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Quotes about Birth Defects from the world's top natural health / natural living authors

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"It's the leading preventable cause of birth defects in the United States, and some studies have shown that if a pregnant woman drinks even moderately, learning, behavioral, and social problems can follow for the baby. The brains of rats born to ethanol-fed mothers have lower levels of BDNF, neurogenesis, and neuroplasticity. The hippocampus is atrophied, and consequently, the pups can't learn or remember very well. Beyond the hippocampus, alcohol damages glutamate synapses, and this has wide-ranging effects in the brain." - John J. Ratey, MD, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (Get the book.)

"Information has been available in scientific literature for many years regarding studies that have demonstrated how cancer and birth defects can develop in animals when they are exposed to nickel. Dr. Huggins points out that dentists often call the nickel alloy used in dentistry stainless steel, as it sounds better.5 Chelation—Removing Heavy Metals from the Body Metals in tooth fillings and crowns can be removed and replaced with non-conductive composite materials." - Ron Garner, Conscious Health: A Complete Guide to Wellness Through Natural Means (Get the book.)

"The research demonstrated that almost all toothpaste products contain significant levels of lead, a heavy metal known to the State of California's health experts to be hazardous to human health by causing cancer and birth defects," declared Institute researchers. Crest was singled out as one of the worst offending brands due to its additional inclusion of hydrated silica, an abrasive cleanser found to be laced with even more lead. Eighteen other toothpaste manufacturers also used lead-laced hydrated silica." - Samuel S. Epstein, Randall Fitzgerald, Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Endanger Your Health . . . And What You Can Do about It (Get the book.)

"At least 217 have been shown to be toxic to the brain and nervous system, while 208 have been linked to birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests. The findings of this Body Burden study speak for themselves. They emphasize the urgent necessity for parents to clean themselves up before pregnancy, to reduce their future children's exposure to these dangerous chemicals well ahead of time." - Deirdre Imus, Growing Up Green: Baby and Child Care: Volume 2 in the Bestselling Green This! Series (Green This!) (Get the book.)

"According to John Culhane, in his 1980 article "PCBs: The Poisons That Won't Go Away," only a few parts per billion of these substances can cause cancer and birth defects in lab animals.19 The tenth annual Council on Environmental Quality, sponsored by the U.S. government, reported PCBs in 100 percent of all human sperm samples. According to a Washington Post article in 1979, PCBs are considered one of the main reasons that the average sperm count of the American male is approximately 70 percent of what it was thirty years ago." - Gabriel Cousens, There Is a Cure for Diabetes: The Tree of Life 21-Day+ Program (Get the book.)

"Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or, as proposed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) and alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD) is defined by pre- and postnatal growth disturbances, dysmorphic facial features, and mental retardation; behavioral abnormalities are common, as are motor problems, facial anomalies, and cardiac defects [34]. FAS represents an example of a developmental disability where prenatal nutrition likely plays a major role in the etiology. This is due to (1) the dietary energy provided by alcohol (7." - Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey, Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease (Get the book.) "First is rapidly emerging evidence regarding the contributory role of nutrition in the etiology of preterm birth, low birth weight, and some birth defects, as well as its essential role in early postnatal development. Because of the growing numbers of nutrients shown to be involved in normal development, the importance of whole foods versus supplements is also becoming apparent. The second major point, which follows from the first, is that early nutrition intervention is crucial to the individual child's attaining his or her highest potential." - Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey, Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease (Get the book.)

"Hormone disrupters are also blamed for the birth defects and developmental disorders, especially in males, that have been identified over recent decades. Lab testing in animals has identified dozens of "gender bender" ingredients in common household products. One of these, Bisphenol A (BPA), mimics the hormone estrogen, yet it is commonly used in polycarbonate baby bottles, cosmetics, and personal care products, and even in some dental sealants for children." - Samuel S. Epstein, Randall Fitzgerald, Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Endanger Your Health . . . And What You Can Do about It (Get the book.)

"Alcohol Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is an established cause of serious birth defects and developmental delay, described as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is caused by in utero alcohol-induced damages and results in mental retardation. Infants born with FAS have facial abnormalities and slow growth. They show impairment in their intellectual development and have difficulties in learning, memory, problem solving, and attention span. They can also experience mental health problems and difficulties with social behaviors." - Tori Hudson, N.D., Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine: Alternative Therapies and Integrative Medicine for Total Health and Wellness (Get the book.)

"Nearly all of these chemicals had been linked in animal testing to cancer, birth defects, hormone disruption, and other health disorders. (4) Though these tests did not specifically target ingredients found in cosmetics and personal care products, their results demonstrate the same principle: the toxins in the mother are passed also to the child. Once there, they inflict an unknown amount of harm. "For some of the chemicals, we know some safe levels for a single chemical in adults," commented Tim Kropp, a senior scientist with the Environmental Working Group. " - Samuel S. Epstein, Randall Fitzgerald, Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Endanger Your Health . . . And What You Can Do about It (Get the book.)

"Stress, anxiety, and depression can have a frighteningly powerful impact on a pregnancy, and, in the extreme, can result in miscarriage, low birth weight, birth defects, or death of the baby. Babies born to unhappy mothers are fussier, less responsive, harder to soothe, and have unpredictable sleep patterns. And in follow-up tests, these babies are more likely to be hyperactive and suffer cognitive impairments. In rodent models, pups born to mothers subjected to stress during pregnancy (by way of shocking their feet) are skittish, clumsy, and less adventurous." - John J. Ratey, MD, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (Get the book.)

"The staggering levels of infertility and birth defects alone should lead us to examine the authenticity of society's opinions about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. Is it actually realistic to assume that the high levels of birth defects, infertility, and miscarriage are chance happenings? Perhaps the innate wisdom of the body recognizes circumstances incompatible with life and communicates via an extreme response in the form of defect, miscarriage, or simply not allowing the process to be initiated?" - Richard, Dr. DiCenso, Beyond Medicine, exploring a new way of thinking (Get the book.)

"Vitamin D Folic Acid for Life Here are three things to know right off the bat: Folic acid does a heck of a lot more than just preventing birth defects, the recommended daily minimum is too low, and folic acid supplementation is just as important for men as it is for women. Oh, and one more thing—if you're a woman, your need for it doesn't start and end with your childbearing years. It goes on for life. Every single one of our 100 trillion cells relies on folic acid." - Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth about What Treatments Work and Why (Get the book.)

"Asparagus is an excellent source of folic acid, which may help control homocysteine, a risk factor for heart disease, cancer, and cognitive dysfunction, and also may reduce birth defects. Asparagus is also a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, and vitamin B6. It is also high in rutin, a flavonoid that is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties, strengthen blood vessels, and protect against oxidative damage. Asparagus is also high in glutathione, an antioxidant that protects cells from damage." - David W. Grotto, RD, LDN, 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life! (Get the book.)

"The effects of poor nutrition during pregnancy can be seen in the increase of birth defects during times of famine.2 But a standard Western diet (high in fats, salt, and sugar and low in complex carbohydrates) also lacks essential vitamins and minerals needed during pregnancy and breast-feeding, which can compromise your baby's health.3 The appropriate diet is well balanced and varied and includes fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, beans, and fish, with a limit on refined sugars, processed foods, and saturated fats." - Tori Hudson, N.D., Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine: Alternative Therapies and Integrative Medicine for Total Health and Wellness (Get the book.)

"Miscarriage and birth defects, such as neural tube defects may be a result of untreated celiac disease. This could be due to poor nutrient absorption and depletion. Long term cases may also suffer from bone pain, malnutrition, edema and unexplained skin sensations, such as burning, tingling or pricking, strictures of the intestines and ulcer formation in the lower bowel. Some hypothesize that low spleen function causes immune complexes to go unchecked and bind in the intestines. The body reacts by mounting an attack on these complexes and damages the intestinal wall." - Heather Caruso, Your Drug-Free Guide to Digestive Health (Get the book.)

"Another study showed an "overall apparent protective effect of peri-conceptual multivitamin use" for prevention of certain pregnancy-related illnesses and birth defects.6 Of special importance are folate (folic acid) and calcium intake, since the requirement for both of these doubles during pregnancy. One study found that "The fetus, the neonate, and the pregnant woman have an increased requirement for folic acid and vitamin B12, and are more likely to suffer from a deficiency of these vitamins." - Tori Hudson, N.D., Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine: Alternative Therapies and Integrative Medicine for Total Health and Wellness (Get the book.)

"Hundreds of thousands were injured. birth defects, disabilities, diseases and pollution paralyze the region to this day. The ensuing investigation determined that the catastrophe was caused by a leak of methyl isocyanate, an ingredient used to manufacture carbamate pesticides at the nearby Union Carbide factory. Many of the chemicals used on our fruits were initially developed to be nerve gases and other weapons during World War II. To stay operational, the factories producing wartime chemicals redirected their concoctions into fruit crops." - Adam Leith Gollne, The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce and Obsession (Get the book.)

"Before long I was receiving dozens of requests: people with cancer, children with brain damage or birth defects, estranged family members, wounded pets. I tried to choose carefully and always put up a photo of our Intention of the Week: a child with cerebral palsy; a newborn who'd sustained brain damage after a difficult birth; a teenage runaway; a woman who'd found the love of her life in late middle age only to discover she'd got breast cancer. Our site was turning into the cyber equivalent of a weekly prayer group." - Lynne McTaggart, The Intention Experiment: Using Your Thoughts to Change Your Life and the World (Get the book.)

"Areas of concern with regard to mercury exposure include kidney dysfunction, neurotoxicity, reduced immune function, hypersensitivity reactions, birth defects and overall changes in general health. "The Food Additives Handbook reports that lead, cadmium and arsenic are put into animal feed, as are other heavy metals. They are probably placed there intentionally to remove germs. In addition, aluminum is found in baking powder, table salt, and vanilla powder. It's used as an emulsifier, and as an anti-cak-ing agent," Dr. Calapai adds." - Gary Null and Amy McDonald, The Food-Mood Connection: Nutrition-based and Environmental Approaches to Mental Health and Physical Wellbeing (Get the book.) "Among the actions have been a 2004 lawsuit against the makers of Paxil for concealing information about the antidepressant's safety and efficacy in children, and a 2006 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine which determined that women taking SSRIs during the second half of pregnancy were more likely to deliver children with birth defects." - Gary Null and Amy McDonald, The Food-Mood Connection: Nutrition-based and Environmental Approaches to Mental Health and Physical Wellbeing (Get the book.)

"For instance, in one cutting-edge study of 1,000 women living in California, researchers found that those who ate the most refined and sugary foods experienced up to a fourfold increase in birth defects compared to women whose diets consisted mainly of unprocessed whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, and some dairy products. It appears that the mother's high blood sugar can overwhelm the embryo in the early stages of pregnancy, particularly before its pancreas develops. And experts believe that the hypoglycemia that often accompanies a sugar spike also could cause birth defects." - Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C. with Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., Sugar Shock!: How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life-- and How YouCan Get Back on Track (Get the book.)

"Currently, if a prostate biopsy is negative—just benign growth—then doctors might prescribe Proscar (finasteride) to men with elevated PSA levels, but the negative side effects (depressed sexual libido, impotence, gynecomastia, and the potential for birth defects) might make a case for "doing nothing ('watchful waiting')," Katz says. "Millions of men have ticking time bombs in their prostates: They have elevated PSAs but they don't have cancer yet," explains Katz." - Freedom Press, Natural Cancer Cures: The Definitive Guide to Using Dietary Supplements to Fight and Prevent Cancer (Get the book.)

"Folate reduces the risk of neural tube birth defects, and may help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, Alzheimer's disease, and depression. Hazelnuts also contain the blood pressure-lowering minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Hazelnuts are also a rich source of squalene, a plant chemical—also found in olive oil, wheat germ oil, rice bran oil, shark oil, and yeast—that has anticancer and cholesterol-lowering properties. Home Remedies Hazelnut oil has been used externally as a way to rid the skin of cellulite." - David W. Grotto, RD, LDN, 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life! (Get the book.)

"DBP has been linked to birth defects and reproductive problems (17). A subsequent survey of nail polish brands conducted by the Environmental Working Group found DBP in thirty-seven of the most popular nail polishes, topcoats, and hardeners. In 2007, a coalition of organizations led by the consumer health group Women's Voices For the Earth took urine samples from thirty-three people selected from seven states. The lab tests performed detected another phthalate, DEHP, in every single sample. (18) In response to rising public alarm about DBP and DEHP, two major nail polish manufacturers ?" - Samuel S. Epstein, Randall Fitzgerald, Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Endanger Your Health . . . And What You Can Do about It (Get the book.)

"Their findings, which were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, were based on "serious adverse drug events" (those that cause death, birth defects or disability, resulted in hospitalization, or were life-threatening) as reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Even drugs that are generally recognized as safe, such as aspirin, can cause serious side effects." - Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith, The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps (Get the book.)

"Animals exposed to some pesticides are showing problems such as male animals not reaching sexual maturity, development of both testes and ovaries at the same time, thyroid problems, birth defects like crossed bills in birds, club feet, and missing eyes. Pesticides are toxic, but the risk depends on what chemicals are in their formulation, and the amount, length, and kind of exposure; whether they are ingested in food, absorbed through the skin, or inhaled; and the body weight, age, and health of the person exposed. Great care should be taken when handling pesticides or insecticides." - Ron Garner, Conscious Health: A Complete Guide to Wellness Through Natural Means (Get the book.)

"Lower down, an 8x10 photocopy states: "Chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm may be present in foods or beverages sold here." Such signs are posted on many fast-food outlets. Heaven isn't a place on earth, at least not at these drive-throughs. Sustainability is only now starting to be discussed as an objective in agriculture. One innovative program in Europe has been to use government subsidies to pay farm owners to convert their arable land into forests. As a result, European forests have actually expanded by 10 percent in the past twenty years." - Adam Leith Gollne, The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce and Obsession (Get the book.) "On the contrary, independent studies link the chemicals on our fruits to cancers, birth defects, sterility, Parkinsons, asthma, disrupted hormones and a host of other grim diseases. Because these toxins affect human nervous systems and neurochemistry they are especially unsafe for children, says the National Academy of Sciences. They proliferate in our sperm and ovaries, affecting our reproductive development. Pesticides are found in North American mothers' milk. The AmericanJournal of Epidemiology has established a connection between residential pesticide use and breast cancer." - Adam Leith Gollne, The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce and Obsession (Get the book.)

"Another case that made headlines recently involved a military base at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, where 75,000 Marines and their families were exposed to toxic tap water that may have caused cancer and birth defects. Federal hearings took place in the summer of 2007, and numerous residents of the base testified about their personal horror stories—children born with severe disabilities or disorders, and many who later died of unusual cancers. Are Chlorine and Fluoride a Problem?" - Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith, The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps (Get the book.)

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