Electromagnetic fields (or EMFs) from electricity lines almost certainly cause leukaemia, Alzheimer’s disease and other degenerative illnesses. Yet, most scientists—and every power supplier and government planning department around the world—continue to deny that power lines are a health hazard.

The International Agency for Cancer Research of the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified extremely low-frequency (ELF) EMFs as a possible carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) in light of the overwhelming evidence that has been uncovered in recent years. Indeed, the Agency’s latest position, reported in 2001, is a complete reversal of its stance of four years ago, when it agreed with most scientists that there is no evidence of a causal link between power lines and severe illnesses. The WHO also recommends that power lines be sited well away from homes “to reduce people’s exposure”.

In the UK, the government-funded advisory group SAGE (Stakeholder Advisory Group on ELF EMFs) reported in 2007 that there is now sufficient evidence of a causal link between power lines and childhood leukemia for power companies to adopt a precautionary approach. In particular, SAGE recommends that, in future, power lines should be placed underground, and that no new homes should be built within 60 metres of existing power lines.

It’s a view shared by the State of California, which commissioned a $7m, 10-year review of power- line safety in 1993. The study, called the ‘California EMF Project’ (2002), concluded that magnetic fields from power lines and other sources are a likely cause of childhood and adult leukemia, adult brain cancers, spontaneous abortions and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), the degenerative disease that afflicts astrophysicist Dr Stephen Hawking.

The EMF Project researchers state that “even a slight additional lifetime risk could be of concern to regulators, who already regulate other environmental concerns that convey even lower risks.”

So why do scientists persist in remaining ambivalent over the research-based evidence, and why are governments, regulatory bodies and power suppliers refusing to act when they must certainly be aware that overhead power lines represent a reasonable health risk?

Before we answer these questions, let’s look at some of the studies published since 2000, the watershed year that heralded the beginning of all the research that began to draw compelling links between EMFs and their effects on the human immune system.

Power lines and leukemia

The possibility that power lines cause childhood leukemia has attracted more research than any other health concern associated with EMFs.

One of the strongest associations was established by what is now referred to as the ‘Draper report’, a case-control study that discovered that children under the age of 15 years who lived within 100 metres of power lines were nearly twice as l i kely to develop leukemia compared with children who lived further away (BMJ, 2005; 330: 1290–4).

The team of researchers, led by Gerald Draper and based at the University of Oxford, included a representative from the National Grid Transco plc as scientific advisor. They arrived at their conclusions after examining the profiles of 29,081 children who developed
cancer between 1962 and 1995 in England and Wales.

Although the findings were of considerable public interest, the UK Government’s Department of Health, which had funded the research , suppressed the report for four years. Officials at the Department were first informed of the preliminary results in 2001, yet the report was not
published until June 2005.

What’s more, even when it finally made it into print, Geoff Watts , science editor of the British Medical Journal, declared that the Draper report simply means that only “five cases annually of childhood leukemia may be associated with power lines” compared with the 32 children who are killled annually in house fires or the 200 who die every year on UK roads (B M J, 2005; 330: 1294–5). Nevertheless, it was still an admission that power lines can affect
our health.

Two researchers—Anders Ahlbom f rom the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and Sander Greenland from the UCLA School of Public Health in Los Angeles, CA—h a v e
conducted a range of studies into EMFs and childhood leukemia since 2000. Indeed, in that year alone, they both published papers – one of which was a pooled analysis of 15 studies— that demonstrated a doubling of leukaemia rates among children exposed to the same levels of ELF fields as are generated by standard power lines (Br J Cancer, 2000; 85: 692–8;
Epidemiology, 2000; 11: 624–34). A year later, Ahlbom followed up with another review of the “voluminous epidemiologic literature on EMF” that confirmed the association of childhood leukaemia and postnatal exposures to EMFs (Environ Health Perspect, 2001; 109 [Suppl 6]: 911–33).

Power lines and Alzheimer’s

Several studies have produced compelling evidence for a causal connection between EMFs and Alzheimer’s disease. The latest study, published in November 2007, comes from Switzerland, where researchers have established that people who are living within 50 metres of a power line for 15 years or more have twice the the risk of developing Alzheimer’s
disease compared with those who are living 600 metres or more from such power lines.

Researchers at the University of Bern made the discovery when they analyzed the health profiles of 4.7 million people in Switzerland who lived close to a power line. They concluded that the distance from a line, and the duration of time spent living near such a line, were both
significant risk factors. The overall risk of Alzheimer’s for anyone living within 50 metres of a power line for any length of time was 1.24 times greater than that of someone who lived further away (Am J Epidemiol, 2008; doi: 10.1093/aje/kwn297).

In fact, the conclusion that the duration of EMF exposure is asignificant marker of Alzheimer’ s
risk has been supported by a study of workers in Spain whose occupations bring them into regular contact with ELF EMFs. A meta-analysis of 14 studies, carried out by researchers at
Valencia University, revealed that people in those occupations had twice the risk of developing Alzheimer’s in later life compared with the general population (Int J Epidemiol, 2008; 37: 329–40).

EMFs and other diseases

As EMFs are believed to interfere with the workings of the immune system, it follows that they would be expected to be responsible for causing a wide range of degenerative, chronic diseases, as suggested by California’s EMF Project findings. In fact, in addition to leukemia, the researchers consider it “likely” that magnetic fields are the cause of spontaneous abortions (miscarriage) and ALS, a view that has been supported by a number of studies.
Three recent studies support the hypothesis that EMFs cause spontaneous abortions. One such study, which reviewed 177 cases of miscarriage in Northern California, found a close correlation with exposure to high levels of EMFs. Women exposed to the highest levels
were more than three times more likely to miscarry than those whose exposure was minimal (Epidemiology, 2002; 13: 21–31).

Scientists at the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute in Oakland, California, arrived at a similar conclusion when they examined the cases of 969 women from the San Francisco Bay area who had experienced miscarriage. Although they could find no correlations among
women exposed to average levels of EMFs, those who were regularly exposed to levels of 16 mG (milliGauss) or more were nearly twice as likely to lose their pregnancy (Epidemiology, 2002; 13: 9–20).

The third study, carried out on laboratory mice, demonstrated that exposure to ELF EMFs during pregnancy would not only affect the term of the pregnancy, but could also interfere with the development of the offspring (Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi, 2006; 24: 468–70).

Further studies also suggest that high EMF levels may cause ALS. The first, which analyzed the Swedish census of 1980 against instances of neurodegenerative disorders such as
Alzheimer’s disease and ALS, found that workers in the electrical or electronics industry had a 40-percent greater chance of developing ALS than those who did not work in electrical/electronic-related occupations (Epidemiology, 2003; 14: 413–9).

The Swedish study findings were supported by a later study that also found a direct correlation between exposures was more than two times greater than for those in other industries, although the risk was higher still – at four times – for Alzheimer’s disease (Epidemiology, 2003; 14: 420–6).

In yet another study, the researchers concluded that “there are relatively strong data indicating that electric utility work may be associated with an increased risk [of ALS]” (Bioelectromagnetics, 2001; suppl 5: S132–43).

Why scientists disagree

Power lines emit both electrical and magnetic fields. The electric field is related to the voltage running through the line—a typical cable handles between 275 kV (kilovolts) and 400 kV -whereas the magnetic field is dependent on the current being carried through the cable, and
this can vary depending on the usage. This means that any scientist researching the impact of an EMF is faced with the immediate problem of how to measure something that can fluctuate wildly over any 24-hour period. This is why only studies that have examined EMF effects over years are able to discern any causal relationship with health problems, whereas a study that is carried out for only a few days or weeks at a time is only able to determine insignificant
effects—if any at all.

Scientists who deny any association also argue that no one truly understands how EMFs can cause cancer or damage the immune system. However, as Alasdair Philips of Powerwatch, an independent consumers’ information service, says: “We still do not know the actual
mechanisms by which cigarette smoking, asbestos fibre or DDT cause cancers, but we have accepted the epidemiological evidence and have introduced laws to limit or reduce
human exposure.”

The distance from power lines is another issue, and sceptics have argued that people living even relatively short distances from them should not suffer any ill effects. In effect, they appear to be suggesting that illnesses being reported may just be psychosomatic—all in the
head.

Professor Denis Henshaw, at Bristol University, has spent years studying this issue, and has come up with an hypothesis of ‘corona ions’. He posits that the ions emitted by
high-voltage power lines are ending up as tiny charged particles of air pollution that can penetrate deeply into our lungs and bloodstream. These so-called corona ions are
carried on the wind and quickly become attached to microscopic particles of air pollution, thereby electrically charging them.

Professor Henshaw believes that these pollutants can be carried several hundred metres away from power lines, which would explain why children living at greater distances –
and downwind—from a line can stilldevelop leukaemia.

One task of the BioInitiative Report, prepared by 14 independent internationally based scientists in 2007, was to try to understand why there is still so much disagreement
among experts, despite the fact that enough evidence has already been published to justify improvements in safety standards within the power industry.

Among the 10 reasons listed by the Report, the authors concluded that:

• different scientists use different measurements to determine the existence of any proof;
  
• some scientists continue to insist that every study should achieve the same results;
  
• some scientists are only looking at short-term and acute effects, which do not always tell the whole story; and
  
• vested interests appear to have a substantial influence on the whole issue under debate.
  

Industry pressures

This is an exceedingly high-stakes game, one that goes way beyond deciding whether power lines should be buried under the ground or not. If governments and power industries
accept the growing epidemiological evidence that EMFs cause cancer—not to mention any other chronic and degenerative diseases—then there will need to be a massive change in
the way we live our lives.

EMFs are emitted from the mains electricity and all the wiring in our homes—powering everything from microwave ovens to Wi-Finetworks—but also, and more significantly, from
mobile phones and mobile-phone masts.

The upshot of all this is that, while it is a matter of degrees and being reasonable, any admission from our health guardians that EMFs are causing cancer would have major
effects on the world’s economy—not to mention our present taken—for granted
comfy lifestyles. It is also known that the power industry, like the drug industry, recruits and richly rewards ‘friendly’ scientists who are always on hand to deride any research
that links EMFs to cancer and other diseases. Indeed, the power industry openly—but sometimes covertly—funds research that invariably discovers no association between
EMFs and illness.

This is part and parcel of the damage limitation that began in the 1960s, when field pioneers such as Drs Ross Adey, Milton Zaret and Robert Becker started investigating the effects of EMFs on humans. Dr Zaret was among the first to discover that EMF radiation, such as
emitted by microwaves, is biologically harmful and can cause conditions such as cataracts. Yet, in the course of his work, his research funds were stopped. Dr Becker worked for the
US Navy, and his brief was to assess the health impact of a submarine ELF communications system. His study concluded that the health of significant segments of the American
population was at risk from 60-Hz power lines. But when the State of New York was planning the construction of 10 high-power lines, the Navy denied that Becker’s work existed, so
the high-power lines were erected. Becker said afterwards: “The way science is currently funded andevaluated, we are learning more and more about less and less, and science
is becoming our enemy instead of our friend.”

Dr Adey, who died in 2004, worked on secret CIA projects in the 1970s that looked into the impact of EMFs on people’s mental health. Since then, other researchers have found that these energy fields can cause depression: indeed, several noted that suicide levels were far higher among people who lived near power lines.

In 1992, Adey reported that there was “very little doubt” that EMFs affect the immune system, interfere with fetal development and cause birth abnormalities, damage healthy cell growth, encourage tumour formation, and affect the central nervous system and the brain. In addition, as he said on BBC Radio Scotland on January 10, 1992, “This work is being carried out in
many laboratories worldwide so that the old fiction that this research describes uncorroborated experiments is no longer true.”

In the 16 years since that programme was aired, the evidence has become even stronger, but it will still be a long time before governments and the so-called guardians of our public health admit it. As Dr John Bonnell, chief medical officer for the UK’s now-defunct Central Electricity Generating Board, said in 1985, on a Central TV programme entitled The Good, the Bad and the Indefensible: “If we accepted the dangers, it would mean an enormous turnabout for industry and for the country as a whole. There are no contingency plans to cope with such
a turnabout.”

Not only are there no contingency plans in place, but we have also seen the explosion of the mobile-phone industry in the intervening years, making any admission concerning the harmful effects of EMFs physically as well as fiscally catastrophic.

Bryan Hubbard

One such example was the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant near Kiev in April 1986, which released radioactive materials over Belarus and the Ukraine.

Since then, doctors have noted a 12-fold increase in the rate of thyroid cancer among women in the Belarus region. The increase has been greatest in young females aged 14 years or lower, who have experienced a 30-fold increase in the disease since the explosion.

Between 1980 and 1986, there were 0.15 cases per 100,000 girls aged below 14 years, but this increased to 43.84 cases between 1997 and 2001.

(Source: International Journal of Epidemiology; website: http://www.ije.oupjournals.org).

If you experience these symptoms, you may be sensitive to the multitude of chemical compounds that permeate our work environment. At times the air we breathe affects our health and may even cause computer hardware failure.

Materials and equipment in office buildings and homes usually contain a chemical brew of volatile organic compounds (e.g., formaldehyde, benzene and tricholorethylene) that are outgassed from paper, inks, office equipment, furniture, carpet, paints, wall coverings, cleaning materials, and floor tiles. This is particularly prevalent in new or newly renovated buildings where paints, carpets and sealants release various gasses, especially during the first few months after installation. (Ever noticed that after remodeling, carpeting or painting you nose is congested and your eyes are irritated?) These gasses often stay in the rooms where there is limited air circulation due to sealed buildings or closed windows during winter or summer. Added to this brew are other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that we personally supply, such as chemicals from dry cleaned clothing, perfumes, soaps, shampoos and deodorants. Copiers and laser printers may add to, and activate, this mix by producing ozone. Consequently, indoor air pollution can sometimes be greater than outdoor

In addition, between 33 to 37 percent of people who work at the computer experience eye irritation. This computer vision syndrome includes itching, burning or dry eyes and is often caused by an interaction between indoor air pollution, ergonomics and continuous focus on the monitor. While looking at the screen (or is it staring??), our blinking rate is about 70% less than when we are relaxed. In addition, looking straight ahead or upwards at the monitor may decrease blinking and cause corneal surface drying especially when air conditioning or heating lowers the humidity.

Increase humidity and reduce indoor pollution by rapidly outgassing the unhealthy chemicals in your office, and use living plants to mop up the harmful VOCs. Take charge and make your office a more pleasant place to work when you increase air quality and breathe more fresh air.

HOW TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY:

1. Speed up outgassing after renovation or installation of newly installed furniture or carpets. Turn the heat as high as possible for 24 to 48 hours to speed up the outgassing process. The warmer the room, the faster the gasses are released. During this time period be sure that there is NO fire danger and that the room is not occupied by people or pets. Afterwards, ventilate the room completely.

2. Place plants in your office and home to help clear the indoor pollution and remove the volatile organic compounds. The following plants all mop-up VOCs and some gobble up specific chemicals in this brew. #

• Azaleas, rubber plants, tulips, poinsettia, philodendron and bamboo palms (absorbs formaldehyde)
• Areca palm (absorbs toluene)
• Lady palm (absorbs ammonia)
• Peace lily and chrysanthemum (absorbs acetone, methanol, trichlorethylene, benzene, ethylacetate)

3. Adjust the humidity in the room. If the humidity is less than 20%, which often occurs with air conditioning and heating, your eyes dry out much more quickly, especially when wearing contacts. Bring moisture to your office with a humidifier or plants. Plants not only increase humidity and absorb VOCs, their green color helps to relax your eyes. In addition, to decrease eye symptoms, adjust the monitor so that it is equal to or lower than the height of your eyebrows and increase your blinking rate. Train yourself to blink gently at the end of every paragraph or with every mouse click. Blink at least once or twice a minute.

4. Explore and implement ways to improve the air quality.

• Ventilate your work area (if possible open windows or doors).
• Move copier/laser printers to a well-ventilated space and/or place an exhaust fan near the copier or printer.
• Turn off copiers or laser printers when not in use (purchase new equipment which is energy saving and shuts down when not in use).
• Reduce the amount of fragrances you wear.
• Aerate–before wearing–dry cleaned clothing. Hang them outside or in the bathroom with the fan going for 24 hours.
• Install an air purifier/filter.

Finally, take a walk at lunch or ask coworkers to have a walking meeting so that you can get out in the fresh air especially if you work in a sealed environment. Remember, a breath of fresh air a day keeps the doctor away.

For detailed instructions and information to stay healthy at the computer see:

For more information and detailed instructions, see: Peper, E. & Gibney, K.H. (2000).
Healthy Computing with Muscle Biofeedback, A Practical Manual for Preventing Repetitive Motion Injury. Woerden, Netherlands: BFE. Available in the USA at Work Solutions USA, 2236 Derby Street, Berkeley, CA 94705. Telephone: 510 841 7227; Fax: 510 658 9801. worksolusa@aol.com.

Adapted from Healthy Computing Email Tip 228: Improve the Air produced by E. Peper and K.H. Gibney, Work Solutions USA, 2236 Derby Street, Berkeley, CA 94705.

#For more information see: How To Grow Fresh Air by Bill Wolverton, Penguin, 1997.

Erik Peper, Ph.D., is a professor and director of the Institute for Holistic Healing Studies at San Francisco State University, director of Work Solutions USA and co-author of Healthy Computing with Muscle Biofeedback. Email: epeper@sfsu.edu

Katherine Hughes Gibney provides workplace training and consultation in injury prevention. She is also director of Work Solutions USA and co-author of Healthy Computing with Muscle Biofeedback. Email: worksolusa@aol.com

If you experience these symptoms, you may be sensitive to the multitude of chemical compounds that permeate our work environment. At times the air we breathe affects our health and may even cause computer hardware failure.

Materials and equipment in office buildings and homes usually contain a chemical brew of volatile organic compounds (e.g., formaldehyde, benzene and tricholorethylene) that are outgassed from paper, inks, office equipment, furniture, carpet, paints, wall coverings, cleaning materials, and floor tiles. This is particularly prevalent in new or newly renovated buildings where paints, carpets and sealants release various gasses, especially during the first few months after installation. (Ever noticed that after remodeling, carpeting or painting you nose is congested and your eyes are irritated?) These gasses often stay in the rooms where there is limited air circulation due to sealed buildings or closed windows during winter or summer. Added to this brew are other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that we personally supply, such as chemicals from dry cleaned clothing, perfumes, soaps, shampoos and deodorants. Copiers and laser printers may add to, and activate, this mix by producing ozone. Consequently, indoor air pollution can sometimes be greater than outdoor

In addition, between 33 to 37 percent of people who work at the computer experience eye irritation. This computer vision syndrome includes itching, burning or dry eyes and is often caused by an interaction between indoor air pollution, ergonomics and continuous focus on the monitor. While looking at the screen (or is it staring??), our blinking rate is about 70% less than when we are relaxed. In addition, looking straight ahead or upwards at the monitor may decrease blinking and cause corneal surface drying especially when air conditioning or heating lowers the humidity.

Increase humidity and reduce indoor pollution by rapidly outgassing the unhealthy chemicals in your office, and use living plants to mop up the harmful VOCs. Take charge and make your office a more pleasant place to work when you increase air quality and breathe more fresh air.

HOW TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY:

1. Speed up outgassing after renovation or installation of newly installed furniture or carpets. Turn the heat as high as possible for 24 to 48 hours to speed up the outgassing process. The warmer the room, the faster the gasses are released. During this time period be sure that there is NO fire danger and that the room is not occupied by people or pets. Afterwards, ventilate the room completely.

2. Place plants in your office and home to help clear the indoor pollution and remove the volatile organic compounds. The following plants all mop-up VOCs and some gobble up specific chemicals in this brew. #

• Azaleas, rubber plants, tulips, poinsettia, philodendron and bamboo palms (absorbs formaldehyde)
• Areca palm (absorbs toluene)
• Lady palm (absorbs ammonia)
• Peace lily and chrysanthemum (absorbs acetone, methanol, trichlorethylene, benzene, ethylacetate)

3. Adjust the humidity in the room. If the humidity is less than 20%, which often occurs with air conditioning and heating, your eyes dry out much more quickly, especially when wearing contacts. Bring moisture to your office with a humidifier or plants. Plants not only increase humidity and absorb VOCs, their green color helps to relax your eyes. In addition, to decrease eye symptoms, adjust the monitor so that it is equal to or lower than the height of your eyebrows and increase your blinking rate. Train yourself to blink gently at the end of every paragraph or with every mouse click. Blink at least once or twice a minute.

4. Explore and implement ways to improve the air quality.

• Ventilate your work area (if possible open windows or doors).
• Move copier/laser printers to a well-ventilated space and/or place an exhaust fan near the copier or printer.
• Turn off copiers or laser printers when not in use (purchase new equipment which is energy saving and shuts down when not in use).
• Reduce the amount of fragrances you wear.
• Aerate–before wearing–dry cleaned clothing. Hang them outside or in the bathroom with the fan going for 24 hours.
• Install an air purifier/filter.

Finally, take a walk at lunch or ask coworkers to have a walking meeting so that you can get out in the fresh air especially if you work in a sealed environment. Remember, a breath of fresh air a day keeps the doctor away.

For detailed instructions and information to stay healthy at the computer see:

For more information and detailed instructions, see: Peper, E. & Gibney, K.H. (2000).
Healthy Computing with Muscle Biofeedback, A Practical Manual for Preventing Repetitive Motion Injury. Woerden, Netherlands: BFE. Available in the USA at Work Solutions USA, 2236 Derby Street, Berkeley, CA 94705. Telephone: 510 841 7227; Fax: 510 658 9801. worksolusa@aol.com.

Adapted from Healthy Computing Email Tip 228: Improve the Air produced by E. Peper and K.H. Gibney, Work Solutions USA, 2236 Derby Street, Berkeley, CA 94705.

#For more information see: How To Grow Fresh Air by Bill Wolverton, Penguin, 1997.

Erik Peper, Ph.D., is a professor and director of the Institute for Holistic Healing Studies at San Francisco State University, director of Work Solutions USA and co-author of Healthy Computing with Muscle Biofeedback. Email: epeper@sfsu.edu

Katherine Hughes Gibney provides workplace training and consultation in injury prevention. She is also director of Work Solutions USA and co-author of Healthy Computing with Muscle Biofeedback. Email: worksolusa@aol.com

Recent alarms have been raised by worldwide pollution with these chemicals, which include: the pesticide DDT, banned in the U.S. in 1972 but still sold by U.S. corporations to other countries and still found in our own soil and water; the herbicide dioxin; and PCBs, which have been widely used in making electronic equipment, plastic, inks, adhesives, rubber and carbonless duplicating paper. Food, milk and water everywhere contain organochlorines.

The Trouble with Fish

Organochlorine contamination may have seriously affected the safety of seafood. Although fatty fish are an excellent source of essential fatty acids, most pollutants tend to accumulate in fatty tissue, so that fatty fish are no longer safe to eat on a regular basis, especially if they come from lakes or rivers.

Solution: The safest fish to eat are low-fat fish caught off-shore, such as cod, haddock, pollock, flounder and yellowfin tuna. Many fish farms are found in agricultural areas where drifting pesticide sprays and agricultural runoff can be a serious problem, so, if you eat fish from farms, you must know your source.

Problems with Breastfeeding

In the ultimate environmental horror story, organochlorine contaminants have been found to either mimic or block the effects of human sex hormones. Hormonal effects of organochlorines have been blamed for increased rates of spontaneous abortion, toxemia of pregnancy, endometriosis, breast cancer and testicular cancer. If male fertility really is declining, as some scientists assert, organochlorines may be to blame. The high levels of organochlorines found in human milk raise frightening questions about the safety of breast-feeding.

Solution: I urge my patients not to lose weight while breast-feeding, but to eat heartily. Weight loss releases organochlorines stored in body fat, which travel into the blood and from there into breast milk. Weight loss should take place after weaning, not before. Because organochlorines appear to be most toxic to infants in the womb–but the effects of this toxicity are not apparent until adulthood–the extent of the organochlorine catastrophe will not be evident for at least another generation.

Hazards of Chloricated Water

Chlorination of municipal water supplies dramatically reduced the death rate from typhoid fever, a bacterial infection which is spread through drinking water. But chlorine reacts with organic matter dissolved in water to form cancer-promoting organochlorines like the trihalomethanes (THMs), of which the best known is chloroform. Drinking chlorinated water increases the risk of developing cancer of the rectum or the bladder, the risk increasing the more water is drunk.

Solution: filter your tapwater through activated charcoal, which removes the vast bulk of chlorinated compounds. Charcoal filters also remove other chlorinated contaminants of tap water, like trichloroethylene (TCE), a degreaser which enters municipal water supplies after being dumped in the soil.

Pestcides


Over a billion pounds a year of pesticides are still used every year in the United States alone. Environmentalists, farm workers, federal agencies and food growers continue to disagree about what constitutes “safe” levels of the twenty thousand registered pesticides. Since many of the most toxic agents remain in the environment for decades, and are most harmful to the young, their full impact has not yet been realized.

Solution: The obvious solution is to buy food that is organically grown in compliance with the standards of a state certifying organization. If these are not available, or to expensive, follow the advice of the Environmental Working Group, a research and advocacy organization in Washington, D.C., which has rated forty-two fruits and vegetables for pesticide contamination, based upon a study of fifteen thousand samples conducted by the FDA during 1992 and 1993. They used seven rating criteria, including the percentage of each crop with detectable pesticide residues and the known toxicity of each type of residue. The group calculated that fifty per cent of food pesticide exposure occurs through consumption of twelve foods. The vegetables with the greatest contamination were bell peppers, spinach, celery, green beans, and cucumbers. They recommended substituting less contaminated vegetables for these. The safer vegetables included green peas, broccoli, asparagus, romaine lettuce, carrots, radishes, brussel sprouts, and potatoes.

According to this same report, the commercial fruit most highly contaminated with pesticides were strawberries, cherries, peaches, Mexican cantaloupe, apples, apricots, and Chilean grapes. Less contaminated fruits included nectarines, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, watermelon, and seasonal domestic cantaloupe or grapes.

The first step is a nutritious diet, which decreases consumption of foods made with added fat and sugar. The National Cancer Institute reports that only one per cent of U.S. children consume a well-balanced diet and only about a third meet the government’s food-pyramid targets for fruits, vegetables, grains, meat and dairy. Most surveys over-estimate vegetable intake because they classify french fries and potato chips as vegetables, accounting for about a fourth of alleged vegetable consumption among children. Previous studies from the U.S., Britain and Australia have shown that the eating of fish and tomatoes and the intake of minerals like magnesium and selenium are inversely related to the risk of developing asthma.

Detailed guidelines for feeding children in every age group, along with recipes, are supplied in my first book, Superimmunity for Kids. Recommendations for nutritional supplementation are listed below.

The second step is provision of a hygienic home environment. The three most important areas to control are smoke, dust and humidity. Children exposed to cigarette smoke at home have a higher frequency of asthma, respiratory infection and otitis. House dust can contains surprisingly high levels of lead and toxic waste, tracked in and concentrated from roadside soil, accumulating for years despite routine vacuum cleaning, sometimes exceeding concentrations found at superfund sites. House dust is especially hazardous to toddlers crawling on carpets, because carpet pile is a repository for dust. Excess moisture in the home (a relative humidity of fifty-five per cent or more) encourages the growth of dust mites and of mold. Mites secrete an enzyme which damages the lining of the respiratory tract; children with a high mite exposure are at increased risk for developing asthma. Children who live in homes with visible mildew or moisture are at increased risk for developing repiratory illness and for missing days from school. I describe nine simple steps for parents to take to ensure an environmentally safe home in previous issues of this column.

The third area is regularity of rest and exercise. Exercise of moderate intensity, such as brisk walking or cycling, thirty minutes a day, improves immune function and mood and prevents migraine headache. Most older children, high school students especially, are sleep-de-prived. Sleep deprivation or interrruption reduces natural killer cell activity. Parents should help their children plan schedules that permit eight to ten hours of sleep a night. Daytime relaxation also has important health benefits. A period of quiet, focused relaxation each day relieves anxiety, improves nighttime sleep, and stimulates immune function of stressed individuals.

Nutritional supplements and herbs can make a substantial contribution to childhood health. Omega-three essential fatty acids, found in fish oils and flax oil, are essential for normal immune regulation and brain function. The past century has witnessed a dramatic decline in omega-three consumption, due to changes in food processing, food choices and animal husbandry practices. Cod liver oil, which can be a rich source of omega-three’s, has long been used as a food supplement for children. A recent double-blind placebo-controlled study found that capsules of flax oil, two grams per day, decreased frequency, severity and duration of illness and days missed from school among children suffering from recurrent respiratory infection. I frequently recommend flax oil as a preventive supplement for children and adolescents at a dose to two to six grams per day.

Vitamin E levels in the blood of U.S. chil-dren are mark–edly low-er than those of Japa-nese, German, Austrian or Canadian children, sugge-sting that children in the U.S. may as a group suffer from a mild deficien-cy. Healthy chil-dren with lower vitamin E lev-els have impaired immunity on laboratory tes-ting. The immune defects associated with a relative vitamin E deficiency in “healthy” children are the same deficits associ-ated with in-creased mortali-ty in the elderly.

Children with recurrent respiratory infections have lower blood levels of zinc, iron and vitamin A than do children without recurrent infection. Adequate intakes of zinc and iron can be difficult to obtain from food, even when the diet is better than average. For young children I recommend a preventive daily supplement supplying ten milligrams each of zinc and of iron and twenty-five hundred units of vitamin A; adolescents need twice the dose. Because zinc and iron interfere with each other’s absorption and because iron causes oxidation of vitamin E, children who are not doing well with a multivitamin/mineral pill should take separate doses of zinc, iron and vitamin E at different times of the day. Zinc is best absorbed on an empty stomach, but may cause nausea. The second best time for giving zinc is with a high protein meal. Iron is best absorbed with a high protein meal and when given with vitamin C. Vitamin E is best absorbed with food; the optimal immune-boosting dose is a hundred milligrams per day for small children and two hundred milligrams a day for adolescents.

Adolescents and children may sometimes develop repeated infections despite a hugienic environ-ment, a regular schedule of rest and exercise, and a diet of high nutri-ent density, appropriately tailored to one’s consti-tutional needs, supplemented with EFAs and antioxidants. There are many addi-tional measures which may be taken to stimulate resis-tance. I recommend these frequently to patients in my medical practice and have been impressed with their safety and efficacy for children and adolescents:

(1) Vitamin C, five hundred milligrams per day, increases the activity of white blood cells.

(3) Granular lecithin, one tablespoon a day, has also been shown to improved the activity of white blood cells.

(4) The amino acid dimethylglycine (DMG) has been shown to boost antibody responses to immunization in healthy human volunteers. The dose used was one hundred and twenty milligrams per day.

(5) Immune stimulating herbs may help children overcome acute viral infection. The safest and best-studied are:

Echinacea species, which grow wild across the American mid-west from Wisconsin to Texas. All parts of the Echinacea plant have been used for centu-ries by Native Americans to treat wounds and snake bite. Recent studies on its effects reveal marked stimu-lation of many immune functions, including increased activity of phagocytes. Echinacea is very safe.

The two main species, Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea purpurea, are primarily recommended for acute treat-ment (ten to fourteen days) of colds or the flu. The dose needed is at least 900 mg per day, and I prefer Echi-nacea purpurea root to other preparations. Some people with chronic or recurrent infec-tions benefit from taking Echinacea for prolonged periods, especially, during the winter. It may be taken continuously for eight weeks at a time and should be stopped for a week or two between each eight-week period.

In the treatment of acute respiratory infection, the activi-ty of Echinacea is often enhanced by Chinese herbal mixtures traditionally used for treating fever. My favorite is called Isatis Formula. It is commercially available as an alcohol extraction of the leaves and roots of six plants. The dose is one to three drop-persful three times a day. During heavy flu seasons, over three quarters of my patients taking the Echinacea and Isatis combina-tions have made statements like, “Everyone around me was sick for weeks, taking antibiotics. I usually get sick for three weeks with the flu, but I was better within a few days after starting these herbs.”

Astragalus root is a component of many traditional Chinese herbal formulas, generally considered to be a strong tonic and reistance-builder. Contemporary studies reveal that Astragalus can increase natural killer cell activity. I often recommend Astragalus for maintenance therapy of people with chronic or recurrent infectious diseases of any type, because of its high margin of safety.

(6) Mushrooms. Fungal extracts are widely employed in traditional Chinese medicine. Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) and Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) contain polysaccharides that increase natural killer cell activity and inhibit tumor growth in animals and in humans. Like Astragalus, Shiitake and Reishi are used in contem-porary Chinese medicine as Fu Zheng remedies, which means they “support the normal”, stimu-lating health, rather than being used as medication to treat sickness. A dose which stimulates immune responses is 900 mg per day of each. For people with severe allergies, it is advisable to use Reishi alone, as Reishi may inhibit allergic reactivity and Shiitake may increase it.

Study after study has found that vitamin and mineral supplements improve the immune function of elderly Americans. The specific nutrients with the most profound effects on immune function are EFAs, protein, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B6, folic acid and iron. Among the healthy elderly, immune boosting benefits have been demonstrated for anti-oxidants like zinc, selenium, vitamin E and beta-carotene.

Detoxifying Foods

Protection against the effects of environmental pollution, free-radical induced cell damage and cancer is provided by dietary anti-oxidants. Foods that are richest in these anti-oxidants are red, yellow and green vegetables, uncooked nuts and seeds (like almonds and sunflower seeds), and fish.

The appetizing colors of fresh fruits and vegetables derive from the presence of special groups of anti-oxidants. Carotenoids are fat-soluble compounds which range in hue from light yellow to deep orange. The flagship carotenoid is beta-carotene, the orange pigment evident in carrots and cantaloupe. In the body, beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A, but the importance of carotenoids for human health extends far beyond beta-carotene’s role as a precursor of vitamin A. Dietary supplements of beta-carotene are ineffective in preventing cancer or heart disease, whereas food that is high in beta-carotene and other carotenoids does confer protection. Scientists have previously paid insufficient attention to these other carotenoids, like alpha-carotene, lutein, lycopene and the xanthins. They do not serve as pre-cursors of vitamin A, yet their consumption may be as effective as consumption of beta-carotene in decreasing the risk of cancer, probably because they exert significant anti-oxidant effects of their own. I do not recommend nutritional supplements containing beta-carotene to my patients. Instead, I recommend a diet high in mixed carotenoids, which includes many different varieties of fruits and vegetables: carrots, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, winter squash and papaya. Sea vegetables like kelp, wakame, dulse, hiziki and nori are especially rich in mixed carotenoids. They can be quite tasty cooked or raw, along with rice or beans or in salad.

The darker colors of fruits and vegetables are supplied by a group of compounds called bioflavonoids, which typically range from bright yellow to deep purple in hue. There are over four hundred bioflavonoids in the human diet. They are widely distributed in fruits, vegetables, beverages and spices. A typical North American consumes about one gram of bioflavonoids per day; Asians may consume over five grams per day, much of it coming from herbs and spices. Bioflavonoids are potent anti-oxidants that not only contribute to the health benefits of fruits and vegetables but also to the therapeutic effects of many traditional Chinese and Indian herbal remedies. The bioflavonoids which give grapes their purple color are believed responsible for the protection against heart disease which is offered by red wine. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the bioflavonoid which is the main constituent of green tea, is credited with the protection against cancer that results from drinking green tea.

A number of foods stimulate the body to produce more of the enzymes used for detoxicating the body from cancer-causing chemicals. These foods have been shown to improve liver detoxification and to decrease the risk of developing cancer. They include members of the cabbage family (crucifers), which includes not only cabbage but broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy and brussel sprouts, and also green onions and kale. These vegetables contain compounds called aryl isothiocyanates which directly stimulate the activity of an enzyme, glutathione S-transferase, an important component of the Phase Two system. Activation of liver detoxification probably explains the highly publicized effects of broccoli, brussel sprouts and cabbage in preventing cancer in humans and experimental animals.

Bioflavonoids found in soy beans have weak estrogen-like activity. If a women is deficient in estrogen (early menopause, for example), consuming soy products can replace the missing estrogen and relieve hot flashes. If a person is exposed to an excess of estrogen, the flavonoids in soy act as estrogen blockers and lower the effects of estrogen. The low frequency of breast cancer in east Asia, where soy is a major source of protein, has been attributed to the mild estrogen-blocking effect of soy flavonoids. Preliminary research indicates that soy flavonoids can block the estrogenic effects of dioxin.

Infection-Fighting Foods

A high intake of vegetables increases the consumption of a group of natural chemicals called saponins, which have immune-stimulating and antibiotic effects. Saponins are the latest in a long list of plant chemicals that are not considered nutrients, the way that vitamins are, because no deficiency state has been identified, but which promote health. In plants, saponins seem to function as natural antibiotics, protecting the plant against microbial parasites. In humans, they may thwart cancer and ward off infection. Saponins are most highly concentrated in soybeans, chickpeas, bean sprouts, asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes and oats. They have a creamy texture and a sweet taste that separates them from other plant components. Some biotechnology companies are presently attempting to harvest saponins and use them as drugs.

Carrots, carob, blueberries and raspberries contain complex sugars (oligosaccharides) which interfere with the binding of pathogenic bacteria to the intestinal lining. These have been used in Europe for centuries for the treatment or prevention of diarrhea.

Before they were used as seasoning, culinary herbs and spices were probably used for food preservation. Many varieties have natural antimicrobial activity and can retard spoilage. They are also used to mask the flavor of spoiled food, so I suggest using them at home, where you know the food they flavor is fresh to begin with.

The world’s most extensively studied spice is garlic. Its medicinal use predates recorded history. Garlic is mentioned in the earliest Vedic medical documents, written in India over five thousand years ago. During an epidemic of plague in Marseilles, in 1721, four condemned criminals were enlisted to bury the dead. None of them contracted plague. It seems that they sustained themselves by drinking a cocktail of crushed garlic in cheap wine, which came to be called vinaigre des quatre voleurs (vinegar of the four thieves). In 1858, Louis Pasteur demonstrated garlic’s antibiotic activity. The herb was used by Albert Schweitzer for the treatment of amoebic dysentery at his clinic in Africa. Antimicrobial activity of garlic has been repeatedly demonstrated against many species of bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. In addition, garlic lowers cholesterol and blood pressure and may protect against cancer. The dose of garlic needed to obtain significant benefit is at least ten grams (about three small cloves) per day. Garlic also has a great immune-enchancing effect, stimulating activity of natural killer cells in healthy people and in people with AIDs. AIDS patients taking five to ten grams of aged garlic (equivalent to two to three small cloves) per day developed normal natural killer cell activity after twelve weeks which was associated with clinical improvement.

Onion, garlic’s closest edible relative, has also been widely used for medicinal purposes. Although it lacks the potency of garlic, it can be consumed it much larger quantity, so that its antimicrobial benefits may be equal to those of garlic if consumed regularly.

Turmeric, a major ingredient in curry powder, is a natural antibiotic that relieves intestinal gas by lowering the numbers of gas forming bacteria, has antifungal activity and has been traditionally used for relieving inflammation. The effective dose is about one gram per day.

Ginger, which contains over four hundred chemically active ingredients, has long been used for the treatment of digestive complaints. It protects the intestinal lining against ulceration and has a wide range of actions against intestinal parasites. Cinnamon, which I recommend for sweetening the taste of ginger tea, has anti-fungal activity.

Sage and rosemary contain the essential oil, eucalyptol, which kills Candida albicans, bacteria, and worms. Oregano contains over thirty biologically active iingredients of which twelve have antibiotic, anti-viral, anti-parasitic or anti-fungal effects. As mentioned earlier, thyme has anti-parasitic activity.

Meals seasoned with these pungent, aromatic herbs, consumed regularly, help protect against intestinal infection. However, heating at 200 degrees (Fahrenheit) for twenty minutes destroys the antibacterial activity of most of these spices. They should be added to food at the end of cooking, just before being eaten.

(1) Don’t smoke at home. Exposure to tobacco smoke, whether your own or someone else’s, increases your risk of developing lung cancer, bronchitis and heart attacks and your child’s risk of developing frequent colds, allergies, asthma, and recurrent ear infections.

(2) Remove shoes upon entering your home. In homes where people do not routinely remove their shoes, the house dust is loaded with lead and pesticides which are tracked in from outdoors. Carpeting holds up to a hundred times the amount of dust as bare flooring; the deeper the pile, the harder it is to remove the dust. Dr. David E. Camann of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, isolated dangerous pesticides and wood preservatives from carpet dust five years or more after these had been sprayed outside homes.

House dust is the commonest source of chronic low-level lead exposure for children. A great deal of attention has been focused on old, lead-based paint, peeling and flaking from walls and ceilings, as a source of this contamination. It is less well-known that roadside soil is still poisoned with lead deposited by gasoline fumes emitted before the ban on leaded petroleum additives, or that the soil around houses becomes contaminated with lead during new home construction or home renovations. This lead is tracked into the house, elevating lead levels in air and dust. The lead levels in carpet dust often exceed levels requiring clean-up at Superfund sites. Toxins trapped in home carpets pose a particular hazard to crawling toddlers.

Taking shoes off upon entering the home, wet-mopping of all horizontal surfaces (including window-sills) and regular hand-washing markedly lowers the blood lead concentration of children living in homes with high lead exposure.

Although lead has been banned from house paint, it may still be used in printer’s ink, along with other toxic metals. Burning newspapers or magazines can liberate lead into the air.

(3) Control Moisture. People who live in housing that is damp or shows visible mildew have a higher rate of sickness than people whose housing is free of dampness or visible mold growth. These problems are not dependent upon smoking habits, occupation or income; they occur because dampness encourages the growth of mold and of dust mites, microscopic insects that live in dust and secrete enzymes that damage the respiratory lining. Heavy exposure to dust mites and mold in childhood increases the rate at which allergy develops. Exposure to airborne or food-borne mold toxins increases the incidence of cancer. Because high humidity encourages mold and mite growth, you should maintain a relative humidity of 3 5% to 45% in each room of your house. Relative humidity can be measured with an inexpensive meter, available in hardware stores. Detailed advice on measures for controlling excess humidity and its attendant ills is presented in my book, The Four Pillars of Healing.

There is surprisingly little evidence to implicate lack of humidity as a source of sickness. If the relative humidity is less than thirty per cent, dryness of the skin and irritation of the nose and throat may occur. Before you rush out to buy a humidifier, however, try lowering the thermostat a few degrees. The hotter you keep your home, the more moisture you need in the air. Humidifiers are dangerous breeding grounds for mold and bacteria. Anti-foulants added to the water in a humidifier are worthless in controlling bacterial growth and themselves pose a health hazard if inhaled. Medical advice to humidify the air for improving respiratory problems has little evidence to support it. Only humidify your home air if you notice a definite improvement in pre-existing respiratory complaints; otherwise the risks outweigh the benefits. If you must use a humidifier, use a cool mist or ultrasonic room unit that is not connected to your central heating system. It will be much easier to clean. Use only distilled water in the reservoir and drain the unit daily, cleaning it with hydrogen peroxide diluted one-to-one with distilled water.

(4) Check appliances and sources of combustion. Stoves, heaters and dryers that burn fuel of any kind may generate carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. If the appliance is improperly maintained or vented, carbon monoxide poisoning can occur. Acute carbon monoxide exposure can cause death by asphyxiation, heart attacks, headache, lethargy, hyperactivity, irritability, confusion, bizarre behavior, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, blackout spells and seizures. Acute poisoning may be followed by evidence of brain damage two to four weeks later. The delayed symptoms include memory loss, unclear speech, visual disturbances, unsteady gait and personality changes. Chronic low grade exposure may cause subtle deterioration in mental function and hearing loss. Sometimes the first signs of carbon monoxide toxicity in the home are morning headache or dizziness and difficulty concentrating. Information on low-cost carbon monoxide detectors is available from the Consumer Products Safety Commission (800-638-2772).

Nitrogen dioxide is a respiratory tract irritant that can cause sore throat or cough and increase the rate at which allergies develop. It has been shown to increase the spread of cancer in experimental animals. Its main indoor sources are appliances that burn natural gas and kerosene space heaters. Nitrogen dioxide emissions in homes are greatly reduced by venting appliances to the outside and by the electrical ignition of gas stoves rather than the use of a pilot light.

(5) Reduce formaldehyde levels. Because of the extensive use of building materials and furnishings which release it, formaldehyde exposure is almost inescapable in modern indoor environments. The greatest levels are given off by the glue which holds together fiberboard, particleboard, and plywood panelling. New houses with particle board sub-flooring and mobile homes are loaded with formaldehyde. Although formaldehyde emission eases with time, high humidity or moisture disintegrates the glue and increases formaldehyde release. Formaldehyde is used to stiffen fabrics of all types, so that new clothing, carpeting and upholstered furniture may off-gas considerable formaldehyde for days or weeks. Other sources of formaldehyde in household air are foam insulation, urea-formaldehyde finish coatings on furniture and flooring, fresh latex paint, space heaters, new paper or plastic products of any type, and cosmetics (including nail polish, skin creams, and hair sprays).

Acute exposure to low doses of formaldehyde may cause burning of the eyes, nose and throat, tearing, nausea, dizziness, cough, chest pain and shortness of breath. Chronic exposure has been causally associated with headache, drowsiness, memory loss, menstrual irregularities and two types of human cancer.

Testing for formaldehyde in home air should be done when all doors and windows are closed and heat and humidity are high, to eliminate false negative readings. When the source of formaldehyde cannot be removed (e.g. in mobile homes), surface treatments to seal pressed-wood sources may significantly reduce emissions.

(6) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These are invisible gases which are emitted from paints, adhesives, carpeting, wall coverings, new furniture, building materials, solvents, cleaning solutions, copy machines, and laser printers. Studies using experimental chambers have shown that VOCs can cause irritation of the respiratory system in humans and animals at levels which are one hundred times weaker than the World Health Organization Indoor Air Guidelines. Controlled experiments with people who suffer from Sick Building Syndrome confirm that VOC exposure can also cause headache, fatigue and difficulty concentrating. Dozens of VOCs have been identified in residential air. Some of the VOCs found in indoor air, such as benzene derivatives, may promote cancer in humans. Concern over the safety of cleaning solutions and VOCs has created a demand for less toxic alternatives. Information about these products can be obtained from sources in listed in the appendix of The Four Pillars of Healing. Good dust control (as described in section 2 above) will lower VOC levels, because dust particles absorb VOCs and increase their concentration in the air.

(8) Purify your water. Chlorination of municipal water supplies was first introduced in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1908. It dramatically reduced the death rate from typhoid fever, a bacterial infection which is spread through drinking water. But chlorination has drawbacks. Chlorine reacts with organic matter dissolved in water to form cancer-promoting substances like the trihalomethanes (THMs), of which the best known is chloroform. Drinking chlorinated water increases the risk of developing cancer of the rectum or the bladder, the risk increasing the more water is drunk. THMs are volatile; they evaporate from water during cooking or when showers are running and contaminate the air in homes. A preventive solution: filter your tapwater through activated charcoal, which removes the vast bulk of chlorinated compounds, before you boil it. Shower-head filters that remove chlorine will help to prevent the release of chloroform gas during hot showers.

(9) Refresh the air in your home/office. Laser printers, copiers and fax machines all release VOCs into the air when they operate. Maintain a source of fresh air, like an open window, and run an exhaust fan or an air purifier that contains a charcoal filter. Ordinary air purifiers remove dust and pollen but not chemicals. Don’t make yourself a victim.

There are many reasons for concerns about environmental pollution and radiation exposure in this day and age. This is more true around big cities, but even in the rural sections of this nation, air and water contamination is spreading, and pesticides are a danger everywhere. Unless we want to go live in the wilderness, we need to be aware of many environmental toxins and learn how to protect ourselves from them; however, the wilderness is likely to be contaminated these days as well. Also, the air and waterways transport industrial and agricultural pollutants, and radioactive fallout may affect living things anywhere.

Environmental pollution has become a major political and health issue for all of us. The issue of short-term profit versus the health of our planet and ourselves is what we are really addressing. Many of the specific issues and individual environmental toxins, as well as the politics involved, are discussed in detail in Chapter 11. This section also examines some of the specific toxins but is primarily designed to offer a general program on how to minimize, handle, and protect ourselves from the many environmental pollutants and their effects upon us.

Exposure to environmental pollution is inevitable. A healthy human can adapt to mild and periodic exposure to pollutants in our air, water, and food. Some chemicals are easier to avoid than others. We have more control over what we take into our body than what goes into our air and water. Healthy food choices, such as “organic” produce and purified water, and avoiding food additives, cigarettes, and home chemicals will certainly diminish our risks.

Our immune defenses, gastrointestinal and liver functions, and other systems of elimination all play an important role in handling and clearing body toxins. With increased or prolonged exposure or with a diminished ability to handle chemical contamination for a variety of reasons, such as a weakened immune system or a liver overworked with excessive demands from processing certain drugs or consuming too much fat in the diet, our interaction with these toxins can have many damaging effects. The damage may range from mild tissue irritation or immune suppression to an increase in the formation of carcinogenic cells. If these processes continue unchecked, cancer could develop. (See Chapter 11 for a discussion of chemical carcinogenesis.)

Understanding the hazards and where and how we are exposed to these environmental dangers is an important beginning. Our greatest insurance is maintaining a healthy, functioning body and immune system through positive lifestyle habits, such as eating a wholesome diet, exercising regularly, minimizing stress and maintaining positive attitudes. In addition, many nutrients in our diet and extra nutritional supplements can both support needed functions and protect against possible dangers.

This program is designed for people subject to regular (daily) environmental exposure, such as those living in a smoggy industrial city, as well as for people who are chronically or acutely exposed to particular chemical agents. These include artists, chemical workers, metal workers, electronics workers, people who use pesticides, printers, those exposed to x-rays, either as technicians or as patients, and those who work around or at nuclear or other power plants.

The basic guidelines for staying healthy in an increasingly polluted environment involve avoiding certain subtle dangers, protecting ourselves against others, and taking positive personal and political actions.

It is wise to live, if possible, where the air is relatively clean, or, if we cannot, to invest in a home air purifier and to take protective supplements. Stopping smoking and avoiding others’ cigarette smoke are also important steps. Making sure our water is clean wherever we live means testing it and possibly investing in a good quality, solid-carbon-block filter or reverse osmosis water purifier to ensure that water, our most important “nutrient,” does not add to our contamination (see Chapter 1, Water). Buying and eating “organic” foods as much as possible will also help to minimize further exposure to pesticides and other chemicals used to treat food. Growing our own garden is an even better idea and will orient us toward eating more fresh and wholesome food. Avoiding overuse of chemicals at home is also a good idea, as is reducing exposure at work whenever possible. Commonly used steroid drugs can suppress our immune function and reduce our natural defenses’ ability to protect us from toxins and microorganisms as well as lead to slower healing. These steroid drugs with their complex and suppressive effects should be avoided, and if possible, natural healing should be supported and encouraged.

Avoiding excessive sun exposure, especially of the face and particularly in fair-skinned individuals, is very important. There has been a marked increase in skin cancer in recent decades, thought to be a result of the thinning of the ozone layer caused by air pollution with chlorofluorocarbons. This means that the sun’s ultraviolet rays are less filtered and more dangerous now than they were 25 years ago. A sunscreen, 10–15 SPF, is suggested whenever sun exposure will last longer than an hour. Many natural sunscreens contain PABA, a B vitamin. (For more ideas on healthy survival, see the 88 Survival Suggestions at the end of Chapter 11.)

Our nutritional plan to counteract exposure to environmental pollutants and radiation begins with a diet that will keep us healthy and not compromise our immune functions with irritating or allergenic foods. That means a diet that provides adequate, balanced protein, is high in complex carbohydrates and low in fat and sugar, and includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. A minimum of four to six glasses of purified water, as well, helps keep everything moving and favors elimination of toxins. Remember, “dilution is the solution to pollution.” Taking “medicinal” baths can also be used for detoxification of certain pollutants and radiation exposure.

Metal or chemical exposure—use the Clorox bath, which helps remove pollutants through skin. Add 1 cup Clorox bleach to hot bath; soak for 15–20 minutes.

Radiation exposure—try this salt-soda bath—a good suggestion following airline flights or long hours at a computer. Add 1 pound each of sea salt and baking soda to hot bath; soak until bath is cool.

Energizing detoxification bath—add 2 cups apple cider vinegar to hot bath; soak 15–30 minutes. Can be used for radiation exposure in place of salt-soda.

Bath Therapy Salts—available in stores to add to bath water for relaxation and relief of muscle aches.

Because chemical bombardment can lead to a weakened immune system, an increase in allergies, and more symptoms and disease, avoiding foods high in chemicals is definitely part of the plan. Some people become hypersensitive to the chemicals in the environment as a result of chemical exposures, and foods can be a major factor. The most important food additives to avoid are the food colors found in so many artificial foods and the nitrates and nitrites used in cured meats, such as bacon, ham, bologna, and salami. Artificial flavors and other food additives, such as sulfites and MSG, should also be avoided.

Chlorophyll-containing foods, such as the greens—lettuces, spinach, chard, and kale—are good choices, as are the cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and brussels sprouts, which are thought to be anticancer foods (these should all be “organic,” as these skinless vegetables may concentrate chemicals). All of these foods, as well as most sprouts, are good sources of vitamin K; these cruciferous vegetables are also known to protect us from cancer development. Foods rich in beta-carotene, such as these same cruciferous vegetables, as well as carrots and sweet potatoes, will add more of this antioxidant nutrient. Some freshly made vegetable juices daily, with carrots, greens, and others, adds a vitalizing and purifying drink. Miso, a fermented soybean paste used for soup broth, is known to protect against pollution and radiation. Seaweeds, high in natural metal-chelating algins, are likewise useful antipollution foods. They are also high in minerals. Some authorities believe that yogurt and other fermented milk products help protect against pollution. Extra kelp (seaweed powder), brewer’s yeast, or liquid lecithin may also give additional support.

4 ounces tofu, cut in small squares

1 ounce kombu or nori, cut in strips

3 cups purified water

1 Tablespoon miso paste (or to taste)

1 lemon

1H cups cooked brown rice

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil (optional)

green onions, chopped (optional)

cilantro, chopped (optional)

For “Anti-Radiation Soup,” add the tofu and seaweed (nori or kombu) to boiling water and simmer for a few minutes. Stir in some miso paste for flavor (do not boil the miso), add juice of lemon and the optional ingredients if desired, cover, and let sit for 15–20 minutes. Serve with brown rice—eaten separately or stirred into the soup. This macrobiotic dish was shown to reduce radiation sickness after the Hiroshima bombing and will probably protect us from some of the hazardous effects of x-rays and metal exposures.

Many vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients can counteract some of the actions of environmental toxins. A good-quality “multiple” will provide many of them. The antioxidant nutrients will decrease the potential of free-radical toxicity. Vitamin A provides immune support and tissue protection. Beta-carotene specifically reduces the carcinogenicity of many chemicals, especially airborne ones and the chemicals in cigarette smoke; it also helps decrease the negative effects of ionizing radiation. Vitamin C protects the cells and tissues against the effects of water-soluble chemicals such as carbon monoxide, metals such as cadmium, and metabolic by-products such as carcinogenic nitrosamines made from nitrites. At least several grams of ascorbic acid daily are needed for this protection. Vitamin E, about 400–800 IUs, and selenium, 200–300 mcg., work together to protect the cells from pollutants including ozone, nitrogen dioxide, nitrites, and metals, such as lead, mercury, silver, and cadmium. For environmental protection, the sodium selenite form of selenium may not be as effective as the more direct-acting selenomethionine form, especially in regard to its detoxifying function.

Many minerals are useful in this program. Zinc is probably most important as an immune strengthener and tissue healer that is needed for the functioning of many detoxifying enzymes, thus helping to protect the cells from pollutant toxins. As an example, zinc, as well as copper and manganese, function in the superoxide dismutase system to detoxify oxygen free radicals which might be generated from ozone and photochemical smog. Calcium and magnesium help to neutralize some colon toxins and decrease heavy metal absorption from the gastrointestinal tract.

The B vitamins are also important. A B complex formula with sufficient thiamine, pantothenic acid, and niacinamide is usually helpful. Niacin, the B3 “flushing” form, has an interesting role in the purification process, especially with many chemicals and pesticides. A combination of high amounts of niacin and other vitamins and minerals, long saunas, fluids, and exercise offers a very purifying process. There have even been claims of improvement of symptoms from Agent Orange (2,4,5T) toxicity with the use of this kind of detoxification program. This type of program is usually carried out over periods of about two or three weeks. It can even be done on occasion after recent exposure or excessive drug intake (see General Detoxification in Chapter 18).

Lipoic acid, a cofactor in the metabolism of pyruvate, is another interesting relative of the B vitamins. It is not essential in humans, but it does have some medicinal effects and is safe. It helps protect the liver and aids in detoxification, particularly for the effects of radiation. This vitamin can be taken at levels of about 100 mg. daily for these effects.

The sulfur-containing amino acids have a protective and detoxifying effect. L-cysteine, the primary one, may help neutralize many heavy metal toxins and toxic by-products (aldehydes) of smoking, smog, alcohol, and fats through its precursor role in the formation of glutathione, a tripeptide essential to the action of several important enzymes, particularly glutathione peroxidase. Since glutathione itself is not very stable or thought to be well utilized as an oral supplement, L-cysteine appears best utilized for this protective purpose. Methionine, another sulfur-containing amino acid, also has mild detoxification and protective functions.

Fiber, both the insoluble type, such as wheat bran, and the more soluble psyllium husks, encourage natural detoxification in the colon, binding toxins and reducing absorption of metals. Another chelating fiber is the algin molecule, sodium alginate, that comes from seaweeds. It can be utilized as a supplement to decrease absorption of minerals, especially the heavy metals and radioactive metals used in nuclear power plants and medical testing. The chlorophyll-containing algae, such as chlorella and spirulina also provide this chelating effect, though more mildly than the alginate extracts. Several studies have shown a decreased absorption of radioactive strontium (Sr90) as well as barium, silver, mercury, cadmium, zinc, and manganese with the use of oral alginates. Two other nutrients that are popular in antioxidant and antistress energizing formulas are the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) and dimethylglycine (DMG). Although there has been little supporting research on the oral use of these nutrients, many people who take them describe improved energy and mental clarity.

Regarding radiation exposure, the first suggestion is to avoid it whenever possible. Minimize irradiating medical tests. Particularly avoid medical body scans, which may require injection of radioactive metals such as cobalt 60, iodine 131, or technitium 90. With x-rays, shield the thymus gland, an important immunological organ in the upper chest. When dental x-rays are taken, ask the dental technician for a thyroid (neck) screen. The dentist should have a lead “thyroid collar” available. Do not live near a nuclear power plant or an industry that employs radioactive wastes or toxic chemicals. Also, do not eat fish caught from waters containing effluents from these factories. Frequent high-altitude airline flights increase radiation exposure. Avoid irradiated foods that may be treated with nuclear waste containing cobalt 60 or cesium 137. We do not “officially” know the effects of consuming treated food, but I am not overly optimistic. (See Chapter 11, sections on Food Irradiation and 88 Survival Suggestions.)

With any radioactive iodine tests or exposure to iodine fallout, take kelp or iodine for several weeks before and after the test to occupy the iodine-binding sites (unless, of course, this will interfere with the test) so that the least amount of the radioactive element will stay in the body.

Strontium 90 competes with calcium and also lowers vitamin D. Taking extra vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium plus kelp and algin, pectin and lecithin, and L-cysteine may reduce absorption and speed elimination to prevent strontium 90 from getting stored in the bones.

Radiation causes many undesirable internal reactions, especially in the most prolific tissues, such as the gastrointestinal tract and skin. Radiation therapy may affect the appetite, tastes, and the ability to eat. Radiation is cumulative, and many things may add to it, from color TV and microwaves to x-rays and fallout exposure. We need a good protective program! When living in areas with high background radiation, it is wise to take higher amounts of antioxidants regularly.

Several writers have offered guidelines for protection against the effects of radiation. Paavo Airola, in How to Get Well, suggests a plan of high amounts of vitamin C with rutin, extra pantothenic acid, brewer’s yeast, yogurt, vitamin F or essential fatty acids, inositol and lecithin, and lemon juice or lemon peel. Stuart Berger’s guide-lines in The Immune Power Diet include extra potassium, 1200 mg. of calcium, and 800 mg. of magnesium in addition to his usual environmental protection plan of 4–6 grams of vitamin C, 600 IUs of vitamin E, 100 mg. of zinc, and 20,000 IUs of beta-carotene. In The Complete Guide to Anti-Aging Nutrients, Sheldon Hendler recommends vitamins C and E, niacin, and copper to protect against the effects of x-rays and environmental toxins.

In addition to radiation, this program will also help against environmental pollutants, including a number of toxic chemicals, such as carbon monoxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide from the air, various pesticides and volatile hydrocarbons, food additives such as nitrites and sulfites, and toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. Cigarette smoke is a big problem, mainly for those who choose to smoke or cannot quit. (A Nicotine Detoxification program is offered in Chapter 18.)

A number of herbs and food extracts can be used to help detoxification and decrease the risks from environmental pollution. The algins, mentioned earlier, help clear metal and radiation toxins. Fibers such as wheat (or oat) bran and psyllium seed husks help to increase toxin elimination. Alfalfa, rich in chlorophylls and vitamin K, may help reduce tissue damage with radiation exposure. Apple pectin also helps bind and clear intestinal metal and chemical toxins. In The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine, Daniel Mowrey recommends a formula for environmental pollution including alfalfa, algin (from seaweed or algae), wheat bran, apple pectin, and kelp. These help to decrease the toxicity of chemical and metal pollutants; in addition, this high-fiber formula helps to reduce cholesterol levels and is often useful in treating colds and flus, where bowel elimination is so important. Extra vitamin E and fish oils containing DHA and EPA as well as an antioxidant formula with additional vitamin C may make this formula work even better. Of course, we as a culture must pay heed. Even our potential healing sources (water, food, oils, etc.) can become toxic if we do not care for Earth’s environment.

The table on the following page concentrates on the nutrients that protect against damage by toxins and free radicals. These nutrients offer protection by providing immune support, antioxidant and anticancer effects, and detoxification. The amounts listed are daily totals, usually taken in several portions over the course of the day.

Related programs

Anti-Stress, Immune Enhancement, Cancer Prevention, and General Detoxification

Our dietary habits that is and the way we eat probably influence our health even more than the foods we choose to eat. Developing good dietary habits should begin as early as possible, because these habits will help or hinder us for life. Once they are “under our belt,” so to speak, they are very difficult to change. For example, obesity is as much a result of how we eat as it is of what we eat. Overeating, eating late at night, or eating too many different foods at a meal can weaken our digestive functions and make it much easier to gain weight. Overeating at meals and snacking between meals are common eating problems, and often these habits are picked up from other family members during our developmental years. The focus on food and the socialization around eating are family dynamics that become deep-seated very early. Our psychological and emotional states are often tied into habits such as these. Equating food with love or prosperity, and eating for emotional satisfaction or security, are powerful psychological factors which are influenced by eating patterns and problems. Thus, weight reduction is a significant challenge that encompasses major shifts in our psyche, attitudes, emotions, and, hopefully, our physique.

Specific food attractions are also part of our personal eating pattern. These likes and dislikes often develop when we are children and are usually difficult to change. They also influence our health and weight. Breads, pastas, meats, peanut butter, chips, ice cream, fried foods, sugars, hot dogs, hamburgers, and french fries are not our most healthful foods, but these are surely in greater demand than carrots, celery, and apples. The Western family?s attraction to fatty foods continues to influence children, teenagers, and young adults, toward the trend of obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Tastes for specific flavors, such as for salty or sweet foods, also develop when we are young, and are accordingly difficult to change. Occasionally, people become attracted to sour or spicy foods, to bitter foods, such as leafy greens, or to other, less common, flavors. In our culture, abuse of or addiction to sugar and salt is very widespread and influences health significantly. From sugar added to baby food, cereal, coffee or tea, and salt added to almost everything else, to further hidden salt and sugar in most restaurant or fast foods, we are constantly bombarded with these two flavors. The Chinese consider that there are five flavors?sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and bitter?all of which must be balanced to create a healthy diet (see further discussion in Chapter 12, under Flavors [Balance]).

The abuse of sugar and salt in America and even worldwide is significantly influencing the types of diseases seen. Too much sugar affects the teeth, contributes to obesity, and may be an important factor in the development of adult diabetes. Extra salt affects the body?s water balance, thereby affecting the kidneys, blood pressure, and, eventually, the entire cardiovascular system. Most of these problems could be greatly reduced with a more balanced diet.

During the last quarter century, we have seen a dramatic increase in fast foods, snack foods, artificial foods, and foods containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt, or fats. Though these foods may be less expensive for the consumer, the overall costs are more than just what it takes to pay for big factories, expensive equipment, and many employees; it affects the health of our internal and external environment, and that?s a high price to pay! Nowadays, nearly 40 percent of the food dollar is spent in restaurants. Fat intake is more than 40 percent of the average diet. A large portion of the American diet consists of those poor-nutrition foods with their empty calories and excess fat, salt, and sugar?hamburgers, french fries, soft drinks, pizza, hot dogs, fried chicken, bacon, potato chips, candy, pastries, and so on. The attraction to and regular intake of these foods because of their flavors, consistency, availability, or social acceptance easily become ?habits??we seek them out without thinking, and they become a regular part of our diet, often in place of more nutritious foods.

Luckily, we can change these habits. We can change what we eat, how we eat, and when we eat. We can shed addictions to sugar, salt, or other specific foods. We can gain new attractions to more wholesome foods, and lose weight, allowing our body to find its more optimal shape and metabolism. Any change, however, does require motivation and time to allow for physiological readjustments and even withdrawal to take place; this usually takes at least a few weeks. But more and more people are choosing natural foods and losing their tastes for unnatural, oversweetened, salty, greasy, meaty foods. Preparing simpler meals with simpler foods in modest quantities spread out through the day is a healthful way of eating that has come back into vogue.

FOOD HABIT INTERVIEW

Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How

There are many factors involved in eating to achieve a balance of physical nourishment, mental relaxation, and emotional harmony. These goals are easily undermined when we let certain patterns develop and lose our sense of eating as a way of nourishing body, mind, and spirit. When we do not take the time to prepare wholesome food, or if we hurry our meal or eat in unpeaceful settings, we risk creating difficulties in digestion and assimilation and losing the basic nurturing potential of our food. Let us take a brief look at a healthful way to approach food and our relationship to it.

Who is it that is eating? Of course, it is each of us that is ultimately responsible for our nutrition, except when we are babies or young children. However, many of us never grow up when it comes to being responsible for what we consume and learning about healthful nutrition?how to shop, how to store food, and especially how to prepare it. It is not the responsibility of our spouse or the cook at the local restaurant; we all need to learn the art of food preparation so that we can ultimately nourish ourselves and others. Anyone who feels that their only role is to go out into the world and make money is selling himself or herself short as complete human beings. I am not suggesting that we all become gourmet chefs, but I would urge everyone to learn the basics of meal preparation so that when left to our own devices we will not just survive, but thrive. As we grow, we need to develop our sense of what is the best diet for each of us, and not live by the needs of our housemates, spouse, parents, or children. This individual process is an essential part of good nutrition throughout life.

With whom we eat is also important. Creating a peaceful setting around food preparation and food consumption is a vital part of the nutrition process. ?What goes in is what comes out? is a wise saying regarding the transformative powers of energy?and if love and a nourishing spirit go into food while it is being prepared, it is likely that the person eating it will experience those qualities. When a meal is prepared by someone who is frustrated or angry, it may take on a whole different nature. That is why loving mothers and grandmas are often the best family cooks?they put their love into everything they make.

This leads to another important aspect of eating?the social setting in which we eat. The family meal, with its members sitting around the table sharing the day?s experiences, is potentially wholesome and relaxing. But if there is more stress than peace, more argument than discussion, or too much coming and going, digestion and nourishment can be negatively affected. If we are particularly sensitive to others or easily upset, it might be best to eat in peace by ourselves or with another who likes to eat quietly. But many families and cultures use mealtimes to socialize, and I believe that we can adapt to this with the right attitudes. Everyone should make the time to relax and breathe before eating?before receiving new energy. To receive nourishment, we must be receptive. Eating on the run or while doing other things, even having an intense conversation during a meal, does not really allow us to pay attention to the whole process of eating?chewing, tasting, and swallowing our food. Overeating is common in these situations. I believe that when individuals, couples, or families have their main or primary contact around the dinner table, inappropriate attitudes toward food can be created?associating being social or close to others while eating, or even using food as a barrier against social interactions and closeness, are some resulting problems.

It is a good idea to ask ourselves with whom and in what kind of setting we like to eat?quietly alone, with a certain friend over an intimate dinner, or in a quick, move-?em-through meal. When we tune into our own preferences, we can nourish ourselves to the fullest potential.

What we eat is probably the most important factor. (However, even the healthiest diet will not be utilized properly if we are stressed, upset, or eat on the run.) A balanced diet is, of course, what we all need. What this actually is may vary from person to person. Our diet is ultimately based upon our individual needs, our cultural background, and our current knowledge and tastes. At best, we should eat moderately and eat a variety of foods.

A balanced diet in my ?book? contains lots of fresh foods?fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, and nuts. More concentrated foods such as eggs, milk products, and animal meats, can be added as desired and tolerated, though they should make up a much smaller percentage of the diet than the vegetable source foods. An even smaller amount of manufactured, processed, or baked foods should be included?these are really not needed at all.

Food combining and rotating our foods so as not to eat the same things every day, may help alleviate or prevent such problems as poor digestion or allergies. We may
find that certain foods feel very good in our body both short and long term, while others do not resonate very well.

The topic of ?what to eat? is really what a good part of this book is about. Also,
see Part Three, Building a Healthy Diet.

When we eat is a fairly controversial concept in nutrition. Though most cultures have regular mealtimes, this is ultimately an individual choice based on body cycles, work, energy levels, and sleep patterns.

The first rule of eating is to eat when we are hungry. The message of hunger tells us that our body has digested and used the last food we consumed and is ready for more. Many people, especially those who are overweight, experience more emotional or psychological hunger than the physical feeling we are talking about here.

We need to balance this hunger response with regular eating patterns, as it is also important to plan meals and have food available when we are hungry. If our schedule is such that we have specific times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we need to eat sufficiently but not excessively, so that we are feeling some hunger at the time of our next meal. There are many people in the world, especially in Western cultures, who rarely experience hunger. There are also millions of impoverished people on this earth who rarely experience nutritional satisfaction.

When to eat what kinds of foods and how much food to eat are nutritional issues about which there have been a variety of theories. That we should not eat too much too late in the day is a pretty unanimous viewpoint. Eating a wholesome, well-balanced dinner in the late afternoon or early evening is a fairly well-accepted activity. Dinner tends to be the most social meal, a time to relax after a hard day at work, school, or home. In many parts of the world, particularly Europe, people tend to eat lightly in the morning, and then eat their main meal in the early afternoon. Dinner is usually light with soup and bread or salad, and often a social time with friends or family. See Chapter 9, the Italian diet, as an example.

Breakfast is a more open question. The word breakfast means to ?break the fast? after not eating overnight, often for nearly twelve hours. Some traditional schools of thought feel that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?that a big breakfast consisting of fruit, starch, protein, fats, muffins, and so on is what gets us going. Clearly, if we finish eating for the day by 6:00 or 7:00 p.m., the next morning we should be hungry again and need a wholesome, nourishing breakfast. However, many adults eat later in the evening. Thus, there are many, myself included, who think that our fast should be broken in the morning very lightly, with fruit, for example, and that we should progress through the day with more concentrated foods. The best-selling nutrition book, Fit for Life, suggests that the ?natural hygiene? of our body cycle wants to cleanse the previous day?s food from 4:00 a.m. until noon and to want only cleansing fruits in the morning. At noon, we may begin to eat vegetables and use more concentrated starch, protein, or fat food per meal. We consume most of our food from midday until 8:00 p.m. If we are early risers and workers, our food intake cycle can begin earlier, though it should probably end earlier as well. When it is very cold, or if we do a lot of physical work, we may need a more warming and fuel-oriented breakfast, though many people can do very well on fruit alone in the morning. With this system, fruit is eaten by itself, not with or after other foods (see the section on Food Combining later in this chapter).

Often, we do not know our own needs unless we experiment. By eating different amounts at different times of the day, we can see what will work best for our work and energy schedules. If we get very fatigued in the afternoon after lunch, we may need to shift things around. A big dinner and light breakfast may be best for us, or it may be the other way around. We won?t know unless we try it. Just because we have been doing things one way for a long time does not mean that it is the best way.

Where we eat can be particularly important for people who are overweight because of poor eating habits. With our concerns about time, convenience, and comfort, it is easy to find places to eat or snack away from our usual ones, such as the dinner table. Eating in front of the television, in the car, or while walking around leads to an increased intake of food, especially of the more highly caloric snack foods. This can become an extra assault on our digestive tract, which gets no chance to rest. While eating, avoid ?techno-traps,? such as telephones, television, and computers. Choose foods which will reduce electrical interference in our digestive, assimilative, and mental abilities (see Electropollution in Chapter 11).

I suggest to people on weight-loss programs or to those who have developed poor eating habits that they pick one or two places to consume their food, usually one indoors and the other out. Eating outdoors, especially in a natural setting, can contribute to the relaxation and enjoyment of the meal. The dining room table is usually the best indoor spot, so that eating is mainly centered around meals instead of snacks. Restaurant eating involves another place we may need to include, but, for a variety of reasons, restaurant eating is best done only occasionally.

People who are overweight tend to snack or eat while watching television or become ?prowlers? in their own home, checking the refrigerator and cupboards for treats even after a good-sized meal. Retraining ourself to eat in a limited number of places, those that are in our best health interest, may be difficult, but it is a good habit to develop. Where do you usually eat? Do you like quiet meals, with nice music, or social meals?

Why we eat is definitely an interesting question. We should basically eat to nourish our being?our organs, our tissues, every cell in our body. Food is the main human fuel for life; it provides heat and all of the specific nutrients that we have discussed so far in this book. It helps the body function. For a period of time when we rest or fast, our body can use stored nutrients to run itself, but eventually we need to refuel.

As my associate Bethany ArgIsle suggests, we have many more mouths to feed other than just our oral cavity. Our eyes need to be nourished with color and beauty, our ears with music and the sounds of nature, our nose with the natural fragrances of the world, our hands and body with the touch of another, and, of course, our heart and spirit with the love and friendship of other living beings. Nourishment comes in many forms and on many levels. Many people feed their bellies but not their souls, and this will not lead us where we are meant to go.

There are, of course, many other reasons why we eat?loneliness, frustration, reward, and punishment to name a few. Some of us use food like a drug to sedate or numb ourselves to our life situation. We should be aware of this aspect of eating.

Most of us at some times eat for social reasons. Sharing food is a custom of friendship. When we are asked to join someone in their creative cuisine or for a drink or snack, it is often taken as a rejection or even an insult if we decline. I have learned through the years, especially since my diet has usually been so different from those around me, to share what I was or wasn?t doing and why, as a means to educate or inspire friends or relatives to other possibilities. But it is often difficult not to succumb to their temptations. If we are planning to go to a social gathering for eating, it would be wise to eat lightly in the hours prior to your arrival; the extra hunger will allow us to really enjoy the meal, though we must be careful not to overeat. We all, on some level, want our friends or family to be like us. Still, individuality is the beauty of our species and one of the most important aspects of nutrition.

How we eat can also make a big difference in our nutrition. Eating slowly and chewing our food well are very important. Starting the digestive process in the mouth saves a lot of wear and tear on the stomach (which does not have teeth) and digestive tract. We can then more easily break down the food and utilize the nutrients contained in it. When we rush through meals, we are doing our body and digestion a disservice. Our emotions influence our digestive functions as much as any system in our body, so getting into a peaceful and receptive state is important to healthy food consumption. Allotting enough time to nourish ourselves is also helpful.

How we get the food from the plate or bowl to our mouth?what utensils we use?is also an interesting topic. The choice of the Western world is silverware (or other metalware). Personally I do not like to eat with metals. (Forks are sharp and hard, and if the metal hits the metal fillings in our mouth, well, that?s no fun.) Those of us who enjoy Eastern influences prefer chopsticks, especially the wooden (not plastic) variety. My favorite utensils, though, are my God-given chopsticks called fingers. My mother and my more ?proper? friends have never been very supportive of this habit. Whether with fingers or chopsticks, eating can be a very primal and personal experience. Many foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, adapt easily to hand- or finger-eating. Soup may be drunk, and soft foods such as mashed potatoes or oatmeal may need a little creativity and practice. If we adapt to the individual characteristics of the food and the individual dietary needs of our body, we should do well.

Habits to Change

Overeating
Overeating is one of the most common and dangerous dietary habits. It is natural, on festive occasions such as holidays or parties, to eat more than usual, but many of us have turned up the level of our satiation state so that we need to eat a large amount of food to feel satisfied all the time. This is contributed to by a great many emotional and psychological factors that may have started in our early years. It is often influenced by our parents and family members and by our own insecurities and self-image.

Overeating often leads to obesity, which is a factor in many other diseases. The overconsumption of food also causes stress to the digestive tract and other organs and can lead to the overworking and weakening of those areas. Congestion or stagnation occurs more easily with overeating.

These problems need to be dealt with at the level from which they arise. If they stem from a nutritional deficiency, so that the body is craving missing nutrients, that should be discovered and corrected. If they are of recent onset, stress may be the source. More often, though, overeating is a long-term and deep-seated problem that needs to be dealt with on both the psychological and nutritional levels.

Moderation in eating is a very important habit to develop. Eating small meals several times a day instead of one or two large meals is probably better for most people. Balancing flavors as well as types of food will help satisfy us and may lessen our desire to eat more.

Undereating


In recent years, there has been growing concern over problems associated with undereating, such as the medical conditions known as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Undereating usually has a strong stress or psychological component, which can range from being too nervous or concerned about an upcoming event or relationship, to part of a full-blown psychosis.

All forms of undereating, skipping meals, or eating only limited foods will lead to poor nutrition and eventually, to problems from protein, calorie, vitamin, or mineral deficiencies. Other symptoms include lack of energy and subsequent weakness, malnourishment of internal organs, skin problems, and hair loss. Severe weight loss in spite of regular eating may indicate an underlying medical condition and warrants an evaluation by a doctor.

People who undereat are often overly concerned about obesity or have a distorted self-image. This is more common in women and in teenage girls who become very body conscious or are concerned about becoming too shapely. Often, being very thin is similar to being fat in that it makes us less attractive and is a protection against intimacy with others. These issues may come up during sexual development?that is, in adolescence.

Anorexia means ?loss of appetite,? and anorexia nervosa means not eating because of ?nervous? or psychological problems. The majority of people with that condition are young females who want to be trim, or to be models or ballerinas, which require a long and lean body. This may not be the natural body shape of many people, who literally need to starve themselves to maintain that weight or shape. Bulimia is voluntary vomiting by people who wish to get rid of food just eaten so as not to absorb the calories and add weight. Many ?bulimics? and ?anorexics? also use laxative pills or take regular enemas to clear out the intestines more rapidly. All of these problems have strong psychological bases and usually require counseling as well as a lot of support from loved ones. Occasionally, these situations become extreme and, as with overeating, can be fatal. Fortunately, these conditions are often short-lived, and those troubled by them see their way clear to begin a new balanced diet and create a newly shaped body and self-image.

Eating Late


This is a common problem among people with busy daily schedules. Food often acts as a sedative and helps us to physically relax. After a meal, more blood goes to our digestive organs and away from our areas of physical and mental activity. So eating lightly during the day, getting hungry at night after work, and then eating our main meal in the evening is a convenient pattern for most schedules. However, going to bed on a full stomach is not necessarily helpful for digestion or sleep. The food may just sit there, undigested through the night, so that we wake up full and sluggish. Eating late can become a habit that robs us of our vitality.

It is best to try to eat earlier in the evening, ideally before dark, and not too heavily; to engage in some activity, both mental and physical, after dinner; and to eat very little in the two or three hours before bedtime. When we have not eaten enough through the day, it is wise to eat lightly in the evening also and sleep well to awaken energized for some exercise and a good, hearty breakfast.

Rigid Diet


Many people develop rigid eating patterns and consume only a limited selection of foods. This inflexibility is often based on a preference for certain tastes or just a discriminating personality. Teenagers and elderly people are subject to this lack of flexibility (as are some health food fanatics) more often than other areas of the population. Sometimes this is based on fear, rebellion, lack of adventure, or just being stuck in an attitude that will not allow them to be open to other ideas. They just maintain themselves on a few foods, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, and sodas for the younger crowd, or eggs, toast, potatoes, and meat in the older group. All lack the freshness and vitality found in natural foods.

There are people who develop what I would call positive restrictions in their diet. We all have certain foods we do not like because of their flavor or past experience with them. Specific allergic foods are clearly best avoided. Restricting foods such as meats, milk, or chemical-containing foods may be based on certain philosophical or health choices. However, being too rigid in our diet is usually not in our best interest.

It is difficult to get people to change when they do not wish to, especially in regard to what they eat. They already know that they won?t like it before they even try. Sometimes, consulting with a nutritionist and doing a diet analysis by evaluation or computer can show people the excess or lack of nutrients in their diet, and this may educate and influence them to make some changes.

Ideally, we should eat a variety of foods, from all the groups that I have discussed previously, unless there is a particular sensitivity to certain ones. This gives us the opportunity to absorb the nutrients that nature and our world provide. Eating them in moderation while introducing new ones daily is a healthful path to follow.

Emotional Eating


We have already discussed overeating and undereating, but there are other issues surrounding the use of food in dealing with stress and psychological troubles. Some people eat when upset or depressed; others cannot eat at all in this condition. Our emotions strongly influence our eating behavior, so if we want to maintain a more balanced diet, and thus a more balanced life, we need to learn to deal with our emotional states in ways other than with food.

Using hunger as a guide, integrated with a regular eating plan, we create our basic diet. If we are overweight, we need to plan our meals to include less food; if underweight, we will include more food and calories and then maintain a balanced diet when we are at a better weight.

We can learn to deal with stress, sadness, frustration, depression, and so on through self-development techniques, through counseling, or through mental affirmations and visualization, all good ways to clear these problems?or at least not let them take hold of us and run our lives. There are very few issues that are important enough to take precedence over our health. And not using food to cover up these important feelings, thoughts, and issues is crucial to maintaining our health.

Liquids and Eating


Many of us drink liquids with our meals. This is not really a good practice, since extra fluids can dilute the digestive juices, making it more difficult to break down food. Drinking water before meals or sometime after them is much better. A small amount (less than a cup) of water with meals may help dissolve the food and stimulate digestive juices.

Water is generally our best beverage, and consuming about eight to ten glasses a day (most of us will need less when we consume a higher amount of fruits and vegetables), is very helpful for weight loss and keeping the body functioning. It is best to drink two or three glasses first thing in the morning, several glasses between meals, and then a couple of glasses about 30?60 minutes before dinner to reduce the appetite a bit. Sweetened soda pops should be avoided. Milk is a food (to be used sparingly by adults), not a beverage to be drunk with meals. Many people feel that a bit of alcohol before a meal stimulates the appetite and the digestion of food. Coffee or tea following a meal is enjoyed by many people, and is probably not too detrimental when done occasionally. Overall, it is wise to be aware of needs and drink when thirsty, and it is best to drink only between meals, giving our digestive tract the best shot at getting those nutrients ready for our cells.

Additional Habits to Cultivate


Preparation of both ourselves and our food is helpful. Food made with awareness and love adds that little extra, and when we take the time to prepare ourselves to receive nourishment, such as with a little prayer or some quiet time, we also give ourselves the chance to get the most out of our meal.

Relaxation around eating is a good habit to develop. This is part of preparation and digestion. After a fair-sized meal, it is important to take some time to let digestion begin. After about an hour, we can begin some light activity. A walk is ideal. However, most of us cannot afford the luxury of taking this time around meals. When I cannot, I try to follow the Warrior?s Diet (see Chapter 9) of frequent small snacks, through the day, until I can take more time to prepare and eat a proper meal.

Exercise is very important to keeping our body healthy and to utilize the nutrients that we consume. I do not recommend exercising for at least an hour, or longer, after eating. It is usually several hours after a meal before my body feels right doing any vigorous activity. Often, I exercise first and use eating as a reward for doing the physical activity that I feel is needed. Early in the day before breakfast, and after work before dinner, are the two best times for exercising.

Food Mixing

There are three important factors which will help us choose what foods to eat in combination and when to eat them. These are acid-alkaline balance, food combining, and food rotation. I will discuss them briefly here, as they are useful in developing ways to improve our general health or digestion or to reduce food allergies. They are discussed more fully in Part Three, Building a Healthy Diet.

Acid-Alkaline Balance


Since our body tissues and blood are slightly alkaline, we need to eat more foods that break down into alkaline elements. The ash or residue that remains when a food is metabolized influences our body?s pH, or acidity. The foods that generate an alkaline ash are the fruits and vegetables (even the acid fruits, such as lemons), except for cranberries and most dried fruits. The whole grains, nuts, and seeds are slightly acid in our body, though millet, buckwheat, corn, almonds, and all sprouted seeds tend more toward the alkaline side. The cereal grains tend to be more acid-alkaline balanced than the more acidic nuts, milk products, meats, and refined flour and sugar products.

For a system that does not get too acidic, congested, or mucusy, the diet should contain about 70 percent alkaline foods. This means the type of diet that I have been talking about throughout this book?one that focuses on fruits and vegetables, with some whole grains, more sprouts, and smaller amounts of animal foods and refined treats. This will keep our system functioning optimally, provided we get the balance of vitamins and minerals we need, as well as the essential fatty acids and amino acids to perform the required fat and protein functions.

Food Combining


Food combining is a somewhat complex issue?and a revolutionary idea in terms of the standard diet. The basic theory is that for best digestion and utilization of our food, we need to observe certain rules for the way we combine foods within a meal.

Fruits are eaten alone, as they are more easily digested than other foods. We eat lots of vegetables and combine them with either starch or protein foods?protein foods, such as meats and milk products, are not eaten with starches, such as potatoes and breads. So meat and potatoes are out, as are cheese sandwiches. The reason for this is that, for best digestion, proteins require an acid digestive medium and starches an alkaline one. When eaten together, they interfere with each other?s utilization, so that digestion takes longer and is inefficient.

Fruits and simple sugars are not eaten along with or after other foods, because doing so would cause them to be delayed in the stomach juices and begin a fermentation process, allowing gas to go through the intestines. Milk is not drunk as a beverage but used as a food. The fruits of the melon family are eaten alone, not even with other fruits.

Fruit is usually eaten in the morning or several hours after other foods. Meals are simpler than is usual in the American culture, consisting of lots of vegetables with either a protein food, such as dairy products, eggs, or meats, or a starch food, such as grains, pasta, or potatoes. This type of diet, I believe, generates less stress on the intestinal tract and creates overall better health, both immediately and on a long-range basis. In Fit for Life, the authors stress the principles of food combining and the need for a more alkaline diet in their program. I feel that it can be a healthy one provided we balance our diet properly and obtain all of our necessary nutrients.

Food Rotation


Rotating our foods is a common method for discovering or diminishing the effects of allergies or hypersensitivities. It also may be helpful in preventing the development of many food allergies in the first place. When we overconsume a food, our body can become sensitized to it and make antibodies that will react with it when it is absorbed into our system. The most common allergens are protein foods, including milk, wheat gluten, eggs, beef, yeast, soybeans, and corn, though most any food can generate allergic reactions.

Food allergy is fairly common and can be short- or long-lived. Some people who are allergic to certain foods as children may remain allergic to them for most of their lives, while for others, sensitivities to certain foods may come and go.

The physiology of food allergy is somewhat complex and still mostly theoretical. It involves both our cellular system and our immune system. Keeping stress to a minimum, reducing incidence of infections and colds, and maintaining basic health and digestive tract ecology all seem to minimize food reactions. If we do have problems with certain foods or wish to prevent such problems, food rotation is a good idea. The theory is that it takes about four days for the body to entirely process a food and clear it from our system. Thus, each food in the diet is consumed only in one day out of every four, so as to minimize the potential allergic stimulus of each food. Following this program also allows us to isolate foods more easily should we have any reactions. It is not a simple process, but it can be very helpful, and it is probably a good habit to develop. It provides us with a variety of foods and brings a certain discipline to our diet, which is positive practice for developing other useful habits.*

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* For more information on acid-alkaline foods, food combining, and general nutrition, see Dr. Haas’s Seasonal Food Guide poster and booklet (Celestial Arts, 1990).