Because this is the most hidden form of stress (and most misunderstood), we will spend a large amount of time here in an attempt to bring awareness to this topic. Knowledge is power and avoiding or at least being conscious of chemical stress can greatly affect our overall health.
As a society, our chemical load has increased tremendously over the last 50 to 100 years. This type of stress bombards us each and every day and can originate from a variety of sources like our environment, nature, vaccinations, drugs/medications (legal & illegal), personal hygiene products and our food.
Our environment adds to our tension levels in a number of ways. There are toxins in our air and drinking water that cause us stress when we ingest them. Drinking water, unless distilled or purified, will increase your chemical load with each sip. For example, chlorine & fluoride are commonly added to our water supply. Chlorine, which is used to help sanitize the water, kills the good bacteria in our digestive tract and also reacts to other substances in the water to become toxins that have been linked to asthma & various forms of cancer. Fluoride, which is added to supposedly help fight tooth decay, is a poison in the same class as the deadly arsenic and cyanide. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - categorizes fluoride as "a drinking water contaminant" which may be linked to osteoporosis, cancer and a higher infant mortality rate. Finland, Germany, France, Sweden and The Netherlands have all banned fluoridation in their water supply due to its dangers and lack of evidence of its effectiveness to actually help tooth decay.
Many cities and counties are now using reclaimed water for use by their population, which has created a number of problems. Recent headlines pointed out the fact that traces of prescription drugs were found in the water supply of many urban areas. Also, it is not unusual for bacteria linked to feces, like E-Coli, to be found in our tap water.
Other ecological stressors include the effects of increasing radiation levels from the sun, which have been measured for years. Extreme environmental conditions, like heat & cold, can cause major problems (heat stroke & frost bite). Also, due to technological advances, a negative effect on us has been created from electro-magnetic radiation (from cell phones, radio waves, microwaves, etc.), which is constantly in our immediate surroundings.
Anyone who suffers from seasonal allergies is well aware that nature can be a major cause of our chemical stress. By dispersing pollen to create hay fever during “allergy season”, nature can cause an incredibly uncomfortable response for some. Also, the sting or bite of an insect or animal may cause a slight negative reaction for some while it can be extremely dangerous for others (anaphylactic shock, Rabies, Lyme Disease, etc.).
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
Professionals Urge Fluoridation be Stopped
Over 1600 professionals signed a statement urging Congress to stop water fluoridation until Congressional hearings are conducted. They cite new scientific evidence that fluoridation, long promoted to fight tooth decay, is ineffective and has serious health risks. (http://www.fluorideaction.org/statement.august.2007.html)
Signers include a Nobel Prize winner, three members of the prestigious 2006 National Research Council (NRC) panel that reported on fluoride’s toxicology, two officers in the Union representing professionals at EPA headquarters, the President of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment, and hundreds of medical, dental, academic, scientific and environmental professionals, worldwide.
Signer Dr. Arvid Carlsson, winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize for Medicine, says, “Fluoridation is against all principles of modern pharmacology. It's really obsolete.”
An Online Action Petition to Congress in support of the Professionals' Statement is available on FAN's web site, http://congress.fluorideaction.net and over 11,000 individuals have signed so far.
“The NRC report dramatically changed scientific understanding of fluoride's health risks," says Paul Connett, PhD, Executive Director, Fluoride Action Network. "Government officials who continue to promote fluoridation must testify under oath as to why they are ignoring the powerful evidence of harm in the NRC report,” he added.
The Professionals’ Statement also references:
-- The new American Dental Association policy recommending infant formula NOT be prepared with fluoridated water.
-- The CDC’s concession that the predominant benefit of fluoride is topical not systemic.
-- CDC data showing that dental fluorosis, caused by fluoride over-exposure, now impacts one third of American children.
-- Major research indicating little difference in decay rates between fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities.
-- A Harvard study indicating a possible link between fluoridation and bone cancer.
-- The silicofluoride chemicals used for fluoridation are contaminated industrial waste and have never been FDA- approved for human ingestion.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a DC watchdog, revealed that a Harvard professor concealed the fluoridation/bone cancer connection for three years. EWG President Ken Cook states, “It is time for the US to recognize that fluoridation has serious risks that far outweigh any minor benefits, and unlike many other environmental issues, it's as easy to end as turning off a valve at the water plant.”
Further, researchers reporting in the Oct 6 2007 British Medical Journal indicate that fluoridation, touted as a safe cavity preventive, never was proven safe or effective and may be unethical. (1)
Many communities rejected or stopped fluoridation over the years. See: http://www.fluoridealert.org/communities.htm
SOURCE: Fluoride Action Network http://www.FluorideAction.Net
References:
(1) “Adding fluoride to water supplies,” British Medical Journal, KK Cheng, Iain Chalmers, Trevor A. Sheldon, October 6, 2007
Thanks for the info & links!!
Post a Comment