Attention milk drinkers, particularly pregnant women and young children: you should exercise caution if your milk is from California because of the likelihood it has been exposed to harmful levels of toxins found in rocket fuel. The toxin in question, perchlorate, is used to make rocket fuel and has also been tied to thyroid damage.
Traces of Perchlorate
Was found in the drinking water of over 20 states
One of the states it was found, California, has some of the strongest military, defense and space program connections
Traces were discovered in the Colorado River, which is considered the main source of drinking water supply in both Southern California and Arizona
Differing Views on the Pechlorate Discovery
While one environmental group didn't advise Californians against milk consumption, they did call for stricter standards for perchlorate. Researchers are torn between the effects of perchlorate on cognitive functioning and what guidelines should be for safe and harmful exposure levels.
Until that is determined, the California dairy industry plans to investigate how perchlorate is being released into milk and then come up with ways to remove it.
USA Today June 22, 2004
Perchlorate has also been found to contaminate lettuce and other vegetables.
Wonderful--now in addition to rocket fuel in your lettuce, you can have it in your milk too.
If you're looking to replace milk, and I don't advocate drinking pasteurized milk for many reasons even above and beyond the pherchlorate issue, one option is to stick to pure water. Drinking water is one of the least expensive and most important physical things you can do to stay healthy. However, if this water is contaminated with heavy metals, chlorine, or pesticides it will actually contribute to disease rather than promote health, so it's important to have your tap water tested for contaminants.
Further, if you're interested in this area I recommend purchasing "Your Body's Many Cries For Water". It is the best book I know of that documents the usefulness of water. The author, Dr. Batmanghelidj, is a physician and does an excellent job. If you are a health care professional this book should be in your library.
If you are interested in more information on thyroid function, diagnosis of disorders, and treatment, you can review my Thyroid articles, one for diagnosis and another for treatment. Also, I completed an interview with Mary Shomon, the thyroid guide from About.com.
If you are interested in thyroid problems, Mary Shomon's Book "Living Well with Hypothyroidism" is excellent and I highly recommend it if you have or suspect thyroid dysfunction.
Related Articles:
Don't Drink Your Milk! New Toxic Chemicals Found in Breast Milk Milk Contaminated with Tuberclulosis Bacteria The Real Reasons Why Raw Milk is Becoming More Popular New Technology Expands Shelf Life of Certain Dairy Products Autism and Malnutrition: The Milk Connection
Don't Drink Your Milk!
New Toxic Chemicals Found in Breast Milk
Milk Contaminated with Tuberclulosis Bacteria
The Real Reasons Why Raw Milk is Becoming More Popular
New Technology Expands Shelf Life of Certain Dairy Products
Autism and Malnutrition: The Milk Connection