Forever Chemicals
Hello, this is Dr. Ellen. In this month’s ‘Real Common Sense’ newsletter, I want to touch on the subject of ‘forever chemicals’. They have been and are increasingly discussed in the media because of their pervasive presence and the many adverse effects arising from these toxins. These forever chemicals are found in many of our seemingly innocuous everyday consumer products. And because they are resistant to being broken down, they are now found increasingly throughout our environment. Unfortunately, they are also increasingly found in our bodies as well.
By the way, if you haven’t had a chance to see my previous newsletters, you can find them on my website, www.drellencutler.com under ‘Media’.
What are Forever Chemicals?
Some of the most commonly used products are made using chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). They are often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they resist being degraded. They have been used in a variety of applications since the 1950’s. Some applications have included being used inside food containers and outdoor clothing to repel water and oil, on the surface of non-stick cookware to resist the attachment of cooked foods exposed to high temperatures, on various fabrics and carpets in order to resist stains, and even in many cosmetics, dental floss, and mattress pads!(1,2)
The chemical industry has created thousands of different PFAS chemicals, each with a slightly different chemical structure. However, all forever chemicals have at least two carbon-fluorine bonds, which are extremely strong and the reason why they break down so very slowly over time. These bonds allow PFAS to build up and persist in our bodies and the environment for decades. Forever chemicals cause pollution at every stage of production. The surrounding air, water, and soil are often contaminated around PFAS chemical manufacturing facilities and garment factories. Water systems in all 50 states have been contaminated with PFAS from thousands of polluted sites. Major contributors to this include PFAS being dumped into rivers and lakes, seeping into the groundwater from landfills, and burning PFAS-containing products that can then return PFAS to the ground and bodies of water in our rain. Many PFAS chemicals have been found in the blood of people and animals all over the world. They are present in a variety of food products and throughout the environment. In fact, forever chemicals have been found in snow and meltwater on Mt. Everest from both below and at sites above the “Base Camp”.(1,2,3,4)
The Health Concerns with Forever Chemicals
Many studies, both in animals and on human populations, have found associations between exposure to specific forever chemicals and a variety of adverse health effects. Forever chemicals have been found to interfere with our immune system, thus potentially leading to diseases and decreasing responsiveness to vaccines. Links have been found between a number of these chemicals and hormonal imbalances (such as altered thyroid function), liver damage, lipid and insulin dysregulation, kidney disease, ulcerative colitis, and even kidney and testicular cancer! They have also been associated with adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes, including fetal development issues, pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, and decrease fertility.(5,6,7)
Efforts to Curtail PFAS Pollution
In 2015, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that forever chemicals were found in the blood of nearly all Americans tested. This eventually led to some initial steps being taken to prevent further pollution of forever chemicals. In 2022, the Drinking Water Inspectorate of England and Wales released guidelines for ‘safe’ levels of PFAS. Earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set limits on six PFAS forever chemicals that have been regularly found in drinking water, and four others will also be regulated. However, these are only initial steps and major problems remain. These include determining how harmful PFAS forever chemicals actually are to people and the environment, effective means of removing PFAS forever chemicals from drinking water, and methods of managing and disposing of these toxins.(1,2,3,8)
Ellen Cutler Method (ECM)
In my clinical practice, I have had many opportunities to use ECM energetic testing and clearing methods with regard to forever chemicals. Given their ubiquitous presence, I use ECM to determine if an individual has reactivities (aka sensitivities) to specific PFAS chemicals. I have also found value in discovering if there are specific items in each patient’s environment, including foods, clothing, and items within their residence or office, which are contributing to their PFAS load or causing their reactivity to worsen.
Oftentimes, a patient’s reactivities are very complex and multilayered. As mentioned in my previous newsletter(9), it is extremely important to understand the details of that complexity in order to help each individual when using the ECM desensitization techniques. For instance, the reactivity to specific PFAS can cause specific physical or emotional effects, but a specific physical or emotional manifestation may actually be contributing to or even giving rise to a specific PFAS reactivity. The ECM desensitization techniques are specifically tailored to energetically clear reactivities, as well as clearing their related and underlying reactivities. Fortunately, I have found using ECM has been very helpful for many of my patients with significant reactivities to specific forever chemicals.
Please be well, be healthy, but remember…
“There is no longer any population or place on earth untouched by PFAS contamination. We are living through a toxic experiment with no control group.”
― David Bond in “The Guardian” October 2021
Dr. Ellen
References:
- “Many PFAS forever chemicals are toxic—here’s how to avoid them” at https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-06-pfas-chemicals-toxic.html
- “Forever Chemicals” Called PFAS Show Up in Your Food, Clothes, and Home” at https://www.nrdc.org/stories/forever-chemicals-called-pfas-show-your-food-clothes-and-home
- “PFAS Explained “ at https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained
- “Deposition of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ on Mt. Everest” at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969720379523
- “The Detrimental Effects of Forever Chemicals” at https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/acadfest/2022/all/29/
- “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Toxicity and Human Health Review: Current State of Knowledge and Strategies for Informing Future Research” [2020] at https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/etc.4890
- “Forever Chemicals Are Widespread in U.S. Drinking Water” [2021] at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/forever-chemicals-are-widespread-in-u-s-drinking-water/
- “How “forever chemicals” might impair the immune system” at https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2105018118
- “Food Allergy, Sensitivity, or Intolerance?” at https://drellencutler.com/june-2024-newsletter/
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease.