Pesticides and ADHD

So it has now been shown to be true. Something so many parents talked about, and the studies are confirming it.

Exposure to pesticides could raise the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in kids. This latest report, published in the June, 2010, issue of Pediatrics, puts forward the conclusion that the commercial use of organophosphates could be related to rising rates of ADHD. 

Investigators used data on pesticide exposure and ADHD for over 1,100 kids between the ages of 8 and 15. Kids who had higher pesticide levels in their urine were more likely to have ADHD. Furthermore, the higher the levels of these chemicals, the higher the risk. 

They also noted that prior studies have already shown a link between exposure to organophosphates and developmental problems. Those studies saw links to ADHD among babies who were exposed to pesticides in the womb as well as after they were born.

Want to learn more? Dr Sandy Newmark, M.D., member of the faculty at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, has just published 'ADHD Without Drugs', all about the causes of the rising rate of this disorder in kids. H makes the point that  in the past 40 years, from the moment of conception, exposure to environmental toxins has increased dramatically.  he also says that a number of studies have implicated industrial pollutants as a factor in the rising rates of ADHD as well as learning disabilities.  highly recommend Dr. Newmark's book to any parent dealing with this diagnosis.

Of course we hear many stories here.. none less harrowing than the problems parents are having with kids growing up in the Darling Downs area where aerial spraying is the norm. Their roof becomes a giant catchall for overspray, all of which ends up in their onsite water tanks.

We recommend the highest form of water purification for people like this, which in our product line is the AlkaPure, which effectively removes all pesticides, yet still delivers alkaline minerals to our drinking water.

See the abstract of the report here

Whewww. Pharmaceuticals in water supplies...

Learn more here

Copper Pipes? Rip 'em out!

Oh Boy, talk about chickens coming home to roost. All of wonderful technological breakthroughs made in a time when we just didn't understand the whole toxicity question. Now a report surfaces saying copper pipes - yes I have 'em, and I'm betting you have 'em... could cause heart disease.

Yes, yes, I know, everything seems to cause heart disease.. but it says it may also cause Alzheimers'! Now that's not funny; forgetting that you have a dicky heart!

The really nasty bit is the fact that this is cumulative (yes, I've been drinking water from copper pipes for all of my life.. and it gets much worse over 50 years of age.)

Apparently evolution keeps stores of copper and iron in excess during our reproductive years because they are so vital to life. But the oxidant damage from these excess stores of metals builds up as we age, and natural selection ceases to act after about age 50 since diseases after that do not contribute to reproductive fitness.

"The study found people over 50 should also avoid vitamin and mineral pills that contain cooper and iron, lowering meat intake and avoid drinking water from copper pipes.

They should also donate blood regularly to reduce iron levels and taking zinc supplements to lower copper levels.

Copper and iron are essential when people are young as they help during the years when people are trying to have children.

But the body can no longer process them effectively when people move beyond 50 years old.The study from the American Chemical Society found that people were at risk from copper as they aged."

Ouch! The only good news for me personally is my new AlkaPure water ionizer that (yes folks, it's true, it was sheer coincidence!) filters out copper, lead, chlorine, chloramines. fluoride, pharmaceuticals,hormones.... but still give me the important alkaline minerals.

As I wrote this article, Cassie reminded me that our excellent Multivitamins we take daily, especially for my apparently genetic predisposition to poor uptake of Vitamin B, also have copper.
Is any vitamin supplement maker listening? Here's a Boomer formulation WITHOUT COPPER or IRON opportunity.

Learn more about the AlkaPure
Read the report

Fluoride in Queensland and the World.

It's not just local people getting caught up in the fluoride debate. Here's a report from the UK where one local council wants to UP the amount of fluoride in their water!

While on the subject, we've been adding more useful information to our new site all about fluoride here. I think you'll find it interesting.

Questions are coming in from clients tempted to buy cheap reverse osmosis systems. We have also had reports in from people who made the big mistake of buying these 'Chinese cheapies'. The problem is that the only way to test whether a system is actually taking out Fluoride is an expensive laboratory test, but we are seeing people being seriously duped by sellers of these units. From what they've told us, we can see the darn things aren't even removing ordinary minerals!

It's easy to cheat in selling an RO. By using cheap pre filters, you can reduce the cost of the whole system. Unfortunately the main purpose of good prefilters is to extend the life of the sensitive and fragile membrane in the heart of the system that actually does the fine filtration. It's also the most expensive part, so you'll be up for big money in keeping your RO going because your cheapie prefilters haven't protected the membrane.

So be careful. You gets what you pays for. And if you wnat to take a look at a really good system, go here.