I read a great article by Mike Adams of News Target yesterday. The article claimed to cite 20 things that are more dangerous for your children than lead paint from China. I was slightly miffed by the casual attitude about the lead paint issue but beyond that I see he has some very good points. Many parents may be hyped about the lead issue while they ignore the more frequent exposure of their children to toxins that are commonly in the home. But as a mom that is concerned with all 20 items on this list already or at least informed that there is some debate about them…the lead paint issue does not need to be dismissed as hysteria.
So what are the 20 things more dangerous than lead paint? I will go ahead and list them and give my thoughts and personal opinions on each. The original article is referenced at the bottom of this post.
1. Mercury in fillings – While I have not researched this topic very much I am aware that many believe that mercury in amalgam (silver) fillings leach into the body and can cause neurological damage. They may also ingest mercury during the filling process. I can attest to this as I worked in a dentist’s office for a year and worked with this material on children. Dentists and other dental technicians try to vacuum up any amalgam remnants but many times bits and chunks of the stuff goes down their throats and gets ingested.
2. Vaccines – I think anyone who reads this blog knows my feelings on this one. I do not vaccinate my children. I don’t feel that they are particularly needed and I don’t think they are safe by a long shot.
3. Hot dogs – Yuck! Hot dogs are packaged with a preservative called sodium nitrite. In the 1970s the US government decided that sodium nitrite was not safe since many studies had shown a disturbing link to cancer. The government moved to ban it from all foods available on the market but lobbyists hired by food companies stepped in and played hardball….they won and sodium nitrite is served up to us regularly in deli meats. If I must have these pre-packaged meats, I buy the nitrite free varieties at health food stores.
4. Antibacterial soap – I have always avoided antibacterial soap because I think kids need to be exposed to germs so they build a normal, healthy immune system. Antibiotics and antibacterial products just help to create super strains of the germs and bacteria they seek to defend against. Mike Adams claims that antibacterial soaps are too harsh and that you may be exposing your children to chemicals that can harm their nervous system. I don’t know enough about them really to comment on that.
5. ADHD drugs – I could not agree more. ADHD drugs belong to a class of drugs called amphetamines so it is a legal version of speed. I had a family member on my husband’s side that was on this stuff for years and the results were not pleasant. I also feel that this drug is often used to stifle the independent spirits of children.
6. Sports drinks – These are pretty much a nutritional joke but IMO so is Kool-Aid and many juice products.
7. Cough syrup and over the counter medications – You can read the News Target article for more info on this but I recall listening to a lecture years ago by a Naturopathic Doctor and his explanation of what these meds are and what they do to your body was enough to make me stay away from them. These drugs (and pretty much all of them IMO) mask the symptoms…they do not heal. I like homeopathic or holistic treatments that actually heal.
8. Sunscreen – I read a long article by Mike Adams on this a few weeks back and it was quite eye opening. He believes that sunscreen is completely unnecessary and that it is a scam. Since so many sunscreens have toxic ingredients I am very careful when it comes to these products but I am not sure if I am ready to completely abandon them. I think I will just try and find the safest sunscreen I can find.
9. Fluoride in the water – If you recall I discussed the fluoride issue last week but did you know that fluoride is also being added to our water supply for us to ingest when it is toxic in this form. It is meant to be topical. The government wants to protect us against lead paint from China while they drip a toxic substance into our water supply…hmmmm.
10. Processed Milk – I LOVE raw milk and think it is the healthiest way to drink milk and in fact is just about the ONLY way I will drink it.
11. Fast Foods – I have a bit of a hard time believing anyone thinks this stuff is healthy. They are often fried, homogenized, hydrogenated and laced with chemical additives and preservatives, processed sugars, and petrochemical food coloring. Sounds delicious and healthy right?
12. Antidepressant drugs – If you read number 5 then you already know my thoughts on this. Diet, exercise, and many other factors can have a hand in children being depressed so I would exhaust all options before turning to drugs. That said though, this isn’t a cut and dry issue…it is a very serious one.
13. Chemical laundry detergents – You may think they are just getting your clothes clean but they may contain some nasty chemicals and some of them are designed to stay on your clothes to reflect light and give the illusion of bright color.
14. Flame retardant chemicals – I realize that these are sprayed on clothing and mattresses for safety reasons but these chemicals are very toxic and can be “absorbed through the skin of infants and children where they contribute to numerous neurological disorders and immune suppression.” I really feel as though many sleep disorders have a lot to do with chemicals in your bed too.
15. Soda – I don’t think this one needs any explanation.
16. Air fresheners – Ewww gross. Just the thought of an air freshener gives me a headache. They are loaded with toxic chemicals that are harmful when breathed in. I use peppermint essential oil or orange peels.
17. Synthetic vitamins – Conventional vitamins (think Flintstones) are loaded with junk. Health food stores have better options for kids vitamins. I like Rainbow Light products myself.
18. Dryer Sheets – Like everything else on the planet in seems…they have toxic chemicals in them that have been linked to cancer. I don’t think my laundry needs them anyway. :)
19. Bacon – Same reasoning as hot dogs…nitrites. I was a BIG bacon eater long ago. I would seriously cook up a whole package and eat that for a meal when I was in college. Well bacon has nitrites and nitrites have been heavily linked with colon cancer and I ended up with colon cancer…imagine that. :(
20. Shampoo and bath products – These are sweet smelling chemical soups. They get absorbed into the skin and into the bloodstream and on a daily basis no less. I go with more natural products or none at all.
So what do you think of this list? Agree, disagree, or have a worse offender in mind?
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