Disease Proof : Disease Proof : Health & Nutrition News & Commentary : Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Here’s good reason not to leave those holiday lights up until spring. A new study in the December issue of the Journal of Environmental Health reveals many types of Christmas lights contain dangerous levels of lead. The plastic coating on the cord sheds lead dust, especially when exposed to sunlight. Although scientists believe the risk is negligible, they are quick to point out, that no amount of lead is safe for children; Discovery News investigates.

And last year, a New Jersey-based research center tested 4 varieties of holiday lights and determined brands like Wal-Mart, GE, Sylvania and Philips, all had lead levels above the 15 microgram limit set by Consumer Product Safety Commission. However, some Philips test samples came back as low as 3.2 micrograms, but Wal-Mart brand lights clocked in as high as 132.7 micrograms of lead. Eek!

Lead lurks in a lot of places. Recently, it was discovered that 1 in 3 toys contain lead. And other things, like fishing tackle, sports turf and garden hoses, also pose a lead risk. To make matter worse, lead exposure has been linked anti-social behavior and criminal acts.

So, for next year, I found these 90% energy-efficient LED lights, the manufacturer claims they’re lead-free, with the exception of the cord; via the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition.

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New findings in Tobacco Control suggest women exposed to second-hand smoke may have trouble getting pregnant. Researchers examined more than 4,800 women and found those growing up around a parent who smoked had more difficulty becoming pregnant. Also, women exposed to second-hand smoke were 39% more likely to suffer a stillbirth or miscarriage. Toxins in cigarette smoke may interfere with hormones needed for conception; Reuters reports.

Not to mention, previous research has shown parents who smoke can cause vascular damage in their kids. But quitting is hard, even our new president is still trying to kick the habit!

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Hollywood big shot Jeremy Piven has bailed on his Broadway show due to a high mercury count and the cause, eating too much sushi. Piven is a sushi fiend, eating raw fish twice a day. Piven told reporters he has 6 times the healthy amount of mercury in his system and complained of dizziness, fatigue and difficulty lifting his limbs. His doctors advised him to rest; Reuters reports.

Mercury freaks me out! And according to Dr. Fuhrman, mercury from fish, particularly fish with high levels, like swordfish, mackerel, tilefish, shark and tuna, can be hazardous, specifically in pregnant women. He advises expectant mothers avoid fish and for everyone else, don’t eat fish more than twice a week and choose low-mercury seafood, like sole, trout, flounder and tilapia.

Now, I love sushi, but I hardly eat raw fish anymore. Instead, I eat veggie sushi. It tastes great and it’s easy to make!
 

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Experts want the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a risk-assessment on the potential dangers of phthalates, chemicals used to make plastics soft and flexible, for things like toys, food packaging and medical devices. Currently, animal studies indicate phthalates may decrease testosterone levels in males and heighten risk of liver cancer. And many phthalates have already been banned in Europe for nearly a decade; via Reuters.

Bisphenol-A or BPA is another harmful chemical found in plastic drawing heavy scrutiny.

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Be careful buying toys this year. First, a report came out claiming 1 in 3 toys contain toxins. And now, research in Pediatric Radiology warns parents to watch out for toys with magnets, because ingested magnets can stick to each other in kids’ bowels, leading to infection. The study calls for more warning labels and better publication education on the potential dangers; via HealthDay News.

Clearly, eating a magnet is not a good way to retrieve that nickel your kid swallowed.

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Fish is polluted. Seafood like shark and tuna are loaded with mercury. And Dr. Fuhrman recommends expectant mothers avoid fish. But the Food and Drug Administration thinks the benefits outweigh the risk. However, the Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t agree, calling this claim flawed and overly simplified. And some environmentalists say the FDA has become nothing more than a patsy for polluters; from the Associated Press.

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An upcoming study in the January 22, 2008 issue of Circulation claims eating 2 servings of red meat per day increases risk of metabolic syndrome, a precursor to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, by 26%, but eating foods, like fruits and vegetables, lowers risk; CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta investigates.

You should add nuts to that list too! A recent study showed people consuming a Mediterranean diet with a daily serving of nuts, decreased their risk of metabolic syndrome by 13.7%. And other reports link red meat with cancer of the small intestine and heightened susceptibility to bacterial toxins.

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Males of all species, from fish to mammals, are being feminized and not by reruns of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. According to a new report by the environmental charity CHEMTrust, a variety of common chemicals and pesticides are shrinking male genitals and causing abnormalities in the animal kingdom, like hermaphrodite polar bears and male fish developing eggs in their testes.

Scientists worry this could jump to humans too! Heavily polluted communities in Canada, Russia and Italy are already giving birth to twice as many girls than boys. And in the U.S. and Japan, research indicates 250,000 babies who would have been boys were born as girls instead. Female hormones from contraceptive pills reentering water supplies could be one reason why; The Independent reports.

Via TreeHugger.

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Santa better be careful this year! The Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan reveals 1 in 3 toys contain toxins like lead, arsenic and flame retardants. Researchers tested more than 1,500 popular toys and found one-third have medium or high levels of harmful chemicals; CNN reports.

And last year, Curious George dolls with high lead-levels were discovered, as well as bedroom slippers and bath toys. So, if you’re not shopping for toxic toys, some safe toy buying tips would be not buying toys with rigid points or parts that shoot off and avoid toys that break easily.
 

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The Irish government has recalled all domestic pork products. Laboratory testing of pig meat revealed the presence of dioxins, with levels 80 to 200 times the safe limits, long-term exposure to dioxins can cause cancer and other health problems. Officials believe the Irish pork reached 20 to 25 countries and animal feed contaminated with fuel is being blamed; Reuters reports.
 

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In lieu of reports linking processed meat with cancer, specifically bowel cancer, British consumers are now eating less meat. Of the 2,124 people surveyed 11% said they were trying to reduce foods like bacon and 26% reported eating more fruits and vegetables; via FoodNavigator.

Meat takes longer to digest. As it sits in the gut, it promotes prolonged exposure to carcinogenic compounds found naturally in meat. Now, on the flipside, fruits and vegetables reduce the incidence of cancer, like colon cancer, because phytonutrients protect the body against disease!

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