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First
of all congratulate yourself for being wise
enough to subscribe to this newsletter,
which will typically warn you of dangers
many years before they hit the media.
I
issued the first public warning about Vioxx
and stroke five years before it was pulled,
after killing over 60,000. And I first
warned you about using Nalgene bottles more
three years ago.
Although
the colorful, durable, and lightweight
Nalgene water bottles have been the choice
of outdoor enthusiasts for years, scientific
evidence has shown the plastic used to make
these bottles may pose serious health
hazards.
Made
from lexan polycarbonate resin (marketed
through Nalgene Outdoor Products), lexan was
believed to be the ideal material for water
bottles. It�s extremely durable and
doesn�t allow odors or flavors to cling to
distort the taste of whatever you store in
it. It was also thought that lexan did not
leach BPA -- a notion that has since been
shown to be incorrect.
How
Plastic Toxins May Damage Your Health
Suspicions
were raised on all polycarbonate plastics
after researchers found birth defects and
developmental abnormalities that caused
miscarriages in mice. In the last ten years,
some 700 studies have been published about
BPA -- most of them indicating serious
health hazards, at least in animals. The
most troubling problem with BPA is that it
mimics the female hormone estrogen.
Your
body is extremely sensitive to sex hormones,
and miniscule amounts can induce profound
changes. Therefore, scientists are afraid
even low levels of BPA could have a negative
impact on human health.
In
animals, BPA increases aneuploidy, a defect
consisting of abnormal loss or gain of
chromosomes, which in humans could possibly
lead to miscarriages or disorders such as
Down Syndrome.
Moreover,
there is evidence (among mice and rats) that
even low doses of BPA can cause:
- Hyperactivity
- Early
puberty
- Increased
fat formation
- Abnormal
sexual behavior
- Disrupted
reproductive cycles
- Structural
damage to the brain
Despite
all these findings, the
U.S.
health and environmental regulators keep
insisting there is no evidence of harm to
human health after 50 years of use.
But
wait�
Looking
at this short list above, don�t some of
these health problems sound remarkably
familiar? Down
Syndrome, hyperactivity (ADD/ ADHD),
early onset of puberty, obesity� Are these
not some of the wide spread health issues
you�re surrounded by, which have increased
dramatically in that time?
In
a manner similar to those used in the pharmaceutical,
tobacco, cell
phone and artificial
sweetener industries, the plastics
industry finds ways to create misleading
information about the safety -- or lack
thereof -- of their products. The greed of
the people who head up major corporations
can, indeed, have a negative impact on your
health.
Prior
to 2004 I too used Nalgene bottles for
traveling, thinking they were a safe option,
but have since tossed them as well.
10
Tips to Reduce Your Exposure to BPA
1.
Only use glass baby bottles and dishes for
your baby
2. Give your baby natural fabric toys
instead of plastic ones
3. Store your food and beverages
in glass
-- NOT plastic -- containers
4. IF you choose to use
a microwave, don�t microwave food in a
plastic container
5. Stop buying and consuming canned foods
and drinks
6. Avoid using plastic wrap (and never
microwave anything covered in it)
7. Get rid of your plastic dishes and cups,
and replace them with glass varieties
8. If you opt to use plastic kitchenware, at
least get rid of the older, scratched-up
varieties, avoid putting them in the
dishwasher, and don�t wash them with harsh
detergents, as these things can cause more
chemicals to leach into your food
9. Avoid using bottled water; filter your
own using a reverse osmosis filter instead
10. Before allowing a dental sealant to be
applied to you, or your children�s, teeth,
ask your dentist to verify that it does not
contain BPA
In
the event that you do opt to use plastic
containers for your food, be sure to avoid
those marked on the bottom with the
recycling label No. 7, as these
varieties may contain BPA.
Containers marked with the recycling labels
No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 do not contain BPA
(however they may contain other unsavory
chemicals that you�re best off avoiding by
using glass instead).
How
to Detoxify Your Body
Research
has found that Americans have higher levels
of BPA than those found to cause harm in lab
animals, so chances are you could benefit
from a detoxification program.
There
are numerous methods that can be used to
help detoxify your body, varying in cost,
time and efficacy. I tend to gravitate
toward treatments that are simple,
effective, inexpensive, and don't involve
taking a lot of supplements.
The
treatments below fit all of these criteria,
and can be incorporated into your daily
life. They all work to support your body's
natural detoxification systems, namely your
digestive system, liver, kidneys, lungs and
skin.
- Stimulate
blood flow through your organs of
elimination. Constitutional hydrotherapy
treatments increase blood flow through
your liver and kidneys, enhancing their
filtering effects.
- Increase
toxin elimination through the skin. Use
a sauna
regularly to increase how much, how
often, and how deeply you sweat.
- Give
your lungs some extra support. By
practicing deep
breathing exercises you can greatly
enhance this vital detoxification
mechanism.
- Stimulate
lymphatic flow. Dry
skin brushing and exercise
are two of the only ways to increase the
flow of the lymphatic system, your
body's garbage collector.
- Maintain
optimal levels of beneficial intestinal
flora. The best ways to accomplish this
are by incorporating fermented
foods, such as natto or natural
kefir into your diet.
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