Surprising Everyday Health Obsticles
The absolute best way to start a journey to good health is with detox.
When I tell my patients this, a lot of them say to me, “I eat healthy! I don’t eat donuts or fried foods. Why would I have to detox?” What they don’t realize is that toxins are everywhere. In this modern world, we are more exposed to toxic chemicals than we have ever been in the history of the human race. There are more and more chemicals created and introduced into our environment every year. U.S. Industries reported in 1998 that 6.5 trillion tons of 9000 different chemicals were manufactured– and trillions of tons of are dumped yearly. Can you imagine how many more chemicals have been introduced since then? We are up to our ears in toxins!
Here are two newer toxins that were not present on the earth 30 years ago:
Electro Magnetic Frequency (EMF) radiation from Cell Phone use is fairly new. I remember being in medical school in the year 2000, looking down into the courtyard from my dorm room window, seeing a doctor on a cell phone, and thinking, “What happened to his beeper?” There is some evidence that cell phone usage is safe and does not promote cancer or tumors.(1) But Radio Frequency Radiation toxicity, such as from the sound and the radiation from cell phones, has recently been declared by the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer as possible contributor to glioma, which is a cancerous brain tumor. (2) It appears that the longer the exposure, the worse the damage, as even five minutes with the cell phone close to your ear could alter blood-brain permeability.(3) The jury is still out, however, on the safety of texting and use of hands-free equipment.
Hand Sanitizer is another newly introduced chemical contaminant. I have four daughters and when my second daughter entered school two years ago, hand sanitizer was on the list of school supplies to bring to the teachers. This was a new concept for me, as it had never been on the list prior to that year. It seemed to be flying off the shelves in the dollar and office supply stores. Antibacterial hand sanitizer and soap will kill not only the bad bacteria on your skin, but the good bacteria as well. Killing your good bacteria essentially leaves you void of immunity. Furthermore, using hand sanitizer encourages bacterial resistance, rendering us defenseless to evolved bad bacteria. (4) These antibacterial soaps also contain Triclosan, which appears to be toxic to living cells and toxic to our genes, causing cell mutations which may affect our children and grandchildren. (5) Triclosan is also a hormone disruptor, affecting reproductive hormone activity, and can affect the ability to metabolize thyroid hormone. (6) In 2014, the state of Minnesota passed legislation that banned retail stores from carrying products with Triclosan. Triclosan has been found in our rivers and lakes, human breast milk, and urine.
So, here are two new health hazards that our parents didn’t have to deal with when they were our age. Avoiding these chemical exposures by texting and by using hands-free devices, as well as by reading ingredients on personal hygiene products and banning them from your house, are two ways you can reduce your toxic exposure.
To learn what you need to know about toxicities in our environment and how you can limit your exposure and reduce your toxic load, take Dr. Selassie’s class: Detox to Heal Your Skin at the Open Center, starting April 13. For a good reference, read Clean, Green, and Lean, by Dr. Walter Crinnion, leading naturopathic doctor on Environmental Toxicity.
Dr.Selassie regularly leads detox groups, which are open to individuals or may be tailored to the needs of your or family, friends, coworkers or fellowship groups. To stay abreast of upcoming programs, events, and classes, enter your email address at her website at www.doctorselassie.com
Townsend Letter Anti-Aging MMedicine: There can be no Anti-Aging Without Detoxification, Ronald Klatz, MD, DO and Robert Goldman, MD, PhD, DO, FAASP
Tan L., Nielsen N.H., Young D.C. Use of antimicrobial agents in consumer products. Arch. Dermatol. 2002; 138:1082-1086
Bedoux G at al. Occurrence and toxicity of antimicrobial triclosan and by-products in the environment. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2012 May: 19 (4): 1044-65
Wang, CF & Tian, Y. Reproductive endocrine-disrupting effects of triclosan: Population exposure, present evidence and potential mechanisms. Environ Pollut. 2015 Nov: 206: 15-201
