with repeated exposure can cause Farmer’s Lung which is a non-infectious allergic disease caused by inhaling mold spores (contained in moldy hay, staw, grain etc). The body’s immune system cannot counteract the invaders thus leading to lung damage that ultimately results in death.
Normally the body’s natural defense mechanism can protect itself though automatic reactions such as sneezing or coughing but because mold spores are so tiny they easily bypass undetected by the defense mechanisms. They then move on to accumulate settling into the lower lungs where the toxins produced contaminate the oxygen canned through the bloodstream. In the end what will happen is permanent scarring of the lungs tissue that brings on the lung failures.
Pneumonia like symptoms then begin to set in and by then the infection is quite advance and death can follow suit. Clearly the farmer’s lung is an occupational hazard but it doesn’t mean that non-farmers can’t contract this disease.
If you’re a parent and you live near farms, you might want to observe your children for any such symptoms of ODTS.
