Mental Disorders Skyrocket: Try This to Avoid Becoming the Next
Victim
June 20, 2013
Story at-a-glance
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According to the latest statistics, one in five children between
the ages of 3 and 17 suffer some form of mental disorder,
loosely defined as “serious changes in the ways children handle
their emotions, learn, or behave”
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The most prevalent mental health problem among three- to 17-year
olds is ADHD, affecting nearly seven percent of children and
teens
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Autism spectrum disorders are most prevalent among six- to
11-year olds. The latest statistics show that 1 in 50 children
in the US now fall within the autistic spectrum, up from 1 in 88
just last year, with a 5:1 boy to girl ratio
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Likely contributing factors to the rise in mental health
problems include toxic exposures, electromagnetic fields,
vitamin D deficiency, poor gut health, and hidden infections
such as Lyme Disease
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The cost to society is estimated to be close to $247 billion per
year for medical expenses, juvenile justice and special
education—up from $8.9 billion in 2006
By Dr. Mercola
Two years ago, Marcia Angell, former editor-in-chief of the
New England Journal of Medicine, discussed how a
shocking 46 percent of Americans fit a diagnosis for one form of
mental illness or another.1
Now, a report2
released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
reveals that nearly 20 percent of American children
(aged 3 to 17) suffer from some form of mental disorder, loosely
defined as “serious changes in the ways children handle their
emotions, learn, or behave.”
Included in this category are use of alcohol, cigarettes and
drugs. The cost to
society is estimated to be close to $247 billion per year for
medical expenses, juvenile justice and special education—up from
$8.9 billion in 2006.
The most prevalent mental health problem among three- to
17-year-olds is ADHD, affecting nearly seven percent of children
and teens. Interestingly, there appears to be some fairly
significant sex differences:
- Boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, autism
spectrum disorders, Tourette syndrome, cigarette dependence,
behavioral or conduct problems, and anxiety
- Girls have a higher prevalence of depression and alcohol
misuse
Autism spectrum disorders are most prevalent among six- to
11-year olds, and the rise is nothing short of alarming. The
latest statistics released by the CDC on March 20 show that one
in 50 children in the US now fall within the autistic spectrum3,
4 with a 5:1 boy to girl ratio.
Just last year, the CDC reported a rate of
one in 88, which represented a 23 percent increase since
2010, and 78 percent since 2007. Meanwhile, I remember when the
incidence of autism in the US was only one in 100,000—just short
of 30 years ago! So what’s causing this rapid rise in autism and
other mental health problems?
Clearly, there is not one single cause. Rather it’s a
conglomerate of factors, much like a “perfect storm” scenario,
where too many harmful influences are now flooding children’s
bodies at a very early age—likely while still in the womb.
In a normal, healthy environment, statistics such as these
simply would not occur. And the fact that it IS happening
demands our immediate attention. Something is going very wrong,
very fast...
What’s Causing the Rise in Mental Health Disorders in Children
and Teens?
The majority of autism cases do appear to result from the
activation or "expression" of a number of different genes, along
with multiple epigenetic and environmental factors that interact
to produce the traits of autism.
But science is increasingly showing us just how malleable our
genes are—they continuously alter their expression in
response to their environment, meaning, your body and
everything you put into and onto it.
Furthermore, there's no shortage of evidence that toxins of
different sorts can wreak havoc with brain function, which can
lead to everything from depression to anxiety, learning
disorders and more serious mental illnesses.
Add to this the more recent findings that your gut is
profoundly influential for brain health, and a picture of toxic
overload combined with inadequate nutrition comes into clear
view. Some of the contributing factors, I believe, include the
following broad categories:
- Toxic exposures: (Including
agricultural chemicals; air and water pollutants; chemicals
in personal care and household products; excessive
vaccinations; heavy metals; prescription drugs, and more)
For example, research from 2009 discovered that infants
who lived in homes with vinyl floors were twice as likely to
have autism five years later, compared to those with wood or
linoleum flooring. Vinyl floors can emit chemicals called
phthalates, which are widely used plastic softeners
found in much more than just vinyl flooring.
Hairsprays, perfumes, cosmetics, toys, shower curtains,
wood finishers, lubricants, certain medical devices and more
all contain phthalates. Researchers have suggested the
chemicals may contribute to autism by disrupting hormones
not only in small children but also in the womb.
A 2011 review5
of the peer-reviewed, published studies on autism (going all
the way back to 1943) revealed numerous documented cases of
autism caused by encephalitis following vaccination. There
are many potential vaccine-related culprits, including the
use of toxic adjuvants; the presence of human DNA in
vaccines; and the increasing number of vaccines given in a
short period of time.
Heavy metal exposures are also common and can wreak
havoc with your brain function. It is already an established
fact that exposure to mercury
can cause immune, sensory, neurological, motor, and
behavioral dysfunctions -- all similar to traits defining,
or associated with autism.
Mercury pollution is widespread from the burning of
fossil fuels, but the use of thimerosal-containing vaccines
and dental amalgams—both of which contain mercury—also
cannot be overlooked as major sources of individual exposure
to this neurotoxin.
Recent research6
has also shown that even low levels of lead are associated
with lower reading-readiness scores in kindergarteners.7
In 2012, the CDC lowered the “safe” blood lead level from 10
mcg/dl to 5 mcg/dl. As a result, more children can now be
diagnosed with lead toxicity, which has been linked to
developmental problems and reduced IQ. Approximately half a
million U.S. children between the ages of 1 and 5 have blood
lead levels above 5 mcg/dl.
However, according to the latest findings, there does not
appear to be ANY safe level of lead. Compared to children
whose blood lead levels were below 0.5 mcg/dl,
reading-readiness scores dropped four and a half points for
children whose lead levels were between 5 and 9 mcg/dl, and
10 points for children whose levels were 10 mcg/dl.
Besides vaccines, certain drugs have also been implicated
in autism. According to recent research,8
in utero exposure to antidepressants increases the risk of
autism spectrum disorders in less than one percent of cases.
This applied to both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs) and non-selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors.
- Electromagnetic fields (EMF): These
come not only from
cell phones and cordless phones, but also from
electrical outlets and Wi-Fi. According to some experts in
the field, such as Dr. Klinghardt, EMF is “synergistically
causal," partly because it potentiates the production of
toxic microbes and endotoxins that have also been implicated
in autism.
In fact,
Dr. Klinghardt performed a small study showing that
autism can actually be predicted based on the EMF
levels of your sleeping quarters while pregnant. He found
that if you sleep in strong electromagnetic fields during
pregnancy, your child will likely begin to exhibit
neurological abnormalities within the first two years of
life.
- Vitamin D deficiency: The vitamin
D receptor appears in a wide variety of brain tissue
early in the fetal development, and activated vitamin D
receptors increase nerve growth in your brain. It is my
personal belief that lack of appropriate sun exposure before
and during pregnancy may be one of the largest contributing
factors to autism. So one of the most important changes that
could radically reduce autism is to make certain ALL
pregnant women have their vitamin D levels normalized to
50-60 ng/ml.
- Poor gut health: While modern
psychiatry still falsely claims that psychological problems
such as
depression are caused by a chemical imbalance in your
brain, researchers keep finding that depression and a
variety of behavioral problems actually appear to be linked
to an imbalance of bacteria in your gut.
Certain species of
gut bacteria have been found to influence gene activity
in your brain,9
for example. Mice lacking gut bacteria have also been found
to engage in "high-risk
behavior." Using gene profiling, the researchers showed
that absence of gut bacteria altered genes and signaling
pathways involved in learning, memory, and motor control.
This suggests that gut bacteria is closely tied to early
brain development and subsequent behavior.
Your lifestyle can and does influence your gut flora on a
daily basis. For example, your gut bacteria are extremely
sensitive to antibiotics, chlorinated water, antibacterial
soap, agricultural chemicals such as glyphosate, pollution.
Cultured or fermented foods have always been highly
prized for their health benefits, which we now understand is
linked to their probiotics content. The advent of processed
foods dramatically altered the human diet, and we're now
reaping the results in the form of rapidly rising chronic
health problems.
I believe the shunning of traditionally fermented foods
has a lot to do with the rise in mental and physical health
problems. The culturing process produces beneficial microbes
that are extremely important for your health as they help
balance your intestinal flora. If you do not regularly
consume traditionally fermented foods, a high-quality
probiotic supplement will provide similar benefits.
- Hidden infections and Lyme Disease:
Chronic infections like
Lyme disease are extremely common in autistic children,
and may even cause gene mutations or dysfunction. Typically,
the child gets the disease not from a tick bite but from
their mother, who may be a silent carrier of the illness.
Major symptoms of Lyme disease in a child include
hyperactivity, learning disorders, depression, early
puberty, and slight delays in motor development.
How to Address Common Behavioral Problems in Children
As mentioned earlier, “mental disorders” are loosely defined
as “serious changes in the ways children handle their emotions,
learn, or behave,” and run the gamut from mood disorders and
substance abuse to learning disorders and more serious mental
illness. While there are no easy remedies for more problematic
issues like autism, a wide variety of mood, learning and
behavioral problems in children are related to improper diet,
emotional upset or stress, and exposure to toxins.
I have successfully treated many hundreds of children with
behavioral and mental disorders and have consistently seen them
improve once the underlying toxicities and
food
changes were addressed, so parents let me assure you that
there is hope! To address these underlying factors in your
child, without resorting to drug treatment:
Dramatically reduce or eliminate grains and sugars from
your child’s diet -- yes, even healthy organic whole
grains can cause problems. Try eliminating them first
for 1-2 weeks and see if you don’t notice a radical and
amazing improvement in your child’s behavior |
Replace soft drinks, fruit juices, and pasteurized milk
in your child’s diet with pure water |
Give your child plenty of high-quality, animal-based
omega-3 fats like krill oil. Also limit their intake of
vegetable oils, as they are loaded with damaged omega-6
fats |
Make sure your child gets plenty of
exercise and outdoor playtime in the sunshine
ideally walking on the earth barefoot |
Avoid giving your child ANY processed foods, especially
those containing artificial colors, flavors, and
preservatives. Instead, focus their diet on whole,
ideally organic foods to avoid both pesticides and
genetically engineered ingredients |
Provide your child a way to address his or her emotional
stressors. Even children can benefit from the
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which you or an
EFT practitioner10
can teach them how to use |
What Can You Do to Reduce Unnecessary Chemical Exposure to Your
Family?
With close to half of all Americans of all ages suffering
from some form of mental health problem, I strongly recommend
making a healthy lifestyle par the course for the entire family.
While some people can handle a greater toxic burden, it’s only a
matter of time before you reach your limit and side effects
begin to rear their ugly head. Depression, for example, is
widespread, yet can frequently be successfully treated with diet
and exercise alone. Rather than compile an endless list of what
you should avoid, it's far easier to focus on what you
should do to lead a healthy lifestyle with as minimal a chemical
exposure as possible:
- As much as possible, buy and eat organic produce and
free-range, organic foods to reduce your exposure to
pesticides and fertilizers.
- Rather than eating conventional or farm-raised fish,
which are often heavily contaminated with PCBs and mercury,
supplement with a high-quality purified krill oil, or eat
fish that is wild-caught and lab tested for purity.
- Eat mostly raw, fresh foods, steering clear of
processed, prepackaged foods of all kinds. This way, you
automatically avoid artificial food additives, including
dangerous artificial sweeteners, food coloring and MSG. To
help you get started on a healthy diet, please see my
Optimized Nutrition Plan, which will guide you through
the changes step by step.
- Store your food and beverages in glass rather than
plastic, and avoid using plastic wrap and canned foods
(which are often lined with BPA-containing liners).
- Have your tap water tested and, if contaminants are
found, install an appropriate water filter on all your
faucets (even those in your shower or bath).
- Only use natural cleaning products in your home.
- Switch over to natural brands of toiletries such as
shampoo, toothpaste, antiperspirants and cosmetics. The
Environmental Working Group has a great database11
to help you find personal care products that are free of
phthalates and other potentially dangerous chemicals. I also
offer one of the highest quality organic skin care lines,
shampoo and conditioner, and body butter that are completely
natural and safe.
- Avoid using artificial air fresheners, dryer sheets,
fabric softeners or other synthetic fragrances.
- Replace nonstick pots and pans with ceramic or glass
cookware.
- When redoing your home, look for "green," toxin-free
alternatives in lieu of regular paint and vinyl floor
coverings.
- Replace your vinyl shower curtain with one made of
fabric, or install a glass shower door. Most all flexible
plastics, like shower curtains, contain dangerous
plasticizers like phthalates.
- Limit your use of drugs (prescription and
over-the-counter) as much as possible. Drugs are chemicals
too, and they will leave residues and accumulate in your
body over time.
- Avoid spraying pesticides around your home or insect
repellants that contain DEET on your body. There are safe,
effective and natural alternatives out there.
Limiting Chemical Exposure Is Important for Optimal Health
Clearly, the toxic overload now rampant in our children is in
part due to the toxic burden of the mother (and perhaps the
father as well). So, ideally, you really want to start
considering and addressing the contributing factors listed above
BEFORE you get pregnant.
Check your home and especially your sleeping quarters for
EMFs, for example.
Clean
up your diet and complete a detox protocol if deemed
necessary. Heavy metal testing can cost a couple of hundred
dollars but may be well worth the investment if you’re planning
a pregnancy down the road. Make sure your vitamin D levels and
gut flora are optimized. All of these things are part and parcel
of a healthy lifestyle, and I firmly believe you can make a
major difference in your child’s life by addressing these
factors beforehand.
Remember, a typical American comes in regular contact with
some 6,000 chemicals and an untold number of potentially toxic
substances on a less frequent basis. Many of them have never
been fully tested for safety. To protect your physical and
mental health, it’s important to make these positive and gradual
steps toward decreasing your chemical exposure.
Environmental pollution is a massive problem, but for most
there aren’t many immediate solutions to address it. Your time
is better spent focusing on your immediate environment; your
home, and all the products you use or come in contact with on a
daily basis. Cleaning that up can go a long way to reduce your
and your children’s toxic load, and hence decrease your family’s
risk of chemical-induced health problems.
© Copyright 1997-2013 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.
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