In Parliament, the Minister for Mists
and Mellow Fruitfulness announces,
that owing to inflation and rising costs
there will be no Autumn next year.
September, October and November
are to be cancelled,
and the Government to bring in
the nine-month year instead.
Thus we will all live longer.
Emergency measures are to be introduced
to combat outbreaks of well-being
and feelings of elation inspired by the season.
Breathtaking sunsets will be restricted
to alternate Fridays, and gentle dusks
prohibited. Fallen leaves will be outlawed,
and persons found in possession of conkers,
imprisoned without trial.
Thus we will all work harder.
The announcement caused little reaction.
People either way don't really care
No time have they to stand and stare
Looking for work or slaving away
Just another Autumn day.
Roger McGough
Blogger's Note:
As my baby boy and I ate breakfast this morning, we were accompanied by Radio 4. The presenters and interviewees were busy describing and analysing the latest "developments" in the Eurozone (possibly fed more by the pressure of 24-hour news coverage than actual news), and I wondered whether the whole thing was part of a ploy to force undemocratic and unpopular changes to the nature of Europe. Then I turned the radio off and picked up one of my favourite poetry collections to read to the both of us. "Just Another Autumn Day" happened to be one of the poems I came to and it seemed pertinent so I thought I'd share it. Personally, I need reminding every now and again not to allow myself to become distracted by nonsense.
Thursday 15 September 2011
Monday 5 September 2011
Overcome Hay Fever Naturally - 6 Steps
Immune system problems have been on the rise in recent years with asthma, hay fever, eczema, food allergies and similar maladies becoming more prolific. Many researchers suspect the increase has an explanation rooted in aspects of modern living, partly informed by the fact that the main increases are in highly developed countries in Europe and North America, with increases in other countries as they become more developed.
When the body produced an allergic reaction, the immune system is responding to substances that are ordinarily harmless (such as pollen or peanuts) as though it is a foreign invader. The immune system overreacts, giving rise to symptoms such as blocked or runny nose, itches, headache, sneezing and even asthma.
If you are one of the many now suffering from seasonal allergies, we recommend the following 6 steps:
1. Use a probiotic - in the form of a supplement, fermented food, or drink, "good" bacteria taken daily changes the immune system's response to grass pollen, a common cause of allergies. The live micro-organisms colonise the intestines - this is essential for not only proper digestion but also immune function. It could help balance antibody production, decreasing allergy symptoms.
2. Get dirty - we live in an increasingly sterile environment - pasturisation, antibiotics (prescription and in our food), hand sanitisers, surface sanitisers... all of these things kill the good bacteria as well as the bad. Since we are preventing normal exposure to bacteria and viruses, our bodies can come to produce excessive immune responses against routine things, resulting in allergies and autoimmune diseases. It is particularly important for an infant's immune system to be stimulated, for this and many other reasons.
3. Clean up your diet - give your immune system the support it needs and benefit from the natural anti-inflammatory effects of wholesome food. Start by eliminating sugary foods (including sugar, refined grains, processed foods, fruit juices etc.) and omega 6-heavy foods (vegetable oils, processed foods), while increasing intake of organic foods, vegetables and omega 3 fats (fish, flaxseeds, walnuts etc.) For some, pasteurised milk products may aggravate symptoms of hay fever so you might like to try cutting back or finding unpasturised milk.
4. Exercise - a large German study found that the rate of hay fever amongst sedentary individuals was more than double that of more active subjects - regardless of a number of other expected variables. Boost the hay fever combating benefits by exercising in the sun to generate vitamin D in your skin, which also supports proper immune function (amongst other things).
5. Source a local honey - it's a traditional complementary remedy but a 2011 study found that using a teaspoon of local honey daily resulted in a 60 percent reduction in symptoms, twice as many asymptomatic days, 70 percent fewer days with severe symptoms and 50 percent decrease in usage of antihistamines when compared to the control group. In another study 16 out of 21 people reported improvements - so it's worth a go! (Remember though to compensate for this increase in sugar intake in the rest of your diet).
6. Try homeopathy - again, a complementary remedy with plenty of anecdotal evidence behind it... But did you know that a double-blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled study published in the British Medical Journal August 19, 2000 found that subjects using homeopathy enjoyed 28% better nasal airflow? It might not resolve the health complaint at its deepest level but it's risk-free and now proven.
* BONUS TIP! We've not tried this one but it was sent to us by a kinesiologist friend - give it a go and see if it works for you: tap ends of meridians: Bl1 bridge of nose; then Kid27 just below collarbone ends centre of chest; then St1 below mid-eyes; then Sp21 under armpits midline level with base of breasts . If you try this, let us know if it works for you!
info@theblueberryclinic.co.uk
Wednesday 13 July 2011
Your Body Is Amazing
Your body is designed to preserve its own health.
It is constantly replenishing its cells. Every second, several million red blood cells are removed and replaced from your circulatory system. Every five days, your stomach lining is renewed. Every thirty days, you have a brand new protective skin. Every ninety days (give or take), your body turns over all of the molecules that make up your bones. Take a moment to consider the fact that the vast majority of the molecules that constitute your body as you sit at your computer today did not exist a year ago.
While this raises some interesting philosophical ideas, the point is that your body is constantly working to repair and renew itself. Amazing.
“But if this is the case, why can’t shake this health problem?!”
This is an interesting question. “If my body is constantly creating new tissues, then why haven’t my dysfunctional ones been replaced with better ones,” you’d rightfully wonder.
In dealing with this health issue, what have you tried? Did you try some pills, or maybe a lotion?
If you cut yourself, you probably used a plaster. And that was probably a wise choice if the cut was at risk of becoming dirty. But the plaster – the equivalent of the pills or the cream – won’t heal the cut. The incredible cascade of events that your body triggered when you cut yourself to reduce the blood loss and re-establish the injured layers of skin is what heals the cut. The body knows how to heal itself. In this case, you’re lucky enough to know exactly what caused the malady and all you have to do is make a note to be more careful around sharp objects.
So if your body doesn’t appear to be doing its job of replacing dysfunctional cells the answer is likely to be that you’ve not identified the root cause of your health challenge. You can’t see the cause-and-effect like you can with the sharp object but your daily choices are obstructing your body’s natural course. If the input remains the same, so will the output.
Input - Output
If only we could observe all health troubles as easily and completely as we can with the example of cuts. When they are generated internally (such as with arthritis, atherosclerosis, and various malignancies) it's impossible to see the effects of your choices in real time.
If you have clogged blood vessels or intermittent headaches, it won’t necessarily be obvious to see how acrylamides in crisps, casein in pasteurised and homogenised dairy, free radicals in cheap vegetable oils, sugar, aspartame, heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and the multitude of other disease-causing compounds found in our diet are injuring your cells internally. Or to observe the damage that stress-related compounds released as a result of anger or anxiety does to your organs.
We all know that we should improve our input – good food choices, good lifestyle choices, exercise, sunlight, positivity and stress-coping techniques, surrounding yourself with the right people and so on – but it’s hard to remain focused and motivated when you can’t see the effects of poor choices in real-time. It seems that in many cases the discomfort has to be severe enough to warrant change; and for many more, even that is not enough. Particularly if the plaster successfully covers up the manifestation (of course, the people selling you the plasters don't make money if you stop cutting yourself).
What Does It Take To Stay Motivated?
In short, two things. With just these two things it will become almost natural to make and sustain daily choices that support your body’s innate capacity to be well.
The first is a reason for wanting to be healthy for as long as possible. Not somebody else’s reason, but one that you feel. The second thing is to engage with your health. This means to get away from the idea of quick-fixes that is so firmly entrenched in our culture and to develop your natural instinct for your body’s self-healing design. To become one with your body.
Assisting your body in performing its functions properly and realising its ability to be well is the objective of Naturopathic Personal Training from The Blueberry Clinic. If you'd like this support, click here for more information.
It is constantly replenishing its cells. Every second, several million red blood cells are removed and replaced from your circulatory system. Every five days, your stomach lining is renewed. Every thirty days, you have a brand new protective skin. Every ninety days (give or take), your body turns over all of the molecules that make up your bones. Take a moment to consider the fact that the vast majority of the molecules that constitute your body as you sit at your computer today did not exist a year ago.
While this raises some interesting philosophical ideas, the point is that your body is constantly working to repair and renew itself. Amazing.
“But if this is the case, why can’t shake this health problem?!”
This is an interesting question. “If my body is constantly creating new tissues, then why haven’t my dysfunctional ones been replaced with better ones,” you’d rightfully wonder.
In dealing with this health issue, what have you tried? Did you try some pills, or maybe a lotion?
If you cut yourself, you probably used a plaster. And that was probably a wise choice if the cut was at risk of becoming dirty. But the plaster – the equivalent of the pills or the cream – won’t heal the cut. The incredible cascade of events that your body triggered when you cut yourself to reduce the blood loss and re-establish the injured layers of skin is what heals the cut. The body knows how to heal itself. In this case, you’re lucky enough to know exactly what caused the malady and all you have to do is make a note to be more careful around sharp objects.
So if your body doesn’t appear to be doing its job of replacing dysfunctional cells the answer is likely to be that you’ve not identified the root cause of your health challenge. You can’t see the cause-and-effect like you can with the sharp object but your daily choices are obstructing your body’s natural course. If the input remains the same, so will the output.
Input - Output
If only we could observe all health troubles as easily and completely as we can with the example of cuts. When they are generated internally (such as with arthritis, atherosclerosis, and various malignancies) it's impossible to see the effects of your choices in real time.
If you have clogged blood vessels or intermittent headaches, it won’t necessarily be obvious to see how acrylamides in crisps, casein in pasteurised and homogenised dairy, free radicals in cheap vegetable oils, sugar, aspartame, heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and the multitude of other disease-causing compounds found in our diet are injuring your cells internally. Or to observe the damage that stress-related compounds released as a result of anger or anxiety does to your organs.
We all know that we should improve our input – good food choices, good lifestyle choices, exercise, sunlight, positivity and stress-coping techniques, surrounding yourself with the right people and so on – but it’s hard to remain focused and motivated when you can’t see the effects of poor choices in real-time. It seems that in many cases the discomfort has to be severe enough to warrant change; and for many more, even that is not enough. Particularly if the plaster successfully covers up the manifestation (of course, the people selling you the plasters don't make money if you stop cutting yourself).
What Does It Take To Stay Motivated?
In short, two things. With just these two things it will become almost natural to make and sustain daily choices that support your body’s innate capacity to be well.
The first is a reason for wanting to be healthy for as long as possible. Not somebody else’s reason, but one that you feel. The second thing is to engage with your health. This means to get away from the idea of quick-fixes that is so firmly entrenched in our culture and to develop your natural instinct for your body’s self-healing design. To become one with your body.
Assisting your body in performing its functions properly and realising its ability to be well is the objective of Naturopathic Personal Training from The Blueberry Clinic. If you'd like this support, click here for more information.
Friday 8 July 2011
The Healing Instinct - Massage Therapy
We humans really do have great instincts. Ok, so we might not listen to them the whole time – or perhaps even be able to hear them for that matter. But they’re there.
Think about the last time you banged your head. The chances are, without even thinking about it, you raised your arm, brought your hand to your head, and gave it a good rub. Or recall a time you’ve comforted a friend in need – you probably touched them, right?
In these acute circumstances of physical or emotional pain, it’s as though we’re genetically programmed to touch. It must have proven a valuable trick over a few hundred thousand years. But outside of these instances of acute trauma, when we’re really forced to it, how often have you used touch to comfort and heal?
Now more than ever, if we want to enjoy good health in body and mind, we need to be aware of cumulative or chronic trauma. Physical stress is an obvious example of cumulative trauma but there’s so much more than that slowly taking its toll on our quality of life. We have to deal with ever increasing demands from work; financial concerns; finding time for family and leisure; environmental stress such as pollution and crowding... all of these mild stresses build up and eventually the body or mind will display the symptoms of illness.
Doesn’t it seem intuitive to soothe this trauma in the same way you would acute pain – using touch? Do you really have to let it reach boiling point – injury or illness – before you take some remedial action?
The kind of massage we practice at The Blueberry Clinic, Petersfield, has been designed to soothe cumulative or acute trauma and stress. While many look at massage as a luxuary treatment or simple relaxation, there is a great deal more to Holistic Massage Therapy – in fact, we consider the massage we do at The Blueberry Clinic to be essential preventative health treatment.
There is not a single system within the body that hasn’t been shown to benefit from good massage – the nervous system, the immune system, the cardio-vascular system, the endocrine system, the lymphatic system, the digestive and urinary systems, obviously the muscular and skeletal systems, the respiratory system – massage has the potential to heal all of these. And if all of those are functioning well, the chances are you are going to be enjoying really excellent health in body and mind.
But the massage offered at The Blueberry Clinic - Holistic Massage Therapy - goes further than that. We all know about the benefits of meditation. Well, we don’t all know because science is slowly catching up with intuition but the point is, it’s extremely good for you. Good Holistic Massage Therapy can be considered a spiritual therapy as well as physical insofar as it will induce a deep meditative state. An hour spent being healed by a trained professional – with an instinct for healing – will take you into a state of relaxation so hard to come by in a world of distraction. Pure focus – you, your body, and the power of touch. It will clear your mind allowing you to be truly peaceful. You won’t even be thinking about it at the time but when your massage is over and it comes time to rejoin the world, you will know where you’ve been. If this isn’t an essential preventative measure for health, then nothing is.
The potential that Holistic Massage Therapy from The Blueberry Clinic in Petersfield, Hampshire, holds for you and your health and quality of life is profound. For more information or to make a booking and take a step toward the health that you deserve, visit www.theblueberryclinic.co.uk
Friday 10 June 2011
GM Leaving A Nasty Taste?
As a new study published in May casts new doubts over the safety of introducing GMO's into the food chain we ask "can it be stopped?"
Genetically modified crops have been engineered to contain a Bt toxin that causes the stomachs of would-be pests to split open, killing them. A built-in pesticide. The official line from industry and regulators alike has been that the toxin is destroyed in human digestion and that even if it did survive, it wouldn't be a problem.
GM Freeze - a not-for-profit company campaigning for a freeze on growth, import and patents of GMO's, their website features lots of great information, press releases, legal news, sample letters and so on.
The Study
Perhaps not as surprising as it should be, new research from Quebec, published in the peer reviewed journal Reproductive Toxicology in May 2011, indicates that the toxin not only survives digestion, but enters the blood stream. Further, they found that it is passed to foetuses. (The study included tests for two other herbicides - you can find details in the footnote).
Although there have always been concerns about the toxicity and potential allergenicity of Bt proteins - and reports of adverse reactions to the natural form as a spray have been well documented - the toxin in question is approved by the EU, and the UK's Food Standards Agency followed suit.
This new research clearly calls in to question the validity of the risk-assessment of GMO's - their effect on the environment, on humans (long-term, cumulative, and inter-generational effects), and the political and economic implications of the patents being given that monopolise control of the world's genetic resources for food farming.
What Are They Doing?
For thousands of years, farmers and plant breeders have used selective breeding to improve things like yield, size, taste, resistance to disease and so on. The GM lobby often claims that what they do is no different. This is a mis-representation. Genetic modification involves taking foreign DNA or transgenes from several different species, creating a package and then inserting it into the target organism. The transgenetic package typically consists of genes from a virus, a bacteria, and either a plant and/or an animal.
Some of the "successes" these experiments have turned out are:
- Crops that contain built-in pesticidal bacteria
- Crops that are compatible with spray-pesticides so that otherwise deadly quantities can be used without causing damage (to the crops, anyway...)
- Potatoes that contain DNA from spiders, to produce artificial silk;
- Fruits that contain DNA from flounder fish to provide greater frost resistance
- Soy beans that contain Omega-3 fats
- Corn that contains genes that weigh sperm down, to be used as contraceptive
- Cows that contain human DNA so that they can produce human breastmilk
This would clearly never happen in nature, and even the people that do these experiments don't truly understand the ways in which genes interact with one another. The trouble is, living organisms, plants and animals are not like cars where you can chop and change parts. The natural world is a delicate and balanced ecosystem comprised of delicate and balanced ecosystems. Once these changes are made, they are forever a part of our ecology.
In addition to this new study, GM produce has been linked to organ disruption, infertility, allergies, and super-bugs (references can be provided). While it's beyond the scope of this article to discuss the wide-ranging potential dangers of GM crops (it's a big subject - have a look at Further Reading), it's clear that the regulators are happy to use us and the environment as guinea pigs, without any kind of consent. Billions of people are consuming GM produce every day and GM crops are contaminating non-GM crops.
The Situation Here
It's only the refusal of shoppers to buy GM in the late 1990's (after GM foods were introduced without consultation or labelling) that has kept us from following in the steps of the USA. Yet our Government has already given the go-ahead for the commercial growing of GM maize in the UK and consistently votes in favour of the approval of new GM products at the European Union. Again, once these products get into the food chain, and once they contaminate non-GM crops, there is simply no going back.
It's also worth noting that the present Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is Caroline Spelman. Something we should all be very aware of - beyond her part in the expenses scandal wherein she wrongly claimed £40,000 in cleaning and bills, hundreds for council tax and two year's employment of a nanny - is that she and her husband co-own a lobbying firm for the food and biotechnology industry. (Her husband's other job is as senior executive at the global outsourcing firm Accenture, which is involved in the operation of the much-criticised 'farm payments scheme').
The Bottom Line
Those of us in the UK should seriously consider becoming proactive now if we want to keep GMO's out of the foodchain to protect ourselves and future generations. This is big, dirty business and nobody is going to protect our interests for us. If you'd like to learn more, we recommend a few websites in Further Reading. We'd encourage you to forward this information on, to write to your MP, and to remain vigilant as the biotech agenda progresses.
Further Reading
Who Benefits From GM Crops? - GM crops can feed the world! Will they? Is that what they're for? This link will take you to a fascinating report by Friends Of The Earth International.
Video coverage of the Wikileaks leaked cable wherein France's decision to ban GM corn was reacted to with the order to cause the E.U "some pain".
Stop GM - a nicely presented website with a wealth of information on the GM issue.
The Institute For Responsible Technology - their website contains lots of good information, including the blog of Jeffrey Smith, a leading consumer advocate, who has written some very good articles on the subject of GMO's.
The Permaculture Association - after all the reading about what's wrong with GMO's you may be wondering what we would suggest the future of farming could be. Permaculture is an ingenuitive agricultural system that takes its principles from the natural world. Find out more!
Footnote:
The researchers also looked for, and found, two herbicides used on GM herbicide tolerant crops in blood samples. Glyphosate is used on Monsanto Roundup Ready (RR) crops and Glufosinate on Bayer's Liberty Link (LL) crops. Both were found in the non-pregnant women, as was glufosinate's metabolite 3-MMPA. The researchers did not speculate about potential health impacts, as this was beyond the scope of their study, although concerns about the safety of both weed killers have been repeatedly raised by other scientists since their use on GM crops has increased their use.
Use of glyphosate in South America and the US has escalated dramatically since GM crops were approved in the mid 1990s, despite the assurances from the GM industry that the intention of the crops is to reduce pesticide use.
Safety concerns about both products have been growing since the introduction of GM herbicide tolerant crops, including links to Parkinson's disease and cancer in the case of glyphosate. The maximum permitted residue level for crops directly sprayed with glyphosate, such at GM HT crops, were raised over 200 tines in the 1990's.
Safety concerns about both products have been growing since the introduction of GM herbicide tolerant crops, including links to Parkinson's disease and cancer in the case of glyphosate. The maximum permitted residue level for crops directly sprayed with glyphosate, such at GM HT crops, were raised over 200 tines in the 1990's.
Friday 3 June 2011
Drug Trials for Obese Mothers - A Sign Of The Times?
We pick up on a news item from last week which seems to illustrate perfectly a healthcare culture that's headed down the wrong path.
Last week it was reported by the BBC and the Telegraph that a three-year study would soon be launched to investigate whether giving obese mums-to-be the diabetes drug Metformin would reduce incidence of oversized babies.
Patients of hospitals in Liverpool, Coventry and Edinburgh will be given the drug to control the food supply to their unborn babies. A total of 400 women will be involved in the study. Leading the trial, senior lecturer in obstetrics, Dr Andrew Weeks, said: "It is about trying to improve outcomes in pregnancy for women who are overweight."
Does This Sound Right?
It's hard to know where to start. First of all, the pharmaceutical approach assumes that the body does not have the capability to be healthy. As though somehow the body is, in this case, suffering from a deficiency of Metformin. Secondly, no matter how confidently any party linked with the sale or distribution of these drugs might reassure that there are no (or few) side effects or risks, there are side effects and risks - both known, unknown... and known but not shared (studies often have links to manufacturers of drugs and even then the results are reported selectively[i]).
Anybody suggesting the use of drugs in pregnancy should, in our opinion, be particularly careful. Thalidomide was once considered safe. The question of risk is even more difficult to address with certainty when it comes to long-term effects of new drugs (or new uses of old drugs). The companies that make the drugs are protected from liability so it's down to you to do your research and to listen to your instincts - whatever the result of any course of action, the onus will always fall on you.
Aside from the pharmaceuticals debate, this study is yet another disturbing display of wrong-headed "healthcare". Jane Norman, Professor of Maternal and Foetal Health at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and the University of Edinburgh, and a representative of the pregnancy charity Tommy's, said: "Research has shown that babies born to obese mothers are at increased risk of complications in later life." People who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of heart disease, liver disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. But in her statement, Norman seems to imply a causal relationship between the girth of a mother and complications for the child later in life. This is a fallacy. While the non-distinction of causal from correlative facts may win headlines, one might expect a professor to appreciate the difference. Even if a causal relationship were to exist, Metformin has not been found to be effective in adult weight loss[ii].
So What Is The Issue?
In our experience, people who are obese tend to also be malnourished. Simple calorie restriction isn't the answer here. There is so much confusing and daunting information about what constitutes a good diet that it can be difficult to know what to eat. Food marketers misinform consumers and persuade toward convenient food alternatives, usually laden with cheap, low quality ingredients and additives. By eating these foods, we end up wrecking our digestion (developing absorption problems and food sensitivities) and our insulin sensitivity. As the body becomes less capable of dealing with the nutrients that the diet does not provide anyway, it craves more food. The kinds of foods craved are processed, sugary, starchy foods - instant energy - which cause more health troubles. Many people who find themselves in this position end up on medication, which can further impede the body's natural ability to function (given the right conditions).
This is a vicious cycle and is, in our opinion, the cause of "the increased risk of complications later in life". At its root is a lack of any meaningful support. Without this support, the bad information, the malnutrition and the digestive problems are passed from parents to children. This is a key cause of the high rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, digestive disorders, ADHD and behavioural and learning difficulties that plague our society. Of course, children suffering from these kinds of challenges are offered more drugs as a solution. This cycle generates huge profits at the cost of us as individuals and as a society.
The Bottom Line
It's not easy for a person who has become obese and malnourished - and truly addicted to low quality food - to repair their system. It is perfectly possible though, providing that there is proper support. The cycle is then broken and good information and habits can be passed on.
It's unfortunate that the level of care, attention and patient support that this kind of treatment takes seemingly cannot be provided by the National Health Service. While the proverb tells us that prevention is the best cure, the rocketing cost of NHS prescriptions of over £8.5bn per year suggests that there may be headed in the wrong direction.
[i] Opening up data at the European Medicines Agency, Professor Peter C Gøtzsche, May 2011
[ii] Insulin Resistance and the use of Metformin: Effects on Body Weight, Ruchi Mathur, MD, FRCPC, January 2011
Friday 22 April 2011
Detoxify Your Home
Your home is your sanctuary. Your own small piece of the world in which you spend most of your time, recuperating from and preparing for the outside world.
There have been so many developments in recent years, designed to help us run our lives a little more conveniently; and we have invited them into our homes with open arms. The trouble is, many of these items – plastics, disinfectants, mobile telephones, wireless everything – are brand new developments; and so we are unsure of the long-term effects that they may have on our health.
In this article, I present some of the facts that are not generally publicised, so that you can be aware of the potential risks that certain every-day items and technologies may pose to you and your family, and go some way toward striking a good balance between convenience and limiting exposure to toxic elements.
Five Tips: Avoid Most Toxins In Your Home
Chemicals in the Home
There are about 75,000 chemicals regularly manufactured and imported by UK industries and of the 3,000 high-volume chemicals used, about half have no basic toxicity information available. So no one knows whether commonly used chemicals all around you – in your food, water, and air – are really safe. Ten of the most common environmental toxins in our homes are…
1. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls): This industrial chemical has been banned in the UK for decades, yet is a persistent organic pollutant that’s still present in your environment. It has been linked to cancers, and impaired fetal brain development. Farm-raised salmon and other farm-raised fish are a source of PCBs. They are fed meals of ground-up fish that have absorbed PCBs from the environment. For this reason they should be avoided - try to buy fish caught in the wild. PCBs were also used in adhesives, paints and plastics until the Seventies.
2. Pesticides: According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 60 percent of herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides and 30 percent of insecticides are known to be carcinogenic. Pesticide residues have been detected in 50 percent to 95 percent of foods. Exposure to agricultural pesticides increases the risk of lymphoma, a blood cancer associated with the immune system, by as much as 65 per cent. Cancers, Parkinson’s disease, miscarriage, neural and nerve damage, autism, birth defects, and blocked the absorption of food nutrients have been linked with pesticides. Food (fruits, vegetables and commercially raised meats and dairy products) is the major source of pesticides, as well as exposure to bug sprays. Try to buy organic produce, local if possible. You can find more information on organic food - including a list of the most important foods to buy if you are on a restrictive budget - in this article.
3. Mold and other Fungal Toxins: One in three people have had an allergic reaction to mold. Mycotoxins (fungal toxins) can cause a range of health problems with exposure to only a small amount. Exposure has been linked to cancer, heart disease, asthma, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes. Risk of exposure generally comes from contaminated buildings, food like peanuts, wheat, corn and alcoholic beverages.
4. Phthalates: These chemicals are used to lengthen the life of fragrances and soften plastics. Although the plastics industry insists that they are safe, in 2005 European Union regulators banned their use in children’s toys. Professor Richard Sharpe of the Medical Research Council believes chemicals called phthalates are feminising boys and increasing male infertility, birth defects and testicular cancer. Phthalates mimic the female hormone oestrogen. However, phthalates are still widely used. Endocrine system damage (phthalates chemically mimic hormones and are particularly dangerous to children) is another major danger of Phthalate exposure. Pthalates are contained in most cosmetic products and moisturizers; as well as plastic wrap, plastic bottles, plastic food storage containers. All of these can leach phthalates into our food. They are also found in shoes, shower curtains, plastic furniture, vinyl floor coverings and many other household goods.
5. VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds): VOCs are a major contributing factor to ozone, an air pollutant. According to the EPA, VOCs tend to be even higher (two to five times) in indoor air than outdoor air, likely because they are present in so many household products. Dangers of exposure include cancer, eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, thickening or arteries, and memory impairment. VOCs are generally found in drinking water, carpet, paints, deodorants, cleaning fluids, varnishes, cosmetics, dry cleaned clothing, moth repellents, and air fresheners.
6. Dioxins: Chemical compounds formed as a result of combustion processes such as commercial or municipal waste incineration and from burning fuels (like wood, coal or oil). Dangers of Dioxins include cancer, reproductive and developmental disorders, chloracne (a severe skin disease with acne-like lesions), skin rashes, skin discoloration, excessive body hair, and mild liver damage. Exposure generally comes from animal fats: over 95 percent of exposure comes from eating commercial animal fats, so seek out grass-fed, naturally raised, organic animal foods instead.
7. Asbestos: This insulating material was widely used from the 1950s to 1970s. Problems arise when the material becomes old and crumbly, releasing fibers into the air. Dangers of exposure include cancer, scarring of the lung tissue, and mesothelioma (a rare form of cancer). Exposure comes from insulation on floors, ceilings, water pipes and healing ducts from the 1950s to 1970s.
8. Toxic Metals: Metals like arsenic, mercury, lead, aluminum and cadmium, which are prevalent in many areas of our environment, can accumulate in soft tissues of the body. Dangers of exposure include cancer, neurological disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, foggy head, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, and damage to blood vessels. The major sources are drinking water, fish, vaccines, pesticides, preserved wood, antiperspirant, building materials (lead paint and lead piping), dental amalgams, and chlorine plants.
9. Chloroform: This colorless liquid has a pleasant, nonirritating odor and a slightly sweet taste, and is used to make other chemicals. It’s also formed when chlorine is added to water. Dangers of exposure include cancer, potential reproductive damage, birth defects, dizziness, fatigue, headache, and liver and kidney damage. Air, drinking water and food can contain chloroform.
10. Chlorine: This highly toxic, yellow-green gas is one of the most heavily used chemical agents. Dangers of exposure include sore throat, coughing, eye and skin irritation, rapid breathing, narrowing of the bronchi, wheezing, blue coloring of the skin, accumulation of fluid in the lungs, pain in the lung region, severe eye and skin burns, lung collapse, reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) (a type of asthma). Major sources include household cleaners, drinking water (in small amounts), air when living near an industry that uses chlorine in industrial processes (such as a paper plant), and tap water in your shower/bath. The chlorine in swimming pools can also trigger asthma and lung damage.
Clearly it would be very difficult to cut out any potential exposure to these 10 toxins. Which is fine because a healthy body is somewhat equipped to deal with toxins. But if you glance through the major sources, you should be able to identify a few simple ways to check and limit your exposure without major inconvenience.
Special care should be taken to avoid early life exposure to these toxins. Children are at particular risk because they have an immature and porous blood-brain barrier, which allows greater chemical exposures to reach their developing brain. Children also have lower levels of some chemical-binding proteins, according to Environmental Working Group, which allows more of a chemical to reach their organs, while systems that detoxify and excrete chemicals in adults are not fully developed. Experts believe rising rates of birth defects, asthma, neuro-developmental disorders and other serious diseases in children are a result of these early chemical exposures. The EWG found that blood samples from newborns contained an average of 287 toxins, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides, and Teflon chemicals. Of the 287 chemicals that were detected in umbilical cord blood, we know that 180 cause cancer in humans or animals, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests. The dangers of pre- or post-natal exposure to this complex mixture of carcinogens, developmental toxins and neurotoxins have never been studied.
Food Storage
Bisphenol A, commonly abbreviated as BPA, is a building block of several important plastics and plastic additives. It has been suspected of being hazardous to humans since the 1930s. In 2008, after several governments issued reports questioning its safety, some retailers have removed products containing it from their shelves. A 2010 report from the FDA raised further concerns regarding exposure of fetuses, infants, and young children. A study last year found that BPA can lead to heart disease, diabetes and liver problems in adults, and previous research has linked BPA to:
Bear in mind that even if BPA does get removed from food and beverage containers, this does not mean plastic is safe again. There are other chemicals lurking in plastic that you’re better off avoiding. Here is just a short list of them from The Ecology Center in Berkeley, California:
Copyright Joe Summerfield 2011
There have been so many developments in recent years, designed to help us run our lives a little more conveniently; and we have invited them into our homes with open arms. The trouble is, many of these items – plastics, disinfectants, mobile telephones, wireless everything – are brand new developments; and so we are unsure of the long-term effects that they may have on our health.
In this article, I present some of the facts that are not generally publicised, so that you can be aware of the potential risks that certain every-day items and technologies may pose to you and your family, and go some way toward striking a good balance between convenience and limiting exposure to toxic elements.
Five Tips: Avoid Most Toxins In Your Home
1. As much as possible, eat organic or wild produce. This will help you reduce your exposure to pesticides, fertilizers, hormones and steroids. Click here to read more about organic food, including a list of priority produce. Eat wild-caught fish as farmed is often contaminated with mercury and PCBs. Eating these foods will also keep you on nutritious, whole foods and clear from processed, prepackaged foods which contain any number of additives. A balanced diet of whole foods should help protect your health in general too.
2. Switch over to natural brands of toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste, antiperspirants and cosmetics. These products contain Phthalates, which are known to be powerful and cumulative endocrine (hormone) disrupters. These chemicals are also passed in high levels from parents to children.
- Fragrance-free, vegetable-oil-based soaps are a healthy choice
- Organic almond oil or shea butter makes an excellent moisturiser
- Select from a truly natural range such as this
- Search the internet or local bookshop for more interesting recipes to make your own natural cosmetic products. Some of them really are good enough to eat!
Be aware that many of the products presented as natural and healthy are not so - check the ingredients thoroughly. The Environmental Working Group has a great safety guide (www.ewg.org/skindeep) to help you find personal care products that are free of phthalates and other potentially dangerous chemicals.
3. Replace plastic and Teflon in your kitchen with ceramic or glass. Store your food and beverages in glass rather than plastic, and avoid using plastic wrap and canned foods (which are often lined with BPA-containing liners). Certainly do not heat foods up anywhere near plastic.
4. Replace as many cleaning products as possible with natural alternatives. Bleach, window cleaner, furniture polish, air fresheners, synthetic fragrances (e.g. fabric softeners) and carpet cleaners are all linked to skin problems, asthma, wheezing, lower than normal lung function. Most detergents are formulated from petrochemicals and contain other toxins. Avoid products that come in a spray, as more of the product becomes airborne and is breathed in.
- A simple solution of 1 part water to 1 part vinegar will clean most things in the home (the smell disappears when the vinegar dries), and you can add your favourite essential oils - we recommend tea tree or lavender.
- Wash your clothes with a natural alternative such as soapnut shells. Half a cup of vinegar can be added to the rinse cycle as a fabric softener (it also helps break down laundry detergent).
- Neat vinegar can be used to clean the toilet bowl.
- Lemon juice can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits, as well as to shine brass and copper.
- Mix 1 cup olive oil with a half cup of lemon juice and you have a furniture polish for your hardwood furniture.
- Baking soda can be used to scrub surfaces in much the same way as commercial abrasive cleansers and it's also a great as a deodorizer.
- Lemon juice can be mixed with vinegar and/or baking soda to make cleaning pastes.
- Air your house well at every opportunity (in a five-year study, the EPA found significantly higher concentrations of 20 toxic compounds inside homes than outdoors).
5. Look for "green," toxin-free alternatives in lieu of regular paint, furniture, vinyl floor coverings, synthetic carpeting, and shower curtains.
- Paints, varnishes and glues can release VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) for months or years. Look for low (or zero) VOC paints.
- Goods made from plywood, pressed wood, particle board and medium density fiberboard, which are used in most furniture today, are generally treated with formaldehyde, a carcinogen that can emit fumes for as long as five years. Look for whole wood, glass, metal or chrome.
- Cushions and mattresses are often made from polyurethane foam or plastic as well as any fabric with acrylic, polyester or polyvinyl chloride, all of which can be toxic to the respiratory system. Most of these goods, along with clothing and linens, have probably been treated with flame-retardant chemicals, which can be toxic. In general, try to purchase clothing, sheets and mattresses made of natural materials, such as unbleached cotton, wool, horse hair, and hemp as opposed to synthetics which are made with chemicals. Of course, organic natural fibres are best
All of this information comes with the additional note that with any new product or process, nobody can possibly say that there is no threat to health. Anybody who does probably stands to benefit from it. It's amazing that so many chazardous chemicals are allowed to be used in every-day items. We would always advise you to trust your instincts and use time-tested products and materials.
Chemicals in the Home
There are about 75,000 chemicals regularly manufactured and imported by UK industries and of the 3,000 high-volume chemicals used, about half have no basic toxicity information available. So no one knows whether commonly used chemicals all around you – in your food, water, and air – are really safe. Ten of the most common environmental toxins in our homes are…
1. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls): This industrial chemical has been banned in the UK for decades, yet is a persistent organic pollutant that’s still present in your environment. It has been linked to cancers, and impaired fetal brain development. Farm-raised salmon and other farm-raised fish are a source of PCBs. They are fed meals of ground-up fish that have absorbed PCBs from the environment. For this reason they should be avoided - try to buy fish caught in the wild. PCBs were also used in adhesives, paints and plastics until the Seventies.
2. Pesticides: According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 60 percent of herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides and 30 percent of insecticides are known to be carcinogenic. Pesticide residues have been detected in 50 percent to 95 percent of foods. Exposure to agricultural pesticides increases the risk of lymphoma, a blood cancer associated with the immune system, by as much as 65 per cent. Cancers, Parkinson’s disease, miscarriage, neural and nerve damage, autism, birth defects, and blocked the absorption of food nutrients have been linked with pesticides. Food (fruits, vegetables and commercially raised meats and dairy products) is the major source of pesticides, as well as exposure to bug sprays. Try to buy organic produce, local if possible. You can find more information on organic food - including a list of the most important foods to buy if you are on a restrictive budget - in this article.
3. Mold and other Fungal Toxins: One in three people have had an allergic reaction to mold. Mycotoxins (fungal toxins) can cause a range of health problems with exposure to only a small amount. Exposure has been linked to cancer, heart disease, asthma, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes. Risk of exposure generally comes from contaminated buildings, food like peanuts, wheat, corn and alcoholic beverages.
4. Phthalates: These chemicals are used to lengthen the life of fragrances and soften plastics. Although the plastics industry insists that they are safe, in 2005 European Union regulators banned their use in children’s toys. Professor Richard Sharpe of the Medical Research Council believes chemicals called phthalates are feminising boys and increasing male infertility, birth defects and testicular cancer. Phthalates mimic the female hormone oestrogen. However, phthalates are still widely used. Endocrine system damage (phthalates chemically mimic hormones and are particularly dangerous to children) is another major danger of Phthalate exposure. Pthalates are contained in most cosmetic products and moisturizers; as well as plastic wrap, plastic bottles, plastic food storage containers. All of these can leach phthalates into our food. They are also found in shoes, shower curtains, plastic furniture, vinyl floor coverings and many other household goods.
5. VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds): VOCs are a major contributing factor to ozone, an air pollutant. According to the EPA, VOCs tend to be even higher (two to five times) in indoor air than outdoor air, likely because they are present in so many household products. Dangers of exposure include cancer, eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, thickening or arteries, and memory impairment. VOCs are generally found in drinking water, carpet, paints, deodorants, cleaning fluids, varnishes, cosmetics, dry cleaned clothing, moth repellents, and air fresheners.
6. Dioxins: Chemical compounds formed as a result of combustion processes such as commercial or municipal waste incineration and from burning fuels (like wood, coal or oil). Dangers of Dioxins include cancer, reproductive and developmental disorders, chloracne (a severe skin disease with acne-like lesions), skin rashes, skin discoloration, excessive body hair, and mild liver damage. Exposure generally comes from animal fats: over 95 percent of exposure comes from eating commercial animal fats, so seek out grass-fed, naturally raised, organic animal foods instead.
7. Asbestos: This insulating material was widely used from the 1950s to 1970s. Problems arise when the material becomes old and crumbly, releasing fibers into the air. Dangers of exposure include cancer, scarring of the lung tissue, and mesothelioma (a rare form of cancer). Exposure comes from insulation on floors, ceilings, water pipes and healing ducts from the 1950s to 1970s.
8. Toxic Metals: Metals like arsenic, mercury, lead, aluminum and cadmium, which are prevalent in many areas of our environment, can accumulate in soft tissues of the body. Dangers of exposure include cancer, neurological disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, foggy head, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, and damage to blood vessels. The major sources are drinking water, fish, vaccines, pesticides, preserved wood, antiperspirant, building materials (lead paint and lead piping), dental amalgams, and chlorine plants.
9. Chloroform: This colorless liquid has a pleasant, nonirritating odor and a slightly sweet taste, and is used to make other chemicals. It’s also formed when chlorine is added to water. Dangers of exposure include cancer, potential reproductive damage, birth defects, dizziness, fatigue, headache, and liver and kidney damage. Air, drinking water and food can contain chloroform.
10. Chlorine: This highly toxic, yellow-green gas is one of the most heavily used chemical agents. Dangers of exposure include sore throat, coughing, eye and skin irritation, rapid breathing, narrowing of the bronchi, wheezing, blue coloring of the skin, accumulation of fluid in the lungs, pain in the lung region, severe eye and skin burns, lung collapse, reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) (a type of asthma). Major sources include household cleaners, drinking water (in small amounts), air when living near an industry that uses chlorine in industrial processes (such as a paper plant), and tap water in your shower/bath. The chlorine in swimming pools can also trigger asthma and lung damage.
Clearly it would be very difficult to cut out any potential exposure to these 10 toxins. Which is fine because a healthy body is somewhat equipped to deal with toxins. But if you glance through the major sources, you should be able to identify a few simple ways to check and limit your exposure without major inconvenience.
Special care should be taken to avoid early life exposure to these toxins. Children are at particular risk because they have an immature and porous blood-brain barrier, which allows greater chemical exposures to reach their developing brain. Children also have lower levels of some chemical-binding proteins, according to Environmental Working Group, which allows more of a chemical to reach their organs, while systems that detoxify and excrete chemicals in adults are not fully developed. Experts believe rising rates of birth defects, asthma, neuro-developmental disorders and other serious diseases in children are a result of these early chemical exposures. The EWG found that blood samples from newborns contained an average of 287 toxins, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides, and Teflon chemicals. Of the 287 chemicals that were detected in umbilical cord blood, we know that 180 cause cancer in humans or animals, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests. The dangers of pre- or post-natal exposure to this complex mixture of carcinogens, developmental toxins and neurotoxins have never been studied.
Food Storage
Bisphenol A, commonly abbreviated as BPA, is a building block of several important plastics and plastic additives. It has been suspected of being hazardous to humans since the 1930s. In 2008, after several governments issued reports questioning its safety, some retailers have removed products containing it from their shelves. A 2010 report from the FDA raised further concerns regarding exposure of fetuses, infants, and young children. A study last year found that BPA can lead to heart disease, diabetes and liver problems in adults, and previous research has linked BPA to:
- Structural damage to the brain
- Hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, and impaired learning
- Increased fat formation and risk of obesity
- Altered immune function
- Early puberty, stimulation of mammary gland development, disrupted reproductive cycles, and ovarian dysfunction
- Changes in gender-specific behavior, and abnormal sexual behavior
- Stimulation of prostate cancer cells
- Increased prostate size, and decreased sperm production
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Liver damage
- Plastic water or milk bottles
- Plastic microwavable plates, ovenware, and utensils
- Tooth sealants
- Canned foods and drink cans (most have plastic lining in the cans)
- Baby toys, bottles, pacifiers, and cups
Bear in mind that even if BPA does get removed from food and beverage containers, this does not mean plastic is safe again. There are other chemicals lurking in plastic that you’re better off avoiding. Here is just a short list of them from The Ecology Center in Berkeley, California:
- Salad dressing and cooking oil bottles: This plastic container is made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which leaches plasticizers (lead, cadmium, mercury, phthalates and the carcinogen, diethyl hexyphosphate) into your food.
- Drink bottles, water bottles, peanut butter jars and cooking oil bottles: Made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate), they leach acetaldehyde — a probable human carcinogen, according to the EPA — into your food and drinks.
- Meat trays, foam take-out food containers and cups, foam packing materials: Made from polystyrene (PS), these materials leach styrene, which can damage your nervous system, into your food.
- Processed food packaging
- Hoses
- Raincoats
- Shower curtains
- Vinyl flooring and wall coverings
- Lubricant and adhesives
- Detergents
- Beauty products like nail polish, hair spray, shampoo, deodorants, and fragrances
- Toys
With an ever increasing number of "low cost" and convenience products making their way into our homes, it is getting more difficult to avoid exposure to toxins, the cumulative effect of which could go some way toward explaining the rising numbers of certain maladies.
Again, the purpose of this article is not to scare, but to inform. With this information in hand, you can take reasonable steps toward reducing exposure to toxins in your home - if you choose. You probably won't be able to eliminate all of these things from your home, and you probably don't need to. Simply being aware of some of the small steps you can take will make life that little bit easier on your body and you will feel better as a result. If you are eating well, exercising, resting enough and dealing with other stresses then your body is perfectly capable of doing the rest.
Further Reading
Again, the purpose of this article is not to scare, but to inform. With this information in hand, you can take reasonable steps toward reducing exposure to toxins in your home - if you choose. You probably won't be able to eliminate all of these things from your home, and you probably don't need to. Simply being aware of some of the small steps you can take will make life that little bit easier on your body and you will feel better as a result. If you are eating well, exercising, resting enough and dealing with other stresses then your body is perfectly capable of doing the rest.
Further Reading
- Click here to read a report from The Scientific American about BPA (in plastic containers and bottles - including baby bottles)
- Click here for a Time list of common household toxins
- Click here for an article by The Ecologist on improving your indoor air quality
- Click here for a Californian report on toxic baby furniture
- Click here for an article on the subject from Cancer Active, a cancer charity
info@theblueberryclinic.co.uk
www.theblueberryclinic.co.ukCopyright Joe Summerfield 2011
Friday 8 April 2011
Sunshine - Elixir or Health Risk?
We all know that too much sun can be dangerous. But do the lengths we go to in order to protect ourselves from the sun take their own toll on our health?
Yet in the winter, 90% of us in the UK are vitamin D deficient. Even in the summer, some 60% are deficient. Figures like these indicate a major epidemic - one that is largely unrecognised. What is the significance of vitamin D? For starters, it's known to positively influence:
"Dermatologists have looked at the rise in melanoma and panicked. But they aren't looking at the whole human being" says Dr Robert Heaney of Creighton University, Nebraska.
Taking the advice of health officials, the media and the shops would see us covered head-to-toe in high-factor lotion, donning big-brimmed hats and lurking in the shade when the sun comes out. This would be understandable if your only objective is to cut the number of cases of skin cancer. But of course as Dr Heaney points out, avoidance of melanoma is neither the beginning nor the end of the story.
What Is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is made in the skin when 7-dehydrocholesterol reacts with ultraviolet light (UVB) upon direct exposure of the skin to sunlight. This photosynthesis of vitamin D evolved over 750 million years ago in phytoplankton and it played a critical role in the maintenance of a calcified skeleton in vertebrates as they left their calcium-rich ocean environment for land over 350 million years ago. It's a basal requirement of vertebrates that have evolved on land.
High blood pressure, tuberculosis, cancers, periodontal disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, seasonal affective disorder, peripheral artery disease, cognitive impairment which includes dementia, memory loss and foggy brain, several autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes, macular degeneration, osteoporosis and rickets, joint disease, birth difficulties, autism, asthma, weight control, influenza - and more.
Vitamin D is so influential to our health because it's not just a vitamin; it's the only known substrate for a potent, pleiotropic (producing multiple effects) repair and maintenance hormone that serves multiple gene-regulatory functions in your body. In fact, it has been shown to influence more than 2,000 genes. Just one example of an important gene that vitamin D up-regulates is your ability to fight infections: it produces over 200 anti-microbial peptides, including an important broad-spectrum antibiotic.
While we instinctively know - and can feel - the health-generative properties of the sunshine, science is helping us understand why. There are countless studies showing almost limitless benefits. Just a few examples: Researchers from the Moore's Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) recently concluded that increasing the intake of vitamin D3 throughout the world could easily prevent diseases - including 16 types of cancer - that would otherwise claim close to 1 million lives each year worldwide. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics doubled its recommendation for a daily dose of vitamin D in children, in the hope of protecting against a wide range of diseases, while promoting other health benefits. In fact, Researchers from the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon recently reviewed 18 trials of more than 57,000 people and found that sufficient levels of vitamin D may lower your risk of dying from any cause.
So Where's The Rub?
There is no doubt that vitamin D is extremely important for good health. The controversy arises as a result of the fact that at least 90 per cent of the vitamin D in the body comes from direct skin exposure to sunlight: it's agreed that by far the best way of boosting the nutrient is to expose your body to sunlight, without sunscreen, at times when ultraviolet radiation is at its strongest: noon and early afternoon in spring and summer.
The skin produces about 10,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D in response to 20-30 minutes of summer sun exposure (time depending upon the pigmentation of the skin, it can be much longer). One portion of oily fish contains 320 IU (8 micrograms). Vitamin D supplements do exist but the recommended daily dose of a vitamin D supplement is 400 IU (10 micrograms); any more of this synthetic (as opposed to skin-manufactured) version is considered a risk by authorities because too much can cause kidney damage. Conversely, there is very little risk of overdose of Vitamin D from the sun because once equilibrium is reached, production is downgraded. Further, most supplements also contain the inferior Vitamin D2 rather than the D3 that comes from the sun.
Nobody disagrees with the fact that getting sunburn is a bad thing. But when it comes to staying healthy, it's hard to overstate the case for exposure of skin to direct sunlight. Sunscreens will effectively shield you from the sun's health benefits. It's also important to note that you can develop sun damage even with sunscreen because it doesn't stop the damage from occurring at a cellular level, it simply stops the burn (and also usually includes toxins that potentially put your health at risk).
How Can I Enjoy The Sun Without Being At Risk?
If you're going to be enjoying the sun unprotected, you will need to be very careful. While only you can determine your requirements and threshold, there are some basic guidelines you can follow to minimise your risk.
- The more antioxidants you take in, the lower your risk of sunburn - an internal sunscreen. Include whole fresh vegetables and fruits such as Goji berries (not the juice), Raspberries, Blackberries, and Blueberries. Vitamins A and C help your cells regulate both light absorption and protection against overexposure, which you can get from vegetables and fruit.
- Exposure of the face and hands to sunlight is not sufficient for vitamin D nutrition. For optimal benefit, strive to have at least 40 percent of your skin uncovered.
- Optimal Exposure Time - in Caucasian skin, equilibrium occurs within 20 minutes of ultraviolet exposure. It can take 3 to 6 times longer for darkly pigmented skin to reach the equilibrium concentration of skin vitamin D. Remember that continuing UV exposure beyond the minimal dose required to produce skin redness will not increase your vitamin D production any further.
- At the beginning of the season, limit your exposure to perhaps as little as 10 minutes a day. Progressively increase your time in the sun so that in a few weeks, you will be able to have normal sun exposure with little risk.
- Regular sun is extremely important. You can't cram all of your sun exposure into a two or three week vacation period and expect to experience the benefits... and it's safer not to try! Frequent, short bursts are best.
- Time of Day - Early morning is the best time to sunbathe if you have not already built up a base tan, because you're less likely to burn. In addition, it's best to sunbathe when the temperature is not too high, so that you don't over heat.
- Supplement vitamin D. If you are unable to get enough from the sun due to your lifestyle or where you live, a good quality vitamin D3 supplement can help
With any luck, this article will have cleared up some of the confusion around sun exposure, its risks and its benefits. So get out there and start enjoying the sunshine!
Thursday 31 March 2011
Meditation – An Essential Preventative Measure?
Swami Vivekananda, the influential modern proponent of Hinduism who first introduced Eastern philosophy to the West in the late 19th century, describes meditation:
“Meditation has been laid stress upon by all religions. The meditative state of mind is declared by the Yogis to be the highest state in which the mind exists. When the mind is studying the external object, it gets identified with it, loses itself. To use the simile of the old Indian philosopher: the soul of man is like a piece of crystal, but it takes the colour of whatever is near it. Whatever the soul touches … it has to take its colour. That is the difficulty. That constitutes the bondage.”
In Buddhism, the historical Buddha himself, Siddhartha Gautama, was said to have achieved enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree. All twenty eight Buddhas used meditation to make spiritual progress.
Meditation has been practiced in one form or another by Sikhs, Muslims, Jews, and Christians throughout the ages. One could infer from this that there would be good reason; yet meditation is not widely accepted or recommended as an important element of preventative medicine. In this Age of Information, where there is a cynical devotion to evidence-based science, people seem more likely to turn to pharmaceuticals than to explore the world of the not-understood. When considering one’s health, it’s important to keep in mind that the absence of evidence doesn’t necessarily indicate a fallacy.
In another example of science slowly catching up with time-tested health wisdom, a new study a new study was recently published in Psychosomatic Medicine, reporting that Zen meditators have lower pain sensitivity both in and out of a meditative state, when compared to non-meditators.
“While previous studies have shown that teaching chronic pain patients to meditate is beneficial, very few studies have looked at pain processing in healthy, highly trained meditators. This study was a first step in determining how or why meditation might influence pain perception.” says Joshua Grant, co-author of the paper from the Université de Montréal.
In this study, a computer controlled heating plate was pressed against the calves of subjects. Researchers noticed a significant difference in how their two test groups reacted to the pain testing: Zen meditators had much lower pain sensitivity (even without meditating) compared to non-meditators. It appeared that the meditators experienced an even greater ability to withstand pain when meditating.
The ultimate result was that meditators experienced an 18 percent reduction in pain intensity. “While previous studies have found that the emotional aspects of pain are influenced by meditation, we found that the sensation itself, as well as the emotional response, is different in meditators,” says Grant.
This one single benefit to be gained from meditation, if taken on board by practitioners of modern medicine, could help reduce the use of side-effect-baring pain medication.
This is not the first time health benefits of meditation have been “discovered”. Other recent scientific findings have concluded that meditation:
Increases Thickness of Brain Regions
Researchers at Harvard Medical School examined Westerners who meditated for about 20 minutes every day (but didn’t necessarily believe in the tenets of Buddhism). MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) was used to look at brain parts involved in memory and attention. The thickness of those regions had increased.
While those areas generally shrink as people get older, older meditators in the study were able to avoid some of that shrinkage. This suggests that a regular meditation practice could help people maintain their ability to remember and focus on details. The study also showed that meditation helps slow down age-related brain deterioration.
Boosts Performance on Attention Tests
One study indicated that meditation may boost performance on tests that measure attention. A University of Kentucky study showed that 10 people taught to meditate for 40 minutes did better on a test of attention than they did after reading for 40 minutes. The study also showed that meditation can improve attention worsened by lack of sleep.
Produces a Jump in Brain Waves
In this study, mostly of Buddhist monks, Electroencephalograph (EEG) recordings of skilled meditators showed a significant rise in gamma wave activity in the 80 to 120 Hz range during meditation as well as an increase in gamma activity while not meditating. These brain waves are associated with vigilance. The study also showed that meditation activated brain regions involved in attention.
Enhances Perception
A study conducted in 1984 explained that “[the higher rate of detection of single light flashes] involves quieting some of the higher mental processes which normally obstruct the perception of subtle events.” (Brown). In other words, meditation may temporarily or permanently alter some of the top-down processing involved in filtering subtle events usually deemed noise by the perceptual filters.
This was supported in 2000, when a separate study found that “a person who meditates consequently perceives objects more as directly experienced stimuli and less as concepts… With the removal or minimization of cognitive stimuli and generally increasing awareness, meditation can therefore influence both the quality (accuracy) and quantity (detection) of perception.” (Tloczynski).
Other Benefits
A host of biochemical and physical changes in the body that alter metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry have been identified. Meditation has been studied specifically for its effects on stress and it has been used in clinical settings as a method of stress and pain reduction. This has implications for all sorts of health challenges people face, including anxiety, high blood pressure, headaches, sleep disturbances, fatigue, depression, poor immune function, respiratory problems, IBS and PMT.
Further, in the July/August 2003 edition of Psychosomatic Medicine, researchers found that people who did eight weeks of meditation training produced more antibodies to a flu vaccine. Recently, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which is about 80 percent meditation, was approved in Britain for use with people who have experienced three or more episodes of depression.
In June, 2007 the United States National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine published an independent, peer-reviewed, meta-analysis of the state of meditation research, conducted by researchers at the University of Alberta Evidence-based Practice Center. The report reviewed 813 studies and concluded that “firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence. However, the results analyzed from methodologically stronger research include findings sufficiently favorable to emphasize the value of further research in this field.”
In other words, they are not satisfied that there is enough evidence at the moment, but think it’s probable that many more benefits will be “discovered” in years to come. The medical science community doesn’t know. The good news is that you don’t need to wait for them! Give meditation a go, and see how it makes you feel.
Getting Started
There are different types of meditation that you might like to look into at some point further down the line, but getting started and enjoying the health benefits is easy.
Set aside some time, 15 to 20 minutes as a minimum, and somewhere comfortable, with a straight spine. It can be on the ground or on a seat, indoors or outdoors. Breathe slowly and rhythmically, and try to “switch off” your mind from conscious thoughts or pressures.
You can focus your attention on something such as your breathing, an object, an image, a candle or even just being in the moment. Some people like to face a wall, and some prefer to close their eyes to block out all visual stimulation. You may find that visualisations help you focus. You can learn plenty more about visualisations and how beneficial they can be, but a simple one to start with and to aid your meditation could be for you to close your eyes and picture clear, cleansing, soothing blue coming in with in-breaths; while your troubles and pollutions are expelled with every out-breath. Wherever your focus, if you find that your mind starts to wander, direct it back to the focus point and continue from there.
When starting out, you will have two main obstacles, both of which are easily overcome. The first obstacle will be finding the time. Meditation is a matter of discipline and habit – you just have to schedule the meditation in and stick to the plan, avoiding procrastination. It is much easier to do this once it is a matter of habit and you find yourself looking forward to your meditation sessions. The second obstacle will be that your mind will wonder and you will feel unsure. Just rest assured that this is normal. You are still gaining the benefits, and meditation will become much easier and more effective with practice.
Try to do this as often as possible – a few times a week as a minimum to start off if you can’t fit it in every day. You will soon see and feel the positive effects it has on your mind and body.
“Meditation has been laid stress upon by all religions. The meditative state of mind is declared by the Yogis to be the highest state in which the mind exists. When the mind is studying the external object, it gets identified with it, loses itself. To use the simile of the old Indian philosopher: the soul of man is like a piece of crystal, but it takes the colour of whatever is near it. Whatever the soul touches … it has to take its colour. That is the difficulty. That constitutes the bondage.”
In Buddhism, the historical Buddha himself, Siddhartha Gautama, was said to have achieved enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree. All twenty eight Buddhas used meditation to make spiritual progress.
Meditation has been practiced in one form or another by Sikhs, Muslims, Jews, and Christians throughout the ages. One could infer from this that there would be good reason; yet meditation is not widely accepted or recommended as an important element of preventative medicine. In this Age of Information, where there is a cynical devotion to evidence-based science, people seem more likely to turn to pharmaceuticals than to explore the world of the not-understood. When considering one’s health, it’s important to keep in mind that the absence of evidence doesn’t necessarily indicate a fallacy.
In another example of science slowly catching up with time-tested health wisdom, a new study a new study was recently published in Psychosomatic Medicine, reporting that Zen meditators have lower pain sensitivity both in and out of a meditative state, when compared to non-meditators.
“While previous studies have shown that teaching chronic pain patients to meditate is beneficial, very few studies have looked at pain processing in healthy, highly trained meditators. This study was a first step in determining how or why meditation might influence pain perception.” says Joshua Grant, co-author of the paper from the Université de Montréal.
In this study, a computer controlled heating plate was pressed against the calves of subjects. Researchers noticed a significant difference in how their two test groups reacted to the pain testing: Zen meditators had much lower pain sensitivity (even without meditating) compared to non-meditators. It appeared that the meditators experienced an even greater ability to withstand pain when meditating.
The ultimate result was that meditators experienced an 18 percent reduction in pain intensity. “While previous studies have found that the emotional aspects of pain are influenced by meditation, we found that the sensation itself, as well as the emotional response, is different in meditators,” says Grant.
This one single benefit to be gained from meditation, if taken on board by practitioners of modern medicine, could help reduce the use of side-effect-baring pain medication.
This is not the first time health benefits of meditation have been “discovered”. Other recent scientific findings have concluded that meditation:
Increases Thickness of Brain Regions
Researchers at Harvard Medical School examined Westerners who meditated for about 20 minutes every day (but didn’t necessarily believe in the tenets of Buddhism). MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) was used to look at brain parts involved in memory and attention. The thickness of those regions had increased.
While those areas generally shrink as people get older, older meditators in the study were able to avoid some of that shrinkage. This suggests that a regular meditation practice could help people maintain their ability to remember and focus on details. The study also showed that meditation helps slow down age-related brain deterioration.
Boosts Performance on Attention Tests
One study indicated that meditation may boost performance on tests that measure attention. A University of Kentucky study showed that 10 people taught to meditate for 40 minutes did better on a test of attention than they did after reading for 40 minutes. The study also showed that meditation can improve attention worsened by lack of sleep.
Produces a Jump in Brain Waves
In this study, mostly of Buddhist monks, Electroencephalograph (EEG) recordings of skilled meditators showed a significant rise in gamma wave activity in the 80 to 120 Hz range during meditation as well as an increase in gamma activity while not meditating. These brain waves are associated with vigilance. The study also showed that meditation activated brain regions involved in attention.
Enhances Perception
A study conducted in 1984 explained that “[the higher rate of detection of single light flashes] involves quieting some of the higher mental processes which normally obstruct the perception of subtle events.” (Brown). In other words, meditation may temporarily or permanently alter some of the top-down processing involved in filtering subtle events usually deemed noise by the perceptual filters.
This was supported in 2000, when a separate study found that “a person who meditates consequently perceives objects more as directly experienced stimuli and less as concepts… With the removal or minimization of cognitive stimuli and generally increasing awareness, meditation can therefore influence both the quality (accuracy) and quantity (detection) of perception.” (Tloczynski).
Other Benefits
A host of biochemical and physical changes in the body that alter metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry have been identified. Meditation has been studied specifically for its effects on stress and it has been used in clinical settings as a method of stress and pain reduction. This has implications for all sorts of health challenges people face, including anxiety, high blood pressure, headaches, sleep disturbances, fatigue, depression, poor immune function, respiratory problems, IBS and PMT.
Further, in the July/August 2003 edition of Psychosomatic Medicine, researchers found that people who did eight weeks of meditation training produced more antibodies to a flu vaccine. Recently, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which is about 80 percent meditation, was approved in Britain for use with people who have experienced three or more episodes of depression.
In June, 2007 the United States National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine published an independent, peer-reviewed, meta-analysis of the state of meditation research, conducted by researchers at the University of Alberta Evidence-based Practice Center. The report reviewed 813 studies and concluded that “firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence. However, the results analyzed from methodologically stronger research include findings sufficiently favorable to emphasize the value of further research in this field.”
In other words, they are not satisfied that there is enough evidence at the moment, but think it’s probable that many more benefits will be “discovered” in years to come. The medical science community doesn’t know. The good news is that you don’t need to wait for them! Give meditation a go, and see how it makes you feel.
Getting Started
There are different types of meditation that you might like to look into at some point further down the line, but getting started and enjoying the health benefits is easy.
Set aside some time, 15 to 20 minutes as a minimum, and somewhere comfortable, with a straight spine. It can be on the ground or on a seat, indoors or outdoors. Breathe slowly and rhythmically, and try to “switch off” your mind from conscious thoughts or pressures.
You can focus your attention on something such as your breathing, an object, an image, a candle or even just being in the moment. Some people like to face a wall, and some prefer to close their eyes to block out all visual stimulation. You may find that visualisations help you focus. You can learn plenty more about visualisations and how beneficial they can be, but a simple one to start with and to aid your meditation could be for you to close your eyes and picture clear, cleansing, soothing blue coming in with in-breaths; while your troubles and pollutions are expelled with every out-breath. Wherever your focus, if you find that your mind starts to wander, direct it back to the focus point and continue from there.
When starting out, you will have two main obstacles, both of which are easily overcome. The first obstacle will be finding the time. Meditation is a matter of discipline and habit – you just have to schedule the meditation in and stick to the plan, avoiding procrastination. It is much easier to do this once it is a matter of habit and you find yourself looking forward to your meditation sessions. The second obstacle will be that your mind will wonder and you will feel unsure. Just rest assured that this is normal. You are still gaining the benefits, and meditation will become much easier and more effective with practice.
Try to do this as often as possible – a few times a week as a minimum to start off if you can’t fit it in every day. You will soon see and feel the positive effects it has on your mind and body.
What's In The Water?
Campaigners in Southampton have failed to stop South Central Strategic Health Authority from fluoridating the water supplies of 195,000 people, following a judicial review at the High Court. The judge said that there was no illegality in the decision-making process: “our democratic Parliament decided long ago that water can, in certain circumstances, be fluoridated… it is not the law that fluoridation can only occur when a majority of the local population agree…this SHA have not acted unlawfully and no court can interfere with their decision”.
The decision to add fluoride to water came after 72% of those who responded to public consultation opposed it, with 28% in favour. The authority had originally instructed Southern Water to add fluoride to improve dental health in February 2009, and the SCSHA now plans to press ahead.
Water fluoridation is commonplace in the USA. In the UK, 10% of our mains water supply is fluoridated. Under current laws, the decision to consult on fluoridation does not need approval of the Health Secretary or special legislation. A spokesman for the Department of Health said it was a “local decision”. In light of the recent ruling in Southampton, local health authorities across the nation are now pushing for fluoridation.
Before the practice of water fluoridation spreads across the UK, I would like to share some of the information that I believe the public should be informed of.
Fluoridation – Why?
The only reason sited is support in the prevention of dental cavities. I would question this as a reason to fluoridate water on the following grounds:
Does It Really Work?
The most comprehensive systematic review of studies into fluoridation and dental health, published in the British Medical Journal, found that the evidence in favour of the practice was only of moderate quality: “many studies did not attempt to reduce observer bias, control for confounding factors, report variance measures, or use appropriate analysis.”
Richard Foulkes, M.D., former special consultant to the Minister of Health of British Columbia, revealed in a presentation to the California Assembly Committee of Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials: “The water fluoridation studies that were presented to me were selected and showed only positive results. Studies that were in existence at that time that did not fit the concept that they were “selling,” were either omitted or declared to be “bad science.” The endorsements had been won by coercion and the self-interest of professional elites. Some of the basic “facts” presented to me were, I found out later, of dubious validity. We are brought up to respect these persons in whom we have placed our trust to safeguard the public interest. It is difficult for each of us to accept that these may be misplaced.”
Dr Paul Connett points out that “the countries which are fluoridated are doing practically no health studies. They are far more concerned about protecting this policy for some reason than protecting health.” Former United States Environmental Protection Agency scientist Robert Carton went further, stating that “fluoridation is the greatest case of scientific fraud of this century.”
Bear these facts in mind when you learn that the U.S. Center for Disease Control hales water fluoridation as one of the top medical achievements of the 20th Century, ranked ahead of “Recognition of tobacco use as a health hazard”…
What Are The Dangers?
It should be noted that small amounts of fluoride do naturally occur in water, in the form of calcium fluoride. Calcium is an antidote for fluoride poisoning. When an antidote accompanies a poison, it makes the poison far less toxic to the body. Additionally, calcium fluoride is not toxic enought to be used in vermin poisons and pesticides…
Sodium fluoride, which is a far simpler toxin than the fluoride compounds used for most water fluoridation, has also been used for rat and cockroach poisons, so there is no question that it is highly toxic. It is included in toothpaste, with the instruction “if your child swallows more than the recommended amount, contact a poison control center.” The amount that they’re talking about, the recommended pea-sized quantity, is equivalent to one glass of water. Yet, although it sounds absurd, there are no labels taps saying “if you consume more than one glass of water, contact a poison center.”
The fluoride that is added to 90% of drinking water is hydrofluoric acid. Entirely manmade and with no nutrient value whatsoever, it is one of the most caustic of industrial chemicals and the byproduct of aluminum, steel, cement, phosphate, and nuclear weapons manufacturing. It is illegal to dump in the sea and too concentrated to dump locally because it destroys vegetation and livestock. It is 85 times more toxic than naturally occurring calcium fluoride.
So what are the effects on the human body of thos toxin? One side effect that nobody disputes is fluorosis – coloured mottling of the teeth. While promoters of fluoridation dismiss this as purely cosmetic, I would suggest that this is clearly an indication that there has been some damage to the bone. Approximately fifty percent of the fluoride that you ingest each day ends up accumulating in your bones over a lifetime. Bone is a living tissue which is constantly being replaced through cellular turnover. It’s a finely balanced and complicated process; one which fluoride has been known – since the 1930s – to disrupt. The concern is over the potential of fluoride to damage the bone, causing symptoms such as susceptibility to fracture, osteoporosis and arthritis.
While health authorities assert that Fluoridation is safe (for whom?) up to 4ppm (parts per million), studies have shown that exposure to more than 1.9ppm lowers the IQ of children. Even at levels as low as 1ppm (part per million), studies have demonstrated direct toxic effects on brain tissue. Another risk – particularly to women – is that fluoride lowers thyroid function. Until the 1950’s it was used to treat patients with overactive thyroids. This is a significant concern as tens of millions of people today suffer from low thyroid function.
The most chilling concern over the use of fluoride is that once in the body, fluoride is a destroyer of human enzymes. It does this by changing their shapes. In human biochemistry, thousands of enzymes are necessary for various essential cell reactions that take place every second we’re alive – they trigger specific reactions in the body. One way they do this is by having the exact shape necessary, like a key in a lock. Fluoride changes the shape so that they no longer fit. Once they have been changed, they appear to be foreign. The body now treats them as invaders and the body attacks itself. This is known as an autoimmune situation and is at the heart of many of the diseases that seem to be epidemic in modern western society.
Chief chemist of the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Dean Burk, when confronted with mountains of data, stated before Congress: “In point of fact, fluoride causes more human cancer death, and causes it faster than any other chemical.”
Seeking Clarity
While flawed studies showing fluoride’s efficacy in cavity protection are heavily promoted, supporting a slightly surreal logic of dosing public water to prevent tooth cavities, studies showing the dangers of fluoride consumption are downplayed. Why is this happening? The fact of the matter is that a toxic industrial waste is being passed off on the public as a nutrient with necessary health benefits, to the tune of £7billion or more per year. This is a substance that, as Dr. William Hirzy from the Environmental Protection Agency has pointed, is “called a pollutant if it goes into the air; pollution if it is released into the water; but if the public water utilities buy it and pour it in our drinking water, it’s no longer a pollutant. All of a sudden like magic it’s a beneficial public health measure.”
The real danger of this situation is that most people are not impartial medical academics with the time to really study the issues. So, as with most of the decisions about our health, we have to take the word of the authorities. More often than not, this seems to be to our detriment. The path is now clear for chemical companies to lobby local health authorities to give them the go-ahead to dispose of their toxic waste in our water supply while pocketing our money. I'd always urge you to seek to be informed; and to be vigilant.
Further Reading
I can recommend a couple of articles for you to read if you would like to take control of your health and be better informed on water fluoridation:
Video: Dr. Joseph Mercola interviews Dr. Paul Connett
Fluoride Research Facts List – Dr. Darryl Roundy
Fluoride – Risks and Benefits – David R. Hill, Professor Emeritus, The University of Calgary
Why I Changed My Mind About Water Fluoridation – John Colquhoun, School of Education, University of Auckland, published by The University of Chicago Press
Is Fluoride Really As Safe As We’re Told? – Dr. Joseph Mercola
The Fluoride Debate – Presentation of both sides of the argument, one issue at a time
How To Remove Fluoride From Your Water
The decision to add fluoride to water came after 72% of those who responded to public consultation opposed it, with 28% in favour. The authority had originally instructed Southern Water to add fluoride to improve dental health in February 2009, and the SCSHA now plans to press ahead.
Water fluoridation is commonplace in the USA. In the UK, 10% of our mains water supply is fluoridated. Under current laws, the decision to consult on fluoridation does not need approval of the Health Secretary or special legislation. A spokesman for the Department of Health said it was a “local decision”. In light of the recent ruling in Southampton, local health authorities across the nation are now pushing for fluoridation.
Before the practice of water fluoridation spreads across the UK, I would like to share some of the information that I believe the public should be informed of.
Fluoridation – Why?
The only reason sited is support in the prevention of dental cavities. I would question this as a reason to fluoridate water on the following grounds:
- It is utterly undemocratic to dose the public water supply. Water fluoridation violates Article 35 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, is banned by the UK poisons act of 1972, violates Articles 3 and 8 of the Human Rights Act and raises issues under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- There is no dosage control. Dosages will depend on water consumption and will not be sensitive to other factors that increase the dangers of fluoride such as young or old age, people with calcium and magnesium deficiencies, diabetics and people with impaired renal clearance.
- This measure is almost surreal when you consider any number of other steps that can be taken to support dental health – ones that are not dangerous. Dentistry professor David Locker and philosopher Howard Cohen argued that the moral status for advocating water fluoridation is “at best indeterminate” and could even be considered immoral because it infringes upon autonomy based on uncertain evidence, with possible negative effects.
Does It Really Work?
The most comprehensive systematic review of studies into fluoridation and dental health, published in the British Medical Journal, found that the evidence in favour of the practice was only of moderate quality: “many studies did not attempt to reduce observer bias, control for confounding factors, report variance measures, or use appropriate analysis.”
Richard Foulkes, M.D., former special consultant to the Minister of Health of British Columbia, revealed in a presentation to the California Assembly Committee of Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials: “The water fluoridation studies that were presented to me were selected and showed only positive results. Studies that were in existence at that time that did not fit the concept that they were “selling,” were either omitted or declared to be “bad science.” The endorsements had been won by coercion and the self-interest of professional elites. Some of the basic “facts” presented to me were, I found out later, of dubious validity. We are brought up to respect these persons in whom we have placed our trust to safeguard the public interest. It is difficult for each of us to accept that these may be misplaced.”
Dr Paul Connett points out that “the countries which are fluoridated are doing practically no health studies. They are far more concerned about protecting this policy for some reason than protecting health.” Former United States Environmental Protection Agency scientist Robert Carton went further, stating that “fluoridation is the greatest case of scientific fraud of this century.”
Bear these facts in mind when you learn that the U.S. Center for Disease Control hales water fluoridation as one of the top medical achievements of the 20th Century, ranked ahead of “Recognition of tobacco use as a health hazard”…
What Are The Dangers?
It should be noted that small amounts of fluoride do naturally occur in water, in the form of calcium fluoride. Calcium is an antidote for fluoride poisoning. When an antidote accompanies a poison, it makes the poison far less toxic to the body. Additionally, calcium fluoride is not toxic enought to be used in vermin poisons and pesticides…
Sodium fluoride, which is a far simpler toxin than the fluoride compounds used for most water fluoridation, has also been used for rat and cockroach poisons, so there is no question that it is highly toxic. It is included in toothpaste, with the instruction “if your child swallows more than the recommended amount, contact a poison control center.” The amount that they’re talking about, the recommended pea-sized quantity, is equivalent to one glass of water. Yet, although it sounds absurd, there are no labels taps saying “if you consume more than one glass of water, contact a poison center.”
The fluoride that is added to 90% of drinking water is hydrofluoric acid. Entirely manmade and with no nutrient value whatsoever, it is one of the most caustic of industrial chemicals and the byproduct of aluminum, steel, cement, phosphate, and nuclear weapons manufacturing. It is illegal to dump in the sea and too concentrated to dump locally because it destroys vegetation and livestock. It is 85 times more toxic than naturally occurring calcium fluoride.
So what are the effects on the human body of thos toxin? One side effect that nobody disputes is fluorosis – coloured mottling of the teeth. While promoters of fluoridation dismiss this as purely cosmetic, I would suggest that this is clearly an indication that there has been some damage to the bone. Approximately fifty percent of the fluoride that you ingest each day ends up accumulating in your bones over a lifetime. Bone is a living tissue which is constantly being replaced through cellular turnover. It’s a finely balanced and complicated process; one which fluoride has been known – since the 1930s – to disrupt. The concern is over the potential of fluoride to damage the bone, causing symptoms such as susceptibility to fracture, osteoporosis and arthritis.
While health authorities assert that Fluoridation is safe (for whom?) up to 4ppm (parts per million), studies have shown that exposure to more than 1.9ppm lowers the IQ of children. Even at levels as low as 1ppm (part per million), studies have demonstrated direct toxic effects on brain tissue. Another risk – particularly to women – is that fluoride lowers thyroid function. Until the 1950’s it was used to treat patients with overactive thyroids. This is a significant concern as tens of millions of people today suffer from low thyroid function.
The most chilling concern over the use of fluoride is that once in the body, fluoride is a destroyer of human enzymes. It does this by changing their shapes. In human biochemistry, thousands of enzymes are necessary for various essential cell reactions that take place every second we’re alive – they trigger specific reactions in the body. One way they do this is by having the exact shape necessary, like a key in a lock. Fluoride changes the shape so that they no longer fit. Once they have been changed, they appear to be foreign. The body now treats them as invaders and the body attacks itself. This is known as an autoimmune situation and is at the heart of many of the diseases that seem to be epidemic in modern western society.
Chief chemist of the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Dean Burk, when confronted with mountains of data, stated before Congress: “In point of fact, fluoride causes more human cancer death, and causes it faster than any other chemical.”
Seeking Clarity
While flawed studies showing fluoride’s efficacy in cavity protection are heavily promoted, supporting a slightly surreal logic of dosing public water to prevent tooth cavities, studies showing the dangers of fluoride consumption are downplayed. Why is this happening? The fact of the matter is that a toxic industrial waste is being passed off on the public as a nutrient with necessary health benefits, to the tune of £7billion or more per year. This is a substance that, as Dr. William Hirzy from the Environmental Protection Agency has pointed, is “called a pollutant if it goes into the air; pollution if it is released into the water; but if the public water utilities buy it and pour it in our drinking water, it’s no longer a pollutant. All of a sudden like magic it’s a beneficial public health measure.”
The real danger of this situation is that most people are not impartial medical academics with the time to really study the issues. So, as with most of the decisions about our health, we have to take the word of the authorities. More often than not, this seems to be to our detriment. The path is now clear for chemical companies to lobby local health authorities to give them the go-ahead to dispose of their toxic waste in our water supply while pocketing our money. I'd always urge you to seek to be informed; and to be vigilant.
Further Reading
I can recommend a couple of articles for you to read if you would like to take control of your health and be better informed on water fluoridation:
Video: Dr. Joseph Mercola interviews Dr. Paul Connett
Fluoride Research Facts List – Dr. Darryl Roundy
Fluoride – Risks and Benefits – David R. Hill, Professor Emeritus, The University of Calgary
Why I Changed My Mind About Water Fluoridation – John Colquhoun, School of Education, University of Auckland, published by The University of Chicago Press
Is Fluoride Really As Safe As We’re Told? – Dr. Joseph Mercola
The Fluoride Debate – Presentation of both sides of the argument, one issue at a time
How To Remove Fluoride From Your Water
Friday 18 March 2011
Staying Healthy Through the Spring, According to Chinese Medicine
The Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon), one of the principal medical books of Traditional Chinese Medicine, was written thousands of years ago. In it, the Yellow Emperor of China asks the Daoist master Qi Bo questions about health and disease.
The first question that the Yellow Emperor asks is “I am told the people in ancient times could all survive to more than 100 years old, and they appeared to be quite healthy and strong in actions, but the people at present time are different, they are not so nimble in action when they are only 50, and what is the reason?”
Qi Bo responds to the Yellow Emperor, “those who knew the way of keeping good health in ancient times always kept their behaviour in daily life in accordance with nature. Their behaviours in daily life were all kept in regular patterns such as their food and drink were of fixed quantity; their daily activities were all in regular times. They never overworked. In this way, they could maintain both in the body and in the spirit substantiality, and were able to live to the old age of more than 100 years.”
The key element in Qi Bo’s answer seems to be concerned with living in harmony with nature. Of course, this has strong implications for our habits as the seasons change.
Of Spring, Qi Bo says: “In the three months of spring, all things on the earth begin to grow. The natural world is resuscitating and all things are flourishing. People may sleep late in the night and get up early in the morning, taking a walk in the courtyard with hair running free to relax the body and enliven the mind. Such a natural resuscitating process should be activated instead of being depressed, promoted instead of being deprived and encouraged instead of being destroyed. This is what adaptation to chun qi (spring-qi) means and this is the principle for cultivation of health. Any violation of this rule may impair the liver and result in cold diseases in summer due to insufficient supply for growth in summer”.
Spring in Traditional Chinese Medicine
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Spring is represented by the element of wood. The element of the East, wood relates to the morning and the sunrise. Characterised by renewal and upward and outward energy and growth, it gives us a connection to the future and the flexibility to plan and design in all areas of our lives.
The element of wood also relates to the liver, the gallbladder, tendons and joints. The liver helps us neutralise poisons – both physical and emotional. As Spring is the time of renewal, the Liver can become overburdened (also called “over-heated”). As heat moves upward, it can cause problems in the head section: dry skin, dry hair, hair loss, migraines, headaches, high blood pressure, and indigestion.
You might like to try making your own cleansing tonic at home, to be drunk before a main meal. Simply add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoonful of raw honey in a glass of water and mix well.
Emotional problems that arise when the liver is over-heated are depressive or anger related states, including irritation, resentment, belligerence, impatience and mood swings. People with a consistently over-heated liver may develop heart problems. So it’s important to de-stress and detoxify in Spring. Exercise should be gentle and smooth styles, i.e. breathing, stretching, Qigong, yoga, light weights, walking, meditation, light cardio – all of which simulate the animal coming out of hibernation. Outside air helps liver Qi flow, so it’s important to get outside for air and sunshine whenever possible.
The appetite should be slightly smaller, and the foods easier for your body to cope with. This means lighter foods, and including more lightly cooked (preferably steamed) or raw foods where possible; as well as avoiding all processed and denatured foods (i.e refined grains and sugars) and high fat foods. Avoiding foods that contain chemicals always applied.
As green is the color of Spring – and of the liver – try to consume plenty of young plants and fresh greens. Legumes and seeds are also good to eat, especially if they are sprouted. Basil, fennel, marjoram, rosemary, caraway, dill and bayleaf are all good spices to use in Spring.
Seasonal Spring Foods
One of the easiest ways to stay healthy in any season is to eat fresh seasonal foods. A good guideline about what to eat during any season is to build your meals from what is available at your local farmer’s market. There are also the added bonuses that shopping in this way is better for farming and better for the environment. For your convenience, here is a list of Spring foods:
Vegetables:
Asparagus, Beets, Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Peppers, Artichokes, Fava Beans, Fiddlehead, Ferns, Spinach, Kale, Kohlrabi, Rhubarb, Bok Choy, Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Calabrese Broccoli, Wild Garlic, Green Onions, Lettuce, Morels, Wild Mushrooms, Nettles, Spring Onions, Cabbage, Carrots.
Fruits:
Bananas, Berries, Figs, Kiwi, Mangos, Pineapple, Nectarines, Peaches, Plums, Apricots, Cherries, Melons
Fish and Seafood:
Pacific Coast Clams, Oysters, Lobster, Mackerel, Mussels, Wild Salmon, Sardines, John Dory, Sea Trout, Brown Crab, Haddock, Lemon Sole, Langoustines, Bass
Meat:
Lamb, Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Rabbit, Hare, Guinea Fowl, Grouse and Duck.
With all of this in mind, you can be in harmony with all the renewal and upward and outward movement of Spring.
The first question that the Yellow Emperor asks is “I am told the people in ancient times could all survive to more than 100 years old, and they appeared to be quite healthy and strong in actions, but the people at present time are different, they are not so nimble in action when they are only 50, and what is the reason?”
Qi Bo responds to the Yellow Emperor, “those who knew the way of keeping good health in ancient times always kept their behaviour in daily life in accordance with nature. Their behaviours in daily life were all kept in regular patterns such as their food and drink were of fixed quantity; their daily activities were all in regular times. They never overworked. In this way, they could maintain both in the body and in the spirit substantiality, and were able to live to the old age of more than 100 years.”
The key element in Qi Bo’s answer seems to be concerned with living in harmony with nature. Of course, this has strong implications for our habits as the seasons change.
Of Spring, Qi Bo says: “In the three months of spring, all things on the earth begin to grow. The natural world is resuscitating and all things are flourishing. People may sleep late in the night and get up early in the morning, taking a walk in the courtyard with hair running free to relax the body and enliven the mind. Such a natural resuscitating process should be activated instead of being depressed, promoted instead of being deprived and encouraged instead of being destroyed. This is what adaptation to chun qi (spring-qi) means and this is the principle for cultivation of health. Any violation of this rule may impair the liver and result in cold diseases in summer due to insufficient supply for growth in summer”.
Spring in Traditional Chinese Medicine
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Spring is represented by the element of wood. The element of the East, wood relates to the morning and the sunrise. Characterised by renewal and upward and outward energy and growth, it gives us a connection to the future and the flexibility to plan and design in all areas of our lives.
The element of wood also relates to the liver, the gallbladder, tendons and joints. The liver helps us neutralise poisons – both physical and emotional. As Spring is the time of renewal, the Liver can become overburdened (also called “over-heated”). As heat moves upward, it can cause problems in the head section: dry skin, dry hair, hair loss, migraines, headaches, high blood pressure, and indigestion.
You might like to try making your own cleansing tonic at home, to be drunk before a main meal. Simply add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoonful of raw honey in a glass of water and mix well.
Emotional problems that arise when the liver is over-heated are depressive or anger related states, including irritation, resentment, belligerence, impatience and mood swings. People with a consistently over-heated liver may develop heart problems. So it’s important to de-stress and detoxify in Spring. Exercise should be gentle and smooth styles, i.e. breathing, stretching, Qigong, yoga, light weights, walking, meditation, light cardio – all of which simulate the animal coming out of hibernation. Outside air helps liver Qi flow, so it’s important to get outside for air and sunshine whenever possible.
The appetite should be slightly smaller, and the foods easier for your body to cope with. This means lighter foods, and including more lightly cooked (preferably steamed) or raw foods where possible; as well as avoiding all processed and denatured foods (i.e refined grains and sugars) and high fat foods. Avoiding foods that contain chemicals always applied.
As green is the color of Spring – and of the liver – try to consume plenty of young plants and fresh greens. Legumes and seeds are also good to eat, especially if they are sprouted. Basil, fennel, marjoram, rosemary, caraway, dill and bayleaf are all good spices to use in Spring.
Seasonal Spring Foods
One of the easiest ways to stay healthy in any season is to eat fresh seasonal foods. A good guideline about what to eat during any season is to build your meals from what is available at your local farmer’s market. There are also the added bonuses that shopping in this way is better for farming and better for the environment. For your convenience, here is a list of Spring foods:
Vegetables:
Asparagus, Beets, Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Peppers, Artichokes, Fava Beans, Fiddlehead, Ferns, Spinach, Kale, Kohlrabi, Rhubarb, Bok Choy, Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Calabrese Broccoli, Wild Garlic, Green Onions, Lettuce, Morels, Wild Mushrooms, Nettles, Spring Onions, Cabbage, Carrots.
Fruits:
Bananas, Berries, Figs, Kiwi, Mangos, Pineapple, Nectarines, Peaches, Plums, Apricots, Cherries, Melons
Fish and Seafood:
Pacific Coast Clams, Oysters, Lobster, Mackerel, Mussels, Wild Salmon, Sardines, John Dory, Sea Trout, Brown Crab, Haddock, Lemon Sole, Langoustines, Bass
Meat:
Lamb, Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Rabbit, Hare, Guinea Fowl, Grouse and Duck.
With all of this in mind, you can be in harmony with all the renewal and upward and outward movement of Spring.
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