The Fluoride Action Network reports that many chemicals used for the fluoridation of U.S. drinking water come from China and contain toxic levels of arsenic and lead.

Concerned citizen Bernard Miltenberger of Frostburg, Maryland recently wrote in the Cumberland Times-News:

I have asked now for two years for the Frostburg Mayor and Council to put in the water bill for area residence the ADA warning to not to use fluoridated water when making infant formula, but to no avail.

Are we insane?

Mr. Miltenberger is right. We can no longer trust our governments to protect us from toxic chemicals in our water.

You must remove toxins liek Chinese fluoride on your own. There are two different types of filters for effective fluoride removal. One is the countertop fluoride filter, which contains activated alumina to remove fluoride. The other is the Crystal Quest reverse osmosis system.

CNN reports that the President’s Cancer Panel concluded that exposure to cancer risks is widespread and underestimated, especially for children. Many people are unaware of common cancer causing chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, and radon.

According to the Panel’s report, 80,000 chemicals are used in the U.S but only about 200 of them have been tested for safety. The rest are unregulated. Bisphenol-A (BPA), for instance, is found in food can liners, plastic bottles (including baby bottles), food wraps, and other containers even though exposure to BPA has been linked to cancer and several other diseases. Children are especially vulnerable to such environmental toxins.

Formaldehyde is present in almost all homes. The tight seals that make our homes energy efficient trap pollutants indoors. Formaldehyde, a probable carcinogen, is used in plywood, furniture, carpet, and other home goods. Open doors and windows to air out your home periodically.

Benzene, a known carcinogen, comes from vehicle exhaust and industrial pollution. If you walk or jog outdoors, try to do so away from busy roads and in the early morning hours before the air is polluted.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking. Radon is gas that seeps from some rock formations and can collect in homes. Invest in a radon detector for your home.

The report also makes the following recommendations to reduce cancer risk:

- Remove shoes before entering the home to avoid tracking in toxins like pesticides.

- Use a home water filter to remove toxins from tap water.

- Use stainless steel or glass bottles.

- Never microwave plastic containers. [Better yet: get rid of your microwave!]

- Eat organic meats and produce to minimize exposure to toxins like pesticides, genetically modified proteins, and antibiotics.

- Minimize consumption of charred and well-done meats [as well as processed deli meats].

- Minimize exposure to radiation from x-rays and other medical imaging technologies.

Note: While sunburns increase the risk of skin cancer, lack of healthy sun exposure lowers vitamin D levels and increases cancer risk. Have some fun in the sun this summer; it’s good for you!

This Top 50 list was adapted from “50 Reasons to Oppose Fluoridation” by Paul Connett, PhD, of the Fluoride Action Network.

1. Fluoride is not an essential nutrient. There is no such thing as fluoride deficiency.

2. Fluoridation is completely unnecessary for dental health.

3. Research shows that water fluoridation does little, if anything, to prevent tooth decay.

4. Dental health has improved in cities where fluoride use was discontinued.

5. Dental health depends on many factors and may be poor even with fluoridated water.

6. Some studies suggest that rates of tooth decay actually increases as fluoride concentration in water increases.

7. The CDC has acknowledged that the benefits of fluoride are primarily topical and not systemic. In other words, there’s no reason to ingest fluoride. It’s already in most topical toothpastes.

8. The U.S. FDA never approved any fluoride product designed for ingestion.

9. Water fluoridation programs in the U.S. have failed to lower dental decay rates.

10. Fluoride in the water may cause dental fluorosis in children. This damages tooth enamel.

11. Some fluoride is natural, but the level of fluoride put into water is 200 times higher than the level normally found in mothers’ milk. Infants should never ingest this much fluoride.

12. Fluoride is a cumulative poison; it accumulates in bones, the pineal gland, and other tissues.

13. Fluoride is biologically active even at very low concentration. It has been shown to interfere with the natural action of enzymes within the body.

14. Fluoride may interfere with hormonal and neurochemical signals.

15. Fluoride has been proven to be mutagenic. That is, it cases damage to DNA.

16. Fluoride facilitates the uptake of toxic metals in body tissues.

17. In one study, rats fed fluoridated water had notable morphological changes in their brains and kidneys after just one year, including deposits of beta amyloid in the brain, a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.

18. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), aluminum fluoride has a “high health research priority” due to its “known toxicity.”

19. Animal experiments show that fluoride accumulates in the brain and alters behavior.

20. Several studies found as associations between fluoride exposure and low IQ in children.

21. Fluoride accumulates in the pineal gland, and animal studies show that it reduces melatonin production and leads to an early onset of puberty.

22. Fluoride reduces activity of the thyroid gland. It was actually prescribed for hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) in the early 1900s. Now, as a widespread water additive, it is likely causing hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) for many people. Signs of hypothyroidism include weight gain, fatigue, depression, and muscle aches and pains.

23. Skeletal fluorosis may mimic the symptoms of arthritis.

24. Fluoridated water may cause brittle bones and increase fracture rates.

25. Several studies have found an association between fluoridated water and hip fracture among the elderly.

26. A government-sanctioned animal study concluded that fluoride increases the risk of bone cancer.

27. The National Cancer Institute reviewed national cancer data and found a significantly higher rate of bone cancer for young men living in fluoridated areas. Another study found bone cancer to be up to 6 times higher in young men who live in fluoridated communities.

28. Fluoride damages sperm and increases rates of infertility.

29. There has never been a comprehensive review of the safety of water fluoridation in the U.S.

30. When fluoride is added to water, it is impossible to control individual doses.

31. Water fluoridation is unethical because people are not asked for informed consent before this drug is given to them. This is a major reason why most European countries have eliminated fluoridation.

32. We should have the right to refuse ingesting dangerous drugs. However, if you currently live in a fluoridated community, the only way to avoid ingestion is to use a fluoride water filter.

33. Some individuals are highly sensitive to fluoride and have adverse reactions.

34. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry states that the elderly, diabetics, and people with poor kidney function may be particilarly susceptible to the toxic effects of fluoride.

35. Malnourished individuals also have a higher risk of suffering from the toxic effects of fluoride in water.

36. Dental decay is associated with poor communities and lack of insurance – not lack of fluoride.

37. Fluoridation has been shown to be ineffective in preventing childhood cavities.

38. According to Dr. Hubert Arnold of the University of California, the early studies used to support fluoridation “are especially rich in fallacies, improper design, invalid use of statistical methods, omissions of contrary data, and just plain muddleheadedness and hebetube.”

39. The U.S. Public Health Service endorsed fluoridation in 1950 – before a single trial was ever conducted.

40. The dental community has acknowledged that fluoride does little to prevent pit and fissure tooth decay.

41. We are exposed to far more fluoride today than people were when fluoridation of water began.

42. The fluoride added to water is not pharmaceutical-grade; it comes from the superphosphate fertilizer industry. So, basically, they’re adding industrial hazardous waste to our water.

43. These hazardous wastes have never been thoroughly studied. In animal studies regarding fluoridation, pharmaceutical-grade fluoride is used.

44. Studies suggest an association between fluoridated water and the uptake of lead in children’s blood.

45. Excess exposure to sodium fluoride from fluoridation equipment has killed people.

46. At least 14 Nobel Prize winners have expressed their concerns about water fluoridation.

47. Dr. Arvid Carlsson, Nobel Laureate in Medicine, convinced Sweden to reject fluoridation, saying, “I am quite convinced that water fluoridation, in a not-too-distant future, will be consigned to medical history… Water fluoridation goes against leading principles of pharmacotherapy, which is progressing from a stereotyped medication – of the type 1 tablet 3 times a day – to a much more individualized therapy as regards both dosage and selection of drugs. The addition of drugs to the drinking water means exactly the opposite of an individualized therapy.”

48. Certain government officials continue to support fluoridation. Why do you think that is?

49. In recent history, many scientists have risked their careers to inform us about the dangers of fluoridation. For example, Dr. Phyllis Mullenix was fired from her position as Chair of Toxicology at Forsythe Dental Center for publishing her findings on fluoride and its effects on the brain.

50. According to Dr. William Hirzy, Vice President of the Union that represents scientists at the U.S. EPA, this group opposes fluoridation: “In summary, we hold that fluoridation is an unreasonable risk. That is, the toxicity of fluoride is so great and the purported benefits associated with it are so small – if there are any at all – that requiring every man, woman and child in America to ingest it borders on criminal behavior on the part of governments.”

You can remove fluoride from your water with a countertop fluoride water filter or a reverse osmosis water purifier.

I’d like to believe that our government is decreasing toxic mercury pollution. Unfortunately, the Environmental Integrity Project recently announced that mercury emissions have actually increased at most of the nation’s largest power plants, including plants in Georgia, Missouri, Alabama, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

Coal-fired power plants generate 40 percent of U.S. mercury emissions, according to the McClatchy DC newspaper. Mercury pollution spews into the air, settles in lakes and rivers, and enters the water supply as well as the food chain.

Mercury exposure can cause developmental problems, including neurological problems in infants and children. The Environmental Integrity Project reported estimates that prenatal mercury exposure causes more than 300,000 cases of learning disabilities each year.

“Even though the technology exists today to dramatically reduce the mercury pollution, the U.S. power industry has delayed cleanup and barely made a dent in the power plant emissions,” said Ilan Levin of the Environmental Integrity Project.

You need a home water filter to remove mercury from your drinking water, especially if you have small children in your home.

ABC Boston (WCVB) reports that the water department in Amesbury, MA, has stopped adding fluoride to the water because of concerns about the imported Chinese fluoride. When mixed with water, 40 percent of the supposed sodium fluoride will not dissolve.

“I don’t know what it is,” said Department of Public Works Director Rob Desmarais. “It’s no soluble, and it doesn’t appear to be sodium fluoride, so we’re not quite sure what it is.”

The Amesbury water department has stopped using the fluoride from China – but more than 650,000 people in Massachusetts are still drinking water fluoridated with the chemicals from China. Nearly 1,000,000 people in Massachusetts are drinking water tainted by defective Chinese chemicals.

“They should test it to make sure it’s safe for us to drink,” said Paul Stewart of Newburyport, MA. “On the same day that I read the story about fluoride coming from China, I also read about stories about melamine that was being contaminated in milk products coming from China, and then we had another story about more lead in kids’ toys from China.”

Most sodium fluoride is imported from China because the Chinese supply is the cheapest. Fluoride is added to virtually all water supplies in the United States because it helps to prevent tooth decay. However, recent research has found that fluoride in water may contribute to developmental problems, reproductive problems, thyroid problems, endocrine problems, and neurological problems.

To remove fluoride from your water, you can use either a reverse osmosis water filter or an activated alumina defluoridation filter.

The video above, produced by the Fluoride Action Network, warns that people with kidney disease should avoid drinking fluoridated water because it puts them at higher risk for bone problems, teeth problems, and endocrine problems associated with fluoride.

Since the 1950s, fluoride has been added to city water supplies across the country because of its anti-cavity properties. Recently, however, scientific studies have shown the fluoridated water may do more harm than good.

Too much fluoride can cause dental fluorosis – discoloration and deformation of the teeth. Toxic levels of fluoride may also contribute to osteoporosis, endocrine problems, neurological problems, and reproductive problems.

People with kidney disease are more susceptible to fluoride toxicity because their kidneys cannot eliminate the fluoride efficiently. Therefore, toxic levels of fluoride accumulate in their blood and their bodies rapidly. According to the National Kidney Foundation, all kidney disease patients should be notified of the risks of drinking fluoridated water.

Here in Atlanta, the water has been fluoridated since 1969. CBS Atlanta (WGCL) recently ran an investigative report on fluoride in water and found that plenty of people in Georgia are against fluoridation and campaigning to have this dangerous chemical removed from our water supply. Unfortunately, in Georgia, fluoridation of water is mandatory in all public water districts throughout the state.

Some cities (such as Corning, NY and Juneau, AL) are enacting anti-fluoridation laws to protect their citizens. When municipalities first began to fluoridate water in the 1950s, the water was the only source of fluoride. Now it is available in dental care products, and the fluoridation of water is completely unnecessary. It’s not only unnecessary but also dangerous.

The CDC now recommends that parents use non-fluoridated water for baby formulas. There’s no reason for babies to ingest fluoride since they don’t have teeth, and fluoride might cause developmental problems (such as dental fluorosis). If you know any parents of small children or anyone with kidney disease, please forward this article to them.

To remove fluoride from your water, you must use a reverse osmosis water filter or a fluoride water filter. For more information, see our under sink reverse osmosis water filter as well as our countertop fluoride filter.

Frank Caldario of Crestwood, IL, is just 30 years old, but he’s already had a gumball-size tumor removed from his kidney.

“I can’t help but wonder if what happened to me had something to do with the water,” he said. “It’s just unreal for someone my age to get that.”

Illinois released a report last week which found that toxic chemicals in Crestwood’s drinking water could have contributed to Crestwood’s cancer cluster, or elevated cancer rates. The community of approximately 11,000 shows higher than average rates for kidney cancer, lung cancer, and gastrointestinal cancer.

Why was this community drinking toxic water? Last year the Chicago Tribune revealed that the community’s water supply came from a “secret” taiinted well. Unbelievable!

For years, residents of Crestwood were told that they were drinking treated water from Lake Michigan, when they were really drinkign water from a polluted well! Property values in the village have dropped since last year’s revelation, and citizens are worried about their health.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: You just can’t trust government authorities to provide your family with safe water. You have to take matters into your own hands and invest in a home water filter.

Today the Cape Cod Times reports that the disposal of medicine is a hotly debated issue for the local board of health in Cape Cod, Massacusetts. When a health official revealed that Cape Cod Hospital regularly flushes narcotics down the drain (in accordance with federal rules), Yarmouth Board of Health member William Snowden said, “You’ve got to stop that, please! It’s unacceptable!”

Sometimes referred to as “emerging contaminants” in water, pharmaceuticals and personal care products have people concerned across the country, especially in communities like Cape Cod, where all drinking water comes from a single source and is highly sensitive to contamination. Many of these contaminants act as endocrine disruptors (even is small amounts), damaging the balance of hormones in humans as well as animals.

When drugs and personal care products are flushed down the toilet, they end up in our water supply – and water treatment facilities are not equipped to remove these contaminants. Chronic exposure to these contaminants over time can have adverse effects. For example, male fish in the Potamac River are beginning to develop eggs in their testes due to endocrine disruptors in the water. In humans, endocrine disruptors may cause developmental defects and fertility problems.

Officials are currently discussing alternative ways of disposing of dangerous medications. In the meantime, however, hospitals continue to flush drugs down the drain. You can remove endorcrine disruptors from your water with home water filters.

In January, citizens of Fremont, Ohio, were warned for the third time in less than six months that their drinking water contained high concentrations of nitrate.

Nitrate (NO3) is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It’s found naturally in the environment, and it’s harmless in small amounts. However, when large amounts of nitrates from agricultural operations and waste dumps contaminate drinking water, they make the water dangerous. In the body, nitrate is converted to nitrite, which can reduce oxygen supplies to organs like the brain. This is especially dangerous for infants. Nitrate levels of 10 mg/l or higher can cause methemoglobinemia, or “blue baby syndrome,” in which the ability to utilize oxygen is reduced.

Nitrate levels in the water of Fremont, OH, were found to be 11.3 mg/l, and officials issued an advisory and warned that infants under the age of 6 months should not be given tap water.

Symptoms of blue baby syndrome include blue skin (especially around the eyes and mouth), shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, and headache. If you suspect methemoglobinemia, take the baby to the hospital immediately. If left untreated, blue baby syndrome may cause permanent brain damage or death.

Elevated levels of nitrates in drinking water have also been linked to thyroid problems, increased risk for birth defects, increased risk of diabetes, and increased mortality rates for several different types of cancer.

Protect your water from nitrate contamination by using home water filters.

I’ve heard that 90% of U.S. bills have traces of cocaine on them, but I’ve never heard that drinking water has traces of cocaine in it – until now.

National Geographic reports that illegal drugs like cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, and meth end up in drinking water supplies through human urine and feces. Lovely! Unfortunately, the sewage treatment process cannot completely remove drugs from drinking water. A 2008 study found a cocaine metabolite in 22 out of 24 samples tested at a Spanish water treatment plant.

Harmful legal drugs (pharmaceutical drugs) also end up in drinking water. Your drinking water may very well contain morphine and estrogen. Over time, traces of such medicines can certainly have a dangerous effect the body. For example, many drugs and other chemicals mimic hormones in the body. Water pollution has gotten so bad in some parts of the U.S. that male fish are growing female parts!

Invest in an undersink reverse osmosis water filter to remove dangerous drugs (both legal and illegal) from your drinking water.