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

www.theblueberryclinic.co.uk
© Joe Summerfield 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.

info@theblueberryclinic.co.uk
www.theblueberryclinic.co.uk
© Joe Summerfield 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

info@theblueberryclinic.co.uk
www.theblueberryclinic.co.uk
© Joe Summerfield 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.

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 

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.

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! 

5 Reasons Not To Eat GM - a summary article from the Health Freedom Alliance, with video link.

---

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.

info@theblueberryclinic.co.uk
www.theblueberryclinic.co.uk
© Joe Summerfield 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

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).     

There are plenty more wonderful ideas and recipes, have a search online to replace any specific products.

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

Of 115 published animal studies, 81 percent found significant effects from even low-level exposure to BPA. As it stands, BPA is one of the world’s highest production-volume chemicals and has already been detected in the urine of 95 percent of people tested. Every-day products that contain BPA include:

• 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

It would be advisable to avoid these items wherever possible – particularly when children are exposed to them. Additionally, if you microwave the containers or bottles, or place hot liquids or food into them, BPA is released 55 times more rapidly. Acidic liquids such as juices also increase the rate of leeching. So it is definitely worth avoiding using plastic containers for these things – I certainly advise against heating anything up in plastic (of cling-film); particularly in the microwave!

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.

Phthalates, or “plasticisers,” are a group of industrial chemicals used to make plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) more flexible and resilient. They’re also one of the most pervasive of the endocrine disrupters. These chemicals have increasingly become associated with changes in development of the male brain as well as with genital defects, metabolic abnormalities and reduced testosterone in babies and adults. Phthalates are found in, among other things:

• 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

Conclusion

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

• 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

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Copyright Joe Summerfield 2011