I know I spend a lot of time talking about toxins—so much so that you might even wish I’d talk about something a little more positive once in a while. But then I read something like this and I’m reminded of just how important it is to help people understand the danger that’s right in front of us every day: harmful toxins are out there, and we and our loved ones are suffering the consequences.
In a bold move by the President’s Cancer Panel—a panel of experts created in 1971 to keep the president informed about the activities of the National Cancer Program—a 200-page report has been released that warns about the dangers of environmental pollution on the nation’s health and urges government to take a stronger position on the regulation of these chemicals in our environment. Said one of the panelists, “We wanted to let people know that we’re concerned, and that they should be concerned.” And if that doesn’t shine a pretty big light on the subject, I don’t know what does.
Statistically, 41 percent of all Americans are diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, and about 21 percent of Americans will die of the disease. The rates of some types of cancer are increasing, as is the rate of cancer in children. Experts aren’t entirely sure why, but the role that environmental toxins plays in the development of cancer is becoming increasingly clearer.
Still, this is not new news. In fact, I and the entire natural health community have been talking about the detrimental health effects of toxins for years now, but what makes this story so significant is that for the first time mainstream medicine is actually listening. Let’s face it—you don’t get more mainstream than the President’s Cancer Panel folks!
Of the more than 80,000 chemicals currently used in the U.S. (with over 1,000 new chemicals introduced each year), only a few hundred have actually been tested for safety. In fact, the report states, “Many known or suspected carcinogens are completely unregulated.” I talk about this and many of the same issues in my book The Detox Strategy. Look for more on this report from me in the coming days as we uncover the ugly truths about how toxic exposure is undermining our health and the health of our children.