The Thing About Water

It was many years ago when the first warnings came out. In fact, a 1999  study found that 22 percent of bottled water brands had at least one sample containing chemical contaminants at levels above strict state health limits. It wasn't long after that when a study from Goethe University at Frankfurt found that a high percentage of the bottled water contained in plastic containers was polluted with estrogenic chemicals.

Since then, the research has just kept piling on the fact that water stored in plastic containers simply isn't safe. Over the past few years, research uncovered the fact that the plastics commonly used for water bottle storage release a chemical called bisphenol-A into the water. Bisphenol-A (aka BPA) is what is known as a "xenoestrogen." Xenoestrogens are chemicals that act like estrogen in our bodies, fooling us into thinking we have more estrogen inside us than we do. This creates numerous problems, for males and females alike. Estrogen dominance is a frequent cause of perimenopausal health problems, and the presence of too much estrogen-like chemicals in men can cause infertility and unwanted physical changes.

Bottle-makers began switching over to "BPA-free" plastics, and all seemed well and good for a few years, until more recent news came in: A full 33% of all plastics leach toxins into food and water, regardless of whether they were BPA-free or not. In addition to xenoestrogens, other toxins were released into the water in as little as 2-3 days, according to a Swedish study.

This would not have a major effect on products such as reusable water bottles, such as those used by cyclists and runners, as those are emptied within hours, long before toxins or xenoestrogens would be able to leach into the water. Which is why I'm comfortable using BPA-free reusable water bottles as one of the rewards for the members of my DocAltMed Fitness Team.

However, it never sat so well with me that the water coming from the bubbler in the reception room of my office was stored in plastic bottles. Even though I had been assured by my suppliers that the plastic was BPA-free, the most recent studies made it clear that there was little doubt that the water I was supplying to my patients was tainted.

One of the key tenets for me as a doctor is that I must walk the talk. The only way, in my mind, that I could possibly have the authority to tell people to fundamentally alter their lifestyles is to live a healthy lifestyle myself. (Thus the bike (or trike) sitting by the door, where I park it after riding it to work.) And it seemed to me that giving people water which has likely been sullied by toxins was probably not in keeping with my core principles, particularly when you consider the amount of my professional life I spend cajoling people to imbibe the stuff.

But it wasn't easy to change. I searched high and low for bottled water companies that would deliver in old-style glass carboys. And, in fact, there is one -- in Baltimore. The Center, apparently, is outside of their delivery area.

Then again, who needs bottled water, I thought? All I really need is a cooler/bubbler, a glass carboy, and a water source. So I had the well water at the Center tested, and it was clean of all of the contaminants that I could test for. In addition, it is moderately hard, giving the well water a pleasing taste.

So a couple of weeks ago, I fired my bottled water company and we went online with our clean, fresh, local water. After getting everything all set up, Teresa and I noticed an enjoyable side benefit. As you draw water from the tap, and the bubbles pop to the surface of the carboy, they make a pleasant and happy "Ping!", very unlike the "blurp" of the old plastic bottles, which sounded a bit like an old man's response to a fatty meal.

So if you would like to sample our very tasty well water, and experience it's delicious Ping!, stop by the Center for a glassful. You don't need to be a patient. Just thirsty.

Dr. Avery Jenkins is a chiropractic physician specializing in the treatment of people with chronic disorders. He can be reached at alj@docaltmed.com or by calling 860-567-5727.

Estrogen: It's Not Just For Breakfast Any More

Industries from pharmaceuticals to plastics to agriculture are all dependent on the bureaucratically-induced hallucination that our estrogen-soaked food supply is safe. Unfortunately, this view is contradicted by the research, all of which points to growing endocrine dysfunction in many species, including our own.

If you follow health-related news at all, you are probably aware of the recent study that was released, showing that many plastics -- not just those containing BPA -- have been found to leak estrogen-like substances into our foods. While estrogen is a useful and necessary hormone, the additional estrogens we are absorbing through our food and our environment may not be so good for us.

Certainly, the hormone replacement therapy studies which came out during the last decade proved the folly of mainstream medicine's belief in the protective effects of estrogen. Though it had been believed that estrogen reduced the risk of heart disease and cancer in women, long-term studies showed that the exact opposite was true. Long-term estrogen replacement actually increased the risk of chronic and lethal diseases.

Though the warnings about the health risks of environmental estrogens are couched in enough verbal hedges to make a diplomat happy, the fact of the matter is that nothing good can come from the chronic absorption of estrogen-like chemicals. These chemicals have been linked to increased male infertility, increased rates of breast cancer, and ovarian cysts, among other problems.

The fact of the matter is, however, that there are some 3,000 food additives which have been approved by the FDA, and not a single one of them have been tested for estrogenic activity. Interestingly, while synthetic estrogens are allowed into the food supply without testing, and alleged to be safe, natural phytoestrogens such as those found in licorice, wild yam and dong quai, have been subjected to extensive review and carefully worded warnings about their unguided use (the implication being that you are far safer with the synthetic estrogens and whatever crazed mutant hormones are leaching from your plastic-wrapped meats).

The mainstream medical community's waffling on the dangers of synthetic estrogens is clearly the result of the FDA's desire to avoid biting the plastic hand that feeds it. Industries from pharmaceuticals to plastics to agriculture are all dependent on the bureaucratically-induced hallucination that our estrogen-soaked food supply is safe. Unfortunately, this view is contradicted by the research, all of which points to growing endocrine dysfunction in many species, including our own.

Which leads me to today's quiz: What was the first time that a significant number of humans were exposed to estrogen-like chemicals, and what was the result?

The first person to email me with the correct answer will receive a 10% discount on their next purchase from our Dispensary. Your order can be of any size.

Good luck!

Dr. Avery Jenkins is a chiropractic physician specializing in the treatment of people with chronic disorders. He can be reached at alj@docaltmed.com or by calling 860-567-5727.