[image source]

In March, Australian TV show Today Tonight did a story on a supposed meat glue scandal. Transglutaminase, known as Activa in the culinary world, is a blood-clotting enzyme being used to “glue” small scraps of meat into what looks like prime cuts to sell for a high price. Pork, lamb, fish and chicken are all being used in combination with meat glue to create these high-priced cuts, and apparently they’re hard to tell apart from the genuine thing.

[Video not showing up? Watch it here]

So what’s the big problem, aside from the fact that you are paying top dollar for a faux product? If you cook your meat rare, you may have a higher chance of getting food poisoning; however, as long as sanitary measures are kept this shouldn’t be an issue.

What’s the best way to stay away from meat glue and get a nice fresh cut? Know the source. Eat at restaurants that buy local sourced meats and purchase your own from your local rancher—be familiar his animal-raising practices (grass-fed and finished, hormone/steroid/antibiotic-free, etc) and arrange to tour their facility. Farmers markets are a great place to start your search.

More on Meat Glue:

Meat Glue: Separating Fact From Fiction

In Defense of Meat Glue

The Trials of Transglutaminase—The Misunderstood Magic of Meat-Glue

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“Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, ALS—could it be that some of the cases of spinal cord degeneration are actually due to a sneaky manifestation of Lyme disease?”

—Alan MacDonald, MD, Pathologist

[image source]

What’s lurking in the bushes and tall grasses may prove to be worse than the infamous worry of lions, tigers, and bears (I’m personally more afraid of spiders but that’s another story). One of the least likely culprits of chronic disease today may be coming from as tiny an opponent as the common deer tick.

Yes, those lovely jumping creatures that enjoy embedding their tiny bodies under your skin and lapping up your precious blood. Apparently, there is a rapidly growing movement in the study of the disease these little bugs spread: Lyme disease. Ticks are now being blamed for not only this disease, but others such as MS, Parkinson’s and ALS—watch the documentary below to find out why.

Trailer for Under Our Skin — A Lyme Disease Documentary:

This documentary began airing for free in May on PBS—see the viewing schedule for your area. It is currently available to watch on “instant” at Netflix and as well as Amazon.com On-Demand.

If a Tick Bites You:

• Immediately tell your doctor you’ve been bitten by a tick
• Start treatment right away with an antibiotic such as Doxycycline
• Watch for Lyme disease symptoms

Symptoms of Lyme Disease:

How do you know you have Lyme disease? Frankly, you may have a hard time self-diagnosing yourself. The symptoms are quite common, but at least you’ll know that the symptoms began after a documented tick bite, so that’s a good starting point.

Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome, MS, ALS, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, or being psychosomatic—keep that in mind when telling your doctor about your symptoms.

First Symptoms are flu-like and may include some or all of the following:

• Chills
• Fever
• Headache
• Lethargy
• Muscle pain
• “Bulls eye” rash – flat or slightly elevated red spot 1-3 inches wide at the site of the tick bite and may include a clear area in the center

Secondary Symptoms (later stages of the disease) include:

• Stiff neck
• Joint inflammation
• Body-wide itching
• Unusual/strange behavior

If you have these symptoms, but don’t remember being bitten by a tick, it could be that you were bitten without even knowing. The National Institute of Health says, “Deer ticks can be so small that they are almost impossible to see. Many people with Lyme disease never even saw a tick.” According to the documentary Under Our Skin, a way you could have Lyme without having been bitten could possibly come from your mother if she had Lyme disease in her system during pregnancy and transmitted the bacteria to you through the placenta (yay! more things you can’t control!).

Getting Treatment For Lyme Disease:

Should you get Lyme disease, it won’t be very easy to convince your doctor that you have it and have it properly treated. Doctors who specialize in treating Lyme are up against insurance and pharmaceutical companies…

Charles Ray Jones, MD

[image source]

Excerpt taken from Under Our Skin:

Dr. Jones, the leading Lyme-literate pediatrician in the U.S., is considered the dean of pediatric Lyme by his colleagues. In his private practice he has treated more than 10,000 Lyme patients, 300 of whom contracted Lyme in the womb, and at least 35 who acquired the disease through breast milk. He has reported success treating the chronic form of the disease with long-term antibiotics. At age 79, Dr. Jones has been in legal proceedings for 2 years, initiated by a divorce-inspired complaint by a non-custodial father in Nevada. The Connecticut Medical Board found Dr. Jones guilty of diagnosing Lyme over the phone and prescribing antibiotics over the phone. His case is currently in appeal.

Joseph Jemsek, MD

[image source]

Excerpt taken from Under Our Skin:

Dr. Jemsek is one the leading Lyme-literate physicians in the Southern U.S. From 2003-06 his Lyme clinic treated an average of 80 new patients per month from 46 states. A vocal critic of the Infectious Disease Society of America’s Lyme Guidelines, he has reported success treating the chronic form of Lyme disease with long-term antibiotics. For his maverick approach to treatment, Dr. Jemsek was officially sanctioned by the North Carolina Medical Board. The sanction provided a foundation on which Blue Cross/Blue Shield filed suit to recoup fees they had paid for the “unauthorized” treatment. He declared bankruptcy and moved his practice to South Carolina.

More on Lyme Disease:

• The New York Times
• American Lyme Disease Association
• Lyme Disease Research Database

Now that you never want to step foot outdoors again…happy 1st day of summer!

I am not a physician and cannot give medical advice. This information is purely that—informational and one should always speak to their doctor before making any changes to their health regime.

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“You’ll end up fat, toothless, and dying of cancer. But seriously, regular and diet sodas increase your rise of pancreatic cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, dental problems, and weight issues.”

– Lauren Slayton, Nutritionist

[image: The Lunch Tray]

Sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, soda has been called Liquid Candy on documentary King Corn. As cases of obesity and type 2 diabetes rise, so do soft drink sales. Tens of billions of this so-called liquid candy is sold each year. Some say we should put a tax on those obesity-supporting drinks to fund health-promoting programs, and many states already do.

How All Soda Causes Weight Gain:

Whether its diet, zero calorie, or just plain ol’ fashioned sugared soda, we all know that soda isn’t the best for you, but what if you’re really craving something cold and fizzy on a hot summer day? Luckily, you don’t have to give up that bubbly, refreshing nectar altogether…

Soda Alternative:

[image: Lovely Package]

Izze — just juice and sparking water. I haven’t tried a flavor I didn’t love! This is our go-to “soda.”

BlueSky — If you’re looking to treat yourself to some store-bought sugary soda for a treat, opt for an all-natural brand like BlueSky or similar that contains no preservatives or artificial flavorings—just sugar, carbonated water and natural flavorings.

Homemade Soda:

Surprisingly, soda is really easy to make…well at least my Fast & Easy version is. For you fancy partiers, try culturing or brewing your own soda, which takes a bit more time, with the other methods listed below.

[image: Healthy Republic]

Fast & Easy Soda: Make your own Izze-inspired soda with your favorite juice—we often buy Lakewood Juices because there is no sugar added/sugar substitutes or preservatives and can be found at any grocery store. Add sparkling water (either pre-bottled or via a handy carbonating device like Sodastream) and some ice…voila! A delicious, refreshing soda made fresh.

Kefir Grains Cultured Soda: Use kefir grains to culture water kefir (soda). See the how-to at Cheeseslave and Nourishing Days.

Yeast-Brewed Soda: These brewed sodas use yeast to create the carbonation. See recipe below.

Root Beer (recipe via Mother Earth News ): This recipe uses root beer extract, so it’s the one to try if you want the traditional flavor of root beer. You’ll need a 1-gallon plastic bottle for mixing the soda.

1 gallon water
2 cups sugar (you can also use honey)
2 tablespoons root beer extract
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon champagne yeast

In a large stockpot, heat the water until warm, about 100 to 110 degrees. Using a funnel, pour the sugar and the extract into a gallon bottle. Next, pour half of the warm water into the same bottle. Then add the yeast to the bottle, attach the bottle cap and shake well. Add the remaining water, then shake again. Pour into 2-liter bottles and attach the bottle caps. Leave 1 to 2 inches of empty space at the top of each bottle. Write the date on the bottles and store them in a warm, draft-free place, ideally at room temperature (68 to 77 degrees) for 2 to 3 days. Then refrigerate the bottles. Makes 1 gallon.

Happy Soda-Making!

…

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Homemade hygiene. After researching natural allergy remedies, I thought it only fitting to list some all-natural *recipes for homemade whitening toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo & conditioner, and lip balm—they also happen to be really cheap to make!

Homemade Toothpaste (Whitening):

Tutorials: Passionate Homemaking, Frugal Granola, Naturally Knocked Up

Revised recipe ingredients from Gorgeously Green:

• 2 tsp baking soda (aka biocarbonate of soda)
• 2 tsp hydrogen peroxide
• 2 tsp vegetable glycerin (adds sweetness and acts as a binder, but has small amounts toxicity) – optional
• 6 drops essential oil (peppermint, vanilla, etc) – optional
• pinch of stevia – optional
• pinch of salt (extra scrubbing power) – optional

Homemade Deodorant:

Tutorials: Simple Mom, The Morris Tribe, Naturally Knocked Up, How About Orange, Passionate Homemaking here and here

Ingredients:

• 5-6 Tbsp coconut oil or shea butter
• 1/8 cup baking soda (aluminum-free)
• 1/8 cup arrowroot powder (cornstarch has talc in it, but if it isn’t irritating to you, cornstarch can be substituted)
• 5-10 drops tea tree oil or essential oil of your choice

Homemade Shampoo & Conditioner (No “Poo” Method):

Your typical shampoo contains many toxic chemicals—including: Sodium Lauryl Sulfates, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Mureth Sulfate, derivatives of Lauryl Alcohol and Siloxanes—that can cause nervous system damage and aren’t so tasty for the planet either. For this reason or simply for frugality’s sake, people have gone “Poo-Free” (read more about why), but I’ve never had the gumption to try it simply because I didn’t want to go through the transition process where your scalp adjusts to not having all of its oil removed on a regular basis—that oily feeling would be just too much to handle unless I was camping…and even then I’d probably have a hard time. I personally use Trader Joe’s Organic Tea Tree Shampoo & Conditioner, but if you do want to try saving a little cash and making an organic, all-natural shampoo or conditioner the recipe is pretty simple. I might try it this summer…anyone game for a challenge?

Tutorials: FIMBY, Simple Mom here and here, Raw Synergy TV, Sorta Crunchy, Instructables

Shampoo: baking soda cleanses the hair and removes buildup

Conditioner: apple cider vinegar balances the hair’s pH level, adds shine, and removes buildup—some people use lemon juice because it does similar job but has a fresher scent. Coconut oil/olive oil can be used once a week as a deep conditioner.

Ingredients (Shampoo & Conditioner):

• 1-2 Tbsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (Bragg’s is best) or lemon juice
• water to dilute
• essential oils – optional
• dried crushed rosemary (for dandruff/dry scalp) – optional
• extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil (put on tips of hair once per week and wash out for deep conditioning) – optional

Homemade Lip Balm:

[image: Bath Alchemy]

Tutorials: FIMBY, DIY Bath Body and Home, Design Sponge, Herb-infused lip balm

Recipe #1 taken from Passionate Homemaking:

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp beeswax (about 1 oz) – some people complain that beeswax dries out there lips, so lanolin (an oil secreted by wool-bearing animals to protect their coats from water) is a great substitute
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 Tablespoons shea butter
• 12 lip balm containers
• honey (optional)
• vitamin E

Directions:

1. Melt beeswax in a small pan or crockpot over low heat. Add coconut oil and shea butter until all ingredients a melted. Add a few drops essential oil if desired. I did not use any essential oil and it is smells wonderfully like honey!
2. Using a small medicinal dropper, pour the melted liquid into your lip balm containers. Add a few extra drops to the top after filling each container as the ingredients will shrink as they cool.
3. Cool completely to harden. Cover with cap and decorate or label as desired.

Recipe #2: watch the video here

Lip Balm Base Ingredients: Makes 18 tins of lip balm

• 1/3 lbs or 151 grams or 5.3 ounces Beeswax
• 302 grams or 10.6 ounces Shea Butter (twice as much as the beeswax)
• 1/3 Cup Jojoba Oil
• 2 tsp Almond Oil
• 1 tsp Avocado Oil
• 7.5 ml Vitamin E

Now add flavorings…

Mandarin Honey Lemon Balm: if you use the whole base quantity, you must double these measurements
1 tsp Honey
40 drops Mandarin EO
30 drops Lemon EO

Double Rosemary Lime Lip Balm: if you use the whole base quantity, you must double these measurements
60 Drops Lime EO
35 Drops Rose Absolute
30 Drops Rosemary EO

I realize I could’ve made this resource list of tutorials into 4 separate posts, but I like to have things all in one place if possible, so excuse the length, but hope its helpful and happy experimenting!

UPDATE:

A few of you have asked if I have tried these recipes out personally. The answer is no. I haven’t tried these specific recipes myself, but I have tried my own variations in my own experimenting but never followed a recipe. These recipes were just the most popular for each hygiene product that I could find, so let me know if they work for you! I’m going to be trying out the deodorant recipe soon and I’ll let you know how I like it. Currently, I am perfectly happy with the hygiene products that I use: Eco-Dent for toothpaste, coconut oil for lip balm/deodorant/lotion, and Trader Joe’s shampoo/conditioner, but I like to put these posts up for my benefit as well as yours as I’m learning more about a topic. Once I’ve created a post with all of the links/resources I want for that subject, I can go back to it if I need to without having to sort through all of my saved bookmarks! So for any of you that want to try something new that’s cheap and healthy, give one a try and let me know how it works for you—luckily none of these experiments will break the bank!

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Upon waking each morning, the first thing I reach for is a tall glass of clean, delectable water. That luxury has become more apparent as of late. Within the past month, the husband and I purchased some poor-quality “reverse osmosis” water from 2 different water suppliers. The brands: Culligan and Cuzn. We’re not sure if we should be blaming the stores or the suppliers for not changing the water filters but the end result is the same—we returned home with our precious cargo only to find that it tasted like chlorine. Essentially we paid for 10 gallons of tap water at $0.39+ per gallon. Our resolve? Never worry about lugging our 5 gallon jugs of water to and from the grocery store. We’ve decided to buy a reverse osmosis home water filter system.

After this ordeal, along with having seen a few water documentaries, it has finally become a priority in our family to be as self-reliant as possible in the most economical way when it comes to our water. We plan on having water storage, a water filtering system, and utilizing rain harvesting containers for continuous water collecting.

What’s in Your Water?

EWG’s “What’s In Your Water?” Below you will find my local drinking water’s stats:

[image: EWG]

Needless to say, since humans are like the earth: 70% water, 30% solid, it seems important that we fuel our bodies with more than rocket-fuel, so I’m on the hunt for a good home reverse osmosis water filter system. I realize that some health gurus tout the qualities of the added step of Alkalizing the water by putting the purified water through an ionizing step and then using a Remineralizer to add minerals back to the water that have been lost in the filtering process; however, due to the extra expense this would create, I am currently simply on the market to have a dependable, clean, pollutant-free water source—those other additions are something I’ll need to research further before I plunk down hundreds of dollars more.

What type of water filter should you get?

See the Environment Working Group’s “Water Filter Guide” as well as National Geographic’s The Green Guide.

[image: Healthy Republic]

Prices run anywhere from $150 (under the sink model) to the thousands (entire home water filtering system). I’m looking at the 5-stage ones from Watt’s in the $200 range only because they have the highest ratings on Amazon. Any recommendations?

Interesting Water Links:

• Clean water for pennies a day: TreeHugger
• Dr. Mercola’s argument against distilled water
• Planet Green Discovery : Everything You Need To Know About What You Drink

Any suggestions for tried and true reverse osmosis home systems out there?

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[image: Healthy Republic]

Seasonal allergies were never an issue for me until I moved to Atlanta. Although spring in the south is gorgeous with fragrant flora showing off new buds and greenery, it also happens to be the time when pollen is at its highest. During the month of April, Pine trees coat everything in a fine yellow-green film—most people don’t even bother washing their cars, knowing that it will only be re-coated with pollen hours later. I was quite unprepared for the seasonal allergies I would experience when I awoke one lovely spring morn with swollen, red, puffy eyes and sinuses. Delightful.

As wonderful as allergy symptoms are (sniffles, migraines, sneezing, itching, and fatigue), I wanted to feel like a human again, but I didn’t want to have to resort to over the counter antihistamine drugs due to their negative side-effects including: dry nasal cavities (which further exacerbates the problem), drowsiness and other undesirable conditions. So, through some online research, I learned why our bodies react so violently to allergens and found some natural, side-effect-free sources to remedy my poor itchy eyes and nose.

Why Do We have Allergies?

According to the National Institute of Health:

An allergy is an exaggerated immune response or reaction to substances that are generally not harmful…In a person with allergies, the immune response is oversensitive. When it recognizes an allergen, it releases chemicals such as histamines which fight off the allergen. This causes itching, swelling, mucus production, muscle spasms, hives, rashes, and other symptoms, which vary from person to person…Allergies may make certain medical conditions such as sinus problems, eczema, and asthma worse.

[image: Healthy Republic]

Preventative, Natural Remedies For Allergies:

Quercetin:

In the bioflavonoid family and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is able to fight allergies by limiting the release of histamines in the body by stabilizing mast cells. It is found naturally in fruits and vegetables—particularly in the skin of red apples and the outer layers of onion. Eat them raw for highest potency.

Stinging Nettle:

If you need a quick antihistamine burst, try taking stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), which acts similarly to a prescription antihistamine without the negative side effects.*

• The best way to take stinging nettle is in the form of a strong tea brewed for at least 10 minutes, but you could also take a freeze-dried extract of the leaves instead as a convenient supplement. The recommended dosage would be about 300 mg freeze dried leaves 2 or 3 times daily during allergy season.

* The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, can trigger side effects and can interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, you should take herbs with care, under the supervision of a health care provider. Stinging nettle is generally considered safe when used as directed. Occasional side effects include mild stomach upset, fluid retention, and hives or rash (mainly from topical use). It is important to be careful when handling the nettle plant because touching it can cause an allergic rash. Stinging nettle should never be applied to an open wound. Because nettle can alter the menstrual cycle and may contribute to miscarriage, pregnant women should not use nettle.

Local, Raw Honey:

You know the story…bees carry pollen from different local flowers, bring it back to their hive and make it into honey. When you ingest honey from your local area, it exposes you in little increments to the plants your allergic to and helps your body to build up immunity to those allergens—similar to getting an allergy shot or doing sublingual immunotherapy.

The only problem with this remedy is: what if you’re allergic to ragweed and your honey bees are collecting pollen from local blooming flowers instead? Seems like you’re out of luck. There’s no way of knowing how much pollen from each type of plant will be in your local honey for that particular season. While this is a nice addition to your allergy-fighting regime, its certainly shouldn’t be the only preventative action you take for allergy relief.

• Take 2-3 spoonfuls of local, raw honey each day for several months prior to pollen season.

Other Drug-Free Remedies:

Acupressure:

I need to do an entire post on the benefits of acupressure. Its fast, easy and you don’t have to go pay a massage therapist for relief. Simply apply pressure—on your own or with a friend—to the pressure point for about 3 minutes and you have relief! See a quick how-to here or study the subject a bit more in depth with Acupressure’s Potent Points: A Guide to Self-Care for Common Ailments (I absolutely LOVE this book—easy to use and understand) or here.

• Perform the Li pressure point by watching this quick video.

Butterbur:

Isn’t easily found in the U.S. but is a common weed in Europe. It got its name from the days before refrigeration when its leaves were used to to wrap and keep butter during the hot months. Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is another alternative to using antihistamine drugs. It has been shown to be as effective as the drug cetirizine, which is the active ingredient in Zyrtec; however Butterbur does not cause drowsiness like cetirizine does. Butterbur is in the same family as Ragweed so it could possibly worsen allergies in some cases.

• Take 32 mg per day, divided into 4 doses.

Sublingual Immunotherapy:

Different from specific immunotherapy (allergy shots). Rather than giving patients shots over a period of 3-5 years, sublingual immunotherapy is a gentler, shot-free, daily therapy that begins right before peak pollen season and is performed by putting drops of a small dose of allergen under the patient’s tongue for 2 minutes before it is swallowed.

Lifestyle Changes:

• Use that A/C — don’t use window fans to cool your house as they bring in more allergens from outside.
• Keep car windows closed when driving to reduce allergens in your car.
• Clean your home using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter or switch to hardwoods flooring if you can afford it.
• Limit your time spent outdoors when pollen counts are at their highest. Check your Local & National Allergy Forecast to see when those times are. Ragweed tends to highest from mid-August until the first frost.

Have any of these natural allergy remedies helped you?

I am not a physician and cannot give medical advice. This information is purely that—informational and one should always speak to their doctor before making any changes to their health regime.

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A Wearable Planter that houses little succulents!

Image via Etsy

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“The future of fashion lies in a reconciliation between nature and industry. OAT Shoes strives to lead the way to that future.” —OAT Shoes

OAT Shoes. I’m almost certain that these would make a terrible meal…even if doused in brown sugar and milk, but biodegradable shoes are a stellar idea.

Made with naturally antibiotic hemp, these well-designed, biodegradable kicks are completely compostable—so go ahead and let your dog bury them in the backyard once you’ve gotten your fair share of wear out of them.

Images via OAT Shoes

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“More than 2 million people die every year from waterborne illnesses. Most of them are children under 5 years of age.” —Flow: For Love of Water, 2008

After learning of the negative effects of fluoride, I followed up on my curiosities about water with the following delicious documentaries (see trailers below) and finished it off with a cherry-on-top water series called Toxic Waters by the New York Times on how the Clean Water Act isn’t quite so clean.

Gasland: The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. After drilling, residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. The husband and I currently live near quite a few of these natural gas drilling sites and its rather alarming to think all of this could be on its way to our local waterways…something to look forward to.

PBS FRONTLINE: Poisoned Waters: Frontline examines the rising hazards to human health and eco-system via our polluted and deteriorating waterways.

Flow: This documentary may sway you to switch to a Sigg bottle. More on The Story of Bottled Water.

A Few Fun Tidbits From the Movie Flow:

• Water Systems around the world that essentially own all of the world’s water: Thames Water, Suez, Vivendi
• Water is a $400 billion industry.
• Rocket fuel is in our public water supply.
• Crops in India are inefficient because of chemicals—up to 10% more water is necessary because of this.
• Bottled water is not regulated
• FDA doesn’t know what’s in it
• $100 billion being spent on bottled water per year
• Top brands of water are not necessarily better for you than tap water and is far less regulated
• $1.8 million per day is made by Nestle by bottling spring water in Michigan

Blue Gold: World Water Wars: An interesting to peek into the often nasty politics of world water resources and needs.

The Takeaway:

Not to dissuade you from seeing any of these documentaries—its important to be informed—but as intriguing as these are, some left me down right depressed. These worldwide water problems seem so overwhelming that it appears futile to even attempt to convince legislature and deep pockets that being a good steward of our natural resources is a practical idea in the long run.

Instead of trying to fix everything at once, I resolved to simply start with my family’s consumerism. I can put my dollars where they will make the most impact. See my next post in the micro series on water to find out the straw that finally broke the camel’s back.

Image via Gasland

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“The Incredible, Edible Fluoride” might have fooled a few people 50 years ago, but today we’re not so mystified. As it turns out, its not all that incredible or edible.

In 1950, the U.S. Public Health Service endorsed fluoridation of our municipal water systems.

Fluoride is a toxic waste-product complimentary of the phosphate fertilizer industry. The fertilizer industry had this fabulous idea to cheaply rid themselves of their production waste by selling it to the government with the idea that hydrofluorosilic acid helps prevent tooth decay if used as a water additive. Hydrofluorosilic acid is an industrial-grade, un-purified and corrosive form of fluoride, and yet, despite the increasing evidence of its negative effects on human health, the American Dental Association and the Center for Disease Control continue to promote and mandate water fluoridation.

The effects are rather ugly.

• Inhibits proper functioning of the thyroid gland
• Weakens the bones
• Kills beneficial enzymes of the digestion system
• Attacks hypothalamus gland in brain
• Creates irreversible dental fluoridation in children

Yay. Where do I sign up?

I suppose the overarching question is: why would a toxin so scrumptious be allowed in our daily drinking and bathing water, but more importantly, how to we change that?

What to do?

How can you limit your intake of fluoride?

1.  CHANGE YOUR WATER:

• Reverse Osmosis and Activated Alumina filters are two types of filters will remove more than 90% of fluoride in your water.
• Distilled Water can be purchased or you can have a (rather expensive) distiller installed in your home.
• Spring Water Dispenser is an easy option to rent/buy. 5 gallon jugs of fresh spring water are delivered to your home on a regular basis.
  

We’ve taken the quick and cheap path by simply refilling our 5 gallon jugs with reverse osmosis drinking water at our local grocery store every couple of weeks. In order to truly filter all of your home’s water, you’d need to purchase/install a home water filter system—which can be quite spendy. I’m not at that stage yet. I need to do more research. Baby steps…

2.  SWITCH TO FLUORIDE-FREE TOOTHPASTE:

We use Eco Dent Toothpowder (for reasons other than the fact that its fluoride-free—more on that later), but there are tons of brands out there that do Fluoride-Free toothpaste these days including: Jason and Tom’s of Maine.

3.  GET INVOLVED IN THE POLITICS:

Sign petitions with the Fluoride Action Network, join conversations in forums, write a letter to your congressman, etc.

Learn More:

An interesting interview on the great fluoride debate with award-wining journalist and author of The Fluoride Deception, Christopher Bryson, can be viewed in 3 parts (approx. 29 min long): Part 1 and Part 2 and Part 3.

BOOKS:

• The Case Against Fluoride
• The Fluoride Deception

ONLINE:

• Frequently Asked Questions: Fluoride
• The National Academy of Sciences (pdf)
• Dentist Speaks Out Against Fluoride (video)
• The USDA Database of Fluoride Content in Foods and Beverages (downloadable spreadsheet)
• Weston A. Price Foundation
• Fluoride Action Network
• Fluoridation.com
• Fluoride Poisoning
• How To Remove Fluoride From Water
• Google Search: “fluoride toxicity” or “fluoride debate”

….

{image: Amazon}

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