In the article Ten Toxic Threats to Human Health and Happiness the third threat mentioned was poisons and toxins in your home. Poisons and toxins are present in many products created and used frequently by our modern society.
This includes chemicals, heavy metals, plastics, petroleum products and radioactive products. Educate yourself on what products you currently purchase which are harmful and stop buying them. There are always natural and safe alternatives. Be sure to buy local & organic, cleanse, detox and eliminate all harmful compounds from your home and work environment. Now is a great time to discover poisons and toxins in your home to be aware of and what you can do to minimize your risk.
Unfortunately these poisons and toxins are created by human hands. While the inventors may have had good intentions, they created harmful products which are damaging our health and destroying the health and harmony of the global ecosystem. Each one of us must commit to taking action to stop polluting and start cleaning up the environment. We are in a closed ecosystem so when we pollute any area of the air, fresh water, land or sea on our home planet earth we affect every other part of the environment over time.
We must always remember to think of the next seven generations when we make decisions regarding what choices are best today and will best serve future generations. What type of world do you want to leave for your children’s children?
Below are the main categories of poisons and toxins to be aware of and also avoid exposure, purchasing and using. Remember there is always a greener and safer choice and will ultimately cost less.
Synthetic Chemicals
The majority of synthetic commercial chemicals in air fresheners, bar soaps, bathroom cleaners, kitchen cleaners, laundry soaps, paints, personal body care products and various insecticides in the household contain toxic ingredients and can do significant harm to your health.
Outside the home and in the yards be forewarned against fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides (Roundup) which are routinely used and contain very toxic ingredients that damage our health and environment. Arsenic and other toxic ingredients which pollute the soil are commonly used in treated woods used in garden and home construction.
Most of these synthetic chemicals contain dangerous compounds that irritate and damage the delicate balance of your cells, endocrine system (glands and hormones), muscle tissues, nasal passage, organs and skin. They continue to contaminate the house, yard and our water systems with poisons and toxins. Every use of synthetic chemical based antibiotics, birth control, drain cleaner, fertilizer, insecticide and toilet cleaner contaminates our water systems and will end up being consumed by animals, sea foods and people.
Over time they accumulate and create hazardous conditions for humans, pets and wildlife. The delicate web of life includes all bees, butterflies, chameleons, frogs, lizards, lightning bugs, humming bird, songbirds and billions of other organisms.
It is estimated that without bees in the US we would loose a significant percentage of crops we depend on for food, money and survival. There are several eco-friendly brands that provide safer alternatives as well as natural choices like baking soda, bentonite clay, essential oils and vinegar that have been used for centuries
Heavy Metals
Heavy metals such as aluminum, beryllium, cadmium, copper, chromium, cyanide, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, plutonium, tin and uranium can easily cause significant adverse health consequences. (Yes the body does need minute amounts of some of these metals and usually gets all it needs from plants we consume.
It is the concentrated, heated and processed versions of these metals that are a significant risk). This may include: allergic reactions, DNA damage, endocrine disruptors, infertility, neuro-toxicity and cancer. Humans are easily exposed to heavy metals by the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink and products that touch our skin.
In fact, the European community lists the thirteen elements of highest concern are: As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, and Tl. Therefore waste incinerators emissions are monitored and closley regulated for human safety.
The great news for readers is that numerous natural materials and plants found around the world have been identified which seem to help the body eliminate these and other harmful compounds from the body. Research and science in many parts of the world have found countless situations where various natural compounds and plants have been found that help the body detox, neurtalize and eliminate heavy metal toxins from the body. Calcium bentonite clay, corrinader and kelp are just a few of these wonders of nature. However we must be vigilant since the risks from even minimal exposure to these metals are serious and the damage may have long lasting consequences to your happiness and health.
Petroleum Products, Plastics & Derivatives
Plastics & petroleum products have received a lot of negative publicity lately. Bisphenol A (BPA), phlates, dioxin, polycarbonate, PVC and styrene warnings are regularly in the news. Also crude oil spills in Alaskan Gulf, Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico (the Transocean off shore drilling rig accident releasing 200,000 gallons crude oil per day) remind us of the significant risk to our health and the environment.
Petroleum based products have been linked to a long list of environmental issues and human health risks. Plastic bags, bits and bottles are littering the land and waters of the world and are a serious risk to our health. As they break down over time into smaller pieces they release their toxic compounds, dyes and ingredients creating a toxic slurry of synthetic compounds.
These have been showing up in our lakes, rivers and oceans which we depend on for water and even in our food chain. Small fish in the ocean have been found to have many dozens of bits of plastic in their bodies. This will end up in bigger fish and our bodies as they are consumed.
For more information, click to read > The Smart Plastics Guide
Synthetic fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides and herbicides are derived from a petroleum base and are very toxic to animals, insects, plants and people alike. Many body care and cosmetic products contain petroleum derivatives which have not been proven safe for humans so be sure to avoid them wherever possible. Also avoid mineral oil, petroleum jelly and lip balm with petroleum ingredients. There are many natural products which will provide the benefit you desire without the toxic exposure.
Radioactive Devices and Materials
Hazardous radioactive materials such as radioactive processed uranium fuel, nuclear reactor waste and depleted uranium (used in armor piercing weapons and vehicle protective armament) are very serious concerns due to their very long half life and potential for significant damage to our DNA material, cellular function/ structures and reproductive cells (eggs & sperm). When an armor piercing round explodes the depleted uranium penetrator core is partially vaporized which disperses minute radioactive particles into the air and soil which easily end up in nearby and far off animals and humans.
Once these particles are in a living organism they can become lodged in cells and reproductive tissues where the radiation can damage the DNA and do permanent harm to the person as well as future offspring. Radioactive materials and machines that produce radiation such as X-rays and radioactive treatments in oncology are a serious threat to human health and long term well being. Radiation can have short term issues such as reduced immunity, metabolism and tissue burns and longer term impact to cell functions, replication and death.
Synthetic commercial chemicals, heavy metals, plastics, petroleum products and radioactive products are commonly promoted for their potential benefits in spite of serious harm to the environment and our health. It is up to each of us to educate ourselves and make better choices. Do we really want a short term benefit that badly that we are willing to risk our health and well being and that of future generations with deformities, disabilities, disease and the degradation and destruction of our life support and ecosystem?
It is up to you to discover the poisons and toxins in your home and business to learn what you can do to minimize your exposure and risk.
Our next blog post will share: Disease, Doctor and Drug Risks
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