6 Ways To Detox Fluoride – A Known Neurotoxin – From Your Body

By Amanda Froelich

Sodium fluoride is classified as a neurotoxin - in the same category as arsenic, lead, and mercury, but it’s still prevalent in the United States’ water supply. Here are six ways to detox the substance from your body.

For years, health experts have been debating about whether or not sodium fluoride is toxic to the human body. Small amounts applied topically may prevent tooth decay, but there is little evidence suggesting that fluoride improves health when it is ingested.

In fact, according to the world’s oldest and most prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, the additive is actually a neurotoxin and is classified in the same category as arsenic, lead, and mercury. Because it is commonly ingested through fluoridated water, certain foods, and commercial toothpastes, researchers believe that the additive is contributing to a worldwide “pandemic of developmental neurotoxicity” that results in disabilities such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and other cognitive impairments.

The report coincides with 2013 findings by a Harvard University meta-analysis which was funded by the National Institutes of Health. The researchers concluded that children in areas with highly fluoridated water have “significantly lower’ IQ scores than those who live in areas with low amounts of fluoride in their water supply. In addition, the Harvard website states that “extremely high levels of fluoride are known to cause neurotoxicity in adults, and negative impacts on memory and learning have been reported in rodent studies.” In addition, “little is known about the substance’s impact on children’s neurodevelopment.”

Despite these findings, fluoride is still added to approximately 60% of the United States’ water supply. This is especially concerning, considering that sodium fluoride was once used as rat poison.

Because the cumulative toxin accumulates in the human body and can manifest in problems over time, including dental fluorosis – or far worse health issues, it’s important every individual follows the steps below to eliminate the additive from their body.

Note: You might experience detox symptoms at first – such as headaches, sluggishness, or aches and pains, but this is a sign foreign agents are leaving your body. Drink plenty of water and follow the six steps listed below to naturally eliminate fluoride from your system.

1) Get Adequate Iodine

Iodine is an important element for the normal metabolism of cells, especially thyroid hormones. It pushes the fluoride from your body via urine. Some good sources of iodine include seaweed (nori, dulse, wakame, etc…), cranberries, organic yogurt, potatoes, organic strawberries, and organic navy beans.

2) Consume More Boron

Boron is a natural element that helps flush fluoride from your body. Boron-rich foods include most nuts, dates, prunes, honey, broccoli, bananas, and avocado.

3) Eat Some Tamarind

This African fruit and spice is used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine. It can be used in a tincture or tea to cleanse the body of fluoride.

4) Increase Magnesium/Calcium Intake

Most people are deficient in magnesium because the soils have been depleted of this mineral through modern agricultural methods. It plays an important role, however, in the metabolism and synthesis of nutrients within your cells. It also inhibits the absorption of fluoride into your cells. Along with magnesium, calcium seems to help attract fluoride away from bones and teeth, allowing the body to eliminate it.

Both should be taken together, and this can easily be accomplished by consuming dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, whole grains, avocados, organic yogurt, bananas, dried fruit, and dark chocolate.

5) General Liver Cleanse

The most important step to detoxify from excess fluoride may be to cleanse your liver. The liver is responsible for over 400 functions in the body, and when it gets overburdened, a number of symptoms may manifest. Because fluoride isn’t a product found naturally in the body, some sources claim that it may get stuck in the liver.

If you drink lemon water upon rising and eat liver-friendly foods, such as garlic, turmeric, lemons, limes, and avocado, your body will have an easier time removing heavy metals and toxins.

6) Sit In A Sauna

Saunas are great for ridding your body of toxins, as they inspire the body to sweat them out. The penetrating heat feels good, as well. Just be sure to drink plenty of water before and after to prevent dehydration. If you have any medical conditions, consult your healthcare provider first.

Credit: AmbitiousKitchen

By adopting a wholesome, plant-based diet, getting plenty of exercise, receiving 15-20 minutes of sunlight per day, thinking positive thoughts, and taking time off to keep your stress levels in check, you’ll find that you feel better and have more energy than before. These additional tips will improve your body’s ability to detox fluoride and other toxins from your system, as well.

What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!

This article (6 Ways To Detox Fluoride – A Known Neurotoxin – From Your Body) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com

Click Here For More Articles

Don't forget to opt-in to Our Healthy Living Society and get 3 free gifts while receiving the latest information on health, well-being and groundbreaking news about natural nutrition.

This Infographic Shows What Soda Does to Your Body

Just one sip of soda can have health consequences on your body. This infographic explains the dangers of what happens when soda enters your body.

11 Toxic Chemicals Affecting Brain Development In Children
Alice G. Walton

The list of chemicals that can affect brain development in children has grown. In a study out today in The Lancet Neurology, researchers outline new chemicals that may be contributing to what they dub the “global, silent pandemic of neurodevelopmental toxicity.” In 2006, the team had released a list of five neurotoxins that may contribute to everything from cognitive deficits to attention problems. Now that list is expanded, based on new research that has since accumulated on chemicals linked to developmental disorders in children. Today, they outline six more.

“The greatest concern is the large numbers of children who are affected by toxic damage to brain development in the absence of a formal diagnosis,” said study author Philippe Grandjean, of the Harvard School of Public Health. “They suffer reduced attention span, delayed development, and poor school performance. Industrial chemicals are now emerging as likely causes.”

Neurobehavioral problems, like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, affect about 10-15% of kids born today, the authors say. Genes play a large role in some of these disorders – but not that large. Only about 30-40% of the cases of the disorders can be accounted for by genes alone, so environment must make up the other part. Outlining those compounds can be difficult, but the research is mounting, and pointing to a growing list of chemicals that we should avoid.

Because of the frequency with which these chemicals are present in our everyday lives – even banned ones – and the rising rates of developmental disorders in children, the authors say that urgent change should take place: “A new framework of action is needed.”

Here are the 11 chemicals for which there is strong evidence of connection to neurodevelopmental disorders in children:

Lead–This is one of the most extensively researched compounds in terms of neurodevelopment, and has been consistently linked to serious deficits, including low IQ. Its effects seem to be permanent, leading to the conclusion that there is no safe level of exposure.

Methylmercury–Affecting the neurological development of the fetus,exposure often comes from maternal intake of fish containing high levels of mercury, according to the World Health Organization and the EPA.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) – This family of chemicals has routinely been associated with reduced cognitive function in infancy and childhood. It is often present in foods, particularly fish, and can be passed along in breast milk.

Arsenic – When absorbed through drinking water, this chemical has been linked to reduced cognitive function in schoolchildren. Follow-up studies from the Morinaga milk poisoning incident have linked it to neurological disease in adulthood.

Toluene – Used as a solvent, maternal exposure has been linked to brain development problems and attention deficit in the child, according to the EPA and OSHA.

Manganese – In the drinking water in Bangladesh, for example, this chemical has been linked to lower scores in math, diminished intellectual function, and ADHD.

Fluoride – Higher levels of this chemical has been connected with a 7-point decrease in IQ in children.

Chlorpyrifos and DDT (pesticides) – Linked to structural abnormalities of the brain and neurodevelopmental problems that persist up to age 7. These pesticides are banned in many parts of the world (U.S. included), but still used in many lower-income countries. They have recently been linked to Alzheimer’s disease as well.

Tetrachloroethylene (AKAperchlorethylene)– These solvents have been linked to hyperactivity and aggressive behavior, and increased risk of psychiatric diagnosis. Mothers in certain professional roles, like nurse, chemist, cleaner, hairdresser, and beautician had higher levels of exposure.

The polybrominateddiphenyl ethers – These flame retardants are banned now, but believed to be neurotoxins. Prenatal exposure has been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders in the child.

Two more compounds of concern are bisphenol A (BPA), a common plastics additive, and phthalate, found in many cosmetics. BPA is an endocrine (hormone) disruptor, and, strongly suspected to affect neurodevelopment in children, it has been banned in baby bottles and sippy cups. Phthalates, which are common in personal products like nail polish and hair spray, have been routinely linked to shortened attention span and impaired social interactions in children.

The developing human brain is incredibly vulnerable to chemical exposures, both in utero and in early childhood, and these changes can be lifelong. “During these sensitive life stages,” say the authors, “chemicals can cause permanent brain injury at low levels of exposure that would have little or no adverse effect in an adult.”

The neurotoxin “pandemic” is disturbing enough that the authors strongly recommend having mandatory tests for chemicals, which many have been arguing for years. One common complaint has been that when one compound does finally become banned, another equally toxic and often untested chemical may take its place. More rigorous testing, though complicated to carry out, might address this major issue.

“The problem is international in scope,” says Grandjean,“and the solution must therefore also be international. We have the methods in place to test industrial chemicals for harmful effects on children’s brain development—now is the time to make that testing mandatory.”

Avoiding these chemicals can be difficult, because they are so prevalent, and present in food, cosmetics, receipt papers, and containers. 

But reading labels and avoiding certain products is a start.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2014/02/15/11-toxic-chemicals-afffecting-brain-development-in-children/