Limit Pesticides and Cut Lymphoma Risk

Keep your use of indoor pesticides — such as insect sprays and pest strips — to a minimum, eliminate them altogether, or use less toxic pesticides such as pyrethrins and boric acid.

If your workplace is sprayed with pesticides, find out whether your office or workspace can be spared this treatment. Often, there are no insects in office areas, especially if food is not stored or eaten there.

Try to avoid lawn fertilizers or treatments that contain pesticides. If you’re not sure whether they contain pesticides, call the store where you bought them, or call the manufacturer (many stores are not familiar with all the pesticides and chemicals they sell).

If you hire a lawn care company, ask them not to use any pesticides. Even if you hire a “natural” lawn care company, check on all substances they plan to apply to your yard.

Buy organically grown fruits and vegetables from a store you can trust. Look for the organic label. If you can’t buy organic food, wash and/or peel fruits and vegetables. These fruits and vegetables are thought to have the highest pesticide residues: apples, grapes, green beans, peaches, pears, strawberries, spinach, and
winter squash (squashes like butternut, acorn, spaghetti, pumpkin, golden). But continue eating lots of fruits and vegetables!