Poison is a toxic and dangerous substance that exists as solid, liquid, gas or a mixture of part or all of the substances. It is most unwanted by the body because it can cause serious damage to the body or even cause death. This topic seems pertinent to me because often, people ingest toxic substances around the house that often cause serious injury or sometimes death. Before expert care is sought, a lot of damage is done. So, be it food poisoning, heavy metal poisoning or just intoxication, here you can find tips to either eliminate or keep under safe control until better and more expert service is reached.

Food poisoning often improves without treatment within 48 hours. To help keep yourself more comfortable and prevent dehydration while you recover, try the following:

Let your stomach settle:

Stop eating and drinking for a few hours.

Try sucking on ice chips or taking small sips of water:

You might also try drinking clear soda, clear broth or noncaffeinated sports drinks, such as Gatorade. You're getting enough fluid when you're urinating normally and your urine is clear and not dark.

Ease back into eating:

Gradually begin to eat bland, low-fat, easy-to-digest foods, such as soda crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas and rice. Stop eating if your nausea returns. Avoid certain foods and substances until you're feeling better.These include dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and fatty or highly seasoned foods

Rest:

The illness and dehydration can weaken and tire you.
stick to foods that are easily digested, such as toast, crackers, bananas and rice until you begin to feel better
avoid alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine and spicy and fatty foods because they will make you feel worse

Treatment of food poisoning may include:

Replacement of lost fluids:

Fluids and electrolytes — minerals such as sodium, potassium and calcium that maintain the balance of fluids in your body — lost to persistent diarrhea need to be replaced. Some children and adults with persistent diarrhea or vomiting may need hospitalization, where they can receive salts and fluids through a vein (intravenously), to prevent or treat dehydration.

Dietary Approach:

Light cases of food poison may be treated at home. Do not drink milk, juice, alcohol, or vinegar until poison is removed from the stomach. Eat some high fiber foods and yellow vegetables (like squash and sweet potato) as soon as possible. Fresh lettuce is known to neutralize many poisons. Other things that may bring relief include strong black tea, burnt toast (absorbs poison just like activated charcoal tablets), milk of magnesia, or aloe vera juice. Plantain tea, skullcap tea, yellow dock tea, or elecampane tea may also help. Other herbs to try include ginger, cinnamon, cloves, , cumin, thyme and rosemary.

The best defense against all poisons is a strong immune system. Regular use of immunity enhancers like astragalus, garlic, ginseng, and green drinks can help strengthen, protect, and speed up the healing process.




IMPORTANT!!: HOME REMEDY FOR POISONING:



The first step is to disable the effect of the poison. The major elements most suitable in neutralizing poison are water, pure honey, and red palm oil. In place of palm oil , grinded mustard powder can be used. Anyone who has taken in poison internally should immediately continue to take several teaspoonfuls of pure honey as often as every thirty minutes. Palm oil can be taken, but pure honey should be taken more frequently. Pure honey has the power to disable the power of the poison while palm oil will force the honey to be vomited. Eating bitter kola will also prevent poison to spread beyond its original point where it started.
Alternatively one can grind at least five kola nuts, mix with palm kernel oil, add some pure honey, add evaporated milk and allow the victim of poison to swallow. In less than thirty minutes, the poison will be vomited. Another method is to dissolve table salt in warm water or two table spoons of liquid mustard dissolved in a pint of water, get the sufferer to drink this and vomiting will soon occur.
Poison elimination cuts across all cultures and communities. In some places, poison is eliminated by grinding charcoal into fine powder, then mixing it with pure honey and making the poisoned person to use teaspoon to take the honey. Fresh milk can be used in place of the honey. In either case the poison will be neutralized and vomited. Caution should be taken in handling poison because if any drug is used, the poison can easily react with the poison and accentuate the pain or even cause death. Natural approach is the better option to neutralize and expunge poison from the human body.

Antibiotics:

Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if you have certain kinds of bacterial food poisoning and your symptoms are severe. Food poisoning caused by listeria needs to be treated with intravenous antibiotics during hospitalization. The sooner treatment begins, the better. During pregnancy, prompt antibiotic treatment may help keep the infection from affecting the baby.

Adults with diarrhea that isn't bloody and who have no fever may get relief from taking the medication loperamide (Imodium A-D) or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol). Ask your doctor about these options.

Prevention of Food Poisoning at Home:

Because the primary goal should always be to prevent an adverse event, it makes sense to first discuss poison prevention in the home. The following messages should be part of anticipatory guidance during prenatal and well-infant visits:


A.) Keep potential poisons out of sight and out of reach.

B.) Always reengage child-resistant closures in the locked mode immediately after using a pharmaceutical or consumer product.

C.) Never transfer a substance from its original to an alternate container.

D.) Safely dispose of all unused and no longer needed medications.

E.) Do not refer to medicines as candy.

Recovery:

Once you are recovered from food poisoning, take a good probiotic. Your intestines require a healthy colony of abundant friendly bacteria to digest food, eliminate waste, rid the bowels of toxins and reduce the potential for intestinal inflammation. The friendly bacteria in probiotics help to re-establish normal, healthy intestinal and digestive function, assisting you in returning to normal. Look for either yogurts or supplements that say “live active cultures” right on the label, to ensure that the friendly bugs are still alive and viable.

Heavy Metal Poisoning:



A heavy build-up of heavy metals and environment poisons is common in today's society. Nicotine, insecticide, herbicide, over-treated water, hair dye, aluminum cookware, deodorants, smoke, smog, paint fumes, and habitual use of antacids contribute to the problem. (Antacids interfere with the body's enzyme production and reduce its ability to carry off heavy metals.) Heavy metal poisoning requires detoxification. A seven day diet of vegetables, brown rice, fruits, cilantro, and lots of water can help cleanse the kidneys and liver of heavy metal poisons.

Antioxidants and vitamins are very important in the treatment of heavy metal poisoning. Vitamin E, vitamin C, and zinc should be taken in supplement form. Herbs can also help rid the body of heavy metals. Evening primrose oil, milk thistle seed, green tea, and dandelion are recommended especially for patients with iron overload disease. A hot seaweed bath is also known to remove many heavy metals from the body. Use a dry brush on skin before and after the bath.

Poison is a toxic and dangerous substance that exists as solid, liquid, gas or a mixture of part or all of the substances. It is most unwanted by the body because it can cause serious damage to the body or even cause death. This topic seems pertinent to me because often, people ingest toxic substances around the house that often cause serious injury or sometimes death. Before expert care is sought, a lot of damage is done. So, be it food poisoning, heavy metal poisoning or just intoxication, here you can find tips to either eliminate or keep under safe control until better and more expert service is reached.

Food poisoning often improves without treatment within 48 hours. To help keep yourself more comfortable and prevent dehydration while you recover, try the following:

Let your stomach settle:

Stop eating and drinking for a few hours.

Try sucking on ice chips or taking small sips of water:

You might also try drinking clear soda, clear broth or noncaffeinated sports drinks, such as Gatorade. You're getting enough fluid when you're urinating normally and your urine is clear and not dark.

Ease back into eating:

Gradually begin to eat bland, low-fat, easy-to-digest foods, such as soda crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas and rice. Stop eating if your nausea returns. Avoid certain foods and substances until you're feeling better.These include dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and fatty or highly seasoned foods

Rest:

The illness and dehydration can weaken and tire you.
stick to foods that are easily digested, such as toast, crackers, bananas and rice until you begin to feel better
avoid alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine and spicy and fatty foods because they will make you feel worse

Treatment of food poisoning may include:

Replacement of lost fluids:

Fluids and electrolytes — minerals such as sodium, potassium and calcium that maintain the balance of fluids in your body — lost to persistent diarrhea need to be replaced. Some children and adults with persistent diarrhea or vomiting may need hospitalization, where they can receive salts and fluids through a vein (intravenously), to prevent or treat dehydration.

Dietary Approach:

Light cases of food poison may be treated at home. Do not drink milk, juice, alcohol, or vinegar until poison is removed from the stomach. Eat some high fiber foods and yellow vegetables (like squash and sweet potato) as soon as possible. Fresh lettuce is known to neutralize many poisons. Other things that may bring relief include strong black tea, burnt toast (absorbs poison just like activated charcoal tablets), milk of magnesia, or aloe vera juice. Plantain tea, skullcap tea, yellow dock tea, or elecampane tea may also help. Other herbs to try include ginger, cinnamon, cloves, , cumin, thyme and rosemary.

The best defense against all poisons is a strong immune system. Regular use of immunity enhancers like astragalus, garlic, ginseng, and green drinks can help strengthen, protect, and speed up the healing process.




IMPORTANT!!: HOME REMEDY FOR POISONING:



The first step is to disable the effect of the poison. The major elements most suitable in neutralizing poison are water, pure honey, and red palm oil. In place of palm oil , grinded mustard powder can be used. Anyone who has taken in poison internally should immediately continue to take several teaspoonfuls of pure honey as often as every thirty minutes. Palm oil can be taken, but pure honey should be taken more frequently. Pure honey has the power to disable the power of the poison while palm oil will force the honey to be vomited. Eating bitter kola will also prevent poison to spread beyond its original point where it started.
Alternatively one can grind at least five kola nuts, mix with palm kernel oil, add some pure honey, add evaporated milk and allow the victim of poison to swallow. In less than thirty minutes, the poison will be vomited. Another method is to dissolve table salt in warm water or two table spoons of liquid mustard dissolved in a pint of water, get the sufferer to drink this and vomiting will soon occur.
Poison elimination cuts across all cultures and communities. In some places, poison is eliminated by grinding charcoal into fine powder, then mixing it with pure honey and making the poisoned person to use teaspoon to take the honey. Fresh milk can be used in place of the honey. In either case the poison will be neutralized and vomited. Caution should be taken in handling poison because if any drug is used, the poison can easily react with the poison and accentuate the pain or even cause death. Natural approach is the better option to neutralize and expunge poison from the human body.

Antibiotics:

Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if you have certain kinds of bacterial food poisoning and your symptoms are severe. Food poisoning caused by listeria needs to be treated with intravenous antibiotics during hospitalization. The sooner treatment begins, the better. During pregnancy, prompt antibiotic treatment may help keep the infection from affecting the baby.

Adults with diarrhea that isn't bloody and who have no fever may get relief from taking the medication loperamide (Imodium A-D) or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol). Ask your doctor about these options.

Prevention of Food Poisoning at Home:

Because the primary goal should always be to prevent an adverse event, it makes sense to first discuss poison prevention in the home. The following messages should be part of anticipatory guidance during prenatal and well-infant visits:


A.) Keep potential poisons out of sight and out of reach.

B.) Always reengage child-resistant closures in the locked mode immediately after using a pharmaceutical or consumer product.

C.) Never transfer a substance from its original to an alternate container.

D.) Safely dispose of all unused and no longer needed medications.

E.) Do not refer to medicines as candy.

Recovery:

Once you are recovered from food poisoning, take a good probiotic. Your intestines require a healthy colony of abundant friendly bacteria to digest food, eliminate waste, rid the bowels of toxins and reduce the potential for intestinal inflammation. The friendly bacteria in probiotics help to re-establish normal, healthy intestinal and digestive function, assisting you in returning to normal. Look for either yogurts or supplements that say “live active cultures” right on the label, to ensure that the friendly bugs are still alive and viable.

Heavy Metal Poisoning:



A heavy build-up of heavy metals and environment poisons is common in today's society. Nicotine, insecticide, herbicide, over-treated water, hair dye, aluminum cookware, deodorants, smoke, smog, paint fumes, and habitual use of antacids contribute to the problem. (Antacids interfere with the body's enzyme production and reduce its ability to carry off heavy metals.) Heavy metal poisoning requires detoxification. A seven day diet of vegetables, brown rice, fruits, cilantro, and lots of water can help cleanse the kidneys and liver of heavy metal poisons.

Antioxidants and vitamins are very important in the treatment of heavy metal poisoning. Vitamin E, vitamin C, and zinc should be taken in supplement form. Herbs can also help rid the body of heavy metals. Evening primrose oil, milk thistle seed, green tea, and dandelion are recommended especially for patients with iron overload disease. A hot seaweed bath is also known to remove many heavy metals from the body. Use a dry brush on skin before and after the bath.

This article only brushes past care and factors to consider in dietary management of stroke patients, I hope to bring a more comprehensive piece on that to you as soon as I can. For now this dwells mostly on good feeding practices to avoid stroke. Please bear with me.
How Stroke Can Affect Eating and Nutrition:

Healthy food habits can help you reduce three risk factors for stroke — poor cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and excess weight. Diets high in saturated fat and transfat can raise blood cholesterol levels. Diets high in sodium can contribute to increased blood pressure, and high-calorie diets can contribute to obesity. A diet with five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day may reduce the risk of stroke.

Stroke can also impair a person's ability to swallow(dysphagia):

Swallowing problems may result from weakening of the tongue or loss of coordination of tongue movements. Food can become pocketed between the cheek and teeth and drooling may occur because of an inability to seal the lips.

The person may also:

*Choke and cough during and after meals

*Be unable to suck from a straw

*Lack a gag reflex

*Suffer from chronic upper respiratory infection

*If calorie and nutritional needs cannot be met, the person may become malnourished, a condition characterized by weight loss and a poor appetite.

Diet modifications need to be individualized according to the type and extent of these impairments. A registered dietitian (R.D.) can develop a plan of care that will provide a satisfying and nutritionally adequate diet.

Tips for eating well with swallowing problems:
1.) Liquids of thicker consistency are easier to swallow.

2.) Drink eight cups of liquid each day to meet fluid needs.

3.) Very warm and well-chilled foods make swallowing easier.

4.) Eat small meals frequently throughout the day to meet nutrient needs.

5.) Eat moist foods, such as casseroles and foods with sauces.

Dietary Tips For Prevention of Stroke:

Eat a well-balanced diet with an emphasis on fresh vegetables and fruits; lean, clean protein foods; and whole grains. This diet is important for the health of the blood vessels. It also ensures that you receive an abundant supply of important vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (antioxidant compounds in plants) that fight free-radical damage and help increase the oxygenation of tissues, including those of the brain.


Make sure that your diet includes the blue and purple fruits and vegetables, such as concord grapes, eggplant, and red cabbage. These foods contain pigments called anthocyanidins. The anthocyanidins in wine grapes are believed to help lower the risk of stroke (and heart attack).

Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that counteract/prevent the damage from free radicals. One British study found that those who eat the most fruit experience 32 percent fewer strokes. A diet high in antioxidants helps prevent hemorrhagic as well as ischemic stroke. This reduces the likelihood of bleeding in the brain.

Enjoy carrots often. In a study of 87,000 nurses conducted by Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard University, subjects who ate five or more servings of carrots every week had a 68-percent lower risk of suffering a stroke compared with those who ate one serving a month or less.

Avoid saturated and hydrogenated fats. Eliminate dairy products (except for small amounts of the low-fat varieties), red meat, eggs, margarine, shortening, tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil, and all fried foods. Saturated and hydrogenated fats raise cholesterol levels, especially that of LDL ("bad cholesterol" and promote the buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries.

If you eat meat every day, you may double your stroke risk. Yale neurologist John Lynch, M.D. tracked 6,500 stroke-free men between ages 57 and 67 for 10 years. Twelve percent of the men who ate meat daily had strokes. Those who ate meat only one to three times a month, only 5.4 percent experienced strokes.

Eat Foods Rich in Vitamin Bs: Fruits and vegetables, in addition to being rich in antioxidants, also contain generous supplies of vitamin B6 and folic acid. These B vitamins reduce levels of homocysteine. Homocysteine has been shown to increase the risk for stroke (and heart disease).

Spinach, carrots, peas, walnuts, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, fish (especially salmon and herring), chicken, and eggs are good source for vitamin B6. Foods rich in folic acid include spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, and whole wheat.

Eat Plenty of Fish. Cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring are the richest sources of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, but most other fish and seafood contain some as well. Dutch researchers tracked the health, diet, and lifestyles of people in the Netherlands, for many years. They found that those who eat fish regularly have a lower rate of stroke than those who don't.

Add Foods Containing Alpha- Linolenic Acid. Alpha-linolenic acid is an essential fatty acid that is similar to the health-enhancing omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. Alpha-linolenic and omega-3 fatty acids help prevent the internal blood clots that trigger stroke. You can obtain alpha- linolenic acid from canola and soybean oils as well as from walnuts.

Incorporate foods Containing Potassium. Dietary potassium is known to help prevent high blood pressure. Researchers have found that it might help prevent stroke. The higher your blood potassium level, the lower your risk of stroke.
Good food sources of potassium include fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, poultry, and fish.

Pineapples are actually not one fruit but a cluster of berries!.. bet you didn't know that. Learn more about these sugary queens

The fresh pineapple is the only known source of an enzyme called bromelain, which has been used in studies to determine it's effectiveness in alleviating joint pain, arthritis, reduce inflammation, inhibit tumor growth and shorten recovery time following plastic surgery. Bromelain extracts can be obtained from both the fruit core and stems of pineapple. Potentially important chemical differences appear to exist between extracts obtained from the stem versus the core fruit. However, the practical relevance of these differences is not presently understood. Most of the laboratory research on bromelain has been conducted using stem-based extracts, however.

Possible Health Benefits of Consuming Pineapples



Consuming fruits and vegetables of all kinds has long been associated with a reduced risk of many lifestyle-related health conditions. Many studies have suggested that increasing consumption of plant foods like pineapples decreases the risk ofobesityand overall mortality,diabetes,heart diseaseand promotes a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy, overall lower weight.

Age-related macular degeneration:

A higher intake of all fruits (3 or more servings per day) has also been shown to decrease risk of and progression of age-related macular degeneration.

Strong Bones:

Rich amount of manganese present in pineapples helps in strengthening bones and connective tissues. A cup of pineapple juice gives you roughly 73% of the required manganese for a day.

Asthma prevention:

The risks for developing asthma are lower in people who consume a high amount of certain nutrients. One of these nutrients is beta-carotene, found in plant foods like pineapple, mangoes, papaya, apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, pumpkin and carrots.

Blood pressure:

Increasing potassium intake by consuming high potassium fruits and vegetables can help with loweringblood pressure. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, fewer than 2% of US adults meet the daily 4700 mg recommendation.

Cancer:

As an excellent source of the strong antioxidant vitamin C, pineapples can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer. Diets rich in beta-carotene may also play a protective role againstprostate cancer, according to a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health's Department of Nutrition7and has been shown to have an inverse association with the development of colon cancer in the Japanese population. High fiber intakes from all fruits and vegetables are associated with a lowered risk of colo rectal cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society "there are studies suggesting that bromelain [found in pineapple] and other such enzymes may be used with standard cancer treatment to help reduce some side effects (such as mouth and throat inflammation due to radiation treatments)."

Diabetes:

Studies have shown that type 1 diabetics who consume high-fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels and type 2 diabetics may have improved blood sugar, lipids and insulin levels. One medium pineapple provides about 13 grams of fiber.

The Dietary Guidelines recommends 21-25 g/day for women and 30-38 g/day for men.

Digestion:

Pineapples, because of their fiber and water content, help to prevent constipation and promote regularity and a healthy digestive tract.

Fertility:

Antioxidant-rich diets have been shown to improve fertility. Because free radicals also can damage the reproductive system, foods with high antioxidant activity like pineapples that battle free radicals are recommended for those trying to conceive. The antioxidants in pineapple such as vitamins C, beta-carotene and the vitamins and minerals and copper, zinc and folate have properties that affect both male and female fertility.5

Healing and Inflammation:

Some studies have shown that bromelain, the enzyme found in pineapples, can reduce swelling, bruising, healing time, and pain associated with injury and surgical intervention. Bromelain is currently being used to treat and reduce inflammation fromtendinitis, sprains, strains, and other minor muscle injuries as well as swelling related to ear, nose and throat surgeries or trauma. Catarrhis a disorder of inflammation of the mucous membranes in one of the airways or cavities of the body. This disorder can be prevented by eating pineapples regularly

Heart health:

The fiber, potassium and vitamin C content in pineapple all support heart health. In one study, those who consumed 4069 mg of potassium per day had a 49% lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed less potassium (about 1000 mg per day). High potassium intakes are also associated with a reduced risk ofstroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density and reduction in the formation ofkidney stones.

Weight Loss (Nutrient density):

Pineapple is a nutrient-dense food, rather than an energy-dense food. This means that it provides a lot of nutritional benefit for a small amount of calories. Nutrient-dense foods can assist with weight loss. They help you feel full without adding too many calories, and provide you with fiber and a number of essential vitamins and minerals.

Skin:

The antioxidant vitamin C, when eaten in its natural form (as in a pineapple) or applied topically, can help to fight skin damage caused by the sun and pollution, reduce wrinkles and improve overall skin texture. Vitamin C also plays a vital role in the formation ofcollagen, the support system of your skin.

Serving Suggestions:



Make your own pineapple juice! Nothing tastes better than fresh fruit juice in the morning.

*Select a pineapple with a firm, plump body without bruising or soft spots and green leaves at the crown. A green outer shell does not mean the pineapple is not ripe and contrary to popular belief, neither does the ease in which the leaves pull from the crown. Pineapples should be picked at their peak ripeness since unlike other fruits, they will not continue to ripen once picked. Whole or cut pineapple should be stored in the refrigerator.

*If consuming canned or packaged pineapple, make sure to pick up the varieties canned only in pineapple juice, not heavy syrup.

*Keep a bowl of freshly chopped fruit front and center in a clear container in the refrigerator. Seeing the fruit readily available will likely cause you to choose them as a snack more often rather than raiding the cupboards for a less healthy processed snack

*Add pineapple to your favorite kebabs. Try shrimp, chicken or steak kabobs with red onions, pineapple and cherry tomatoes
Make a fruit salad with strawberries, pineapple, mandarin oranges and grapes. Top with unsweetened shredded coconut for a fresh twist

*Add some pineapple slices to your salad at lunch or dinner. Compliment the pineapple with walnuts or pecans, a crumbled cheese and light balsamic or citrus vinaigrette dressing

*Make your own juice! Nothing tastes better than fresh fruit juice in the morning. When you make your own, you can be sure there are no added preservatives or sweeteners.



*Make a fresh salsa with pineapple, mango, jalapeno, red peppers and chipotle pepper and use as a topper for your favorite fish tacos.

Potential Health Risks of Consuming Pineapples




1.) Consuming too much potassium can be harmful for those whose kidneys are not fully functional.

2.) Those with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) may experience an increase in symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation when consuming highly acidic foods, however individual reactions vary.

3.) Pineapple fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain that may cause excessive uterine bleeding if consumed in large quantities during pregnancy.

Drug Interactions

Beta-blockers, a type of medication most commonly prescribed for heart disease, can cause potassium levels to increase in the blood. High potassium foods should be consumed in moderation when taking beta-blockers.

Fresh pineapple should not be combined with Amoxicillin or tetracycline antibiotics. When fresh pineapple is combined with these types of medications, it can increase the amount of medication absorbed by the body. In this case, it might increase the side effects of the medications. Bromelain also affects the body’s blood clotting abilities. When combined with medications that slow or prevent blood clotting -- such as an anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs -- it can significantly increase your risk of bruising or bleeding. The University of Maryland Medical Center also explains that the bromelain enzyme can increase the effects of sedative drugs, such as anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines and alcohol. (http://www.livestrong.com/article/497353-are-there-drugs-that-interact-with-eating-fresh-pineapple/).

Fragrances – in soap, shampoo, body wash, aftershave, deodorant, moisturizer, scented body spray, basically anything that smells – come with seriously unpleasant consequences for your health. And although you may think the Food and Drug Administration has your back when it comes to disclosing the ingredients in your personal care products, think again. The manufacturers of such products use a huge loophole in the FDA’s federal law that allows them to keep the ingredients (aka, “toxic chemicals”) used in a “fragrance” a secret. Unlike most of the food we eat, there’s no disclosure requirement for chemicals, additives and other toxins that are in common personal-care consumer products. Those unknown ingredients have a secret of their own, and it’s pretty scary.
The fragrance industry has about 3,100 stock chemical ingredients in its arsenal. Which ones they use and how much is a deep, dark secret in the highly competitive world of fragrances. But what you don’t know can hurt you.

For example, in laboratory tests conducted in a collaboration between the Environmental Working Group and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the researchers discovered 38 chemicals not listed on the product labels of 17 popular fragrances, including Old Spice, Calvin Klein, Giorgio Armani, and Bath & Body Works. Their findings, published in a report entitled Not So Sexy, also noted that 66 percent of the chemicals used by the fragrance industry have not been tested for safety.
According to the report, among the chemicals found that were not listed on the personal care products evaluated were those “associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety in personal care products.” It goes on to note they also discovered “chemicals with troubling hazardous properties or with a propensity to accumulate in human tissues.” One category of those hazardous chemicals are phthalates.
What are phthalates and why are they so dangerous?

Phthalates are chemical compounds used to make plastics flexible and as lubricants in personal care products. You won’t see them listed on ingredient panels because the FDA doesn’t require it – but they should because they are dangerous. In fact, they are often referred to as endocrine or hormone disruptors, and they also pose a danger to the immune system as well as other bodily systems.
Among the many phthalates are diethyl phthalate (DEP, prominent in personal care products), monoethyl phthalate (MEP), and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). An example of how quickly exposure to phthalates can be noted in the body can be seen in a Harvard study. A research team examined the urinary levels of phthalate metabolites in 406 men who were part of an ongoing semen quality study. Men who used aftershave or cologne within 48 hours before urine was collected had higher median levels of monoethyl phthalate (MEP) than men who did not use these products. For each additional type of product containing phthalates the men used, their MEP levels increased 33 percent.
Why should we care? Here’s a few reasons:
They damage your sperm and affect fertility.

In a study of 168 men who were selected from the general population, researchers found that exposure to diethyl phthalate was associated with DNA damage in human sperm. Another study that involved 379 men who had sought help at an infertility clinic uncovered a similar finding: two phthalates (DEP and DEHP) were associated with DNA damage to sperm.
They ruin your testosterone levels.

Testosterone levels have been declining in men over the past few decades, and one thing that may be contributing to this drop is exposure to phthalates. The authors of a recent report in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolismlooked at the urinary concentrations of 13 phthalate metabolites and total testosterone levels among men, women, and children. They found that both di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate were associated withlow T levelsamong men ages 40 to 60 years.
They increase the risk of asthma.

Phthalates and related metabolites have been associated with inflammatory conditions, including the risk of asthma. A number of studies have shown that phthalates can have a direct impact on airway epithelial cells and cause structural changes resulting in chronic asthma. In onerecent review, the authors noted that “phthalates have been recognized as important environmental factors in the pathogenesis of asthma.”
They can cause inflammation and possibly cancer.

When experts reviewed data concerning phthalates in The Comparative Toxicogenomics Database, they found that these chemicals played a role in inflammation “with evidence for pathogenic effects for prostate, uterus, ovary and breast, all sites of common human cancers.” A recent review pointed out that phthalates (DEHP and several others) were associated liver cancer in rodents. The authors noted that phthalates likely have this ability because they generate ROS (reactive oxygen species, associated with cell damage) and cause cell damage that may lead to cancer.
They increase insulin resistance.

We’ve already mentioned that phthalate exposure is associated with low testosterone in men, and low T is also associated with insulin resistance, obesity, and a risk of diabetes. In a group of men who participated in theNational Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANDS) 1999-2002, investigators looked at six phthalate metabolites known or suspected of having a negative impact on male hormones.
In this case, however, the researchers were exploring their effect on waist circumference (obesity) and insulin resistance. They found that four of the phthalates were associated with increased waist circumference and three were linked to insulin resistance. If these findings are verified by further studies, the authors concluded that they “would suggest that exposure to these phthalates may contribute to the population burden of obesity, insulin resistance, and related clinical disorders.”
How to avoid phthalates.

First of all, it’s virtually impossible to avoid phthalates completely. They’re in so many products you use or are in contact with every day–from your car to items in your home and office–that the best you can do is reduce your exposure as much as possible. Here are a few tips. They may seem like small changes to make, but the evidence is that the cumulative affect of long-term exposure to phthalates is what causes the most health problems.
Choose fragrance-free personal care products and ditch the aftershave.Look for natural, scent-free products or those made from natural plant-based oils. Basically, any personal care products that smell (soaps, shampoo, etc) usually contain phthalates. I use raw coconut oil to shave and moisturize, and a natural coconut based soap. And I never wear aftershave or cologne.
Don’t use plastic wrap.Avoid foods wrapped in plastic (e.g., meats, dairy, produce) and don’t use plastic wrap at home. That raw chicken wrapped in plastic at the supermarket is just a festering soup of E.coli bacteria and phthalates.
Microwave in glass containers.Avoid containers that say “microwave safe” unless they are 100% glass. Non-glass containers may also contain phthalates, BPA, and other chemicals that can leech into your food.
Don’t perfume your car.Those scents they spray in your car when you get it cleaned are just sucking away at your masculinity and testosterone as you drive. Same with those scented “hang tags” that attach to your car rear mirror. You don’t need your car smelling like a pine forest at the expense of your manhood. Avoid both of them.
Avoid using plastic intimacy gadgets.Most of them contain phthalates or are made from plastics containing BPA (Bisphenol-A). “intimacy gadgets” aren’t regulated by the FDA, so manufacturers (mostly Chinese) can put anything they want in them. The companies that make them have avoided a bunch of lawsuits surrounding their toxicity by claiming they are “novelty items”, and therefore not subject to any product liability.
Change your plastic shower curtains to cloth.Plastic shower curtains contain phthalates that can be activated with heat.
Avoid perfumed household products.Items such as laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaners, air fresheners, and dryer sheets all contain phthalates. Laundry detergent is one of the worst offenders. It’s a toxic mass of chemicals that are absorbed into our bodies when we wear the clothes. Look for non-synthetic fragranced detergents that also don’t contain the toxin 1,4 Dioxane.
Choose organic foods.This is a no-brainer. Conventionally grown produce is sprayed with pesticides, which contain phthalates. If you eat meat and/or dairy, choose organic products here as well.
Filter your water.Tap water can contain phthalates from industrial waste. Consider a nanofiltration system, which is an effective way to filter out phthalates from water.
Don’t use processed sexual lubricants like KY Jelly.These products contain chemicals linked to lower sperm counts, cancer, and infertility. Try coconut oil instead. It tastes much better and has many other health benefits aside from being a great sexual lubricant.
Our masculinity is under threat!

Male testosterone levelsare in a precipitous decline – taking with it our masculinity and the foundations of our manhood. What’s going on?
We don’t know the exact answer but a 60 year-old man today has less testosterone than a man his same age had 20 years ago. It’s a generational threat and is partly the result of our sedentary lifestyles, environment, diet, nutrition, and the cumulative, lifetime exposure to toxins like phthalates and BPA.

For more, Visit www.thegoldenliving.com