Citrus County Chronicle, Dr. Ed Dodge
Published August 27, 2007
Editor’s note: Excerpts from “Dan’s Story: One Man’s Discovery of Personal Health Power” will continue next week.
At the end of their previous meeting, Dr. Davis recommended the book, “Living Downstream,” by Sandra Steingraber, a top biologist who earned her doctorate at the University of Michigan. Her book deals with the chemical pollution of our country.
Dan learned that there are about 100,000 man-made chemicals in commercial use, woven so intricately into the fabric of our lives that untangling their effects on our health is extremely difficult.
These synthetic chemicals are everywhere — in our water, our air, our soil, our homes, and in the foods we eat. Many seem safe, but others are toxic, some causing harm in subtle ways that may not be detected for decades. Unfortunately, most of these chemicals have never been adequately tested for their impact on human health.
When Dan’s support group met again, they asked Tim Davis for his view of this.
“The overriding theme of ‘Living Downstream’ is the link between environmental chemical pollution and cancer. I’m not an expert in that field, but the evidence cited by Dr. Steingraber is both comprehensive and persuasive,” said Tim.
“What major conclusions do you draw from her book?” asked Dan.
“The use of synthetic chemicals has grown explosively in our country since 1940. Some of them, like pesticides, carry calculated risks to health. Many others carry poorly understood risks. Living ‘downstream’ from toxic or risky chemicals truly is hazardous. Our descendants will be horrified that we have allowed our environment to become so chemically polluted — just as we are shocked that our ancestors allowed open sewage to run through their towns. Yet, neither big business nor big government do a good job of protecting us from chemical hazards, so we must do what we can to protect ourselves.”
“That’s being plain-spoken,” said Joe, “but how can we protect ourselves?”
“There’s the rub,” said Tim. “Risky chemicals are so pervasive in our lives that it is impossible to avoid them completely. Still, as individuals, we can minimize our contact with chemicals known to be risky, and we can also support organized efforts to reduce chemical risks in our environment. If millions of people do this, it will have an impact.”
“Can you suggest ways to minimize contact with risky chemicals?” asked Jill.
“We talked about secondhand smoke last time, so you know it is best to avoid that source of air pollution,” said Tim. “Another chemical risk that everyone faces daily is pesticide residue in our food. What do you think we can do about this?”
The group sat in silent thought for a couple minutes before Steve spoke up. “Well, we can buy organic foods, or even better, grow some of our own.”
“Buying organic food sounds good,” said Joe, “but how do you know that organic foods really are more wholesome? Besides, they are more expensive.”
“Testing shows that most organic products have no pesticide residues, so if a food is certified as organic, it is OK,” replied Steve. “It is a bit more expensive, but worth it.”
“I agree,” said Tim. “Research by the Environmental Working Group shows that people can reduce their pesticide exposure dramatically by eating organic produce. If you can’t do that, you can still reduce your exposure almost 90 percent simply by eating the 12 least contaminated fruits and vegetables instead of the 12 worst ones.”
“That sounds worthwhile. How can we get that list?” asked Jill.
“Enter
www.foodnews.org on your computer browser,” said Tim. “You may get your own ‘Shopper’s Guide’ there to help you decide what organic produce is most advisable to buy. It also provides recent food news and much more good information.”
Dr. Ed Dodge is a retired Inverness physician. Visit his Web site,
www.passionforhealth.info. Reach Dr. Dodge through his Web blog, Passion for Health, on the Chronicle Web site.
