Fluoride is not Safe for Children - or Anyone for that Matter New York Times

The New York Times published a piece that I found more alarming than usual. The article on dental health was one sided and misleading ignoring a whole swath of history as if it not mentioning it would make it go away. In the past year since I have revisited this section, I have yet to see an opinion or point of view presented by a doctor versed in the field of nutrition with a speciality in any area weighing in on or offering a solution outside the scope of drugs or a "we just don't know" stance. Admitting you don't know something is admirable but making out like nobody else does either is lazy at best and dangerous. Considering the widespread influence of the Times it's really inexcusable. NY Times I have a newsflash for you: The rest of the world is moving ahead with breakthroughs in nutritional science that seems to have passed you by! Somehow you haven't heard of The Linus Pauling Institute, TOSH, and you haven't even noticed that doctors like Dr. Perlmutter or William Davis, M.D. who both made the your Best Seller lists for their books on the detrimental affects of gluten on the brain and heart.

Could this be a case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing? If so it's embarrassing. With so many possessing degrees and actively writing books, conducting clinical research and publishing studies on the health benefits of phyto - nutrients and  trace minerals it's strange. Even Doctor Oz who strives daily to educate the American public via TV on basic foundational health since 2009 has gone unnoticed? Someone better tell OPRAH.

For the uneducated in the science of nutrition and how the human body works in all it's intimate and complicated glory,  I urge you to actively seek out other points of view that offer hope and that are based on (gasp) science. Another New York Times Best Seller "The Healthy Home" by Dr. Myron Wentz and Dave Wentz devote Chapter 5 to the toxins found in dental products. The FDA has required a warning label on toothpaste since the late 1990's and I quote "..when it became clear that small children could be seriously injured - or even killed - by fluoride poisoning." (p. 87)

Which Brings Me to the Reason of Why I Am UPSET:

We are talking about children here. I am not happy about the "article" that appeared in the NY Times WELL Section this past week because the tone was more promotional than based on hard science. It had the verneer of science.  A "trade" group and doctor is pushing parents to start using fluoride on children from Age 2 hoping that others will tag along. Playing on the fears and guilt of parents who desire so much to do the right thing by their children is not giving parents tools i.e. all the knowledge they need to make critical decisions.

Fluoride Toxicity
Fact: Fluoride is a soluble salt, not a heavy metal. There are two basic types of fluoride. Calcium fluoride appears naturally in underground water sources and even seawater. Enough of it can cause skeletal or dental fluorosis, which weakens bone and dental matter. But it is not nearly as toxic, nor does it negatively affect so many other health issues as sodium fluoride, which is added to many water supplies and toothpaste.
Sodium Fluoride is a synthetic waste product of the nuclear, aluminum, and phosphate fertilizer industries. This fluoride has an amazing capacity to combine and increase the potency of other toxic materials. The sodium fluoride obtained from industrial waste and added to water supplies is also already contaminated with lead, aluminum, and cadmium.
It damages the liver and kidneys, weakens the immune system, possibly leading to cancer, creates symptoms that mimic fibromyalgia, and performs as a Trojan Horse to carry aluminum across the blood brain barrier. The latter is recognized as a source of the notorious "dumbing down" with lower IQ's and Alzheimer's effects of fluoride. Aside from the fact that fluoride is a neuro toxin that causes brain damage, shuts down the pineal gland and impedes healthy brain development it also displaces Vitamin D so essential to the healthy respiratory system, immune system and even influences mood.
 
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MY TIPS

Feed your children sugar free foods - meaning foods with no added sugars if you don't want their young teeth to rot. Make sure they are getting enough D for strong immune system and healthy bones. Are they getting enough Omega 3 fatty acids to make sure their young and undeveloped brains are growing strong? Are these Omega 3's  PCB free?  This is what a child requires for eye health, mental cognition, and healthy skin just to name a few.

I make no secret of the fact that I am very disappointed and alarmed at this type of "reporting"  that passes for science today. Nutritional Science is indeed a science- and it  can be learned. If today's "doctors" haven't taken the time shame on them. Don't be a victim of a system. Get your game on!

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Serious business loved ones. Children are very vulnerable as our men,women, animals. Please take care, take heed. Pick up this book by Lynne Farrow

Dr. Christine Wood - The Nutritional Needs of Children

Dr. Christine Wood

A few nights ago I listened to an extremely informative talk via the web by Dr. Christine Wood a pediatrician who practices in San Diego, California. She is the author of  "How To Get Kids To Eat Great & Love It". A native of Michigan she reminisced about the juicy, sweet apples that she enjoyed in her childhood while comparing the tasteless and dry apples obtained in the super market today. Since 1951 apples have lost half of their iron content, broccoli half its calcium, and potatoes nearly all vitamin A. The RDAs or recommended daily allowance as of 1995 were insufficient and that is almost 20 years ago. We are not keeping up with the nutritional needs of our children as a nation.This testimony brought to life the salient facts that she brought to our attention regarding the nutritional deficiencies in our youngest population. She also offered suggestions on how to counteract these findings by optimal supplementation. She is a member of Usana's Scientific Advisory Council.

Consider the following:

1. Only 30% of U.S. medical schools offer separate courses on nutrition. On average, a medical students receives under 23.4 hours of instruction on nutrition. ( Staggering compared to the number of years it will take them to matriculate and the years spent in practice).

Topics touched upon are diseases of yesteryear like scurvy - (you know the pirate and seaman's disease caused by a lack of Vitamin C)  which is rarely seen today. In other words none of the issues that face people in contemporary North America are being taught. It's going to be difficult to deal with problems if you don't even know what they are, where they come from let alone how to recognize them. 
2.
Doctors are no longer the primary source of nutritional information for the general public. We are getting information from health food stores, magazines, TV, and friends.

Nutritional Risks for Kids

Getting back to apples, Dr. Wood pointed out what should be a red flag. There is still only one fruit and vegetable aisle in super markets where the majority of Americans shop while the cookie and snack aisles have expanded. Americans are eating more processed foods made from processed corn which does little for their nutritional intake while increasing caloric intake. With the amount of GMO corn flooding the market this is alarming indeed.
* 1 and 4 teens eat less than a fruit per day and even less consume fresh vegetables or 1 in 3.
* Contrary to popular belief ketchup is not a vegetable nor are processed french fries.
* TV watching during dinner. 66% of Americans eat dinner while watching TV.
What does this have to do with nutrition? The focus is off the food and chewing slowly. Digestive problems can be avoided when a mindful peaceful routine with members of the family are established. Engaging in conversation, inquiring after each others well being -  in short bonding help divert problems down the road. The average parent only spends just  38 minutes per week talking to their child. Not 38 minutes per day but 38 per week! Family meals reduce risky behavior.
* The average lunch time for teenagers at school is only 7 to 11 minutes meaning they eat everything in that time frame. Is there any wonder digestion or  lack of energy is an issue?

Trends Media Multi Tasking

Another trend is what Dr. Wood called Media Multi Tasking. Kids are on facebook, texting on their phone and listening to iTunes while doing homework. The average time a teen spends on media is ten hours per day. The stats show that this has increased from  6.5 hours in 2005 to 7.8 hours in 2010 daily ranging in ages from 8 to 18 years. This was a real eye opener for me. I wondered have all children ceased to play outside getting the fresh air, exercise and social interaction they need? If they are spending that much time inside,  the following statistics on the "sunshine vitamin' Vtamin D  made sense.

 What's Missing in Your Childs Diet? 

Dr. Wood revealed the alarmingly low amounts of Vitamin D in the blood of infants and bigger kids in the USA.  

* 7 out 10  children are not getting sufficient Vitamin D even in sunny San Diego where she has her practice.
* These deficiencies are showing up in breast milk as women are in the majority of cases deficient.
* While it is important to wear sunblock note it should be applied after the first half hour giving the body a chance to manufacture D. (Very small children should not be left out in the sun). These days Vitamin D is being recommended for infants such Baby D drops by mixing 1 drop a day in breast milk.
* Inadequate D contributes to wheezing or asthma in infants and children. In a study a group deficient in D were followed into adulthood. There was an increased mortality rate of 26%  or in other words premature deaths due to disease.
Vitamin E

 * 91% of children don't have adequate levels of Vitamin E. E is important as it is required for infant brain development and visual acuity. While it may not guarantee perfect vision  ocular development  is a barometer of the development of the brain. Healthy brain development = Higher problem solving scores.
* Fish oil improves  eye and  hand coordination.
For small children Dr. Wood recommends squeezing USANA's triple distilled mercury free Biomega  into a smooth food. Think of 1 capsule 3 or more times a week.
Omega 3 vs Omega 6
Mediterranean diet is heart healthy. Omega 6 (found in corn) tend to be pro inflammatory and I would add the corn of today is a far cry of the corn the natives cultivated here so lovingly. Our soil is not the same and the addition of aggressive pesticides and fungicides add a dimension that is undesireable.  So while fresh corn on the cob may be fine,  the rows and rows of processed foods that contain depleted corn products is not. It is also fed to our livestock instead of the traditional grasses.
Stress Diabetes Cancer
In the year 2000 Type 2 diabetes affected 1 out of 3 children  1 in 2 for males
In the year 1900 cancer risk was 1 in 33.
Environmental toxins are a huge issue and antioxidants can combat this.
Interestingly, childhood stresses resurface later transforming into disease later in life.
Stressed out moms over feed babies. Anxiety and  depression  leads to weight gain and intoxicants.
It serves everyone when mothers take time off to take care of themselves. Conversely it is not hard to imagine a mother medicating herself and child through over eating.
Probiotics  have positive health benefits on gastro intestinal tract, inflammatory bowel syndrome, eczema, and colic in infants.

*Using probiotic can reduce the crying in  babies by 74%
*Safe for 1 to 2 month old children
* Use a partial sachet and it can be mixed with breast milk.
* Gestational diabetes seems to be reduced with the use of probiotics.

Given this state of affairs Dr Wood suggested that parents give kids Usanimals. It contains Xylitol which is a natural sweetener occurring in fruit that may prevent ear infections in children. It contains raspberry, cranberry,wild blueberry, and blackberry powders. Free of artificial colors and flavors it supplies what a growing body needs to stay well and is recommended to children between the ages of 24 months and 12 years. It includes vitamins A, C, E and zinc for healthy immune function.Starting a local food coop, supporting your farmers market or starting a garden patch in your backyard and involving your kids is a wonderful way to reconnect with your families nutritional needs in a fun and all engaging way.
You can visit Dr. Woods site KidsEatGreat and sign up for her newsletter! She is a wonderful source of information who cares deeply.