Since we live in a dynamic environment and there is chemical exposure on a regular basis, it is up to us to make lifestyle choices that will help our bodies stay healthy and as chemical-free as possible.

Healthy food choices can help support every cell of the body to work at optimal levels. Every time you eat, you have the chance to treat your body well or to poison it. The choice is yours! By choosing high quality organic fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, you can reduce cell damage, oxidative stress, and abnormal cell growth.

Take time to review your entire lifestyle and begin simple changes to improve your health…

• Your Mind: Is it often flooded with negative thoughts or unhappiness?
• Your Body: How does it feel? Excited and full of energy for the day?
• Your Spirit: Are you living your passion and heart’s desire?
• Your Toxicity: What is in your home, office, car, and yard?
• Your Exercise: Do you do aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week?
• Your Nutrition: What types of nutrients are you putting in your body? Are you eating live food or dead food?
• Your Sleep: Do you get 8 restful hours each night?

The best way to stay out of our “sick care system” is to STAY WELL. Call for an appointment to assess your environmental exposure and lifestyle to increase your wellness.

The environmental toxins that are absorbed into our bodies are not processed and eliminated easily from the body. Many times, these toxins can be the underlying cause of repeated symptoms and the level of severity of health problems.

Each person has a bio-individuality that makes us more or less sensitive to certain chemicals in our environment. There are many common responses to chemicals, but we all react to the chemicals differently. What may not affect one person may make another person very ill.

There is substantial evidence that children with ADHD, particularly boys, have higher concentrations of pesticides and organophosphates in their bodies. The higher the level of toxins is, the greater the risk of ADHD.

All of these toxins can accumulate in any part of our bodies. Some toxins are attracted to our nerve cells, some to the thyroid, some to our gastrointestinal tract, etc. For this reason, it is important to do annual detoxifications to cleanse the body of the toxins. You should choose a detoxification that is gentle, easy to fit into your lifestyle, and professionally supervised to be as effective as possible. I can help you find a detox program to specifically suit your needs.

Look for an assessment of your detox needs in next week’s blog!

Since 1976, the EPA has issued regulations on 5 chemicals that were determined to present unreasonable risk. These 5 chemicals are out of 80,000 known chemicals! Our regulations are far behind other countries’.

BGH (Bovine Growth Hormone) is used to increase milk production in dairy cows. Only 3 countries allow the use of BGH: the United States, South Africa, and Mexico. Dairy cows that have been given BGH produce a high insulin-like growth factor in the milk (IGF-1). Human IGF-1 is identical to cow’s IGF-1. Premenopausal women with a high IGF-1 have a 2-3 times higher risk of developing breast cancer than postmenopausal women.

In 2001, the EU classified 2 phthalates (DEHP and DBP) as Category 2 substances, defined as chemicals to impair fertility in humans and thought to cause developmental toxicity to humans. (For more information on Phthalates, see the Nov. 15, 2010 blog.) The EU Cosmetics Directive (76/768/EEC) was revised to ban 1,100 chemicals from cosmetics. The FDA in the US has restricted only 11 chemicals, and phthalates is not one of them.

The good news: Some companies (such as OPI, Body Shop, and Burt’s Bees) have made the initiative to remove these chemicals from their products. And some states, like California and Washington, are now requiring a disclosure statement on labels.

It is up to us to choose products that are chemical-free. We can also choose to drink milk that is hormone-free. Read labels and choose wisely! As consumers, we have the power to influence what chemicals are included in our food and cosmetics.

It is our responsibility to provide a healthy environment for our children, and this begins before birth. A pregnant woman is the first environment of her child.

The Environmental Working Group study of 2005 tested the umbilical cord blood of 10 newborns. The study found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in the blood. Of the 287 chemicals tested, 180 are known to cause cancer in humans or animals, and 217 are toxic to the human brain and nervous system.

Several of the chemicals found in the cord blood are toxins we are familiar with, including:

• BPA
• Perchlorate
• PCB’s
• Lead
• Mercury

(For more information on these chemicals, see my blog posts from this past November and February.)

Pregnant mothers and their babies need DHA, found in fish oil. DHA is important for proper brain development of the babies. Many women follow the government guidelines and eat 3 oz of fish four times a week. Unfortunately, women often choose canned fish. Almost all cans are lined with BPA, which seeps into the food. We are just beginning to see cans that state they are BPA free.

Pregnant women must choose their source of DHA from a high quality fish oil supplement. They should not choose fish from a can or fish from the ocean (they often have high concentrations of mercury or other toxins). Knowing the supplement brand and the source of the fish oil (the kind of fish it comes from) is highly recommended. I can help you find the best fish oil for you!

News Update! A follow-up to the February 21st blog post, “Spring Cleaning: Wash Your Hands of BPA”...
New Pioneer Coop now uses BPA-free receipt paper in their cash registers. Let’s suggest that other retailers do the same!