Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter

May 1, 2006               

 Issue Vol. 6 No. 5

 In This Newsletter

Introduction

Healthfully yours

Health Hints

 Introduction***

 The Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter is written monthly, solely for information to help seniors, baby boomers and anyone who may have an interest in staying healthy, living a vigorous, active lifestyle and combating the aging process. It does not constitute the practice of medicine and is not meant to prescribe treatments. It is offered strictly as an educational aid. Any medical problems you may have, we recommend that you seek the help of your physician or other healthcare professional. Discussing your intentions with your doctor is always the proper procedure. The newsletter also includes know-how in the form of useful tips and links to more extensive material on the Internet. You may wish to share this newsletter by sending a copy to a friend, neighbor or relative and suggesting they subscribe to it.

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 Healthfully Yours***

 Living In A Toxic World***

 Toxicity has become a way life, and one that we all must cope with on a daily basis. Unfortunately we all pay a price for living in this environment. There are many factors involved as to why some individuals will pay a higher price than others. The price we are speaking of is the impact that it has on our health. Many factors will go into determining how any individual reacts to the toxicity surrounding them. Individuals with immune systems that are at lower ebb or have been impaired for some reason or other will be more at risk to these this toxic environment.

 Wherever you look, be it within your own home or the great outdoors, you will be hard-pressed to find something that is not toxic to your health. Chemicals of all kinds are a way of life, and companies are coming up with more ways to include these chemicals into to our foods and products we use on a daily basis, making it very difficult, and almost impossible to avoid them.  However, there are ways to avoid these pitfalls, but it will take some effort to eliminate a great many of these harmful toxic agents.

 The foods we eat are being processed with chemicals to preserve them and to supposedly make them more flavorful. Companies have been experimenting and finding more ways to do this. If this isn’t bad enough, we cook these foods in utensils that are coated with chemicals that can possibly leech out and add toxic agents to the food we eat. We have long known that cooking in aluminum utensils can possibly cause this leeching action to occur. There is also research going on to see if this leeching out could occur in the non-stick cookware as well.

 As mentioned above, chemicals are everywhere, and we should be aware of the ones that can be the most detrimental to our health. We will discuss these chemicals and the affect they can have on our health.

 

1. Mercury: This has been around since Biblical times. People working the “quicksilver” mines during the times of the Pharaohs died terrible deaths at very early ages from mercury poisoning. In the early 1900’s, people worked in industries that used mercury based chemicals in the manufacture of their products. The workers suffered severe muscular tremors and some even became demented. Mercury was also used in medical instruments such as the sphygmomanometer (blood pressure machine), and in the thermometers. These thermometers were used in the mouth and the possibly of breakage was always present with the possibility of mercury poisoning. These are no longer being used, and have been replaced by digital units. Mercury can also lower the T-cell counts, and known to be carcinogenic, causing cancer and other disorders such as, multiple sclerosis, and disorders of the immune system. Mercury has a tendency to affect the brain, as well as fetal tissue, resulting in brain tumors, dementia and birth defects.

Mercury is found almost everywhere, in the soil, wood, rocks, oil and coal. When soil erodes it finds its way into the streams, rivers and oceans. When forests burn, mercury is released into the atmosphere. Burning coal will release mercury into the atmosphere, unless it is properly filtered. Unfortunately not enough progress has been made in this area of prevention. Mercury when it ends up in our waters will find its way into microorganisms. They in turn convert the mercury into methyl mercury. This mercury ends up in the fish that we end up eating, and then stored in our tissues.

 

2. Aluminum: A highly toxic metal found almost everywhere. It is found in many of the foods we eat because food manufacturers use it in the food emulsifiers. Also found in baking powder and some toothpaste. It is used extensively in personal deodorants, antiseptics and many of the antacids. More importantly, it is used for a great many of our cooking utensils, and this is where the leeching process will take place. Aluminum when ingested in any form, especially from the leeching process in cooking, and from all the other sources, becomes cumulative and is stored within the body. It particularly finds its way into the brain where it affects the neurons by killing them. This can cause the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Aluminum is also found in plants in the form of aluminum hydroxide. This is not like the metallic form of aluminum, and fortunately it has not been found to be harmful to the body, and that’s a good thing because it is so prevalent in our environment.

 

3. Lead: Another highly toxic metal has been greatly eliminated from our environment during the last few decades. The elimination of lead based paints was one of the chief reasons for this reduction. To this day, there may be old buildings that still have the old lead based paints on their walls. The fact that lead has been decreased does not mean it has been eradicated from our environment. The immediate threat of lead today is found in our drinking water and the power plants that use coal to fuel the power needed. This burning of the coal emits clouds of vapor sending the lead into the atmosphere. Drinking water adds to our exposure to lead by as much as 20 percent. Lead is cumulative in our bodies, unless to take steps to eradicate it. Both children and adults are at risk. Children with high exposures will suffer brain damage, causing learning disabilities, behavioral problems and possible mental retardation. Damage to the nervous system is another possibility as well as ADDH. Adults can suffer numerous disorders such as, disorders of the nervous system, hypertension, forgetfulness, inability to concentrate, and pains throughout the body affecting the joints and muscles.

 Everyone is exposed to these metals and toxic substances and it takes considerable thought and effort to minimize exposure to them. Read below in the health hints how we can reduce these risks.    

 Health Hints***

 

1. Do not use aluminum cooking utensils. Toxic metal can leech into the cooked foods.
2. Do not eat fish known to have high levels of mercury. These are swordfish, albacore tuna, shark, and orange roughy.
3. Avoid deodorants and other cosmetics that contain aluminum. There are products made of natural substances that will take the place of those with toxic additatives.
4. Do not let a dentist put in any metal (amalgam) fillings. If you have any, a dentist experienced in the removal of amalgam fillings can replace them with the resin type. .
5. Check all household products used as laundry and dishwashing detergents. In fact check all items used for all household-cleaning chores. Check the ingredients. You will find that you can dispense with many of these products. Many will not even have all of the contained ingredients. For example, in fabric softeners, it will say, “Contains other fabric softeners”. What are these other fabric softeners? Could this be “why so many people are prone to allergies and other skin disorders”? This is only the tip of the iceberg. The bottom line is, the less chemicals you use, will determine your exposure to toxic chemicals and metals.
6. The same holds true for all outdoor chores, gardening, etc. Gardening and lawn care can expose the individual to many toxic chemicals. There are many products that use natural ingredients to achieve the same results as those containing all the toxic chemicals. Organic gardening is the method of the future.
7. As previously discussed, we have all been exposed to toxic chemicals of all kinds. These have become cumulative in our bodies. Detoxifying our bodies can be a most important step in ridding our bodies of these accumulated toxic substances. An herbal detoxifier can be a way to start the detoxification process.
8. Research has also shown that there are two herbal items that can be a very significant method of detoxifying the body and ridding itself of heavy metals. Cilantro and Chlorella will not only help in the excretion of these metals, but can help the body to remain toxicity free.
9. Start the detoxification process by abstaining from eating fat and proteins so that the liver will be able start the detoxification process without putting an overload on it.
10. Eat only fresh vegetables and whole grains grown without pesticides, as they are the best way to detoxify the body’s tissues and organs. Try to stay away from other foods except for the vegetables and whole grains, until the detoxification process has been accomplished. When this detoxification takes place, you will feel more vital and vigorous. You will have fewer headaches, muscle and joint pains, and a great deal more energy. Then, and only then, you can start adding the proteins and fats that your body requires on a daily basis.
11. To further help with detoxification, antioxidant vitamins such as A, C and E is taken as well.
12. Some individuals my feel that fasting would be the easiest route to detoxification. This may help, but anyone considering this route should discuss this with their healthcare provider, and if getting the go ahead, should be done under their supervision.

 Personal attention to products used, and caution in the use of these products, plus following the above health hints, can greatly improve one’s health and strengthen the immune system      

 Doc Cane