Detox your Life: BPA Officially Considered “Toxic” in Canada

Some healthy, fantastic news from Environmental Defence that is positive for all Canadians. Effective October 12th 2010, BPA has been designated as a toxic substance in Canada! This is the first step (of many) to banning it in Canada. 


Dr. Rick Smith, Executive Director of Environmental Defence, says that in working with the federal government " The next important step (is) banning BPA from all metal food and beverage cans since these can leach it into our food.”


BPA, or Bisphenol-A is an endocrine disruptor and has no business being in anything we consume, be that what we eat (food packaging), drink (pop-cans, food can lining, plastic bottles, plastic coffee drink lids) or use on our skin or hair. The Environmental Defense Canada has done an amazing job in educating the public and officials in the hazards of this chemical! Let's continue to support their work and tell our MP's and MPP's that as Canadians we must have zero tolerance when it comes to allowing toxic chemicals into our food and water supply!


What can you do today:

• Contact your MP and MPP and tell them that you support the banning of BPA from all metal food and beverage cans.

Detox Your Summer: EWG's 2010 Sunscreen Guide

Best Beach & Sport Sunscreens | EWG's 2010 Sunscreen Guide

Detox your summer and your skin. If it's not good in you, then it's not good on you! When you can’t avoid exposing your skin to the sun, use EWG’s top-rated sunscreens to provide broad-spectrum protection with fewer hazardous chemicals that penetrate the skin.

Check if your sunscreen is safe and find out which brands are top rated

What is a BIA? (And Why Do you Need One?)

Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA) is a method of assessing your “body composition”— the measurement of body fat in relation to lean body mass. It is an integral part of a health and nutrition assessment.

Why Is Body Composition Important to My Health?

Body composition is directly related to health. A normal balance of body fat is associated with good health and longevity. Excess fat in relation to lean body mass, known as altered body composition, can greatly increase your risks to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and more. BIA fosters early detection of an improper balance in your body composition, which allows for earlier intervention and prevention.

BIA provides a measurement of fluid and body mass that can be a critical assessment tool for your current state of health. BIA also measures your progress as you improve your health. Improving your BIA measurement, or maintaining a healthy BIA measurement, can help keep your body functioning properly for healthy aging. Your BIA results can help guide us in creating a personalized dietary plan, including nutritional supplements when appropriate, and exercise to help you maintain optimal health and well-being for a lifetime.

How Does a BIA Work?

BIA is much more sophisticated than your bathroom scale, but just as simple — and almost as quick. BIA is performed in our office with the help of a sophisticated, computerized analysis. This analyzer “calculates” and estimates your tissue and fluid compartments—using an imperceptible electrical current passed through pads placed on your hand and foot as you lie comfortably clothed on an exam table. In just minutes, we’ll have detailed measurements to help create an effective, personalized program for you.

Detox your Body: Bisphenol, Phthalates and Reproductive Health

This afternoon I watched the CBC Documentary "The Disappearing Male".

I was deeply disturbed and troubled as it reinforced the amount of chemicals we are bombarded with on a daily basis. Among these thousands of chemicals (85% of which are untested on humans) are bisphenol-A and Phthalates. Although many products containing bisphenol-A have been pulled from from the shelves (baby bottles, water bottles) there are many more products that we use every days that contains this endocrine disrupting chemical including the lining in canned food and canned soft drinks. Health Canada Reports that Phthalates “are hazardous to reproduction and development". Phthalates are in soft plastics and cosmetics in everything from bugs sprays, children's glow sticks, dentures, clothing, automobiles (part of the odour of new cars) and polyvinyl chloride products, the plastic often used in building materials such as pipes.

Health Canada is proposing regulations to prevent the use of six phthalates (DEHP, DINP, DBP, BBP, DNOP and DIDP) in soft vinyl children's toys and child-care articles. Which will bring Canada's regulation closer to that of the European Union. This past week however, the Globe and Mail reported that:

Health Canada's proposed regulation doesn't go far enough because exposures to chemicals that disrupt hormones are most dangerous during fetal development. Pregnant women were not covered by Health Canada's proposed measurers. The federal agency was not immediately able to respond to questions on why it didn't include restrictions on products used by adults.

What can you do?

The Environmental Defense has a campaign to ban bisphenol A in drink cans please go to their site to send an email to your MP and to learn more!

From the Documentary:

Factsheet: Male Infertility

• There are more than 20 heavily industrialized nations where the birth of baby boys has declined every year for the past 30 years - amounting to 3 million fewer baby boys.
• The number of boys born with penis abnormalities and genital defects has increased by 200% in the past two decades.
• Boys have a higher incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, Tourett's syndrome, cerebral palsy and dyslexia.
• Boys are four times as likely to be autistic.
• The average sperm count of a North American college student today is less than half of what it was 50 years ago.
• The quality of sperm is declining. Eighty-five per cent of the sperm produced by a healthy male is DNA-damaged.
• Damaged sperm have been linked to a 300% increase in testicular cancer - a form of cancer that affects young men in their 20s and 30s.
• The chemical industry has developed more than 90,000 man-made chemicals in the last sixty years. Eighty-five percent of them have never undergone testing for their impact on the human body.

Detox your Body: Babies are born pre-polluted. Let’s change that.

The Earth is more toxic now than any other time in human history. We are a part of the Earth and anything that happens to the air, water, plants and animals also happens to us. I believe that achieving optimal health begins with clean air, clean water and clean food. What happens to one body of water happens to all, we are inseparable from our environment.

I became intimately aware of this connection as I embarked on my own environmental testing in the Fall of 2009. I expected to find some heavy metals, as I have been exposed to mercury through amalgam dental fillings, and through the consumption of mercury containing fish. However, I was not prepared for what everything I was about to discover:

My testing for Heavy Metals revealed (Doctors Data urine toxic metals) high levels of six metals: Thallium, Arsenic, Nickel, Cadmium,  Lead and Mercury. These are all highly toxic metals that are detrimental to health. There are no safe levels of mercury in the body - it is always neurotoxic.

My testing for Cholrinated Pesticides in my blood (Metametrix Accuchem pannel) found levels of:

• DDE (breakdown product of the pesticide DDT, banned from use in Canada in early 1970's)
• Trans-Nonachlor (used widely as an agricultural pesticide from 1953 to 1974, and as a termiticide until 1988)

My testing for Volatile solvents in my blood (Metametrix Accuchem pannel) revealed a number of highly neurotoxic compounds:

• Ethylbenzene (found in gasoline paints and inks)
• m,p-Xylene found in gasoline)
• Hexane, 2-Methylpentane and 3-Methylpentane (solvent used in glues, adhesives and paints, also found in gasoline exhaust)

For me uncovering these toxins has started a year long environmental detox, I'll write more about that in an upcoming post. I was expecting to find some toxins and am going to do the work to decrease my exposure, and decrease my body burden. But what about in my nieces and nephews, what about your children? The younger you are shouldn't your body burden of these toxic chemical be zero to none? NO! Alarming work done by the EWG in testing 10 Americans has shown otherwise. These chemical are bio-accumulative, this means that they accumulate up the food chain. As Adult humans we are near the top of the food chain, and babies are on the very top, and get the most concentrated toxin exposure.

With increased awareness, comes increased power for change. We can make a positive impact on the environment and our health. Please follow this link and watch the video below "10 Americans" from From EWG:

Babies are born pre-polluted. Let’s change that. The human race is now polluted with hundreds of industrial chemicals – with little or no understanding of the consequences. Babies are born pre-polluted with as many as 300 industrial chemicals in their bodies when they enter the world.

"Ten Americans": We all know pollution and toxins are bad for you. But the Environmental Working Group has conducted perhaps the deepest analysis of this issue on the most vulnerable demographic on the planet.

Updated: Kid-Safe Chemicals Act: 10 Americans @ Yahoo! Video

Detox Your Body: Castor Oil Pack

A castor oil pack increases blood flow and lymphatic drainage to the area being treated. Castor oil packs also promote healing to tissues and organs underneath the skin and are of great benefit to scar tissue. Castor oil can improve digestion, immune function, and reduce swelling of injured joints and extremities. It is also used in cases of menstrual irregularities, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts and any area where there is reduced circulation.

REQUIRED ITEMS

• Castor Oil, Palma Christi Organic Castor oil is available at the Whitby Naturopathic Clinic. (I prefer this castor oil as it is organic and comes in a dark glass bottle).
• Piece of cotton or wool flannel to cover area being treated
• Hot water bottle or heating pad
• Plastic sheet (saran wrap, or plastic bag cut to size) or water resistant nylon.

METHOD

• Drizzle the warmed castor oil (place bottle in a bowl of warm in water) on the dry flannel so that it is wet but not dripping.
• Place flannel over area to be treated (usually the entire abdomen with focus on the liver, which is under the rib cage on the right side).
• Place sheet of plastic over flannel (castor oil can stain linens and clothing).
• Place hot water bottle or heating pad on top of the plastic or nylon sheet.
• Leave castor oil–soaked flannel in place for 30-60 minutes.
• While treatment is being applied, rest comfortably (read, deep breathe, meditate).  Ensure that you drink plenty of water with freshly squeezed lemon before, during and after the treatment.
• The same flannel can be re-used several times (up to 10 applications before washing is necessary). Store it in a plastic ziploc-type bag in the refrigerator. You may need to drizzle more castor oil on the flannel before each use.
  

ALTERNATE METHOD: Castor Oil Rub

• Rub Castor oil onto the Abdomen, wear a old t-shirt (as it will stain), and snuggle up with a hot water bottle or heating pad. 

Detox your Body: Top 10 Healthy Living Tips to Prevent Stroke

1. Become smoke-free. After one year of being smoke-free, your chance of dying from smoking-related heart disease is cut in half! After 15 years your risk will be nearly that of someone who has never smoked.

2. Be physically active. People who don't get enough physical activity are at a much higher risk for stroke. Try to be active for at least 30 minutes every day.

3. Moderate your alcohol intake. Limit yourself to 1 or 2 standard drinks per day, to a weekly maximum of 9 for woman, and 14 for men.

4. Take the time to relax. Stress can raise blood pressure, placing more demand on your heart.

5. Maintain a healthy weight. Even a modest loss of 5 to 10 pounds can make a huge difference, reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

6. Don't let winter freeze out your workouts. Make an effort to be physically active in the winter because this is when activity levels tend to decline.

7. Look for the Heart&Stroke Health Check symbol on food packages. Health Check is the Foundation's food program based on Canada's Food Guide to Healthly Eating to help you make wise food choices.

8. Know the warning signs of stroke. Recognizing and responding immediately to the warning signs of stroke significantly impacts survival and recovery.

Weakness: Sudden Loss of strength or sudden numbness in the face, arm or leg, even if temporary

Trouble Speaking: Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding or sudden confusion, even if temporary

Vision Problems: Sudden trouble with vision, even if temporary

Headache: Sudden severe and unusual headache

Dizziness: Sudden loss of balance, especially with any of the above signs

9. High blood cholesterol can narrow arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Modifications to your diet and/or medication can help reduce elevated blood cholesterol levels. Talk to you health professional to determine how you can reduce your cholesterol.

10. Visit www.heartandstroke.ca for delicious recipes, tips to get active, free newsletter, heart disease and stroke patient information and breaking news on Foundation-funded research.

Detox your Body: There are no safe levels of Mercury

Smoking Teeth = poison Gas. Please watch this video of mercury vapor escaping from a 25 year old filling.




There are NO safe levels of Mercury. Mercury is a toxic compound at any dose. From the IAOMT website:

Many people do not realize the "silver" amalgam fillings are 50% mercury. A large filling may contain as much mercury as a thermometer. Mercury vaporizes easily at room temperature, and in this state, is odorless, colorless and tasteless. Inhaled mercury vapor is readily absorbed into the bloodstream. The World Health Organization has concluded that dental fillings contribute more mercury to a person's body than all other sources of mercury combined. Mercury is a powerful poison. Published research demonstrates that mercury is more toxic than lead, cadmium or arsenic. No amount of exposure to mercury vapor can be considered harmless. Especially considering its cumulative effect.

Mercury is the most toxic, non-radioactive element on the earth. Most medical and scientific researchers have called for a ban on the use of mercury in all products. However, the potential harmful effects of mercury fillings have been ignored by the U.S. Government. Due to its poisonous nature, mercury can adversely affect the immune, urinary, cardiac, respiratory and digestive systems. Under laboratory conditions, mercury has produced brain cell deterioration identical to that seen in victims of Alzheimer's disease.

If you have Silver Amalgam fillings containing Mercury and are considering getting them removed please refer to a dentist who is using IAOMT guidlines. The IAOMT's website also has a lot of great resources to to to help you understand what your choices are.

In addition to seeing a dentist who uses the IAOMT guidelines you also need to work with a naturopathic doctor to do additional work to make sure any Mercury vapour that you are exposed to does not get stored in your tissues. Options include taking oral DMSA (a heavy metal chelation agent) that will help "mop up" any excess mercury that you may be exposed to.

Detox your Body: How Do I Reduce My Risks of Breast Cancer?

From the Pink and Green Ribbon Campaign
The known risk factors for breast cancer development (including family history, genetics, and prolonged exposure to estrogen.) account for only 30% of women diagnosed with breast cancer. The factors affecting the rest appear to be related to lifestyle choices that we individually have the power to change. Reducing the negative effects of chronic stress and optimizing immune function are powerful tools in minimizing the chances of developing cancer. Effective strategies include:

• If You're Sedentary, Learn to Exercise! - 4r hrs / wk can result in a 37% reduction in risk for breast cancer. Start with 20 minutes of motion a day!
  
• If You Smoke - You Must Quit!
• Increase Your Veggies - 5-8 servings / day. Include green, red, yellow and orange ones to increase your consumption of anti-oxidant compounds.
• Eat More Broccoli - And other brasica veggies including: cabbage, brussel sprouts, kale, and collard greens. These are high in a plant compound that makes estrogen less dangerous to breast tissue.
• Choose Organics - certain herbicides and pesticides on produce as well as hormones found in conventional meats have been implicated in breast cancer.
• Eliminate hydrogenated fats - Choose organic butter instead of margarine, and use olive oil and flax oil instead of refined oils.
• Decrease Sugar - Sugar depresses the immune system.
• Take Multivitamins - A high quality multivitamin for healthy immune, adrenal and thyroid function.
• Improve lymphatic circulation - dry skin brushing and rebounder exercises help your body to eliminate toxins.
• Take off your Bra - wearing a bra for more than 12 hours a day increases breast cancer risk by a factor of 6. Cotton stretchy bras without underwire allow more movement of the breasts, allowing better removal of toxins from the breasts by the lymphatic system.
• Know your Breasts - get to know your breasts with gentle massage when you apply body lotion after a daily bath or shower. Even better is applying castor oil externally on the breasts to increase lymphatic circulation, break down adhesions and increase immune cell activity in the tissues.) Being familiar with the feel of your breast tissue will help you be more comfortable and effective when you perform breast self-exams.
• Limit radiation exposure - Repeated X-ray exposures may increase the risk of breast cancer. Using Infrared Thermography as a screening tool is particularly useful for women in their 20's to 40's since mammography is not seen as being accurate in detecting breast cancer in this age group.
• Practice Self-Nurturance - The breasts symbolize nurturance. Women can be so busy taking care of others that they forget to listen to their own needs. So, breathe deeply and take time to go for a walk.
  

Written By Dr. Patricia J. Wales, ND *with a few minor changes

Detox your Body: Add Lemon to your water

A good rule of thumb is to drink 8 glasses of water a day.

Many feel that drinking 8 glasses of water is difficult to do, because it is not palatable for them. So, to make water taste better - I add a slice of lemon to my glass of water.

Here are the benefits of lemons:

• The sourness of lemon juice stimulates the production of stomach acid (HCL) which helps digest your food (tip: drink a glass of lemon water 15 - 30 minutes prior to your meals)
• Good source of potassium, an  in alkaline mineral, and therefore increases your pH levels in your organ tissues (making your body more alkaline).
• Good source of vitamin C, an antioxidant which helps boost your immune system and helps prevent tumor growth
• Plus, it tastes great!

Fact: the liver does most of its actions at night; the liver is known to be our detoxification organ. Therefore, it may be beneficial to also drink a glass of lemon water at night prior to bed, to stimulate the liver.