Chemical Overload
A Little Bit Won’t Hurt You – Or Will It?
By Dr. Regan Golob, DC
We are frequently told "A little bit won't hurt you" when it comes to chemicals in our food and environment. That may be true, however a little bit here and there eventually adds up to a lot.
Let's look at the potential sources of chemical contamination that we are bombarded with on a daily basis. There is chlorine in our water supply, and often fluoride as well. Fluoride is added to tooth pastes and mouthwashes. Many imported fruits and vegetables have been sprayed with pesticides and herbicides that are illegal in the US. We send these toxins to other countries, and then bring the produce back. Imported produce is also subjected to fumigation with toxic gasses in the shipping containers. (Bananas have become one of the worst foods you can eat, as they absorb this toxin through the skins right into the fruit.) Meat and dairy products are loaded with residues of antibiotics and hormones from factory farming operations. Look at the ingredients on the label of nearly any prepared food in the grocery store, and you will see a list of chemicals as long as your arm. (Hint: if you can't pronounce the word, you shouldn't put the product in your mouth!) MSG (monosodium glutamate) is an allergen for most people, and is in many foods where it is merely listed as "flavoring". Add to this list the chemicals in topical preparations such as body lotions and shampoos. Did you know that your skin will absorb up to 60% of anything you put on it? And then there are environmental toxins such as lawn chemicals and pesticides and household insecticides. The American journal of Public Health has reported a link between bug killers and childhood cancer. In a study of children in Colorado, those who lived in homes where the lawns had been treated with herbicides had a four-fold increase in the risk of developing a tumor, and children in houses using pest strips had three times the normal risk of developing leukemia.
Our immune system, the body's defense system, has to deal with these substances and is in danger of becoming overloaded. The liver is the filter for the whole body, and when it must handle too much residue it becomes less efficient. The liver sends the excess to the lymphatic system, which is part of our immune system. The result is often overproduction of histamine, a substance which helps control and destroy what the body identifies to be a "foreign invader". This histamine response causes sinus drainage, watery eyes, asthma attacks, skin eruptions and rashes, etc. Proper immune function can only happen when your liver and lymphatic system are cleaned and detoxified. Your liver is like the oil filter in you car - if it is clogged and dirty, the car won't keep running for long without major problems.
The solution is to limit your exposure to chemical toxins. Buy organic foods, stay away from prepared foods (remember, you can't improve on Mother Nature!), clean fruits and vegetables thoroughly with a solution of food- grade hydrogen peroxide, limit use of chemicals in your home and garden. Dr. Balch's book "Prescription For Nutritional Healing" (available through DYNAMITE® has an excellent section on cleansing fasts that can be used periodically for detoxifying your body. Also refer to my 7 Day Carrot Salad in another issue of this newsletter, and eat that for 7 days out of each month. Dynamite® S.O.D.™, is helpful for immune system nutritional support.
Keep your body clean, and improved health will be your reward.
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