The Impact of Harmful / Toxic Chemicals in Food
Index of Diseases / Health Conditions ... Medicinal Foods, Herbs, Spices & Household Items
The Health Benefits of Organic Foods
The Most Contaminated Foods ... The Least Contaminated Foods
Toxic build-up / exposure have been linked to serious diseases and developmental disorders
The "Lifespan" Study (Reversal of Fortune): Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Washington used the National Center for Health Statistics' mortality data and data from the U.S. Census Bureau for the time period of 1959 through 2000. The study was published in the Public Library of Science: Medicine Journal. The main points were ...
- Location: Especially those living in the Deep South, Appalachia, Texas, the southern part of the Mid West and the Mississippi River Valley have seen a decrease in longevity.
- The Gender Difference: The research found that the lifespan of men has decreased 4% since the 1980s and by an INCREDIBLE 19% in women!
- Health Care Inequities. Krieger and colleagues reported that the difference in health between rich and poor and between different racial/ethnic groups shrank in the US from 1966 to 1980 then widened from 1980 to 2002.
For the first time in centuries, children are now expected to have shorter lifespans than their parents, and scientists are pointing their fingers at food additives and environmental contaminants ...
Chronic illnesses attributed to food and environmental toxins:
Children:
- Childhood asthma has increased over 200%
- Childhood obesity is up 400%
- Disorders such as ADHD and autism have skyrocketed
- 30% of children have two or more cardiac risk factors
Additionally, a study of 1 million students in New York showed that students who ate lunches that did not include artificial flavors, preservatives, and dyes did 14 percent better on IQ tests than students who ate lunches with these additives.
Adults:
- Life expectancy decline was caused by increased mortality from lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Certain forms of cancer are directly attributed to food and environmental contaminants
- Neurodegenerative diseases: for example Alzheimer's Disease has more than doubled since 1980. Science News predicts that Alzheimer's Disease will quadruple by 2050.
- Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, are also increasing ...
Looking for Answers ...
Scientists are looking at the causes of the deteriorating health of the population and it is now apparent that not only is the type of food we are eating important, but also what manufacturers are adding to our food products. Food additives have the purpose of adding taste and color to over-processed food that has little natural flavor and color left. Some of these additives are no better than poison. Manufacturers are presenting one-sided and questionable research results to support their use of chemicals - without telling us the whole truth ...
- Humans are five times more sensitive to the toxic effects of certain food additives than rats and 20 times more sensitive than monkeys.
- Some toxins may be reasonably safe at tested levels; however, tend to build up in our systems to toxic levels.
- The Pesticide Action Network North America and Commonweal reported that Americans can experience up to 70 daily exposures to residues of a class of toxic chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including such chemicals as DDT and dioxin, through their diets. The report, "Nowhere to Hide: Persistent Toxic Chemicals in the U.S. Food Supply," analyzes chemical residue data collected by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and finds persistent chemical contaminants in ALL food groups.
- The Problem with Plastic:
A common argument to calm people's concern about food additives is that the quantities of chemicals added to any one of the products is too low to cause harm. Below is a listing of additives that are frequently added to our foods and in going over this list, just about a food item that is commercially produced contains potentially harmful chemicals (and chemicals already outlawed in some countries)!
- One of the problems as well is that poorly calibrated production equipment may mix in more of those chemicals than even the FDA would consider safe.
- Unsafe levels can also be reached if toxins accumulate in our bodies (toxic over-load, some chemicals bioaccumulate - which means that they increase in concentration over time, potentially to generally accepted toxic levels.
The detoxifying function of our body ... As our body generates new cells to keep itself in good health, it also attempts to cleanse itself by the elimination of toxins through the skin, lungs, kidneys, liver, and colon. If one organ becomes congested, the others must work harder to keep the system balanced. The body doesn't just have to deal with the toxins we consume, but those from external sources, such as include environmental pollutants, polluted air and water.
By adding to the "toxic overload" we are taking away resources needed to maintain our body in good condition, generating / repairing cells, maintaining vital bodily functions, breaking down fats, etc. etc. If the body has to constantly deal with the onslaught of chemicals we ingest, there will be times when the body can no longer fulfill all its other major functions, leading to premature aging and disease.
The below provides a general overview on this top
ic and may not apply to everyone. Any treatment protocol should be discussed with a qualified healthcare practitioner ... Please refer to: Medical & Legal Disclaimer.
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