New Website Reports High Levels of Chemicals in Our Bodies
Most of us know that our air, water and food conta in pollutants of various types and that they are subject to a great deal of quality monitoring and regulation.
Studies have also revealed that numerous environmental toxins accumulate in plants and animals, and are found in the highest concentrations in large predator animals that are at the top of the food chain.
But where do humans fit in all this? Do chemicals actually build up in our bodies as well?
The answer to these questions is unquestionably yes, and there have been a number of studies confirming this over the years. A new website sponsored an Environmental Working Group of Washington, DC offers a reprint of a recent study performed by Mount Sinai School of Medicine on this very topic.
The researchers looked for a broad range of chemicals in the blood and urine of volunteers. They found a total of 167 chemicals with an average of 91 industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals per individual tested.
Researchers then categorized these chemicals according to their known effects on humans and animals. A shocking statistic is that the largest number of chemicals that were found, 94 out of 167, are toxic to the brain and nervous system, while 79 cause birth defects and abnormal development and 76 are known to cause cancer. The study can be found in its entirety at www.ewg.org and clicking on “Body Burden: the pollution in people”.
Beyond mercury in vaccines and other environmental toxins, it is possible that we are ourselves poisoning our children before they are born because of the chemicals we carry in our bodies.
As surprising as the results of this study may be to some, the extent of pollutants in the human body may in fact be underestimated because many chemicals dissolve in fat and are stored in fatty tissues, but are not found in blood or urine. Among fatty tissues, the brain, with its 60% fat content, has the highest concentration of fat of any organ in the body.
I know information like this can be discouraging, especially if you have chronic health problems or if you are the parent of an autistic child and wondering if you should have more children. My advice is not to give up and work to overcome these problems because it is possible. A good place to start is to gain as much knowledge as possible, and the new book by Sherry Rogers, MD appropriately entitled “Detoxify or Die” (available from www.prestigepublishing.com) is worthwhile reading.
