Toxic Topic

Well, I had quite the "conversation" on Face Book today. Since I spent so much time writing there, and since the subject is something I think about quite frequently, I thought I would share it here. It is rather lengthy, but I think it's worth the read. And while you're at it, check out the links. :D


ME (posting a link): An interesting review article on a study finding a correlation between acetaminophen and autism, particularly when it is given for a reaction to a vaccine. Whether or not it is one of the causes in the "autism epidemic", I think each of us needs to take a closer look at the amount of toxins and man-made chemicals our kids internalize and are otherwise exposed to.
http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/14/4/364.pdf


FRIEND 1: I think that many human-made components and natural elements were designed to be of use to humans. I also think that many people do exactly opposite of your caution to consider exactly what we are doing to children, and they look for fix-alls or "lifesavers" and unfortunately rely too heavily on medications and/or other means of helping themselves...I mean, their children! So, my feeling is that most things designed for providing aid, and when used appropriately, can be beneficial to address their designed purpose.

Nice review and thanks for sharing :)

FRIEND 2: That article seeks to correlate two exponentially growing things, acetaminophen use and autism diagnosis simply because that are both growing. But, that is a terrible basis to make that correlation with. The price of gas has exponentially grown since the 80s, maybe autism is linked to that because of the stress it causes parents. Consumption of orange juice has also grown exponentially. It means nothing with regards to autism. Finally, don't forget that 100% of organic tomatoes are 100% chemicals that people would gasp at the name of... and the most toxic chemicals on the planet, like cobra venom, are 100% natural!

ME:  I was hoping you'd comment, FRIEND 2. :) I wondered what your take would be.

I realize you can't really pinpoint something like this because there are so many possible factors and a lot of things have increased at the same time. However, I did find it interesting that when certain events prompted a decrease in acetaminophen sales, there was a similar decline of the number of autistic children. Of course, they were only looking at children in California, but it was still interesting since there were multiple occasions. More than that, the article talked about the way acetaminophen can impair sulfation, which I understand to mean the process (or at least one of the processes) the body rids itself of toxins. I personally don't think acetaminophen alone causes autism , but I do think it is a likely trigger for those whose bodies are already overloaded with toxins, especially if they are genetically inclined to poor sulfate metabolism. I also don't think autism is the only result, it just gets a lot of attention.

When you look at the amount of aluminum (which is a natural toxin) in the vaccines in the childhood schedule and the frequency with which it is injected, honestly I have a hard time understanding why the system is the way it is. If you must have aluminum in the vaccines, why not delay and space things out to give the body a greater chance of coping? And then of course, there are numerous other ways in which one can be exposed. The study I've linked to below found "On average, for each 1,000 lb of environmentally released mercury, there was a 43% increase in the rate of special education services and a 61% increase in the rate of autism."

http://www.seedcoalition.org/downloads/autism_study_UTHSCSA.pdf

I just think we assume too often that if some government entity says something is okay, that there's nothing to worry about. And maybe if you were only taking one drug, or we only got one vaccine, etc. there wouldn't be so much of a problem. But when you add everything up for the average person, it's no wonder that so many people are suffering from chronic disease and disability, even if you push aside things like unhealthy eating habits. That's why I think we need to take more personal responsibility to be aware of what we are taking into our bodies, whatever the method.

ME: Sorry it's so long! It's just something that's been on my mind quite a bit.

FRIEND 2: Well, Mary, I would say that we pretty much agree with each other then. It is quite refreshing to talk about a sometimes volatile issue rationally. I especially agree that we should question what our government says is okay. In this day and age we truly should be skeptical about the choices our money-driven and lobbyist influenced government makes. The part that confuses me, I think, is how things are designated as toxins in some circles. You give an excellent example of a natural toxin, aluminum. It just seems to me that chemicals artificially purified or synthesized are too often talked about in a negative context while natural chemicals are implied as safe, when whether something is synthetic vs. natural has absolutely nothing to do with it's toxicity/safety/healthiness. Know what I mean? Are the volatile organics in a tomato any different or less carcinogenic than the exact same molecules made in the lab? At least with an artificially made aspirin, you know what is in there as opposed to chewing willow bark, which contains thousands of unknown chemicals that react with individuals in an unknown way.

FRIEND 2: Sorry for my rant, I guess that has been on my mind lately too. I tip my hat to you Mary. You clearly have thought through this carefully.

ME: Glad to hear it! It really is refreshing. Honestly, I was a little nervous to post this because I didn't want to offend anyone, but I felt it would be decent introduction to a topic I am (obviously) passionate about.

I confess that I don't know what you're talking about as far as tomatoes go, but I certainly see your point. I do know that many drugs are based on chemicals found in essential oils. My personal preference is to use the version made by God, because I trust Him a lot more than man. ; ) But just because something is "natural" doesn't mean it is good for us--Adam fell, after all. Research is often lacking when it comes to herbal resources, which I find frustrating. Fortunately there are some "natural remedies" available that have numerous studies done showing their efficacy. In the end, I'm grateful that we can have heavenly inspiration to help us make decisions in this confusing mess.

FRIEND 2: Tomatoes, for example, contain ethylene - a volatile organic chemical (VOC) used in the production of plastics among many other things. There are literally thousands of different VOCs produced naturally by tomatoes. While apple seeds contain cyanide, the same chemical that they use in gas chambers, etc. etc.

FRIEND 2:  I too trust God much more than man, but it is tricky to say "the version made by God." After all, God may have made the lavender plants, but he didn't artificially harvest them, dry them, and then distill them to extract and concentrate the chemicals contained within them. See what I am saying? Is a distilled extraction from a plant more natural than other chemicals? Unless you are talking about eating a fruit that has fallen naturally from a tree, it is to one degree or another unnatural. I might also add that the glory of God is intelligence, and it might be possible that He has inspired mankind to make tools that better use the resources He has given us. Finally, though, I do see some great appeal in natural simplicity... I do think there is prudence in eating the most whole foods... I think this helps us live our lives closer to our ancestral roots. Also, I usually want to eat fresher food the less preservatives it has in it, and fresh has to be good. Hmm... amen to the thanks for inspiration!

ME: Now you're just getting picky. ;) I do get what you're saying, and I agree--to an extent. There are a lot of variables that go into what is actually in an extracted essential oil. Where did it grow, when was it harvested, how was it harvested, what part of the plant was harvested, was the plant treated with some sort of pesticide, was it dried or was the oil distilled immediately,etc, etc. All of this can affect the make-up, even chemically, of what the final product is. Since essential oils are much more concentrated than using the actual plant, I think it's pretty important to check into the quality of it. Still, I stand by what I said about what I trust more. I think God put certain chemicals together in a certain balance for a reason. Man and circumstance can affect that, but I'd rather choose the closest option to the original that I can. I have big plans for our landscaping someday. :)

I truly believe that God has inspired man to make use of what He has given us, and I believe He has influenced a good amount of modern healthcare treatments. A lot of chemistry is beyond me, but I find it fascinating and I know good has and will come from the lab. 

I love the way you said "natural simplicity". That really is a lot of the appeal for me. I love that I can have some basic ingredients in my home and use them for a wide variety of applications. For example,I can use vinegar in food, as a hair conditioner, to treat sunburn, and as a cleaner. And I don't have to worry about Ethan playing nearby or even in the bucket when I wash the floor.

As you said, the glory of God is intelligence, and knowledge is power. As long as we are taking an active role in deciding what we allow into our lives, rather than passively going with the norm (not that the norm is necessarily a bad thing), and doing our best to be guided by the Holy Ghost in those decisions, I think we'll be just fine. I love learning about this sort of thing because I think it helps me really make a difference in my life and my family's life, and hopefully some other lives as well. And it really does amaze me when I think about all the goodness God has put in the earth.

Thanks for the discussion, FRIEND 2. :) We need to have dinner or something again soon! Then we can have some enlightening conversations in person. :)