Everyday products posing a serious health risk to the whole family

Dear Reader, Step away from the plastic. According to new research, increased levels of phthalates, chemicals found in plastic and some personal care products, are associated with significant declines in testosterone levels. And not just in men--but in women and children as well. BAM!!! Another of my hunches proven correct. This has been my personal theory for years. And I'm glad research has finally proven it true. But what still amazes me is that no one thought of this sooner. Or perhaps, no one wanted to ponder what the toxic soup we live in is actually doing to our bodies. Consider the fact that cord blood from newborn infants has been shown to carry up to 300 toxic chemicals. How could the American medical establishment simply turn its back and think there's nothing wrong with that? That's what astounds me. I'm beginning to think that not only does the medical establishment do its best to prevent doctors from thinking...they actually discourage it. With the advent of "evidence-based medicine," doctors are accused of doing something wrong, and even criminal, if they fail to follow the established "standard of care." And who provides the so-called "evidence" for these standards? You guessed it, pharmaceutical companies. Anyway, back to the study. It found associations between urinary markers of phthalate exposure and testosterone levels among multiple age groups and in both sexes. Including children (specifically, 6- to 12-year-old boys and girls, and girls ages 12 to 20). Multiple phthalates were associated with significant reductions in testosterone. The strongest association among females was in the 40- to 60-year age group. Their testosterone levels were reduced by as much as 24 percent due to phthalate exposure. This is the age group I see the most at my office, and guess what? They always have low sex drive, can't lose weight, and are exhausted all the time. Low T explains all of that--along with impaired cognitive function, cardiovascular function, bone density, and overall well-being. And it isn't only in women. Researchers in the study also found a 20.1 percent decrease in testosterone in men. And in boys ages 6 to 12, there was as much as a 29 percent reduction in testosterone. Low testosterone is a serious public health issue that affects both sexes. Now, it's been proven to affect children as well. It's a sad state of affairs. And a dangerous one, to boot. Your entire family is at risk. And it's up to you to protect them. (I certainly wouldn't advise waiting for the medical or chemical industry to change... because I think you'll be waiting a long, long time.) The first step is to steer clear of anything plastic. But also watch out for some hidden sources of phthalates--like perfume and shower curtains. For more information on how to avoid phthalates and other dangerous chemicals, check out the Environmental Working Group's website, www.ewg.org. They have information on every environmental toxin you've heard of--and a few you probably haven't. More importantly, they've exposed just about every popular hiding place there is, and compiled them into databases that you can easily search.