Mar 08.qxd - Connection Magazine

y Dr. Joseph Mercola
A
report was presented at the
annual Pediatric Academic
Society meeting describing
how a preschool-age girl and her kindergarten-age
brother began growing
pubic hair.
This was not an isolated case;
in 2004, there was similar cluster of
fi ve children, and previous clusters in
outbreaks occurring along the lines of
disease epidemics or environmental
poisonings.
In 1979, there was an outbreak
of breast enlargement among hundreds
of Italian schoolchildren, most likely
caused by estrogen contamination of
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Dr. Mercola Addresses:
Why Are Kids Entering Puberty
Before They Enter School?
beef and poultry.
Most commonly, these outbreaks
traced to accidental drug exposures.
But some physicians worry
that children are at higher risk of early
puberty due to the increasing availability
of classes of drugs, cosmetics
and environmental contaminants called
endocrine disruptors.
In the case of the two children
described in the report, their testosterone
level was nearly 100 times the
normal amount. The cause was traced to
a concentrated testosterone skin cream
being used by their father. The children
absorbed the testosterone through normal
skin contact with their father.
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Sex hormones like testosterone
are particularly potent because they
are easily absorbed through the skin
and resist degradation. Other known
triggers of early puberty have included
a shampoo that contained estrogen and
placental extract, shampoos containing
lavender and tea tree oils, and industrial
pollutants.
—New York Times Oct. 17,
2006 Spartanburg Herald-Journal,
Oct. 17, 2006
Dr. Mercola’s Comment:
It’s about time medical “experts”
are finally recognizing the growing
number of health problems resulting
from contact with toxic chemicals.
It is shocking, but nevertheless,
increasingly common for fi ve and six
year old children to go through precocious
puberty. The signs of which
include:
For girls before age 8:
• Breasts
by Joe Wilkes
Editor’s Note: Last month,
we presented 3 of the 9 foods. This
issue we present 2 more undesirable
foods and their ‘good’ alternatives.
We will continue each month until
we complete the list.
If you’ve followed the news on
childhood obesity lately, you know
that the state of affairs is pretty
grim. Childhood obesity rates have
tripled over the past two decades, and
most signs show that today’s children
will be the fi rst to have shorter life
expectancies than their parents. Much
of the blame for this has deservedly
been laid at the feet of the producers
and marketers of unhealthy food aimed
at our youngest consumers. These
producers and marketers have created
an uphill battle for parents trying to
compete with superheroes and cartoon
animals for their children’s palates and
stomachs.
4). JUICE and JUICE-FLAVORED
DRINKS:
Juice, what could be wrong with
juice? While 100% juice is a good
source of vitamin C, it doesn’t have
the fi ber of whole fruit, and provides
calories mostly from sugar and carbohydrates.
Too much juice can lead to
obesity and tooth decay, among other
• Armpit or pubic hair
• First menstruation
For boys before age 9:
• Enlarged testicles and penis
• Armpit or pubic hair
• Facial hair
Another is accidental contact
with endocrine disruptors present in
many household products and cosmetics,
including:
• Bovine growth hormones commonly
added to commercial dairy
• Soy products which are loaded with
hormone like substances
• Bisphenol A, commonly used in many
plastics
• Phthalates also commonly used in
plastics
• Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
— better known as Tefl on
The disruption of your hormone
system, and all of the consequences
resulting from it, is a typical way
that environmental toxins negatively
impact your body.
No surprise, Congress told
the EPA to develop a comprehensive
screening program within three years
a decade ago. The agency never got
around to it, however, due to efforts
to squash it by representatives from
the chemical industry serving on a
program committee.
Page 22 ▲ The Connection Magazine ▲ www.theConnect.com ▲ March — April 2, 2008
If you have children, this is
clearly something you will want to
avoid. Here are some measures you
can take to protect you and your children
from common toxic substances
which will cause them to go into puberty
more than a decade before they
were designed to:
• Store your food in glass containers
whenever possible, as it is the most
inert container you can use.
• Only use natural cleaning products
in your home. Most health food stores
will have these available, or you can
search online for them.
• Buy and eat, as much as possible,
organic foods, especially milk which is
frequently contaminated with bovine
growth hormone.
• Avoid processed foods.
• Switch to natural brands of toiletries,
including shampoo, toothpaste,
antiperspirants and cosmetics. Same
sources as above for these, either your
local health food store, or you can
search online.
• Read Our Stolen Future by Theo
Colborn, Dianne Dumanoski & John
Peter Meyers
For more information, visit
www.mercola.com.
Printed with permission.
9 Foods Not to Give Kids
problems. The American Academy
of Pediatrics suggests 4 to 6 ounces
of juice per day for kids under 6, and
8 to 12 ounces for older kids. Juice
drinks that aren’t 100% juice are usually
laced with artifi cial colors and
that old standby, HFCS, and should
be avoided. Your best bet is to make
your own juice from fresh, seasonal
fruit. You won’t have to worry about
all the additives, and it’s another way
you can involve your kids in the cooking
process. Let them design their own
juice “cocktail.” And if you were even
considering soda, perhaps a refresher
course from Steve Edwards’ Nutrition
911 series is in order (see “Nutrition
911, Part VI: The Worst Food on the
Planet” at www.steveedwardsonline.
com).
INSTEAD: Water is still the best
thirst quencher. Explain the importance
of good hydration to your kids,
and set a good example yourself by
carrying around a water bottle. Get
them used to carrying a small bottle
of water in their backpack or attached
to their bike. If they’re very water
averse, try water with a splash of fruit
juice in it. But just a splash. The idea
is to get kids used to not having things
be overly sweet, overly salty, or overly
fatty. The other great beverage is milk.
Filled with nutrients, calcium, and
protein, growing kids need plenty of
milk, though not so much fat. Choosing
low-fat or skim milk will help
ensure that they get their milk without
becoming a cow.
5). FRENCH FRIES:
High in calories, high in fat, and
high in sodium˜and unsurprisingly,
the most popular “vegetable” among
kids. They offer virtually none of the
nutrients found in broccoli, carrots,
spinach, or other veggies not found in
a deep fryer. And the fat they’re fried
in is usually trans fat, the unhealthiest
kind for the heart. To top it all off,
studies are beginning to show cancercausing
properties from acrylamide,
a toxic substance that is created when
starchy foods like potatoes are heated
to extreme temperatures. In some tests,
the amount of acrylamide in French
fries was 300 to 600 times higher than
the amount that the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) allows in a
glass of water.2
INSTEAD: Vegetables like baby
carrots, celery sticks, or other crudités
are great options, but if potatoes must
be had, there are some options that
don’t begin with melting a brick of
fat. A scooped-out potato skin with
low-fat chili and a little cheese can
provide lots of fi -
ber and vitamins,
with even higher
amounts if the
chili has beans.
You can also try
making baked
fries, using slices
of potato with a
light brushing
of olive oil. Or,
the classic baked
potato could be a
hit, with yogurt
dip or cottage
cheese instead of
sour cream and
butter.
Printed with
permission.