Regular seasonal detox helps protect your heart and so much more.
Widely used in packaging, bisophenol A (also known as BPA) has been consistently associated with cardiovascular disease in American adults. More than 2.2 million metric tons of BPA are produced annually—in drink containers, food packaging, and the lining of canned goods.
Americans get additional exposure through dental sealants, drinking water, and inhalation of household dust. No wonder exposure to this toxic chemical is so pervasive!
Based on a new large-scale study of over 2,600 people with known BPA levels, researchers suggest that men in their 60s with the highest levels have almost twice the cardiovascular risk as men with medium levels of BPA. This follows on the heels of 2008 research showing that BPA suppresses a hormone that protects against cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
If that’s not bad enough, this endocrine-disrupting chemical has also been linked to liver damage, thyroid problems, and obesity, while wreaking havoc on both male and female hormone levels. After investigating plastics for years, Frederick Vom Saal, PhD, a researcher at the University of Missouri, says that he and colleagues at NIH have a high level of confidence that “bisophenol A is a threat to human health.”
For years, environmental groups have been concerned about cancer risks from BPA. Even the FDA recently admitted to “subtle effects” of this chemical in “brain behavior and prostate glands in fetuses, infants, and young children.”
Dr. Ann Louise’s Take:
Unfortunately, the FDA still has not banned BPA, so manufacturers keep on using this potentially harmful plastic. Thanks to a growing body of research, baby bottle manufacturers and some natural foods processors are taking the lead by creating BPA-free products. But there’s still way too much of this stuff out there!
Because February is American Heart Month, I highly recommend that you Fat Flush for cardiovascular health. As millions of veterans Fat Flushers can attest, this time-tested diet and detox protocol effectively combats obesity and tummy fat—both independent factors for heart disease.
Daily fish oil and flax or chia seeds help balance blood sugar and address high insulin levels. Fat Flush dramatically lowers the risk for Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to cardiovascular disease.
Unlike yo-yo dieting or juice cleanses that deplete glutathione (the toxin zapper), either classic Fat Flush or my latest book Fat Flush for Life, The Year-Round Super Detox Plan to Boost Your Metabolism and Keep the Weight Off Permanently will provide the liver with the fiber and antioxidants it needs to keep detox pathways working optimally to break down and eliminate toxins.
For winter detox, I especially recommend Fat Flush for Life, a warming and nourishing program that also helps conserve the energy your body needs to keep detox channels flowing in cold weather.
BPA & Beyond
“Exposure to environmental chemicals during [fetal] development may be contributing to the obesity epidemic” in infants—which has risen 73% since 1980,” says Retha Newbold, PhD of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the NIH. Increasingly, safe, effective detox is becoming important for anyone who wants to start a family.
Cardiovascular disease results from a complex interaction of environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors. In addition to cardiovascular risks from BPA, heavy metals (like arsenic and lead) and pollutants in smog can undermine heart health.
The Copper Connection
New research in Britain shows that even tiny traces of copper from water pipes can lead to heart disease, as well as diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Over time, even small traces of copper can “contribute to the production of excess damaging oxidant radicals,” the researchers conclude.
This study recommends that anyone over 50 avoid vitamin-mineral supplements containing copper and iron while adding antioxidant zinc to lower copper levels in the body—two recommendations I’ve been making for years. Copper can inhibits the conversion of the thyroid hormone, thyroxin, slowing down metabolism.
As Fat Flush for Life shows, a copper-zinc imbalance lessens the liver’s ability to detoxify. Since both these minerals are needed to activate key liver enzymes, copper overload can cause poor liver function, weight gain, food cravings, fatigue, depression, and even yeast infections.
Sources:
Fat Flush for Life
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/18/earlyshow/health/main6110716.shtml
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20084273
www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0008673
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100112201341.htm
www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7046426/Copper-pipes-could-cause-heart-disease-and-Alzheimers.html
