Walk The Talk Today!

Plastic, Glass or Stainless Steel…

Are You Drinking From A Safe Container?
by James Hamp, M.D.

Throwaway water bottles are available almost everywhere now. While the convenience is wonderful, there is a price to pay in future health risks to individuals and the environment. This article summarizes some of the research of “plastic pollution” and why eliminating the use of plastic water bottles is good for your health.

There are two types of plastic of concern. Lexan polycarbonate resin, found in Nalgene bottles, is a plastic polymer widely used for single serve and one-gallon water bottles. Polyethylene terephthalate or “#1 plastic” is softer and a much more common plastic used for disposable drinking bottles of water, juice, soda, infant formula, pacifiers and most condiments, food wraps and dental sealants. IV bags, dialysis machines and blood transfusion bags also contain this plastic as do dermal adhesives for estrogen/testosterone hormone patches.

Both of these plastics contain bisphenol-A (BPA), which leaches into the water and is a potent hormone mimic/disruptor of female and male sex hormones. This plastic is spewed into the atmosphere by incinerators, which may explain why many animals in the wild have been found with this plastic in their tissues.

Newborns have measurable levels that tend to be more elevated when mothers’ have had IVs or drunk from #1 plastic bottles. Plastic formula bottles raise levels still higher in infants. Leaching of BPA from the plastics is increased by time, heat and cleaning agents.

Our bodies cannot get rid of the average daily intake (3 mg), which tend to accumulate in most people, as do most toxins, over time.

The fact of bioaccumulation of toxins is denied for the most part by manufacturers of plastic products who argue that small doses do not hurt humans. This flies in the face of the way biologic organisms react to pollutants.

Our detoxification systems can get rid of only so much per day, and detox systems are already under stress with illness, disposal of excessive medications and anything else that generates free radicals, such as stress and injuries.

Another class of plastics, styrene (polystyrene #6), is found in styrofoam coffee cups, clear plastic drinking cups, deli containers, car exhaust, cigarette smoke and is the cause of the “new car smell” that a lot of people like. Polystryrene is the plastic wrap around most fruits, vegetables and meats in the grocery store. Blood levels go up every time you use Styrofoam.

Thalates (#1 plastic) are the number one body pollutant in humans by a factor of 10,000 over, for instance, heavy metals like cadmium and possibly mercury. Plasticizers tend to attach to the small cellular organelles called peroxisomes and genetic receptors (Peroxisome Proliferator – Activated Receptors). This results in damage to the chemical processes controlling the use of fatty acids, glucose, triglycerides, beta-oxidation of fats and phospholipids. In other words, they damage major cellular functions including the ability to regulate cholesterol.

The plastic industry unfortunately sights only the 11 published old studies funded by the chemical industry on safety of plastic use. By 1952, polycarbonate was created and it was already clear that it leached into foods. By 1999 analytical chemistry improved to the point which lead to 109 different studies showing thalates do accumulate at levels below “generally considered as safe” (GCAS) an FDA and EPA label, but a level, nonetheless, that was suspected of creating disease. By 2007, there were 130 animal studies identifying the hazards of low dose plasticizer exposure.

Chronic plastic exposure has an effect on animal sex organs including low sperm counts, infertility, congenital defects, deformities, precocious puberty with breast development (along with many other causes) and early menstrual periods in young females. Endometriosis can be exacerbated, thyroid problems have been documented and sustained elevations of cholesterol are some of the problems from these chemicals, thus the names “Environmental Endocrine Disruptors” or “Hormone Mimics.” Implications for humans are obvious; research is ongoing.

In the early 1980s, mothers were given DES (Diethel Stilbestrol) to save pregnancies, but some of the daughters born to those mothers developed cancer of the uterus. Biochemically, some of these plasticizers have very similar chemical structures to the DES carcinogenic molecule.

Diagnosing plastic pollution involves checking blood levels, but many of the plastics in question lodge outside of the vascular system in cellular organelles and are difficult to find. Plasticizer accumulation is suspected with elevated levels of fatty acids including arachidic, legnoceric, behenic, hexacosanoic and low levels of decosa hexacosanoic (DHA), the most important Omega-3 fatty acid for the brain and blood vessels.

Treatment steps include:

Nutritional supplements that rev up your glucurnonodation liver detoxification pathway, which gets rid of plastics. Also helping the same liver system are the vegetables of the Brassica or Cruciferous vegetable family (cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, radishes, mazuna, watercress, arugula, turnips, collard greens, kale and rutabaga.

Far infrared sauna (the newer form of sauna) helps sweat many pollutants including plasticizers out of the subcutaneous fat. This is standardized technique in the Environment Health Center in Dallas, which is one of leading centers for treating toxic patients.

Avoid buying foods contained in or wrapped in plastics whenever possible.

Use glass or, even better, stainless steel bottles to transport and store clear tap water. If you install reverse osmosis or carbon filtration in your drinking supplies, so much the better to ensure safe water at your sink. For sources of water filters and reusable safe water bottles visit www.enviroproductsinc.com (1-800-592-8371) and Natural Lifestyle at www.natural-lifestyle.com. For old-fashion glass baby bottles call American Environmental Health Foundation at 800-752-2775. For stainless steel drinking bottles visit www.kleankanteen.com (800-767-3173) or at Bodin’s on the Lake in Ashland.

Not using plastic significantly lowers your carbon footprint and is a great way to save the energy costs of producing and recycling plastic and transporting bottled water over long distances for sale at local outlets.

Bottled water is about to take a hit for all of these reasons. Turn to glass or stainless steel drinking containers. They’re better for your health and the environment.

Plastic Containers: Numbers, Name, Abbreviation & Usage

#1, Polyethylene terephthalate (PET); used in beverage bottles, boil in the bag pouches, microwave food trays

#2, High density polyethylene (MDPE); used in trash bags, detergent bottles, milk jugs, base cups of large soda bottles

#3, Vinyl (V); used in cooking oil bottles, meat packaging
#4, Low density polypropylene (LDPE); used in bread bags, food film wraps, grocery produce bags

#5, Polypropylene (PP); used in margarine tubs, straws, shampoo bottles, yogurt containers, syrup bottles

#6, Polystyrene (PS); used in styrofoam® coffee cups, egg cartons, clamshell fast food containers, egg cartons, clear variety in deli containers and plastic cups

Dr. James Hamp is a Board-certified Otolaryngologist, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy. He can be reached at ENT Professional Associates in Ashland, Wisconsin, or Ironwood, Michigan, or online at www.drhamp.com.

References:

• Total Wellness Newsletter, Dr. Shery Rogers; reference to plasticizers 2000-2007
• Durand M, et al, Prenatal bisphenol A exposure induces neoplastic lesions in the mammary gland in Wistar rats, Environmental Health Perspectives, August 29, 2006 at http://dx.doi.org
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Register, U.S. Public health Service, Toxicological Profile for Styrene, Washington, D.C., TP-91/25, September 1992
• Ibid, Toxicological Profile for Di (2-ethyhexyl) Phthalate, TP-92/05, April 1993
• www.besthealthnews.com/taxonomy/term/20273/feed
• www.ourstolenfuture.org
• www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Polyethylene/Polyethylene-Terephthalate-Sheftel.htm; 7/21/07
• http://www.mercola.com/2004/apr/7/nalgene_water.htm
• http://www.mercola.com/2001/may/23/bottled_water.htm
• http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-10-30-plastics-cover_n.htm
• vomSaal FS, Welshons WV, Large effects from small exposures. II. The importance of positive controls in low-dose research on bisphenol A, Environ Res 100; 1:50-76, January 2006
• Brede C, Fjeldal P, Skjevrak I, Herikstad H Increased migration levels of bisphenol A from polycarbonate baby bottles after dishwashing, boiling and brushing, Food Additives Contaminants, 20:684-89, 2003
• Alonso-Magdalena P, et al, The estrogen of bisphenol A disrupts pancreatic B-cell function in vivo and induces insulin resistance, Environ Health Persp, 114:106-12, 2006
• Rogers SA, Detoxify or Die, pretigepublishing.com or 800-846-6687
• Rocchia AG, et al, Xenoestrogens and the induction of proliferative effects in breast cancer cells via direct activation of estrogen receptor alpha, Food Addit Contam 21:134-144, 2004
• Kim SC, Hong JT, Yun YP, et al, Formation of 8-oxodeoxyguanosine in liver DNA and hepatic injury by peroxisome proliferator clofibrate and perfluorodecanoic acid in rats, J Toxicol Sci 23; 2:113-119-1998
• Chinetti G, et al, PPAR: nuclear receptors at the crossroads between lipid metabolism and inflammation, Inflamm Res, 49;10:4978-505, 2000
• The High Blood Pressure Hoax, Sherry A. Rogers, MD, 2005 by Sand Key Company, Inc., PO Box 40101, Sarasota, FL 34242
• Kim H, Gilbert SG and Johnson JB, Determination of potentialmigrants from commercial amber polyethylene terephthalate bottle wall, Pharmacol. Res., 7, 176, 1990
• Begley IH, Dennison JL, and Hollifield HC. Migration into food of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) cyclic oligomers from PET microwave packaging, Food Addit, Contam., 7, 797, 1990.
• Linssen G, Reitsma H and Cozynsen G. Static headspace gas chromatography of acetaldehyde in aqueous foods and polythene terephthalate, Z. Leensm. Untersuch. Forsch, 201, 253, 1995.
• Eberhartlinger S, Steiner J, Washuttl J, and Kroyer G. The migration of acetaldehyde from polythene terephthalate bottles for fresh beverages containing carbonic acid, Z. Lebensm, Untersuch, Forsch., 191, 286, 1990.
• Piekacz H, in CX. II Ricz. Panst. Zakl, Hig., 22, 295, 1971 (in Polish)
• Freire MT, Castle L, Reyes FG and Damant AP. Thermal stability of polyethylene terephthalate food contact materials: formation of volatile from retain samples and implications for recycling, Food Addit. Contam., 15, 473, 1998.
• Kashtock M. and Breder CV. Migration of ethylene glycol from polyethylene terephthalate bottles into 3% acetic acid, J. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem., 63, 168, 1980.
• Komolprasert V, Lawson Ar. R. and Begley TH. Migration of residual contaminants from secondary recycled polyethlene terephthalate into food-simulating solvents, aqueous ethanol and heptane, Food Addit. Contam., 14, 491, 1997.
• Fordham PJ, Gramshaw JW, Crews HM and Castle L. Element residues in food contact plastics and their migration into food simulants, measured by inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, Food. Addit. Contam., 12, 651, 1997.
• Monarca S, DeFusco R, Biscardi D, DeFoe V, Pasquini R, Fatigoni C, Moretti M, and Zanardini A. Studies of migration of potentially genotoxic compounds in water stored in pet bottles, Food Chem. Toxicol., 32, 783, 1994.
• Otaka et al, cit in Excerpta Medica, Sec. 17, 1, 1980, Abstract 284.
• Bazanova AI. Effect of chemical substances extracted from plastics on mammals and micro organisms, in Toxicology and Hygiene of High-Molecular-Mass Compounds and of the Chemical Raw Material Used for Their Synthesis, Proc. 3rd All-Union Conf, S.L. Danishevshy, Ed., Khimiya, Moscow-Leningrad, 1966, 133 (in Russian)
• Kupyrov VN, Kalina TV, Gakal RK, Vinarskaya EI, and Starchenko SN. Hegienic evaluation of films intended for the waterproofing of unit prefabricated swimming pools, Gig, Sanit., 5, 91, 1978 (in Russian)
• deFusca R, Monarca S, Biscardi D, Pasquini R, and Fatigoni C. Leaching of mutagens into mineral water from polyethylene terephthalate bottles, Sci. Total Environ., 90, 241, 1990.
• Blagoeva P, Stoichev I, Balanski R, Purvanova L, Mircheva TS, and Smilov A. The testing for carcinogenicity of a polyethylene terephthalate vascular prosthesis, Khirurgia, 43, 98, 1990 (in Bulgarian).
• Sheftel, VO. Indirect Food Additives and Polymers: Migration and Toxicology. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL 2000.pp.1132-1134.
• Environmental Nutrition, Buck Levin, PhD, RD, Hingepin, 1999

Eat, Drink and Be Healthy

by Jeanne Larson, MS, Nutrition

Editor’s Note: Jeanne Larson, who passed away in January 2007, was allergy nutritionist for 9 years at ENT Professional Associates in Ashland. She was the critical link for mothers, families and adults struggling with elimination of diagnosed food intolerance and those trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Jeanne helped others formulate food plans that would work in their kitchens, and she created a booklet, Eat, Drink and Be Healthy, with six way to improve personal health and sustainability. Here are her top recommendations:

1. Eat more fruit and a whole lot more vegetables (aim for 5-10 servings a day)

That’s not a misprint. Study after study reveals fruits and vegetables are nature’s best health foods and 5-10 servings (or more) a day puts them where they belong – as the centerpiece of the meal.

Beneficial compounds in fruits and vegetables help prevent cancer, heart disease, stroke, cataracts and a host of other diseases.

If it sounds dull to follow this advice, picture this – a purple cabbage, a red bell pepper, an orange or a bright orange squash and a deep green stalk of broccoli. Make eating a colorful experience! The fruits and vegetables that offer the most nutrients are also those with the deepest color.

Dark green romaine lettuce, for instance, is more healthful than the pale iceberg variety. The most nutritious vegetables of all are broccoli, spinach, sweet potato, collards, kale, cabbage, winter squash, carrots, tomatoes pumpkins and red bell pepper.

The most health-promoting fruits are cantaloupe, papaya, watermelon, blueberries, strawberries, boysenberries, kiwi, grapefruit, orange, prunes and dried apricot. Whole fruit is preferable to fruit juice. Stick to a maximum of 8-12 oz. of juice a day, making sure it is 100% fruit juice, not a sugar-added fruit drink.

2. Take water more seriously (aim for 6-8 glasses a day-equivalent to 1 1/2 - 2 quarts)

Good health starts with the fundamentals of good air (indoor and outdoor) and good water. Water makes up about 85% of the human brain, 80% of the blood stream and 70% of lean muscle. Keep all that water in your system fresh!

The sensation of thirst is a thirst for water. Untreated water from a deep well or artesian spring is best. If it is not available, it is important to filter water to remove traces of chlorine, lead and other contaminants.

Sports medicine research shows that water is also the best sports drink – better than so-called power drinks. Beverages with caffeine (coffee, soft drinks) cause water loss due to the diuretic action of caffeine. Headaches are often caused by dehydration.

Rather than wait until you are thirsty, keep fresh water nearby at all times (preferably in a glass or thick, clear plastic container) as a reminder to take a drink. For a touch of pizzazz, add a sprig of mint or a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.

3. Keep sugar in its place.

A sweet dessert now and then after a balanced meal fits into the picture of good health. As daily fare, however, refined sugars in food and drink are out of place. Our blood stream normally contains less than 2 teaspoons of glucose (natural sugar) at any one time. A 12-oz soft drink contains 10 teaspoons of rapidly absorbed sugar. That spells trouble for keeping blood sugar steady. Even in smaller amounts, refined sugar is so concentrated it sets off a “fire alarm” in the body. Insulin is first on the scene, rushing around trying to stabilize blood sugar. It douses the fire so well that a crash with a feeling of depleted energy follows.

Consuming sugar day after day means the alarm, “Fire! Fire!” repeatedly activates the automatic stress response normally reserved for true emergencies. The result is unnatural wear and tear on the hormonal and metabolic systems that are the first responders.

As far as artificial sweeteners go, unresolved issues remain about their safety and they trigger allergic reactions in many individuals. Whenever possible, sweeten with small amounts of honey, brown rice syrup or real maple syrup.

4. Choose grains and flours that are whole.

Nobody likes to be shortchanged. Yet that’s what we do to ourselves when we choose products made of refined grains like white flour. We settle for what’s left after 25 or more nutrients are removed from the whole grain.

Only 4 synthetic B vitamins and iron are added back when the product is “enriched.” The fiber (high fiber diets reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes) has been stripped away, too. What remains is a naked grain that has been reduced from a complex to a simple carbohydrate that no longer provides energy that is “sustained release.” Instead, it acts similar to refined sugar in the body-causing spikes followed by plunges in blood sugar.

Products made of white flour contain the “empty” calories of foodless food – contributing calories to the day’s total, but little or nothing in the way of nutrients.

Whole grains are another story. Instead of being processed to death, they are brimming over with healthful gems found in the original grain – including phytochemicals, chemicals in plants with impressive disease-fighting capabilities. The rich full flavor of whole grain is intact, too.

Treat yourself to the cream of the crop – choose 100% whole grain breads, bagels, cereals, flours, pastas and rice that are still full of their natural goodness and vitality.

5. Check your oil

Just because some fats have a bad reputation doesn’t mean they’re all bad. Fats make up 60 percent of the brain and are vital to proper nerve function. They are building blocks for hormones and for the membranes that surround every cell in the body. Fats are not to be avoided – only too much fat or the wrong kind.

The best oil for everyday use is extra-virgin olive oil. The worst fat (check snack and convenience food labels especially for this one) is hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated or “trans” fat.

These are vegetable oils that have been manipulated at the molecular level to remain solid at room temperature. Artificially hardened by the food industry, these “fake fats” cannot be expected to perform delicate functions at a cellular level like naturally occurring fats.

Hydrogenated oils top the avoid list for another reason – they contribute even more to the risk of heart disease than saturated animal fat. (If you don’t have to stir your peanut butter to mix in the oil, it is hydrogenated – use oldfashioned peanut butter instead.)

One of the fats that is often deficient in the modern diet and is vital for brain, heart and immune function is Omega-3 fatty acid.

A good source is fish oil supplements* as well as coldwater fish such as sardines or wild (not farm-raised) salmon. (*The best source is www.nordicnaturals.com)

Flax oil or ground flax seeds can also supply Omega-3 but require enzymatic conversion. The conversion to Omega-3 is impaired by magnesium, zinc and vitamin B6 deficiency, aging, alcohol, trans fatty acids, high cholesterol levels and Scandinavian ancestry.

6. Diversify, diversify, diversify (aim for at least a 4-day rotation of foods)

Variety is not just the “spice” of good nutrition, it is the main ingredient. Most people eat the same 15 foods over and over. Repetitive eating means there will be pieces missing in the puzzle of nutrients. It also encourages the development of food intolerances.

Try not to repeat the same menu for any meal of the day more often than once in four days. Eggs, whole-wheat toast and grapefruit for breakfast on Monday? Start off the next three days with something else. Repeat Monday’s breakfast on Friday if you wish.

It is especially important to rotate proteins (eggs, meat, poultry, soy, milk products, nuts, legumes, fish) and grains (wheat, rice, corn, oats, rye, spelt, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth).

Think outside the box when you plan a meal. You’ll need a protein, a healthy fat, a carbohydrate and lots of vegetables – but you don’t need the same ones you always have. Introduce yourself to foods outside the familiar ones you are accustomed to, and make new food friends.

Editor's Note: Learn about the new Healthy Eating Pyramid in the book Eat, Drink & Be Healthy, The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating, by Walter Willet, MD, PhD. It's a great resource and ties right into the Walk the Talk Today! program.

3 Stress Busters for the Holiday & Beyond

by James Lean, M.D.

December can be a tough month to maintain a workout schedule and stay healthy and centered. But if you're not working out and staying balanced, you could find yourself in the doctor's office. It was reported in the July 15, 2006 American Psychological Association journal that up to 90 percent of all physician office visits are for stress-related aliments. Here are 3 tips to help you balance the holiday demands while you stay in shape and minimize stress:

1. Admit you cannot do everything.

Research shows that stress is triggered by the realization that we can't do and control everything. With the holidays parties, gift giving and heavily scheduled activities comes a tendency toward trying to "do it all" -- and that's a prescription for misery and stress. This holiday season remind yourself that everything doesn't have to be perfect, just "good enough."

2. Give yourself permission to lighten up for the holiday.

Studies have shown that humor activates our physiological systems, including the muscular, respiratory, cardiovascular and skeletal. It lowers blood pressure and increases endorphins. This leads to a sense of satisfaction and well being which reduces the possibility of burnout. When we laugh, we feel physically better, lighter and more relaxed. We have the same positive physiological experience when we smile.

3. Know that a short workout is better than no workout.

Exercise has been proven to boost immunity, relieve pain, decrease anxiety and prevent depression. Yet how will you find time to fit exercise into your demanding holiday schedule? Realize that you may have to settle for a shorter workout or a non-traditional workout like shoveling the sidewalk or walking the dog. Either way, those who fit regular exercise into their holidays and beyond will likely feel the exhilarating surge of mood and energy that repetitive motion activities seem to bring.

Intense exercise stimulates the brain to release hormones called endorphins, normally for suppressing sensations of pain and producing a sense of well-being. Endorphin production usually begins about 15 to 20 minutes into an exercise session and peaks after about 45 minutes.

Repetitious movements, such as walking, skiing, swimming and aerobics also increase levels of serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter. Low levels of serotonin are strongly linked to depression, anxiety and aggressive behavior.

Regular repetitious exercise may act much like an antidepressant drug, enhancing serotonin and bringing about a sense of well-being. Like the drug, however, exercise must be taken regularly to maintain its effect.

A randomized, controlled Duke University study in 2000 showed that exercise worked as well as Zoloff, an antidepressant, to reduce depression after 16 weeks. After eight months, however, those who had learned to “exercise their depression away” had significantly less risk of relapse than those who had previously been on medication.

Norepinephrine, another key substance in mood regulation, also is stimulated during exercise. Norepiniphrine is thought to play a direct role in the brain's stress response. Research has shown that exercise increases concentrations of norepinephrine in the locus coeruleus, a brain region that modulates the stress response.

Some researchers believe that regular exercise may adjust the responsiveness of the stress reaction system and make it more efficient and better prepared to deal with other life stressors. Ninety percent of published studies on mood and exercise have found exercise to have antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects.

There is now considerable evidence that regular exercise is a viable, cost-effective but underused treatment for mild to moderate depression that compares favorably to individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, and cognitive therapy," state Tkachuk and Martin in a June 1999 literature review published in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice.

Exercise is also known to enhance sleep and reduce fatigue. A good workout leaves muscles relaxed and spirit energized. Stress is less likely to bother us. At bedtime we fall asleep more quickly, sleep more soundly and tend to feel better rested in the morning. We likely will feel less fatigued the next day.

This holiday season don't let stress overtake the simple pleasures of family, friends and physical activity. Throughout the month, maintain flexibility with your schedule, creativity with workout solutions, and resiliency in the face of excessive demands. As your life settles down after the holidays, jump into the regional Walk the Talk Today! challenge (http://www.walkthetalktoday.com) and embrace the power of healthy living!

James Lean, M.D. is a board-certified psychiatrist in Washburn, Wisc. He's training for his 7th Birkie and plans to be skiing the Birkie, Kortelopet or Prince Haakon ski races into his 70s.

Clean Up Your Home & Workplace to Improve Your Health

by James A. Hamp, M.D.
www.drhamp.com

Each year millions of people around the world experience asthma symptoms. If you find yourself wheezing, coughing and/or experiencing difficulty breathing, you may be one of those sufferers.

We know that asthma and allergic disease are increasing rapidly. In the last decade alone the incidence of asthma has increased by 50 percent. The environment, with all its worldwide changes, is probably as important as inheritance in evoking responses in the 21st century.

Pollutants and toxins as well as dust and mold in our homes and workplaces seem to be provoking a greater response as the body tries to protect itself. As a result we see more “allergic disease and asthma” as the lungs become red and inflamed.

The existing disease-based theory of allergy has been a disaster, especially in regards to asthma, ie “You have disease X, the diagnosis is Y, therefore treatment is Z.” When the diagnostic name is applied, the thinking can stop and only the pills and sprays roll out.

We are learning that many environmental irritants lack specificity for specific disease states and can have multiple effects in many different ways in multiple organ systems.

Ivan Ilichs’ old book Medical Nemesis protested the “medicalization” of society and has been republished as Limits To Medicine. In it he describes the recent medical tendency toward health care that is symptom focused and overuses expensive medication.

Evidence is accumulating that conventional disease-based approaches to diagnosis and treatment actually contributed to asthma’s increasing severity and mortality.

Broncho-dialator therapy for asthma was first used in 1940 and about the same time death rates from asthma began to rise. While these treatments are very important for emergency relief, regular use appears to contribute to decreased lung function in many patients. For example, respiratory therapists develop asthma at a rate five times the normal population.

Dr. Leo Galland, author of The Four Pillars of Healing, really sums it all up nicely when he states that asthma is not a disease; it is a protective response to environmental toxicity. When you get rid of the symptomatic response by using a bronchodialator without changing the environment, you aggravate the underlying condition (inflammation). The key to treatment, after a correct diagnosis, is combining a cleaner environment with careful use of medicine when necessary.

For example, a dust-mite sensitive patient with asthma who really keeps his/her house free of dust mites and reduces his/her exposure in the bedroom and at work will not tend to provoke an asthmatic attack as easily. Medicines will be more effective.

“Total load reduction” is a term we use to help asthma and allergy patients understand that reduction of exposure to allergies, toxins and irritants of indoor and outdoor pollution really does make a difference in their treatment response.

Reduce Your Risk

The following list from Dr. Galland will help you lower your house pollutant load:

1. Reduce moisture. Relative humidity greater than 40 percent increases mold growth, a potential asthma stimulant. Don’t use carpets in areas with dampness, especially basements or slab concrete. Remove anything damaged by water including carpet pad and old wood building materials to prevent establishment of a mold colony.

If you need a humidifier for abnormally dry air (less than 25 percent relative humidity), clean it regularly of the mold that will always grow in the water container. Also try lowering the thermostat since the hotter you keep the air, the more moisture it needs.

2. Avoid formaldehyde. Fiber board glue, particle board and plywood articles are the biggest offenders but new clothing, upholstered furniture and carpeting all release significant amounts, especially when new. Latex paint, cosmetics, paper and plastic products all contain formaldehyde. The list is endless, and you need to learn it to reduce exposure.

3. Use clean water and test it for chemical contaminants that can leach into ground water. Chlorine is great for controlling bacterial infection but can react with organic matter and form small amounts of cancer-causing Trihalomethanes. People also develop sensitivity to chlorine. I have several patients with proven chlorine sensitivity that are tremendously improved by simply removing it from their spas and water sources.

Fluoridation of water does help decrease tooth decay but also contributes to leaching of aluminum from cookware. Aluminum has been implicated in hyperactivity and early onset of Alzheimers, although conclusive proof of this is not yet available. All drinking water should be filtered if supplied by a city source.

4. Adopt the Japanese custom of keeping shoes worn outside at the door when you enter your home to reduce lead and pesticides in your house dust. Carpeting can hold 100 times as much dust as wood floors. Levels of lead in carpet dust can exceed levels found at Superfund cleanup sites. Be especially careful with toddlers and dirty carpets.

5. Stop smoking. Don’t allow any smokers to puff away in your home. Secondary smoke, especially in the airway, is unequivocally bad for other humans but especially for asthmatics.

6. Check you home office. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted from all office machines, computers, copiers, printers, fax machines and laser printers. They contribute to “sick office syndrome.” At work if you are asthmatic, it is even more important. Some workers are chronically exposed to chemicals and irritants at low levels, which probably contribute to chronic airway inflammation.

7. Make sure all fuel-burning appliances are properly vented. If possible, don’t use continuous pilot lights and even better, use electric, not gas, stoves.

8. Use home monitors for carbon monoxide and formaldehyde.

9. Use high quality forced air furnace filters with 3M filtrate. They remove hundreds of times more contaminants and particulate matter from air.

10. Nutritional support of body defenses also helps asthmatic patients. There is undeniable proof of this in the world scientific literature not controlled by pharmaceutical and medical insurance companies. Protective mechanisms are worsened by diets high in sodium and low in Vitamin C, zinc, selenium and especially magnesium. Ask your physician.

Clean Up Your House One Room at a Time

One of the best ways to treat allergy and asthma symptoms is to avoid the allergens that cause your symptoms. Common allergens are pollen, dust mites, animal dander, and mold. Surprisingly, most people think that it’s too difficult or inconvenient to avoid allergens. But taking a few preventive measures can be well worth the effort.

Try not to let tips about avoiding allergens overwhelm you. Usually it’s a good idea to try one change in your environment at a time. Your best bet is to start in the bedroom since more time is spent in this room than in any other room in the house. Taking steps such as getting rid of carpets and clutter and zippering mattresses and pillows in allergen-proof cases can help.

Other good allergy-reducing steps include keeping pets out of the bedroom at all times and running air purifiers with HEPA filters 24 hours per day.

After you have allergy-proofed your bedroom, progress to other rooms in the house, if necessary. Many people find that just sleeping in a room that is more free of allergens makes a difference.

Dr. James Hamp is a Board-certified Otolaryngologist, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy. He can be reached at ENT Professional Associates in Ashland, Wisconsin, or Ironwood, Michigan, or online at www.drhamp.com.