by Robert Rountree, MD
“For the first time in the history of the world, every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception until death.”
These unsettling words first appeared forty years ago in Rachel Carson’s landmark book Silent Spring (Houghton Mifflin, New York, 1962). A wildlife biologist, Ms. Carson painstakingly documented widespread reports of thinning eggshells and other reproductive abnormalities among birds, fish and amphibians. The reports indicated that many species of animals were dying off--a trend that could one day lead to an ominously quiet spring without the noisy chirps of birds or the buzzing of bees.
Ms. Carson’s research had uncovered a disturbing fact: the damage occurring to these animals was closely linked to a class of synthetic chemicals collectively called organochlorines. These substances had been concocted in industrial laboratories in the 1930s and 40s for use as pesticides (eg. DDT, dieldrin and aldrin), solvents, fire retardants, paint extenders and “inert” electrical insulators (eg. PCBs). Initially thought to be so safe and nontoxic that people could practically bathe in them, they were hailed as keys to a modern age—an age free of annoying insects and noxious weeds.
Unfortunately, it was not until thousands of tons of synthetic organochlorines were released in our environment that scientists like Ms. Carson began to have three important realizations:
(1) It can take several decades or longer for these chemicals to break down. This quality earned them the title POPs, short for “persistent organic pollutants.”
(2) Because synthetic organochlorines are stored in the body fat, they are proportionally more concentrated in the animal fat of those living creatures that are higher up the food chain. This process is called bioaccumulation.
(3) Although they produce no immediate signs of toxicity, long-term exposure to low levels of these compounds can wreak havoc throughout the body. By disrupting normal function of the nervous, immune and endocrine systems, they can trigger the development of a wide range of diseases. Over the past few decades, medical studies have linked chronic organochlorine exposure to cancer, birth defects, infertility, hypothyroidism, Parkinson’s disease and learning disorders.
Ms. Carson’s eloquent warning led to a massive public outcry. As a result, in the 1970’s the U.S. government banned DDT, dieldrin and many other organochlorines. However, despite the ban, several—if not all--of these chemicals are still being actively manufactured in many countries. In addition, thousands of new synthetic chemicals continue to be released every year. Traces of them can be found in air, soil and water all over the planet. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that over 80% of people tested have been found to have numerous organochlorines compounds along with many other man-made chemicals in their blood stream or body fat.
Considering the degree of lifelong exposure we all have to these toxins, the real surprise is that we have somehow managed to survive and even co-exist with them. Apparently, there is something unique about human biochemistry that makes us less vulnerable than birds or frogs to their poisonous effects. This uniqueness has to do with what happens to these toxins after they have entered our bodies.
The old adage, you are what you eat, still rings true, although I would also add that you are what you breathe and drink and what you apply to your skin. Research now suggests that there is yet another part to this equation: you are what you can’t eliminate. In other words, your overall health is not simply a factor of everything you consume but also your ability to sort out and get rid of those things that are either unnecessary or harmful to your system.
Most people think of detoxification as a way to get off alcohol or addictive drugs. But health care providers have a different definition: it is the process by which the body neutralizes and eliminates toxins. Traditional methods for detoxification include sweat lodges, saunas, fasting, all-liquid juice diets, purges and enemas. These methods can be helpful for selected individuals, but the regimens are often too radical for the average person. In many situations the person’s overall condition can actually end up getting worse. It’s a hit or miss proposition--like trying to hit a moving target in the darkness.
Recent scientific discoveries provide an explanation for why such good intentions are prone to backfiring: simply put, the biochemical machinery of detoxification is extremely intricate and highly sensitive to outside influences. Unless it receives adequate nutritional support, the entire process will get overloaded and grind to a halt.
Fortunately, there is an alternative to the harsh practices mentioned above. I call this a “kindler, gentler” form of detoxification. This new form of detoxification is firmly based in science. In contrast to the more extreme approaches of the past, it utilizes an array of specific nutrients and botanical medicines that help the body eliminate toxins without causing “collateral damage.”
To understand the rational for this approach, it is important to have some background information. Chemical toxins are placed in two basic categories based on whether they dissolve in water or oil. Since the fluids of elimination—stool, urine and sweat—are mostly made of water, toxins that dissolve in water are usually excreted rapidly. Simply drinking more pure spring water and increasing dietary fibers such as flax meal or oat bran can greatly assist the removal of water-soluble toxins. A good workout is also helpful: aerobic exercise shuttles toxins out of the body by speeding up blood and lymph circulation and increasing sweat.
In contrast, oil-based toxins like organochlorines are much harder to eliminate. Before they can be excreted into bodily fluids, specialized enzymes must convert them into water-soluble compounds. Otherwise, they will be absorbed into body fat, where they can remain stored for many years. (This is one of the reasons why they pose such a serious threat to our long-term health.)
The process by which enzymes convert fat-soluble toxins into substances that can be excreted in water is called biotransformation. Biotransformation mostly occurs in the liver, the kidney and the inner lining of the intestines, although almost every tissue in the body participates to some degree. It is a multi-step process that requires tremendous amounts of energy. In fact, detoxification is one of the single biggest consumers of the energy produced from food. A steady supply of protein, antioxidants and other nutrients is also necessary to keep things functioning smoothly.
This intense, ongoing need for nutritional support helps explain why fasting can be detrimental to a person who is trying to eliminate toxins. Fasting simply doesn’t provide what the body needs to keep the gears of detoxification turning. In addition, when a person goes on a very low calorie diet, the rapid weight loss that ensues causes the release of organochlorines and other fat-soluble toxins directly into the blood stream, which places an even greater burden on the nutrient-starved liver.
Instead of using drastic methods to rapidly force fat-soluble toxins out of the body, experts like Thomas Slaga, Ph.D, author of The Detox Revolution (Contemporary Books, 2003) suggest that we employ a diet rich in certain “superfoods.” Research has shown that these foods and the phytochemicals--chemicals derived from plants—found in them can provide our detoxification machinery with exactly the kind of support it needs to gently and slowly eliminate toxins over time.
Some of the most notable examples of detoxifying superfoods, herbs and spices include berries (especially blueberries and raspberries), cherries, purple grapes, olives, pomegranates, green tea, cruciferous vegetables (especially broccoli, watercress and kale), artichokes, garlic, turmeric, rosemary, milk thistle and algae (chlorella and spirulina). A good rule to follow is to eat for color. The same purple, blue, red, yellow and green pigments that make these foods so attractive perform double duty as supporters of efficient biotransformation.
The list of phytochemicals that have been found to be particularly effective at assisting detoxification is quite long, but here are four notable examples:
(1) D-glucarate may be one of the best overall natural detoxifying agents. It is found in many fruits and vegetables but especially cherries, apricots, grapefruit, broccoli, and bean sprouts. One major step in biotransforming organochlorines, estrogen and other oil-soluble hormones into water-soluble substances involves adding a sugar called glucuronic acid and then releasing this compound into bile. Overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria in the intestines (the result of poor digestion or a bad diet) can produce an enzyme call beta-glucuronidase that removes the sugar, reversing this process and allowing the toxins to go right back into body fat. By blocking beta-glucuronidase, D-glucarate prevents toxins from recirculating and causing even more damage. For effective detoxification, D-glucarate is best taken as a supplement, in a dose of 300-500 mg up to three times daily.
(2) Resveratrol: It has been known for many years that moderate consumption of red wine and purple grape juice helps protect against cancer and heart disease. The high resveratrol content of deeply pigmented grapes may be the explanation. Resveratrol has been shown to slow down the growth of a wide variety of cancer cells. It appears to be particularly good at helping the liver detoxify estrogens—both the ones made by reproductive glands and the environmental chemicals like dioxin that mimic estrogen in the body. Drinking a glass of purple grape juice every day is a easy way to support your liver (and your arteries). For extra support, add a supplement of 10-30 mg daily.
(3) Ellagic acid: particularly rich in raspberries, but found in many other plants including strawberries, blackberries, cranberries, walnuts and pecans. Plants make it as a natural pesticide, but research shows that in humans it binds to cancer-causing chemicals and toxic heavy metals, assisting in their removal. In addition, ellagic acid directly supports the activity of the enzymes involved in biotransformation. In addition to eating berries and nuts every day, taking a supplement of 50-100 mg ellagic acid per day may be helpful for removing oil-based toxins.
(4) Sulforaphane is derived from a group of phytochemicals called glucosinolates that are found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and kale. When these vegetables are chewed, this converts the inactive glucosinolates into sulforaphane, indole-3-carbinol and other biologically active compounds. Sulforaphane is a very potent stimulator of liver detoxifying enzymes, which may explain why people who regularly consume cruciferous vegetables have a lower risk of cancer. Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine discovered that broccoli sprouts are the most potent source of sulforaphane, so eating an ounce or two of these sprouts per week is an excellent way to enhance detoxification. Sulforaphane is also available either as an extract that has been added to black and green tea or as a dietary supplement. A typical dose would be 200-400 mcg daily.
Unfortunately, the legacy of the organochlorine revolution is not going away. Even if we completely stopped manufacturing all poisonous chemicals tomorrow, our environment will remain contaminated for generations to come. So the challenge facing all of us is how to stay healthy in such a toxic world. Eating organic foods and using nontoxic cleaners in our homes is a great start. But the future of good health will come from tapping the power of phytochemicals to help us detoxify and transform.
References
Cancer & Environmental Toxins
Blair, A. et al. "Clues to Cancer Etiology from Studies of Farmers," Scandinavian J. of Work Environment and Health (1992) 18:209-215.
Buckley, J.D. et al. "Pesticide Exposures in Children with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma," Cancer (2000) 89:2315-2321.
Davis, D.L. "Agricultural Exposures and Cancer Trends in Developed Countries," Environ. Health Perspectives (1992) 100:39-44.
Eriksson, M. and M. Karlson. "Occupational and Other Environmental Factors in Multiple Myeloma: A Population-Based Case-Conrol Study," British J. of Industrial Med. (1992) 49:95-103.
Fingerhut, M.A., et al, “Cancer mortality in workers exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin,” N Engl J Med (1991): 324: 212-218.
Fontana, A. et al. "Incidence Rates of Lymphomas and Environmental Measurements of Phenoyx Herbicides: Ecological Analysis and Case-Control," Archives of Environ. Health (1998) 53:384-387.
Hardell, L. and M. Eriksson. "A Case-Control Study of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Exposure to Pesticides," Cancer (1999) 85:1353-1360.
Hooiveld, M. et al. "Second Follow-Up of a Dutch Cohort Occupationally Exposed to Phenoxy Herbicides, Chlorophenols, and Contaminants," Am. J. Epidemiology (1998) 147:891-901.
Hoyer AP, et al, “Organochlorine exposure and risk of breast cancer,” Lancet (1998) Dec 5;352(9143):1816-20
Keller-Byrne, J.E. et al. "A Meta-analysis of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Among Farmers in the Central U.S." Am. J. Industrial Medicine (1997) 31:442-444.
Khuder, S.A. and A.B. Mutgi. "Meta-Analysis of Multiple Myeloma and Farming," Am. J. Industrial Med. (1997) 32:510-516.
Lampi, P. et al. "Cancer Incidence Following Chlorophenol Exposure in a Community in Southern Finland," Archives of Environ. Health (1992) 47:167-175.
Mao, Y. et al. "Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Occupational Exposure to Chemicals in Canada," Annals of Oncology (2000) suppl. 1:69-73.
McDuffie, H.H., et al, “Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Specific Pesticide Exposures in Men: Cross-Canada Study of Pesticides and Health,” Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev (2001) Vol 10(11): 1155-1163.
Meinert, R. et al. "Leukemia and non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Childhood Exposure to Pesticides: Results of a Register-Based Case-Control Study in Germany," Am. J. Epidemiology (2000) 151:639.
Schwartz, J. "Multinational Trends in Multiple Myeloma," in D.L. Davis and D. Hoel (eds.) Trends in Cancer Mortality in Industrialized Countries, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. (1990) 609:215-224.
Soto, A. et al. "The Pesticides Endosulfan, Toxaphene, and Dieldrin Have Estrogenic Effects on Human Estrogen-Sensitive Cells," Environmental Health Perspectives (1994) 102: 380-383.
Thorn, A. et al. "Mortality and Cancer Incidence Among Swedish Lumberjacks Exposed to Phenoxy Herbicides," Occupational Environmental Medicine (2000) 57:718-20.
Zahm, S.H. et al. "A Case-Control Study of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and the Herbicide 2,4-D in Eastern Nebraska," Epidemiology (1990) 1:349-356.
Zahm, S.H. and A. Blair. "Cancer Among Migrant and Seasonal Farmers: An Epidemiological Review," Am. J. Industrial Med. (1993) 24:753-766.
Zava, D.T. et al, “Estrogenic Activity of Natural & Synthetic Estrogens in Human Breast Cancer Cells in Culture,” Environ Health Perspect (1997) 105(Suppl. 3): 637-645
Endocrine Disruptors
“Male reproductive health and environmental oestrogens,” Lancet. 1995 Apr 15;345(8955):933-5.
Bell, E,M,, et al. "A Case-Control Study of Pesticides and Fetal Death Due to Congenital Anomalies," Epidemiology (2001) 12:148-156.
Birnbaum, L.S, “Endocrine Effects of Prenatal Exposure to PCBs, Dioxins, and Other Xenobiotics: Implications for Policy & Research,” Environ Health Perspect (1994) 102: 676-679
Buck, G.M., et al. "Parental Consumption of Contaminated Sport Fish from Lake Ontario and Predicted Fecundability," Epidemiology (2000) 11:388-393.
Colby, H.D, “Adrenal Gland Toxicity: Chemically Induced Dysfunction,” J Amer Coll Toxicol (1988) 7:45-69
Cooper RL, & RJ Kavlock, “Endocrine disruptors and reproductive development: a weight-of-evidence overview,” J Endocrinol (1997) 152(2):159-66
Edmunds, J.S.G., et al. "Permanent and Functional Male-to-Female Sex Reversal in d-rR Strain Medaka (Oryzias latipes) Following Egg Microinjection of o,-DDT," Environmental Health Perspectives (2000) 108:219-224.
Fairchild, W.L. et al. "Does an Association Between Pesticide Use and Subsequent Declines in Catch of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Represent a Case of Endocrine Disruption?" Environmental Health Perspectives (1999) 107:349-358.
Giesy, J.P. "Deformities in Birds of the Great Lakes Region: Assigning Causality," Environmental Science and Technology (1994) 28:128-135.
Ginsburg, Jean, “Tackling Environmental Disrupters,” Lancet (1996) 347: 1501-1502
Gray, L.E. et al. "Administration of Potentially Antiandrogenic Pesticides and Toxic Substances During Sexual Differentiation Produces Diverse Profiles of Reproductive Abnormalities in the Male Rat," Toxicology and Industrial Health (1999) 15:94-118.
Gronen, S. et al. "Serum Vitellogenin Levels and Reproductive Impairment of Male Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) Exposed to 4-tert-octylphenol," Environmental Health Perspectives (1999) 107:385-390.
Guillette, L.J. et al. "Developmental Abnormalities of the Gonad and Abnormal Sex Hormone Concentrations in Juvenile Alligators from Contaminated and Control Lakes in Florida," Environmental Health Perspectives (1994) 102:68-688.
Jobling, S. et al, “A Variety of Environmentally Persistent Chemicals, Including Some Phthalate Plasticizers, Are Weakly Estrogenic,” Environ Health Perspect (1995) 103: 582-587
Jobling, S. et al. "Inhibition of Testicular Growth in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Exposed to Estrogenic Alkyphenol Chemicals," Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (1996) 15:194-202.
Jobling, S. et al. "Widespread Sexual Disruption in Wild Fish," Environmental Science and Technology (1998) 32:2498-2506.
Johnson, M.S. "Bioaccumulation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene and PCBs through two routes of Exposure in a Terrestrial Amphibian: Is the Dermale Route Significant," Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (1999) 18:873-878.
Kavlock RJ. et al, “Research needs for the risk assessment of health and environmental effects of endocrine disruptors: a report of the U.S. EPA-sponsored workshop,” Environ Health Perspect (1996) Aug;104 Suppl 4:715-40
Lye, C.M. et al. "Estrogenic Alkyphenols in Fish Tissues, Sediments, and Waters from the UK," Environmental Science and Toxicology (1999) 33:1009-1014.
Lye, C.M. et al. "Seasonal Reproductive Health of Flounder (Platichthys flesus) Exposed to Sewage Effluent," Marine Ecology Progress Series (1998) 170:249-260.
Mocarelli, P., et al, “Paternal concentrations of dioxin and sex ratio of offspring,” Lancet (2000) 355: 1858-1863.
Padungtod," C. et al. "Reproductive Hormone Profile Among Pesticide Factory Workers," Occupational and Environmental Medicine (1998) 40:1038-1047.
Paulozzi, L.J. et al. "Hypospadias Trends in Two U.S. Surveillance Systems," Pediatrics (1997) 100:831-834.
Paulozzi, L.J. "International Trends in Rates of Hypospadias and Cryptorchidism," Environmental Health Perspectives (1999) 107:297-302.
Pickford, D.B. and I.D. Morris. "Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Contaminants on Amphibian Oogenesis: Methoxychlor Inhibits Progesterone-Induced Maturation of Xenopus laevis Oocytes in Vitro," Environmental Health Perspectives (1999) 107:285-292.
Purdom, C.E. et al, “Estrogenic Effects of Effluents from Sewage Treatment Works,” Chemical Ecology (1994) 8:275-285
Rhodes, J.E. et al. "Chronic Toxicity of 14 Phthalate Esters to Daphnia magna and Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)," Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (1995) 14:1967-1976.
Ross, P.S. et al. "Contaminant-Related Suppression of Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity and Antibody Responses in Harbor Seals Fed Herring from the Baltic Sea," Environmental Health Perspectives (1995) 103:162-166.
Schlumpf M, Cotton B, Conscience M, Haller V, Steinmann B, Lichtensteiger W., “In vitro and in vivo estrogenicity of UV screens,” Environ Health Perspect 2001 Mar;109(3):239-44
Sheehan, D.M. et al. "No Threshold Dose for Estradiol-Induced Sex Reversal of Turtle Embryos: How Little Is Too Much?" Environmental Health Perspectives (1999) 107:155.
Willingham, E. and D. Crews. "Sex Reversal Effects of Environmentally Relevant Xenobiotic Concentrations on the Red-Eared Slider Turtle, a Species with Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination," General and Comparative Endocrinology (1999) 113:429-435.
Immunotoxicants
Banerjee, B.D., “The influence of various factors on immune toxicity assessment of pesticide chemicals,” Toxicology Letters (1999) 107: 21-31.
Bigazzi PE. “Autoimmunity caused by xenobiotics,” Toxicology 1997 Apr 11;119(1):1-21
Broughton, A & JD Thrasher, “Chronic health effects and immunological alterations associated with exposure to pesticides,” Comm Toxicol (1990) 4:59-7
Morris, D.L. et al. "Enhanced Suppression of Humoral Immunity in DBA/2 mice Following Subchronic Exposure to 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibennzo-p-dioxin," Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (1992) 119:128-132.
Powell, JJ et al, “Evidence for the role of environmental agents in the initiation or progression of autoimmune conditions,” Environ Health Perspect (1999) 107 (Suppl 5): 667-672
Selgrade, M.K. et al, “Linking environmental agents to autoimmune disease: an agenda for future research,” Environ Health Perspect (1999) 107 (Suppl 5):811-813
Vial, T, et al, “Clinical immunotoxicity of pesticides,” J Toxicol Environ Health (1996) 48:215-229.
Vojdani, Aristo, et. al. “Abnormal apoptosis and cell cycle progression in humans exposed to methyl tertiary-butyl ether and benzene contaminating water,” Human & Experimental Toxicology (1997) 16: 485-494.s
Neurotoxins
Gorell, J.M. et al, “The risk of Parkinson’s disease with exposure to pesticides, farming, well water and rural living,” Neurology (1998) Vol 50: 1346-1350
Hageman G, et al, “Parkinsonism, pyramidal signs, polyneuropathy, and cognitive decline after long-term occupational solvent exposure,” Neurol (1999) Vol 246(3):198-206
Kidd, P, “Parkinson's Disease as Multifactorial Oxidative Neurodegeneration: Implications for Integrative Management,” Alt Med Rev (2000) Vol 5(6):502-545
Menegon, A. et al, “Parkinson’s disease, pesticides, and glutathione transferase polymorphisms,” Lancet (1998) Vol 352: 1344-1346
Ritz B, Yu F. “Parkinson's disease mortality and pesticide exposure in California 1984-1994,” Int J Epidemiol (2000) Vol 29(2):323-9
Scheonberg, B.S., “Environmental risk factors for Parkinson’s disease: the epidemiologic evidence,” Can J Neurol Sci (1987) Vol 14(3 Suppl): 407-413
Stephenson J. “Exposure to home pesticides linked to Parkinson's disease,” JAMA 2000;283:3055-3056.
Steventon, et al, “Xenobiotic metabolism in Parkinson’s disease,” Neurology, 1989, Vol 39: 883-887
Thiruchelvam, M, et al, “The nigrostriatal dopaminergic system as a preferential target of repeated exposures to combined paraquat and maneb: Implications for Parkinson's disease,” Journal of Neuroscience, 2000, Vol 20(24):9207-9214
Phytochemicals, Detoxification, and Disease Prevention
Anderson, Karl E., & A. Kappas, “Dietary regulation of cytochrome P450,” Annu Rev Nutr (1991) Vol 11:141-167
Barch, D.H. et al, “Structure-function relationships of the dietary anticarcinogen ellagic acid,” (1996) Vol 17(2): 265-269
Bland, J.S., et al, “A Medical Food-Supplemented Detoxification Program in the Management of Chronic Health Problems,” Alternative Therapies (1995), Vol 1(5): 62-71
Bland, JS, & JA Bralley, “Nutritional Upregulation of Hepatic Detoxication Enzymes,” J Applied Nutr (1992) Vol 44(3&4): 1-15
Brooks JD, et, al, “Potent induction of phase 2 enzymes in human prostate cells by sulforaphane,” Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev (2001) Sep;10(9):949-54
Das, M. et al, “Effect of ellagic acid on hepatic and pulmonary xenobiotic metabolism in mice: studies on the mechanism of its anticarcinogenic action,” Carcinogenesis (1985) Vol 6(10): 1409-1413.
Fleishchauer, AT, et.al. “Garlic and cancer: A critical review of the epidemiologic literature,” J Nutr (2001) Vol 131(Suppl): 1032S-1040S.
Giovannucci, E. et al, “Multivitamin Use, Folate, and Colon Cancer in Women in the Nurses' Health Study,” Ann Int Med (1998) Vol 129:517-524.
Gusman, J, et al, “A reappraisal of the potential chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties of resveratrol,” Carcinogenesis (2001) Vol 22(8): 1111-1117
Hecht, SS, “Chemoprevention of cancer by isothiocyanates, modifiers of carcinogen metabolism,” J Nutr (1999) Vol 129(3 Suppl):768S-774S
Jan, M. et al, “Cancer chemopreventive activity of resveratrol, a natural product derived from grapes,” Science (1997) Vol 275(10): 218-220.
Jankun, J, et al, “Why drinking green tea could prevent cancer,” Nature (1997) Vol 387: 561
Kappas, A. & A. Alvares, “How the Liver Metabolizes Foreign Substances,” Scientific American, (1975) 232(4): 22-31
Kawamori, T, et al, “Chemopreventive effect of curcumin, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agent, during the promotion/progression stages of colon cancer,” Cancer Research (1999) Vol 59(3): 597-601.
Khafif, A, et al, “Quantitation of chemopreventive synergism between epigallocatechin-3-gallate and curcumin in normal, premalignant and malignant human oral epithelial cells,” Carcinogenesis (1998) Vol 19(3(L 419-424.
Kerndt, P.R., et al, “Fasting: The History, Pathophysiology & Complications,” West J Med (1982) Vol 137: 379-399
Kilburn, KH, et al, “Neuro behavioral dysfunction in firemen exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); possible improvement after detoxification,” Arch Environ Health (1989) Vol 44:345-350
Liska, DJ, “The Detoxification Enzyme Systems,” Altern Med Rev (1998) Vol 3(3): 187-198
Kucuk O, et al, “Phase II randomized clinical trial of lycopene supplementation before radical prostatectomy,” Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2001 Vol10(8):861-8.
Marwick, Charles, “Learning how phytochemicals help fight disease,” JAMA (1995) Vol 274(17): 1328-1330.
Milner, JA, et al, “A historical perspective on garlic and cancer,” J Nutr (2001) Vol 131(Suppl): 1027S-1031S.
Prochaska, HJ, & P. Talalay, “Regulatory mechanisms of monofunctional and bifunctional anticarcinogenic enzyme inducers in murine liver,” Cancer Res (1988) Vol 48(17): 4776-4882
Rao, C.V., et al, “Chemoprevention of colon cancer by dietary curcumin,” Ann NY Acad Sci (1995) Vol 768: 201-204.
Rigden, Scott, E Barrager, & J.S. Bland, “Evaluation of the Effect of a Modified Entero-Hepatic Resuscitation Program in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients,” J Adv Med (1998) Vol 11(4): 247-262
Saller, R et al, “The use of silymarin in the treatment of liver diseases,” Drugs (2001) Vol 61(14): 2035-2063
Walaszek Z, et al, “Metabolism, uptake, and excretion of a D-glucaric acid salt and its potential use in cancer prevention,” Cancer Detect Prev. 1997;21(2):178-90.
Walaszek Z., “Potential use of D-glucaric acid derivatives in cancer prevention,” Cancer Lett. 1990 Oct 8;54(1-2):1-8.
Wellington, K, et al, “Silymarin: a review of its clinical properties in the management of hepatic disorders,” Bio Drugs (2001) Vol 15(7): 465-489
Wolf, C. Roland, “Chemoprevention: Increased potential to bear fruit,” PNAS (2001) Vol 98(6): 2941-2943
Zeligs, M. A., “Diet and estrogen status: the cruciferous connection,” J Med Food, 1998, Vol 1(2): 67-82.
Zi, X. et al, “A flavonoid antioxidant, silymarin, inhibits activation of erbB1 signalling and induces cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, G1 arrest, and anti-carcinogenic effects in human prostate carcinoma DU145 cells,” Cancer Research, 1998, Vol 58: 1920-1929.
Selected Resources
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: www.atsdr.cdc.gov
Environmental Defense Fund: www.edf.org
Environmental Working Group: www.ewg.org
National Resources Defense Council: www.nrdc.org
For local sources of pollution: www.scorecard.org
Our Stolen Future: www.ourstolenfuture.org
Pesticide Action Network of North America: www.panna.org
Physicians for Social Responsibility: www.envirohealthaction.org
U.S. EPA Office of Pesticide Programs: www.epa.gov/pesticides
World Wildlife Fund: www.wwf.org
Originally published:
Great Life Magazine, November 2003