American Acupuncture Explains Enviornmental Toxins and How They Affect Our Health

LEAD POISONING

Lead poisoning can result in permanent neurological damage resulting in learning and behavioral problems. The sad thing it is preventable. There are numerous source of lead: in our soil, air, drinking water, and homes. There is over 3 million tons of lead in 60 million American homes. It is found on watercoolers at school, windowsills, in the dirt in yards, seals of fine wine, lead crystal glasses, dishes, coffee mugs, crayons, on toys, and even in calcium supplements. Homes built before 1976 contain some lead in their tap water because of solid lead pipes or lead soldered copper pipes.

Children absorb 50% while parents only 10%. Children pick up lead dust from floors, pets, and toys and then suck their thumbs. The lead compound on paints taste sweet. Lead is stored in baby's teeth and their kneecaps. Lead finds to the red blood cell like iron and is stored like calcium in the teeth. When there is a deficiency of protein, phosphorus, iron, or calcium, more lead is absorbed.

Hobbies like soldering and melting lead is a great source of lead poisoning. Burning colored newsprint or wood coated with lead paint, results in a release of lead into the air. Lead gasoline, phased out in 1976, was also a great source. Storage, preparation and serving of foods are another source. Juices from containers that come from lead soldered cans can leak the acids into the juice and be absorbed.

Pigmented designs on pottery dishes and mugs are glazed with lead to make them washable. The glaze contains deadly cadmium. This lead can be absorbed when hot food is served on them. Leaking is increased by acidic food as coffee, pop, fruit juices, or alcohol, combined with the decorative glaze and lead pigment.

In 1990, 90 % of all canned food was packaged in lead soldered cans (98%lead and 2% tin; lead is 10% the cost of tin.). Note that soldered seams are raised and lumpy with gray metal while welded seams are soft, smooth and flat.

Wine formerly had corks sealed with hot wax and lead foil wrapped around it. The lead went into the wine. Place the wine in fine crystal and you also have immediate absorption of lead also from the crystal directly into the wine.

Calcium pills are made from bone meal and oyster shells (sources of lead). Best to choose calcium carbonate or antacids for your source of calcium.
Brass bowls contain 3% lead. Pewter is made from tin and lead. Silver plates contain often an alloy of lead. Newspapers with colored print contain lead. (So don't wrap your fish in the comics.) Water coolers had lead lined storage tanks until 1988. Sandblasting of old bridges releases a large amount of lead.

Other sources and occupations predisposed to lead poisoning are listed below:

Pregnant moms absorb more that non-pregnant woman. The average lead levels were 17 micrograms per cc in 1976 and today are 4 micrograms. In 1965 the levels were 60 and dropped down in 1985 to 30 and by 1990 to 10 micrograms.

Four billion dollars are spent annually in the treatment of wood for power lines, docks, guard rails and playground equipment. They are treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) and can keep the wood preserved for 25 years. This is great around salt water and oceans.

DANGERS are that this arsenic slowly leaks into the soil and then the groundwater. Hazardous wastes have special landfills, but treated wood does not.

THE PROBLEM is how to dispose of this treated wood. It is now burned in unlined landfills or simply tossed out. 77 tons of arsenic is in Florida landfills and should increase seven times to 35 million cubic feet in the next 15 years as treated wood ages. The sandy soil is Florida does not hold metals well. Their landfills do not distinguish between illegal mulch and old wood treated or not treated all look alike.

Other states (CT, MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN AND IOWA) are now scrutinizing their wood disposal practices. California has a sealant every 2 years but this does not hold the arsenic from being released. Disney now is using organic treated wood because of the scare. Overseas wood having CCA is banned in Switzerland, Japan and Vietnam. Alternative chemicals however may have some environmental problems.

HOW MUCH ARSENIC IS DANGEROUS? This is an insidious problem. Arsenic is a natural element and a poison. It was used medically to treat leukemia. It also was in embalming fluid 100 years ago. It is a by product of copper mining and gold and silver refining.
Recently it is used in batteries. Currently it is used as an herbicide on golf courses. We import 30,000 tons annually from China and Chile.

A major concern is that there are high levels of arsenic in bladder, lung and skin cancer. The EPA has recently lowered the safe level from 50 parts/billion to 10 parts /billion. A standard of 0.8/billion is considered safe. In the US, about 5parts/billions are considered normal. It often takes about 20 years for cancer to be evident.

ACESULFAME - Found in artificial sweeteners, chewing gum, diet drinks, frozen desserts, baked goods without sugar. Study in 1970 found it might cause cancer.
NUTRASWEET - Found in most diet foods and drinks and equal.
BROMINATED VEGETABLE OIL - Gives cloudy appearance to citrus flavored soft drinks
BUTULATED HYDROXYANISOLE - Retards rancidity in foods containing oils. Animal studies increase cancer risks.
HEPYTL PARABAN - Preservative in bean and soft drinks. Rarely used now.
OLESTRA - A fat substitute that reduces absorption of fat-soluble carotenoid from fruits and vegetables. It also blocks lycopene, lutein and beta-carotene that reduce cancer risks.
POTASSIUM BROMATE - Found in some breads. Banned in England in 1989. Most breaks down but tiny amounts have caused cancer in animals.
PROPYL GABLATE - An antioxidant preservative. Found in chicken soup base, gum, vegetable oil, meat and potato sticks. Used with BHA and BHT to prevent oil from spoiling. Might cause cancer.
SACCHARIN - Found in Sweet and Low and no sugar added foods. 350 times sweeter than sugar. Can cause bladder and ovarian cancers. Increase potency of other cancer causing chemicals.
SODIUM NITRATE, SODIUM NITRITE - A coloring flavoring preservative. Found in bacon, corn beef, hot dogs, ham, lunchmeats, and smoked foods. The nitrite stabilizes the red color in cured meats and adds flavor. Prevents hot dogs and bacon from looking gray and prevents bacterial growth. Creates nitrosamines especially fried bacon that is carcinogenic. Ascorbic acid and erythorbic acid I now added to prevent nitrosamine formation.

BLUE 1 (candy, pop and baked goods) small cancer risk
BLUE 2 (pop, candy, pet food) brain tumors in male mice
CITRUS RED 2 (skin of some Florida oranges) only at risk if eat peels
GREEN 3 (candy and pop) rarely used since 1981. Causes bladder cancers.
RED 3 (cherries in fruit cocktail, candy, baked goods) Thyroid tumors in rats. FDA wanted it banned but never happened.
RED 40 (candy, sausage, soda, pastries and gelatin desserts) Widely used, has caused problems in mouse studies.
YELLOW 6 (pop, candy, sausage, baked goods) The third most widely used dye. Implicated in adrenal and kidney cancers. Small amounts of several carcinogens can contaminate Yellow 6.