Fluoride: The Legal, Government Induced Toxin in the Water Supply

In the continuing midst of the scandal concerning the Flint water supply, a failure of all government levels has been revealed.  The public, especially the residents of Flint and in Michigan, are rightfully outraged at this complete lack of regard for human health and safety.  Lead is a heavy metal that is most often actively sought out to be purged during the processing.  The reasons for this are discussed here.  However, while the lead crisis largely originated due to sloth, there is another toxin that also exists in our drinking water.  This is not only present in the Flint water supply, but all across the United States.  This action is in some aspects even worse; it is purposely placed in the water by the governments.  This element is also found in your toothpaste.  We are speaking of none other than fluoride.

What is the Difference Between Fluoride in Toothpaste and Fluoride in Water?

A good question indeed.  If fluoride indeed helps strengthen and protect the enamel of your teeth, then why is it such an atrocity that it is in our water?  This, believe it or not, can be answered very simply.  Just because a substance MAY be beneficial when applied topically, does not mean that it is beneficial to ingest.  Anti-fungal sprays are effective at getting rid of Athlete's Foot, however, swallowing them would not be recommended.  Same with skin cream.  Whether fluoride is even a benefit topically is also a matter of debate.  However, the evidence for detrimental health effects that come from ingesting it are overwhelming.

Dental fluorosis is a condition that is developed in children who consume too much fluoride.  The single biggest factor is the swallowing of toothpaste, either the direct gel, or the lather.  However, the drinking of tap water is also a significant contributing factor, due to the fact that children have a higher retention rate of fluoride than adults.

Most, if not all, fluoride toothpaste has a warning not to swallow the lather.  The effects of swallowing fluoride are cumulative in the body, similar to lead.  Fluoride can be actively detoxed from the body, but it is not automatically flushed out like many other toxins.  It accumulates in the bones, rendering people more prone to diseases such as osteoporosis at an earlier age.  It also raises the risk of cancers.

Most commercially sold toothpaste in the United States contains fluoride.  Children are at special risk of the harmful effects of swallowing toothpaste.

Author Thegreenj, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Many Countries Have Already Removed Fluoride from Drinking Water

The United States is currently one of the very few countries in the world that fluoridates the majority of their drinking water.  It has been taken out of virtually every county in Western Europe.  It has even been eliminated in China, as well as India.  In the early part of last decade, Israel passed a law mandating the use of fluoride, only to be repealed a little over a decade later due to the advocacy of scientists.

Why the Lack of Outrage?

The Sphere of Health plans on expounding on this topic in greater detail in the near future.  The short answer is: the way it has been campaigned in contrast to other elements such as lead.  While lead has been rightfully warned against by scientists and governments, fluoride has received the opposite press, due to it's (supposed) benefit for people's teeth when topically applied.  People tend to trust, often to their detriment, the declarations of official policymakers.

Recently declassified government documents have shown that fluoride played a key role in the development of the atomic bomb.  As it was utilized during the process, much of it was also released into the surrounding environment.  To protect the politically connected companies who manufactured this from extensive class action lawsuits, appointed scientists "found" that fluoride was not harmful.  Fortunately for roughly a third of the U.S. population, many municipalities have not signed on to this scam, and have fortunately rejected the fluoridation process for their water supply.
 
Reducing your Fluoride Intake

As this has not of yet gotten come to the forefront of the minds of people in the United States, the Sphere of Health seeks to raise awareness of the hazards of consistently taking in this chemical.  Until public policy is changed regarding the insertion of this unnecessary and harmful toxin in our water, you should take steps to reduce the amount of fluoride that you ingest.

If you use a fluoride toothpaste, make certain your mouth is thoroughly rinsed out before swallowing any liquid.  Rinse your mouth at least three times with vigorous swishing, along with gargling, to get any lather that may have reached the back of the tongue.  Make sure your children do the same, and keep the toothpaste out of reach of small children, that they may not get to it when they are out of your sight.  Ideally, it is best to look for a non-fluoridated toothpaste for children.

You can also purchase a water filter.  However, not every type of filter will eliminate fluoride.  Reverse osmosis filters, deionizers, and activated alumina filters are most effective.  Additionally, you can also opt to buy spring water specifically for drinking.

While both green and black tea have numerous proven health benefits, they also do contain some natural fluoride.  Because of their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities, they definitely should not be avoided.  However, do not overindulge; drink in moderation.

Cook your food with stainless steel or iron as opposed to teflon coated, non-stick pans.  Teflon is a fluoridated carbon chain with the formula (C2F4)n.  When it is heated, some of it will be released into the food.





 

Lead Poisoning, Flint Water Crisis, and a Solution

The Sphere of Health extends sympathy to the victims of the Flint water crisis. This post is dedicated to them and the hope that this can be prevented in the future.

Lead has the atomic number 82 on the periodic table, with an atomic mass of 207.2 amu. It is one of the five most toxic commonly found heavy metals in the human body, the others being: mercury, cadmium, aluminum, and arsenic.  Lead has a toxicity rating high enough that any physically measurable presence of it in the tissues can result in health complications.

Common Causes of Lead Exposure

There are several ways lead can get into our systems. Some of the more common causes will be listed below, but are not by any means the only pathways.

Even though lead based paint is no longer made in the United States, it still is in our surroundings.  Many old buildings and homes still contain lead paint. When those buildings are destroyed, or the paint is stripped or chips away, it can cause a hazard for those in its proximity.

Occupational exposure is without a doubt the number one cause of lead poisoning as far as adults are concerned. Many skilled trades related to construction, as well as plumbing, ammunition, mining, and others.

In urban areas, especially around industrial sectors that use lead in their products, lead can make its way into the soil.  From there, due to runoff from rainfall, it can end up in the nearby rivers or lakes.  This, in turn, can also result in it turning up in drinking water.  This can also be the case if you have an aging or inadequately constructed piping system.

Lead Ore.  People who have the occupations of mining and smelting can be put at special risk if they are not given the right personal protection equipment, or if the equipment is not functioning optimally.

Why is Lead so Bad for You?



Lead can cause a wide variety of negative health conditions. Central to its ability to do so stems from two main factors. It can mimic the appearance to the body's enzymes of many beneficial metals that are essential to health. The second is a partial consequence of the first - lead has a higher proficiency to binding to these enzymes, which displaces the beneficial metals from binding and interacting.

Several of these beneficial metals are only needed, and bioavailable in small amounts in the diet. Hence, it doesn't take a lot of lead in the body to prevent these interactions and cause significant inhibition to these necessary processes. Therefore, it is considered a highly toxic heavy metal. The limit for lead in the body before it is considered to be at risk is only 10 micrograms per deciliter of blood, and 5 micrograms per deciliter for children.

What Health Problems Can Occur as a Result of Lead?


Because trace elements are needed for optimal function of virtually every system in the body, the complications of lead can also cause a wide array of health problems. One of the most notable is the inhibition of brain development in children. Lead is capable of penetrating the blood-brain barrier, and can affect several facets of cognition. Everything from learning disorders and memory loss to behavioral issues have been associated with elevated levels of lead in young children. These particular effects are not reversible with current medical technology.

Lead is known to affect at least three other body systems as well - cardiovascular, nervous, and reproductive. High elevation of lead has been proven to reduce sperm count. Correspondingly in females, excessive lead is linked to low birth weight and a higher likelihood of miscarriage.

High blood pressure and thus a greater risk of heart disease has also been linked to lead poisoning. This is of special concern to people who have other risk factors such as excess weight, or who have smoked in the past or present. Long term exposure also taxes the kidneys, and also leaves the afflicted vulnerable to diabetes.

A Brief Overview of the Flint Water Crisis

Before 2014, the city of Flint, Michigan purchased their water from Detroit, which was taken from Lake Huron and treated. Starting in 2010, Genesee County had pushed to establish the Karegondi Water Authority and cease to buy water from Detroit. The KWA project was expected to be finished by 2016. The stated intention was cost reduction. In 2013, the Flint City Council voted to approve that measure. This led to calls from Detroit for the state of Michigan to block the switch, stating that it would cause a price war. Then in April, 2014, in another effort to save $5 million per year, the city of Flint stopped purchasing water from Detroit two years before the KWA would be finished, and resort to obtaining water from the Flint River.

Immediately after the switch, the quality of the water became apparent to the residents. It had an unusual scent and taste. The clamor among the residents resulted in vigorous testing, revealing bacteria and leading to boil alerts.

Months later, further testing revealed not only high lead counts, but also carcinogenic chlorine compounds, which stemmed from the introduction of chlorine to kill the bacteria that had been found earlier. In early 2015, after much outrage and petitions, the city council voted to resume purchasing water from Detroit. This was blocked by the emergency manager Jerry Ambrose, appointed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. Ambrose cited the EPA and the environmental department of the state in his claim that Flint water was safe. In late 2015, it was found that the elevated lead levels were due to an essential chemical being left out of the standard treating process. It was also later revealed that state employees in the Flint area were given filters over a year before this crisis came to light in national news in early 2016, while public denials of the danger of the water were being spoken.

The Sphere of Health Advocates for Water Privatization

In the midst of this horrible crisis that is threatening the health, and the lives of the residents involved, both adult and child alike, there is plenty of blame being tossed around. Most notably towards Governor Rick Snyder and his appointed emergency manager, Jerry Ambrose. Many people are outraged at the state forcibly taking over the water management of a city who was not inclined to yield it away. This viewpoint definitely has merit. This is especially true when its appointees demonstrate no more competence than the city had in managing its own water.

However, as much heat that has been put on Rick Snyder, much of it deserved, this is not only a failure of the state government of Michigan. There was also gross incompetence at the city level, and of the EPA. The city of Flint abandoned its reliable water supply before a suitable alternative was established.

On the fiscal policy end, there are some academic pundits that place the blame on austerity measures. However, the creation of the KWA was in fact a government stimulus project. However, a solution to incompetent governmental policy is not overreaching by another level of government.

The effective solution to this problem to reduce the chance of this happening in the future is to cease governmental control over the water supply. Let us look at the effects of privatization of the water utilities.

There is a far more incentive for competing private services to provide safe, clean drinking water than government controlled institutions. This is true for two main reasons.

There is far more legal accountability among a private provider than there is among the government. If a private provider is found to be negligent, and causes harm to their consumers, they do not have a monopoly over the legal system. They could lose everything they have and be forced out of business, and out of money stemming from class action lawsuits, and other legal sanctions, including possible prison sentences if there is enough willful neglect.

Contrast that with the current crisis in Flint. The unfortunate victims of this negligence and subsequent malicious cover up will not be able to sue the people responsible. This is because the people responsible are the government, who has control over the legal system and takes the position of sovereign immunity. Citizens are disallowed from suing the government from harm stemming from negligence unless the government itself consents to being sued. A private provider has no such luxury.

Market discipline is also one of the most effective deterrents from willful negligence. If a private provider delivers current Flint quality water - even if they managed to escape payment as a result of lawsuits, they would undoubtedly go out of business in favor of competitors who would be willing to be more conscientious. Looking back at the Enron crisis, the market was a much more judicious punisher than the government. It was the market that sunk Enron's stock, pushed it into bankruptcy, and finally into non-existence. Without a forcible monopoly on the water, it is the best providers that will end up safely delivering this most essential product.

It is of particular note that nearly a quarter of the United States population already receives their water from private sourcing. The communities that have done so have been largely very happy with their provider - over 90 percent of them vote to continue with privatization.

For these reasons, supported by the results, the Sphere of Health urges Flint, along with all communities across the United States and the world to push for privatization of the water treatment services.

An Effective Paleolithic Alternative to the BRAT Diet

The BRAT diet has been widely endorsed by the majority of the medical community for adults and children to both settle an upset stomach and relieve diarrhea.  This endorsed BRAT diet stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.  The chief reason for their endorsement is due to the fact that they are easily digested.  The rationale is that food that is simply digested is the fastest way to restore solidity to the digestive tract.

The problem with the BRAT diet is that with the exception of the banana, the other foods may be simple to digest, but they are also low on nutrition, save the banana.  When your body is stricken with an illness, giving its immune system a boost will lessen the time it takes to fight off the bug.  This is especially true with viruses or bacteria that cause gastroenteritis, because the body’s ability to absorb food will be lessened for a time.  Therefore, the food that it does absorb should be nutrient rich.

It goes without saying that before you start this Paleo alternative to the BRAT diet, you should establish that you can first hold down liquids.  The first step to recovering from gastroenteritis is rehydration.  It will not do any good to eat food that you cannot hold down.  Depending on the severity of the gastroenteritis, begin with clear water in small aliquots, perhaps even individual sips every five to fifteen minutes if necessary.

Instead of the BRAT's recommendation of applesauce, opt for the more nutritous unadulterated apple.  And don't remove the skin. 

The BRAT Alternative

This will start with the only common ground between this and the BRAT diet – the banana.  Indeed, there is a debate within the Paleo community about whether or not the banana isin fact a Paleo food.  Proponents note the fact that it is a fruit, unprocessed, and is nutrient rich.  Detractors note its relatively high starch and sugar content.  The Sphere of Health endorses the banana in general as Paleo, but should be eaten in moderation.  And when you have gastroenteritis, its best to err on the side of leniency when you are dealing with a nutrient rich food that is easy to digest.

Rice is a grain.  Grains, for a whole list of reasons, are forbidden under the Paleo diet.  They are full of anti-nutrients.  In the case of white rice, most of those anti-nutrients have been eliminated.  However, that is the result of processing – the removal of the husk, bran, and germ, where all the anti-nutrients are located.  However, that is also the same place where the nutrients are as well.  So the consumption of white rice is basically empty calories.  An alternative carbohydrate to rice are many types of squash.  In particular, butternut squash.  This starch will help absorb stomach acids, prompting a settling feeling.  It also possesses a drastically more abundant amount of nutrients than rice.

The problem with applesauce is that most likely it is bought by a food company.  While it does come from a fruit, commercially made applesauce is highly processed, with refined sugar and/or other sweeteners added.  Applesauce that is homemade without the same type of chemical processing and introduction of added sweetener is more nutritious.  However, even homemade applesauce almost always involves removing of the skin.  The skin of an apple contains the majority of its micronutrients.  Eating the whole apple is preferable to having applesauce.

Toast involves basically the same problems as rice.  Bread is a processed food, derived from grain, and was definitely not a staple food of man before the Neolithic Era.  The three previous foods from the BRAT diet and their Paleo alternatives are all carbohydrates.  A gentle protein source is essential to maintain balance in the diet.  As your body will most likely be very inactive – or it should be – as rest is essential to speed up recovery, you should have some protein to feed the muscles as much as possible.  Eggs are the perfect choice.  Packed with the all the essential amino acids, along with many of the most essential trace elements and micronutrients, makes them an infinitely better option to nourish your ailing body than any form of toast.

Why the Color Green is Important

The Sphere of Health has touched on this subject before.  The importance of varying colors in your diet when it comes to fruits and vegetables is crucial.  And today, we will explore the color green.

You surely have heard it from your parents, and the dietitian on television.  You have come across it on the Internet.  "Eat your greens."

"But why?" you ask.  "I eat some vegetables, why do some of them have to be green?"

Kale, a nutritionally packed powerhouse of a vegetable.

Author Rasbak, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll are a family of green pigments that are found in the chloroplasts of plants, giving leaves and other vegetables their respective color.  They are also found in some algae and bacteria.  Its utility to the plant is critical.  It is what enables photosynthesis.  Without it, the plant could not take in energy from the ultraviolet rays from the sun.  It also has many health benefits to the animals that consume vegetables, leafy or otherwise.

First, it is a powerful antioxidant.  Its potency for attacking free radicals in the body ranks among the highest.  

In addition, chlorophyll is also a powerful anti-inflammatory agent.  It is very sought after in liquid form for the advancement of phytomedicine against various diseases that are due to chronic inflammation in the body.  The research done by the Journal of Inflammation is one of the most revealing.

It protects against many types of cancers, most notably that of the colon.  

Chlorophyll's regeneration capacity helps our bodies produce red blood cells, and in addition, fights against anemia by making iron more bioavailable in our food.

It also acts as a hunger suppressant.  If you are overweight, eating a lot of dark, leafy greens has the advantage of having low calories, and will also make you less hungry.  Salads using spinach, kale, or romaine lettuce as opposed to iceberg lettuce are powerful weight loss promoters, providing you do not flood them with an excess of high calorie dressing or cheese.

These and more benefits discussed here are a reason to consume copious amounts of greens.

Specific Micronutrients

Fruits and vegetables all are part of a large, diverse, and essential food group to achieve optimal health.  The operative word being diversity.  While all fruits and vegetables contain helpful nutrients, they do not all have the same amounts of micronutrients.  It is best to have a variety of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories in your body at any given time.  This is because different micronutrients help ward off and fight different types of diseases better than others.

Hence, while eating a particular vegetable might be helpful, it is not optimally healthy to only eat one or two types of vegetables over a long term.  Leafy greens and other green vegetables contain specific micronutrients that other fruits and vegetables may not have, or may have in much smaller quantities.

Low Calorie

Alluded to in a previous paragraph, green vegetables tend to be very low in calorie count.  It is impossible to get fat by loading up on greens.  You can eat them in greater quantities than, for instance, a fleshy fruit such as a peach or plum.  While fleshy fruits are also a valuable part of the diet, they are also higher in sugar, carbohydrates, and calorie count.