Phthalates, breast cancer, and plastics

One of the most important health concerns for women today is breast cancer. Statistics show approximately 1 in 7 women will get breast cancer. Those are scary odds. As clinicians, we can
make a profound difference. In many cases, we can truly predict and prevent breast cancer; and
we can monitor our progress.

Mammograms and early chemo cocktails are not my idea of prevention.
Now everyone knows you don’t just wake up one day and find out you have breast cancer.
Cancer growth is a process. It takes years before aberrant cells can accumulate to a point where
we can feel or even detect a lump. Most women have no idea that they are exposed to something every day that can dramatically speed cancer growth, excess estrogen and estrogen mimics.
Years ago, it was found that estrogen added to cancer cells caused the cancers to grow like
wild fire. Later researchers accidentally found that cancers cultured in plastic petri dishes had
dramatically accelerated growth even without adding estrogen. It turned out that the phthalates
leeching out of the plastic containers were such potent cast estrogen mimics that they turned
on the growth of cancer cells.
It’s obvious then that synthetic estrogens, whether they are from prescriptions or from estrogen
mimics, can alter our chances for breast and other types of cancer. The bad news is that our
society is swimming in a sea of estrogen.
Estrogen mimics or xenoestrogens are used in plastic bottles that hold pop and bottled water.
They’re also used in plastic wraps that wrap supermarket meats and vegetables, etc. Many of the pesticides and herbicides on our fruits and vegetables have estrogen like activity.
The meats we eat are also increasing our estrogen levels.

Animals are fed estrogen to increase their water weight before slaughter.

One dramatic study demonstrating the effects of zenoestrogens in our drinking water found that
male small mouth bass taken from a drinking water source actually had eggs in their testes.
EGGS IN THEIR TESTES!
Most women have no idea they are exposed to something everyday that can dramatically speed cancer growth. These fish were harvested from a river that provides drinking water for millions of people.
One of the best tests to predict and prevent breast cancer is the 2/16 hydroxyestrone test. It measures the ratio of “good” estrogen to “bad” estrogen. This simple urine test can predict years in advance whether your patients have the cellular soil that encourages cancer growth.

The article mentions the 16 alpha hydroxyestrone metabolite is a potent cancer “enhancer”; however, the 2-hydrolase estrogen metabolite actually “protects” us against cancer. If the 2/16 estrogen ratio favors the 16 hydroxyestrone, chances for cancer are significantly elevated. Ratios under 2 suggest an increased risk for breast cancer and with men prostate cancer, while ratios over 2 suggest healthy detoxification pathways and reduced risk.
Anyone concerned about breast cancer should start by reducing plastics, pesticides, and commercial meat exposure and begin the following: Eat at least 1 cup of the Brassica or cruciferous vegetables daily to detoxify the body and help keep this ratio in the correct balance. In fact, this will increase your body’s ability to detoxify harmful liver agents like Tylenol by 20 %.
Cruciferous veggies contain multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties:
diindolylmethane, sulforaphane, and selenium. Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have recently discovered that 3, 3’-Diindolylmethane (or DIM) in Brassica vegetables has potent anti-cancer activity. DIM is actually derived from the digestion of indole-3-carbinol found in Brassica vegetables. Sulforaphane among other things increases Phase II detoxification and reduces free radical damage. Who would have ever thought that eating simple vegetables could have such strong anti-cancer properties?
Of course for men, cruciferous vegetable consumption is inversely related to the incidence of prostate cancer and reduces homocysteine levels. So you can see, these wonderful cancer preventers are not sexists. Ask us to get a list of these vegetables. And remember, just 1 cup a day can make a profound difference in long term health.
Here are some things you can do in terms of nutrients to affect estrogen ratios. The green drinkthat we carry from Biotics Research, NitroGreens, contains sprouted cruciferous vegetables broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. The sprouted forms are even more potent than the raw or cooked forms. 1 scoop per day is an excellent prevention strategy. It also contains beet and carrot juices which have liver protecting abilities as well. NitroGreens have the alkalizing effect of the grasses.
Also flax seeds: 2 tablespoons of ground up flax seeds on salad, in your NitroGreens shake or with the above mentioned cruciferous vegetables has been shown to improve the 2/16 hydroxyestrone ratio as well. That’s over and above what the veggies will accomplish.
Optimal EFAs (capsules or liquids) are a blend of ultra pure EPA, DHA, organic Flax seed oil, cancer (and eczema) fighting GLA, and a balance of the omega 9 oils. 2 to 3 capsules, 2 times per day will provide excellent protection.
Finally, we can’t even talk about reducing breast cancer without talking about one of the biggest
deficiencies in the Midwest. That is an iodine deficiency.
Iodine protects breast, ovarian, uterine and prostate tissue, and is essential for healthy thyroid
function. Liquid iodine forte should be used at 30 drops per day or use a tableted form called Iodizyme-HP. Iodine levels can be assessed through a 24 hour urine collection for more precise protocols.

Antifreeze in your store-bought baked goods

I was looking at some baked goods a patient brought in for us and decided to look this "ingredient" up.

PROPYLENE GLYCOL

Propylene glycol is used:
As a moisturizer in medicines, cosmetics, food, toothpaste, mouth wash, and tobacco products
In electronic cigarettes to make the produced vapor better resemble cigarette smoke
As a medical and sexual lubricant (A.K.A. "personal lubricant")
As an emulsification agent in Angostura and orange bitters
As a solvent for food colors and flavorings
As a humectant food additive, labeled as E number E1520
As a carrier in fragrance oils
As a less-toxic antifreeze
As a solvent used in mixing photographic chemicals, such as film developers
In smoke machines to make artificial smoke for use in firefighters' training and theatrical productions
In hand sanitizers, antibacterial lotions, and saline solutions
In cryonics
As a working fluid in hydraulic presses
As a coolant in liquid cooling systems
To regulate humidity in a cigar humidor
As the killing and preserving agent in pitfall traps, usually used to capture ground beetles
To treat livestock ketosis
As the main ingredient in deodorant sticks.
To deice aircraft.

From http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

Fragrance Ingredient; Humectant; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Humectant; Skin-ConditioningAgent - Miscellaneous; Solvent; Viscosity Decreasing Agent; SKIN CONDITIONING; VISCOSITY CONTROLLING

Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.
This ingredient:
Cancer
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
Violations, restrictions & warnings
Allergies/immunotoxicity
Contamination concerns
Other strong concerns for this ingredient: Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption
Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Ecotoxicology, Data gaps, Biochemical or cellular level changes

See products containing PROPYLENE GLYCOL

About PROPYLENE GLYCOL: Propylene glycol is practically non-toxic when taken orally, i.e. added to food. However, it has been found to provoke skin irritation and sensitization in humans as low as 2% concentration, while the industry review panel recommends cosmetics can contain up to 50% of the substance.
PROPYLENE GLYCOL has reported used in the following product types: hair color and bleaching (1442); facial moisturizer/treatment (1089); moisturizer (935); conditioner (680); anti-aging (668); shampoo (597); styling gel/lotion (555); facial cleanser (541); body wash/cleanser (509); foundation (497)

Potential health effects
Eye
Causes mild eye irritation. Contact may cause irritation, tearing, and burning pain.
Skin
Causes moderate skin irritation. Contact with the skin may cause erythema, dryness, and defatting.
Ingestion
May cause gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Low hazard for usual industrial handling. May cause hemoglobinuric nephrosis. May cause changes in surface EEG.
Inhalation
Low hazard for usual industrial handling. May cause respiratory tract irritation.
Chronic
May cause reproductive and fetal effects. Laboratory experiments have resulted in mutagenic effects. Exposure to large doses may cause central nervous system depression. Chronic ingestion may cause lactic acidosis and possible seizures.

The Truth About Diet Soda

The authors of Eat This Not That reveal some hard truths about low-calorie sodas.

By Dave Zinczenko and Matt Goulding, Men's Health

Find more: Test Your Nutritional IQ The 8 Worst Breakfasts in America Buy Eat This, Not That! Books

We talk a lot about “watching what we eat,” but if you never gave a thought to what you ate and instead watched only what you drank, you could probably cut 450 calories a day out of your life—that’s nearly a pound of fat trimmed away each week! That's what a study from the University of North Carolina found. Americans today drink about 192 gallons of liquid a year—or about 2 liters a day. To put it into perspective, this is nearly twice as many calories as we did 30 years ago.

When confronted with the growing tide of calories from sweetened beverages, the first response is, “Why not just drink diet soda?” Well, for a few reasons. Eat This, Not That! did some research and found out some hard truths behind the low-calorie (and nutrition-free) beverage. The story isn't as clear-cut as you suspect, and it might make you think twice the next time you're looking for a thirst-quencher.

Hard truth No. 1

Just because diet soda is low in calories doesn't mean it can't lead to weight gain.

More Healthy Eating Advice

• America's Healthiest Supermarket Foods
• Best and Worst Burgers
• Search: Find More on Nutrition

It may have only 5 or fewer calories per serving, but emerging research suggests that consuming sugary-tasting beverages—even if they're artificially sweetened—may lead to a high preference for sweetness overall. That means sweeter (and more caloric) cereal, bread, dessert—everything. Considering there are 15 calories in every teaspoon of sugar, that's not good news if you're watching your weight.

Hard truth No. 2

Guzzling these drinks all day long forces out the healthy beverages you need.

Diet soda is 100 percent nutrition-free—and it's important to remember that all that useless liquid is taking up space that could have gone to more healthy alternatives. On the positive side, it means you won’t be taking in equally non-nutritious, calorie- and sugar-packed options. But it's just as important to actively drink the good stuff as it is to avoid that bad stuff. So one diet soda a day is fine, but if you're downing five or six cans, that means you're limiting your intake of healthful beverages, particularly water and tea, which is high in antioxidants.

Plus, a recent study from Johns Hopkins found that restricting liquid caloric intake is a more effective way to lose weight than restricting calories from food. There’s no better place than by eliminating anything on our list of the 20 unhealthiest drinks in America.

Hard truth No. 3

There remain some concerns over aspartame, the low-calorie chemical used to give diet sodas their flavor.

Aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar, and some animal research has linked consumption of high amounts of the sweetener to brain tumors and lymphoma in rodents. The FDA maintains that the sweetener is safe, but reported side effects include dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, memory loss, and mood changes. Check out our guide to the 11 most controversial food additives to see how aspartame stacks up.

The bottom line is this: Diet soda does you no good, and it might just be doing you harm. The best way to hydrate is by drinking low-calorie, high-nutrient fluids—and choosing healthy alternatives, like the ones you'll find in our list of the 16 best drink swaps.

Now that you have a hold on your liquid assets, upgrade the rest of your grocery list by avoiding the 13 Worst "Healthy" Foods in the Supermarket.

SLS: Wash your hair in Agent Orange?

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is a very common chemical found in shampoos, hair conditioners, toothpaste, body washes bubble baths etc. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is also a strong and harsh detergent used in industry as a degreaser and a powerful wetting and foaming agent. Individuals and companies promoting cosmetic and personal care products that are free of Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) have had a lot of mileage out of bad publicity SLS has received over the last few years. What are the facts?

Sodium lauryl sulphate Safety Data Sheet

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate facts?

As a concerned and aware consumer, do you really have anything to worry about as far as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is concerned?

It would appear that we have two quite differing views on the safety of using and exposing the body to constant low levels of toxic chemicals such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS). I feel it is only fair we look at the facts as they are reported by the chemical industry and other concerned individuals in regard to SLS.

I would like to quote word for word as reported in the book "Health Wars" written by investigative medical journalist Phillip Day: You make up your own mind about the wisdom of using Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) in your shampoo and children's bubble bath!

"Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is a very harsh detergent found in almost all shampoos and more than a few toothpastes. Pick up a cross section of these products next time you visit the supermarket and you will find Sodium Lauryl Sulphate SLS or Sodium Lauryth Sulphate (SLES) in pride of place under the ingredients label.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate started its career as an industrial degreasant and garage floor cleaner. When applied to human skin it has the effect of stripping off the oil layer and then irritating and eroding the skin, leaving it rough and pitted.

Studies on SLS have shown that:" (Judi Vance, Beauty To Die For, Promotion Publishing, 1998)

1. "Shampoos with SLS could retard healing and keep children's eyes from developing properly. Children under six years old are especially vulnerable to improper eye development. (Summary of Report of Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc. conference."

2. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate can cause cataracts in adults and delays the healing of wounds in the surface of the cornea."

3. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate has a low molecular weight and so is easily absorbed by the body. It builds up in the heart, liver and brain and can cause major problems in these areas."

4. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate causes skin to flake and to separate and causes roughness on the skin."

5. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate causes dysfunction of the biological systems of the skin."

6. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is such a caustic cleanser that it actually corrodes the hair follicle and impairs the ability to grow hair."

7. "Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is routinely used in clinical studies deliberately to irritate the skin so that the effects of other substances can be tested." (Study cited by the Wall St Journal, 1st November 1998)

Ethoxylation: Ethoxylation is the process that makes degreasing agents such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) less abrasive and gives them enhanced foaming properties. When SLS is ethoxylated, it forms Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES), a compound used in many shampoos, toothpastes, bath gels, bubble baths, and industrial degreasants. The problem is, the extremely harmful compound 1,4-dioxane may be created during the ethoxylation process, contaminating the product. 1,4-dioxane was one of the principal components of the chemical defoliant Agent Orange, used to great effect by the Americans during the Vietnam War to strip off the jungle canopy to reveal their enemy. 1,4-dioxane is a hormonal disrupter believed to be the chief agent implicated in the host of cancers suffered by Vietnam military personnel after the war. It is also an oestrogen mimic thought to increase the chances of breast cancer and endometrial cancer, stress related illnesses and lower sperm counts.

Dr Samuel Epstein (Author and research Scientist) reports: "The best way to protect yourself is to recognise ingredients most likely to be contaminated with the1,4-dioxane. These include ingredients with the prefix word, or syllable PEG, Polyethylene, Polyethylene Glycol, Polyoxyethylene, eth (as in sodium laureth sulphate) or oxynol. Both polysorbate 60 and polysorbate 80 may also be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane. (Epstein, Dr Samuel, Safe Shoppers Bible, P.190-191)

So my uncle Ellick was right from ten years ago. Thank you.

Iodine, AGAIN

Iodine is pushed out of essential tissues by chlorine in sweeteners like Splenda, fluorine and chlorine in drinking water, and bromine in commercial baked goods.

Which means: take artificial sweeteners and GET FAT? Why? Your thyroid NEEDS iodine and when this hormone factory doesn't have enough raw materials to make hormones, then there is no product: YOUR METABOLISM SLOWS DOWN TO A HALT! We have a liquid Iodine

You might think that you can get it in iodized salt? The form is not readily accepted by your body.

Iodine is used to treat the following:
ADHD,fibrocystic breast ,breast cancer,mucous,heart disease,hemmorhoids,headaches, hypertension,liver disease,thyroid disorders,
80% of people in the Midwest are iodine deficient.
“Iodine is found in each of the cells in the body; and without it, life is not possible.”


Iodine is responsible for the production of all the hormones in the body.


Give Us A Call: To take our in-office iodine test


Still don't believe me? Here's a video for you