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BTSCHOOL
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1993-02-09
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The following was contributed by Nanci Anderson Powell,
creator and Director of Discovery Resources in Ashland,
Oregon. Thank you Nanci for all your time, energy and
willingness!
Back-to-School = Back to Trouble?
Have you ever noticed that during summer vacation kids
are happier and have fewer colds? And that going back
to school brings on illness and behavior problems for many
kids?
Let's take a look at what some psychologists and doctors
are discovering about the relationship between a child's
environment and behavior problems.
According to research done by Doctors Lendon Smith and
Marshall Mandell, some children return to school and are
highly sensitive to the cafeteria's, chemically-laden, overly
processed foods, pesticides, chemical fertilizers and sprays,
newly waxed floors, recently painted rooms, bathroom
disinfectants and other commercial cleansers, cleaners and
soap. One type of chemical sensitivity is to the
hydrocarbons that are present in smog and the items listed
above. One of the most common uses of hydrocarbons is to
bind perfumed scents to liquid and bar soaps, cleaners,
lotions, deodorant, toilet paper, etc.
So Johnny and Janie go back to a spick 'n span school.
Before we consider what happens when Janie return to school
in the fall, we can learn much from looking at her vacation
environment. As soon as school was out, she and her family
headed for the hills. The mountain air near the lake
contained an abundance of negative ions which are far
healthier than the positive ions found in dry, heated, smoggy
or air-conditioned air. Research by Dr. Albert Paul
Krueger, U.C. Berkeley professor emeritus, showed that
office workers and students were more productive, happier and
enjoyed less "down-time" when the air was charged with the
negative ions from an air ionizer.
The family camped in a tent-trailer which allowed them to
breathe fresh, clean air while they slept. This kept oxygen
going to their brains and helped to build new, healthier cell
tissues. They used the trailer's stove, thus eliminating
hydrocarbons from wood smoke or charcoal-starter fluid.
Mom used a citronella candle and a non-aerosol, natural
mosquito repellent when necessary. This was far different
than her home environment where she used chemically-loaded
bug killer and as many as fifteen perfumed household sprays
and preparations for everything from cleaning the oven to
polishing the furniture.
In addition to the fresh mountain air, Johnny and Janie
ate fresh fruits and vegetables from the camp store, and
since it was hot, they often ate salads for dinner. The
water, too, was untreated with chemicals such as chlorine and
fluoride. Unlike their school and home swimming pools, the
lake and creek's water was chlorine-free and pure. When
given a choice of highly-sugared soda pop or water, Janie and
her brother often chose the refreshing and thirst quenching
spring water. They liked that it was nice and cool and
sweet-tasting.
Combine these physical, environmental factors with lots
of light and sunshine (the sun gives us Vitamin D for calm
nerves), less mental and emotional stress and plenty of
freshly caught fish*.
Back home now, the kids continued to spend many hours
outside in the sun. However, she swam in chlorinated pools
on hot, smoggy days which caused her to cough, helped her mom
polish the furniture and clean house. She also went back to
drinking pop. She and her brother said that they'd rather
drink soda than that "yukky tasting" tap water. Her behavior
began slipping and her parents wondered about the maturity
they observed during those three weeks in the mountains. At
backyard barbecues she would be especially "wild."
Janie and Johnny entered third grade in the fall with
several new synthetic and acrylic outfits which Dr. Mandell
mentions in his book, "Dr. Mandell's Five Day Allergy Relief
System' as being the cause of some allergic reactions in
sensitive people. She spent six hours a day in highly
polished, chemically cleaned, freshly painted school rooms
under fluorescent lights. These lights have been found to
cause reactions ranging from headaches and fatigue to
hyperactivity and irritability according to research by Dr.
John Ott. Also see the 1974 issue of SCIENCE NEWS. Either
their subliminal flicker reacting on the brain's cerebral
cortex of the susceptible person or their lack of
full-spectrum color is the source of these problems.
(Editor's note: Full-spectrum - gro-lux bulbs can be found in
most hardware, discount or garden supply stores).
Her teacher, a smoker, often used copious amounts of
perfume to camouflage the smoke smell in her clothing. As he
leaned over Janie's desk to help her, she had no choice but
breathe in the noxious, toxic odors. Janie also noticed and
liked the teacher's felt tip pen.
At lunch, the cafeteria smelled like a combination of
floor wax, cleaners, disinfectant, clothes softener, new
shoes and clothes and hot dogs (with nitrates and
preservatives and additives to keep them "fresh and
colorful"). Even the vegetables, fruits and salads are full
of artificial fertilizers and pesticides! After a lunch of
highly refined, low-fiber starches, including instant
potatoes which are loaded with preservatives and chemicals to
keep them white and soft, Janie and her friends went to the
vending machine for sugar "treats" and sodas.
Is it any wonder Johnny and Janie have trouble
concentrating and sitting still in class? Their teachers
complain of their "constant fidgeting, talking and disrupting
the class."
Janie has been interviewed by the school psychologist
who feels that there is a mother-daughter conflict in the
home and that perhaps a male teacher would be able to control
her behavior. This does not help much either, even though
Janie really likes Mr. Smith, "he's so cute and has neat
aftershave lotion!"
For Janie and countless other children, an undetected
chemical sensitivity to hydrocarbons, chemicals and
preservatives could well be causing major problems in her
life. If untreated, they face needless personal, social and
educational problems. Dr. Lendon Smith states in his book,
"Improving Your Child's Behavior Chemistry, that if we can
change a child's behavior chemistry at an early age, there is
less chance of a deep-seated psychology problem developing.
Just how many chemicals do WE combine in our homes,
schools and work? Does this careless combination cause
health hazards? Would it be in your best interest to
substitute natural products for chemically loaded ones?
NOTE: This article is an excerpt of Nanci's "Quick & Easy
Ways to Natural Health," a compilation of many varied and
interesting health topics. For more information, send a
self-addressed, stamped envelope to Nanci Anderson Powell,
Director, The Discovery Resources Center, P.O. Box 1225,
Ashland Oregon, 97520 or call 503-488-2981.
*Editor's Note: Fish is known for its abundance of omega 3
oil and trace minerals and vitamins.
End of file.