Healthy Urban Kitchen » natural health

The Hidden Truth on Chemicals Exposed – Detox part 1

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:25:56 +0000

I was creating one blog post about toxins in our environment and how we can stay healthy. Seriously, there are so many toxins you need to know about, that I had to create a second post with tips to avoid exposure and how to stay healthy!

This is part 1. It is not meant to scare you, only to enlighten as to what’s really going on so you know how to stay healthy. There lots of excellent references & websites at the end of this article if you want to learn more about how to protect your health and the environment without becoming an obnoxious green fundamentalist which is becoming popular by the day. And no, becoming vegan wont save the world.

More so than any other time in the history of the world, we are inundated with poisons & toxins that disrupt our hormones, damage the brain, nervous system, reproductive system, cause skin problems, birth defects, developmental delays, mutagenic changes on a cellular level and cause cancer.

Currently there are 84,000 man made chemicals in our food, water, personal care products and our environment.

Thanks to the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the chemical industry has been allowed to stamp a “trade secret” claim on 2/3 of all chemicals introduced to the market in the last 27 years. The public does not have access to any information about 17,000 of the 84,000 chemicals.

271 million pounds of industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals are found in American tap water, this includes 8 million pounds of skin bleaching cream, 3 million pounds of nicotine compounds, 10,000 pounds of the antibiotics & treatments for head lice and worms.

Medicines for pain, infection, high cholesterol, asthma, epilepsy, mental illness, heart problems, anti-epileptic, anti-anxiety medications, heart medicine, estrogen, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers, tranquilizer are also found in our public water systems.

This is only a portion of the findings. The Associated Press considers these numbers a ‘massive undercount” since federal guidelines for water management are 30 years outdated.

62 million Americans have been exposed (since 2004) to drinking water that did not meet government health guideline intended to help protect people from cancer or serious disease, according to The New York Times.

An analysis of 20 million drinking water quality tests performed by water utilities (2004 – 2009) detected a total of 316 contaminants in water delivered to the public. The pollutants detected included 202 chemicals that have no mandatory safety standards for tap water, which were found in water supplied to approximately 132 million people in 9,454 communities across the country. A total of 97 agricultural pollutants were detected, including the weed killer metolachlor, pesticides and contaminants from fertilizer- and manure-laden runoff.

In the US, its estimated 5 new chemicals approved every day, most with no or minimal testing.

2003 Mt Sinai tested blood & urine from people all throughout US and found each person had average of 91 industrial chemicals (PCB’s, insecticides, heavy metals (mercury, cadmium), benzene, dioxin. None of these people worked near an industrial facility or worked in job that handled chemicals.

Dioxin causes cancer. It is found in pesticides, conventionally raised meat (fat), dairy, fish, and as a by-product of plastics manufacturing.

2004 CDC tested blood & urine from 2500 people across country and found traces of all 116 chemicals that were tested.

The Environmental Working Group has conducted laboratory tests of human blood for chemicals in household and industrial products 11 times. Overall, they have found 414 chemicals and pollutants in 186 people of all ages and races.

Children, Infants and Toxins

In 2005, the Red Cross tested fetal cord blood from 10 newborns and found 287 chemicals in samples. Toxins included dioxins, phthalates, pesticides, Teflon by products, flame retardants and others.

The Journal of Neuroxtociology did a study on 426 infants. They examined their first bowel movements (meaning they had no exposure to outside world) and this is what they found:

84% contained mercury

27% contained lead

27% contained DDT (pesticide which has been banned for 25 yrs)

At least 10 of the 151 (high volume, confidential) chemicals produced or imported in amounts greater than 300,000 pounds a year are used in products specifically intended for use by children age 14 or younger.

Chemicals from cosmetics, perfumes and other fragrances are detected (along with dozens of other industrial compounds) are found in the umbilical cords of African American, Asian and Latino babies.

232 chemicals and pollutants were found in the umbilical cords of the 10 babies tested in five states between December 2007 and June 2008.

7 of the 10 babies had synthetic musks (known as Galaxolide and Tonaliden) in their umbilical cord blood. Musk is used in scented soaps, perfumes and colognes, indicating the infants were contaminated by cosmetics their mothers used.

Another chemical found in the umbilical cords was bisphenol A, or BPA, a synthetic estrogen used in plastics that has been linked to breast cancer and hormonal problems. A study of Chinese factory workers released last month found an increased risk of sexual dysfunction from exposure to large amounts of the chemical.

Products used in flame retardants, rocket fuels, on frying pans and in computer circuit boards were found in the infants in addition to lead, mercury and known carcinogens, according to the study.

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in March 2009 found two known carcinogens (1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde) in dozens of bath products for babies and kids, including Sesame Street brands and Johnson & Johnson’s “pure and gentle” baby shampoo.

Cosmetics

Despite the evidence of cancer causing and endocrine disrupting chemicals in their ingredients, cosmetics companies do not have to list synthetic chemicals thanks to ‘trade secrets’.

The cosmetic industry and petrochemical companies have fought efforts in Congress to reform cosmetic industry regulations, which were first drawn up in 1938 and have remained virtually unchanged.

Fragrances are considered to be among the top five known allergens and are known to both cause and trigger asthma attacks.

As far back as 1986, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences identified fragrance ingredients as one of six categories of neurotoxins (chemicals that are toxic to the brain) that should be thoroughly investigated for impacts on human health. This research has not been demanded or funded. The FDA has taken no action on a petition submitted to the agency in 1999 requesting fragrance components to be listed on labels.

One in every 50 people may suffer immune system damage from fragrance and become sensitized, (according to the EU’s Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products and Non-food Products). Once sensitized to an ingredient, a person can remain so for a lifetime, enduring allergic reactions with every subsequent exposure.

Product tests conducted by Consumer Reports ShopSmart magazine in January 2007 found the phthalates DEP and DEHP (which are banned in Europe) in each of eight popular perfumes tested.

In 2002, the “Not Too Pretty” report from some of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found phthalates in more than 72 percent of personal care products tested, including fragrance-containing shampoos, deodorants and hair gels. None of the products listed phthalates on the label.

In October 2007, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 33 popular brands of lipsticks at an independent lab for lead content. The results: 61 % of lipsticks contained lead. Lead-contaminated brands included L’Oreal, Cover Girl and even a $24 tube of Dior Addict.

There is no safe level of lead exposure. Lead is a neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and behavioral problems, lowered IQ, reduced school performance and aggression. Pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable to exposure from lead.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states: “No safe blood lead level has been identified.” The agency suggests avoiding all sources of lead exposure, including lead-containing cosmetics.

Indy Car Racing and Your Health

admin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:02:22 +0000

I’m in Florida right now visiting my family. My Cuban family lives in Miami where I grew up. Miami is a beautiful city and yes, really hot. It can be cheesy at times, but if you know where to go and what to do, it’s an absolutely amazing place!

My mother, on the other hand, is from New Zealand, where she was the first professional female race car driver. So naturally, I am a big fan of racing sports. This past weekend, I went to the Indy Car Championship Race in Miami and I want to share a cool analogy with you…

In Florida, much like southern California, many people spend more money on their cars than they do on their own health. Then, when they are older, they then spend most of their energy & life savings managing disease and dysfunction.

Now, I’m all about cars, but if your health and well-being are not currently high on your priorities, then you will be FORCED to make it that way later in life and believe me, it’s no fun at that point. Its much more fun and affordable to do it now and not suffer later.

Real quick, let me clear up one BIG misconceptions that a lot of people have when it comes to ‘health’…

Don’t confuse ‘health’ with disease management – this is a popular misconception. When I talk about managing your health, I’m talking about taking responsibility for what, how & when you eat, sleep, exercise, how well you manage your emotions and what specifically you do to reduce stress in your life. Taking complete responsibility for your life is how you ‘get healthy’. Using race cars as an analogy works really well, check this out…

FUEL – We put gas in our cars so it can move from point A to point B. We all need food to fuel our daily activities, from normal brain function (thinking, managing emotions, analyzing, solving problems, communication, etc) and for energy to move through different components of life – career, family, exercise/sport and social activities – food is fuel that provides energy for life.

FRAME – Food is also the raw material used to build our physical structures. Indy car frames are made out of a super lightweight, yet strong carbon fiber material, weighing in at 60 lbs. The materials for the engine and other parts are also the strongest and lightest available. The more the car is raced, the more stress encountered, and the more car parts need to be replaced.

The more we use ourbodies in any 24 hr time frame – the more stress we encounter and therfore the more our physical structures need to be replaced. Our bodies (at the cellular level) are constantly being used up & replaced. The more we use or abuse our bodies, the more repair is required. Our body repairs itself from daily stress at night when you are sleeping. The human body, a self-regulating and highly intelligent mechanism, replaces used up materials on a daily basis.

So when you eat, remember that you are providing your vehicle with the materials that will be used to create your new structures, form cells, to bones to muscles, hair, skin and brain, everything…You are what you eat.

When you choose low quality fuel, you get low quality materials & performance, excessive & unnecessary wear & tear (stress) and shorter life-span. Choosing low quality fuel means less enjoyment in life, more work and more money spent managing problems. Choose high quality fuel and get high quality performance, greater fuel efficiency, less stress, you can drive the hell out of it and still have less problems and a vehicle that lasts much longer.

CAUTION – there are snake oil salesmen out there trying to steal your money and sell you garbage disguised as ‘food’. They typically work for large food or pharmaceutical corporations or the US government. They have teams of marketing experts, lawyers, professors, overweight dietitians, seemingly impressive ‘scientific’ research that was purchased and have the support of major medical & corporate media organizations that have the masses fooled into believing its ‘normal’ to use garbage as fuel and that breaking down and becoming dependent on government mechanics is a ‘normal’ part of owning the vehicle. Don’t fall for it.

FUEL MIXTURE – The fuel mixture – or ratio of carbs, fats and protein per meal – for sports cars is different for that of full-size cars, big trucks and motorcycles. Interestingly enough, Japanese cars require different ratios than Eastern European utility trucks which have different requirements than Latino vehicles. Some people tolerate carbs better than others. Some people also require more red meats than others.

You can discover what ratio works best for you by looking at your ethnic background, though trial and error or you can get the only two programs online that show you how to determine your unique metabolic fuel mixture:

Healthy Urban Kitchen OR Diet Solution Program

ENGINE TYPE – Metabolic furnace. Metabolism is the engine of the human body, it converts food into energy so you can perform in life, work or sports. It is uniquely designed to be efficient, energetic and support the life of your dreams.

Our metabolism is precisely designed to run on natural fuel sources, also known as ‘food’. When we eat real food, our engine turns it into energy, maintains all-systems balance and discards what’s left over.

If you choose low quality or processed foods, you will experience metabolic inefficiency, sluggishness, energy fluctuations, brain chemistry & hormonal imbalance and even noxious gaseous fumes coming out both ends. Stomach aches, gas, belching, acid reflux, bloating are all signs of either poor food choices or an engine that needs a tune up (from years of poor food & lifestyle choices). A healthy body runs efficiently, quietly and smoothly.

Eat nothing but real food, the kind that grows on small, local farms and has not been altered IN ANY WAY.

Real food is superior in every way and you should not compromise, ever. Anyone can master their metabolism – however, many people have damaged their metabolism, click here to read more.

Think eating healthy is expensive? Not true. Look at how much you spend on medicines, unnecessary doctor visits, sick days and then look at how most of our parents are spending on managing disease. Yes, SOME organic & grass fed foods are more expensive, but you either pay now, or you pay later.

TUNE UPS – Some people simply don’t care about their vehicles and wait until their cars start breaking down before they see a mechanic. Typically, at this point, they go see an intervention specialist – not a performance specialist – who uses synthetic ingredients to deal with the noises or problems you experience while driving. This is the most popular method, however, it provides a false sense of security and is an excellent way to suffer as you age.

Intervention specialists, for the most part, don’t address the CAUSE of the problem. You may easily forget about the problems your car had once the noises are suppressed, however, the problem still exist. Lack of respectful ownership and lack of understanding proper maintenance is generally the cause of having mechanical problems.

Indy Car Race Miami from Antonio Valladares on Vimeo.

These experts can change four tires and fill a 20 gallon tank of gas in 7 seconds. How organized & efficient are you at shopping, cooking, eating & exercise???

ELECTRONICS – Brain and Nervous System. Your brain controls your movements, manages your emotions (which affect ALL body systems) and requires a constant supply of energy to function at its best. There are certain foods & habits that support optimal function and certain foods/ingredients & habits that damage the system.

Depression, anxiety, ocd, lack of motivation, easily distracted, mood imbalances, overly sensitive, brain fog are all symptoms of a faulty diet. Certain foods like gluten, sugar, artificial sweetener, vegetable oils and chemicals damage your electronic system and cause predictable patterns of dysfunction emotionally and throughout your body.

Your thoughts produce emotions. When you have stressful thoughts, or fear-based emotions, you produce cortisol (stress hormone) that circulates throughout the entire body and interferes with your most important systems. Cortisol is associated with every disease known to human kind. This is why balancing your thoughts and managing emotions is critical. Do not watch TV when eating or falling asleep. Take your time when eating and enjoy the company or the solitude. Practicing an ‘attitude of food gratitude’ will radically improve your health and enjoyment and overall performance in life.

Excellent sources of brain food include mineral-rich leafy green vegetables like Kale, Chard, Collards, Celtic sea salt, grass fed meats, wild game, walnuts, pastured egg yolks and high quality fish oil.

LUBRICATION – Essential fatty acids, saturated fats and water lubricate your joints and keep your movement systems running smooth. You need all three every single day, not once in awhile, every day. Great sources of essential fatty acids are wild salmon, flax seed, pastured eggs and grass fed meats.

TEMPERATURE REGULATION – Hormonal System. When you reduce stress (includes reducing chemicals), eat correctly, drink water and get to bed on time – your hormones will be balanced and your body regulates itself. Specifically, your adrenal glands manage water balance and temperature. Keep your hormonal system (adrenals) balanced and you wont have a problem.

High Performance Tip: put a tiny pinch of Celtic sea salt in your plain water. You shouldn’t taste it, and you don’t need to do this if you drink expensive European brand waters like Evian or Volvic. If you use Poland Spring, Arrowhead or Zephyrhills (or other American) ‘spring’ water – use this trick to enhance performance and maintain proper temperature regulation.

MOVEMENT SYSTEMS – your muscles, joints and bones are made of protein and controlled by your nervous system. Every human vehicle is designed by nature to perform at a high level. Humans need to exercise 4-6 days a week. You don’t want too little or too much. It doesn’t have to be high performance (interval training, Crossfit, athletic conditioning, MMA, etc) it can be gentle mind-body fitness (chi gong, yoga) or strength training. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Three hours a week is sufficient for most. Walking is awesome, but I don’t factor that into those 3 hrs.

WARRANTY – Your warranty is determined by the choices we make in life. The choices we make are based on priorities. When you choose to make health a priority and take responsibility for your body, your body runs efficiently at a high performance level, delivers tremendous value and longevity.

The body comes designed to heal, be healthy, energetic and function at peak levels when you support it with real food, eat right for your metabolic type, reduce total body stress, drink water, exercise consistently, get to bed on time and reduce chemicals. Once you know a few simple things, its really quite easy.

The foods you choose to eat should be nothing but FRESH fruits, vegetables, grass fed meats, pastured eggs, butter, nuts, seeds and do your BEST to get as much organic food as possible. This type of ‘diet’ is what humans being are designed to eat. It is nutrient-dense and loaded with anti-oxidants, enzymes, reduces inflammation and supports immune function.

Similar to the pit stop video above, you should create systems and plan for your shopping, cooking, eating & exercise in advance. This way, you will be in and out of the pit stops like an Indy Car, so you can spend your energy living your life.

Don’t abuse your vehicle and wait for signs & symptoms of dysfunction BEFORE you take responsibility. Crisis Management is much more difficult and more expensive than Responsible Management and healthy ownership.

Cortisol is a stress hormone. The secret to anti-aging and extending your warranty is managing cortisol levels. Balance your thoughts, reduce stress daily, spend quality time w loved ones and in nature, get direct sunlight and swim in the ocean or play in the mountains as often as you can, reduce stimulants like caffeine and get to bed on time in order to manage cortisol levels.

SCHEDULED TUNE UPS – Your body repairs and regenerates itself, mentally and physically, every 24 hrs while you are sleeping. It is critical to get to bed by 10:30 PM and get deep, un-interrupted sleep in a pitch-black room. It is wise to schedule regular tune ups with expert mechanics that understand preventative care. I strongly suggest finding mechanics that are strong, healthy & vital themselves. There are many ways to maintain your body: massage therapy, neuro-muscular therapy, MAT, ART or other bodywork systems, corrective & therapeutic exercise, chiropractic, stretching, foam rolling, hydrotherapy, vacations, power naps and pursuing something creative.

CONCLUSION – Team Penske is the most successful team in motor sports history. Penske Racing has won the Indy 500 14 times. If you want to learn how to be a winner in this sport, you should study what they do & approach them. If you want to get healthy, lose weight and prevent or reverse disease – find real experts who are healthy and get RESULTS.

If you want to be fat, sick, fatigued and diseased, follow the lead of the US government and the FDA. They have it down to a science. The U.S.A. is not even a top 10 finisher. We are practically in a pathetic ‘LAST PLACE’ in almost every important health category compared to industrialized nations.

These institutions have hoodwinked Americans into believing that they are here for our best interest, yet they allow thousands of poisonous chemicals into our food supply and heavily promote the most un-natural diet possible, with foods that human beings are not designed to eat.

Although pretty much the losers in world health, the US is convincing the rest of the world to buy their crappy fuels and synthetic parts, these are inferior and cost you more money, lower your vehicles’ value and ultimately end in painful final days before your car needs to be recycled.

Here is a winning strategy you can follow to get the most value from your car, longevity and lots of fun!

Eat real food – organic and grass fed when possible.
Eat 4 – 6 times per day and NEVER run out of fuel.
Exercise, the right way. Cardio, like Greek yogurt or Pearl Jam, is way over rated.
Exercise only needs to last 30 – 45 minutes, 4 – 6 days per week.
Avoid the things that cause dysfunction & disease: chemicals, processed foods, too much stress, sugar.
Eat and live in a way that support your immune system, brain function, energy levels.
Get direct sunlight – WITHOUT SPF – every day.
Get to bed on time – don’t watch TV while falling asleep.
Get clear on WHY you want to be healthy. Keep your eye on the WHY when you are faced with challenges and plan accordingly.

Miss Cuba Patricia Rosales and Antonio @ Indy Car Race Miami Oct ‘09

www.patriciarosales.com

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