We are a social experiment in the making. Never in the history of mankind have we been exposed to so many man-made chemicals.

Artificial dyes and preservatives are used in most of our processed foods. They are even found in both prescription and nonprescription drugs. Examples of dangerous additives are benzoates, yellow dye (tartrazine), nitrites, sorbic acid, and sulfites.

Allergic symptoms associated with them include hives, angioedema, asthma, sinusitis, headache, anxiety, depression, and chronic fatigue.

Aspartame can be found in most diet sodas and in other artificially sweetened food products. Commonly known as NutraSweet or Equal, it is broken down by the body into methanol and formaldehyde.

Toxic levels of methanol are linked to systemic lupus and now Alzheimer's disease. Methanol toxicity also causes depression, brain fog, mood changes, insomnia, seizures, and similar symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis. As for formaldehyde, it is grouped into the same class of drugs as cyanide and arsenic.

When the temperature of aspartame exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in the product is turned into formaldehyde and then into formic acid. Formic acid is the poison contained in the sting of a fire ant. There are over 92 documented symptoms from the use of aspartame.

Monosodium glutamate is often added to soups, stews, and Chinese food.

Benzoates, toluenes, and butylated hydroxyanisole can be found in pickles, jams, jellies, and some sodas and cakes. Sulfites are added to salad bars, beer, frozen french fries, dried fruit, shampoos, conditioners, and some cosmetics.

Nitrites are used to preserve luncheon meats, hot dogs, and other ready-to-eat meats.

Here's what you can do:
Avoid foods containing artificial dyes and preservatives. If the ingredients list is hard to pronounce, it's probably even harder on your body.
Consume whole, live foods. Fruits, vegetables, and whole, unprocessed grains (unless you are gluten sensitive) are the healthiest foods to eat. These foods are loaded with antioxidant, cancer-fighting, and immune-boosting phytonutrients. They are easy on the digestive system and allow the body to generate more energy to fight diseases and build immunity.

Toxic Heavy Metal Chemicals
Toxic chemicals don't have to enter through the mouth. Many of the products we use on a daily basis in the form of shampoos, conditioners, lotion soaps, deodorants, and cosmetics are contaminated with toxic chemicals, especially heavy metals. Many of these metals have been implicated in causing or contributing to such conditions as Alzheimer's, ADD, depression, headache, hypertension, FMS, CFS, and tingling in the extremities.

Aluminum toxicity has been linked to Alzheimer's disease and mental dementia. Aluminum is found in some antacids, baking flours, baking soda, processed cheeses, toothpastes, shampoos and conditioners, deodorants, prescription and nonprescription drugs, and aluminum cans, pots, and pans.

Arsenic can cause central depression, headache, high fevers, decreased red blood cells, fatigue, diarrhea, and even death. Municipal or well water may get contaminated with arsenic.
I once treated a woman who had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, only to find through hair analysis and other testing that she had actually been poisoned with arsenic.

Cadmium levels, when elevated, are associated with hypertension, kidney failure, loss of coordination, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, and loss of hearing. Common environmental sources include tobacco smoke and oil-based paints.

Lead toxicity effects are numerous and include neurological disorders in children, chronic anemia, learning disturbances, and fatigue. Common sources of lead in the environment are lead-based paints, drinking water, industrial contaminants, airborne emissions, and occupations involving metal work and printing. It is also found in some personal care products. Lead absorption is higher when calcium intake is deficient.

Mercury toxicity can cause a wide variety of health problems: CFS, FMS, stunted growth, confusion and dementia, numbness in the extremities, depression, muscle and joint pain, allergies, chronic infections, and possibly brain damage. Mercury can suppress selenium absorption. Selenium blocks mercury absorption by binding with competing sulfur enzyme centers. Mercury can turn normal bacteria pathogenic (disease causing) and block the function of the nerve cells in the brain and peripheral nervous system. Mercury can also trigger autoimmune responses.
One source of chronic, low-level mercury exposure is the eating of predatory fish. Mercury enters the water as a natural process of off-gassing from the earth's crust and as a result of industrial pollution. It is then routinely found in large predatory fish, such as swordfish, shark, salmon, and tuna.
Most of the mercury toxicity in my patients comes from the fillings in their teeth. Dental amalgams (silver fillings) contain a highly absorbable form of mercury that vaporizes at room temperature. And while mercury is poorly absorbed if taken orally, its vapors are readily absorbed through the lungs and quickly pass the blood-brain barrier. Once inside a cell, mercury is usually there to stay, so it accumulates in the kidneys, neurological tissue (including the brain), and the liver. Evidence of high mercury exposure has also been found in the heart, thyroid, and pituitary tissues of dentists. Animal research has shown that within 24 hours of having a silver filling placed, an animal has detectable levels of mercury in the spinal fluid, and in the brain within 48 hours. Other sources of mercury include the use of fossil fuels, fungicides, and some paints, and the production of chlorine, paper, and pulp.
Nickel is not as toxic as many of the other metals. It's associated with headache, diarrhea, blue gums and lips, lethargy, insomnia, rapid heart rate, and shortness of breath. It is found in some personal care products.

Here's what you can do:
Order a Hair Analysis Test Kit. These inexpensive tests can be done at home and are an accurate first step in uncovering heavy metal overload.
Use stainless steel pots and pans. Also avoid aluminum- and lead-lined cans.
Switch to natural toothpaste, hair products, and deodorants. Visit your local health-food store or browse online; you should find a wide selection of natural body products. Read the labels.
Never take antacids that contain aluminum. Not only do they contain toxic aluminum, they block hydrochloric acid, preventing the body from synthesizing essential nutrients like vitamin B12. A deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause dementia, Alzheimer's, depression, and fatigue. Antacids also don't allow you to absorb calcium. So if you are taking Tums as a source of calcium, you have been duped by their marketing team.
Explore alternatives to long-term prescription drugs. Work with your doctor. Severely reduce or eliminate alcohol, nicotine, allergic foods, and preservative-rich foods.
Supplement with antioxidants to combat free radicals. Include vitamins A, E, and C; the mineral selenium; and pycnogenol.
Enjoy foods from the Brassica family: broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. They contain phytochemicals that stimulate phase I and phase II detoxification pathways. Supplement with silybum marianum (milk thistle) and alpha lipoic acid (ALA). The silymarin complex, particularly the silibinin component of milk thistle, protects the liver from free-radical damage. It prevents certain toxins from entering liver cells and stimulates regeneration of damaged liver cells.
Silymarin may also prevent the damage caused by certain drugs such as acetaminophen, antidepressants, and antipsychotic, cholesterol-lowering, and anticonvulsive drugs.
Milk thistle may someday be the main treatment for hepatitis, a chronic viral infection of the liver that can lead to liver damage and, in some cases, liver failure. During a six-month treatment period in patients with chronic alcohol hepatitis, liver function test results normalized and liver enzymes improved over controls using placebo.
Supplement with alpha lipoic acid (ALA). This powerful antioxidant compound helps recycle glutathione. It can help prevent and repair damage to liver cells and is being studied for its regenerative properties in neurological diseases including Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's disease, and Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Rodger Murphree