Toxic Overload: A Doctor's Plan for Combating the Illnesses Caused by Chemicals in Our Foods, Our Homes, and Our Medicine Cabinets

The miracles of chemistry once seemed like they might be society's salvation, but now, says doctor Baillie-Hamilton, toxic chemicals pollute every aspect of our lives-including our food, water, clothing, homes, workplaces and medicines. An environmental health specialist at Stirling University in Scotland, Baillie-Hamilton details how toxins may be linked to dozens of serious health problems, including immune system diseases, neurological disorders, digestive disorders, hormonal imbalances, cardio-vascular diseases, cancer, hyper-sensitivity, obesity, musculoskeletal disorders and childhood health problems. (A chapter is devoted to each.) ""These chemicals are simply not going to go away,"" Baillie-Hamilton writes, ""so we need to adapt to this polluted world if we are to survive."" She sounds many alarms, noting, for example, that the World Resources Institute reports ""pesticides are a likely cause of immune suppression for millions of people throughout the world"" and that 25% of the chemicals in the environment are neurotoxins linked to increased incidence of brain disease. Acknowledging that we cannot eliminate most toxins, the author recommends three steps-a detoxifying supplement program, a seven-day ""Desludge Diet"" to cleanse the system and a thorough detoxing of the home-and provides specific instructions for each. If only half of what Baillie-Hamilton claims is true, then it's time for more work, studies, answers and action.