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Detoxification for Health |
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Chemical Pollution |
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Detoxification: A Must
for the New Millenium Introduction Chemicals The chemicals to which
life is asked to make its adjustment are no longer merely the calcium,
silica, copper and all the rest of the minerals washed out of the rocks and
carried in rivers to the sea; they are the synthetic creations of man's
inventive mind, brewed in his laboratories, and having no counterparts in
nature. The new toxins come from our labs in an endless stream; almost 500
annually find their way into actual use in the Every human being is now
subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals from the moment of conception
until death. Allthis has come about because of the sudden rise and prodigious
growth of an industry for the production of man-made or synthetic chemicals
with insecticidal properties. What sets the new synthetic herbicides apart is
their enormous biological potency. They have immense power not merely to
poison but to enter into the most vital processes of the body and change them
in threatening and often deadly ways. Thus, they destroy the very enzymes
whose function is to protect the organism from harm, they block the oxidation
processes from which the body receives its energy, they prevent the normal
functioning of various organs and they may initiate in certain cells the slow
and irreversible change that leads to malignancy. Yet more and more deadly
chemicals are added to the list each year and new uses are devised so that
contact with these materials has become practically worldwide. The production
of synthetic pesticides in the Responsible public health
officials have pointed out that the biological effects of chemicals are
cumulative over long periods of time and that the hazard to the individual
may depend on the sum of the exposures received throughout his lifetime. For
these very reasons the danger is easily ignored. It is human nature to shrug
off what may seem to us a vague threat of future disaster. A wise physician,
Dr. Rene Dubos, says, "Men are naturally most impressed by diseases
which have obvious manifestations, yet some of their worst enemies creep on
them unobtrusively." And, there is no argument
that high levels of lead contribute to serious health problems. Lead can
easily enter the system through food, water and air. It is now becoming
increasingly evident that lead levels heretofore considered low may be
associated with obvious and serious clinical problems. Lead exposure is an
important public health issue. Because millions of American children are
believed to have elevated blood lead levels, screening programs for childhood
lead exposure have been established by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. In 1984, as many as three to four million children were estimated
to have blood lead levels greater than 0.72 mmol/L, and even lower levels of
lead exposure have been associated with adverse neurophysiologic development.
(2) Needleman and his
colleagues (3,4) indicate that low-level lead exposure can result in serious
mental and behavioral problems, These effects may manifest in a higher risk
of dropping out of high school, reading disability; poorer class standing,
increased absenteeism, and lower vocabulary and grammatical reasoning scores.
These serious findings are disturbing not only in their social implications
but in the permanent neurologic damage they represent. According to the Centers
for Disease Control, among lead's most insidious effects is its poisoning of
the developing nervous system, as measured by a decrease in the IQs of kids
with even low level lead exposure. For the nation, 81% of the total IQ loss
occurred among children with suboptimal lead levels, children who were
probably asymptomatic and identifiable only by screening. It may be possible that
the problem is not the need for more schools, teachers, or sophisticated
equipment but healthier kids! There are many other
man-made toxins such as alcohol and tobacco, which are recognized as big
problems. Traditional medicine has attempted to deal with the alcoholic by
referring them for group therapy through Alcoholics Anonymous. For tobacco,
our RDAs have been changed to suggest that the smoker needs more vitamin C.
However, there are also toxins which have received less interest such as the
use of amalgam as a filling material. There are many man-created toxins that
time and space will not allow us to focus on here that interfere with the air
we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. Possible Solutions Since alternative
medicine is less toxic than current medications, naturopathic principles
should be considered as a possible answer to the air we breathe, the water we
drink and the food we eat. Summary and
Conclusions These few examples cited
here coupled with other reports (8,9) emphasize the difference between
traditional thinking and the new medicine of the millennium. References 2. Simon JA, Hudes ES:
Relationship of Ascorbic Acid to Blood Lead Levels.JAMA 281:24, 2289-2293,
23/30 June 1999. 3. Needleman HL, Schell
A, Bellinger D, Leviton A, Alfred FN: The long-term effects of exposure to
low doses of lead in childhood; An 11-year follow-up report. New Engl J Med,
322:2,83-88, 11 January 1990. 4. Needleman HL, 5. Whole Foods Market.
601 North Lamar #300. 6. Wild Oats Markets,
Inc. 7. Guillette EA et al: An
Anthropological Approach to the Evaluation of Preschool Children Exposed to
Pesticides in 8. Cheraskin E: Another
Reason for Change; The Distinct Philosophies of Allopathy and Naturopathy. J
Orthomol Med, 1998; 13: 3, 139-140. 9. Cheraskin, E: Are
Antibiotics our Best Choice? Intl Integr Med, 1: 3, 36-38, May/June. 1999. Figure 1. Representative
drawings of a person by 4-year-old Yaqui children from the valley and
foothills of Figure 2. Representative
drawings of a person by 5-year-old Yaqui children from the valley and
foothills of (Figures 1 and 2 in
the original paper shows that preschool-aged children living in unpolluted
areas have far more sophisticated drawing skills than similar-aged children
living in polluted areas.) Andrew Saul is the author of the books FIRE
YOUR DOCTOR! How to be Independently Healthy (reader reviews at
http://www.doctoryourself.com/review.html
) and DOCTOR YOURSELF: Natural Healing that Works. (reviewed at http://www.doctoryourself.com/saulbooks.html
) For ordering information, Click Here .
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AN IMPORTANT NOTE: This page is not in any way offered as prescription, diagnosis nor treatment for any disease, illness, infirmity or physical condition. Any form of self-treatment or alternative health program necessarily must involve an individual's acceptance of some risk, and no one should assume otherwise. Persons needing medical care should obtain it from a physician. Consult your doctor before making any health decision. Neither the author nor the webmaster has authorized the use of their names or the use of any material contained within in connection with the sale, promotion or advertising of any product or apparatus. Single-copy reproduction for individual, non-commercial use is permitted providing no alterations of content are made, and credit is given. |
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