Detoxify: Where Do All the Toxins Come From (Part 3)

FOOD

Do you know what’s in the food you’re eating, or do you just think you know? Do you know what vitamins made for women and children contain lead?

Chances are you’re surprised to learn that many vitamins contain lead. Heavy metal toxicity is serious and can lead to cognitive problems, bowel problems, colic, loss of coordination, a weakened immune system and many other problems. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration did a product survey in 2008 as a result of reports of elevated lead levels in some vitamins and ended up with a long list of common over-the-counter vitamins for women and children that contain traces of lead.

Though the products were said to be below what the FDA considers to be the tolerable intake level, the fact that parents are giving children vitamins in the belief they don’t have any unsafe ingredients is worrisome. Unfortunately, lead and other heavy metals are found in food supplements and processed or manufactured foods quite frequently.

Metals are not the only toxic elements found in food. The cumulative total of chemicals, food additives, pesticides, agrochemicals, and veterinary drugs fill products with an excess of toxins. These toxins are found in both fresh and manufactured foods like prepared and canned foods.

Toxins are a concern of people around the world. A study was conducted on the causative agents of foodborne diseases in Eastern and Central Europe, and chemical contamination was a major contributor.

Agricultural practices are a primary culprit of food toxins. The use of pesticides, insecticides, defoliants, herbicides, and fertilizers has poisoned food supplies. Also, shippers use preservative sprays and food additives so that food can be harvested before it’s ready and then packed, shipped and warehoused until finally reaching the food processing plant.

Once the food reaches the processing plant, more chemicals are used for cooking, mixing and packaging foods. If you haven’t read a can label recently, then it’s time to do so. In 2007 an independent laboratory tested the linings in food cans and found bisphenol A in more than 50 percent of the sample. The foods were canned vegetables, fruit, sodas and some others. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a resin and plastic industrial compound used as an ingredient in can linings. In this particular study, the highest concentrations were found in infant formula, chicken soup, and ravioli. This chemical is associated with congenital disabilities, breast cancer, prostate cancer and infertility.

Despite many studies finding BPA dangerous to human health, it’s still widely used in the food industry because it mostly meets government guidelines. (There’s no study on cumulative effects.) . The chemical can be released just by putting hot food into a microwavable plastic container.

Even if BPA use were completely halted, manufacturers would still have to develop a replacement that’s maybe just as toxic. This is precisely why your detoxification program will focus on fresh fruits and vegetables and organic foods. Chemicals are used in most foods unless grown naturally.

WATER

Many of the chemicals that contaminate food crops and animals can also poison the water. Sometimes the toxic materials are dumped directly into the waterways. (The U.S., Canada, and Western Europe are the just about the only areas that have some somewhat effective protective laws.) Agricultural, industrial and auto emissions chemicals plus heavy metals can also get into the air through the evaporative process and directly from pipes, smokestacks and exhaust systems. When it rains, the rain seeps into the ground carrying the pesticides and metals.

Water will run off into groundwater, lakes, creeks, rivers, and streams carrying pesticides, fertilizers and many other contaminants. Water treatment plants purify water and remove high concentrations of known toxins and pollutants. These same plants must use chemicals to clean the water.

Chemicals found in tap water include lead, cadmium, chromium, nitrates, arsenic, dioxin, formaldehyde and many others. The treatment plants use high amounts of chlorine, a very effective disinfectant, to kill bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms such as cholera in the water, but chlorine presents its health hazards. It can cause respiratory illness and eye irritations, for example. When you take a hot shower, chlorine evaporates, meaning you’re breathing in large doses of it each day. Another consideration is the fact that mixing chemicals, metals, and minerals can create unpredictable physical and mental effects.

One recommendation of the detoxification program is to drink distilled water or water purified by other means.

AIR AND ENVIRONMENT

Many of the same food and water pollutants also pollute the air. The chemicals added to soil get into the water. The water evaporates into the air, carrying the toxins with it, and you breathe the polluted air. Air pollution is the sum of particles, chemicals and biological matter created by:

• Vehicle emissions that include carbon dioxide
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFRCs) used in aerosols and refrigerants
• Methane gas produced by livestock and swamps
• Sulfur dioxide produced by industry
• Other industrial emissions
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) released by household products and furnishings

The air inside your home is polluted by cooking vapors, paint, inefficient heating and cooling systems, building materials, plastics, and fireplaces to name just a few. You spend as much as 90 percent of your time indoors, so the environment of your home has a direct influence on your toxin exposure.

CLEANING MATERIALS

Air fresheners, bleaches, disinfectants, carwash products, household cleaning materials, bathroom cleaners, floor cleaners, carpet cleaners, wood preservatives, polishes, oven cleaners, and so many other types of cleaning materials contain toxins and pollutants. We wipe, spray, pour, squirt, foam, and dust all the time without having any idea what we’re using.

It’s estimated that safety investigations are only complete on less than 25 percent of all chemicals. Also, those known as hazardous are still used in many products and the bottle or can simply get a safety warning label attached, which you should pay attention to.

The dangerous toxins in conventional cleaners are primarily made from petro chemically derived chemicals. These chemicals produce emissions that are then breathed in or enter the body through skin contact. Hydrocarbons found in aerosol deodorizers contribute to smog. Some products contain endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) that increase the risk of cancer. These chemicals are found in cleaners, plastics, disinfectants, hygiene products and more.

Conventional household products or cleaners include:

• Surfactants, which work on the surface and dissolve oils and water; may contain nonylphenol ethoxylates, hormone disruptors.

Solvents, which dissolve oil, grease, and fats and are easily converted into vapors that irritate eyes and respiratory system.

VOCs, carbon added to cleaning products that can produce what is called “off-gassing,” which means gases are released and can lead to organ damage and neurological problems

COSMETICS AND HYGIENE PRODUCTS

Cosmetics, perfumes and hygiene products contain many different hazardous substances. These products include nail polish and nail polish removers, hair sprays, lotions, fragrances, toothpaste, hair dyes, shampoo, mouthwash, and deodorants, in addition to makeup and facial care products.

Most hygiene, toiletry and beauty products contain synthetic chemicals that you’re applying on your skin or using in your hair on a daily basis. Even in cases in which the government has issued a chemical warning, the actual ingredient listings may not indicate the chemical is present.

It can be confusing, but here is an example. The FDA said that the groups of chemicals called phthalates are possibly dangerous, especially to children. Studies are currently underway. If present, the cosmetic or hygiene product ingredient listing must include phthalates. However, there’s a catch. The FDA doesn’t require that specific fragrance ingredient be listed, and some fragrances may contain phthalates.

This is just one example of how difficult the task can be when identifying potential toxins in products. Also, many of these same products release volatile organic compounds into the air, so you’re also breathing in toxins as you apply the toxins to your body.