<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Umbra on toxins in your body]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by lsaenviro http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:38:07 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/1 toxins in the environment: the bigger issue

I appreciate all the media attention lately around the topic of toxins in our environment, and am impatiently waiting for us as a country to address the real problem at hand: that our Federal regulatory system of protecting public health is broken.  The American Red Cross did a study in 2005, spearheaded by the Environmental Working Group and Commonweal, testing newborn chord blood (http://archive.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/execsumm.php) which found a total of 287 chemicals in the newborns. These chemicals include an array of neurotoxic chemicals (such as pesticides and flame retardants) and cancer causing chemicals.  

These toxins are in our babies, so even if there are nifty devices to suck some of these chemicals from our feet (an interesting claim...), we should probably be asking the real question which is: How to we get our Federal government to follow a precautionary principle and prevent these exposures from occurring in our most vulnerable populations in the fist place?

]]> toxins in the environment: the bigger issue

I appreciate all the media attention lately around the topic of toxins in our environment, and am impatiently waiting for us as a country to address the real problem at hand: that our Federal regulatory system of protecting public health is broken.  The American Red Cross did a study in 2005, spearheaded by the Environmental Working Group and Commonweal, testing newborn chord blood (http://archive.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/execsumm.php) which found a total of 287 chemicals in the newborns. These chemicals include an array of neurotoxic chemicals (such as pesticides and flame retardants) and cancer causing chemicals.  

These toxins are in our babies, so even if there are nifty devices to suck some of these chemicals from our feet (an interesting claim...), we should probably be asking the real question which is: How to we get our Federal government to follow a precautionary principle and prevent these exposures from occurring in our most vulnerable populations in the fist place?

]]> Comment #2 by psmith http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:41:14 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/2 Foot pads

Umbra,

I heard about them not on late night TV (I'm sure since I haven't watched TV for 4 years), but on the Daily OM website.  I purchased the 30-day pack and used them.  You can send in a used pad to be tested and they will tell you what toxins were released.  I'm very pleased and my Reiki practitioner has noticed a difference when she has gone to my feet.  The chakras there have not needed any balancing since that which was over a year ago.  If you tell me you don't believe Reiki works, well then what I said may not be all that useful to you.

Priscilla

]]> Foot pads

Umbra,

I heard about them not on late night TV (I'm sure since I haven't watched TV for 4 years), but on the Daily OM website.  I purchased the 30-day pack and used them.  You can send in a used pad to be tested and they will tell you what toxins were released.  I'm very pleased and my Reiki practitioner has noticed a difference when she has gone to my feet.  The chakras there have not needed any balancing since that which was over a year ago.  If you tell me you don't believe Reiki works, well then what I said may not be all that useful to you.

Priscilla

]]> Comment #3 by Birdy100 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:47:29 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/3 Foot detox pads

Bought them and tried them one night, absolutely no change in the appearance of the pads.  Sent them back and got a prompt refund.  After I had ordered them I saw an item either online Consumer Reports or in the Consumer Reports On Health newsletter I get monthly, or it could have been in the monthly Consumer Reports magazine I get saying they were not helpful.  Enjoy your answers Umbra, keep it up.  Birdy

]]> Foot detox pads

Bought them and tried them one night, absolutely no change in the appearance of the pads.  Sent them back and got a prompt refund.  After I had ordered them I saw an item either online Consumer Reports or in the Consumer Reports On Health newsletter I get monthly, or it could have been in the monthly Consumer Reports magazine I get saying they were not helpful.  Enjoy your answers Umbra, keep it up.  Birdy

]]> Comment #4 by eram http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:52:26 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/4 US should follow EU's lead

The EU has implemented regulation (REACH) that will test & regulate chemicals (what a concept!).  In the good old US, we depend on industry to self regulate which is why we have all these chemicals are in our environment & bodies. I read that someone tested remote tribes in the Amazon rainforest who also have these chemicals in their bodies too--they're everywhere and they cause disease, but our govt is bought by industry so no regulation here! Rather than buying dubious footpads, contact your legislators and join environmental watchdogs that fight for common sense regulation.

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/reach/reach_int ...

]]> US should follow EU's lead

The EU has implemented regulation (REACH) that will test & regulate chemicals (what a concept!).  In the good old US, we depend on industry to self regulate which is why we have all these chemicals are in our environment & bodies. I read that someone tested remote tribes in the Amazon rainforest who also have these chemicals in their bodies too--they're everywhere and they cause disease, but our govt is bought by industry so no regulation here! Rather than buying dubious footpads, contact your legislators and join environmental watchdogs that fight for common sense regulation.

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/reach/reach_int ...

]]> Comment #5 by AHanley http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:49:50 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/5 Kid-Safe Chemicals Act

lsaenviro wrote:
How to we get our Federal government to follow a precautionary principle and prevent these exposures from occurring in our most vulnerable populations in the fist place?

It's an excellent question -- and the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act is the answer. It was recently (re)introduced in Congress, and it would require companies to demonstrate that their chemicals are safe before they're allowed on the market. On top of that, it would require reviews of chemicals already on the market, starting with the ones we know are showing up in people. Rallying around Kid-Safe is the best way to make a lasting change to our toxic environment. Here's some more info on the legislation.

--Amanda @ EWG


]]> Kid-Safe Chemicals Act

lsaenviro wrote:
How to we get our Federal government to follow a precautionary principle and prevent these exposures from occurring in our most vulnerable populations in the fist place?

It's an excellent question -- and the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act is the answer. It was recently (re)introduced in Congress, and it would require companies to demonstrate that their chemicals are safe before they're allowed on the market. On top of that, it would require reviews of chemicals already on the market, starting with the ones we know are showing up in people. Rallying around Kid-Safe is the best way to make a lasting change to our toxic environment. Here's some more info on the legislation.

--Amanda @ EWG


]]> Comment #6 by savee419 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:57:41 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/6 I fell for it!

I got the foot pads... then my husband proceeded to research them online and they are NOT legit.

The herbs inside of the pouch you stick to the bottom of your foot reacts with your foot sweat and turns dark.

No toxin extraction here!

]]> I fell for it!

I got the foot pads... then my husband proceeded to research them online and they are NOT legit.

The herbs inside of the pouch you stick to the bottom of your foot reacts with your foot sweat and turns dark.

No toxin extraction here!

]]> Comment #7 by Fuzzworth http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:11:14 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/7 foot pads

Lighter side to discussion:  "Footpad" is an old term for a thief, usually a stealthy night-time  burglar. Yaaasss, quite ironic, eh, Watson?

]]> foot pads

Lighter side to discussion:  "Footpad" is an old term for a thief, usually a stealthy night-time  burglar. Yaaasss, quite ironic, eh, Watson?

]]> Comment #8 by jonah http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:55:15 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/8 NPR talked about this

I was just in the car listening to NPR and heard a clip about this today (August 18, 2008 - All Things Considered around 4:45 EST).

The reporter tried them  for a night and took them to the UC Berkeley lab to test for metals. The results for both the original pad and the used ones were near identical.

Guess they don't work.

]]> NPR talked about this

I was just in the car listening to NPR and heard a clip about this today (August 18, 2008 - All Things Considered around 4:45 EST).

The reporter tried them  for a night and took them to the UC Berkeley lab to test for metals. The results for both the original pad and the used ones were near identical.

Guess they don't work.

]]> Comment #9 by psmith http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:19:18 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/9 Footpads

Mine absolutely turned dark - more at the beginning, less at the end of the 30 days.  Tests showed specific toxins released.  Interesting from the posts that there have been so many different experiences with these.  I tend to think the Daily OM is pretty legit and they have been listing them on their website (not just as an ad) for over a year.

Priscilla

]]> Footpads

Mine absolutely turned dark - more at the beginning, less at the end of the 30 days.  Tests showed specific toxins released.  Interesting from the posts that there have been so many different experiences with these.  I tend to think the Daily OM is pretty legit and they have been listing them on their website (not just as an ad) for over a year.

Priscilla

]]> Comment #10 by Abbey http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:24:13 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/10 NPR feature

I know someone already posted something about this, but I wanted to add more. In the NPR feature, not only did they find that there were no additional metals in the used foot patches, but they also found out why they turn black--there is something in them that responds to moisture! They put the pads over some steam and they turned black. You can listen to the whole report on the NPR website.

]]> NPR feature

I know someone already posted something about this, but I wanted to add more. In the NPR feature, not only did they find that there were no additional metals in the used foot patches, but they also found out why they turn black--there is something in them that responds to moisture! They put the pads over some steam and they turned black. You can listen to the whole report on the NPR website.

]]> Comment #11 by xedri http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:09:16 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/11 Detoxing

I've seen commercials for those foot pads.  I was very dubious because, how could toxins leach through the skin and then through the thick calluses on the bottoms of your feet?

One way I've found to remove accumlated toxins in my body is to detox once or twice a year.  I do a juice & tea fast for a few days to encourage my body to rid itself of excess fat (and all the toxins stored in there).  

Doing a detox diet for a week or two after fasting, or instead of fasting, can also help remove both water- and fat-soluble toxins from your body.  A detox diet basically involves drinking plenty of water and eating only the good stuff - lots of fruits, veggies, gluten-free whole grains, beans, etc. - while avoiding the bad stuff - refined sugars, gluten, dairy, fried and processed food, etc.

]]> Detoxing

I've seen commercials for those foot pads.  I was very dubious because, how could toxins leach through the skin and then through the thick calluses on the bottoms of your feet?

One way I've found to remove accumlated toxins in my body is to detox once or twice a year.  I do a juice & tea fast for a few days to encourage my body to rid itself of excess fat (and all the toxins stored in there).  

Doing a detox diet for a week or two after fasting, or instead of fasting, can also help remove both water- and fat-soluble toxins from your body.  A detox diet basically involves drinking plenty of water and eating only the good stuff - lots of fruits, veggies, gluten-free whole grains, beans, etc. - while avoiding the bad stuff - refined sugars, gluten, dairy, fried and processed food, etc.

]]> Comment #12 by trent http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:35:31 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/12 Detoxing

Several years ago, I read the book The Hundred Year Lie which is all about the toxins in our environment and in our bodies.  The author had himself tested for a wide variety of toxins and then did a several week detox (at Hippocrates Health Center, I think) and had himself retested, and there were significant decreases.  So there is something to detoxing, but, as always, hucksters abound, especially on late-night infomercials.

]]> Detoxing

Several years ago, I read the book The Hundred Year Lie which is all about the toxins in our environment and in our bodies.  The author had himself tested for a wide variety of toxins and then did a several week detox (at Hippocrates Health Center, I think) and had himself retested, and there were significant decreases.  So there is something to detoxing, but, as always, hucksters abound, especially on late-night infomercials.

]]> Comment #13 by wellkid http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/ Sun, 24 Aug 2008 10:47:35 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/podiatribe/13 Detox with Olestra?

If you're truly looking for ways to detox, try Olestra potato chips. I first ran across this information while researching my Biology Master's thesis (which had to do with effects of pollution in wild mink). See
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid ... or Google "Olestra" and "dioxin." Apparently, although Olestra is not absorbed through the gut lining, it can and does bind to fat-soluble toxins, thus removing them from the body through the lower GI. Of course, it can only remove what passes into the gut, so it's going to be a slow process, but at least it's not psuedoscience.
Another good source of info is "Tired or Toxic" by Dr. Sherry Rogers, MD. I have a lot more faith in a peer-reviewed journal, or an experienced MD, than a late-night TV infomercial.

]]> Detox with Olestra?

If you're truly looking for ways to detox, try Olestra potato chips. I first ran across this information while researching my Biology Master's thesis (which had to do with effects of pollution in wild mink). See
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid ... or Google "Olestra" and "dioxin." Apparently, although Olestra is not absorbed through the gut lining, it can and does bind to fat-soluble toxins, thus removing them from the body through the lower GI. Of course, it can only remove what passes into the gut, so it's going to be a slow process, but at least it's not psuedoscience.
Another good source of info is "Tired or Toxic" by Dr. Sherry Rogers, MD. I have a lot more faith in a peer-reviewed journal, or an experienced MD, than a late-night TV infomercial.

]]>