Are Plastics Causing Brain Damage?

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

Recently, researchers at Yale University found an alarming result to their preliminary study on how plastics affect the functioning of our Central Nervous System.

Wow! Imagine the possibilities? Wouldn’t it be nice to blame all your forgetfulness on that Tupperware lunch you just microwaved? Maybe you had brain fog this morning because you drank your organic coffee from a plastic traveler’s mug?

Maybe it is plastics, not aluminum, causing Alzheimer’s; maybe it’s all the plastics in our environment breaking down and causing the rates of ADHD, depression, autism, and other diseases of relatively unknown etiology to suddenly rise.

Doesn’t that sound crazy? But—it very well could be reality. All new chemicals are guilty until proven innocent. Why? Because that is the SAFEST option for consumers. However, the FDA does not promote safety, they promote big business in America. Anyone can see that in their inability to properly examine new substances for consumers to ingest.

Did you know that all new food additives can be FDA approved simply by laboratory testing on animals alone? Doesn’t that make you want to think twice before drinking that sucralose sports drink? If you don’t believe me then just think about why tobacco, a known killer has not been banned by the FDA?

You are drinking a man made substance that has NEVER been tested on human beings and approved for safety.

Plastics are no different. Researchers are JUST NOW growing concerned about the degradation of plastics in our environment and starting to really do some preliminary research on the health consequences of plastics.

What would we all do without plastics? We have grown so dependent on plastics.

You might be reading this right now and freaking out! OH MY GOSH! Everything in my house is plastic. My house is made of modified plastics…I drive in plastics…I eat out of plastics…I drink out of plastics! My child is teething on a big piece of plastic.

As a doctor and researcher with a passion for biochemistry, I really think that plastics - just like lead pipes, BPA, Azo yellow dye, asbestos, and all the medications the FDA is constantly approving and then yanking off the shelves - boils down to the same final dilemma that no one in the world is ever willing to accept:

You just can’t cheat the system.

I support people looking for a better way, an easier way. I am always after the same. However, the better way does not involve “cheating the system,” it involves supporting it. When we look for cheap quick fixes for today’s problems without thinking forward to the future generations, we will ALWAYS have a problem with our environment.

Think forward to fifty years from now—think about how much more plastic will be in our environment if we don’t stop now.

So, on one hand we have a very preliminary study done on plastics…and some evidence that plastics may be the problem in certain reproductive cancers…is there enough evidence yet…?

The problem is that the FDA approves something and then that thing is this “golden child” that then must be proven guilty (via expensive research).

Is “innocent until proven guilty” the best solution for potentially toxic products? There are plastics manufacturers everywhere burying the very research we need because they don’t want consumers to stop buying their products.

As a doctor with ten years of post secondary education, I vote for “why bother waiting around to find out”. The damage done by plastics is already more than enough evidence. We know they are bad. We know they break down in to “xenoestrogens,” or molecules that structurally mimic estrogen and are thus able to stimulate estrogen receptors.

We know that we should not even be drinking out of plastic water bottles. We know that smaller organisms in our environment are slowly transforming to a predominantly female gender as a result of the presence of these xenoestrogens in our environment.

This study by Yale University showing that plastics interfere with brain functions is simply the tip of the plastics iceberg. Unfortunately this may just be too big of an iceberg for us to navigate around.

What can you do as a consumer? Stop buying plastics, of course. There are typically superior products available made of stainless steel, glass, wood, and cast iron options that have circulated through generations and proven safe by the best test of all. The test of time is better than any double blind randomized control trial.

Every new thing in science gets a critical eye from me, and the plastics story is no exception. There is enough significant evidence at this point in time to warrant pulling most plastics from the shelves, and yet the FDA is not doing so because the bottom line is always the same thing—money.

Yes, at times these things may cost a little bit more, but just think of it as YOU having the voice to VOTE for what you want our environment to be composed of by choosing NOT to purchase items made of plastic.

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Environmental Working Group

Nothing is more important to us than protecting our children. Which is precisely why we’re huge fans of Environmental Working Group (EWG.org).

Feeding our children should be about choosing first foods, messy bibs, and learning to use a cup – not keeping tabs on scientifc research to avoid harmful chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA).

We want EWG at the table, advocating for our kids – and yours – so their health is no longer compromised by toxic chemicals like BPA, which is dangerous to kids’ growing bodies, implicated in diseases and problems such as diabetes, heart disease, neurological disorders, and cancer. Read more

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Pesticides: The New Dirty Dozen

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

There is a new dirty dozen out by the Environemental Working Group.

Check out the top 12 dirtiest most pesticide ridden foods we should buy organic and the “Clean Fifteen” that we don’t have to worry about so much.

Although we should always take a spin around the organic foods section even if we are on a budget, it is nice to know what foods are safe to eat non-organic.

Still organic foods are not always pricier than the pesticide grown alternatives. Pesticide free is good for the environment as well as our health.

I know everyone is strapped during these tough economic times, but remember that your money counts as ballots and the more you spend on organic, the more you support organic farmers, and the cheaper organic food will inevitably become, if not the standard.

And along with everyone else, organic farmers are likely suffering more than anyone because no one can afford pricier food.

Stop by http://www.foodnews.org/ to download the latest guide. And if you make a donation to the efforts of this group of scientists who are independently working to tell us what the FDA, and EPA won’t…you get a groovy magnet of the Dirty Dozen to put on your fridge.

You can download the guide for free.

Or just bookmark this page!

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

2009′s Sexiest Washer & Dryer

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

I didn’t know it was possible to fall in love with a washer and dryer, but it happened to me the other day when I caught that special something out of the corner of my eye.

I was at Home Depot and couldn’t resist checking out these super flaming hot sexy washers and dryers by Maytag.

Although I was just admiring the fancy new paint job, I started chatting with the knowledgeable old sales guy in the department about how stainless steel is getting bumped for flashy colored appliances.

Yes…the hot new trend in appliances is COLOR COLOR COLOR people!

But, the front loader washing machine is sexier for a reason far greater than this particular one’s hot red color, it is sexy because it is saving the environment, and as the sales guy and I agreed, probably paying for itself over time.

He informed me that:

• Front loading washing machines use only an average of 18 gallons of water compared to the 44 gallons used by our traditional top loaders.

• Because of the washing technique you need less soap, aka less pollution in our water, and less drying time. A standard system takes about 90 minutes to dry while this new system takes only about 30 minutes!

And to think I am worrying about how many gallons of water I am wasting while the water runs too long brushing my teeth each morning!

Just think if we were all using less soap, saving 27 gallons of water with every wash, WHILE reducing our electrical bill each month.  I know a significant portion of mine goes to my dryer.

So if you are looking to replace your washer & dryer anytime soon be sure to check out the new more environmental line of front loaders. They are the hot new fashion…er I mean environmental trend… to grab on to. And they are super cute (also comes in green!)

For more info on my new fav thing visit www.Maytag.com or your local hardware store.

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Why We Should Like Bugs and Worms

Do you like bugs and worms?

Well if you do, you can feel vindicated by today’s topic, and if you don’t you may change your mind after reading today’s guest post. This is also a great teaching topic to share with your children. Won’t you sound so smart next time you are outside with your kids looking at bugs in the garden? Teach them about the microscopic bugs at work in our soil, and the important agricultural role they play.

Remember, even the Hobo Spider deserves his place in the environment, and we just need to respectfully avoid encounters without going on spider killing rampages.

Please enjoy part II in the series of “Organic vs. Commercially Farmed Food” by Stephen Cox.

Within any healthy soil are billions upon billions of microorganisms. Some microorganisms live in a symbiotic relationship with plants. For example a certain type of microorganism actually puts out a protective net around the plants roots in the soil and the net is covered with a type of glue.

When, along comes a microscopic parasitic worm, it gets caught in the net. Other microorganisms, which also live symbiotically with the plant punch a hole in the invader’s body, liquefy its organs, which are the most nutrient dense part, and feed that to the plant.

With commercially farmed produce the fields in which the foods you eat are grown, have been repeatedly sprayed with chemical toxins that kill the microorganisms in the soil. It’s not dissimilar to chemical warfare because pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and other chemicals resemble neurotoxins. And the food you’re eating is growing in an environment where tons of this toxic waste is being dumped. It would be naive to believe that it is not somehow finding its way into our food, our water and our general environment.

With little to no microorganism in the soil to support plant life commercial farmers turn to chemical fertilizers. Have you ever wondered why it is we hear on the news that someone used fertilizer to blow something up? That is because the chemical fertilizer the food we’re eating and using very closely resembles gunpowder.

After World War II ended the governments of the day were left with all these munitions factories. So they spent millions of dollars (at the time it was a colossal amount of money) to convince farmers that if they weren’t using this stuff they were stupid. This was not a decision made with the best interests of health and wellbeing in mind. We’re talking straight economics.

Organic Solution

I grow some of my own veggies – carrot, spinach, broad bean, broccoli (incidentally a cup of broccoli contains 205% of the necessary daily intake of vitamin C and just 43 calories), rocket, onions, lettuce and herbs. All in a very small patch of land just 1 meter wide by 2 meters long. No pesticides. No chemical fertilizer.

Growing your own vegetables is a great way to boost your health and wellbeing. You’ll be giving the environment a helping hand at the same time. The vegetables you grow for yourself will not need to be harvested by large machinery and then shipped thousands of miles to a location where they may be kept in cold storage for weeks, even months. All those activities produce greenhouse gasses and contribute to global warming.

Growing your own food has other benefits.

It really grounds us and connects us as human animals with nature and our world.

Sometime we get disconnected and forget that we are part of something bigger. Disconnection can be a powerful source for unhappiness and depression.

The process of energy exchange as you plant, tend, water and harvest your own plants is something that really needs to be experienced.

It is a process of caring and love as opposed to rampant destruction for meaningless profit. You’ll gain joy just from watching the plants burst with life and growth in the sunshine after each rain.

Plants can take our stress much like they take our carbon dioxide. I find they help me to let go each afternoon when I spend a few moments giving them attention. It is in every sense a very holistic activity. If you have children I couldn’t imagine a better project you could enjoy with your children. Children are constantly learning and they can learn a lot from tending a garden.

Organic Conclusion

Life feeds on life. There is a constant cycling of energy transference. First the microorganisms support plant life. Plants are consumed by herbivores and omnivores. Carnivores and omnivores in turn consume the herbivores. All produce waste (even plants drop leaves), which is food for the microorganisms, and all die which also feeds the microorganisms. And so, on it goes.

The disruption of the energy transference cycle at its very root, by killing microorganisms through commercial farming practice, means the life that feeds on the life before it cannot possible be naturally healthy. Human and animals that eat sick plans will not themselves be well. Nor humans that eat sick animals.

Do you still want to kill all those bugs and worms in your garden?

Read Part I of this series “Organic vs Commercially Farmed Food”

For more great articles by Stephen Cox you can visit BalancedExistence.com. Stephen is a graduate student in Australia. Read more articles by our featured writer, Stephen Cox.

Related Reading:

On organic farming and global warming

Organic farms produce same yields as conventional farms

Can organic farming feed the world?

The Top Eleven Easiest Foods to Grow

How to Get Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables

How to Make a Green Bean Teepee

Berries that Should Run Wild

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

How to Filter the Water for Your Entire Home

“The Importance of Home Water Filters”

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

Have you ever wished you could filter more than just the water you drink?

I mean there are shower water filters out there too but that still doesn’t decrease the amount of pollutants and chlorine your children, pets, and clothing are exposed to. Chlorine free is especially important for anyone with asthma, skin problems, multiple chemical sensitivity or “perfume allergy,” and those with newborn babies and young children.

We are bathing in chlorine, cooking with chlorine, washing our already dry hands in chlorine, and constantly inhaling the chlorine fumes in our homes that derive from our shower water, kitchen, and laundry rooms. The things we do to get clean are ironically making us “dirty” on the inside. Chlorine not only gives the liver an extra workout, but it also ages our cells making for a shorter over-all lifespan and youthful appearance.

A while ago an environmental medicine professor at my school highly recommended just filtering the water straight from the main source. I mean it sounds a bit expensive and extreme, but when you think about all the other stuff we spend our money on in the name of health and beauty, we should seriously consider purifying the water we drink and the steamy fumes from our showers, laundry rooms, and kitchens. Actually what could be simpler?

Even if your municipal water is free of every other possible contaminant, it is still full of chlorine, and chlorine ages us. Reducing chlorine is an important part of my anti-aging program.

I was checking our new kitchen table partner AquaSauna the other day and was excited to see that they carry entire home water filters!

Of course you can just filter your kitchen sink tap water (which I always recommend filling up your own recycled glass bottles instead of drinking bottled water). And of course you can filter your shower water which you should do because one shower equals the total chlorine of drinking eight glasses of municipal tap water. But the best thing most home owners, parents, and pet lovers can do is just filter it straight at the source. Is that not a dream come true? Clean chlorine free water throughout your entire house? How liberating! Especially since one system is supposed to last for 3 years or 300, 000 gallons–I think it also saves the headache of having to keep up with all the replacing all the various water filters in your home.

I had heard initially that these ingenious systems run around $3000 dollars to have this set up but according to Aquasauna’s page it really is only $799 plus the price of installation (okay I know many plumbers charge more than heart surgeons especially on a holiday, but I doubt this is anywhere near a full day project for a plumber.)

These home water filters are also on sale right now, so you will receive a 20% discount as noted on the Whole House Water Filter page.

Our list of trusted list of resources on the kitchen table home page has been updated with Aquasauna’s links for your shopping convenience.

Of course our partnership with Aquasauna donates a small percentage of sales to kitchen table, so it may seem rather shameless to talk about the stuff over there that I really like, but if you have been looking for a great home water filter for a while, I would recommend checking out Aquasana.

I find their prices to be really reasonable, and the quality and customer service to be exceptional. As a naturopathic physician, people are always asking me for product recommendations. so I will start with this as my first official recommendation –after about a year of writing at the kitchen table and trying to avoid making specific recommendations.

We research and choose our partnerships here at the kitchen table for quality, safety, efficacy, and environmentalism. We always hold that which we recommend to the highest of standards, and our goal is to make healthy living affordable for everyone.

With a 90 day no hassle return policy you really don’t have to worry if you will like what you purchase over at Aquasauna.

If you ever have a problem with a product I recommend here at the kitchen table I would like to know right away. I strive to research the best and most affordable options for whole food and chemical free living, and we like to thank our sponsors by occasionally recommending our favorite stuff they keep in stock and reward our readers with useful sales, education and resources.

Of course you are welcome to shop anywhere you like, but if you do choose to purchase something through one of our well researched recommendations we simply thank you for helping keep kitchen table a constantly updated free natural medicine publication.

Dr. Nicole Sundene

Editor-in-chief of Kitchen Table Medicine

Read more: Anti-Aging Tips, Anti-Aging Program

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

How are you Voting for your Health?

Call me old fashioned but I refuse to vote by absentee ballot. I just love Election Day, and to me there is something really special about driving to the same elementary school year after year and filling out my ballot alongside everyone else in my community. There is that certain spirit in the air. That friendly neighborhood free cookie and coffee hour that can’t quite be replicated anywhere else. “Does my vote really make a difference?” I always wonder to myself as I look around the crowded room.

It certainly does to me.

Election time is about much more than voting for the lesser of two evils, it is about taking the time to educate ourselves about the issues.

As I carefully went through my voter’s ballot one last time, I realized, “wow voting is just like making healthy decisions!” Voting can be simple, and voting can be tough. There is that clear section in your voter’s pamphlet that you quickly breeze through, and then there are those decisions that you still aren’t certain about after never ending research and reading. What does this issue even mean? Do I need to hire an attorney to translate this legal gibberish? You may be left even at the last minute to deliberate over what is right and what is wrong.

Whether my vote is actually counted or not, I am left that much more educated as I submit my passionately researched opinions on how this world should be –in to the giant garbage can er…ballot counter.

We are truly blessed in our country to at least be given choices, even if they aren’t the best choices, they nevertheless are still choices. The freedom of choice is what makes America the amazing country that it is. Your choice may not always make the difference in America, but it does make a difference in you.

One thing that always ticks me off year after election year though is the blanket statement “everyone should vote.”

Do you really think everyone should vote? Sometimes I think that people should be forced to take a basic test on the issues and pass it before they can vote. Now I am not saying this to offend people that can’t read. Really, you shouldn’t have to even know how to read in order to vote, illiterate people can and should still be allowed to vote—as long as they are educated on what they are voting about!

What happens when we don’t educate ourselves on the issues and just go blindly vote? Does the thought of hundreds of thousands of uneducated voters making decisions about our government terrify anyone else?

One uneducated vote is actually enough to throw off an entire election.

In this year’s presidential election the “vote was rocked” by all the previously apathetic people that never really cared enough to go out and vote. That is what made the difference. That is what got the underdog in to office. That is what has created a great deal of hope that, “change is coming”, “that race is not an issue”, “that the average person can be president” (well George W. already demonstrated that) and that MLKJ’s dream that “people are not judged by the color of their skin, but the content of their character,” has alas come true. At least the majority of the American population is now looking at character and not color. We are progressing!

The votes of the previously apathetic are what has made American history. In all reality that is more amazing than the first African American being elected to office. Apathy is a far bigger problem than prejudice these days. Of course there are still and will always still be ignorance around race, but we have an entire Generation of “X”ers that don’t care about anything except video games and Sex in the City. Young people everywhere are starting to take pride in their country, starting to see that “this is MY country too.” People in Seattle have been dancing in the streets, making eye contact, and some strangers have even been caught making polite small talk despite the start of the nine month rainy season.

Regardless of your party preferences, I think we can all agree that the choice to vote is a right that many Americans take for granted. You shouldn’t just go blindly vote, it is important to educate yourself on the issues at hand, the pros, the cons, and then to support things moving in a positive direction.

Every day, everywhere you go, you are given a choice. You are given an opportunity to vote for your health. Sometimes the choices aren’t that great like “do you want fries with that?” or “diet coke or regular coke” or “pumpkin pie vs mince meat pie” and “sugar or something made from sugar?” But nevertheless they are choices that we should still attempt to think about.

Is Barack Obama right? Is change really coming? Only you can decide.

It’s the synergy of these little daily choices that build us up; or stack up as obstacles in our path.

In naturopathic medicine one of our main nature cure healing principles is to “remove the obstacles to cure”. The body wants to heal. The body wants to repair. It is the intrinsic nature of the body to constantly heal and repair, but the body also requires the right tools, the foundation has to be properly set, and obstacles must be removed from the path of “The Healing Power of Nature” or “The Vis Medicatrix Naturae” or “The Vis” as most naturopaths fondly refer to it. “The Vis is strong in this one,” you can go around joking to all your healthy friends if you want to be nerdy like me.

Obstacles to healing typically come from our unhealthy diet and lifestyle choices. All the white refined food garbage we eat, stagnation, negative thinking, unhealthy relationships, drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc, etc…nag, nag, nag…these are all the roadblocks to healing.

Sometimes the right choices are crystal clear. Everyone knows drugs are bad. Everyone knows smoking kills. Everyone knows 1-2 glasses of wine a day not the whole bottle, right? But when it comes to our diet things can be a bit trickier. We usually are left picking between what appears to be the lesser of two evils. So what would you vote for:

High Fructose Corn Syrup or Aspartame?

Wow!!! Did I really just vote for High Fructose Corn Syrup? Well, I was left no choice when it went head to head with aspartame. *sigh*

Which is the lesser of the two evils? High fructose corn syrup as noted in Dr. Scott Olson’s amazing book about sugar addiction, “Sugarettes” is linked to obesity, diabetes, aging to our arteries, and hypoglycemia. Whereas aspartame, is guilty of causing a “cephalic response” which leads to obesity and weight gain. In the cephalic response the brain is tricked by the sweet taste of aspartame and then tells the pancreas to secrete insulin, despite normal levels of glucose. This insulin dump causes low blood sugar or “hypoglycemia” which makes you hungry, and ultimately leads to being overweight.

Is aspartame not the biggest joke in health “care”? The man made garbage you are drinking to lose weight is making you fat? Yikes the issues can be deceiving, and just like in politics, the government refuses to acknowledge this conundrum, while both the FDA and American Diabetic Association also refuse to acknowledge that sugar causes diabetes (type II) and weight gain. (Source: OlsonND)

Yet another reason that politics mirror health care—you don’t always agree with the government!

Do you trust the government? Do you believe every single bit they tell you? Whether you do or you don’t the correct answer is “you shouldn’t always.” The government has to keep prison and school caffeteria programs funded so the average American best not base their “optimal daily allowance” off what the government says. I think the RDA should be called the MDA for “Minimal Daily Allowance”. The government also only cares about the collective and not the individual. There is no “NDA” (Nicole’s Daily Allowance).

So—now that you have been educated on aspartame vs high fructose corn syrup, do you still want to vote for aspartame? My guess is “no” if you are trying to use aspartame as a weight loss aid.

“Well Dr. Nicole, sugar makes people fat too, and high fructose corn syrup is converted by the liver to fat–all biochemists know that fructose is typically converted in the liver to fat,” you may argue.

Which I would then deliberate back that aspartame has MORE consumer related complaints than any other man made substance we consume. Frankly I don’t even have all day to rattle off the ever-growing list of skin rashes, autoimmune disease, fibromyalgia, arthritis, cancer, mood disorders, so forth and so on that consumers are reporting to the FDA. Thus I am left to make an ugly vote for high fructose corn syrup.

Rarely in health just like in politics, are we ever given a win-win situation to deliberate over like “soup or salad?” You can’t fail on that choice, unless the soup is a rich fatty cream base with chunks of sausage, or the salad is a lifeless sad case of iceberg lettuce and Thousand Island dressing.

My point with this rambling about voting for our health is that every single day, every place you go you are given the power of choice. Exercise that power with extreme privilege. Educate yourself on the issues. Read one new health tip every single day. Create a new whole foods recipe each day. Our day to day choices do in fact have influence not just on us but on our environment and those around us.

We live in a country where we have the constitutional right to choices, and many of us are not exercising these rights when it comes to our health. It may initially be overwhelming to think about all the diet choices we have to make, but in the end it all boils down to the same thing whether you are voting for a candidate or voting for your health—education. Educate yourself on the issues and then make your decisions based off your values, based off what works for YOU.

The more you educate yourself on the things you choose to put in your body the healthier you will inevitably become. We truly “are what we eat,” and the tritest expression in nutrition should be the motivator behind all your health decisions. What are your values? Who do you really really really want to be? Fat or thin? Healthy or unhealthy? Organic or Polluted? Positive or negative? Fit or fat? Selfish or contributory? Environmental or Apathetic? Believer or Non-believer? Who do you want to be?

You are invited to decide that today.

If you want to prevent disease, if you want to be healthy, if you want to teach your children by example; if you want to be that positive person and most importantly if you want to inspire the people around you by the choices you make—the bigger “votes” although initially tough—become that much simpler.

Hmmm…that gym membership is suddenly worth it, that home cooked meal at the kitchen table is suddenly worth the extra effort rather than just another night of drive through dining. Reading your child a book before bed suddenly becomes a million times more special than drinking a fat glass of wine in front of the television. Maybe that extra 20 cents for that organic apple really isn’t that bad after all when we decided to vote with our consumer dollars against pesticides being allowed to poison our environment and our children, and our children’s environment. Your consumer dollars are always voting too.

It all boils down to living by your values.

What is it that you really value? Life coach and author, Tim Brownson is constantly nagging me…er…um…I mean… he is always INSPIRING me to consider my values, and some of the healthy or environmental things I have previously been in a naturopathic rebellion against have more easily slid into place.

Anyone that has been chronically ill—that has been so sick that they have seen death’s door and made it back again knows the value of their health. If you have visited death’s door you do not take your health for granted. You realize you were given a second chance, you were given life. You choose life and you choose everything that supports the existence of your life. Unfortunately those of us that have not been forced to pay that visit to death’s door, have no clue what the true value is in our health. We may never fully understand until it is too late.

As a result, our health is always a value that will get cast aside with apathy. And apathy is the biggest war we have to wage for this century.

Whether you are traveling, visiting a friend, dining out, or eating at your kitchen table–you are always given choices. Get political, vote for the lesser of the two evils. Use your money as your ballots. That is exactly what keeps us always moving in a healthier direction. That is how we save the environment and ourselves. That is how we prevent disease. One day at a time, one choice at a time.

One healthy vote at a time.

Ha- you thought Election Day was over now did you? Sorry I can’t let you off the hook that easy, voting season has just begun. Now get out there and make your votes count!

“Progress not perfection.”

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table.

~Dr. Nicole Sundene

Related Reading: 45 Years to American Health Care

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Environmentally Friendly Office Tip

Going paperless in the office is easy with social bookmarking! Let me quickly teach you how…

First of all, I am delighted to know that some of you find my naturopathic protocols and tips so helpful that you often print them out and “collect” them. As a savvy internet warrior I have learned a few fabulous paperless tricks for saving and sharing information on the internet.

You can be old fashioned, and just “bookmark” or “add to favorites” on your browser, however that is only helpful if you use the same computer all the time. Also, if your computer crashes, then you lose all your bookmarks. This has happened to me before, and now that I am wise to the wonderful ways of social bookmarking, I have improved my ability to collect and store the vast quantity of information I am constantly gathering.

Best of all…social bookmarking is paperless!

Printing out less paper is great for the environment. Obviously if you need a list to tape to your fridge or bathroom mirror that is one thing, but if you need somewhere to store all the articles that pertain to your health goals, then social bookmarking is the best bet.

The easiest system I have found for quickly tagging and collecting my information is to store it on the social bookingmarking site del.icio.us. You just need to set up an account and load the icon on to your browser. Anytime you find something you want to return to, simply hit the “tag” icon.

If you have a chronic health condition, and enjoy researching information on the internet, you can easily tag and categorize any article that you find. Not only is it much more environmental than printing out a bunch of paper and keeping it in file folders, but it reduces clutter. I personally rely heavily on Stumbleupon and Digg for bookmarking articles I choose to reference or return to, but that is primarily because as a busy researcher, I am always sharing articles with my colleagues, while having access to that which they find useful as well. Sharing your internet finds with friends and family is the “social” part of bookmarking, which makes it that much more fun.

You can add me as a friend at these sites if you would like to share your articles with me!

Hope that helps save a tree or two!

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table.

~Dr. Nicole

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Chlorine Shower Filter: Anti-Aging

A simple anti-aging trick is to use a shower water filter.

I cannot more highly recommend the use of shower water filters for reducing chlorine associated aging and accelerated damage to healthy cells.

Chlorine is a toxic gas that destroys the healthy cells in our bodies on contact.Historically, chlorine gas was used as part of chemical warfare!

It is now used in our water to kill pathogens that may make us sick, however a side product of drinking “healthy water” is premature aging of our cells, especially that of our skin and lungs.

Why to use a shower water filter:

• Anti-aging
• Softer, more radiant skin that requires less moisturizers as chlorine is VERY drying
• Great for anyone with chronic skin conditions such as chronic itching, dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis
• Stronger healthier, shinier hair, with less need to touch up your hair coloring
• May reduce aging related hair loss
• Less dandruff
• Healthier lungs, a MUST for anyone with COPD, asthma, or other chronic respiratory ailments
• Reduce the amount of toxins your babies and children are exposed to

Before you spend any more money on health products for the INSIDE of your body, think about what should be done for the OUTSIDE of your body.

Visit Aquasauna to find a great shower water filter.

~ Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician

www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Healthy Body=Healthy Earth

Happy Earth Day Everyone!

In honor of this important day I am going to talk about ways to improve your diet for your own health as well as the health of the environment.

First of all just keeping yourself healthy is the best thing you can do for the earth. When people are sick the use of drugs, herbs and other alternative medicines increases the amount of waste factories have to produce.

Although plants and natural substances are a better environmental choice they still take their toll on the environment.

Just because herbs are natural doesn’t mean that using them is always the best choice for the earth. Many popular herbs are actually in danger of becoming extinct and we need to use them sparingly and only when they are absolutely needed.

Now most of you are already savvy on the use of recycled and reused goods, so here are my top tips for improving your diet to support your health as well as sustainable living: Read more

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Detoxify Your Home

General Measures

• Replacing toxic cleaners and pesticides with natural alternatives is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your toxin exposures.
• Leaving shoes at the door can reduce tracked-in lead, dust, and pesticides by a factor of 10-20.
• Maintaining good ventilation helps dilute toxins with clean air. Using a central vacuuming apparatus or HEPA vacuum will also help to minimize pollutants in the air.
• Temperature should be maintained at 65 F or below to reduce evaporation and concentration of toxic gases.
• Similarly, keeping humidity below 50% will reduce evaporation and mite proliferation.
• Filtering all public water is a good idea to remove toxic particles, chemicals, and microorganisms.
• Full spectrum lights reduce eye-strain and increase UV absorption.
• Reducing electromagnetic exposure from leaking microwaves, electric blankets, and other electrical appliances will also keep your toxic exposures down.

Furniture and Toys

Much of the furniture made today is made of composite materials, such as wood chips stuck together with toxin-containing glue and other chemicals. As attractive and useful as they may be, if furniture containing pressboard or plywood is less than a couple of years old, they’re contributing formaldehyde, a carcinogen and the substance used for embalming, into the air you breathe. There is a simple short-term solution: keep your house well ventilated. Also, bring lots of houseplants, especially spider plants, into areas where you have new furniture and carpet.

On the bed, used a spring, foam, or waterbed mattress. Wash sheets with very hot water and dry on the hot cycle to destroy mites. Use a plastic-type enclosed dust mite casing on mattresses, box springs, and pillows. Use hypoallergenic synthetic pillows instead of feather pillows if you are not using the dust mite encasements. Use only washable non-wool blankets. Do not use down comforters.

Floor Coverings

New carpets can be heavy contributors to toxic load, especially if they’re in an area where you spend a lot of time, like your bedroom. As with carpets–furniture, children’s toys, and mattress covers made of plastic also out-gas toxic fumes. Sometimes you can even smell the fumes if you sniff them very closely.

One way to significantly reduce (though not eliminate) their out-gassing is to set them out in strong sunlight for a day or two before bringing them into your home or giving them to your children. Thoroughly washing plastic toys and furniture can also help.

If you’re considering a new carpet and haven’t bought the carpeting yet, investigate the purchase of a natural fiber carpeting or other natural floor coverings. Hardwood flooring finished with a nontoxic coating is attractive, durable and safe. So are tile floors, which are easy to damp-mop and very durable. Area rugs in strategic spots will keep your feet warm and soften noise.

If these alternatives don’t work for you and you’re still convinced you want carpeting, select nylon carpet with jute backing. Better yet are natural carpets made from untreated wool, cotton, sea grass and sisal, with natural latex backing. Also, ask for “rag pad” padding (a standard carpeting industry term), made from recycled rags and polypropylene felt. Have the carpet installed in the summer, when you can leave the windows open more often to let those fumes out when the carpet is newer and more out-gassing is occurring.

If you live in a manufactured home, or a newly built conventional house, you’re probably experiencing a lot of out-gassing from plywood within the walls, the cabinets, as well as under the flooring. Depending on your state of health, and your ability to ventilate your home, you might want to consider a high quality air filter. Make sure furnace and air conditioning filters are replaced regularly.

Resources
1. www.emagazine.com
2. www.detox.org
3. Pearson, David. The Natural House Book. Fireside Pub. 1989.

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Decreasing Home Pollutants

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

How much of your day is spent indoors? Inside your own home? If you’re like most Americans, you spend up to 90 percent of your life in an enclosed, indoor location – and more than half of that inside your own home. Strangely enough, our concern for environmental health doesn’t always translate into a concern for a healthy indoor environment in addition to a healthy outdoor environment.

The overall health of a home is usually affected by not one, but many sources of pollutants. Heat, humidity, and modern-day, energy-efficient construction practices dramatically increase the concentrations of existing pollutants. In an effort to save energy and make our homes energy-efficient, we’ve tightened them up, which means we’re sealing in the indoor pollutants that can make us sick. The good news is that the process of detoxifying your home is simpler than you might think. While larger environmental problems loom all around us, preventing and reducing the risks associated with exposure to pesticides, household cleaners, and other sources of toxic chemicals can be done by anyone, at any time.

Cleaners, polishes, and pesticides are significant sources of toxics in the home. When these must be brought into your home, be sure to use and dispose of them according to directions on the label. Chemicals in cleaners and polishes are often a mixture of complex, unnamed compounds. Some contain strong acids (drain cleaners) or bases (oven cleaners). Others may contain petroleum distillates known as “grease cutters.”

Avoid detergents with mercury, phosphates, and heavy metals, such as arsenic and zinc, which can cause persistent problems in both indoor and outdoor environments. As with personal care products, unless you’ve already made the switch to naturally-derived, nontoxic products for housekeeping, the products you’re using are toxic. Your skin and lungs absorb those toxins.

The next time you run out of one product or another, whether it’s floor cleaner, window cleaner or bathroom cleaner, replace it with something less harmful. The replacement could be something very simple such as white vinegar or baking soda, available at any grocery store.

BATHROOM

• For tile and bathroom fixtures, use baking soda dissolved in water, applied on a damp cloth.
• For cleaning your toilet bowl, use baking soda and vinegar or lemon juice and borax. Cola that has gone flat can be poured in the bowl, left to sit for one hour, brushed, and flushed.
• Pour boiling water directly down your kitchen drain, not into the basin, twice weekly to prevent clogs. Use a drain trap/strainer to catch food or hair.
• To clear a clogged drain, use a metal snake or plunger.

KITCHEN

• Clean your oven often with baking soda (mix three tablespoons soda with one cup warm water). Rub gently with steel wool. Use oven liners or tinfoil to catch spills. Sprinkle salt on spills while oven is still warm. When the oven cools, scrape and wipe the area clean. Borax is also a good grease cutter.
• Mop with one cup of white vinegar mixed with two gallons of water to remove dull, greasy film. Add a small amount of skim milk to the rinse water. This will shine the floor.

LAUNDRY AND FURNITURE

• Use dry bleach, borax, or washing soda to whiten clothes. Chlorine bleach gives off toxic fumes that are irritating to the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Bleach also burns the skin. Never combine bleach and ammonia together, as they produce a toxic gas.
• To clean windows, apply vinegar and water (two teaspoons vinegar to one quart water), squeegee off, and dry with a soft cloth or newspaper.
• Club soda works well as a stain remover, as does a solution of water and vinegar (1/4 cup each).
• Combining 6 tablespoons of mild soap flakes, 1 pint of boiling water, and 2 teaspoons of household ammonia can make upholstery shampoo. Mix and whip the mixture with a beater. Brush only the foam into the soiled upholstery. Be sure to wash kitchen utensils completely after use.
• Polish furniture with one teaspoon lemon oil or almond oil dissolved in one pint of baby oil. Wash wood furniture with oil soap or Castile soap and water.
• For spots, use club soda to remove fruit juice, tea, gravy, ketchup, and mud; cold water immediately for blood; lemon juice for ink, and perspiration; beaten egg whites for spots on leather.
• Use the oil from crushed walnuts to conceal nicks and scratches.

SHOE AND METAL POLISH

• Avoid shoe polishes that contain trichloroethylene, methylene chloride, or nitrobenzene. Instead, rub shoes with lemon juice and buff with soft cloth.
• Metal Polish (Aluminum, Brass, Copper, Silver): Soak silver in one quart of boiling water with one teaspoon baking soda or cream of tartar, one teaspoon salt, and a piece of aluminum foil. Polish with toothpaste and rinse. Pour lemon juice or vinegar and salt over copper and rub. For brass, use one-half teaspoon salt and one-half cup white vinegar with enough flour to make a paste — let it sit 25 minutes to 1 hour. Wipe clean. Soak aluminum in one quart boiling water with two teaspoons cream of tartar.

INSECTICIDES

• For an effective insect spray, blend six cloves of crushed garlic, one minced onion, one tablespoon dried hot pepper and one teaspoon pure soap in four quarts hot water. Let the mix sit one to two days and then strain it before using.
• To control roaches, place bay leaves around cracks in the room. Set out a dish of equal parts baking soda and powdered sugar or equal parts of oatmeal flour and plaster of Paris, or chopped bay leaves and cucumber skins, or crushed tobacco and water.
• As for ants, pour a line of cream of tartar, red chili powder, paprika, or dried peppermint leaves at point of entry.
• To control fleas, give your pets brewer’s yeast, garlic tablets, or vitamin B and wash them regularly in herbal baths prepared with fennel, rue, or rosemary to repel fleas from animals.
• Cedar chips, newspaper, and dried lavender are good substitutes for mothballs.

Resources
www.anr.state.vt.us/ecosolutions
www.detox.org
Pearson, David. The Natural House Book. Fireside Publishers. 1989.

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Common Household Pollutants

• Formaldehyde off-gasses (evaporates) from cushions, cosmetics, insulation, plywood, disinfectants, particleboard and adhesives used to manufacture most inexpensive wood-based products. Carpets and carpet cushions may also off-gas formaldehyde, causing eye and upper respiratory irritation. According to the EPA, formaldehyde may even cause cancer.
• Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., warns the Surgeon General. Radon is a natural, radioactive gas that can seep into homes through cracks in the basement, the surrounding foundation, and in well water. It enters the body quietly through the ai  
• Lead, at levels once thought to be acceptable, is now known to contribute to learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Lead is found in paint in older houses, old plumbing, and soil near highways and busy roads. It can cause neurological and kidney damage, high blood pressure, disrupted blood cell production, and reproductive problems. 
• Carbon monoxide will kill an estimated 660 Americans this year. The biggest culprit is the unserviced furnace burning propane, butane or oil. Attributed effects are headache and nausea. 
• Arsenic is still laced in many household pesticides and is used as a wood preservative (“treated” wood for outdoor use). Low levels of inorganic arsenic “may increase lung cancer risk,” according to the CDC. The Department of Health and Human Services agrees added arsenic compounds to the list of known carcinogens.
• Vinyl chloride is the source of “new car smell”: The plastic interior of a new car off-gasses this known carcinogen. Water sitting in PVC pipes overnight may be steeping into a toxic tea. Very large exposures can lead to “vinyl chloride disease,” which causes severe liver damage and ballooning of the fingertips.
• Hydrofluoric acid can cause intense pain and damage to tissues and bone if the recommended gloves happen to have holes in them. This highly corrosive substance is the active ingredient in many household rust removers.
• House dust can include lead, cadmium, bacteria, mites, flea eggs, pesticides, asbestos, mold spores, and dust mites. Allergies including sneezing, itching eyes, runny nose, asthma, and headache can occur due to dust exposure.
• Asbestos is a fiber particle used in insulation that is linked to lung and stomach cancers.
• Methylene chloride in hair spray, decaffeinated coffee and insect spray can cause cancer.
• Electromagnetic fields emitted by electric cords and appliances can cause miscarriage.
• Volatile organic compounds have well-documented adverse effects.
• Solvents, disinfectants, antiseptics, perfumes, mouthwashes, glues and air fresheners can contain harmful phenols and other chemicals.
• Cleaning agents irritate skin, lungs, and eyes, and throw off the ecological environment of waterways that wash them away.
• Pesticides are poisons used to control insects, fungi, weeds, and rodents. Attributed effects are nervous system depression and childhood leukemia. Pesticides such as chlordane, aldrin, dieldrin, though all banned for nearly two decades, continue to show up airborne in older houses.

Resources
1. www.emagazine.com
2. Pearson, David. The Natural House Book. Fireside Pub. 1989.

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Liver Supportive Foods

The first step in supporting proper liver function is following a health promoting diet low in animal foods and sugar, and high in whole plant foods such as vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Such a diet will provide a wide range of essential nutrients the liver needs to carry on its important functions. In addition, it may be helpful to take a high potency multiple vitamin and mineral supplement, use a special nutritional and herbal supplement to protect the liver and enhance liver function, and go on a 3 day fresh juice fast at the change of each season. To have a healthy liver, these are some things to definitely stay away from:

• Saturated fats, hydrogenated fats/oils
• Non-organic meats, poultry, eggs and dairy
• Refined sugar, refined and processed foods
• Alcohol, drugs, and coffee

DIET

• Special foods rich in properties that help protect the liver from damage and improve liver function include:

o High sulfur containing foods like garlic, legumes, onions, and eggs
o Good sources of water-soluble fibers such as pears, oat bran, apples, and beans
o Cabbage family vegetables especially broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage
o Artichokes, beets, carrots, dandelion
o Many herbs and spices like turmeric, cinnamon, and licorice.

JUICE/TEA

• Red beet mixed with carrot (1/2 cup) once a day.
• Dandelion root tea: steep 1 teaspoon in 1 pint boiling water for 20 minutes. Take once a day.

SUPPLEMENTS

• A high potency multiple vitamin and mineral is helpful to deal with the toxic chemicals we are exposed to. Antioxidant vitamins like vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin E are important in protecting the liver from damage as well as helping in detoxification mechanisms. Also important are nutrients like B vitamins, calcium, and trace minerals; they are critical in the elimination of heavy metals and other toxic compounds from the body.
• Choline, betaine, methionine, vitamin B6, folic acid, and vitamin B12 are important as well. These nutrients are referred to as “lipotropic agents.” Lipotropic agents are compounds, which promote the flow of fat and bile to and from the liver. In essence, they produce a “decongesting” effect on the liver and promote improved liver function and fat metabolism.
• Formulas containing lipotropic agents are very useful in enhancing detoxification reactions and other liver functions. Lipotropic formulas have been used for a wide variety of conditions by nutrition-oriented physicians including a number of liver disorders including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and chemical-induced liver disease.
• It is important to take enough of the formula to provide a daily dose of 1,000 mg of choline and 1,000 mg of either methionine and/or cysteine.

HERBS

• Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) known as silymarin – a group of flavonoid compounds – exerts a tremendous effect on protecting the liver from damage as well as enhancing the detoxification processes.
• Silymarin prevents damage to the liver by acting as an antioxidant. Silymarin is many times more potent in antioxidant activity than vitamin E and vitamin C. The protective effect of silymarin against liver damage has been demonstrated in a number of experimental studies.

LIFESTYLE

• Adopting a healthy lifestyle that will support a healthy liver includes avoiding alcohol and exercising regularly. Some helpful ideas are:

• Deep breathing exercises: inhale for a count of 4, hold for a count of 12, and exhale for a count of 8. Start with 2 minutes and work up to a goal of 5-10 minutes each day.
• Take a brisk walk or another form of cardiovascular exercise 20-30 minutes each day.
• Drink clean filtered water (at least 2 quarts a day).
• Avoid aluminum cookware; try stainless steel instead.

Source: http://www.doctormurray.com

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Liver Support Protocol

Our livers are responsible for filtering out all the environmental toxins that we are exposed to as well as those that we ingest. Consult with your physician to decide what kind of liver support protocol is best for you. The following is a sample approach to optimizing the liver’s ability to detoxify the body from pollutants and toxins.

JUICE & TEA
Red beet juice (1/2 cup) mixed with carrot juice (1/2 cup) once a day
Dandelion root tea – steep 1 tsp. in 1 pint boiling water for 20 minutes, take once a day

NUTRITION
Foods to include – Brewers yeast (3-5 tbsp/day), endive, cucumbers, garlic, onions, artichoke, sprouted seeds, grains, tahini, vegetable products (raw or juiced). No condiments except lemon juice and only a little salt. At least 40 ounces of liquid a day, green juice (can be mixed with some carrot juice). Liquid chlorophyll.

Foods to exclude – all processed and refined foods, salt, strong spices, sugar, alcohol, drugs, synthetic vitamins, fats, oils, non-organic meats and dairy (due to hormones), coffee, heavy starches (potatoes, rice, bread, cereal), proteins, vitamins, herbal supplements, chicken, eggs, milk or milk products. Do not use aluminum cookware.

Deep breathing (10 times a day for 30 seconds each time)
Brisk walk or other exercise 20-30 minutes a day

Sweating through exercise or sauna.

Many herbs such as Milk Thistle have been shown to protect the liver as well as aid it’s natural detoxification process. Consult with your physician to determine if you need to start a supplement routine to support your liver.

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Hidden Sources of Mercury

While you and your doctor are considering the possibility of Chronic Mercury Toxicity or while you are looking for ways to remove mercury in your immediate environment, avoid the items below. All items listed contain various amounts of mercury. Using them without precautionary measures could intensify chronic mercury toxicity symptoms.

Foods
Tuna – canned or fresh
Shellfish – shrimp, lobster, crab, oysters, etc.
Other large saltwater fish – swordfish, salmon, cod, etc.
Carrots-non organic
Lettuce
Grains treated with methylmercury fungicides – especially wheat
Kelp and other seaweeds

Cosmetics
Some hair dyes – read contents
Mascara – waterproof type especially
Skin lightening creams

Medications
Preparation H
Toilet paper made from recycled paper
Calomel – body powders and talc
Mercurochrome
Merthiolate
Laxatives containing Calomel
Psoriasis ointment
Calamine lotions
Contact lens solutions
Vaginal gels – especially those that are contraceptives

Miscellaneous
Latex and solvent – thinned paints
Fabric softeners
Floor waxes and polishes
Air conditioner filters
Wood preservatives
Cinnabar – used in jewelry
Felts
Adhesives
Tattooing
Batteries with mercury cells
Sewage disposal
Fungicides for lawns, shrubs and trees

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™

Environmental Health Resources List

The following information is listed for those with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or other environmnetal allergies or sensitivities…

LOCAL RESOURCES
Environmental Home Center (206) 682-7332 / (800) 281-9785 www.environmentalhomecenter.com
1724 4th Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98134
Retail store offering a variety of non-toxic/low toxic building, decorating and remodeling materials.

Healthy Building Associates (206) 448-9135
1932 1st Avenue #515
Seattle, WA 98101
Indoor air quality consultant.

Master Home Environmentalists (206) 626-5127
Non profit organization which provides free indoor air quality assessments.

PCC, Fred Meyer, Whole Foods, QFC, and Marketime
Various locations
Offer non-toxic/low toxic cleaning, and home products.

NATIONAL RESOURCES – PRODUCT CATALOGS
Seventh Generation (800) 456-1191 www.seventhgeneration.com
Offers a full selection of non-toxic/low toxic linens, home furnishings, cleaners and clothing.

Earth Care (800) 347-0070
Offers a selection of non-toxic/low toxic linens, home furnishings, cleaners and clothing.

Earth Runnings (505) 988-7377 www.earthrunnings.com
Offers a selection of organic cotton and hemp bedding, yoga mats and meditation cushions.

Garnet Hill (800) 870-3513 www.garnethill.com
Offers silk and cotton and “hypo-allergenic” comforters and pillows

Oikos Bookstore (800) 346-0104 www.oikos.com
Offers a selection of educational materials on healthy buildings

Natural American Home (707) 823-8834
Offers a selection of organic cotton and untreated wool futons, mattresses and pillows.

The Natural Choice (505) 438-3448
Offers a selection of non-toxic/low toxic paints, cleaners, home furnishings and clothing.

NEEDS (315) 488-6300
Offers a selection of non-toxic/low toxic home products.

Nontoxic Environments (800) 789-4348 www.nontoxicenvironments.com
Offers a selection of non-toxic/low toxic building and home products.

©KitchenTableMedicine.com, LLC ™