Lead in My NEW Summer Cooler Chest

September 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment




Imagine my surprise when I unpacked my brand new summer cooler and found the following label warning me about toxic lead on the power cord! This cooler was purchased new in June 2010

cooler contains lead

Label Warning About Lead In New Cooler

“Warning: The power cord on this product contains lead, a chemical known in the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reporductive harm. Wash hands after handling.” Wash hands after handling? Will that really remove toxic lead? Is that realistic to wash your hands ever single time I touch the cord?

Here is one nasty scenario: you get to your camp site, unplug your cooler, and prepare a meal for your family. The poisonous lead on your hands gets transferred onto the food you prepare. Now you are actually EATING LEAD! Young familys are typical campers. Are they about to have kids? This is a very bad (and typical) scenario.

 This cooler was purchased brand new from a local sporting goods store, it is a VERY popular model. A picture of the actual box this cooler came in is below. No toxic lead warning on the outside of this box. Any chance such a toxic lead warning would hurt the sale of this cooler?

This type of cooler plugs into the 12 volt (commonly called “cigarette lighter”) socket in your car. It also comes with an adapter to allow you to use it in your home (regular household plug). I am quite happy with the cooler itself, it is a great product, well, other than having a health threatening power cord.

Cooler with lead contaminated power cord

 And here is the actual cooler itself that contains toxic lead in the power cord.

Cooler containing heavy metal lead

Cooler Containing Toxic Lead

The label says only the cord contains the heavy metal lead, known to be toxic. However it is basically impossible to use this cooler without handling the power cord. Surely they could have made a cord  that does not contain lead. If not, could this possibly mean that other (all!) power cords like this one contain lead?

What is the point of this post? The point is that we are constantly bombarded with toxins! They are impossible to avoid. Lead has been know for many many years to be extremely harmful yet it is still widely used in consumer products.

The ‘Bathtub’ or ‘Barrel’ Theory comes into play here. Most people are able to tolerate a certain amout of lead and other toxins like mercury. However, more and more lead builds up in your body until you get to a point where your tub/barrel ‘overflows. ‘Overflows’ means the amount of toxin in your body becomes more than your body can deal with and the person becomes sick. It is at this point that DMSA is needed to reduce the level of lead (or other toxin) in the body. This is known as ‘reducing the body burden’. Once the body burden is reduced to a level that the body can deal with, the symptoms of the excessive toxin levels disappear.  You can also take DMSA as a preventative measure. That is what I do. I do not have any symptoms of any heavy metal toxicity and I do not want any! Therefore, I regularly do a DMSA detox every few months to ensure my tub never overflows.

Filed Under: Lead Poisoning Tagged With: , , , ,

Dangerous Protein Powders

June 22, 2010 By 2 Comments




(NaturalNews) Many common brands of protein powders and protein drinks contain high levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury according to the most recent issue of Consumer Reports magazine. All fifteen different powders and drinks tested contained measurable amounts, some quite high. Consumer Reports also argued that most people in the United States including athletes get ample protein in their diets. Heavy metal toxicity and excess protein consumption are both dangerous for one`s health.

Proteins, whether from plants or animals, are broken down by the body into amino acids which are then used to form our cells and tissues. In the United States it is almost impossible to get too little protein.

Protein requirements set out by the World Health Organization range from a minimum of 0.45 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight to 0.8 grams protein per kilogram. It may increase 1 gram for endurance athletes. One pound equals 0.45 kilograms, so a 150 pound person would weigh about 68 kilograms. Excess protein can cause severe health issues such as dehydration and kidney failure.

Good vegetarian sources of protein include beans, grains such as quinoa, eggs, seeds such as hemp seeds, and even leafy green vegetables; they can give substantial amounts of protein when eaten in high enough amounts. One cup of cooked quinoa contains about 14 grams of protein. One egg contains about 6 grams of protein and one cup of raw spinach contains 1 gram of protein.

Whereas protein deficiency is not a common problem in this country, lead and other heavy metal poisoning is. Heavy metals get into tissues including the brain, heart and kidneys and are extremely difficult for the body to eliminate. Children are especially prone to heavy metal poisoning but everyone is at risk. Symptoms of heavy metal toxicity include fatigue, nausea, depression, decreased thyroid and adrenal function, and even seizures.

Blending hemp seeds, green leafy vegetables or cooked grains like quinoa into a home-made smoothie of fresh and frozen fruit and water is a much healthier way to get protein than supplementing with questionable store-bought powders and drinks.

Filed Under: Other Heavy Metals Tagged With: , , , ,