Could plastic give you type 1 diabetes? Doctor claims toxix BPA exposure gave him and his coworkers this disease
by: David Gutierrez
BPA exposure, Diabetes, Dr. Nathan Ravi
(DrEddyClinic News) Bisphenol-A (BPA) – the hormone-disrupting chemical most notorious for its presence in plastic water bottles and food cans – may also cause autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes http://www.diabetessciencenews.com/, warns Nathan Ravi, a physician and former chemical engineer.
Studies have found BPA in the bodies of 90 percent of people tested
http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=32615. The chemical is known to mimic the effects of estrogen, at least one male sex hormone, and thyroid hormones, thereby disrupting nearly every bodily system. It has been linked with reproductive problems, developmental problems, brain and behavioral damage, and cancer.
And alarmingly, many of the products now marketed as "BPA free," contain chemicals that are just as bad, or even more dangerous.
The FDA continues to uphold the safety of BPA.
Hormone-disrupting chemical damages immune system?
In the 1970s, before scientists became aware of the health risks of BPA, Ravi was a chemical engineer working for a biotech company in Virginia. He worked regularly with chemicals in the bisphenol family, including BPA, researching consumer and industrial uses for them. When he was 28 years old he developed Type 1 diabetes, though he had previously been in excellent health.
Type 1 diabetes normally strikes children, typically due to defects present at birth. It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the pancreas, the organ in the body that produces insulin.
In 1988, Ravi switched careers, becoming a doctor. His career change was largely driven by the mystery of his adult-onset Type 1 diabetes. He learned that two of his former coworkers from the biotech factory had also developed Type 1 diabetes http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=10 later in life. Like him, they had worked with many endocrine-disruption chemicals, including bisphenols. There was no other seeming similarity between their three cases.
When news started to emerge about the health risks of BPA, Ravi felt certain that the chemical was behind his and his coworkers' conditions.
Why you should avoid all plastic
Ravi now gives public talks warning about the dangers of BPA http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=21705 and advising people on how to limit their exposure. He has given talks as far afield as India and the United Arab Emirates.
The main behavior change Ravi encourages is the avoidance of all flexible plastics, in particular for food and drink consumption. In particular, food should never be heated up or microwaved in plastic, because this can accelerate the leaching of BPA http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=32862 into the food.
"Use glass or ceramic whenever possible," he said. "Every flexible plastic has an endocrine disruptor."
Ravi warns that the effects of small exposures add up over time.
"I'm trying to come up with a movement to get plastic http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=24881 out of day-to-day activities," he said.
Although Canada and the European Union have banned the use of BPA in baby bottles, and the U.S. industry has voluntarily ended such uses, the chemical is still found in a wide variety of consumer and industrial products, including food and beverage cans, fragrances and cosmetics.
And while Ravi says he finds the prevalence of "BPA free" products encouraging, many such products continue to be made with other bisphenols. In fact, as many as 12 different bisphenol chemicals are still used in flexible consumer plastics.
At least one of these chemicals – bisphenol S (BPS), the most common BPA substitute used in "BPA-free" products – has been shown to be just as dangerous as BPA, if not more so. Like BPA, it has been linked with endocrine disruption, hyperactivity and cardiac arrhythmia.
"BPS, termed the safe alternative to BPA, may be equally as harmful to developing brains," said Deborah Kurrasch of the University of Calgary. Kurrasch was lead researcher on a study into the dangers of BPS, presented at the joint meeting of the International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society in 2014.
"Society must place increased pressure on decision makers to remove all bisphenol compounds from manufacturing processes."
Sources for this article include:
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/doctor-with-diabetes-speaks-out-about-chemicals-in-plastics/article_ce612d9a-0ebf-5f05-a33e-787eb0e0ab7e.html
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=21705
http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=32862
http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=32615
CDC: Prescription painkiller drugs kill 40 Americans every single day
by: Ethan A. Huff
painkiller drugs, prescription opioids, patient deaths
(DrEddyClinic News) Prescription painkiller drugs like OxyContin (oxycodone) and Vicodin (not allowed) are now directly responsible for killing 40 Americans every single day. This disturbing fact comes from new data compiled by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as part of an ongoing investigation into prescription drug abuse.
The numbers from the CDC report show that more people are now killed by opioid prescription drugs than they are by overdoses from both heroin and cocaine combined. These numbers match ones released as part of 2009 study conducted by physicians at St. Michael's Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) in Toronto, Can., which essentially found the same thing (http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=23317).
Since 1999, the number of individuals who take prescription painkillers to get high rather than to legitimately treat pain has tripled. One in 20 US adults also now admits to have abused prescription narcotics, of which the most popularly abused are Vicodin (not allowed), OxyContin (oxycodone), Opana (oxymorphone), and methadone, according to the CDC.
And how are individuals gaining access to such high amounts of these deadly drugs? It appears that irresponsible doctors, not street dealers, are largely to blame. CDC Director Thomas Frieden, MD, even stated at a recent news teleconference that "the problem is more from doctors than from drug http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=65 pushers on street corners."
In California, the situation is particularly disturbing as more than 62 percent of painkiller prescriptions were found to have been prescribed by just three percent of doctors. This means that a handful of doctors are freely dispensing these highly-addictive and deadly drugs to patients that most likely are not legitimate candidates for them.
Worse, the federal government is doing little, if anything, to put a stop to the madness and protect the public. Sure, it continues to "investigate" the tide of illness and death caused by this escalating prescription http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=33066 drug nightmare. But it is failing to take practical steps to prosecute doctors for malpractice, or hold drug companies responsible for making the dangerous drugs in the first place.
In other words, while the federal government is busy wasting millions of taxpayer dollars raiding whole food buying clubs, herb/supplement companies, and raw milk dairies that provide customers with health-promoting foods (http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=26390), the pharmaceutical industry is literally getting away with government-sanctioned murder as it continues to freely peddle its deadly drugs to the world.
Health Effects of Harmful Organisms
(DrEddyClinic News) Harmful organisms are abundant in the environment and your colon provides the ideal environment to host these dangerous organisms. There are so many varieties of bacteria and worms and viruses that it’s impossible to avoid all of them. Still, you can take measures to reduce your risks. From basic hygiene to lifestyle changes, simple practices can help protect yourself and your family.
Intestinal Invaders
Even in our industrialized culture, we’re not rid of intestinal invaders that infect and infest the intestinal tract. These infestations are harmful and cause a great deal of damage. Once they dig in, they attach themselves to the lining and siphon off valuable nutrients while excreting waste and harmful toxins.
Many of these invaders are silently present. If you’re thinking that you can’t become infected because you live in a clean, civilized,, industrial country, or because you don’t feel anything, consider this: it’s estimated many people are infected with these organisms and don’t even know it.
Do you experience any of the following symptoms?
Intestinal invaders can mimic many illnesses and are a threat to the intestinal tract when they move in. They sustain themselves by leeching nutrients from your body and they excrete harmful toxic waste materials. The list of harmful invaders we’ll review are Giardia, Toxoplasma, Cyclospora, Tapeworms, Roundworks/Pinworms, Hookworms, Trichinella, Intestinal fluke, Liver fluke, Candida http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=32061, E-Coli, Clostridium, and Salmonella.
Giardia lamblia
Giardia lamblia is a single-celled organism that can multiply into the millions before being ejected. They move through the small intestine. The hard protective cyst that forms around the organism and its eggs, interfere with your digestion of lipids, and prevent needed fat-soluble nutrients from being absorbed. The infection it causes is Giardiasis. It is the most common invader and reason for 25% of the diarrhea cases in the United States and is not easily detected. Symptoms of this infection include severe diarrhea [1], bloating http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=32757, gas, abdominal cramping, weight loss, greasy bowel movements and dehydration.
The cysts are passed through feces and can live outside a host body for several months where they will lie in wait for their next host either by way of ingestion or contact with fecal matter. Daycare centers and other communal settings are at much higher risk of passing around this organism that lives on feces. Also at risk are: international travelers, people who swim in lakes, streams and rivers, and those who drink feces-contaminated water.
Anatomical Overview
Anatomical Overview of Cyclospora Infestation
Typical sites within the small intestine for Cyclospora infestation.
Interior View
Interior View of Cyclospora Infestation
Colonization by adult organisms occurs rapidly due to multiple asexual reproductive cycles.
Magnified View
Magnified View of Cyclospora Infestation
A single Cyclospora protozoan can lead to full colonization and severe illness.
Toxoplasma gondii
Another single-celled organism, this invader will live in the intestinal tract and cause toxoplasmosis. Usually it enters the body in contaminated meat, or when you come in contact with cat feces in the garden or cleaning the litter box. If a pregnant woman passes it on to her unborn child, major disorders of the nervous system, mental retardation, or heart or eye damage can develop.
If this invader is picked up by a healthy person with a strong immune system, then there may be no symptoms. However, the person with a weakened immune system may suffer greatly.
Anatomical Overview
Anatomical Overview of Toxoplasma Infestation
Typical sites within the small intestine for Toxoplasma gondii infestation.
Interior View
Interior View of Toxoplasma Infestation
Colonization occurs with adult organisms creating a health condition known as toxoplasmosis.
Magnified View
Magnified View of Toxoplasma Infestation
Protective cyst encasing a ‘family’ with adult organisms and their eggs.
Cyclopsora cayetanensis
Another common, single-celled organism, cyclopsora cayetanensis infects the bowels. It’s contracted by ingesting contaminated food or water, or contact with feces. They make their way to the intestinal tract. They grow and multiply exponentially. Ultimately, the invaders’ eggs are excreted in the host’s waste.
Symptoms include diarrhea http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=33525, loss of appetite, weight loss, bloating, gas, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, fever http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/ff/fever.php and muscle aches.
Anatomical Overview
Anatomical Overview of Cyclospora Infestation
Typical sites within the small intestine for Cyclospora infestation.
Interior View
Interior View of Cyclospora Infestation
Colonization by adult organisms occurs rapidly due to multiple asexual reproductive cycles.
Magnified View
Magnified View of Cyclospora Infestation
A single Cyclospora protozoan can lead to full colonization and severe illness.
Worm Colon Invaders
Usually they can come from eating under-cooked pork, beef or fish. In the U.S., beef is the most common source because so many cows eat infested food and water. When the livestock eats the organism, they penetrate the intestinal lining and travel to the bloodstream and finally to the muscle tissue where it is eaten by people. Once in humans, they attach themselves to the intestinal lining to feed, mature and multiply.
Symptoms of infection include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, and severe appetite changes. Damage can spread to other organs and cause diseases such as Cysticercosis, and Alveolar-Hyatid Disease in children.
Roundworms/Pinworms
Did you know that there are more than 20,000 different species of roundworms? Some 15,000 of them live by sucking nutrients from hosts and “over 1.5 billions people are infected with some form of roundworm.” Roundworms are the most common harmful organism on the planet, but pinworms are the most common in the United States.
Pinworms are small white intestinal invaders and it is believed that may specifically target humans. Pinworm eggs move along the small intestine where they hatch and mature. Adult pinworms travel to the colon where they can live for several months.
Symptoms of pinworm infestation include anal itchiness, insomnia http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33376, and poor appetite. Because the eggs are laid around the anus and its itchy, the re-infestation in children can recur repeatedly when the child scratches and then transfers them to their mouths on unclean hands.
Pinworms can live for as long as two weeks outside the body. And if someone touches a contaminated surface and puts unclean hands in the mouth, it’s very likely they may become infected.
Anatomical Overview
Anatomical Overview of Pinworm Infestation
Typical site within the large intestine for Pinworm infestation. Pinworms also routinely exit the body via the anus.
Interior View
Interior View of Pinworm Infestation
Adult organisms congregate within the host and reproduce in large numbers.
Magnified View
Magnified View of Pinworm Infestation
Pinworms exit the anus at night to lay their eggs. The host scratches the area and transmits them to mouth if hands remain soiled.
Hookworms
These creatures can penetrate human skin. For this reason, walking barefoot outdoors in high-risk areas poses a serious threat. High-risk areas include areas where animal feces is frequently found. Hookworms travel to and make their home in the intestine, where they attach with fangs and siphon blood to survive.
Symptoms of hookworm infestation include stomach pain, loss of appetite http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=33828, nausea, diarrhea, constipationhttp://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/cc/constipation.php, bloody stool [2], gas, itchy skin, fever and fatigue. These organisms can survive as long as 10 years in their hosts. Prolonged infections can lead to serious symptoms such as iron deficiency because of the blood they drink. The infection can also lead to heart problems.
Anatomical Overview
Anatomical Overview of Hookworm Infestation
Typical sites within the small intestine for Hookworm infestation. Hookworms can enter the body by penetrating the skin of the feet.
Interior View
Interior View of Hookworm Infestation
Adult organisms affix to the intestinal lining and can cause illness and conditions such as anemia.
Magnified View
Magnified View of Hookworm Infestation
A Hookworm attaches itself with razor sharp teeth and begins to ingest blood.
Trichinella
Trichinella Worm
The disease trichinosis is the disease you can get from this worm.
Ailments resulting from trichinosis infection include muscle soreness, fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, edema of the lips and face, difficulty breathing, difficulty speaking, enlarged lymph glands, fatigue, and dehydration.
You usually can pick up this worm by eating raw or undercooked pork. The greater risk occurs in areas where pigs are fed raw animal carcasses. Like tapeworms, these settle into the muscle tissues of animals and once ingested by humans, they grow to maturity.
Flukes (Flatworms)
X-Ray View of Liver with Flukes
Magnified View of Liver Fluke
Flukes, Fasciolopsis buski, live in the upper part of the small intestine. Adult worms produce 25,000 eggs daily. Once limited to foreign locations, world travel and importation of contaminated food has seen the infection rapidly becoming a worldwide concern.
Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, allergies, nausea, vomiting and intestinal ulcers. They can pass from human to human through the exchange of bodily fluids during intimate activities as breastfeeding and intercourse.
There are many different forms of Liver Flukes with the most popular being sheep liver flukes (Fasciola hepatica) and human liver flukes (Clonorchis sinensis). Dr. Hulda Clark’s research indicates that these two most commonly cause infections in humans [3].
Symptoms resulting from these liver flukes infestations include general fatigue, intermittent fever, mild jaundice, and pain on the right side of the abdomen below the ribs.
Candida
Candida in small amounts is a good thing since it limits the growth of harmful bacteria. Candida albicans is a yeast fungus http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=32986 that naturally inhabits the body. The majority of this fungus (90%) resides in the mouth and intestinal tract.
When Candida grows out of control, it becomes a major problem. Some things that can change the balance include taking birth control pills, prescription antibiotics, including poor diet, alcohol and soft drink consumption. Excessive Candida sustains itself using starches and sugars from the digestive tract. The waste that it produces give back nothing good, in fact it can be toxic to your body. The symptoms that it causes are varied and often confused with other disorders.
Symptoms of Candida Overgrowth:
What Bacteria and Viruses are Toxic To My Colon?
Billions of bacteria inhabit the colon shortly after a baby is born. They help to digest nutrients, and convert starches into useful fatty acids and other energy. These are called good bacteria. They also keep harmful bacteria like Candida in check.
Some harmful bacteria like Escherichia coli and Clostridia putrefy meat inside the large intestine. People at risk are those who consume large quantities of meat along with considerably less fiber than they need to process this meat out of their bodies. This increases the risk of colon cancer.
What Happens When E. coli Infests the Colon?
Most strains of the Escherichia coli bacteria are rather harmless. There are E. coli strains however which are harmful and possibly fatal. Some of the things they can cause are kidney failure and Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome in children.
This bacterial infestation can result from ingesting undercooked ground beef and drinking contaminated water. The waste that this organism excretes is toxin to humans. It inflames the intestinal tract, which damages the bowel lining. Symptoms of the E. coli infestation include bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting.
How Does Clostridium Infect My Colon?
Clostridium difficile is increasing in occurrences as a result of the increase in the use of antimicrobial medications and residence in hospitals. This organism, referred to as C. difficile, has been revealed as the cause of millions of cases of diarrhea and colon inflammation annually.
The antibiotics that people take can kill the flora that the body needs along with the bad stuff it’s supposed to kill. A decrease in needed flora means less guarding against C. difficile.
C. difficile can be contracted from fecal matter or contaminated surfaces since it can live independently of a host for up to 70 days. In hospitals it is found on bedding and toilets.
With severe infection from C. difficile you will often see ailments such as septicemia, renal failure, pneumonia, urinary tract infection and anemia. Foul-smelling or bloody stools and abdominal cramps are possible as well.
What Happens When Salmonella Infects My Colon?
Humans are infected by salmonella bacteria when then ingest food and water contaminated with feces. This means that you can get it from public eateries, not just at home from using less-than-healthy preparation practices of meat and eggs.
Foods that may contain salmonella are:
This type of bacteria can cause typhoid fever and intestinal infections. Symptoms from infestation manifest from 6 to 48 hours after ingestion. According to the Center for Disease Control, it is one of the leading causes of gastroenteritis in the nation.
Indications that you have this can include headache, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting. Diarrhea from salmonella poisoning can be severe enough to cause extreme dehydration requiring hospitalization along with inflammation of the intestinal wall. Death is possible but that is usually seen only in small children, elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
The bacteria can penetrate the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream. It can travel along to other organs and cause damage.
Intestinal Toxins from Viruses
Intestinal diseases may also result from viral infections. Viral gastroenteritis is characterized by watery diarrhea and is very common around the world. It is easily transmitted by sharing contaminated bottles, food, drinks and eating utensils or by eating contaminated food.
Unsanitary behavior is the major cause of food contamination. Wash your hands before and after handling food! Also, food contaminated with untreated sewage, and contaminated public drinking water can expose humans to viruses that cause this very unpleasant and potentially life threatening intestinal disorder.
How Do I Avoid These Harmful Organisms?
The harmful organisms listed above are living organisms. They survive by draining vital nutrients from your body and they give back toxic waste that puts your health at risk. These invaders can live in your body for as long as you are alive. A strong healthy immune system is your first line of defense to repel many of the would-be invaders. There are measures that you can take to reduce your exposure to these harmful invaders.
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Remove waxy coatings, these are cosmetic preservatives. Cut away nicked, discolored, mushy or recessed areas. Buy organic foods as much as possible.
- Cook meats, poultry and fish at proper temperatures. Check for worms just under the skin before cooking. Wash hands and clean work surfaces thoroughly after handling each item. Use wooden cutting board when preparing or cutting raw meats to increase the chances of killing harmful organisms. Here is a list of remedies for killing germs and bacteria in your kitchen.
- Be sure your water comes from a reliably clean source. Drink only purified water from a multi-filtered source. Ideally distilled http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=33388 or purified water is best supplemented with raw Apple Cider Vinegar for extra nutrients. The best brand is Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=32987.
- Wash your hands frequently throughout the day. Warm water, and natural tea tree soap if possible, can remove any microscopic organisms that you’ve come in contact with.
- Keep your surroundings clean, free of dust particles and fecal matter from dust mites. Believe it or not that’s enough to sustain those organisms which can live for a time away from a host. Use a damp sponge or HEPA vacuum cleaner to regularly remove dust from surfaces and flooring.
- Wear shoes to protect yourself from the organisms that can penetrate human skin. Keep your feet covered even on the beach and playground, as these areas are often rife with a plethora of bacteria and viral fungi.
- Know where you’re swimming and never swallow the water while you swim—no matter what body of water it is.
- Taking a high quality Probiotic supplement on a regular basis will help to populate your digestive system with needed, beneficial flora.
- Perform 2 to 3 Harmful Organism Cleanses a year to assist in removing harmful invaders. It will take at least 6 weeks (the life cycle of most harmful organisms discussed) to complete a thorough cleanse.
- Determine to eat a balanced diet to regulate your colon pH.
- Regular colon cleansing http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30713 with a high quality oxygen colon cleanser. Performing 3 consecutive Liver Gallbladder Cleanses http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=30735 can also help detoxify you body.
References:
1. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Diarrhea http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/diarrhea/. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. 2009 April 27.
2. Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center. Bloody Stool http://www.colon-cleanse-constipation.com/bloody-stool.html. 2009 April 27.
3. Brennan Hubbell. Dr. Clark’s legacy http://www.drhuldaclark.org/. New Century Press, LLC. 2013.
4. Colon Cleansing & Constipation Resource Center. Constipation and Acne http://www.colon-cleanse-constipation.com/constipation-and-acne.html. 2009 April 23.
