Mark Blaxill on ABC's Chronicle: Toxic Kids
Age of Autism Editor at Large Mark Blaxill was featured on Boston's Chronicle news program in a feature about toxic kids.
What is making American children sick? Cancer rates are climbing. Cases of autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and asthma are through the roof. Is the answer all around us – in the food our kids eat, the air they breathe, and the clothes they wear? Tonight, Chronicle investigates a provocative thesis about the American lifestyle and its effects on children's health
The show featured the book, Poisoned Profits: The Toxic Assault on Our Children (see the website HERE) by Philip and Alice Shabecoff. Take note of the link to our sponsor www.SafeMinds.org on the WCVB site!
The four progam links are below. Mark is in the first link. See the show website HERE.
First segment, with Mark Blaxill
Second segment
Third segment
Fourth segment
It was really quite amazing how weak the arguements of the defenders of the status quo were.
The guy commenting on how these chemcials exist because society demands these products..what does that have to do with their safety? And the old, well, not everybody is sick arguement. Give me a break.
The women's arguement seemed to be that we shouldn't be afraid of these chemicals just because they are invisible. What?
Posted by: Jack | January 30, 2009 at 04:21 PM
The segment was excellent. I was really moved by how "into it" the hosts were and wrote to the producers to thank them for airing the piece.
The Blaxill family are terrific ambassadors for this cause, as always. I'd never seen Martha Herbert on air before and she seems so approachable, really driven to get to the bottom of things.
Posted by: Gatogorra | January 27, 2009 at 06:04 PM
Mercury in high fructose corn syrup.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html
Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury
MONDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies.
HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average.
"Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply," said the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies.
In the first study, researchers found detectable levels of mercury in nine of 20 samples of commercial HFCS. The study was published in current issue of Environmental Health.
In the second study, the agriculture group found that nearly one in three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was most common in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments.
The use of mercury-contaminated caustic soda in the production of HFCS is common. The contamination occurs when mercury cells are used to produce caustic soda.
Posted by: Becky | January 27, 2009 at 05:30 PM
Mark thanks for being so instrumental in healing my son.
What a blessing that you were one of the first parents to help us understand environmental illness.
Our whole family has been healthier.
A million "thank yous" for sending me your baby hair study 5 years ago. It was the catalyst for us to start chelation.
Now instead of Autism silence, learning disabilities and ADHD we have happy healthy kids.
May we all strive to get the canaries out of the coal mine.
Posted by: KarenAtlanta | January 27, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Mark's going to Disneyworld! (Again)
So Mark, what's the running tally??? 20,21 times now??
Ahhhh, the things we do for our children.
For the record: Going to Disneyworld (for the umpteenth time) ranks right up there with Easy Bake Ovens in the "Torture Department". But hey, at least in the DW world you can order fancy drinks poolside to forget you're even there.
Bon Vonage and my sincere condolences ;-)
Posted by: Kelli Ann Davis Yee Haaaww | January 27, 2009 at 12:06 PM