Chemicals that endanger our health. Plus chiropractic pregnancy prenatal info

In the U.S., there are about 80,000 registered chemicals. Of these, only a few hundred have been tested for safety, and even that testing is considered inadequate by most toxicologists.  Chemicals are tested in isolation. In real world application however, chemicals are used in combination, and the few studies done on synergetic effects reveal even nontoxic chemicals can become toxic when mixed together.  The agricultural and global chemical industries have manipulated the system to control and suppress safety concerns. Through regulatory capture, regulators end up working for the industry’s rather than the public’s interest. Regulators make decisions on the safety of poisons in our food and environment based on data provided by the company selling the toxin, and outsiders cannot review that evidence. There’s no specific safety testing done for children, but studies show there is no lower level of pesticides that is safe for children. André Leu, former president of International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and current international director of Regeneration International, wrote "Poisoning Our Children: The Parent's Guide to the Myths of Safe Pesticides."  Children, when we talk about the unborn, the newborn and grown children up to puberty, they do not have the detoxification enzymes in their livers that we have as adults. Particularly for young children, that means they have no way of detoxifying even the smallest amount of a pesticide or a chemical.  The evidence shows that even small amounts, when children are exposed in the womb, through breastfeeding or at a young age, it severely affects the way they develop. It affects the nervous system, the hormone system and the reproductive system.  When you look at the science, there are so many areas that can be negatively affected by these small amounts. Unfortunately, a lot of these effects last a lifetime. And also, we know some are intergenerational. Those children's grandchildren will be affected."  Two common-sense strategies to minimize your exposure to pesticides is to grow and buy organically produced foods. You don’t need pesticides for your garden. There are many safe alternatives for when pests and plant diseases strike, and solutions can be found both in books and online.  "Go back to the way food is supposed to be, which is fresh and local, whenever possible. Cook real food," Leu advises. "Avoid processed food, which not only is denatured in terms of the nutrient value, it's got all these different additives that we also know are toxic. Once again, there's no science to show that they're safe, but we're learning more and more about the dangers of all these food additives. Just go back to eating good, fresh and healthy food. It's going to make a huge difference to your children and to yourself as well."  Also remember that change always comes from people, not from governments. "You have to make this change yourself," he says. "It's simple to make. If enough of us are making this change, we'll actually change agriculture because the retailers and farmers will be forced to change production to meet the market. Buying organic food, buying local food, going to CSAs, is actually a very powerful political and change act. Your dollars will do more to change the system than probably anything else."

Chiropractic Thought for the Week:  Chiropractic care during pregnancy is extremely important for maintaining the health of the pregnant women and unborn child.  The ever growing protruding abdomen will cause structural problems affecting the lumbar curve and pelvis. This can lead to muscular aches, pains and sciatic nerve irritation. In addition, postural abnormalities may result which can further cause structural alignment issues. Most importantly, chiropractic care has a direct influence on the neurology of the reproductive system. Proper nerve impulse flow to the uterus improves function to the very organ that the baby is developing in. Proper nerve impulse flow is an important factor in health.  According to the American Pregnancy Association, There are no known contraindications to chiropractic care throughout pregnancy. All chiropractors are trained to work with women who are pregnant. Investing in the fertility and pregnancy wellness of women who are pregnant or trying to conceive is a routine care for most chiropractors. Some chiropractors specialize in pregnancy care and have additional training in Obstetrics. Pregnancy care chiropractors are typically certified in Webster's Uterine Constraint Technique, a technique that is widely known to help reduce the incidence of breech positioned babies.

Author

Dr J. Zimmerman, Chiropractor Dr. Zimmerman is a practicing chiropractor from Galloway, NJ with 30 years of chiropractic practice.