What Are You Bathing Your Brain In? by Kerry Friesen, MD

Where has all the water gone?



You can forget about oil.



Water is the world’s most precious commodity—and it’s getting harder to find.



In 1992 the United Nations designated March 22, World Water Day, to emphasize the ever increasing scarcity of safe water.



Good water is synonymous with good health—and worldwide for a billion people, it’s nearly impossible to find.



Each year 5 million people die of water related diseases, and every day women and children spend countless hours collecting polluted water from distant sources.



Here in America, our tap water is contaminated with 141 unregulated chemicals, some that are well known neurotoxins.







Water Is Life







While water is the most basic element on earth, it is also the least understood—just ask Dr. Emoto.







This much we know for certain:



70% of our overall body weight is water







80% of the composition of the brain is water







CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) the clear, colorless liquid of life we bathe our brains in daily is 99% water!



From a neuroanatomical perspective, having the brain and spinal cord suspended in watery medium makes good sense by buffering the brain from a sudden blow to the head.



As an added bonus, the net weight of the brain is reduced from 1400 to 50 grams, increasing buoyancy and reducing pressure at the base of the brain.







It’s the neurophysiology however that makes it much more interesting.



CSF Is What We Bathe Our Brains In Daily



Just as spring water flows spontaneously from a deep granite aquifer, a vascular structure found deep within the ventricles of the brain produces the 150 ml of CSF needed each day to both transport helpful hormones and remove potential toxins from the brain.



But what if the source water is contaminated?



What if the water we drink daily is unsafe and we spend a lifetime consuming it—what then?



While the blood-brain barrier provides a measure of protection, it is NOT impenetrable.



Neurotoxins make their way to our brains daily, with little resistance.







When was the last time you enjoyed microwavable popcorn or had pizza delivered to your home?







Blood levels of perfluorinated chemicals (a known neurotoxicant) found in Teflon products, Stain-Resistant carpet, the inside lining of microwavable popcorn bags and yes even pizza box liners, are on the rise. There is also ample evidence identifying lead, methylmercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as neurotoxic agents. The “Great” Lakes are not so great anymore.







In a recent French study conducted over 8 years, high aluminum levels in drinking water were associated with an elevated risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). This result was highly significant despite the low number of subjects exposed to such levels.



In contrast, high silica levels found in the same source water, were associated with a lower risk of dementia and AD.







What To Do?







Only one percent of the water on earth is fresh water. We continue to contaminate that one percent at an alarming rate.







For your brain’s sake, find a reliable source of safe water.



Keep your exposure to other environmental toxins to a minimum.



Remember, in the world of neurotoxicology, exposure times a lifetime equals Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s or any one of numerous other neurodegenerative disorders.



Copyright © 2009 by Kerry Friesen, MD. To read more of Dr. Friesen’s articles, visit his health blog The NeuoroProtective Lifestyle at http://neuroprotectivelifestyle.com





What Are You Bathing Your Brain In? by Kerry Friesen, MD



The Health Plus Letter, January 29, 2009, Vol. 7, No. 3. Copyright © 2009 by Larry Trivieri, Jr. All rights reserved.