by Dr. James H. Martin
New Orlean's Toxic Soup
Is Served Up All Over America
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Illustration by Jeff Ham |
News of the “toxic soup” contained in the floodwaters
of New Orleans has been making headlines
around the world, but this recipe is served
up daily in practically every city throughout the United
States. While the recipes differ from state to state, the
“backbone” ingredients—pesticides, heavy metals,
petroleum products and other industrial chemicals—
are virtually everywhere.
Americans watched in horror and shame as our government
—on every level—did not live up to our expectations,
and as a result so many suffered in New Orleans
and the surrounding Gulf Coast following hurricane
Katrina. Yet this same travesty continues with the toxic
assault on our environment that affects everyone within
our borders.
So many have put their trust, along with the health
and well-being of our country, in government agencies
like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National
Institute of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC), but the proverbial levee
won’t hold here either. To date, the EPA has approved
over 80,000 synthetic chemicals that continue to be
released into the environment. We are told that these
toxins are at “acceptable” levels, but common sense
tells us otherwise.
Toxic chemicals are in our air, our water, and our fruits,
vegetables, meats, fish and poultry. They’re in everyday
products like household cleaners, nail polish and remover,
make-up, lotions, and cigarettes. And now they’re showing
up in newborn babies.
A study released this past summer (2005) by the Environmental
Work Group (EWG) tested umbilical cord blood of infants
born in the U.S. and found an average of 200 industrial
chemicals and pollutants. In total, tests identified 287
chemicals of which 180 cause cancer, 217 are toxic to
the brain and nervous system, and 208 are linked to
birth defects or abnormal development.
These findings refute the assertion by some that
the placenta shields cord blood (and the fetus) from
most chemicals and other toxins in the environment.
But we don’t need a researcher’s study to tell us what
we already know—carrying around these toxins in our
systems is not acceptable.
For those who need a little more convincing, consider
this: a Washington State University study reported
in the June 3rd, 2005 issue of Science magazine indicates that
exposure to environmental toxins impacts health far
greater than anyone ever imagined. Researchers found
that the effects are passed along to offspring for as
many as four generations.
It’s time for the national spotlight to shine on the
actions we must take to reduce our exposures to these
toxins in our homes, schools and businesses. First and
foremost, ignore the chemical industry’s assault on our
lives. Don’t buy into the current “better living through
chemistry” mind set. We need to be conscious of our
actions. The days are gone when we can spray chemicals
without a thought of where these chemicals end
up, because they end up in our air, our water, our soil,
and in our children.
There are plenty of all-natural alternatives to keep
any surface clean and germ free. The same is true for
pesticides. Buying organic fruits, vegetables and meats
may be a bit more costly, but what price do you put on
the hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, and other chemicals
in non-organic foods we consume?
We don’t have to wait for Congressional confirmation
to recognize that our children are facing problems
like asthma, leukemia, autism spectrum disorders, ADD/
ADHD, and diabetes in alarmingly high numbers. And the
rates keep rising. There are safe, accessible and effective
methods available to eliminate these toxins from
the body. This information must be mainstreamed into
our national health care system and national media.
It’s time for America to take a long hard look at our
actions– and inaction—over the past centuries. Some
view our toxic environment as an unavoidable by-product
of our industrialized world; others claim it is callous
greed—the need for power and money at any cost. No
matter where we ultimately choose to lay blame, we owe
it to our children and to the planet they must inherit to
do all we can to clean up our act.
James H. Martin is a clinical nutritionist, certified naturopathic physician and doctor of chiropractic with an expertise in toxicity. For the past 30 years, he has served as clinical director of the Martin Clinic in Sarasota, Florida, which provides complementary/alternative health services to patients from all over the world. Dr. Martin is also the editor and publisher of the Well News Newsletter, a cuttingedge resource of nutritional information.
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