The best healing and wellness support system we have is Nature. Yes, Mother Nature!
Here is the latest edition of 1 thing I’m doing, 2 things I’ve learnt and 3 things to explore lovingly created so you can live a happier, healthier and longer life. Much love, Sandy xx
1 THING I’M DOING
Fluoride Health Effects: Toxic Poison or Friend?
I had already well and truly given fluoride the flick when I heard the renowned Andrew Huberman proclaim in his podcast that, “fluoride is a poison” and that “the dose makes the poison.”
That’s quite the statement, right? And if you’re like me, the idea of drinking any amount of poison does not sit well. But for the sake of this chat and anyone you know that may be on the fence, let’s dig a little deeper into this one.
If we believed fluoride was safe at a certain dose, we’d need to know some critical information first. We’d need to know what dose is safe for a man, woman, or child, factoring in their height, weight, age, any medical conditions they may have and of course, how much water they drink. And secondly, we’d need to know how much fluoride is actually in our drinking water. Both are not easy answers to uncover. OK, nearly impossible. For such a substance, to even warrant the label of poison, surely there should be more transparency around the safe daily limits considering people are also exposed to it in personal care products.
The other thing to think about is, f we’re adding a potential poison to our water, shouldn’t the amount considered “safe” vary significantly based on an individual’s body and weight? It’s only reasonable that babies and small children, in particular, could be at greater risk from the same concentration deemed safe for an adult. And yet, this is not the case. Everyone gets the same dose regardless of who they are and how much they may drink.
The argument for adding fluoride to our drinking water has always been about promoting oral health and reducing dental caries. If this was the case and if fluoride was doing its job, we’d expect to see a decline in the number of dental caries globally right? Wrong! A 2021 study found that approximately 2.3 billion people worldwide have caries in their permanent teeth, an increase of 9.4% compared with the incidence rate in 2007. Perhaps its not the fluoride we need, but rather the less sugar in our diet and good brushing habits.
Some might argue that since fluoride has been in our water for so long now (first introduced in Tasmania in 1953), and that we’re not dropping like flies, everything’s fine. But is it really? Chronic diseases—from metabolic and neurological disorders to autoimmune diseases, allergies, cancers, and thyroid, liver, and kidney dysfunctions—are skyrocketing. Our medical system can’t keep up. And nor does it even know how to keep up. The solution of western medicine is to mostly treat the symptoms, with a cocktail of prescription drugs.
Our bodies are incredibly resilient, but there’s only so much they can handle. Fluoride is toxic to human health, so if you haven’t given fluoride the flick yet, perhaps now’s a good time to start.
✔️ Action Item – Give fluoride the flick! Filter your tap water, and switch to fluoride-free toothpaste and mouthwash today for a healthier, happier smile. For the record, reverse osmosis is the only way to fully get rid of fluoride from your water however good water filters do state that they can remove 90% of fluoride which is a great start.
2 THINGS I’VE LEARNT
Surprising Places You’ll Find Fluoride
When you think of fluoride, the first things that come to mind are usually drinking water and toothpaste. These are the most common sources we all know about. However, there are a few hidden places where fluoride lurks that might surprise you!
Fluoride in Antibiotics
Did you know that certain antibiotics, specifically a class called fluoroquinolones, contain fluoride? Medications like the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin are commonly used but they are not often linked to fluoride exposure or spoken about. And that’s just one group. Digging a little deeper on this topic, I uncovered a handy website that shows there are in fact 30+ different drugs that actually contain fluoride. You can find the handy list here
If you’re prescribed medication that contains fluoride, of course it’s crucial that you continue to do so and manage this carefully. I’m not suggesting in any way that someone should stop taking their medication. Always use common sense and follow medical advice but here are some questions worth asking your medical practitioner:
- How much fluoride does this medication contain?
- Are there any non-fluoride alternatives?
- What changes can I make to my life and environment to improve my health and potentially reduce the need for this medication?
- How can I reduce fluoride exposure in other areas of my life to minimise my overall fluoride intake?
Fluoride in Anaesthesia
Another perhaps even lesser-known source of fluoride is anaesthesia. Obviously, no one opts for surgery or procedures requiring anaesthesia without a damn good reason, and we’re fortunate to have access to advanced medical care. However, being aware of this fluoride source can help you take steps to detox and clear heavy metals from your system if you undergo any procedure requiring anaesthesia.
Fluoride is highly toxic. Research shows that even short-term use of fluoride containing antibiotics can have a long-lasting negative impact on our mitochondrial health so remember to take care and do what you can to minimise your toxic loads.
✔️ Action Item – Awareness is the first step toward better health. Share this information with others who might benefit from it, and take measures to reduce your fluoride intake whenever possible.
How Fluoride Affects Our Health
Have you ever wondered how something like fluoride may impact your health? In the world of circadian health and quantum biology, there are always three key systems we look into and fluoride is detrimental to each of these. First, the three systems we need to consider are our mitochondria, our connective tissue, and our intracellular water network. Now, let’s brush up on each of these in a bit more detail.
Mitochondrial Health
Mitochondrial health is at the core of optimal health and wellbeing. With 80-95% of diseases revolving around our mitochondria, the healthier your mitochondria, the healthier you will be too.
Recent studies reveal a worrying link between fluoride exposure and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our mitochondria are crucial; the energy powerhouse of our cells, it also helps replicate DNA. Unfortunately, fluoride exposure can impair both DNA and our mitochondrial function, limiting our ability to thrive. But more specifically, fluoride induced mitochondrial damage may include “structural changes, damage resulting in neuroinflammation, altered neurotransmitter levels, and disruptions to the bodies key signalling pathways.”
But that’s not all. The same report showed that “in the United States and Canada, exposure to artificially fluoridated water has been associated with a higher prevalence of ADHD in children”. And that chronic exposure to fluoride may be linked to decreased intelligence, memory deficits, learning difficulties and more.
Intracellular Water (Our Body’s Exclusion Zone Water)
The water inside our cells is very different to the water we drink. Inside our cells, there is a special type of water called exclusion zone (EZ) water which our mitochondria makes (you’ll be hearing a lot more about this so stayed tuned!) This water surrounds all our cells. It lines all our blood vessels, promoting healthy blood flow and is found within our connective tissue. The very special and unique thing about exclusion zone water (EZ water) is that it helps to store and maintain an intracellular negative charge. This negative charge and water is critical to optimal health and plays a vital role in our body’s ability to do all the wonderful things it does.
Fluoride removes the ability for our intracellular water to store and hold a negative charge. It does this by lowering our water’s dielectric constant, or electric potential energy. So, imagine if we are exposed to fluoride through antibiotics or long-term consumption of fluoridated water; this would hinder firstly our mitochondria’s ability to make exclusion zone water and secondly, our body’s ability to maintain the necessary charge for overall vitality. This raises a lot of questions and concerns for me!
Connective Tissue and Collagen
Fluoride also negatively impacts our connective tissue, specifically collagen. Collagen is vital for our body’s structural integrity, and fluoride interferes with our body’s ability to make collagen. In fact, exposure to fluoride activates an enzyme called collagenase, which breaks down collagen. This means fluoride has a dual negative effect by firstly, inhibiting our collagen synthesis in the first place, and then additionally breaking the collagen we have down.
Fluoride and Iodine Displacement
Lastly, fluoride has the ability to displace iodine in our bodies and wherever iodine is used. This can affect our thyroid gland and thyroid function and all the other areas where iodine is essential.
The best way to protect yourself and your family is to avoid fluoride exposure in the first place. Consider filtering your drinking and bathing water. Whilst there are some great brands around, and current shower and bath filters may not be perfect, they’re a significant improvement to doing nothing. Hopefully, as awareness grows, these filters will become even more effective at removing toxins like fluoride. Or even better still, perhaps one day our government’s will stop putting poisons such as fluoride in our drinking water.
✔️ Action Item: Do a review of where and how you may be exposed to fluoride and consider ways you can make more fluoride-free switches
3 THINGS TO EXPLORE
Not all toothpastes are created equally
Ready to make the switch to a fluoride-free toothpaste? Welcome aboard. And for some extra good news – it’s not just the fluoride you’ll be avoiding. Here’s a list of other nasty ingredients you’ll find in your everyday toothpaste:
Titanium Dioxide: An insoluble mineral used to whiten toothpaste; titanium dioxide was classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
Artificial Colouring: Commonly added to mainstream toothpaste brands, artificial colours, including Blue No. 1, are used to increase the appeal of toothpaste.
Antimicrobials: Antimicrobial agents, such as stannous fluoride and sodium monofluorophosphate, are widely used in commercial toothpaste.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): The most widely used detergent or foaming agent in toothpaste, SLS can lead to mouth irritation and sensitivity, disrupting the delicate oral ecosystem.
Other Nasties: you’ll find in mainstream toothpaste includes parabens, micro beads, triclosan, nanoparticles, PFAS and genetically modified ingredients
Fluoride-free toothpastes often contain natural ingredients like baking soda, xylitol, and essential oils, which not only clean your teeth but also offer additional benefits. Plus, they’ll usually be free from artificial flavours and harsh chemicals, making them a gentler choice for those with sensitive teeth and gums and young kids with developing teeth.
We’re lucky to have some great brands and choices available to us so it’s time to avoid the harmful chemicals where we can and protect our health from potential risks associated with long-term exposure to fluoride and other nasty chemicals.
✔️ Action Item – Swap your toothpaste to a fluoride free option. There are some great brands around including my personal favourites Grants and the more recently discovered Gem.
How much fluoride is in your drinking water?
Trying to uncover the amount of fluoride that has been added to our drinking water wasn’t an easy thing to do. And whilst I don’t like to rely on Wikipedia, they did have an interesting image showing the amount of fluoride apparently added to public water in ppm by postcode in Australia, 1964-1977 and 2012 that I thought I would share below.
Source: By WisdomTooth3 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
If you live in the Melbourne region like me, it seems we have an amount of 0.7+ ppm added to our drinking water. How much the + equals, is anyone’s guess. It could be 10, 15, or heck, let’s even go for 30 ppm.
The other interesting thing I noted when doing my research is that Queensland has less fluoride added to their water because “areas with higher average temperatures require less fluoride to be added to the drinking water to achieve the same oral health benefits.”. That sounds very odd to me! What’s even more baffling? Apparently the tropical conditions found in parts Queensland also make it difficult to maintain fluoridation equipment due to higher levels of corrosion caused by the wet climate.
So, fluoride in tropical conditions causes corrosion, but it’s OK for us to drink and ingest? Again, it just doesn’t sit right with me. I would rather do what I can to avoid fluoride and minimise my chance of risk and harm.
✔️ Action Item – Do your own fluoride research. I’d love to hear if you uncover any interesting facts and information on either side of the debate.
Greatest Gift
“I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you.” – Joyce Meyer
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