 80,000 chemicals: that is the estimate for how many chemicals have been created anew since World War II. Fewer than 1% of these chemicals have been tested for their effects on humans, especially long term effects. One example is Bisphenol A (BPA) which has now been recognized to be an estrogen mimic. BPA is used for the lining of plastic bottles, like those from which we drink “bottled water.” It has also been used to line jars, like the ones that baby food comes in. The effects of compounds like BPA that are raising estrogen-like levels in the environment are being seen at the very least in the number of hermaphroditic amphibians scientists are finding. There is concern that compounds like this are contributing to the epidemic of breast cancer and prostate cancer.
We also are observing reduced age for menarche of girls, huge increases in allergic symptoms in children, and an epidemic of children experiencing disabilities on the autism spectrum all over the earth. There is increasing evidence that the pollution of our environment from chemicals has been a major factor in these and other ailments.
So what is a person to do?
Because of the length of the suggestions, I will present some in this newsletter and more in a follow-up newsletter.
Start with your own home.
1. Use “green” cleaning agents. My patients are amazed at how much cleaning they can get done with Baking Soda (wonderful metal polisher), Bon Ami, Borax, and white vinegar.
2. Check the labels on your cosmetics, soaps, and hair products. If you have trouble pronouncing the ingredients because they look like a chemical soup, check at your local health food store for much less potential toxic products. If you do not have a health food store near you, or just for because this is a wonderful resource, check out www.ewg.org. This is the website for the Environmental Working Group which contains wonderful articles about many aspects of our environment as well as rating cosmetics for “healthfulness.” If you use hair dyes, check that there is no lead in them. Lead is a brain toxin.
3. Manage pests, don’t try to eliminate them. Pesticides are amongst the most toxic chemicals around. Their use is associated with allergies, heart and liver disease, infertility, and cancer, just to name a few associated health problems.
Keep pests away by eliminating their avenue for entry, also called exclusion. Close up any holes all around your residence, and place door sweeps at the bottoms of your outside doors. Also, don’t keep food out, clean up crumbs. These are common sense practices that are very effective. Obtain diatomaceous earth from your local nursery. This wonderful powder made from minute sea diatoms damages the skeletons of insects. It is so nontoxic that many people take it orally on a daily basis (approximately 1 tbsp or less) to keep away parasites.
4. Speaking of pesticides, one way you can significantly reduce your contact with them is to eat organically grown food whether grains, meats, vegetables or fruit. Check out your local farmer's market or health food store. Organically grown food tends to be more nutritious in terms of content of nutrients, and - this is my personal opinion - I think it tastes better also.
More to come in part 2. |
