Of the more than 80,000 chemicals currently used in the US, most haven’t been adequately tested for their effects on human health. These chemicals lurk in everyday items: furniture, cosmetics, household cleaners, toys, food, water, and much more. Toxic chemicals have been the catalyst for a trend world wide of people changing to natural and organic living. Savvy consumers are searching out products such as organic food, chemical free cosmetics, skin care and body care as well as organic baby products. Recent research found that more than 50% of Americans are including natural and organic living choices in their purchasing decisions. It’s almost impossible to pick up any product in a store which we use in and around our homes or that we put on or in our bodies that doesn’t contain at least one toxic chemical ingredient and far too many chemicals are linked to a long list of health issues.
Most definitely families with children, individuals with a weakened immune system and those who have a family history of cancer should be making the change to natural and organic living. The majority of consumers have no idea what they are being exposed to on a daily basis. What they are putting on their skin, eating, drinking, bathing in, breathing and what they are exposing their children to. There are no good reasons, only excuses, not to make the change to natural and organic living.
- It costs too much
- It tastes different
- It smells different
- It looks different
- It feels different
- It doesn’t lather/suds as much
Well guess what, all of those excuses are brought on because of the removal of toxic chemicals from the equation. Without the use of toxic chemicals many things cost more, taste, smell, look and feel different and they don’t lather or suds up like we’re used to. Are any of these excuses really worth intentionally exposing ourselves or our families to these toxic chemicals and the potentially catastrophic health consequences that come with them?
Research has shown that the synergistic effects of multiple toxic chemical exposures are seriously affecting not only the present generation but future generations long before their parents or grandparents are even conceived. To learn more about this research watch this video (below) about 10 Americans (2006). It was produced in 2006 so the stats are even more shocking now – ie. autism was 1/150 births then and is closer to 1/40-45 births now. In the video, EWG President Ken Cook shares shocking information about how babies are born pre-polluted with as many as 300 industrial chemicals in their bodies. One of the most entertaining presentations that you’ll see about the health effects of environmental pollution. I can assure you that after watching this video you will have a whole new outlook on the subject of chemical exposures.
We are seeing the very government agencies which were established to protect us from exposure to dangerous substances, in fact becoming a major reason for serious concern. In the United States the FDA, EPA, USDA and our court systems are being eroded by the hiring or appointment of people, as policy makers, who either worked for or have direct ties to major offending corporations such as Union Carbide, DuPont and Monsanto.
In turn products which pose serious health threats are being approved while those in positions of authority within our government who could put a stop to them “turn a blind eye”. If you live somewhere other than the US, don’t think this doesn’t affect you. These are international companies without a conscience.
Much of the information here comes from a combination of Ron Gouge’s 30 plus years of working with, doing safety inspections of and teaching safety classes about radiation, radioactive materials and toxic chemicals. Another large portion comes from what his wife and I have learned over the years by searching out and researching healthy alternatives for everyday natural and organic living.
Toxic Chemicals in Food
When we talk about natural and organic food, what is it that’s different about it? The US Department of Agriculture Organic Program, Consumer Brochure says: “Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.”
The use of chemical pesticides has gotten to the point that almost everything we eat and drink is contaminated unless it is organic. Pesticides not only contaminate the food sources in the fields they are sprayed on, they contaminate the foods made for humans from them. They contaminate the meat of the animals that eat the food sources that are sprayed with them. Likewise the dairy products and eggs, etc. are contaminated as well.
The Environmental Working Group did some research recently based on US Department of Agriculture findings from contamination tests of fruits and vegetables. Their findings regarding the levels of pesticides in food, along with the additional information they provide on the hazards of exposure to pesticides, is very much an eye opener. These documents serve to reinforce our belief that, as a minimum, it is vital that moms, moms to be and small children should be eating organic food. In reality, everyone should be eating organic food.
Everything from organic vegetables to organic comfort foods is becoming increasingly more available at local supermarkets. From small mom and pop stores to the biggest of the big, Wal-Mart, everyone seems to be getting in on the organic living movement. Some organic foods such as organic meat, “true” wild salmon and seafood, organic berries, and organic nuts are more difficult to come by.
Laurie Demeritt, president and CEO, of the Hartman Group, a market research firm says, “nearly 75 percent of Americans buy organic products at least occasionally, while 23 percent go organic weekly.”
Having a child is given as the most significant reason to go organic. Also, anyone whose immune system is weak should seriously consider eating natural and organic. Many, many of the chemicals being used on fields are know to cause certain types of cancers. By eating organic when ever possible you will be taking one more precaution against cancer. Follow this link for additional information on other ways to prevent cancer.
Sue Moores, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and a nutrition consultant says, “Organic practices affect how food is grown and, in some cases, that may yield more nutrition.” Organic fruit and vegetables develop stronger compounds to protect themselves. If you eat that produce, you get those disease fighting compounds, too.
Many people are discovering that they can’t find good quality organic fruits and vegetables in their local market. Since they can’t find the produce they want in their markets many of them are growing some of their own organic food to avoid toxic chemicals used by Big Ag.
Maybe most of us will not suffer any harmful effects from the occasional exposure to small amounts of some of these toxic chemicals. That is however a very big maybe and you need to be asking yourself some very pointed questions about what the consequences will be a few years from now and very possibly for generations to come.
Since everyone reacts differently, how do you know what your own body or your children’s bodies threshold to exposure is to what combination of toxic chemicals? You don’t. Are you willing to take the chance with your health and the health of your family? What are the long range issues going to be with continued exposure to so many different toxic chemicals? What are the synergistic (multiplier) effects going to be and at what point do they become a health problem?
Are you ready to take responsibility for exposing your family, especially your children, to toxic chemicals and the possible consequences by not changing? Information on toxic chemicals HERE comes from almost 30 years of research and personal work experience with toxic chemicals and in the nuclear industry.
Toxic Chemicals in Water
Unfortunately, water quality issues are not a recent development. Industrial dumping, pesticide runoff, leaky storage tanks, and government mandates have created big problems. Let’s take a look at some of the nastiest water contaminants that may be pouring out of your faucet. Unfortunately, most tap water is far from pure, containing a vast array of disinfection byproducts, chemicals, radiation, heavy metals, and even pharmaceutical drugs. Fluoride, which is still being added to many municipal water supplies, is yet another factor that can make the water you drink each day more harmful than healing.
Toxins in Your Drinking Water (from The Global Healing Center)
- Fluoride – Adding fluoride to drinking water is a process that began back in the 1940’s to help reduce tooth decay. It sounds like a noble cause but fluoride is a neurotoxin and an endocrine disruptor. It can harm the thyroid gland and calcify the pineal gland. It’s so toxic that several countries have banned water fluoridation. Even some U.S. cities have caught on and started rejecting the process of fluoridation.[1] Watch Documentary ‘An Inconvenient Tooth‘
- Chlorine – Chlorine has disinfectant properties that make it useful for cleaning products and swimming pools. It’s even used to sanitize sewage and industrial waste. Chlorine is added to drinking water as a purification technique, despite not being completely safe.[2] Chlorine is a reactive chemical that bonds with water, including the water in your gut, to produce poisonous hydrochloric acid. Chlorine exposure can cause respiratory problems and damage cells. Long term effects include memory loss and impaired balance.[3][4]
- Lead – Lead is the main toxin causing problems in Flint. Corroded pipes are releasing up to ten times the allowable amount of lead into the water. Lead is toxic to almost every organ and affects children the worst. Developmental issues, stunted growth, deafness, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and brain damage can all result from exposure to lead.[5] If ingested during pregnancy, lead can cause premature birth.[6] Lead exposure has even been linked to autism, prostate cancer, and reproductive problems for both men and women.[7] It’s damaging to the cardiovascular system and kidneys, too.[8]
- Mercury – Although mercury is a naturally occurring element, “natural” does not mean “safe.” Mercury is extremely toxic and can cause brain damage, blindness, nerve damage, cognitive disability, impairment of motor functions, headaches, weakness, muscle atrophy, tremors, mood swings, memory loss, and skin rashes. A byproduct of mining and industrial practices, mercury vapor can linger in the atmosphere and ride the winds halfway around the globe.[9]
- PCBs – PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are chemicals used for industrial purposes such as insulation, machinery, oil, paints, adhesives, electronics, and fluorescent lights. Although PCBs were banned in 1979, they’re still present in landfills and pose a danger to the environment. PCBs break down slowly and infiltrate the environment. They have been found in snow and sea water thousands of miles from where they were produced.[10] Animal tests have found PCBs to cause cancer and negatively affect the immune, reproductive, nervous, and endocrine systems.[11] PCB’s are also decimating the killer whale population. Watch Video ‘PCBs: GE’s and the EPA’s Toxic Legacy’
- Arsenic – Arsenic, despite being poisonous, is used in a multitude of industrial processes. Environmental contamination may result from improper waste disposal, or from poorly-planned wells that hit a natural source.[12] Arsenic poisoning can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and even death in severe cases. Long-term exposure can lead to skin cancer, lung cancer, and bladder cancer. In Taiwan, arsenic causes “blackfoot disease,” a type of gangrene that causes blood vessels to die and rot.[12]
- Perchlorate – Perchlorates are a key ingredient in rocket fuel and explosives. They dissolve easily and seep into groundwater from military and industrial sites. It’s believed that perchlorates have contaminated much of the Colorado river.[13] The problem is severe; almost all humans will test positive for perchlorates, which attack the thyroid.
- Dioxins – Dioxins are released during combustion, such as burning of hazardous waste, forest fires, cigarette smoke, and burning oil and coal. They settle in the environment and destroy water sources.[14] Short term exposure can cause lesions and respiratory problems. Long-term exposure can affect the immune, nervous, endocrine, and reproductive systems. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has declared dioxins are carcinogenic. In developing fetuses, dioxin poisoning can cause birth defects or stillbirth.[15]
- DDT (Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane) – DDT was used as an insecticide in the 1940s to combat insect-borne diseases like malaria and typhus. It had widespread use as an agricultural insecticide until it was banned in the United States in 1972 due to environmental concerns.[16] It remains in use in other parts of the world and is still a major health concern for all of us. DDT molecules are persistent and can travel vast distances in the atmosphere.[17] Animal testing has found DDT causes reproductive problems and liver damage. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has declared DDT is a cancer risk.[18]
- HCB – Until 1965, HCB, or Hexachlorobenzene, was used as a pesticide. Production has been banned, but it is still formed as a byproduct from the production of other chemicals. A large dose can result in death. Smaller doses can lead to liver disease and skin lesions. The EPA has classified HCB as a probable cancer source.[19] In Anatolia, Turkey in the late 1950’s, over 4500 people suffered HCB poisoning as a result of tainted grain. Over 500 people died, including children. 30 years later, follow-up studies found that the breast milk of women in the area still contained up to 150 times the amount of HCB allowed in cow’s milk.[20]
- Dacthal – Dacthal (dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, or DCPA) is an herbicide that contaminates soil and water sources. Unlike HBA and DDT, Dacthal is still in use today. Animal tests have found dacthal damages the adrenal glands, kidneys, liver, thyroid, and spleen.[21][22]
- MtBE – MtBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) is a gasoline additive that can render large quantities of groundwater completely undrinkable. In 1996, the city of Santa Monica, CA found this out the hard way and the city had to shut down 50% of its water supply and pay for replacement water.[23] The health effects of MtBE are not understood. Animal tests have linked it to kidney damage, seizures, and problems with fetal development.[24]
- Pharmaceutical drugs. There’s no drinking water standard for drugs in the U.S., and typical water treatment methods are not designed to filter them out. Depending on the method used, anywhere from 10 percent to more than 80 percent of the drugs in the water fail to be removed during treatment.[25] One 2015 investigation (see video) concluded at least 41 million Americans in 24 major cities are drinking water contaminated with a wide range of drugs, including painkillers, hormones, antidepressants, antibiotics, cholesterol drugs and several dozens more.
- Polyfluoroalkyl or perfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFASs). According to a recent Harvard study, 16.5 million Americans have detectable levels of at least one kind of PFAS in their drinking water.26,27,28,29 Seventy-five percent of the samples with elevated PFAS came from 13 states: California, New Jersey, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Georgia, Minnesota, Arizona, Massachusetts and Illinois.
Further Concerns and Safety
This is by no mean a complete list of all the toxins that might be in drinking water. Please keep informed of water quality issues in your area. If poor-quality tap water is a problem for you, I recommend investing in a quality water filter or glass-bottled distilled water. Some people are under the impression that they can remove toxins from water by boiling it. Boiling water kills harmful organisms but does nothing to remove toxic chemicals, compounds, salts, and metals.
Ideal Water Sources (Dr. Mercola)
Besides purification, I also believe it’s critical to drink living water. I recently interviewed Dr. Gerald Pollack about his book, The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor. This fourth phase of water is referred to as “structured water” and is the type of water found in all of your cells. This water has healing properties, and is naturally created in a variety of ways. Water from a deep spring is one excellent source of structured water. The deeper the better, as structured water is created under pressure. There’s a great website called FindaSpring.com where you can find a natural spring in your area.
But you can also promote structured water through vortexing. I personally drink vortexed water nearly exclusively as I became a big fan of Viktor Schauberger who did much pioneering work on vortexing about a century ago. Dr. Pollack found that by creating a vortex in a glass of water, you’re putting more energy into it, thereby increasing the structure of the water. According to Dr. Pollack, virtually ANY energy put into the water seems to create or build structured water.
My own R&D team is working on a careful study in which we use vortexed water to grow sprouts, to evaluate the vitality and effectiveness of the water. We’ve already budgeted a quarter million for this internal research to develop the best vortex machine on the market, because we believe an ideal vortexer could be one of the simplest ways to improve your health and we hope to bring it to market in the next year.
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