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2013 January

Effects of environmental toxins on children 'a public health crisis'

22nd January 2013

An expert has voiced his concerns about children's exposure to environmental toxins and provided a number of practical solutions for protecting against their effects.

The world may be facing one of its largest public health crises ever, in the form of the effects of environmental toxins on children's health, an expert has claimed.

In an article in the Journal Alternative and Complementary Therapies, Dr Robert Rountree – a family medicine practitioner in the US – warns that we may not fully comprehend the health consequences of toxic exposures that are happening right now for another 10 to 20 years.

This means that in decades to come, "we may begin to see new epidemics of disease or spikes in certain illnesses. Only then will we look back and say 'our children's exposure to toxin 'x' started right about that time in history'", Dr Rountree claims.

This may sound like scaremongering, yet there are several examples of precedents, including asbestos, carcinogens from tobacco, and lead additives in consumer products and petrol.

Dr Rountree points out that many chronic health problems are on the rise in children, such as cancer, hormone imbalances and neuropsychiatric disorders.

At the same time, industrial pollutants and other toxins have become pervasive in modern life.

Dr Rountree believes it is time to "take a step back and look at the link between this phenomenon and children's health risk".

Parents who are concerned about their children's contact with toxins can take a number of steps to limit exposure, including not smoking around them and using 'green' cleaning products.

They should also try to limit children's use of medicines as much as possible, including antibiotics and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals.

Dr Rountree also recommends a number of nutrients and other natural options for supporting detoxification and bolstering the body against the biologic effects of toxins.

One example he gives is Chlorella – a powerful type of green algae that can help to increase the excretion of heavy metals and organic toxins from the body.

In Japan, where there is a high risk of exposure to mercury in seafood, it is common practice to give Chlorella to babies as young as six months of age.

In addition to Chlorella there are other types of algae which are also extremely beneficial, such as Klamath Blue Green Algae and Spirulina.

Together these superfoods present a powerful nutritional arsenal for providing children with safe detoxification and powerful antioxidant protection.

(If you are looking for all three algae in one product, check out KGB Super-3 from The Really Healthy Company.)

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