Fluoride Causes Brain Damage; Food Allergies; Cranberry Superfood

Neuroscience journal confirms adverse effects of fluoride on brain development

by: Sarah Landers

Fluoride is commonly found in tap water thanks to a process called fluoridation – which the U.S. government has been repeatedly telling us is a safe and effective way to protect teeth from decay, according to Global Research.

But a recent study published in The Lancet, the world's most renowned medical journal, has actually classified fluoride as a neurotoxin – something which has a negative impact on brain development – alongside other extremely toxic compounds such as arsenic, lead and mercury.

A large number of cities within the U.S. are pumping their drinking water systems full of fluoride, and the government is claiming that there are no health risks to this unnecessary practice.

Why is fluoride added to water?

Fluoride is added to water because of an outdated notion that it prevents dental decay, according to Scientific American. If applied frequently in low concentrations, the U.S. is being led to believe that it increases the rate of growth and size of tooth enamel – which helps to reverse the formation of small cavities.

But, modern studies show that dental decay rates are so low in the U.S. that the effects of water fluoridation cannot actually be measured. This means that the benefit of water fluoridation is not clinically relevant, according to Fluoride Alert.

There are many safer ways to provide fluoride for your teeth if they are deficient. In fact, there is a very easy one time gel treatment that takes only 15 minutes and lasts a lifetime, according to Ye Olde Journalist. Teenagers and young adults that have dental fluoride deficiency can easily be tested – although it is likely that their dentist will have noticed the problem and already suggested ways to improve the condition.

What little benefit fluoridated water might actually provide comes entirely through its topical application – meaning that fluoride does not need to be swallowed to benefit teeth, as reported by Fluoride Alert.

So what are the dangers of drinking fluoride?

Fluoride is an industrial-grade chemical that is commonly contaminated with trace amounts of toxic heavy metals – such as lead, arsenic and radium. These trace elements accumulate in our bodies over time, and are associated with causing cancer, among other health complications, according to Fluoride Alert.

Toothpaste labels commonly contain warnings regarding the dangers of swallowing too much toothpaste at one time; this is due to its fluoride content. Meanwhile, fluoridation isn't actually a common practice in Europe, with countries such as Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and The Netherlands opting out of adding fluoride to drinking water, according to Alt Health Works.

As noted in the latest study, published in The Lancet, and reported on by Ye Olde Journalist, "A systematic review identified five different similar industrial chemicals as developmental neurotoxicants: lead, methylmercury ... arsenic and toluene ... Six additional developmental neurotoxicants have also now been identified: manganese, fluoride ..." The study notes that neurodevelopmental disabilities, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and other cognitive impairments, are now affecting millions of children worldwide – a "pandemic of developmental neurotoxicity."

Over recent years, more and more people have joined the movement to remove industrial fluoride from the world's water supply, thanks to an increased awareness of the dangers to human health caused by drinking this toxin for a prolonged period of time. If you are concerned about the amount of fluoride you are putting into your body, you can switch to fluoride-free toothpastes, get a water filter that removes fluoride and help spread awareness about the dangers of fluoridation.

Food allergies were barely a blip on our radar a few decades ago. 

Now, the number of people -- especially kids -- with serious and even life-threatening allergies is going through the roof. 

And a researcher at Michigan State University thinks she knows why. 

It's all because of a preservative called Tert-butylhydroquinone, or tBHQ, being added to chips, crackers, oils, and even lots of fast foods to keep them from going rancid.

For years the government told us tBHQ was safe. But what they didn't tell us is that it's made from benzene, the same cancer-causing chemical used to manufacture gasoline. 

And once you hear the whole truth about tBHQ, you'll want to do everything you can to kick it out of your diet forever. 

Sometimes I think the FDA was taken over by mad scientists out of some old sci-fi movie. I mean, what else could explain the sheer number of dangerous chemicals it allows in our food supply. It's unbelievable!

Case in point, tBHQ.

That's a preservative added to a wide variety of foods, and that the FDA declared "safe" in 1972. You'll often find it listed on an ingredient label along with BHA and BHT... but not always. 

That's because thanks to an FDA loophole, it sometimes doesn't appear on food labels at all. 

But now, because of Cheryl Rockwell, who is an assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology at MSU, we're learning the inside story about tBHQ. And it's one that Big Food would rather we never heard.

You see, Dr. Rockwell has been studying tBHQ for almost a decade, and what she's discovered goes way beyond just a warning about another risky food additive.

Her research may have uncovered the real reason why so many people these days have serious, sometimes life-threatening allergies to foods such as nuts, eggs, milk and shellfish.

Here's how Dr. Rockwell explains it. She compares our immune system to a "military force," one that protects us from pathogens. And a very important part of that protection comes from our T cells, what she calls "the generals."

But when T cells are exposed in the laboratory to tBHQ they start behaving differently. Instead of protecting us, those important cells start releasing a type of protein that's known to trigger allergic reactions to certain foods.

"The T cells stopped acting as soldiers... and started causing allergies," Dr. Rockwell said.

On top of those findings, she noticed that the use of tBHQ in the food supply has been rising right along with a big increase in food allergies -- including more severe ones.

And this isn't the first time this preservative, which is made from benzene, has turned up some worrying effects.

Other research has found that high amounts can cause "nausea, vomiting, ringing in the ears, delirium, a sense of suffocation, and collapse," as well as stomach cancer.

I'm sure by now you're wondering how to best avoid tBHQ! So here are three tips that will help you keep as much of this risky additive out of your diet as possible.

Tip #1: Check ingredient labels. As I said, the FDA has given food manufacturers a giant loophole where tBHQ is concerned. Despite that, some companies that use it will still have it listed, and you should still be checking.

Tip #2: Go organic. If you, your kids or grandkids eat a lot of cookies, crackers, chips or any other snack food containing ingredients that go rancid (like oils), stick with organic versions, which won't contain any amount of tBHQ. 

Tip #3: Avoid fast food. If you need another reason to skip fries, chicken nuggets and other deep-fried delights from fast-food chains, this is certainly a good one. The preservative is often added to bulk cooking oils.

Get This Superfood In Your Diet

It's the amazing superfood that usually only makes an appearance twice a year. I'm talking about the cranberry, that cheery red, tart wonder that somehow got relegated to a side dish during the holidays.

But it's time to give the cranberry its rightful place in your diet. 

Researchers at Tufts University in Boston have just completed a study that found the berry is right up there with some of the most health-promoting foods you can find. 

However, before you run out for some artificially-sweetened cranberry juice, there are some easy ways to get the most out this super-fruit without all the sugar or fake sweeteners.

I'm sure you've heard lots of glowing health reports about the cranberry before. But what a new study discovered has taken the fruit to a whole new dimension of nutrition.

Even the researchers were surprised. Lead author Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg, said that he thinks we've "only scratched the surface" in discovering the power of the cranberry.

And that power goes way beyond just helping if you have a Urinary Tract Infection. The study found that compounds in the fruit can benefit the heart, immune system and even the brain. 

But one of the findings in this research that was most impressive health-wise was that the polyphenols (plant antioxidants) in the fruit work together with other cranberry compounds to protect our beneficial gut bacteria.

As I've been telling you over the years, it's shocking how many illnesses have been connected to an imbalance of gut bacteria. The link between our intestinal microbes and good health -- or lack of it -- is so important that a national program was established to study it further this year.

And cranberries, the Tufts researchers found, can help protect that "gut defense system" which in turn can help protect us against coming down with an infection. 

The Tufts scientists also reviewed several other studies on cranberries that found the tart fruit can help with blood pressure, blood flow and blood lipid levels, as well as being beneficial for those with type 2 diabetes.

Last year I told you about a study on the fruit that found just a half cup of dried cranberries a day could make "visible differences" in the blood glucose levels of the study participants. 

On top of that, the berry is high in vitamin C, and can lower your risk of kidney stones. By now you might be wondering what the cranberry can't do!

But as usual, Big Food has taken this miraculous berry and served it up to us along with artificial sweeteners and HFCS, which you'll find in most canned cranberry sauces.

So here are some tips on how to get the most from the cranberry year round without any of those risky additives.

• ·         Buy whole dried or freeze-dried cranberries, easily available online or at a health food store. It's also possible to get sugar-free dried cranberries -- just the dried fruit with nothing added. While you can find plenty of packaged dried cranberries in the supermarket, they typically contain lots of sugar.
• ·         Add the berries to oatmeal, dry cereal, cookies, muffins, smoothies, salads -- the list could go on and on about ways to have more of this super-fruit in your diet. And while they may be a bit too tart (when unsweetened) to snack on alone, when incorporated into other foods that tart taste can actually become an asset.
• ·         Get some unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate and add a tablespoon or more to iced or hot tea. You can also mix the concentrate with water and Stevia or Xylitol to make your own cranberry juice beverage!
•      And when the berries are in season again, get an extra bag or two and stick them in the freezer. They freeze wonderfully and can be used to make your own homemade sauce sweetened with stevia and apples.

Until next time, say healthy and happy

JD Roma

The information on this blog is provided for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care, and medical advice and services are not being offered. If you have, or suspect you have, a health problem you should consult your physician (preferably a Naturopath).