This is my interview with Dr. Phil Wazny NMD. In this video I ask a few of the most frequently requested questions to Dr. Wazny. Learn about what supplements are most important to give your children, tips on getting children to eat healthy, and which chemicals are most important to avoid. You can read more about Dr. Wazny on our About Page.
Enjoy!
Nickie
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You have probably heard of high fructose corn syrup. It is an extremely popular, part-processed sweetener that manufacturers use for almost every kind of food that they can sweeten. High fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, starts out as simply cornstarch. Through a chemical process, the glucose in the corn starch is changed over to fructose, a different kind of sugar compound. The result? A sugar made mostly of fructose with some glucose leftover. And why do food makers prefer it so much? Well, mostly becase its cheap: It doesn’t cost as much to use the fructose mixture as it does to use real glucose products, and fructose tends to last a lot longer on the shelf.
But HFCS isn’t nearly so good for us or our children. Basically, there are no healthy sweeteners, and although fructose is no aspartame it can still cause problems. Studies have linked the sweetener to obesity, and over time it can cause insulin problems, elevated blood pressure, and several different liver diseases. Fructose is not absorbed or used quite as readily by the digestive system as glucose, which means it falls on the liver to do almost all of the work. While fructose can be processed by our bodies, the end result is not as good as more natural sugars.
One of the primary problems is that HFCS is in everything. We ingest massive quantities of it, usually without realizing it. High fructose corn syrup isn’t just in juice boxes, sodas, syrups, and fast food pies–it’s also hiding in most fast food sauces and salad dressings, all kinds of rolls and bread, potato salads, and most types of processed ice creams.
Since we eat HFCS in such high quantities, the problems it causes are compounded, and it can even make it more difficult for our bodies to absorb necessary vitamins. Youth can eat as many as 73 grams of HFCS a day from common drinks and foods! When you consider that other studies have shown the presence of toxic metals like mercury in some processed corn syrup, the fructose levels become even more worrying.
With so much high fructose corn syrup included in foods, the key is moderation. Find out which foods include a lot of HFCS, and avoid them or consume them in smaller qualities. Kicking a soft drink habit can make a huge difference in HFCS levels in the body. Limiting fast food stops is a good idea, too. You can replace juice drinks and soda for your family with natural and fresh juices instead. Visit Stophfcs.com for a long list of products and ingredients that are low in HFCS or do not use it all.
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Many people think of plastic just being one thing: plastic. Unfortunately, plastics are many different substances combined, and can come in many different varieties depending on how they are made, with varying levels of toxins and danger depending on how the plastic is used. One of the most common ingredients are plasticizers, particular compounds that are used to make materials more flexible. One of the most famous types of plastic, PVC, has a significant amount of plasticizer additive, although in this case the compound is used to make PVC more durable instead of flexible (with the plasticizer, PVC pipe would crack and split).
You may be surprised in the other common materials that use plasticizers, too. Some types of concrete, for example, use plasticizers to create stronger bonds and make it easier to spread out before it dries. Plasticizers are used in the manufacturing of certain types of wallboard, not because they add any permanently useful qualities, but because it allows companies to use less water so the board will dry faster.
What is the problem with these ubiquitous plasticizers? Well, they are part of a family of chemicals known as phthalates, which are made by the billions of pounds every year across the world. Phthalates have been proven to wreck havoc with the body’s reproductive system, causing everything from birth defects in males to increased chances of breast cancer. Numerous animals studies have shown a propensity for phthalates to damage the female reproductive system, the liver, and the kidneys as well.
This would not be so hazardous if plasticizers stayed sealed within plastic products, but they do not: phthalates tend to leech out of the plastic into surrounding substances, especially food or tissue. Plastic cups, food packaging, and plastic plates or dining ware
made with plasticizers are all possible contaminators of food. Even your nail polish may be a culprit. Medical devices are also suspect–you know those bags they store blood in for intravenous injection? Some are made with plasticizers, which have the ability pass into the blood, and then to the patient (so far manufacturers do not have a problem with this, since the toxins help the blood last longer in the bags).
Fortunately, not all manufacturers use plasticizers. But, you may want to skip the plastic-wrapped cheese, which has tested with some of the highest levels of leeched plasticizer compounds. When buying meat or pre-packaged vegetables and fatty foods, try to find products that are wrapped in paper products rather than the more dangerous cling wrap.
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Childhood asthma is a debilitating disease that affects the lungs of young children and can last throughout adulthood. This condition can cause a lot of pain and fear in young children, and can be heavy on their parents’ minds and pocketbooks. Not only is childhood asthma a terrifying experience, it is also on the rise. Several government studies have shown that childhood asthma conditions have increased by as much as 60 to 70 percent! Of course, some is these are probably doctors becoming better at diagnosing asthma conditions, but the rise is still astonishing. Childhood asthma is now the most common condition in the developed world, and things aren’t going to get better.
The problem is that the lungs are very sensitive organs that eagerly absorb inhaled air to pick up all the oxygen that they can. In the process, lungs also absorb any particles in the air straight into their tissues. You may not be surprised to learn that the air indoors is filled with all kinds of particles that can cause damage to the lung tissue. High on the list are particles produced from paint and outgassing. VOCs and other fume particles from paint are clearly bad news, causing a variety of illnesses throughout the body, but when a baby is raised in a home where there’s a lot of VOCs, its lungs can become permanently weakened.
You may have never heard of outgassing, but it happens when particle board used to build houses starts to “exhale” or release particles from inside its fibers into the air. Unfortunately, particle board is put together with truly nasty chemicals like formaldehyde, which have been proven to cause lung damage when they are breathed in. And before you start blaming these construction chemicals for all the asthma in the world, take a look at the studies done in Australia and Europe that link childhood asthma to common household cleaners, especially bleach. Window cleaners, air fresheners, and disinfectants were also pinpointed.
If you are worried about your child developing an asthma condition, you may be panicking–understandably–but fortunately there are things you can do to make your home safer and hopefully asthma-free. First, use green construction materials wherever possible. VOC-free paints and varnishes are a must. To get rid of the outgassing effect, try using green particle board instead. This board uses recycled lumber materials and natural resins instead of formaldehyde and other nasty chemicals. Finally, be extra careful of what chemical cleaners and cosmetics you use. When in doubt, always look at the labels. If there’s a warning sign, it’s there for a reason. Stay away from bleach and try using eco-friendly products, stain-fighting enzymes, and ionized water when possible.
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When you have children or infants, waterproofing can be important, whether it is on mattresses, mattress covers, sleeping and changing pads…the list goes on. Waterproof coatings, sheaths, and materials help stop leaks from damaging fabrics and make all sorts of messes easier to clean up. Unfortunately, they also come with a high price, especially for children who are exposed to them. Fortunately, there are amazing products that you can switch to and we will cover that later.
Crib mattresses and changing pads are most often covered with vinyl or PVC. The PVC forms a thick plastic barrier over the fabric that keeps all liquids out so that mattress will not become stained or wet, while also providing an easier way to clean up messes than washing the entire mattress. But here is the problem: most plastics have a certain number of toxins, but PVC is considered to be one of the most dangerous plastics still manufactured, and is made using an astonishing number of chemical compounds that have been proven to be dangerous, including dioxins, phthalates, vinyl chloride, ethylene dichloride, lead, cadmium, and organotins. Not only are these vinyl materials found in waterproofing materials, but they also occur in children’s picture books, toys, and blankets.
So What Do These Chemicals Do?
Understandably, most people are unaware that these chemicals are inside of products that are sold everywhere and commonly used. I totally get it! It is surprising to many and if this is you, bank it as knowledge and change the product you are using for the future. The least harmful of these PVC-based chemicals are compounds like dioxins, vinyl chloride, and ethylene dichloride. These are petroleum based chemicals that are used in the manufacturing of different kinds of plastic, and if they are absorbed into the human body they can cause permanent lung, kidney, and brain damage. Next come the compounds that are outright poisons, such as lead and atimony, which can cause several types of permanent nerve damage. Then there are more devious compounds such as phthalates, which can impede or manipulate hormones, causing sexual and reproductive problems in infants and children. With this host of dangerous substances, waterproofing materials are certainly not something you want near your child.
Organic Waterproofing Options
Now lets look at what we can purchase to help us save our mattress since the overwhelming number of hazards associated with waterproofing plastics may turn you off to the idea of waterproofing completely. Some waterproofing mattress pads purposefully avoid using the plastic methods to keep water from penetrating the fabric, and instead use thin membranes that act as filters, letting air pass through but keeping water out. On the other hand, many of these “organic” options still use some type of plastic, such as food-packing related polyethylene, but these plastics are still far less dangerous than the vinyl options traditionally manufactured.
I personally use OMIs organic mattresses with an OMI Puddle Pad in between the mattress and an OMI Mattress cover. The Puddle Pads are amazing because they are a thin layer of 100% wool which by nature is anti-bacterial. Wool is also moisture, dust mite, and fire resistant. The wool allows the liquid to “puddle” up on it with out seeping through to the mattress. Trust me, I have used these with my boys and it works like a charm. The mattress cover is made of organic cotton flannel and goes on top of the puddle pad for additional comfort and protection. You can also get organic changing pads and accessories from OMI as well. I know there are other brands out there but, this is the one that I love and have experience with. The main reason I love this company is because they are the only 100% organic factory of its kind and it is in Northern California. I also wanted to mention a product that you can take on the go that is entirely safe and gorgeous from Patemm Inc. It is called the Patemm Pad,
a very safe and practical alternative to the diaper bag. It is free of PVC, lead, BPA, latex and it is formaldehyde free. The organic version is the way to go and the colors are beautiful. It is in a round shape that is completely cool for putting your baby in any position and it has inside pockets for storage. Just in case you were wondering, I am not being paid in any way to write this. I like what I use and I tell you about it.
Simply put, a flame retardant is any chemical used by manufacturers to make a product resistant to fire. The original intent was to keep the more flammable materials in houses and buildings safe in case of sparks, heat, or other things that may cause fires. Unfortunately, the chemicals used to make objects flame resistant are toxic, and they can be hiding everywhere. Fabric is the most likely suspect: curtains, carpets, upholstery on furniture, bedspreads, mattresses, and clothing.
If you think you can simply wash out these flame retardant chemicals when you buy the product, think again. Manufacturers bake them deep into the fabrics where they will stay for years, washing or not. How toxic these retardants are depends on the compounds used. Some will simply release VOCs like toluene, benzene, formaldehyde, ethyl benzene, styrene, and acetone into the air where they can be breathed in and cause kidney and lung damage over time. Others have more sinister ingredients: PBDEs, which can cause brain damage, among other disorders, and p-Dichlorobenzene, a known carcinogen.
Fortunately, more companies are beginning to offer increasingly more alternatives to synthetic and processed fabrics with fire retardants. Look for organic mattresses (OMI is my favorite), natural weave carpets (such as hemp) and healthy window treatment options (like bamboo).
While flame retardants can be dangerous for adults, they hold even more danger for kids. Those PBDEs, along with phthalates, dioxins, and several other chemicals, can act as gender-bending agents, a group of compounds known to block, alter, or mimic the actions of hormones in children and infants, leadings a number of sexual and reproductive disorders. Combine this with the other toxic effects of flame retardants, and the results are more than alarming. Even worse, fabrics made for kids are coated even more heavily with flame retardants than most, including bedspreads, pajamas (characters and movie heroes), stuffed animals, and other toys.
Keeping a flame-retardant free home is an excellent idea, but be sure to follow through on the process. Getting rid of synthetic and chemical-coated carpet is fine, but it will not be very effective if you and your loved ones are still sleeping on a flame retardant-coated mattress.
The infamous family of preservatives known as parabens has been present in commercial products for years and, until recently, has gone largely undetected and unprotested. Chemically, parabens are esters formed from para-hydroxybenzoic acid, parts of which are directly related to highly toxic alkaloid substances such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl. Some paraben-like compounds are found naturally, secreted by plants, but those in commercial products are created synthetically as preservatives.
Parabens are used primarily in cosmetics and hygiene products, including makeup, lotions, and hair care products. Manufacturers of these items have found that including small amounts of parabens in their products keeps bacteria and other undesirable organisms from growing while the items are being used. Unfortunately, the same toxic qualities that keep out bacteria also have unhealthy effects on the human body.
The series of studies conducted on paraben dangers in both animals and humans follow the all too common back and forth history of disputed chemicals. Certain studies have shown that parabens can have a series of dangerous effects on the human body, especially for women and young children. These studies are then combated by other studies encouraged by companies which use parabens, introducing doubt and questioning the parameters of previous tests, which are then repeated in a cycle that can take decades to resolve.
In summary, parabens can imitate the effects of estrogen in the body. Since hormone chemicals are strictly regulated by the body’s glands, introducing extra amounts of these chemicals–or compounds which imitate them–can cause severe complications over a long period of time. Parabens can cause breast cancer in women through these effects, and prove especially dangerous to young children whose systems are still underdeveloped. In male children the estrogen-imitating qualities of parabens can cause problems with testicular development and testosterone production.
Cosmetics can be a dangerous source of parabens because many of the safety laws that govern chemicals used in foods or drugs do not apply to cosmetic compounds, which is why parabens are found only occasionally in food products but are common in cosmetics. Laws do require cosmetics to list all the ingredients they use, so parabens can be spotted by looking for their prefixes–ingredients that start with methyl, ethyl, propyl, and especially butyl are suspect. Once applied, cosmetics interact with the skin and scalp and their chemicals can be absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream.
Fortunately, there are organic cosmetic options available at many stores, and the effectiveness of cosmetics is not harmed at all by leaving out parabens and other synthetic agents. Usually, it is only the different between a shelf life of a couple years and a shelf life of 12 to 18 months for the organic version.
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