Introduction
LOOKING FOR THE TRUTH about what governments, drugs companies and big business are doing
to our children? Don’t have enough time to go digging or searching
for those deeply-buried stories the media has little interest in reporting,
or those little nuggets of facts that someone, somewhere has a vested interest
in keeping you from finding? Then let avid researcher and consumer
advocate Karen Eck keep you abreast of everything you need to know to make the
most informed decisions about parenting today’s children.
Protecting our Children
We
protect our children from running into traffic. We keep them near us in the
stores. We teach them not to talk to strangers, and the list goes on, but
how much do we do to protect them from the more than 4 million chemical compounds
that are currently recognized by the EPA? There are 75,000 registered chemicals
in the USA. An average of seven new chemicals are approved each day, or around
2,000 per year. “[At] least 3,000 [chemicals are] produced in quantities
greater than 1,000,000 [1 million] pounds per year. Yet we do not know how
many of these chemicals end up in [our] blood and what the effects of these
exposures are.” http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/.
In 1987 in America alone, 22 billion pounds of toxic chemicals were spewed
into our air, food and water. Great article!http://users.california.com/~hawk/MCS-Ammunition.htm
MCS
and More! As the exposure to chemicals continues to expand,
so too does the number of people affected by chemical toxicity and sensitivity.
Reactions manifest as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and many other afflictions,
including brain damage and developmental disorders in children. MCS alone
“affects over 16% of the American population … [with] 10 million
severe sufferers, and 25-45 million people with mild to moderate sensitivity.”http://www.tigerflag.com/mcs-canary-article.html.
“Over the past 50 years, as infectious [diseases declined], chronic
conditions of less obvious origins have taken their place. Asthma, autism,
attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders … childhood brain cancer
and acute lymphocytic leukemia have all increased over the past 30 years.
Five to ten percent of American couples are infertile. Up to half of all pregnancies
end in miscarriage. Three to five percent of babies are born with birth defects
… Scientists cannot fully explain these increases, but early life exposure
to environmental pollutants is a leading suspect.” http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/part3.php
Bit
by Little Bit, Chemicals Get More Press
On Nov. 8, 2006 The Independent published an article that begins:
“Chemical pollution may have harmed the brains of millions of children
around the world in what scientists are calling a ‘silent pandemic’.
The world is bathed in a soup of industrial chemicals which are damaging the
intellectual potential of the next generation and may increase the incidence
of conditions such as Parkinson's disease … One in every six children
has a developmental disability, such as autism, attention deficit disorder
or cerebral palsy, the effects of which may be life-long.” The article
goes on to point out, “Critics accused the scientists of scaremongering
and said their claim of a silent pandemic was a ‘gross overstatement’.”
Oh really? Read the article and facts about Acrylamide, Cyclohexane, Acetone,
Methanol, Trichloroethylene, Aniline, and Styrene athttp://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1108-08.htm
On the same day
Reuters published Exposure to chemicals may harm young brains. “In
a review published online by The Lancet medical journal, Grandjean
and Philip Landrigan of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York identified
202 industrial chemicals known to be toxic to the human brain.” There
is an alarming lack of adequate testing and knowledge about the effect of
chemicals, plus a gross lack of protective regulation. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15618676
Parents
Must Act Now! The Lancet review called for beefing
up testing and regulation, yet the wheels for enacting such measures will
turn slowly over the coming years and will be blocked at every turn by the
protectors of industry. If I were a parent of young children or a prospective
parent, I would begin today to become educated about
protecting myself and my family from the toxic stew which increasingly engulfs
us all. Most are not aware of the risk posed by common household products
that are inhaled and absorbed through the skin, including personal care, cosmetics
and cleaning/polishing agents. I would start by finding the safest products
possible. http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep. Vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and borax served our ancestors well!
http://www.aubrey-organics.com
Children
Need More Protection than Adults
1) “Children's systems are still developing. Their bodies and internal
organs are undergoing rapid growth and exposure to toxic substances can result
in impaired development and compromised immune systems. Children's immature
bodies are less able to detoxify substances.” 2) "Children are
exposed to more environmental threats. Compared to adults, they eat proportionately
more food, drink more fluids, breathe more air, and play outside more. As
a result, they ingest more pollutants per pound of body weight than adults.”
3) “Children are least able to protect themselves ...” 4) “Children
have a longer life expectancy. Therefore, they have more time to develop chronic
diseases that might be triggered by early environmental exposures …”
more: http://www.epa.gov/reg3esd1/childhealth.
“The book Our Stolen Future brought world-wide attention to scientific discoveries
about endocrine disruption and the fact that common contaminants can interfere
with the natural signals controlling development of the fetus. This website
tracks the most recent developments.” http://www.ourstolenfuture.org
Right
in Your Home Sweet Home
Huge numbers of chemicals pollute the spaces we frequent the most –
our homes, schools, work places, churches, and other public buildings. We
have falsely assumed that products have been tested for safety and adverse
health effects. Few things are further from the truth! Cosmetics, perfumes,
detergents, cleaners, solvents, paints, varnishes, lacquers, inks, adhesives,
pesticides, automotive products, carpets, clothing, bedding, plywood, and
insulation fill our homes with toxic molecules. http://www.herc.org/hercarticles/connection.htm
The EPA reports indoor air to be 3 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor
air. Burning candles release the same pollution as running a diesel engine.
Even “unscented” products often contain “masking agents”
and are not truly fragrance-free.
http://www.healthrecipes.com/poison_in_the_home.htm
Symptoms
of Chemical Toxicity-Subtle to Dramatic: “… include
headaches, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, depression and irritability, anxiety
and panic attacks, insomnia, dizziness, nausea, difficulties in breathing
and swallowing, mental confusion, concentration and memory problems, asthma
attacks, even seizures.” “Enzyme pathways are affected. Liver
detoxification pathways become overloaded. Mucosa of the body change. Blood
brain barriers are affected.” “The most common [MCS] triggers
are petroleum-based solvents, volatile organic compounds (VOC's), pesticides
and synthetic fragrances … One fragrance alone can contain up to 600
petroleum-based chemicals, and because it's considered a trade secret, manufacturers
don't have to tell us what those chemicals are … they contain extremely
toxic chemicals, including chemicals on the EPA's Hazardous Waste list.” http://www.tigerflag.com/mcs-canary-article.html.
Genetic
Defects in Detoxification Pathways
“Not only do differences [in individual sensitivity] exist, but they
were discovered in genes that are important to detoxifying toxic compounds,
with MCS patients more likely to have forms of the genes that would impair
their ability to detoxify them. The most striking result emerged when they
looked at two genes simultaneously: Women with MCS were over 18 times more
likely than controls to have a specific combination of forms of two separate
genes.” http://tinyurl.com/8dnzz.
Generation
After Generation Affected
“Fetal exposures … can lead to health problems not only in adulthood,
but also down through subsequent generations … Adult diseases linked
to newborns' low birth weight … cause adverse effects not only in those
babies born small, but also in their children of any birth size, through heritable
changes in gene expression that result in a phenomenon known as ‘epigenetic
inheritance’ … [that is] characterized by certain genes being
turned on or off …” “Scientists have recently found heritable
epigenetic changes linked to the fungicide vinclozolin and pesticide methoxychlor,
which impaired sperm counts and sperm motility not only among animals exposed
in utero, but also in three subsequent generations … In other words,
what each of us was exposed to in our mother's womb might affect the health
of our great-grandchildren.”
http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/part3.php
Hyperactivity
and Chemical Sensitivity “[Most] hyperactive children
are chemically sensitive …” “Food allergies are chemical
sensitivities … milk … wheat, corn, soy, peanuts … anything
that the child craves … [Also] carpet fumes, molds or fungi, insecticides,
lawn treatments, fabric softeners/detergents … sugar is a chemical.
It's purified and concentrated … beyond what our bodies were genetically
designed to comfortably handle … [Go] through the pantry and dump anything
with artificial colors, flavors or additives … Get more information
[… from] the masters of handling hyperactivity … Doris Rapp, MD,
Ben Feingold, MD, Billy Crook, MD, and Lendon Smith, MD.” http://tinyurl.com/y6tys7 http://www.hsibaltimore.com. Sign-up to receive the free HSI e-Alert daily e-letter.
Not
Just Chemicals-Electromagnetic Radiation
The Invisible Disease, a book by Gunni Nordstrom
"In 1962 Rachel Carson in Silent Spring opened the world's eyes to …
dangerous chemicals into the food chain. Today we are facing a powerful new
concern. It involves millions of people … who are ill even though their
doctors can't make a proper diagnosis. Environmental illnesses are known under
a number of names, like Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
(ME), Immune Dysfunction Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Electro-Hypersensitivity,
Sick Building Syndrome. These illnesses have variously been linked to VDUs,
mobile phones and masts, electric lights, TVs, and chemicals used in the manufacture
of modern appliances.” http://tinyurl.com/y73bzw
"I have
no doubt in my mind that, at the present time, the greatest polluting element
in the earth's environment is the proliferation of electromagnetic fields."
Robert O. Becker, M. D .http://www.energyfields.org.
Schools
and Wireless Technology
Maybe wireless is not such a good idea after all! http://omega.twoday.net/stories/1755556.
DVD-PUBLIC
EXPOSURE: DNA, Democracy & the "Wireless Revolution," The
potentially irreversible effects on your health. http://www.mercola.com/forms/public_exposure.htm
More
EMF Links
http://www.emfacts.com
http://www.microwavenews.com
What’s
a Parent to Do?
Reduce Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR)-
Resources,
Articles & Advice for Living and Working Safely with EMR http://www.emraustralia.com.au.
Identify
the sources of high fields in your home and make sure that
your family does not spend much time near them.
http://www.emraustralia.com.au/home/emr-home.htm.Mobile
and Cordless Phones
“Replace the cordless phone with a wired, landline phone.
Limit the use of mobile phones as much as possible.
Do not let children use mobile phones unless for an emergency.”
More: http://www.emraustralia.com.au/home/using-phones.htm.
THE
place to go for treating MCS & Environmental Illness
“The Environmental Health Center-Dallas, Texas medically tests and treats
human health problems including sensitivities to pollens, molds, dust, foods,
chemicals, air (indoor/outdoor), water, electrical (electromagnetic-EMF) sensitivity
and many more health problems as they relate to our environment.”http://www.ehcd.com
Avoidance
– Non-Toxic Living
“Not everyone will have the incentive to make all these changes - however,
every change you make WILL make a difference! This way of living is not only
much better and safer for YOU - it's also much better for the environment!
Many of the suggestions here were actually used by our ancestors…”http://www.ourlittleplace.com/nontoxic.html
Plants
Clean the Air
“NASA studies found that plants also work in a symbiotic relationship
to remove air pollutants produced by other plants, people and industry. Trace
chemicals in the atmosphere are absorbed and biodegraded by plant leaves and
roots, the soil, and micro-organisms.” List of plants most effective
in air purification. http://www.oxford.net/~steve/sick.htm
“RX
for Sick Schools by Kim Rice, EHC-Dallas
What Makes a "Sick School" Sick?” Remodeling
with particle board replete with formaldehyde, deadly mold invaders, toxic
new carpeting, pesticides and more. Learn how parents can make a difference! http://www.aehf.com/articles/Sickrice.htm
Don’t
Forget about Carbon Monoxide - America's #1 Poison http://www.mcsrr.org
Be
Careful when buying new furniture, remodeling, moving to a
new house or neighborhood. http://www.housefromhell.com.
Eat organic food, wild fish,
meat, eggs and dairy from pastured livestock. Take
high quality vitamin, mineral, and EFA supplements to help
your body process toxins.
Buy
any book, supplement, or other product through this Amazon.com
link to Neptune Krill Oil and
help support my continued research that brings you this information free of
charge. http://tinyurl.com/y89fwf
Easy
to Read Articles
14 Ways to Detoxify Your Lifehttp://healbuildings.com/14ways.html
Safe Paintshttp://healbuildings.com/safe_paints.html
Are Fragrances Harmless?http://healbuildings.com/fragrances.html
Cleaning Up Air Pollution in Your Homehttp://healbuildings.com/indoor_air_pollution.html
Others: Mold, crib deaths linked to fungus, wireless phones
Dr.
Doris Rapp “Known especially for her work with children
who have chemical sensitivities, ADD, ADHD, behavioral problems, are hyperactive,
asthmatic, suffering from chronic colds, allergies, or have learning problems
or other environmentally triggered illnesses.” http://drrapp.com
Books - These books “have been specially selected by Health
& Environment Resource Center to provide resources to the public on environmental
health issues.”http://members.aol.com/enviroknow/books.html
Links to organizations that offer information and/or other services related to environmental
intolerances.http://www.esri.org/links.html
Other
Link Pages
http://ciin.org/pages/15-links.html
http://members.aol.com/Enviroknow/index.html#links
http://www.environmentalhealth.org/links.html
http://www.herc.org/sitemap.htm
More links at http://www.AskKarenEck.com
For questions or comments karen
at childrenofthenewearth.com
Support our research, click and shop http://tinyurl.com/y89fwf
http://www.AskKarenEck.com
* Editor's Note: CNE is pleased to support Karen Eck in her important research work for the benefit of our readers as well as all parents who are interested in knowing the truth about the products they use and buy. We firmly believe that Karen is as objective as it is possible to be, and thus any small sums that she does earn in commission from her recommendations are well-deserved, and will be used to enable her to continue doing such excellent research.
© 2006, Karen Eck
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ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Karen Eck, MT (ASCP) is an avid researcher in the field of "alternative" science. Karen first became interested in the Indigo Children phenomenon when she received an email seeking contributors for Lee Carroll’s and Jan Tober’s book, The Indigo Children. Since the book was published with Karen’s contribution about a nutritional supplement called Smart Start (no longer being produced due to company mergers), Karen has counseled hundreds of parents about the many alternatives available for helping to keep their children off drugs such as Ritalin.
Karen obtained a 1974 BA from Marylhurst College in Portland, Oregon and a 1975 Medical Technology (ASCP) degree from St. Vincent’s School of Medical Technology, also in Portland. She spends many hours a week searching the Internet and subscribes to numerous Internet discussion groups and email newsletters to keep on top of the latest breaking and most cutting edge information - which you usually won't hear about in the mainstream news. While vested interests try to keep some information a secret, or attempt to veil its significance in negative spin, other individuals are working overtime to bring the light of advanced information to the world’s people. With a special place in her heart for parents seeking to be the best they can be for their children, Karen especially searches out information to help them achieve their quest.
