A Blog post from Alan Bell:
Nearly 25 years ago, I came down with a mysterious illness that posed not just an obstacle to my promising career as a prosecutor, but a near-death sentence. Forced to live in an isolated bubble in the Arizona desert for a decade, I saw that promising career evaporate and my marriage crumble.
Baffled by my condition, doctors ran test after test to diagnose what was wrong with me, suggesting everything from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to a revenge poisoning by one of the criminals I’d prosecuted. Ultimately, I discovered a terrifying truth: my condition was caused by exposure to the same toxic chemicals we’re all surrounded by on a daily basis. My plight serves as evidence that humans are now facing the deadliest silent epidemic of the twenty-first century.
With the help of my daughter, I eventually fought back and found healing through an experimental treatment. As good as my life is now, I have not given up on my mission to alert mankind to the dangerous chemicals poisoning us all. I have lost track of the countless victims I’ve encountered whose lives have been permanently damaged or lost to this silent epidemic. Toxins are increasing in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the foods we eat, the clothes and furniture we touch, and even in the ground beneath our feet.
It doesn’t matter who you are, where you work, or how you live. No one is immune. Causes are widespread, manifesting in people, governmental organizations, and corporations that are seemingly bland and harmless.
Our global pandemic is terrifying, yet many people choose to look the other way rather than face their own mortal vulnerability. Sadly, the human race is committing this ultimate crime against itself—and against future generations. There are no geographic, economic, ethnic, political, or religious borders when it comes to environmental toxins. We are all at risk of poisoning from a biological standpoint.
I’ve pulled together a list of these top three chemicals to avoid in your daily lives to help fight for the health of you and your family.
Top 3 Chemicals to Avoid
- Acrylamide – Used in gel and binding agents and found in food packaging, cosmetics, and disposable diapers. Acrylamide can also be ingested from tobacco smoke or drinking water, and by touching products that contain the chemical. High doses of acrylamide exposure can lead to skin, eye, and upper respiratory infections.
- Benzene – This volatile chemical is a product of coal and petroleum production. It’s also added to unleaded gasoline and industrial solvents, and it’s a byproduct of tobacco smoke. The compound off-gasses from building materials and also occurs naturally. Humans typically inhale benzene in ambient air. Exposure to high concentrations of benzene vapor can depress the central nervous system and lead to death.
- Long-Chain Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) – Fire-resistant PFCs are used in electronics, automotive parts, textiles, and in the construction and aerospace industries, not to mention nonstick cookware. It is unclear how the chemicals get into the human body, but one likely possibility is through diet. While scientists don’t know with certainty if PFCs are harmful to human health, studies have found that high doses cause liver damage in rodents and monkeys.
As I learned during my years as a prosecutor and, later, as a toxic tort lawyer, those in power don’t always do the right thing. It’s up to us to fight for our own environmental health if we’re going to save the humans and survive as a species.
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Former organized crime prosecutor, Alan Bell, almost died from an environmentally linked illness. He now devotes his life to raising awareness about environmental injury through public speaking and his book, POISONED, coming April 2017. Alan is a fierce advocate for those too weak or sick to fight for themselves.
