Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Once again, I welcome my colleague and friend Dr. Walter Crinnion to my podcast. In this podcast we talk about the role of common environmental chemicals and how they affect children specifically in relation to ADD and ADHD.
However, before we get to the substance of this podcast I want to remind you that for a few more days, this very important documentary on the role of GMOs in your health and health of your family is still online to watch for free. I urge you to watch it and to apply it to your life.
It is free to watch HERE!
I remind everybody that we now know that one in six children in America has a developmental disability. The spectrum of these disorders includes autism, learning disorders or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder which is what we are talking about today.
From 1997 to 1999 from the US Center of Disease Control and Prevention studies, they recognize the 12.8% of children were diagnosed with a developmental disability. In 2008 this rose to 15%. These studies lag behind the current date, but we do know that it is continuing to rise.
There is great expense involved in taking care of children with ADHD – taking your children to the doctors, getting diagnosed, taking medications getting special schooling etc. in addition there is a tremendous emotional and stress cost to the family as well as to the child with ADHD. And the emotional costs to the child, continue to add up throughout their whole life.
Therefore if we as parents can do anything to prevent this are helping to alter and improve their lives.
We then go on to talk about all the environmental toxicants, all of which are common that are contributors to ADHD.
The good news is that the majority of these toxins levels are very correctable by changing one’s diet and lifestyle as well as the things in the house. So the majority of things which have been highly associated with ADHD are fixable things and that is the good news.
In addition when you make the changes in diet and lifestyle they will help everybody in the household –the whole family not just a child.
Everybody thinks that these children are JUST the children of farmworkers who are getting exposed to pesticides all day. Dr. Crinnion quickly dismantles that myth.
We go on to talk about organophosphate pesticides which are the ones found in non-organic fruits and vegetables. For example one of these dimethyl – triphosphate, when found in children above the CDC mean levels, doubled the risk of the children getting ADHD. And this was not in the womb, but in children that were being raised from birth.
Just this last September there was an update from the CDC. In looking at this particular pesticide, the levels in children aged 6 to 11 have been going up each year that the CDC looks at it. This correlates with the incidence of ADHD going up.
Dr. Crinnion and I both recommend that you go to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) site and download the list of the 12 most pesticided fruits and vegetables for when you go shopping.. That is where you want to spend the extra money and go organic.
That food list is here for your phone, tablet or print out
This is important for the woman while she is pregnant as well, because organophosphate pesticides during pregnancy is also recognized the cause chronic neurological problems in the child.
We then go on to talk about chlorinated pesticides, and PCB exposure in utero and ADHD. Current exposure to these primarily comes from farmed salmon and catfish. We talk about how mothers who are pregnant are wanting to make the kid smart so they eat fish to get the fish oil. They do not realize they are also getting these persistent pollutants. Dr. Crinnion gives the name of several brands of farmed fish.
Dr. Crinnion point out that there are a blood tests that can be done for any woman who is considering conceiving to see what her levels are. I do these routinely on women in my practice who want this information before they conceive.
Dr. Crinnion reminds me that the same toxicants that we are talking about are also associated with higher rates of asthma, allergies, obesity, diabetes and a whole host of other adverse health problems in the child.
Dr. Crinnion stated: “You want the best for your kid. This is some of the cheapest insurance you can get.”
We then go on to talk about using pesticides in your house to treat insects. Both Dr. Crinnion and I strongly encourage you to look for nonchemical alternatives to bug problems.
Some of my patients wanting to make their house pretty before the baby is born lay down new carpeting. We talk about the risks associated with that.
I refer you to Dr. Walter Crinnion’s excellent book Clean, Green, and Lean, which is an excellent practical guide to how to get your house clean of foreign chemicals. This would be a great asset for preparing your house for a new baby.
The book is here
And kindle version here
In part two of this podcast with Dr. Crinnion I will go on to talk about the effects of heavy metals and phthalates, which are found in personal care products and their relationships to ADHD.
Please send in your questions or leave comments on my site so that I know you’re out there listening! Also please RATE me on iTunes so we can spread the word on the importance of Integrative Medicine for our health. Also you can follow me on HYPERLINK Twitter and on Facebook. Now that I’ve gotten my Facebook fan page set up it is so much easier to join me!
References from this Podcast
Developmental neurotoxicity of industrial chemicals
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and urinary metabolites of organophosphate pesticides.
Prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides and IQ in 7-year-old children.
Increased risk of ADHD associated with early exposure to pesticides, PCBs.
About Dr. Soram Khalsa
As an MD, Dr Soram specializes in Integrative Medicine combining diet, nutrition, acupuncture, herbs and nutrition. Visit Dr Soram’s Healthy Living Store where you’ll find high-quality nutritional supplements:
