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Learning to Cope with Organochlorine Pollution
by: Jennifer Rodriguez-Allen
What are organochlorines?
Organochlorines are chemicals found in some herbicides and
pesticides, in chlorine bleach and most chemical disinfectants, and many plastics,
especially PVC (polyvinylchloride).
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Organochlorines are implicated in causing and promoting
breast cancer because they mutate genes and they cause breast cells
to become more receptive to a cancer-promoting chemical called estradiol.
Organochlorines weaken the immune system and lower your body’s resistance
to bacteria and viruses. They also act as a negative type of estrogen
in the body.
How do they enter our bodies?
Organochlorines enter our bodies through our drinking water,
by eating foods grown with certain agricultural chemicals, and through the
plastic linings on canned or microwaveable foods. They enter through our lungs
by breathing in the fumes of chlorine bleach disinfectants and by body contact
with chlorine bleached paper products such as tampons, toilet paper and paper
cups.
How can we reduce our exposure?
Step One-Reduce Your Exposure
The first thing to do is to reduce your plastic consumption, especially of
convenience foods. On plastic containers, there is typically a triangle with
a number inside of it on the bottom of the container. You can recognize PVC
or polyvinylchloride as the type of plastic that has a 3 in the center of
the triangle.
As for paper products, use oxygen bleached or unbleached
paper products. Companies who sell non-chlorine bleached paper products typically
say so on the label and they do not necessarily market their products as "green"
products.
Buy the non-chlorine bleach and more environmentally friendly
household products. Simple vinegar and water can be used for many household
chores.
Eating only organically produced meat and dairy products
will reduce the amount of organochlorines in your diet by 80%.
Step Two-Help Your Liver
With help, your liver can metabolize organochlorines.Flaxseeds and organic egg yolks contain lecithin, a chemical
that speeds up the elimination of fat-soluble chemicals such as organochlorines
by making them water-soluble.
Beans, lentils, red clover, soy products and chickweed contain
chemicals called saponins. Saponins help to break down organochlorines, prevent
cellular mutation and can stop the reproduction of cancer cells.
These foods are strongly recommended for anybody who regularly consumes organochlorines.
Members of the cabbage family including broccoli, kale, turnips,
radishes, cabbage, bok choy or cauliflower can help you metabolize
organochlorines by increasing the production of non-cancerous by-products.
Step Three-Mother Nature’s Help
Woman-positive natural sources of estrogen can block entrance
of organochlorines, estradiol and other cancer promoting estrogens
when enough of them are in the blood stream. The reason behind this is that
these positive hormones move quickly through our bodies whereas the cancer
producing chemicals such as organochlorines move more slowly. If there are
enough of these plant hormones in the blood stream, they can easily
block organochlorines from attaching themselves to breast cells and from promoting
cancer.
These plant hormones can be found in lentils, dried beans,
tofu and fermented soy products such as tempeh and miso, parsnips, sweet potatoes,
pomegranates, burdock roots, red clover, hops and ginseng. Regular intake
of broccoli and cabbage is also helpful.
Post Transformation Tips
Making changes in favor of your survival and that of the environment
often puts us in a period of re-adjustment, not only with the society we live
in, but also with our family, friends and neighbors.
Several strategies we use to
maintain positive social relations are:
Natural self-defense does not mean natural aggression, nor does it mean that
it will cause you to develop a social disorder triggered by the existence of
organochlorines. Foods and herbs that encourage natural self-defense
make you lose the taste for products associated with organochlorines.
Allow self-defense foods to empower you to envision and work
towards an organochlorine free future without any anger about the present
situation. In other words, don’t let the forces that encourage personal
and environmental negligence push your buttons.
Choose recycled plastic toys or second hand plastic
toys over new ones for your children.
Send lunches in reusable containers.
Bring a bean or lentil salad to the next barbecue
or potluck supper.
Invite friends who use a lot of plastic and organochlorine
products over to eat. Explain why you eat certain foods and what you have
done to minimize your contribution to its proliferation. Relay the information
in such a way that your guests feel comfortable and leave them to lose the
taste for organochlorine products in their own way and time.
Use organic foods to show your body what a natural food is
and have confidence that your body will use this knowledge to recognize what
isn’t natural and respond appropriately to it. This is a goal that can
be started even on a limited budget. The return of your natural body
begins with one organic apple, especially a shared one!
Other articles you may find interesting:
The
Restrictive Nature of Bras and Breast Cancer
Twelve
Ways to Avoid Cancer Causing Toxins
Donate and Support Cancer Patients and Research
Written by: Jennifer Rodriguez-Allen, B.Sc., Environmental
Chemist and President of Agoo Agii, inc. This article is part of Agoo Agii's
new Breast Self-Exam Kit.Legal Disclaimer-The information contained in this article
is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose,
treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning
any health care program.Copyright 2004 by Agoo Agii, inc. All rights reserved.
*The articles published on this site undergo our review
process. We found the information in this article to be very useful and informative. |
