Diagnosing	any	disease	is	simple,	because	there	is	only	one	disease:
malfunctioning	cells. David’s	problem	had	to	be	a	large	number	of
malfunctioning	cells,	that	much	I	knew. The	critical	questions	were:	Why	were
they	malfunctioning,	and	how	to	restore	them	to	normal	function? Four	hours	into	our	conversation,	David	provided	a	key	piece	of	information
that	gave	me	the	answer. David	said	he	liked	tuna	fish,	liked	it	so	much	that	he
typically	ate	two	cans	per	day. This	statement	set	off	alarm	bells	in	my	mind
because	tuna	fish	contains	a	significant	amount	of	mercury—a	highly	toxicheavy	metal	that	poisons	cells	and	deactivates	key	enzymes,	causing	numerous
physical	and	mental	problems,	including	suicidal	tendencies. Mercury	pollution	in	our	oceans	bioaccumulates	(gradually	builds	up)	in	fish
and	is	especially	concentrated	in	large	fish	such	as	tuna. In	fact,	the	average	can
of	tuna	fish	contains	the	maximum	allowable	daily	dose	of	mercury,	and	David
was	eating	two	cans	of	tuna	fish	almost	every	day. Constant	exposure	like	this
results	in	a	toxic	bioaccumulation,	so	I	began	to	suspect	that	mercury	poisoning
was	at	the	root	of	David’s	problems. His	mercury	exposure	did	not	end	with	his	taste	for	tuna;	David	had	many
silver	amalgam	dental	fillings,	and	these	amalgams	contain	about	50	percent
mercury. His	dental	fillings	(in	addition	to	the	tuna	fish)	had	been	exposing
David	to	small	amounts	of	mercury	for	most	of	his	life. Finally,	the	straw	that
broke	the	camel’s	back	was	a	dental	procedure. David	had	to	replace	his	aging
mercury	fillings	and	was	exposed	to	high	levels	of	mercury	during	this
procedure	because	of	the	dentist’s	poor	removal	technique. This	large	exposure,
combined	with	years	of	chronic,	low-level	exposure	from	the	tuna	fish	and	the
dental	fillings,	was	too	much	for	David’s	body	to	handle. He	fell	into	a	state	of
toxic	overload	and	his	cells	began	to	malfunction	seriously. David’s	failing	health,	chronic	fatigue,	emotional	distress	and	suicidal
tendencies	were	all	symptoms	of	his	toxic	overload. The	solution? I	suggested
nutritional	supplements	that	would	support	David’s	natural	ability	to	detoxify,
and	I	also	searched	for	and	found	a	medical	doctor	who	was	an	expert	in
mercury	detoxification. Subsequently,	David	was	cured	of	his	mercury
poisoning	(through	a	process	called	chelation,	which	uses	a	chemical	to	react
with	the	mercury	and	remove	it	from	the	body),	and	ultimately	he	was	able	to
return	to	his	life,	his	career	and,	most	importantly,	his	family. Killing	Him	Slowly
David	is	an	excellent	example	of	toxic	overload	in	our	modern	society. He
was	chronically	exposed	to	a	specific	toxin	(mercury),	which	was	slowly
bioaccumulating	in	his	cells. Already	weakened	by	and	sensitive	to	this	toxin,	he
was	suddenly	exposed	to	a	large	amount,	which	pushed	him	over	the	brink. Another	factor	to	be	considered	is	David’s	biochemical	individuality;	he	might
have	been	born	with	a	greater	sensitivity	to	mercury	than	the	average	person. Virtually	all	Americans	are	now	in	a	state	of	toxic	overload. No	wonder	our
population	is	becoming	sicker	and	sicker. Small	toxic	exposures	each	day	(from
common	sources	such	as	breakfast	cereal,	toothpaste,	shampoo,	soap,	perfume,deodorant,	hair	dye,	newspapers,	magazines,	exhaust	fumes,	carpets,	new
mattresses,	dry	cleaning	or	a	newly	painted	bedroom)	will	increasingly	exceed
and	even	incapacitate	your	body’s	ability	to	detoxify,	causing	these	chemicals	to
accumulate	to	a	level	that	will	make	you	sick. Man-made	toxins	are	so	prevalent	today	that	they	are	impossible	to	avoid,
regardless	of	where	you	live	or	what	you	do. Over	the	last	one	hundred	years,	we
have	introduced	tens	of	thousands	of	man-made	toxins	to	our	environment,	thus
changing	it	dramatically. Our	bodies	are	not	genetically	designed	to	deal	with
these	levels	and	types	of	poisons	that	are	accumulating	in	our	tissues	faster	than
we	can	rid	ourselves	of	them. Environmental	toxins	are	not	our	only	problem. We	also	generate	powerful
toxins	inside	our	bodies. Unless	we	can	minimize	our	exposure	and	maximize
our	bodies’	detoxification	systems,	we	will	become	sick. An	extreme	overload
may	even	kill	us:
•	Only	recently	have	researchers	and	health	practitioners	begun	to
understand	the	long-term	effects	of	the	thousands	of	chemicals	we	now
encounter	in	our	daily	lives. At	the	time	of	my	birth,	the	majority	of	these
chemicals	did	not	exist. Now	they	are	all-pervasive. •	A	growing	body	of	scientific	evidence	links	toxins	to	a	wide	variety	of
symptoms	and	syndromes,	such	as	mental	and	behavioral	disorders,
learning	disabilities,	fatigue,	migraines,	allergies,	rashes	and
gastrointestinal	disorders. •	Frightening	new	evidence	suggests	that	low-level	exposures	to	certain
environmental	chemicals	are	causing	hormone	disruptions,	resulting	in
serious	problems	that	range	from	birth	defects	to	cancer. •	Many	of	the	diseases	that	baffle	our	physicians	(often	called	“diseases	of
aging”	or	“diseases	of	civilization”)	are	the	results	of	the	toxic	overload
caused	by	modern	industrialized	society. These	diseases	are	difficult	to
diagnose	and	impossible	to	cure	using	conventional	medical	approaches
that	just	treat	symptoms,	rather	than	minimizing	toxic	exposure	and
optimizing	detoxification. •	Chemicals	posing	little	cancer	risk	can	trigger	cancer	when	combined
together. •	Some	chemicals	and	metals	are	toxic	in	any	amount;	others	are	beneficial
or	even	essential	in	small	amounts—	such	as	vitamin	A—but	toxic	in	large
amounts. In	the	nineteenth	century,	less	than	1	percent	of	all	deaths	in	the	United	States
were	caused	by	cancer,	and	even	at	the	turn	of	the	twentieth	century,	only	3percent	of	the	population	was	affected. Today,	more	than	four	in	ten	people	will
develop	cancer	in	their	lifetime,	and	one	in	four	will	die	from	cancer. The	good	news? Many	of	the	strongest	cancer-causing	chemicals	have	been
identified,	and	we	can	avoid	them. The	National	Academy	of	Sciences	sums	up
the	challenge:	“It	is	abundantly	clear	that	the	incidence	of	all	the	common
cancers	in	humans	is	being	determined	by	. . . potentially	controllable	external
factors.”
The	Poisons	Within
Toxins	from	the	outside	world—in	our	food,	water,	air,	homes	and	workplaces
—are	known	as	
environmental	toxins. Our	bodies	also	manufacture	a	sea	of
internal	toxins	as	a	result	of	normal	metabolism,	which	our	bodies	must
eliminate	in	order	to	stay	healthy. Few	people	realize	that	their	own	bodies	can
be	a	source	of	dangerous	toxins—mostly	in	the	digestive	system,	but	also	from
allergic	reactions,	stress	and	other	sources. Internal	toxins	are	being	generated	at
unprecedented	rates	as	a	result	of	modern	diets,	lifestyles	and	medical
treatments. Just	like	an	automobile	produces	exhaust,	your	body	produces	these
toxins	naturally	and	is	designed	to	handle	them;	however,	if	abnormal	amounts
of	toxins	are	produced	or	your	ability	to	deal	with	them	is	impaired,	you	become
sick. Understanding	the	body’s	natural	abilities	to	cleanse	itself	and	how	these
abilities	can	be	supported	by	diet,	exercise	and	other	means	is	important. By
learning	how	to	support	your	detoxification	systems,	you	can	reverse	the	effects
of	toxic	overload;	as	toxic	load	decreases,	cell	function	improves	and	disease
often	disappears. Not	all	toxins,	however,	affect	all	people	in	the	same	manner. Just	as	each	of
us	has	unique	needs	for	nutrients,	each	of	us	also	has	unique	tolerances	and
susceptibilities	to	toxins. Toxin	levels	that	can	put	one	person	into	overload
might	not	be	particularly	serious	or	even	noticeable	for	someone	else. Genetic
predisposition,	nutritional	status,	stress	levels	and	lifestyle	all	influence	toxin
levels. Because	currently	we	have	no	way	to	predict	the	effects	that	specific
toxins	(or	combinations)	have	on	any	individual,	the	solution	is	to	minimize
exposure	to	all	toxins	and	to	take	steps	to	support	the	body’s	detoxification
mechanisms. A	Buildup	of	External	ToxinsChronic	exposure	to	small	amounts	of	seemingly	harmless	toxins	presents	a
problem	more	dangerous	than	people	realize. Even	in	trace	amounts,	toxins	can
build	up	and	overload	our	cells,	causing	malfunction. The	average	American	is
building	up	(bioaccumulating)	between	three	and	five	hundred	manmade
chemicals,	most	of	which	did	not	exist	prior	to	World	War	II	and	have	never
before	been	in	human	tissue. Therefore,	the	combined	toxic	effects	of	these
chemicals	are	impossible	to	calculate. Physicians	rarely	consider	toxic	buildup	as	a	primary	cause	of	disease	and
rarely	test	for	toxic	underlying	problems. In	fact,	about	the	only	time	the	medical
community	will	cite	toxicity	as	a	primary	cause	of	disease	is	when	somebody
dies	or	becomes	obviously	ill	from	massive	toxic	exposure,	such	as	a	chemical
spill. Subtle	and	gradual	toxic	exposures	typically	go	undetected,	which	explains
how	people	suffering	from	toxic	overload	can	go	to	their	doctors	repeatedly
(with	persistent,	if	vague,	complaints	of	“not	feeling	quite	right”)	and	never
receive	a	correct	diagnosis. When	people	finally	do	become	sick	from	their	bioaccumu-lated	toxins,
following	the	path	of	their	illness	back	to	the	myriad	toxic	sources	is	nearly
impossible. If	these	toxins	weren’t	so	insidious	and	if	they	made	us	sick	or	killed
us	quicker	and	more	straightforwardly,	we	would	understand	more	readily	the
need	to	avoid	them. Instead,	we	expose	ourselves	unknowingly	and	we	lay	the
groundwork	for	massive	cellular	malfunction,	little	by	little. Combine	these
external	toxins	with	those	generated	inside	the	body,	and	the	eventual	result	is
toxic	overload. A	chilling	example:	Environmental	and	dietary	toxins	bioaccumulate	in	a
mother’s	fatty	tissues	throughout	her	life. When	she	starts	nursing,	her	toxin-
loaded	fatty	tissues	produce	cancer-causing	breast	milk. In	his	1987	book	
Diet
for	a	New	America,	
John	Robbins	notes	that	the	milk	of	most	American	mothers
is	so	contaminated	with	chemicals	(PCBs,	dioxins	and	various	pesticides)	that	“it
would	be	subject	to	confiscation	and	destruction	by	the	FDA	were	it	to	be	sold
across	state	lines.”	Robbins	also	says	“the	EPA	has	concluded	that	the	average
American	breast-fed	infant	ingests	nine	times	the	permissible	level	of	dieldrin,
one	of	the	most	potent	of	all	cancer-causing	agents	known	to	modern	science.”
Fortunately,	dieldrin,	which	was	used	on	crops,	has	now	been	removed	from	the
market,	but	the	average	mother’s	milk	(while	still	far	better	than	infant	formula)
remains	contaminated	with	numerous	toxic	chemicals. No	One	Is	SafeAt	present,	toxic	chemicals	can	be	found	in	trace	amounts	in	the	tissues	of
virtually	everyone	in	America—including	you. These	chemicals	include:	plastics
such	as	styrene	(disposable	Styrofoam	cups),	1,4-dichlorobenzene	(mothballs,
deodorizers),	sodium	lauryl	sulfate	(synthetic	detergent	from	soaps,	shampoos,
toothpastes),	pesticides,	PCBs,	dioxins,	phthalates	(plastics),	formaldehyde
(plywood,	particleboard,	permanent-press	clothing),	prescription	drugs	and
organic	solvents. No	place	on	earth—and	no	modern	home—is	free	from	man-
made	toxic	contamination. Molecules	of	the	pesticide	DDT,	for	example,	blanket
the	entire	planet. Henry	Schroeder,	M.D.,	a	former	professor	of	medicine	at	Dartmouth	Medical
School	and	author	of	
The	Poisons	Around	Us,	
wrote	that	“five	toxic	trace	metals:
antimony,	beryllium,	cadmium,	lead,	and	mercury	are	involved	in	at	least	half
the	deaths	in	the	U.S.	and	much	of	the	disabling	disease.”	In	all,	more	than	one
hundred	thousand	chemicals	are	now	in	commercial	use,	at	least	25	percent	of
which	are	known	to	be	hazardous;	many	others	have	never	been	tested	at	all! Even	when	chemicals	are	tested	for	safety,	studies	are	virtually	always	short-
term	and	tested	individually;	few	have	examined	the	long-term	effects	of
chemicals,	or	how	they	react	in	the	body	in	combination	with	each	other. Yet
these	long-term,	combined	effects	are	the	reality	of	living	in	America	today. In
other	words,	the	testing	programs	are	flawed. Adverse	effects	are	not	necessarily
observed	in	small	groups	of	animals,	nor	do	experimental	animals	necessarily
react	to	toxins	the	same	as	humans. Ultimately,	any	chemical	that	is	not	normal
and	natural	to	our	bodies	puts	a	load	on	our	detoxification	systems	and	may
damage	cell	function. Most	people	make	little	effort	to	avoid	toxins	because	officially	established
tolerances	presume	that	toxin	levels	are	within	safe	limits. Unless	you	make
special	choices,	you	constantly	eat	foods	with	trace	toxins,	you	constantly	drink
water	with	trace	toxins,	you	constantly	use	personal	products	with	trace	toxins,
and	you	constantly	breathe	toxic	air. By	the	end	of	each	day,	these	toxic
contaminants	often	reach	a	substantial	cumulative	total. EPA	scientists	found
that	
the	total	toxic	residues	in	our	daily	diet	can	exceed	500	percent	of	the
recommended	daily	maximum,	even	if	each	individual	food	is	within	“safe”
limits! A	Poison	Gas	Chamber	of	Her	Very	Own
Several	years	ago,	a	young	married	couple	from	Chicago	asked	me	to	help
their	three-year-old	daughter,	Anne,	who	was	experiencing	seizures. Anne	hadbeen	examined	by	at	least	a	dozen	specialists,	but	their	only	recommendations
were	anti-seizure	medications	that	made	Anne	sick,	yet	failed	to	stop	the
seizures. The	desperate	parents	called	me,	a	complete	stranger	two	thousand
miles	away. They	begged	me	for	help,	even	though	I	am	not	a	physician. Because	there	is	only	one	disease,	I	knew	that	Anne’s	problem	was
malfunctioning	cells. But	why	were	they	malfunctioning? Although	I	asked
many	questions	about	Anne’s	history,	nothing	seemed	unusual	about	her	birth,
background	or	development. She	had	been	breast-fed	(a	good	thing;	even	though
breast	milk	is	toxic,	it	is	still	preferable	to	the	alternatives),	and	her	diet	was
actually	better	than	average. In	fact,	she	had	been	remarkably	healthy	ever	since
birth—until	the	seizures	started. I	began	to	ask	questions	about	her	environment. As	it	turned	out,	during	most
of	her	young	life,	Anne	had	been	sleeping	in	a	crib	in	her	parents’	bedroom. When	she	outgrew	the	crib,	her	parents	decided	she	should	have	her	own
bedroom,	and	they	refurbished	a	room. Knowing	that	brand-new	room
furnishings	can	be	quite	toxic,	I	focused	on	environmental	toxins	as	the	probable
cause	of	the	little	girl’s	problems. I	learned	that	before	the	onset	of	the	seizures,
Anne’s	new	bedroom	had	been	given	a	fresh	coat	of	paint	and	was	furnished
with	new	wall-to-wall	carpeting,	a	new	television	set	and	new	furniture,
including	a	new	bed	and	mattress. In	fact,	that	new	bedroom	had	just	about	every
amenity	that	any	set	of	loving	parents	could	give	to	their	beloved	daughter,	but	it
was	also	a	poison	gas	chamber! The	new	paint,	carpet,	mattress,	television	and
furniture	(constructed	of	particleboard,	which	contains	formaldehyde)	were	all
giving	off	toxic	gases. You	recognize	the	typical	“new	paint	smell,”	that	“new
carpet	smell”	and	that	“new	furniture	smell.”	They	are	all	toxic,	especially	when
they	are	brand-new,	at	which	time	they	emit	higher	concentrations	of	chemicals. Shut	anybody	inside	a	bedroom	like	little	Anne’s	for	eight	or	ten	hours	a	night,
and	the	person	is	exposed	to	a	lot	of	toxins. Anne	was	in	toxic	overload,	and	her	seizures	were	the	result. Often,	in	a	case
like	this,	when	you	remove	the	source	of	the	toxins,	you	cure	the	disease. Instead,	Anne’s	physicians	had	prescribed	antiseizure	medications,	which	added
to	her	toxic	overload,	making	her	sicker. I	suggested	an	experiment	to	Anne’s
parents:	Close	off	the	toxic	bedroom	and	allow	Anne	to	sleep	in	another	room
for	a	few	weeks. The	result:	The	seizures	stopped,	and	Anne	returned	to	being	a
normal	and	healthy	child. Fight	Back	with	FoodsWhy	isn’t	our	society	taking	more	action	to	protect	us	from	toxins? Why	don’t
our	physicians	routinely	warn	us	about	toxins	and	check	for	them? One
explanation	lies	in	a	1988	report	issued	by	the	National	Academy	of	Sciences
titled,	
Role	of	the	Primary	Care	Physician	in	Occupational	Environmental
Medicine,	
which	concluded	that	while	toxic	environmental	chemicals	play	an
increasingly	important	role	in	modern	chronic	diseases,	almost	all	physicians	are
ignorant	about	the	degree	to	which	low-level	toxins	affect	health. One	of	the	most	direct	sources	of	our	toxic	exposures	is	the	foods	we	eat. A
meal	that	looks,	smells	and	tastes	good	is	a	wonderful	thing,	but	you	owe	your
body	more. You	need	to	make	sure	your	food	is	free	of	toxins	and	filled	with
nutrients	that	support	your	body’s	natural	ability	to	detoxify. You	need	to	find
out	what	is	in	your	food,	where	your	food	came	from	and	how	your	food	has
been	altered	from	the	way	nature	provided. One	of	the	best	ways	to	minimize	the	toxins	is	to	buy	organic	foods. Organic
is	a	method	of	growing	and	producing	food	free	from	chemical	fertilizers	and
pesticides,	artificial	ripening	agents,	preservatives,	genetic	modification	and
radiation. The	term	“organic”	applies	to	more	than	fruits,	vegetables	and	grains;
organically	grown	animals	are	fed	organic	feed	and	are	produced	without	the
customary	use	of	antibiotics,	hormones	or	other	supplemental	medications. Organic	foods	may	be	more	expensive	and	somewhat	more	difficult	to	obtain,
but	they	almost	always	contain	fewer	toxins	and	better	nutrition. Read	labels;	the
U.S.	Department	of	Agriculture	has	approved	organic	certification	and	the	label
should	bear	the	logo. Unless	a	product	clearly	says	that	it	is	organic,	it	almost
certainly	is	not. If	you	live	in	an	urban	area,	organic	foods	purchased	at	local
farmers’	markets	are	most	likely	the	freshest,	most	nutritious,	least	toxic	foods
you	can	obtain. Despite	that,	almost	90	percent	of	the	food	dollars	spent	in
America	today	are	spent	on	toxic,	processed	foods	that	are	not	organic. To	make
matters	worse,	we	eat	almost	no	fresh	food,	limiting	the	nutrients	available	to
help	us	detoxify	all	the	bad	stuff	we	constantly	take	in. Feeding	into	Behavior	Problems
Several	years	ago,	a	grandmother	came	up	to	me	at	a	break	in	one	of	my
workshops	and	asked	what	to	do	about	her	psychotic	four-year-old	grandson,
Gerald. She	described	the	boy’s	fits	of	uncontrollable	anger	and	said	that	he
would	strike	out	at	everyone	and	everything	in	his	path. Gerald	had	been	taken
to	a	number	of	medical	centers	and	examined	by	numerous	physicians,	who	only
offered	powerful	tranquilizers	to	calm	the	psychotic	behavior. As	is	often	the
case,	the	prescribed	drugs	did	not	solve	the	problem;	they	just	compounded	it.The	drugs	made	Gerald	sick	and	lethargic,	but	did	not	eliminate	his	terrifying
behavior. The	boy	faced	an	uncertain	future. That	Gerald	could	ever	be	able	to	attend	a
regular	school	or	hold	a	regular	job	seemed	unlikely. I	asked	Gerald’s
grandmother	many	questions	but	was	unable	to	find	any	obvious	explanation	for
his	psychotic	behavior. One	thing	I	learned	about	Gerald	was	that	he	drank	a	lot
of	milk	and	apple	juice. Walking	back	to	the	podium	to	continue	my
presentation,	I	told	the	grandmother	that	while	I	honestly	did	not	know	what	was
wrong	with	her	grandson,	I	did	know	that	both	milk	and	apple	juice	contain	a	lot
of	toxic	chemical	residues. Regardless	of	what	was	wrong,	feeding	him	toxins
was	certainly	not	going	to	help	him	improve. I	recommended	a	simple
experiment:	Stop	feeding	Gerald	milk	and	apple	juice. About	six	months	later,	I	was	speaking	at	a	meeting	and,	out	of	the	corner	of
my	eye,	I	spied	Gerald’s	grandmother	running	toward	me	with	an	enthusiasm
and	a	rate	of	speed	that	was	almost	alarming. She	breathlessly	exclaimed	great
news	about	the	health	of	her	grandson. Milk	and	apple	juice	were	completely
eliminated	from	the	boy’s	diet,	and	he	made	a	miraculous	recovery. The
psychotic	behavior	disappeared,	and	Gerald	has	been	well	ever	since. How	the	removal	of	milk	and	apple	juice	(two	presumably	healthful	foods)
from	a	boy’s	diet	could	make	such	a	difference	is	hard	to	imagine. We	have	no
way,	however,	to	know	exactly	how	much	damage	the	toxins	in	our	food	are
causing. Too	many	factors	are	involved,	and	each	person’s	biochemistry	is
unique. Some	people,	like	this	little	boy,	can	be	more	sensitive	to	certain	toxins,
such	as	the	ad	exec	David	may	have	been	to	mercury. The	solution,	regardless	of
individual	biochemistry,	is	to	choose	a	diet	that	is	low	in	toxins. A	diet	should
consist	of	organic,	fresh,	whole/raw/unprocessed	foods,	pure	water	and
avoidance	of	heavily	processed/cooked	foods. Clean	Up	an	Unrecognized	Toxic	Site:
Your	Pantry
The	hard	part	is	to	obtain	accurate	information	about	what	is	good	for	you	and
what	is	not. A	woman	who	had	studied	extensively	in	the	fields	of	health	and
nutrition	reminded	me	of	this	fact	in	a	startling	way. Even	with	her	background,
she	had	little	understanding	of	how	to	select	a	nontoxic	diet. I	met	Cynthia	at	one	of	my	all-day	seminars. By	the	end	of	the	day	she	was
motivated	to	make	major	changes	in	her	life	and	asked	if	she	could	purchase	a
day	of	my	time	so	that	I	could	teach	her	how	to	shop	for	healthful	foods. Despite
all	of	her	previous	study,	she	felt	overwhelmed	with	information	and	confusedabout	how	to	make	healthy	choices. My	day	with	Cynthia	and	her	husband,	Tom,	serves	as	a	general	guide	for	you
to	start	on	a	path	toward	a	life-sustaining,	nontoxic	diet. The	first	thing	I	did	with
the	couple	was	to	clean	out	all	toxic	foods	from	their	refrigerator	and	pantry. We
ended	up	with	several	boxes	filled	with	foods	to	be	discarded;	a	lot	of	it	was
toxin-loaded	breakfast	cereal	that	her	children	would	have	eaten. Then	we	headed	to	the	local	health	food	store. We	went	down	each	aisle	and
examined	foods,	read	labels	and	discussed	how	to	select	foods	that	are	either
nontoxic	or	at	least	less	toxic	than	supermarket	alternatives. For	example,	a
healthy	substitute	for	the	boxed	cereals	was	found	in	the	grain	section	of	the
health	food	store. We	purchased	a	variety	of	organic,	whole	grains	that	could	be
cooked	like	rice	and	fed	to	the	children. (By	the	way,	the	kids	loved	it.) As	Cynthia,	Tom	and	I	walked	through	the	store,	I	began	to	explain	principles
that	would	help	them	in	the	future. Almost	any	type	of	food	that	has	been
packaged—in	a	box,	jar,	can	or	bottle—has	been	processed	and	is	likely	to
contain	toxic	chemicals. These	toxic	chemicals	either	can	be	deliberately	added
to	the	foods	(food	additives),	or	they	can	result	from	food	production	practices
(chemical	residues). Whatever	the	source	of	these	chemicals,	processed	foods
(such	as	breakfast	cereal,	bread,	canned	foods,	frozen	foods,	oils	and	vegetable
shortenings,	soft	drinks,	ice	cream,	cookies,	cake	and	candy)	are	loaded	with
them. In	addition	to	their	lack	of	nutrition,	the	high	toxic	content	in	processed
foods	makes	them	a	poor	choice. A	variety	of	food	additives	are	used	to	enhance	flavor,	color	and	texture;	to
help	foods	process	better;	and	to	extend	their	shelf	life. In	all,	more	than	three
thousand	FDA-approved	additives	are	in	use	today,	and	the	average	American
ingests	more	than	ten	pounds	of	them	per	year. Imagining	someone	eating	ten
pounds	of	toxic,	synthetic	chemicals	a	year	is	difficult,	but	we	do	it—a	little	at	a
time,	without	realizing	how	it	adds	up. Although	food	additives	must	be
approved	for	safety,	frequently	they	are	initially	determined	to	be	safe,	only	to
be	removed	later	from	the	market	due	to	unanticipated	harmful	effects. Do	not
assume	that	food	additives	are	safe	just	because	the	FDA	has	approved	them. Furthermore,	researchers	usually	test	one	additive	at	a	time,	even	though	we
eat	them	in	combination. Almost	no	research	goes	into	studying	the	safety	of
food	additive	combinations. Our	modern	exposure	to	many	different
combinations	of	food	additives	is	a	gigantic	and	dangerous	chemistry
experiment. The	combined	toxic	effects	of	food	additives	were	reported	in	a
study	conducted	by	B.	H.	Ershoff	(published	in	a	1976	
Journal	of	Food	Science
)
that	examined	three	different	FDA-approved	food	additives:	an	artificial	color,an	artificial	sweetener	and	an	emulsifier	(a	substance	that	keeps	oil	and	water
from	separating). When	fed	one	at	a	time,	these	food	additives	caused	no	readily
observable	side	effects	in	experimental	animals. But,	when	two	of	the	additives
were	consumed	at	the	same	time,	the	animals	became	sick. When	all	three	were
combined,	the	test	animals	died	in	less	than	two	weeks! Bearing	this	in	mind,
pick	up	an	average	box	of	breakfast	cereal	(or	just	about	any	other	highly
processed	food)	and	count	how	many	additives	are	in	the	product. Obviously,
you	are	eating	these	additives	in	combination. After	examining	the	labels	on
boxes	of	breakfast	cereal	in	Cynthia	and	Tom’s	pantry,	we	discarded	all	of	them
because	the	labels	showed	that	they	contained	artificial	colors,	flavors,
preservatives	and	hydrogenated	oils. Read	the	labels	on	the	foods	that	you
buy.When	a	food	contains	artificial	colors,	flavors,	preservatives	or	other
additives,	do	not	buy	it. What	would	happen	if	we	eliminated	certain	food	additives	from	our	diet? A
study	reported	in	a	1986	issue	of	the	
International	Journal	of	Biosocial	Research
addressed	this	question. Between	1979	and	1983,	the	New	York	City	public
school	system	gradually	removed	foods	containing	artificial	colors	and	flavors
from	the	school	lunches	served	to	more	than	one	million	children. During	this
same	period,	without	any	other	changes	being	introduced,	the	schoolchildren’s
academic	performance	skyrocketed. New	York	City	schools	experienced	the
largest	four-year	gain	in	academic	performance	ever	measured	in	any	city	school
district	in	U.S.	history. How	was	such	improvement	possible? Food	additives	are
toxic;	they	poison	cells. When	you	stop	poisoning	cells,	health	improves. As	the
health	of	brain	cells	improves,	so	does	the	ability	to	think,	learn	and	remember. A	contributing	factor	to	today’s	poor	academic	performance	is	the	burden	of
toxic	exposure	on	the	developing	minds	of	our	young	people. Unfortunately,
once	the	experiment	was	over,	because	of	political	pressure	from	conventional
food	suppliers,	the	New	York	City	schools	reverted	to	“normal”	foods,	and	these
extraordinary	gains	were	lost. Another	risk	in	processed	foods	you	do	not	find	on	the	label:	toxic	chemical
residues. The	manufacturer	does	not	deliberately	add	these	chemicals,	but	they
are	present	in	almost	all	ordinary	commercial	foods. If	manufacturers	do	not	add
it,	they	do	not	have	to	list	it. (Recall	David’s	exposure	to	mercury	in	tuna	fish;
obviously,	mercury	is	not	listed	on	the	label	but	it	is	in	there,	because	it	was	in
the	fish.) Chemical	residues	come	from	many	different	sources,	including
industrial	chemical	and	pesticide	residues,	herbicides,	fungicides,	artificial
ripening	agents,	hormones	and	other	veterinary	drugs	and	packaging	materials. On	our	“tour”	of	hidden	toxic	residues,	Cynthia,	Tom	and	I	took	a	walk	downthe	frozen	foods	aisle. According	to	the	1982–1986	
FDA	Total	Diet	Study,
frozen	french	fries	contained	70	different	pesticide	residues. Frozen	pizzas	had
67	industrial	and	pesticide	residues. Frozen	chocolate	cake	contained	61	toxic
residues	and	milk	chocolate	had	93. Peanut	butter	had	a	whopping	183,
including	highly	carcinogenic	aflatoxin,	which	is	produced	by	a	mold	that	grows
on	peanuts. Lurking	in	all	the	aisles	was	another	overlooked	danger:	packaging	materials. The	toxins	in	packaging	materials	(such	as	plastic	wrap,	plastic	bottles,	milk
containers,	juice	boxes,	Styrofoam	and	epoxy	can	linings)	can	leach	toxins	into
our	foods	before	we	eat	them. Foods	coming	into	contact	with	packaging
materials	that	contain	water	or	oil-soluble	toxic	chemicals	can	absorb	these
chemicals,	and	then	the	consumer	ingests	them. Portions	of	the	polymers,
plasticizers,	stabilizers,	fillers	and	even	colorants	in	plastic	wrap	can	dissolve
into	the	food. Avoid	foods	packaged	in	plastic. Choose	foods	packaged	in	more
appropriate	materials,	such	as	paper	and	glass. It’s	ironic	that	people	sometimes
spend	extra	money	to	buy	organic	foods,	yet	the	foods	may	be	wrapped	in	toxic
packaging. Why	purchase	organic	meat	in	a	Styrofoam	tray	topped	with	plastic
shrink-wrap,	or	organic	canned	goods	in	an	epoxy-lined	can? Unfortunately,
these	conveniences	come	at	a	price,	and	that	price	is	the	bioaccumulation	of
toxic	chemicals	in	your	body	and	subsequent	disease. Choosing	Your	Oils:	A	Slippery	Slope
We	continued	our	shopping	trip,	learning	how	to	avoid	foods	that	invite
sickness. In	the	oils	and	salad	dressings	section,	I	reminded	Cynthia	and	Tom
that	almost	all	oils	on	supermarket	shelves	are	processed	and	toxic. These	toxic
oils	also	find	their	way	into	a	variety	of	prepared	and	processed	foods,	including
salad	dressings,	canned	and	baked	goods. Most	oils,	especially	peanut,	cottonseed	and	soybean,	are	highly	contaminated
with	pesticide	residues	toxic	to	the	nervous	system. Many	modern	oils	use
chemical	extraction	methods,	which	leave	solvent	residues	that	are	lung	irritants,
nerve	depressants	and	detrimental	to	health	in	general. Even	oils	that	have	been
cold-pressed	(rather	than	chemically	extracted)	often	are	refined	with	toxic
chemicals	and	exposed	to	high	temperatures	in	their	bleaching	and	deodorizing
processes,	making	the	oils	toxic. Exposed	to	high	temperatures,	nutrients	in	these
oils	are	altered	and	turned	into	toxic,	trans-fatty	acids	and	a	variety	of	other
toxins	(aldehydes,	ketones	and	hydroperoxides). About	one-third	of	all	the	oil
sold—whether	bottled	or	contained	in	margarine,	vegetable	shortenings,	baked
goods,	breakfast	cereals,	peanut	butter,	etc.—has	been	hydrogenated	or	partiallyhydrogenated	and	contains	toxic	trans-fatty	acids	and	numerous	other	toxic
chemicals. Since	these	processed	oils	have	come	into	widespread	use,	the	incidence	of
myocardial	infarction	(a	type	of	heart	attack)	has	increased	eightyfold,	and	heart
disease,	formerly	rare,	has	become	a	leading	cause	of	death. Coincidence? According	to	Udo	Erasmus,	author	of	
Fats	That	Heal,	Fats	That	Kill,	
the	reason
for	these	burgeoning	health	problems	is	that	processed	oils	promote	a	condition
known	as	“fatty	degeneration.”	In	this	book,	Erasmus	wrote:	“Sixty-eight
percent	of	people	die	from	just	three	conditions	that	involve	fatty	degeneration:
cardiovascular	disease,	cancer	and	diabetes.”	Only	a	handful	of	healthful	fats
and	oils	are	on	the	market:	organic	butter	or	ghee,	high-quality	olive	oil	(difficult
to	find),	and	high-quality	essential	fatty	acid	products	such	as	flaxseed	oil	(see
appendix	C	for	my	personal	choices). Dangers	in	Dairy	and	Meat
Our	little	group	arrived	at	the	dairy	section. As	you	recall,	milk	and	dairy
products	are	not	appropriate	for	human	consumption	and	should	be	avoided	by
everyone,	especially	infants	and	young	children. Toxic	bioaccumulation	is	a
problem;	virtually	all	of	the	toxins	to	which	a	cow	is	exposed	during	its	life
bioaccumulate	in	its	tissues,	and	these	toxins	are	then	present	in	its	milk. You
should	regard	milk	as	a	toxic	soup	filled	with	pesticides,	antibiotics,	dioxins,
hormones,	sulfa	drugs,	tranquilizers	and	other	contaminants. Worse,	the	practice
of	pasteurization	(a	heat	treatment	done	to	virtually	all	milk	products	to	kill
bacteria)	alters	the	physical	and	chemical	properties	of	the	milk. Pasteurization
not	only	renders	the	nutrients	less	useful	to	your	body	but	creates	toxins	as	well. Between	the	toxic	bioaccumulation,	the	pasteurization	and	the	fact	that	milk
products	make	up	25	to	50	percent	of	many	Americans’	diets,	milk	is	a	major
contributing	factor	to	our	high	rates	of	infectious,	allergic	and	chronic	disease. In
fact,	milk	consumption	has	been	linked	to	many	diseases,	including
osteoporosis,	multiple	sclerosis,	diabetes,	heart	disease	and	cancer. My
recommendation	to	Cynthia	and	Tom	was	that	they	eliminate	milk	and	milk
products	from	their	family	diet;	I	recommend	the	same	to	you. Milk	does	not	do
your	body	good. Animal	products	were	our	next	stop. Meat	and	eggs	can	have	serious	toxicity
problems. Though	animal	products	contain	essential	nutrients	(and	I	do	not
recommend	a	diet	devoid	of	them),	you	must	choose	your	sources	carefully. The
nutritional	value	of	a	food	source	should	always	be	weighed	against	the	toxins	it
contains	or	is	likely	to	contain.Commercial	livestock	contain	many	toxins,	which	become	concentrated	in
their	tissues. Foods	from	commercial	cattle	(and	their	milk),	chickens	(and	their
eggs)	and	most	farmed	fish	are	all	poor	food	choices. All	their	lives,	these
animals	are	fed	foods	that	are	lacking	in	nutrition	and	toxic	(contaminated	with
pesticides	and	other	agricultural	chemicals). Pound	for	pound,	livestock	feed	is
substantially	more	toxic	than	the	foods	we	eat,	not	to	mention	that	large	animals
like	cattle	eat	a	lot	more	food	than	we	do. When	you	eat	these	highly	toxic
animals,	or	products	derived	from	them,	the	toxins	enter	you. In	1976,	the	EPA
studied	human	breast	milk	and	found	that	the	toxic	contaminants	in	the	milk	of
vegetarian	mothers	was	only	1	to	2	percent	of	the	national	average. The	solution
is	to	minimize	toxic	exposure	by	selecting	organically	produced	meat,	poultry,
eggs	and	wild	fish	from	relatively	nonpolluted	deep-water	ocean	areas	rather
than	those	harvested	from	polluted	coastal	areas	or	farmed. Selecting	organically	produced	animal	products	almost	certainly	requires	a
trip	to	a	well-stocked,	reputable	health	food	store. The	foods	are	more	expensive,
but	the	extra	money	buys	protection	from	toxins,	as	well	as	contributes	to	better
nutrition	and	a	more	environmentally	responsible	method	of	farming. Health	is	a	choice. You	can	pay	now	for	good	food,	or	pay	later	for	doctors
and	hospitals. If	you	cannot	find	ideal	foods,	however,	often	you	can	make	better
choices;	if	you	cannot	find	high-quality	(organic)	animal	products,	then
minimize	your	consumption. Remember	that	the	overwhelming	majority	of	our
toxic	pesticide	exposure	is	from	nonorganic	animal	products	such	as	poultry,
meat,	eggs	and	milk	products. I	do	not	recommend	a	totally	vegetarian	or	vegan	diet,	because	both	lack
essential	nutrients;	however,	a	primarily	vegetarian	diet	is	desirable. An	organic
vegetarian	diet	is	the	simplest	and	easiest	way	to	minimize	toxins	and	maximize
your	nutrient	intake. When	you	eat	animal	products,	select	free-ranging,	organic
animal	products	whenever	possible. Anticipating	Food	Invaders
Toward	the	end	of	our	shopping	trip,	I	shared	a	fundamental	yet	largely
unrecognized	food	shopping	concept. Selecting	nontoxic	foods	means	selecting
foods	that	are	not	contaminated	with	bacteria	and	molds,	
which	produce	toxins. When	bacteria	and	molds	contaminate	our	foods,	they	damage	our	health. As
part	of	their	normal	metabolism,	bacteria	produce	toxins	that	place	a	burden	on
the	immune	system	and	contribute	to	toxic	overload,	disease	and	even	death. The
most	serious	cases	of	bacterial	food	poisoning	can	result	in	death,	such	as	the
toxins	produced	by	the	
Clostridium	botulinum,	
the	botulism	bacteria	(foundmainly	in	improperly	canned	foods),	the	
E.	coli	
bacterium	(found	in	improperly
handled	meat	and	a	variety	of	other	foods)	and	others,	including	the	most
common	contaminations	from	staphylococcal	and	salmonella. Death	from	these
infective	pathogens	is	rare,	but	quite	common	is	the	exposure	to	low	levels	of
bacterial	toxins	present	in	foods,	particularly	animal	products. Always	smell
meat,	fish	and	poultry. A	rank,	fishy	or	rotten	scent	means	that	the	product	is	too
old	or	has	not	been	properly	stored;	bacteria	are	growing	and	producing	toxins,
and	the	oils	are	rancid	and	toxic. Never	eat	such	foods. Commercial	milk	products	are	contaminated	with	bacteria. Government
regulations	state	that	after	pasteurization	milk	should	contain	no	more	than
20,000	bacteria	per	milliliter. Out	of	twenty-five	milk	samples	analyzed	by
Consumer	Reports,	
seven	samples	had	in	excess	of	130,000	bacteria	per
milliliter;	one	sample	had	almost	3,000,000;	and	other	samples	had	too	many
bacteria	to	count! When	you	consider	the	toxins	produced	by	these	bacteria,
combined	with	the	toxins	already	present	from	agricultural	and	industrial
sources,	why	would	anyone	still	believe	cow	milk	is	good	for	infants	and
children? Cynthia	and	Tom	were	familiar	with	the	problems	of	bacterial	contamination,
but	they,	like	most	people,	had	almost	no	knowledge	of	the	problems	with	mold. Not	that	mold	problems	are	new:	Stories	from	the	Middle	Ages	tell	of	whole
villages	racing	around	in	hallucinogenic	madness	after	being	poisoned	by	a	type
of	mold,	ergot,	that	grows	on	rye. Ergot	produces	a	neurotoxin	that	poisons	the
brain	and	central	nervous	system. These	sick	people	would	sometimes	go	to	a
local	monastery	where	the	monks	would	take	them	in	and	pray	for	them—and
they	would	be	cured! How? The	monasteries	were	built	on	better	land	at	the	tops
of	hills,	whereas	the	farmers	lived	in	the	lowlands. When	the	monks	harvested
their	grain	on	the	hills,	it	was	drier	than	the	farmers’	grain	in	the	wet	lowlands,
hence	less	moldy. When	the	sick	farmers	ate	uncontaminated	grains,	they
became	well. The	bizarre	behavior	of	children	in	Salem,	thought	to	be
witchcraft,	now	is	thought	to	have	been	cause	by	ergotism. Although	we	do	not
run	around	in	hallucinogenic	madness	today,	at	least	not	from	food	mold,	the
problem	of	mold	in	the	food	supply	persists. Molds	can	develop	if	crops	are	moist	when	harvested	or	stored. Food	often
spends	weeks	in	the	distribution	process	and	becomes	moldy	by	the	time	it
reaches	the	store,	even	if	it	was	not	contaminated	when	harvested. Food	has
further	opportunity	to	mold	in	your	kitchen. Fresh,	living	plants	protect
themselves	from	mold	growth	(just	as	we	humans	have	an	immune	system	to
protect	ourselves	from	disease),	but	as	food	ages	and	dies,	molds	grow. Peopleeat	these	moldy	foods	(especially	when	the	mold	is	not	visible),	unaware	of	the
toxic	loads	they	put	on	their	bodies. Worse,	many	people	have	become	allergic
to	molds,	causing	not	only	a	toxic	exposure	but	also	a	toxic	allergic	reaction. In
fact,	people	allergic	to	molds	are	often	fine	when	they	eat	a	freshly	harvested
berry	or	grape	but	suffer	an	allergic	reaction	when	eating	the	same	foods
purchased	in	a	grocery	store. If	you	believe	that	a	food	is	moldy,	do	not	smell	it. Inhaled	mold	causes	serious	health	problems. Wrap	the	suspect	food	and	dispose
of	it	carefully. Mycotoxins	(toxins	produced	by	molds)	can	injure	and	kill	cells,	and	they	are
known	causes	of	cancer,	especially	liver	cancer. Because	knowing	the	level	of
mold	contamination	in	a	particular	food	is	difficult,	the	best	approach	is	to	avoid
or	minimize	consumption	of	foods	prone	to	becoming	moldy,	such	as	corn,	nuts,
grapes,	raisins	and	all	dried	fruits,	berries,	beer	and	other	fermented	foods,	and
cheeses. Bottled	apple	juice	frequently	is	moldy. Apple	juice	drinkers	are	so
accustomed	to	its	taste	that	they	fail	to	recognize	the	presence	of	this	toxin. If	you	bite	into	a	nut	and	it	tastes	bad,	spit	it	out. It	is	toxic. If	there	is	any
visible	mold	on	any	part	of	a	food,	throw	the	entire	food	away. Don’t	just	cut	off
the	mold. When	a	mold	infection	takes	place,	foods	naturally	protect	themselves
by	producing	antimold	toxins	that	are	also	toxic	to	you. Antimold	toxins	are
produced	throughout	the	food,	not	just	the	part	you	cut	off. In	general,
susceptible	products	such	as	fresh	berries	must	be	purchased	in	season,	freshly
harvested	from	local	growers;	otherwise	they	are	too	old	and	too	moldy—even	if
you	cannot	see	the	mold. I	observe	people	in	my	local	health	food	store
purchasing	a	basket	of	“fresh”	berries	that	already	have	visible	mold. Obviously,
they	have	no	idea	of	how	poisonous	that	is. One	type	of	mold	that	grows	on	grains	and	nuts	(particularly	corn,	peanuts,
walnuts	and	pistachios)	produces	a	mycotoxin	called	aflatoxin,	which	is	known
to	cause	cancer. Although	our	government	tries	to	regulate	aflatoxin	levels,
highly	contaminated	crops	are	constantly	finding	their	way	into	our	food	supply. The	chilling	reality	is	that	aflatoxin	is	most	commonly	found	in	some	of	the
foods	that	we	most	frequently	feed	to	our	children—corn	flakes,	other	corn
products,	peanuts	and	peanut	butter. Some	Cooking	Methods	Can	Create	Toxins
Once	we	obtain	high-quality	foods,	we	still	must	prepare	them	properly. The
first	step	in	nontoxic	food	preparation	is	to	wash	or	peel	foods	in	order	to
remove	agricultural	chemicals,	bacteria	and	molds. Waxed	foods	(such	as	most
cucumbers,	eggplant,	turnips	and	apples)	definitely	should	be	peeled,	becausethe	wax	often	is	covering	surface	residues	of	pesticides	and	fungicides	that	are
applied	before	the	wax	is	applied;	also,	questions	abound	about	the	safety	of
some	of	the	waxes. For	foods	that	cannot	be	peeled,	washing	under	running
water	for	a	minute	or	two	does	a	relatively	good	cleaning	job;	using	a	pure,
liquid	castile	soap	(a	mild	soap	made	from	olive	oil	and	sodium	hydroxide)
cleans	even	better. For	foods	like	lettuce,	discard	the	outer	layers	and	wash	the
leaves	separately. Rinsing	briefly	in	a	vinegar	solution	lowers	bacteria	levels. Few	people	are	going	to	eat	100	percent	of	their	diet	raw	(I	eat	about	80
percent	of	mine	raw),	but	whenever	you	choose	to	eat	a	raw	food	in	place	of	a
highly	cooked	or	processed	one,	you	obtain	better	nutrition	and	less	toxic
exposure. Cook	foods	lightly. Ideally,	food	should	not	be	cooked	at	temperatures
higher	than	boiling	water	or	steam. Foods	change	fundamentally	when	they	are
cooked;	they	can	become	more	toxic,	less	nutritious	and	even	more	difficult	to
digest. Avoid	browned	or	charred	foods,	which	are	highly	toxic. Unfortunately,
many	Americans	have	developed	a	taste	for	charbroiled,	toasted	or	barbecued
foods,	which	develop	mutagens	that	contribute	to	cancer. When	food	is	heated	above	375	degrees	(as	it	usually	is	in	toasting,	frying,
grilling,	broiling	and	barbecuing),	a	number	of	toxic	compounds	can	be
produced,	including	heterocyclic	aromatic	amines	(HAAs). HAAs	are	among	the
most	powerful	carcinogens	ever	discovered,	and	even	minute	amounts	of	them
can	damage	your	DNA. The	rule	of	thumb	is	that	the	higher	the	temperature	and	the	longer	the
cooking	time,	the	more	HAAs	are	formed. Thus,	medium	rare	is	safer	than	well
done,	and	blackened	foods	are	absolutely	not	acceptable. If	ever	I	am	served
food	that	is	black,	I	cut	off	the	blackened	parts. Even	toast	is	dangerous. Experiments	at	Lawrence	Livermore	Laboratory	showed	that	a	well-toasted
piece	of	bread	had	20	percent	of	the	cancer-causing	activity	of	a	well-done
hamburger. Dosage	and	frequency	are	the	problems;	many	people	eat	several
slices	of	toasted	bread	or	bagel	every	morning	for	breakfast,	which	is	like	laying
out	a	welcome	mat	for	cancer. Microwaves:	A	Fast	Track	to	Trouble
Cooking	food	is	not	a	good	idea,	especially	at	high	temperatures,	but	cooking
in	microwave	ovens	may	be	even	worse. While	not	browning	or	blackening	food
like	conventional	cooking,	microwaving	changes	the	chemistry	of	food
fundamentally,	lowering	nutritional	content	and	producing	unique	toxins. A	lot
more	goes	on	inside	a	microwave	than	just	making	things	hot. Microwaves“zap”	food	with	enormous	amounts	of	energy—enough	to	break	apart	water
molecules	and	cause	them	to	react	with	the	food	in	ways	they	would	not	do
otherwise. These	reactions	create	a	lot	of	strange,	new	molecules	that	are
unnatural	to	the	human	body;	some	of	them	are	toxic	and	carcinogenic. Research
in	Switzerland,	the	former	Soviet	Union	and	the	United	States	all	suggest	that
eating	microwaved	food	may	promote	certain	types	of	cancers,	hormone
imbalances,	lymphatic	disorders,	digestive	disorders,	immune	and	blood
abnormalities,	emotional	problems,	permanent	brain	damage,	and	even	heart
disease. In	1992,	at	the	Swiss	Federal	Institute	of	Technology,	volunteers	who	ate
microwaved	food	experienced	decreased	hemoglobin	content	of	their	blood	and
an	increased	white	cell	count. Thus,	microwaved	food	decreases	the	amount	of
oxygen	available	to	our	cells	and	stresses	the	immune	system. Also,	microwaves
have	been	demonstrated	to	damage	nutrients. Research	at	the	Institute	of	Radio
Technology	at	Kinsk,	in	the	former	Soviet	Union,	found	that	microwaves	reduce
the	nutritional	content	of	food	by	60	to	90	percent. When	reheating	food,	use	the
stovetop	or	oven. Modern	foods	are	already	nutrient	deficient. Why	make	them
worse	by	using	a	microwave? Use	the	right	cookware. The	best	pots	and	pans	are	those	made	of	glass	or
ceramics	such	as	Corning	Ware. Other	materials	interact	with	foods	and
introduce	some	level	of	toxins	into	the	food. Stainless	steel	contains	nickel—
both	an	allergen	and	a	carcinogen. A	study	in	the	
Journal	of	the	American
Dietetic	Association	
found	that	toxic	chemicals	from	stainless	steel	pots,
including	nickel,	iron	and	chromium,	enter	food	during	cooking. Aluminum—
from	pots,	pans	and	aluminum	foil—is	another	toxic	contaminant. Teflon
coatings	on	cookware	also	present	problems,	especially	when	such	cookware	is
heated	to	higher	temperatures. Of	course,	not	all	meals	come	from	your	own	kitchen. Americans	eat	an
enormous	percentage	of	food	at	restaurants. Making	optimal	food	choices	when
eating	at	restaurants	is	almost	impossible. However,	with	care	in	menu	selection,
you	can	usually	do	fairly	well. As	a	rule	of	thumb,	upscale	restaurants	usually
have	fresher	and	better	prepared	foods,	while	fast-food	restaurant	offerings	are
more	toxic	and	less	nutritious. Many	restaurants	do	not	even	“cook”	for	you;
they	merely	serve	prepared	and	processed	foods	that	are	reheated	(perhaps	in	a
microwave,	so	be	sure	to	ask). Very	few	restaurants	use	high-quality	organic	meats. Bear	this	in	mind	the
next	time	you	ponder	a	menu. Deep-water	ocean	fish	is	probably	your	best
choice,	but	only	if	it	is	fresh. Fresh-water	fish	is	likely	to	be	contaminated	withtoxins,	and	farmed	fish	are	neither	nutritious	nor	free	of	toxins. When	ordering
out,	I	often	select	large	salads	or	freshly	harvested	fish,	with	vegetables. Many
restaurants	are	willing	to	make	up	a	vegetarian	entrée	on	request. Avoid
anything	that	is	“blackened,”	as	well	as	selections	containing	meat	and,
particularly,	dairy	products. Make	simple	selections,	and	be	able	to	identify	all
the	ingredients. Caution:	This	Water	Is	
Hazardous	to	Your	Health
In	addition	to	food,	water	is	an	essential	ingredient	for	life	and	good	health. Adequate	water	intake	helps	rid	your	body	of	toxins,	both	through	the	kidneys
and	through	sweat. Shockingly,	however,	in	a	highly	developed	nation	such	as
the	United	States,	almost	all	of	the	water	is	toxic;	it	adds	poisons	to	your	body
and	is	unfit	to	drink. Toxins	from	landfill	runoff,	sewage	pollutants,	industrial	chemicals	such	as
PCBs	and	vinyl	chloride,	agricultural	runoff	(particularly	pesticides),	leakage
from	gasoline	storage	tanks,	and	other	pollutants	contaminate	our	water. Some
researchers	believe	chronic	low-level	exposure	to	these	chemicals	contributes	to
our	cancer	epidemic. Even	those	of	us	fortunate	enough	to	live	near	a	high-
quality	water	source	would	probably	be	disappointed	to	learn	that	our	local	water
supplier	takes	perfectly	good	water	and	contaminates	it	with	toxins	such	as
chlorine,	fluoride,	arsenic	and	aluminum. Water	then	travels	through	municipal
and	household	pipelines,	which	can	add	contaminants	such	as	lead,	cadmium,
copper,	asbestos,	iron	and	nickel. Although	these	toxins	exist	in	minute	amounts,	we	drink	water	(or	beverages
made	with	water)	daily,	so	we	are	exposed	chronically. This	exposure	leads	to
toxic	bioaccumulation,	cellular	malfunction	and	disease. Minimize	tap-water
consumption;	drink	high-quality	distilled	or	spring	water	(preferably	in	glass
containers	to	avoid	toxins	from	plastics). Purchase	from	companies	willing	to
provide	you	with	a	chemical	analysis	of	their	water. Another	alternative	is	to
drink	tap	water	purified	by	a	filter	that	uses	reverse	osmosis. Remember	that
commercial	fruit	juices	and	other	beverage	products	are	usually	made	with	tap
water. Pure	water	is	what	your	body	needs;	when	you	can	get	it,	choose	it. What	Is	in	Your	Drinking	Water? How	do	some	of	the	toxins	commonly	added	to	municipal	water	suppliesharm	your	health? About	80	percent	of	the	drinking	water	in	the	United	States	is
chlorinated. Chlorine	is	an	extremely	toxic	and	volatile	chemical	that	reacts	with
organic	matter	in	tap	water	to	form	carcinogenic	compounds	called
trihalomethanes. These	compounds	bioaccumulate	in	fatty	tissues	and	are
capable	of	causing	genetic	mutations,	suppressing	immune	function,	and
interfering	with	the	natural	controls	of	cell	growth. Long-term	consumers	of
chlorinated	water	have	been	shown	to	have	higher	risks	of	rectal,	bladder,
kidney,	intestinal,	liver,	pancreatic	and	urinary	tract	cancers,	as	well	as
spontaneous	abortions. The	Department	of	Health	Services	in	California	reports
that	women	who	drink	bottled	or	filtered	water	have	substantially	lower	rates	of
birth	defects	and	miscarriages	compared	to	women	who	drink	tap	water. Just
opening	the	tap	to	wash	your	hands	releases	toxic	chlorine	fumes	that,	when
breathed,	damage	your	health;	taking	a	shower	is	many	times	worse. I	use	a
charcoal	filter	in	my	shower	to	filter	out	the	chlorine	and	organic	pollutants. Fluoride	is	more	toxic	than	lead	and	only	slightly	less	toxic	than	arsenic,	yet
we	have	been	conditioned	to	believe	that	fluoride	is	good	for	us. Presumably,	we
put	fluoride	in	our	water	to	prevent	tooth	decay. Although	tooth	decay	has
indeed	declined	worldwide	since	the	1970s—an	event	for	which	fluoride	is	often
wrongly	credited—the	real	reason	for	the	decline	remains	unknown,	because
tooth	decay	has	declined	at	the	same	rate	in	countries	that	do	not	use	fluoride. Most	people	are	unaware	that	in	more	than	fifty	years	of	testing	and	widespread
use,	no	one	has	ever	been	able	to	prove	that	fluoride	is	either	safe	or	effective,
which	is	why	fluoride	has	never	been	approved	by	the	FDA. After	half	a	century
of	use,	the	FDA	still	classifies	fluoride	as	an	“unapproved	new	drug.”	Once
again,	we	are	guinea	pigs	in	a	vast	medical	experiment	gone	awry. The	truth	is,
fluoridation	of	drinking	water	is	making	us	sick,	but	no	one	is	ready	to	admit	it
because	of	the	almost	unthinkable	legal	liability. Do	you	think	it	is	a	coincidence
that	toothpastes	now	have	toxicity	warnings	about	their	fluoride	content? Many
young	children	swallow	toothpaste,	unless	supervised	by	adults. The	truth	about	fluoride	is	gradually	being	revealed;	a	number	of	large-scale
studies	suggest	that	fluoride	does	not	prevent	and	may	even	cause	dental
problems. Fluoride	bioaccumulates	in	the	body	and	has	been	shown	to	damage
teeth,	bones,	kidneys,	muscles,	nerves,	genes	and	immune	function. In	fact,
fluoride	toxicity	is	causing	diseases	such	as	dental	and	skeletal	fluorosis. Dental
fluorosis	is	a	malformation	of	tooth	enamel	characterized	by	brittleness	and
discoloration,	ultimately	damaging	the	health	of	the	teeth. Dentists	tell	people
that	fluorosis	is	“merely”	a	cosmetic	problem. In	reality,	fluorosis	is	a	sign	of
systemic	fluoride	poisoning. More	than	one	out	of	five	U.S.	schoolchildren	nowhave	some	degree	of	dental	fluorosis,	and	X	rays	of	children	with	dental
fluorosis	often	show	bone	abnormalities	(skeletal	fluorosis)	elsewhere	in	the
body. Skeletal	fluorosis	weakens	bones	in	a	manner	similar	to	osteoporosis. Early	stages	usually	are	misdiagnosed	as	arthritis,	and	advanced	stages	usually
are	misdiagnosed	as	osteoporosis. The	minimum	crippling	fluoride	dosage	(the
dosage	that	can	cause	skeletal	fluorosis)	is	5	milligrams	per	day	for	twenty	to
forty	years,	according	to	the	National	Academies	for	the	Advancement	of
Science,	yet	Americans	living	in	fluoridated	areas	average	up	to	6.6	milligrams
per	day! Fluoride	is	a	powerful	enzyme	poison	that	fundamentally	damages	cell
function,	thereby	causing	disease	and	death. Mortality	rates	are	higher	in
fluoridated	communities. A	1978	study	in	the	
New	England	Journal	of	Medicine
found	that:	“This	pattern	of	a	higher	crude	death	rate	in	the	cities	with
fluoridated	water	supplies	was	apparent	for	all	categories	of	death	except	for
those	by	accidental	means	and	suicide.”	According	to	Dr.	William	Marcus,	a
senior	scientist	at	the	EPA,	fluoride	is	the	only	substance	known	to	cause	bone
cancer,	and	bone	cancer	rates	are	80	to	600	percent	higher	in	communities	with
fluoridated	water. Similarly,	new	research	connects	fluoride	intake	to
Alzheimer’s	disease	by	implicating	a	reaction	that	happens	between	aluminum
and	low-dose	fluoride. Most	home	water	filters	do	not	remove	this	toxin. You
need	to	use	reverse	osmosis	or	buy	bottled	water	that	does	not	contain	fluoride. Another	toxin	in	our	drinking	water	is	arsenic. Arsenic,	a	contaminant	in	the
chemicals	used	to	fluoridate	water,	is	known	to	cause	cancer	and	to	damage	the
digestive,	cardiovascular,	neurological,	reproductive	and	immune	systems. Aluminum	salt	(alum)	is	added	to	water	to	“purify”	it	by	helping	to	settle	and
remove	particulate	and	organic	matter. A	study	in	the	
Journal	of	Epidemiology
found	that	the	risk	of	developing	Alzheimer’s	is	increased	in	individuals	who
drink	water	with	high	aluminum	concentrations. Foods	That	Tamper	with	Destiny
No	discussion	of	food	toxins	would	be	complete	without	mention	of	the
potential	for	poisoning	the	entire	population	with	genetically	modified	foods. Genetic	engineering	is	the	process	of	disrupting	the	genetic	blueprints	of	living
organisms	by	inserting	genetic	information	from	other	organisms	to	obtain	some
“desirable	characteristic,”	such	as	resistance	to	herbicides	or	insects. These	foods
are	novel	and	totally	unnatural,	and	we	have	no	idea	what	the	future	health
consequences	may	be,	yet	avoiding	genetically	modified	foods	is	difficult.Insertion	of	genes	into	genetic	material	is	not	a	precise	process. It	is	all	too
easy	to	obtain	unintended	results	that	lower	nutritional	content,	create	harmful
allergens	or	lead	to	the	creation	of	unique	toxins. The	effects	of	these	toxins	may
not	become	known	for	years,	while	irreparable	harm	is	being	done. The	best	way
to	avoid	these	foods	is	to	eat	organically	produced	foods. (More	on	this	subject
in	chapter	9,	on	the	genetic	pathway.) Beware	of	the	Air	in	Your	Home
We	have	already	discussed	how	toxic	your	food	pantry	and	cupboards	may	be,
but	your	home—while	it	may	be	your	castle—may	be	more	like	a	toxic	waste
dump. In	fact,	our	greatest	exposure	to	volatile	organic	compounds	occurs	in	the
home. Toxicity	from	indoor	air	pollution	affects	most	Americans’	health	to	some
degree	and	produces	a	wide	variety	of	symptoms,	including	anxiety,	depression,
fatigue,	headaches,	poor	concentration	and	mental	acuity,	and	bodily	aches	and
pains. When	people	complain	of	these	symptoms	to	their	doctor,	however,
indoor	pollutants	are	almost	never	suggested	as	a	probable	(or	even	possible)
cause. Learn	to	recognize	toxins	in	your	home. Seemingly	benign	items	can	produce
dangerous	toxins	that	pollute	your	indoor	air,	
such	as	the	off-gasses	of
mattresses,	pillows,	televisions,	clothes,	furniture,	carpets	and	tap	water. Toxins
from	these	sources	expose	us	to	even	higher	concentrations	than	outdoor	air
pollution. In	fact,	the	level	of	indoor	pollutants	in	your	home	may	be	hundreds	of
times	greater	than	outside	air. Because	most	Americans	spend	about	90	percent
of	their	time	indoors,	this	toxic	load	can	substantially	contribute	to	toxic
overload,	resulting	in	disease. As	mentioned	earlier,	I	used	to	suffer	from	an	extreme	case	of	multiple
chemical	sensitivities,	and	I	was	easily	incapacitated	by	exposure	to	even	minute
quantities	of	toxins	in	my	own	home. I	was	able	to	restore	my	health	only	after
years	of	minimizing	toxins	and	improving	my	nutrition. One	of	the	most
profound	things	I	learned	from	my	illness	is	that	all	of	us	are	chemically
sensitive	in	varying	degrees. This	experience	led	me	to	research	how	the	fumes
from	cleansing	agents,	air	fresheners,	fragrances	and	body	care	products	injure
our	delicate	detoxification	mechanisms	and	use	up	the	body’s	nutrient	reserves
that	are	required	to	operate	these	systems	and	prevent	toxic	damage. There	are	multiple	sources	of	indoor	pollutants:	new	carpets,	new	paint,
household	cleansers,	furniture,	mattresses,	copy	machines,	printers,	electronic
equipment,	dry	cleaning,	newspapers	and	magazines. Anything	you	can	smellthat	is	not	a	natural	smell	is	probably	toxic. The	longer	you	breathe	it,	and	the
more	concentrated	it	is,	the	more	damage	it	inflicts. Indoor	air	is	a	health	risk
because	of	the	combined	effects	of	multiple	toxic	sources	concentrated	in	a
confined	space. Few	people	know	better	the	incredible	amount	of	damage	that	can	be	done	by
indoor	air	pollution	than	Sally,	a	young	newlywed. Sally	was	truly	“brought”	to
my	office. Her	husband	had	to	carry	her	from	their	car. She	did	not	have	enough
energy	to	walk	or	even	to	hold	her	head	up	straight	while	seated. Sally	was
suffering	from	acute	chronic	fatigue,	a	condition	that	physicians	are	not	trained
to	recognize	or	understand. She	and	her	husband	had	already	spent	many
thousands	of	dollars	on	consultations	with	physicians	and	diagnostic	tests. Unable	to	find	anything	“physically	wrong,”	Sally’s	doctors	referred	her	to	a
psychiatrist. Of	course,	Sally	was	not	crazy,	but	she	was	very	sick. Her	cells	were
malfunctioning	so	badly	that	she	had	become	totally	disabled. The	couple’s
responses	to	my	questions,	in	addition	to	my	own	experience	with	chemical
sensitivity,	allowed	me	to	understand	what	was	wrong. First	(like	most	of	us),
Sally	had	frequently	been	given	antibiotics	throughout	her	life. (Antibiotics
cause	fundamental	and	damaging	changes	to	human	physiology.) This	intake
resulted	in	a	heightened	susceptibility	to	environmental	toxins. I	asked	many
questions	about	Sally’s	medical	history,	diet,	lifestyle	and	environment	before
focusing	on	the	toxin	pathway	as	the	most	important	factor. Sally	was	a	writer,	and	her	husband	had	converted	their	oversize	laundry	room
into	an	office	for	her. Also	in	that	room	was	a	gas-fired	water	heater. Natural	gas
appliances	release	toxic	gases,	including	nitrogen	dioxide,	carbon	monoxide	and
small	amounts	of	the	natural	gas	itself. With	insufficient	ventilation,	the	gases
became	concentrated,	and	poor	Sally	was	breathing	them	all	day	long. She	began
to	suffer	from	sore	throats,	eye	irritations,	respiratory	problems,	headaches	and,
eventually,	chronic	fatigue. I	recommended	they	install	an	electric	hot	water	heater. Sally’s	worst
symptoms	immediately	were	alleviated,	although	significant	damage	had	already
been	done	(both	by	the	gases	and	the	antibiotics). Her	health	was	restored
eventually	after	she	worked	to	reverse	the	damage	through	improved	diet	and
nutritional	supplementation. One	of	the	great	joys	in	my	life	is	to	watch	someone	like	Sally	go	from	being
sick	and	disabled,	with	little	to	look	forward	to,	to	smiling	once	again	and
enjoying	life. I	am	saddened	to	think	how	many	people	remain	sick	because	their
physicians	do	not	understand	the	toxin	pathway	and	have	no	idea	how	to	helpthem. In	fact,	physicians	who	prescribe	antibiotics	and	other	medications	often
create	susceptibility	to	such	problems	in	the	first	place. Gas-fired	appliances	(hot	water	heaters,	ovens,	stoves,	furnaces,	fireplaces	or
clothes	dryers)	diffuse	toxic	gases	into	the	surrounding	air. If	you	have	such
appliances,	try	to	keep	them	out	of	your	living	space	and	put	furnaces,	clothes
dryers	and	water	heaters	in	a	garage,	shed	or	breezeway	along	with	stored
volatiles	such	as	paints	and	cleaning	fluids. A	gas	stove,	because	it	is	in	your
living	space,	should	be	replaced	or	at	least	very	well	ventilated. In	my	own
recovery	process,	I	had	to	convert	from	a	gas	to	an	electric	water	heater	because
I	had	become	so	sensitive	to	these	toxins. Giving	off	toxic	gasses	is	an	especially	common	problem	with	products	when
they	are	new. At	one	of	my	seminars,	a	woman	named	Diane	raised	her	hand	and
explained	that	she	was	suffering	from	splitting	headaches. After	hearing	the
story	about	Sally,	Diane	realized	that	her	headaches	coincided	with	the	purchase
of	a	new	car;	she	suspected	a	connection. Her	new	car	was	off-gassing	toxins,
producing	the	“new	car”	smell. Diane’s	family	had	two	cars,	so	I	suggested	that
she	drive	the	older	car	until	the	odor	subsided. Her	headaches	went	away. Some
highly	sensitive	people	retrofit	their	cars	with	safer	materials. Consider	the	risk	of	new	products:	a	new	carpet,	a	freshly	painted	room,	a	new
TV	set,	a	new	mattress. New	products	give	off	high	levels	of	toxic	chemicals. With	the	passage	of	time,	the	volume	of	toxic	chemicals	being	off-gassed	drops
dramatically. Often	you	can	accelerate	the	off-gassing	process	simply	by
applying	heat. For	example,	the	chemicals	contained	in	a	new	car’s	plastics,
adhesives	and	seating	materials	pollute	the	interior	air	of	the	car. During	the	first
few	months,	try	to	leave	a	new	car	parked	in	the	hot	sun	with	the	windows	up	to
bake	out	the	toxins. Air	it	out	regularly,	and	be	sure	to	air	it	out	before	and	while
you	drive. The	risk	of	new	paint	is	something	my	friend	Jim	discovered	when	he	went
from	being	generally	in	good	spirits	to	suffering	the	worst	depression	of	his	life. Actually,	he	felt	suicidal. I	immediately	tried	to	isolate	the	cause	of	Jim’s
malfunctioning	cells. I	discovered	that	Jim	just	had	the	interior	of	his	house
painted;	paint	off-gasses	neurotoxins	that	can	affect	moods	and	mental	function. New	paint	takes	at	least	two	months	to	reach	reasonable	levels	of	safety	for	most
people	(depending	on	biochemical	individuality),	which	is	why	it	is	best	to	paint
only	one	room	at	a	time	and	to	close	freshly	painted	rooms	off	as	much	as
possible	while	they	are	off-gassing. Absolutely	do	not	sleep	in	a	freshly	painted
room! A	good	idea	is	to	schedule	painting	just	before	leaving	on	a	vacation. Jim
stayed	at	his	son’s	house	for	several	weeks,	and	his	problem	was	solved.Another	example	of	toxic	off-gassing	was	brought	to	my	attention	when	a
woman	suffering	flulike	symptoms	came	to	me	for	help. Ellen	Marie	had
“caught	the	flu”	around	Christmas	time	the	previous	year	and	still	was	not	well. Her	physicians	were	dumbfounded,	as	anyone	would	be	if	they	focused	only	on
mitigating	her	symptoms. I	discovered	that	Ellen	Marie	had	moved	into	a	newly	constructed	luxury
home	four	months	prior	to	coming	down	with	“the	flu.”	Her	new	home	was
constructed	with	particleboard,	which	off-gasses	formaldehyde—a	highly	toxic
and	carcinogenic	chemical. Plywood	also	will	off-gas	formaldehyde,	but	far	less
of	it. (Some	new	man-made	building	materials	no	longer	contain	formaldehyde,
but	the	substitutes	used,	such	as	iso-cyanates,	are	also	toxic.) This	poor	woman
was	suffering	from	subtle	and	constant	formaldehyde	poisoning. Her	symptoms
included	immune	suppression,	respiratory	problems,	coughing,	throat	irritation,
headaches,	insomnia,	nausea	and	fatigue. I	suggested	to	Ellen	Marie	that	she	sell
her	new	home	and	move	to	a	safer	environment. She	chose	not	to	move	and	she
remained	ill. Always	select	building	materials	and	furniture	that	are	made	from
real	wood	or	at	least	plywood,	but	not	particleboard. Inventory	Your	Home’s	Hazards
Do	you	have	carpets	in	your	home	and,	if	so,	from	what	are	those	carpets
made? Carpets	made	from	synthetic	fibers	(plastics	such	as	nylon,	acrylic	or
polyester),	especially	when	new,	off-gas	large	amounts	of	toxins. Carpets	are
among	the	most	significant	contributors	to	the	toxicity	of	indoor	air. The	plastic
fibers	used	to	make	carpets	are	very	thin,	thus	creating	an	enormous	amount	of
surface	area	from	which	off-gassing	can	occur. Chemicals	used	in	the	adhesive
backing	and	those	in	the	foam	padding	underlayer	also	off-gas. Carpets	are
treated	with	toxic	soil	and	stain	repellents,	moisture	repellents,	mothproofing	and
other	finishes. These	chemicals	are	effective	for	their	intended	purposes,	but
toxic—an	important	consideration	if	you	are	looking	for	new	floor	coverings	or
considering	a	move	into	a	newly	carpeted	space. That	“new	carpet	smell”	is
toxic,	and	the	best	solution	is	to	use	carpets	made	only	of	natural	fibers	
(wool	is
a	good	choice,	though	make	sure	it	is	not	treated	with	toxic	mothproofing
chemicals). Hardwood	or	tile	floors	with	natural-fiber	area	rugs	are	good
alternatives. How	about	the	air	quality	in	your	bedroom,	which	you	typically	breathe	for
eight	consecutive	hours	every	day? What	is	the	composition	of	your	mattress? We	spend	one-third	of	our	lives	in	bed,	and	spending	most	of	that	timeimmediately	next	to	even	mildly	toxic	chemicals	can	take	a	huge	toll. Most
mattresses	today	are	made	of	synthetic	materials	(polyester,	polyurethane,
treated	with	dyes,	flame	retardants,	etc. ),	which	can	off-gas	for	years	and	poison
you	while	you	are	sleeping. Fortunately,	100	percent	natural	mattresses	are
available. Also,	with	a	doctor’s	prescription	you	can	obtain	mattresses
manufactured	without	toxic	flame	retardants	that	otherwise	are	required	by	law. At	the	very	least,	if	you	purchase	a	standard	mattress,	put	it	in	the	garage	and
allow	it	to	off-gas	for	a	few	months	before	sleeping	on	it. Also,	enclose	the
mattress	with	a	thin	polyethylene	drop	cloth	or	a	tightly	woven	barrier-cloth	that
limits	the	amount	of	toxins	you	breathe	nightly. Also,	use	pillows	made	from
natural	materials,	such	as	down. Next,	look	in	your	bathrooms. It’s	likely	that	enough	toxic	chemicals	are	there
to	make	anybody	sick. The	toxic	products	include	not	only	toilet	bowl	cleaners
and	air	fresheners,	but	items	such	as	toothpaste,	mouthwash,	hair	spray,
cosmetics,	shampoo	and	soap	(not	to	mention	the	toxic	chlorinated	water	coming
out	of	the	tap).
Never_be_sick_again_.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Diagnosing	any	disease	is	simple,	because	there	is	only	one	disease:
malfunctioning	cells. David’s	problem	had	to	be	a	large	number	of
malfunctioning	cells,	that	much	I	knew. The	critical	questions	were:	Why	were
they	malfunctioning,	and	how	to	restore	them	to	normal	function. Four	hours	into	our	conversation,	David	provided	a	key	piece	of	information
that	gave	me	the	answer. David	said	he	liked	tuna	fish,	liked	it	so	much	that	he
typically	ate	two	cans	per	day. This	statement	set	off	alarm	bells	in	my	mind
because	tuna	fish	contains	a	significant	amount	of	mercury—a	highly	toxicheavy	metal	that	poisons	cells	and	deactivates	key	enzymes,	causing	numerous
physical	and	mental	problems,	including	suicidal	tendencies. Mercury	pollution	in	our	oceans	bioaccumulates	(gradually	builds	up)	in	fish
and	is	especially	concentrated	in	large	fish	such	as	tuna. In	fact,	the	average	can
of	tuna	fish	contains	the	maximum	allowable	daily	dose	of	mercury,	and	David
was	eating	two	cans	of	tuna	fish	almost	every	day. Constant	exposure	like	this
results	in	a	toxic	bioaccumulation,	so	I	began	to	suspect	that	mercury	poisoning
was	at	the	root	of	David’s	problems. His	mercury	exposure	did	not	end	with	his	taste	for	tuna;	David	had	many
silver	amalgam	dental	fillings,	and	these	amalgams	contain	about	50	percent
mercury. His	dental	fillings	(in	addition	to	the	tuna	fish)	had	been	exposing
David	to	small	amounts	of	mercury	for	most	of	his	life. Finally,	the	straw	that
broke	the	camel’s	back	was	a	dental	procedure. David	had	to	replace	his	aging
mercury	fillings	and	was	exposed	to	high	levels	of	mercury	during	this
procedure	because	of	the	dentist’s	poor	removal	technique. This	large	exposure,
combined	with	years	of	chronic,	low-level	exposure	from	the	tuna	fish	and	the
dental	fillings,	was	too	much	for	David’s	body	to	handle. He	fell	into	a	state	of
toxic	overload	and	his	cells	began	to	malfunction	seriously. David’s	failing	health,	chronic	fatigue,	emotional	distress	and	suicidal
tendencies	were	all	symptoms	of	his	toxic	overload. The	solution. I	suggested
nutritional	supplements	that	would	support	David’s	natural	ability	to	detoxify,
and	I	also	searched	for	and	found	a	medical	doctor	who	was	an	expert	in
mercury	detoxification. Subsequently,	David	was	cured	of	his	mercury
poisoning	(through	a	process	called	chelation,	which	uses	a	chemical	to	react
with	the	mercury	and	remove	it	from	the	body),	and	ultimately	he	was	able	to
return	to	his	life,	his	career	and,	most	importantly,	his	family. Killing	Him	Slowly
David	is	an	excellent	example	of	toxic	overload	in	our	modern	society. He
was	chronically	exposed	to	a	specific	toxin	(mercury),	which	was	slowly
bioaccumulating	in	his	cells. Already	weakened	by	and	sensitive	to	this	toxin,	he
was	suddenly	exposed	to	a	large	amount,	which	pushed	him	over	the	brink. Another	factor	to	be	considered	is	David’s	biochemical	individuality;	he	might
have	been	born	with	a	greater	sensitivity	to	mercury	than	the	average	person. Virtually	all	Americans	are	now	in	a	state	of	toxic	overload. No	wonder	our
population	is	becoming	sicker	and	sicker. Small	toxic	exposures	each	day	(from
common	sources	such	as	breakfast	cereal,	toothpaste,	shampoo,	soap,	perfume,deodorant,	hair	dye,	newspapers,	magazines,	exhaust	fumes,	carpets,	new
mattresses,	dry	cleaning	or	a	newly	painted	bedroom)	will	increasingly	exceed
and	even	incapacitate	your	body’s	ability	to	detoxify,	causing	these	chemicals	to
accumulate	to	a	level	that	will	make	you	sick. Man-made	toxins	are	so	prevalent	today	that	they	are	impossible	to	avoid,
regardless	of	where	you	live	or	what	you	do. Over	the	last	one	hundred	years,	we
have	introduced	tens	of	thousands	of	man-made	toxins	to	our	environment,	thus
changing	it	dramatically. Our	bodies	are	not	genetically	designed	to	deal	with
these	levels	and	types	of	poisons	that	are	accumulating	in	our	tissues	faster	than
we	can	rid	ourselves	of	them. Environmental	toxins	are	not	our	only	problem. We	also	generate	powerful
toxins	inside	our	bodies. Unless	we	can	minimize	our	exposure	and	maximize
our	bodies’	detoxification	systems,	we	will	become	sick. An	extreme	overload
may	even	kill	us:
•	Only	recently	have	researchers	and	health	practitioners	begun	to
understand	the	long-term	effects	of	the	thousands	of	chemicals	we	now
encounter	in	our	daily	lives. At	the	time	of	my	birth,	the	majority	of	these
chemicals	did	not	exist. Now	they	are	all-pervasive. •	A	growing	body	of	scientific	evidence	links	toxins	to	a	wide	variety	of
symptoms	and	syndromes,	such	as	mental	and	behavioral	disorders,
learning	disabilities,	fatigue,	migraines,	allergies,	rashes	and
gastrointestinal	disorders. •	Frightening	new	evidence	suggests	that	low-level	exposures	to	certain
environmental	chemicals	are	causing	hormone	disruptions,	resulting	in
serious	problems	that	range	from	birth	defects	to	cancer. •	Many	of	the	diseases	that	baffle	our	physicians	(often	called	“diseases	of
aging”	or	“diseases	of	civilization”)	are	the	results	of	the	toxic	overload
caused	by	modern	industrialized	society. These	diseases	are	difficult	to
diagnose	and	impossible	to	cure	using	conventional	medical	approaches
that	just	treat	symptoms,	rather	than	minimizing	toxic	exposure	and
optimizing	detoxification. •	Chemicals	posing	little	cancer	risk	can	trigger	cancer	when	combined
together. •	Some	chemicals	and	metals	are	toxic	in	any	amount;	others	are	beneficial
or	even	essential	in	small	amounts—	such	as	vitamin	A—but	toxic	in	large
amounts. In	the	nineteenth	century,	less	than	1	percent	of	all	deaths	in	the	United	States
were	caused	by	cancer,	and	even	at	the	turn	of	the	twentieth	century,	only	3percent	of	the	population	was	affected. Today,	more	than	four	in	ten	people	will
develop	cancer	in	their	lifetime,	and	one	in	four	will	die	from	cancer. The	good	news. Many	of	the	strongest	cancer-causing	chemicals	have	been
identified,	and	we	can	avoid	them. The	National	Academy	of	Sciences	sums	up
the	challenge:	“It	is	abundantly	clear	that	the	incidence	of	all	the	common
cancers	in	humans	is	being	determined	by. potentially	controllable	external
factors. ”
The	Poisons	Within
Toxins	from	the	outside	world—in	our	food,	water,	air,	homes	and	workplaces
—are	known	as	
environmental	toxins. Our	bodies	also	manufacture	a	sea	of
internal	toxins	as	a	result	of	normal	metabolism,	which	our	bodies	must
eliminate	in	order	to	stay	healthy. Few	people	realize	that	their	own	bodies	can
be	a	source	of	dangerous	toxins—mostly	in	the	digestive	system,	but	also	from
allergic	reactions,	stress	and	other	sources. Internal	toxins	are	being	generated	at
unprecedented	rates	as	a	result	of	modern	diets,	lifestyles	and	medical
treatments. Just	like	an	automobile	produces	exhaust,	your	body	produces	these
toxins	naturally	and	is	designed	to	handle	them;	however,	if	abnormal	amounts
of	toxins	are	produced	or	your	ability	to	deal	with	them	is	impaired,	you	become
sick. Understanding	the	body’s	natural	abilities	to	cleanse	itself	and	how	these
abilities	can	be	supported	by	diet,	exercise	and	other	means	is	important. By
learning	how	to	support	your	detoxification	systems,	you	can	reverse	the	effects
of	toxic	overload;	as	toxic	load	decreases,	cell	function	improves	and	disease
often	disappears. Not	all	toxins,	however,	affect	all	people	in	the	same	manner. Just	as	each	of
us	has	unique	needs	for	nutrients,	each	of	us	also	has	unique	tolerances	and
susceptibilities	to	toxins. Toxin	levels	that	can	put	one	person	into	overload
might	not	be	particularly	serious	or	even	noticeable	for	someone	else. Genetic
predisposition,	nutritional	status,	stress	levels	and	lifestyle	all	influence	toxin
levels. Because	currently	we	have	no	way	to	predict	the	effects	that	specific
toxins	(or	combinations)	have	on	any	individual,	the	solution	is	to	minimize
exposure	to	all	toxins	and	to	take	steps	to	support	the	body’s	detoxification
mechanisms. A	Buildup	of	External	ToxinsChronic	exposure	to	small	amounts	of	seemingly	harmless	toxins	presents	a
problem	more	dangerous	than	people	realize. Even	in	trace	amounts,	toxins	can
build	up	and	overload	our	cells,	causing	malfunction. The	average	American	is
building	up	(bioaccumulating)	between	three	and	five	hundred	manmade
chemicals,	most	of	which	did	not	exist	prior	to	World	War	II	and	have	never
before	been	in	human	tissue. Therefore,	the	combined	toxic	effects	of	these
chemicals	are	impossible	to	calculate. Physicians	rarely	consider	toxic	buildup	as	a	primary	cause	of	disease	and
rarely	test	for	toxic	underlying	problems. In	fact,	about	the	only	time	the	medical
community	will	cite	toxicity	as	a	primary	cause	of	disease	is	when	somebody
dies	or	becomes	obviously	ill	from	massive	toxic	exposure,	such	as	a	chemical
spill. Subtle	and	gradual	toxic	exposures	typically	go	undetected,	which	explains
how	people	suffering	from	toxic	overload	can	go	to	their	doctors	repeatedly
(with	persistent,	if	vague,	complaints	of	“not	feeling	quite	right”)	and	never
receive	a	correct	diagnosis. When	people	finally	do	become	sick	from	their	bioaccumu-lated	toxins,
following	the	path	of	their	illness	back	to	the	myriad	toxic	sources	is	nearly
impossible. If	these	toxins	weren’t	so	insidious	and	if	they	made	us	sick	or	killed
us	quicker	and	more	straightforwardly,	we	would	understand	more	readily	the
need	to	avoid	them. Instead,	we	expose	ourselves	unknowingly	and	we	lay	the
groundwork	for	massive	cellular	malfunction,	little	by	little. Combine	these
external	toxins	with	those	generated	inside	the	body,	and	the	eventual	result	is
toxic	overload. A	chilling	example:	Environmental	and	dietary	toxins	bioaccumulate	in	a
mother’s	fatty	tissues	throughout	her	life. When	she	starts	nursing,	her	toxin-
loaded	fatty	tissues	produce	cancer-causing	breast	milk. In	his	1987	book	
Diet
for	a	New	America,	
John	Robbins	notes	that	the	milk	of	most	American	mothers
is	so	contaminated	with	chemicals	(PCBs,	dioxins	and	various	pesticides)	that	“it
would	be	subject	to	confiscation	and	destruction	by	the	FDA	were	it	to	be	sold
across	state	lines. ”	Robbins	also	says	“the	EPA	has	concluded	that	the	average
American	breast-fed	infant	ingests	nine	times	the	permissible	level	of	dieldrin,
one	of	the	most	potent	of	all	cancer-causing	agents	known	to	modern	science. ”
Fortunately,	dieldrin,	which	was	used	on	crops,	has	now	been	removed	from	the
market,	but	the	average	mother’s	milk	(while	still	far	better	than	infant	formula)
remains	contaminated	with	numerous	toxic	chemicals. No	One	Is	SafeAt	present,	toxic	chemicals	can	be	found	in	trace	amounts	in	the	tissues	of
virtually	everyone	in	America—including	you. These	chemicals	include:	plastics
such	as	styrene	(disposable	Styrofoam	cups),	1,4-dichlorobenzene	(mothballs,
deodorizers),	sodium	lauryl	sulfate	(synthetic	detergent	from	soaps,	shampoos,
toothpastes),	pesticides,	PCBs,	dioxins,	phthalates	(plastics),	formaldehyde
(plywood,	particleboard,	permanent-press	clothing),	prescription	drugs	and
organic	solvents. No	place	on	earth—and	no	modern	home—is	free	from	man-
made	toxic	contamination. Molecules	of	the	pesticide	DDT,	for	example,	blanket
the	entire	planet. Henry	Schroeder,	M. D. ,	a	former	professor	of	medicine	at	Dartmouth	Medical
School	and	author	of	
The	Poisons	Around	Us,	
wrote	that	“five	toxic	trace	metals:
antimony,	beryllium,	cadmium,	lead,	and	mercury	are	involved	in	at	least	half
the	deaths	in	the	U. S. and	much	of	the	disabling	disease. ”	In	all,	more	than	one
hundred	thousand	chemicals	are	now	in	commercial	use,	at	least	25	percent	of
which	are	known	to	be	hazardous;	many	others	have	never	been	tested	at	all. Even	when	chemicals	are	tested	for	safety,	studies	are	virtually	always	short-
term	and	tested	individually;	few	have	examined	the	long-term	effects	of
chemicals,	or	how	they	react	in	the	body	in	combination	with	each	other. Yet
these	long-term,	combined	effects	are	the	reality	of	living	in	America	today. In
other	words,	the	testing	programs	are	flawed. Adverse	effects	are	not	necessarily
observed	in	small	groups	of	animals,	nor	do	experimental	animals	necessarily
react	to	toxins	the	same	as	humans. Ultimately,	any	chemical	that	is	not	normal
and	natural	to	our	bodies	puts	a	load	on	our	detoxification	systems	and	may
damage	cell	function. Most	people	make	little	effort	to	avoid	toxins	because	officially	established
tolerances	presume	that	toxin	levels	are	within	safe	limits. Unless	you	make
special	choices,	you	constantly	eat	foods	with	trace	toxins,	you	constantly	drink
water	with	trace	toxins,	you	constantly	use	personal	products	with	trace	toxins,
and	you	constantly	breathe	toxic	air. By	the	end	of	each	day,	these	toxic
contaminants	often	reach	a	substantial	cumulative	total. EPA	scientists	found
that	
the	total	toxic	residues	in	our	daily	diet	can	exceed	500	percent	of	the
recommended	daily	maximum,	even	if	each	individual	food	is	within	“safe”
limits. A	Poison	Gas	Chamber	of	Her	Very	Own
Several	years	ago,	a	young	married	couple	from	Chicago	asked	me	to	help
their	three-year-old	daughter,	Anne,	who	was	experiencing	seizures. Anne	hadbeen	examined	by	at	least	a	dozen	specialists,	but	their	only	recommendations
were	anti-seizure	medications	that	made	Anne	sick,	yet	failed	to	stop	the
seizures. The	desperate	parents	called	me,	a	complete	stranger	two	thousand
miles	away. They	begged	me	for	help,	even	though	I	am	not	a	physician. Because	there	is	only	one	disease,	I	knew	that	Anne’s	problem	was
malfunctioning	cells. But	why	were	they	malfunctioning. Although	I	asked
many	questions	about	Anne’s	history,	nothing	seemed	unusual	about	her	birth,
background	or	development. She	had	been	breast-fed	(a	good	thing;	even	though
breast	milk	is	toxic,	it	is	still	preferable	to	the	alternatives),	and	her	diet	was
actually	better	than	average. In	fact,	she	had	been	remarkably	healthy	ever	since
birth—until	the	seizures	started. I	began	to	ask	questions	about	her	environment. As	it	turned	out,	during	most
of	her	young	life,	Anne	had	been	sleeping	in	a	crib	in	her	parents’	bedroom. When	she	outgrew	the	crib,	her	parents	decided	she	should	have	her	own
bedroom,	and	they	refurbished	a	room. Knowing	that	brand-new	room
furnishings	can	be	quite	toxic,	I	focused	on	environmental	toxins	as	the	probable
cause	of	the	little	girl’s	problems. I	learned	that	before	the	onset	of	the	seizures,
Anne’s	new	bedroom	had	been	given	a	fresh	coat	of	paint	and	was	furnished
with	new	wall-to-wall	carpeting,	a	new	television	set	and	new	furniture,
including	a	new	bed	and	mattress. In	fact,	that	new	bedroom	had	just	about	every
amenity	that	any	set	of	loving	parents	could	give	to	their	beloved	daughter,	but	it
was	also	a	poison	gas	chamber. The	new	paint,	carpet,	mattress,	television	and
furniture	(constructed	of	particleboard,	which	contains	formaldehyde)	were	all
giving	off	toxic	gases. You	recognize	the	typical	“new	paint	smell,”	that	“new
carpet	smell”	and	that	“new	furniture	smell. ”	They	are	all	toxic,	especially	when
they	are	brand-new,	at	which	time	they	emit	higher	concentrations	of	chemicals. Shut	anybody	inside	a	bedroom	like	little	Anne’s	for	eight	or	ten	hours	a	night,
and	the	person	is	exposed	to	a	lot	of	toxins. Anne	was	in	toxic	overload,	and	her	seizures	were	the	result. Often,	in	a	case
like	this,	when	you	remove	the	source	of	the	toxins,	you	cure	the	disease. Instead,	Anne’s	physicians	had	prescribed	antiseizure	medications,	which	added
to	her	toxic	overload,	making	her	sicker. I	suggested	an	experiment	to	Anne’s
parents:	Close	off	the	toxic	bedroom	and	allow	Anne	to	sleep	in	another	room
for	a	few	weeks. The	result:	The	seizures	stopped,	and	Anne	returned	to	being	a
normal	and	healthy	child. Fight	Back	with	FoodsWhy	isn’t	our	society	taking	more	action	to	protect	us	from	toxins. Why	don’t
our	physicians	routinely	warn	us	about	toxins	and	check	for	them. One
explanation	lies	in	a	1988	report	issued	by	the	National	Academy	of	Sciences
titled,	
Role	of	the	Primary	Care	Physician	in	Occupational	Environmental
Medicine,	
which	concluded	that	while	toxic	environmental	chemicals	play	an
increasingly	important	role	in	modern	chronic	diseases,	almost	all	physicians	are
ignorant	about	the	degree	to	which	low-level	toxins	affect	health. One	of	the	most	direct	sources	of	our	toxic	exposures	is	the	foods	we	eat. A
meal	that	looks,	smells	and	tastes	good	is	a	wonderful	thing,	but	you	owe	your
body	more. You	need	to	make	sure	your	food	is	free	of	toxins	and	filled	with
nutrients	that	support	your	body’s	natural	ability	to	detoxify. You	need	to	find
out	what	is	in	your	food,	where	your	food	came	from	and	how	your	food	has
been	altered	from	the	way	nature	provided. One	of	the	best	ways	to	minimize	the	toxins	is	to	buy	organic	foods. Organic
is	a	method	of	growing	and	producing	food	free	from	chemical	fertilizers	and
pesticides,	artificial	ripening	agents,	preservatives,	genetic	modification	and
radiation. The	term	“organic”	applies	to	more	than	fruits,	vegetables	and	grains;
organically	grown	animals	are	fed	organic	feed	and	are	produced	without	the
customary	use	of	antibiotics,	hormones	or	other	supplemental	medications. Organic	foods	may	be	more	expensive	and	somewhat	more	difficult	to	obtain,
but	they	almost	always	contain	fewer	toxins	and	better	nutrition. Read	labels;	the
U.
Mercury poisoning, which was caused by his consumption of tuna fish and dental fillings.
What was the main cause of David's health problems?
Removing the source of toxins, which in this case was the tuna fish and dental fillings, and replacing them with non-toxic alternatives.
What was the solution to David's problem?
Because they are less likely to contain toxic chemicals and are more nutritious, which can help to minimize the risk of toxic overload and improve health.
Why is it important to choose organic foods?
Avoid foods that contain artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, and choose whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible.
What is a key factor to consider when shopping for food?
New furniture, carpeting, and other new products that off-gas toxic chemicals, which can accumulate and cause harm.
What is a common source of toxins in the home?