But aside from all the sordid history, the suppression of scientific concern, and the labeling of dissenters as off-balanced "fluorophobes," what should a sensible person do? Here are three appropriate actions for regular daily life, especially if you are bothered by feeling fat, fuzzy, frazzled, fatigued, depressed, beset by intolerance to heat or cold, annoyed by problems with skin-hair-nails, or suffering with severe constipation, low libido, infertility, or uncomfortable menopause.First, if you are not a thyroid patient, have your thyroid status carefully checked. Insist on more testing than the simple AMA panel of TSH and Free T4. Add a Free T3 and the Thyroid Antibody Panel. You may be one of the millions of people whose fluoride exposure over the years has finally made you low thyroid.
Second, if you are already a thyroid sufferer and treatment is not going as well as you would like, consider an enhanced fluoride avoidance program. Stop drinking and cooking with tap water if it is fluoridated. Well-chosen bottled water is preferable. Start buying non-fluoridated tooth paste. It's available at the health food store if you really look closely. Decline the fluoride dental treatments and make sure it is not in your mouth wash. The various other food sources are probably not a significant factor.
Commentary on 2006 Research Findings
Third, start speaking out against the unhealthy practice of fluoridation. Don't expect that the Public Health Service will ever willingly admit to the most colossal error ever in the history of government science. The change will instead occur as more and more local communities decide against fluoridating their city water. They will thereby join those whole countries that have rejected or banned the practice, such as Japan, India, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Holland. Be guided by the credo of health professionals, "Above all, do no harm." If fluoridated water is now highly suspected of harm, then let's put a moratorium on proceeding further with it.
Key Resources
EPA Standard for Fluoride in Drinking Water Is Not Protective/2006
http://thyroid.about.com/od/newscontroversies/a/fluoride2006.htm
Drs. Richard and Karilee Shames
http://www.feelingfff.com/
Portland Tribune Article
Sources: oawhealth.com
Mary Shomon
