Apathy

Now that I chose that for I title, I have that Alanis Morissette song reverberating through my head!

Anyway, I am in a state of turmoil, I think I need to just burn off some steam! Usually I don't pay all that much attention to the media, but recently it's been kind of hard not to.  I am stunned by the apathy that surrounds so many subjects, but particularly parenting.  Particularly Moms.  And how irresponsible the media is.  There are really so many more issues linked to parenting that bear reporting on.  Serious reporting, too.

Instead of being mad at real issues, people are attacking each others personal choices.  Are we THAT insecure? Have we been told that we are so wrong that we need to pummel each other? Good grief! The sad fact, though, is that the answer is yes. And it's not just the parenting issues that have me so irked; it's the health issues and the state of the media in general.  Instead of making people aware of what is going on in the world, and doing actual research and actual reporting, they will throw a catch phrase out there, then create some kind of controversy with some kind of angle that gets people all riled up.  And instead of addressing the issue they bring up intelligently, they fuel the fire with passive aggressive "reporting", and non committal "information".

I mean, have you actually listened to a "news" story lately? They don't even address the issue that they use as their "hook".  If they do actually address it, it's just to make some "politically correct" comment about how there is no real answer.  But that's not really true.  There are answers out there.  The trouble is, that it would take a huge change in the way people think to actually address it.  And that would be haaaarrrd.  Or maybe it wouldn't really be politically correct.  I think the real reason is that it would mean that a lot of people would have to admit that they were wrong.  Or at least that things haven't worked out the way "they" had thought they would.  So better to just keep chugging.  And if there are a group of people who think differently, and actually want to see that change...just call them paranoid extremists. Grrr.

But you know what's for real? We are seriously in the beginning of a real health crisis.  Mental health and physical health is seriously deteriorating in our children.  It's not just "better diagnostics", as the definition of the disorders isn't changing (and if it has, it still doesn't totally account for the rise).  It can't be genetic, since the rise is happening too quickly.  So that means that for most cases, it HAS to be the way we are living.

What's even scarier than the rise in these disorders has been the findings about which environmental triggers are likely to CAUSE these things.  That's right folks, we KNOW what kinds of things are causing these problems.  The trouble is that it's a conglomeration of several factors, and no one thing can be the technical "cause" of the disorder.  That means that, based on the laws that are supposed to protects us, those substances can't be banned, or even reduced, for the most part.  So, you may think...if it's not so bad that it can't be banned, can it really be that bad? Well here is some food for thought: asbestos is still used in the US.  According to the EPA, this is the latest revision to the use of asbestos (although, asbestos in break pads is scheduled to be banned by 2014). (http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/asbbans2.pdf).  So, yeah, even though we know that asbestos causes horrific cancers (yes, I worked with mesothelioma, where the "Long Term Survival" for patients is considered 12-15 months after diagnosis). There are over 1000 chemicals banned in Europe for use in personal care products, the US has banned only 9.  That is because in Europe companies have to prove that chemicals they use are safe before they use them.  In the US, the industry is self regulated, and they need to prove that a chemical is dangerous before it is banned.  That is a lot harder to do...and it does not er on the side of safety. 

So instead of getting angry at each other about our differences, we should be EMPOWERING each other with our knowledge.  1 in 6 kids are diagnosed with a learning disability.  1 in 56 boys are diagnosed with Autism, 1 in 88 boys and girls combined.  Nearly 25% of teens have prediabetes or diabetes.  Autoimmune disorders rates are going through the roof (23.5 million Americans as of 2008(?) (http://www.alternet.org/health/80129).  Allergies, Asthma (24.6 million people), and Eczema are skyrocketing too.   These are not small numbers!! But they make the number of people with cancer seem tiny, and doesn't even take into account things like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or many other behavioral disorders, which may be manifestation of food/GI/immune issues.  WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE ABOUT THIS???

We are feeding our kids food that has been inundated with pesticides, and since the pesticides are killing the food along with the pests, we are genetically modifying the food so that they can withstand even more poison. It kills the small animals and bugs that are considered pests.  Some of them, by exploding their stomachs.   AND WE ARE FEEDING THIS TO OUR CHILDREN!!!!!  And ourselves. We are feeding it to the animals we eat, and those animals are suffering the same effects that we are; and then we are eating them.  Instead of nourishing our bodies, we are poisoning them with our food.  And then we are slathering toxic chemicals onto our skin.  Which, by the way, is one of the largest POROUS! organs on our body.  Our skin absorbs most of what touches it.  So if you wouldn't eat it, why are you exposing yourself to it?

We have outbreaks of superbugs because antibiotics and antibacterials are severely overused, on us, and then on the animals we eat.  Kids are having organ failure because some of the drugs they need to be treated with are so toxic.  Our immune systems are in a chronic stressed state, and our health is failing us because of it.  And we are so mentally taxed that most people won't do anything about it.  Instead they make up sensationalist stories to distract from the fact that big change is hard.

And how about this, just for a kicker:  (from http://www.karinya.com/enviro3.htm)

An EPA survey concluded that indoor air was 3 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air. Another EPA study stated that the toxic chemicals in household cleaners are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air. CMHC reports that houses today are so energy efficient that "out-gassing" of chemicals has no where to go, so it builds up inside the home. We spend 90% of our time indoors, and 65% of that time at home. Moms, infants and the elderly spend 90% of their time in the home. National Cancer Association released results of a 15-year study concluding that women who work in the home are at a 54% higher risk of developing cancer than women who work outside the home. Cancer rates have almost doubled since 1960.. Cancer is the Number ONE cause of death for children.


Luckily, there are a lot of easy ways to make cleaning and personal care products that are safer, cheaper, and many times work even better than commercial stuff.  There is a bunch more stuff on that post if you really want to scare yourself into action.

According to the mass media (and sadly, many doctors) many of these problems don't really exist.  And if they do, we just need to wait until we discover the gene that is responsible for it so we don't have to take responsibility.  In the mean time, here is some medicine that will help deal with some of your problems...by the way, the side effects are usually way worse than the symptoms...but we can just give you more medicine for that too.  Who cares if it destroys your liver, kidneys, normal immune function, gives you seizures, and makes you crazy?

I'll share a little secret with you, though.  If you can just make a couple of small changes, you will experience BIG change in your life.  You will have more energy, be happier, healthier, and capable of so much more than you ever knew. (And probably get rid of those nagging headaches that you've almost learned to ignore....). It's hard (but only because breaking any habit is hard).  You may, for a little while be labeled an alarmist.  But I strong;y believe that more and more people are going to make these changes.  We have to.  It begins with talking about it.  And becoming empowered.  We have the ability to make big changes; and every time you don't support toxic stuff, and you buy something real (hopefully organic, and local), you are helping to support, not only your health and your family's health, but another small business/family, and your community.  There are actually more and more people making cleaner living easier and less expensive.  If you want to know how, let me know, I will totally share some secrets! And remember, even small changes will make a difference. 

So there, I feel better.  As I said, back on the soap box......