Our own poison collection
We may not realize it, but in various places in our home, we have toxic chemicals which are hazardous to our health, especially for children. They are the cleaning solutions in our home, the most commonly found poisons in almost all homes today. When the label shows chemicals in them, it is safe to assume they are toxic agents in one form or another. The popular poison we buy are toilet cleaning solution, laundry detergents, softeners, and bleaches, bathrooms cleaners, kitchen detergents, scourers, polishes, and cleaning liquid or powder, garage cleansers, etc. The most corrosive are the sink drain or toilet drain chemical, chlorine and ammonia. In short, all chemicals agents are toxic, when they contaminate our water, our food, our skin, our eyes, or when we inhale their fumes. They aggravate allergies, asthma, COPD and other pulmonary diseases. When swallowed, these chemicals could burn through the throat, esophagus (foodpipe) and stomach, and instantly kill. Not to mention accidental poisoning among children, accounting to almost a quarter million calls to the U.S. Poison Control Centers in a year.
Some of these chemical cause immediate acute reactions, like chemical burns to the eyes or skin, mouth, etc., others take time to cause respiratory or metabolic harm to our body. Hormonal abnormalities, neuro (brain) toxicity or cancer could result in the long run. More than 33 percent of substances used in fragrance industry are toxic. Even the aerosols or odor-fighting sprays, beads, and solutions are toxic to our body, whether one is allergic to them or not, and the ill-health effects could take months if not years to manifest. Any chemical in any products is a potential poison. And, of course, these toxic chemicals eventually wind up contaminating our good earth, rivers, lakes and oceans, some sources of our drinking water.
The U.S. Geological Survey “found persistent detergent metabolites in 69 percent of streams tested in a May 2002 study of contaminants in stream water samples cross the U.S. Sixty-six percent contained disinfectants.”
One of the obvious reasons why many forms of metabolic illnesses and cancers have developed following the industrial revolution since the 1790s is the chronic exposure humans and animals have to the various chemicals agents that have contaminated our air, land, and water.
We have survived hundreds of years without these toxic chemicals, using only water, vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda for cleaning, scouring, scrubbing grease and grime.
This is where retrogession might actually be progress(ion), when we modify our behavior and habits and return to the safer old fashion way of cleaning our homes (more often), and use natural flowers as “aerosols.”
Dirtiest spot at home
No, not the bathroom. The dirtiest spot in our home is actually the kitchen, believe it or not. There are more sources of germs in our kitchen than in our bathroom. According to the National Sanitation Foundation (NSAF, founded in 1944, changed to NSF International in 1990), the 10 most germ-ridden items in our home, ranked from most to least, are: Dish sponges and dish cloths (studies show at least 10 percent usually contaminated with Salmonella, E. coli), kitchen sink, toothbrush holders, pet bowls, coffee makers, bathroom faucet handles, pet toys, kitchen counters, stove knobs, cutting boards. Some people microwave their disk sponges or towels (10-minute high blast), and others do not use them at all and use only paper towel and discard them immediately.
In general, a post-flushed toilet is cleaner than out unsanitized kitchen sink, without exaggeration. Washing chicken in the sink contribute a lot to germ contamination, compared to washing other meats or products. Chickens obviously have more bacteria in them than pork or beef, etc. After handling chicken, wash hands thoroughly before touching other food items, utensils, pots and pans, or even your face.
Unwashed food items
Unwashed food items from the store are loaded with germs of many kinds, from E. coli, salmonella, to Shigella spp., Yersinia spp., Bacilus spp., Clostridium perfringens, and Staph aureus, etc. They can cause diarrhea and other illnesses. Remember, these fruits and vegetables could also be contaminated with farming insecticide, etc. Fruits which are eaten whole (various forms of berries, apples) must be washed thoroughly, even the organic ones. Some add salt to the washing water to clean them more effectively. Oranges and others with peel also need to be washed. Another item to wash are soft drink and beer cans. Rodent (mice) droppings contaminating their top (tab pull opener) have caused serious hantavirus diseases.
Toilet air bacteria
Flushing the toilet sends a jet stream of bacteria in the air. It is best to turn on the vent to eliminate not only the odor but the contaminated air. It is also best to cover the toothbrush container with the glass you use. As far as toilet bidets are concerned, their proper use is AFTER the usual complete wiping ritual is done. The bidet is an added hygienic step. NEVER use the bidet BEFORE thorough wiping, as you could imagine what will be splattered all over and how many hours you would need to sanitize your bathroom.
Toxic items
Right inside our pantry and refrigerator are expired canned, bottled, or packages of food products we neglected to discard. One item that is toxic, even newly purchased, is soft drinks of any form, cola or uncola, diet or regular, flavored or not. This beverage in the long term will cause metabolic syndrome in adults and especially among children. This drink is simply toxic. Unfortunately, the adverse health effects do not show immediately, and hence, when they become obvious years later, it is too late. The danger in energy drinks happens more rapidly, and some have died from them. As stated in my book, “Let’s Stop “Killing” Our Children” (www.philipSchua.com, amazon.com), studies have shown that ALL soft drinks of any variety are dangerous “liquid candy” that increases people’s risk for the development of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Let’s protect our children from these killers by saying NO to this poison. Someday, they would understand and love us more, and also say NO to their own children. Health-wise, nothing beats filtered water (using between 7 to 14 stages of reverse osmosis filtration with ultraviolet ray for killing bacteria, viruses, and protozoan), besides removing harmful total dissolved solids (TDS) like arsenic, cadmium, lead, and nitrate. Remember, water is life, soft drinks are poison.
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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: [email protected]
