The Other Side of Safe
I began writing this in an absolute state of anger and became concerned with the tone. My intention is to deliver facts, not influence people with my emotions; yet, when your health is jeopardized by toxic stories passed on from generation to generation due to the innocent desire to survive …. which includes making money at the expense of others. So, it took me a minute or a couple of days to be ‘ok’ with these nefarious circumstances.
I believed in the things I was hearing because I wanted to be safe from harm; yet, a bandwagon mentality combined with bold marketing strategies did nothing but bring me face to face with both breast and skin cancer. In all fairness, this is natural. Besides, who am I to question large companies, doctors and other professionals?
Who am I? Who are we? We are the consumers and absolutely have the right to inquire and investigate! It took me a few years to begin; yet, it wasn’t until my diagnoses that the truth was revealed. So, have I been upset? Of course!
‘They’ preyed on our fear and group mentality. For some reason, it’s difficult to separate ourselves from the idea that ‘what’s good for you, is good for me.’
There’s something to be said for commonality …
We currently live in a world that is fueled by information directing us to specific products. Not that any of it is malicious .. at least that’s how I choose to see it; yet,, it’s the result of a cultural desire to have things quick, easy and familiar.
Why in common? Because it gives us something to compare, share, and talk about …
At the same time, we are so disconnected from one another and our true nature that large manufacturers depend on consumer crosstalk and promotion. An interesting bit of information is the way we frequently choose products based on their aroma (I say more on this in What are Essential Oils?) rather than what feels right / resonates with us, And if we remain undecided, we seek out the testimonials or recommendations of others; never wondering why we felt unsure to begin with.
Let’s get this straight. The information on tv, the radio, on the internet, or in magazines is not 100% reliable; it’s pitching information and marketing products to us, the consumers, for profit. , They bank on selling us before we even make the purchase. In fact, I’ve witnessed people actually recommending trends, diets, solutions and merchandise to friends, family, co-workers and perfect strangers even before they’ve used it themselves. The bottom line: many people are profiting off of fabricated information.
One could argue that the information makes sense and that they mean well. I completely understand this thought; yet, when we consider the following, it hopefully prompts a person to say … ‘hmmmmm’.
While taking a sociology course several years ago, I learned of a pretty big mental shift that occurred during World War 1. In order to get the U.S. to align with the idea of going to war, the government began selling Americans on a bandwagon movement with convincing propaganda. This method of persuasion is frequently termed, ‘manufacturing consent’. Today, humans are extensively studied, and the recipients of resulting neuromarketing which is all about assertively tapping that ‘buy button’ through our emotions. So, who is the winner in all of this?
for all the stories we tell ourselves about why something is good, we forget about the things that are even better for us….
because we feel fear, we forget ….
Take sunscreen for example. The sun showers us with life giving and life regulating light. In fact, our forefathers revered sunlight for its ability to restore health. However with the modernization of man, the stories have changed; the sun is to be feared, while ‘man can save the day’’. Hence the advancement of degenerative disease.
1) Sunlight promotes white blood cell production boosting the immune system.
2) When exposed to sunlight, ‘nitric oxide’ is released into the blood stream lowering blood pressure
3) Sunlight converts cholesterol into usable sterols necessary for proper hormone production assisting with thyroid balance, fat metabolism (parathyroid), sex hormone regulation (i.e. PMS), blood sugar stabilization, and an appropriate stress response
4) Time in the sun soothes the nerves and boosts the mood helping to reverse depression
5) Sunlight regulates endorphin, serotonin and melatonin production helping to reduce pain, restore a sense of peace, promoting a better night sleep and slowing down the aging process
6) Ultraviolet light has antiseptic properties, healing wounds and clearing up such skin conditions as eczema, psoriasis, acne, boils, athlete’s foot and diaper rash
7) Studies have shown when combined with a whole foods diet, sunlight puts breast cancer (and possibly prostate cancer) into remission
8) Sunlight improves the function of the liver, facilitating the breakdown of toxins and chemicals responsible for cancer and other diseases. In doing so, sunshine assists with clearing jaundice.
9) A walk in the sun fosters a healthy circulatory system, stimulating red blood cell production, increasing blood oxygen levels and boosting metabolism.
10) The best known benefit from sunshine is the production of Vitamin D which is responsible for strong teeth and bones, optimal brain health (especially with Alzheimer’s on the rise) digestive wellness and immune function. Vitamin D also helps with regulating calcium and phosphorus levels necessary for the prevention of cavities, osteoporosis, rickets, and osteomalacia
skin cancer began with modern man …
Through extensive research, scientists have determined that skin cancer was not a part of primitive experiences. As a matter of fact, apes are not known to develop skin cancer. Being that man evolved from the early hominids, apes, its easy to make a parallel. The chemistry in their skin protects them from sun damage, suggesting their body is capable of producing its very own sunscreen … just like plants.
So, if ALL of nature can protect itself from the sun, why doesn’t man? The truth is the human body did and could if it wasn’t for the countless endocrine disrupting chemicals being consumed on a daily basis, which we’ve been doing for thousands of years.
It’s important to note, endocrine disruptors are both man and nature made … and this is where science is invaluable!
Ancient man lived off the land, eating a wide range of meat, animal milk, nuts, and seeds as well as a picked at a large variety of plants along the way. They learned rather quickly that some plants were toxic triggering some kind of sickness or possibly causing death. So, the belief is they limited their plant consumption to little bits at a time. With this thought in mind, it is fair to say, that as long as there weren’t any toxic reactions, man continued to consume a lot of these plants. And because we know, today, how plant chemicals influence the epigenome, we can assert that changes were silently occurring as every body uniquely adapted to the intake of these chemicals With time, bio individuality, and ongoing exposure and change, man began to experience more inflammation and sickness, which says a lot about why no reaction isn’t necessarily an indicator or safety.
While it is difficult to pinpoint early cancer, science believes they’ve found evidence in a toe bone of an ancient Egyptian.
Regardless, lack of knowledge is harmful, and at the same time, so is too much knowledge. Our ancestors didn’t know what we know about plants and chemicals; yet, as they fell ill, they learned from their mistakes, and turned to the life giving sun. On the other hand, there are plenty of plants that are not poisonous; although, they contain endocrine disrupting chemicals i.e. soy which acts like estrogen in the body. It does not take the place of estrogen; it simply acts like it by activating the stress response. Although soy is native to the Asian continent, it did show up in Europe centuries ago; plus, there are plenty of other plants containing phytoestrogens. These are not the toxic chemicals, just specific ones with physiological affects as all plants do that lead to fundamental changes over time. Our ancestors believed they were being punished when stricken with illness; therefore, their worship of the sun was one of feeling humbled and surrendering.
Today, we not only consume natural chemicals, we infuse the body with countless manmade ones as well. Because chemicals react regardless of their origin, the body struggles to protect itself. We accept the belief that it’s failing us, and feeling defeated, surrendering our health to a professional not realizing the error of our ways.
Chemicals; a love hate experience.
To sum it up, we created them with the belief they would improve upon life. This is highly debatable; so, I will limit my statement to this … Nature communicates with chemicals. Nature is nothing but a chemical reaction. The human body is a part of nature and communicating internally as well as with the outside world on a nanosecond basis. Thousands of years ago, people experienced maladies; however, nothing like we do today. When it comes to skin cancer and endocrine disruptors; the following is a list of sunscreen chemicals commonly used and known for their detrimental effects on the human body and environment.
Oxybenzone: linked to hormone disruption and cell damage that may lead to skin cancer.
Retinyl palmitate (a form of Vitamin A): has now been proven to be a carcinogen.
Octyl-methoxycinnamate: causes oxidation damage of the skin; aging your face.
Butyl-Methdiebenzoylmethane: releases free radicals into the body.
Benzophenone 2 (BP2): decreases the function of the thyroid, in a population that is already seriously suffering from hypothyroidism.
Although there has been tremendous concern over chemicals like these and more, very little was said about these in particular until last year (2019) when the FDA came forward and shed some light on the way these chemicals impct the body. The bottom line is blood serum levels remain above the allowable threshold days after the product is no longer being used. To make matters worse:
we are encouraged to use these products in order to prevent skin cancer
sunscreen is added to many personal care products, including cosmetics
sunscreen blocks the body’s ability to produce the hormone, vitamin D
the U.S. is epidemically low in vitamin D
the U.S. is seeing an increase in autoimmune disease, cancer, cardiovascular issues, obesity, depression and osteoporosis
these chemicals are harming marine life
UV light consists of UVA and UVB, with UVA being photocarcinogenic. Because our bodies have genetically adapted to the chemicals being consumed, the potential for cancer is real. At the same time, allowing the UVB in to source our vitamin D production is crucial for our hormonal and immune systems; therefore, no exposure to sunlight is incredibly detrimental; and by no exposure, I mean adhering to the sunblock camp 24/7. All it takes is 5 to 15 minutes of direct exposure between 10a and 4p during the summer depending on your coloring and location 3 or 4 times a week.
It also means, eating your protection i.e. a colorul assortment of foods like richly colored berries, sun-colored veggies i.e. carrots and pumpkin, dark leafy greens as well as spirulina. There are a number of additional botanical suggestions; yet, based on the fact that nature is essentially an ongoing chemical reaction, I refrain. In stead, the following quote from the book ‘The Lost Language of Plants’ is rather fitting:
You cannot use the tools of a system to refine the system whose tools you are using
In essence, nature is the system, and chemicals are the tools.
What an interesting concept. As an ancient people, we did not understand the chemistry of nature. As a contemporary human, we pay no attention to the chemistry of nature, believing we know better. And now, the more chemicals we use, both manmade and natural, the more we need, believing we can override the reactions; yet, the more we attempt to control, the greater the instability.
Herein lies the reason for doing less and being selective with our choice for the purpose of stabilization.
Today, we’re encouraged to eat a plant-based diet. And then, there’s the movement to include plants into our healing modalities. What if, plants are simply that … JUST medicine?! This is the exact opposite of what we’ve been told and continue to repeat?? What if primitive man had a better understanding of nature? Even though they feared for their survival, their concept of what supported their survival was profound and the only reason we started to see an increase in inflammation, heart disease and all degenerative health was because they / we began regularly consuming the plants that appeared safe .. because there were no immediate side effects? For as understandable as this is, we know differently today.
What if we actually have it backwards and it’s time to not only recognize nature for what it is, but our place in it and the awareness it takes to thrive?
All of this coming from a life-long vegetarian ….!!
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