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Our Toxic World
A Wake Up Call for Everyone
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Few people realize the truly toxic
world in which we live and the chemicals we are exposed to on a daily
basis.
In fact, according to the Environmental Working Group
(www.ewg.org) an estimated 80,000 chemicals are used in the United States, and
the federal government registers an average of 2,000 newly synthesized
chemicals each year, many known to cause cancer, birth defects, and
neurological disease to name a few. |
Let’s
start with a straightforward fact:
Mercury is unimaginably toxic and dangerous.
A single drop on a human hand can be irreversibly fatal.
A single drop in a large lake can make all the fish in it unsafe to
eat.
DISCOVER Vol. 26 No. 03 |
March 2005
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It is hard to imagine that our living environment, which appears clean
and harmless, is actually contaminated with numerous poisons that could
be accumulating to life threatening levels over time. Unfortunately,
many can’t be seen, smelled, felt, identified or detected by the human
senses. It is not until after years and years of subtle chronic exposure
when symptoms can emerge and become identified as diseases by many names
like cardiovascular disease, dementia, or cancer.
Early warning signs of hidden chemical toxicity may be linked to common
symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, headaches, allergies, chemical
sensitivities, immune deficiency, weight imbalances, sadness or
nervousness, worsening forgetfulness, decreased body temperature, and
overall feelings of "yuck" or malaise.
The prestigious British Medical Journal estimates
75% of cancers
are caused by environmental and lifestyle factors including exposure to
chemicals.
These poisons or "environmental toxins" most commonly are from "modern
living" and linger as contaminants in air, drinking water, food, and
soil. They come from industrial wastes, petroleum, coal and garbage
combustion, pesticides, herbicides, mining leading to erosion and the
release of heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury into the soil
and water.
They can also come from apparent harmless environments such as our homes
and the gas fumes let off by wood, paint, and glues, hygiene products
like hair and body cleansers, toothpaste, deodorants, and cosmetics.
Don’t forget the toxic chemicals in prescription drugs, detergents,
household cleaners, upholstery, artificial fabrics, computers and TVs.
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Canadians a Toxic Lot, Study Finds
'We all carry inside of us
hundreds of different pollutants and these things
are accumulating inside our bodies every day' |
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Researchers found that, on average,
participants had a cocktail of 44 chemicals in their bodies known to
disrupt reproduction and hormonal function and interfere with fetal
development. These include heavy metals; PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls
used in electrical transformers and now banned); PBDEs (polybrominated
diphenyl ethers used as fire retardants); PFOs (perfluorinated chemicals
used in stain repellents, non-stick cookware and food packaging),
pesticides and insecticides.
"The bottom line being that we are all polluted," said
Dr. Rick Smith. "The message to Canadians is, ‘It doesn't matter where
you live, how old you are, it doesn't matter how clean living you are or
if you eat organic food, or if you get a lot of exercise. We all carry
inside of us hundreds of different pollutants and these things are
accumulating inside our bodies every day."
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Toronto Globe and Mail, November 9, 2005, ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE CANADA
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Americans fare WORSE!
Some estimate that the typical American has
between 400-800 different chemicals, many carcinogenic, accumulated
within the blood, organs, and fat tissue. Read the disturbing reality of
the environment exposed to our developing children.
Pollution in Newborns, Environmental Working Group, July
14, 2005
Laboratory tests revealed a total of 287 industrial chemicals and
pollutants in umbilical cord blood from 10 babies born in U.S.
hospitals. The blood harbored pesticides, consumer product ingredients,
wastes from burning coal, gasoline, and garbage. Among them were eight
perfluorochemicals used as stain and oil, repellants in fast food
packaging, clothes and textiles including the Teflon chemical PFOA,
dozens of widely used brominated flame retardants, and numerous
pesticides. Of the 287 chemicals we detected in umbilical cord blood, we
know that 180 cause cancer in humans or animals, 217 are toxic to the
brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal
development in animal tests.
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The majority of these chemical poisons become deposited in the fatty tissue because of their "lipo-philic" or "fat-loving" nature. Tissues that are dense with fat will also accumulate high amounts of chemicals such as the nerves, glands (especially thyroid and sex glands), heart and arteries lined with cholesterol, and of course the brain. They can be also detected in the blood and organs or passed through the body in breast milk, urine, feces, sweat, semen, hair and nails.
To Learn more, follow the links below.
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How Exposed Are
You? *
Sources of Contaminants
* Simple Steps to
Reduce Exposure
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