On the heels of the news that fluoride was recently classified in the world’s top medical journal, The Lancet, as a neurotoxin on par with some of the most notorious substances in that class such as arsenic and mercury, more and more people are looking for solutions.
Reducing fluoride exposure in North America can be a challenge, especially considering that most of our water supply is currently fluoridated with industrial sodium fluoride (in stark contrast to natural calcium fluoride), an aluminum industry byproduct.
Avoiding fluoride exposure is especially important for brain health, and children are among those who are particularly at risk; it’s even being strongly linked by Harvard researchers to lowered IQ levels in children who live in areas where the water is more fluoridated.
There are several unique ways to either filter fluoride from your water or to mitigate the effects that any incidental exposure may cause to your brain. Here are four of the best ones:
1. Use Holy Basil (aka Tulsi Leaf)- A team of Indian researchers from the department of environmental sciences, Sardar Patel Mahavidyalaya, Chandrapur, found that the stem and leaves in particular of the [easyazon_link asin=”B003SO8HGE” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”al0b63-20″]tulsi leaf[/easyazon_link] can detoxify water by serving as a natural magnet to attract molecules of fluoride from the water. The researchers said that 20 minutes was all it took for the plant to bind to the molecules at a sufficient rate.
They observed that a removal of 94 percent was possible using 75 mg of fresh leaves for 100 ml over a 20 minute time period.
It was also shown by researchers from Rajasthan University in India that Tulsi can reduce 100 ml of water’s fluoride levels from 7.4 parts per million to only 1.1 parts per million over the course of eight hours of soaking.
2. Get Filtered Water- Water quality is not something that I personally am willing to compromise on, especially considering all of the fluoride and chlorine in our supplies in America, not to mention all of the prescription drug remnants and even hormones from birth control pills that have been flushed down the drain.
Getting your own fluoride water filter is one option, as is getting your water filtered from a local health food store like I do, in glass bottles. Both are well worth the investment in my personal experience, I simply don’t feel the same when I’m forced to consume tap water.
3. Protect Your Brain with Turmeric- According to a recent study in study published in the Pharmacognosy Magazine, turmeric’s main antioxidant, curcumin, shows great promise as a neuroprotective agent that could be useful in mitigating the brain-damaging effects of fluoride.
Getting plenty of beneficial antioxidants like these is one of the best ways to prevent and mitigate fluoride damage to the brain; other foods that may help include blueberries and similar dark colored berries.
4. Take Shorter Showers (or Take Other Actions)- Exposure to fluoride while showering is particularly damaging because of how much fluoride is absorbed through the skin.
The skin is our largest organ, and we can take in the equivalent of a large glass of water simply by showering and breathing in the mist that results.
Because exposure to water chemicals is so high during showers, it’s a good idea to air out the room while you take them and to make sure you don’t take showers that are too long. Hot water also has the effect of opening up your pores so that more toxins can enter your bloodstream.
I enjoy long, hot showers a little too long personally, which is why I use a [easyazon_link asin=”B0059EMIFW” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”al0b63-20″]fluoride-filtering shower filter from the Texas-based company Omica Organics [/easyazon_link] which allows me to feel more confident about not exposing myself to as many toxins, and also to enjoy my showers for longer without worrying as much.
As more and more studies come out showing the harmful effects of industrial fluoride, the hope is that more people will wake up and start demanding healthier water. Until then, we all have the choice to do our best to limit exposure to this pervasive, cumulative toxin in our own daily lives.
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About Nick Meyer
