Health and Fitness

We’ve all heard of it. But what exactly is it and why is there such a big controversy about something that we come into contact with everyday?

First let’s look at the two types of fluoride. The first, sodium fluoride, is a by-product of approximately 50 industries, such as agro-chemical & heavy manufacturing.

According to Phillip Day in his book Health Wars, President Lyndon Johnson’s Science Advisory Committee had named fluoride compounds “one of America’s four leading pollutants”. Pretty scary stuff. However, after fluoridation went into effect, hardly a thing was heard any longer against it.

The other type of fluoride is calcium fluoride. This is the form found in nature and it is less toxic than its calcium counterpart. It is also more soluble in water.

It is interesting to note that the first major proponent of fluoridation was the aluminum industry (Day, 2001). Why? Industries had a huge problem on their hands with all of the toxic fluoride they were putting it out. So of course, let’s ‘wash it up a bit’…and feed it to consumers. What could it hurt?

Consider the Liucin Township. Eighteen of twenty two villages there had serious side effects from the fluoride in the water: hardened brown teeth, bowed backs, shrunken limbs, and early death. Over 80% of the people were severely affected. And no, this wasn’t 60 years ago. This was in 1981. (Seybolt 13)

Fast forward to today. Critics state there is no difference in the tooth decay rates of children in cities with fluoridation as compared to those without. Even worse, it may mask the real problems of decay; poor dental hygiene and way too much sugar. Fluoride has been shown to be harmful at certain levels in the body. The scary part is, research has shown that it may accumulate in the body over time.

Research has also shown that in fluoridated cities there is an increased risk of heart disease and cancer. Fluoride has been shown to cause genetic damage in lab testes, even turning healthy cells into cancer cells.

Many countries have already banned the use of fluoride, including France, Sweden, the Netherlands, and even some locales in the US. I for one will definitely be making sure that myself and my family stick to filtered water and as little fluoride containing products as possible!

About the Writer: Melissa Possehl can help you in your pursuit towards a holistic life. For HolisticLiving Tips and more great advice on how to enjoy Healthier Living please click the links provided!